Korea - V-League 2011/2012

    V-League to kick off with BlueFangs as favorite
    The new volleyball season starts today with defending Samsung BlueFangs considered early favorites to go on and lift a fifth consecutive V-League title.


    The opening game will take place at the Chungmu Gymnasium, Daejeon, in which the BlueFangs will host last year’s fourth-ranked LIG Greaters. A total of 126 games will be played in the regular season through March 21 next year followed by playoffs involving the top four clubs.


    The BlueFangs are highly expected to claim their fifth title since 2007. The defending champions will boast a powerful offense based around Canadian wing attacker Gavin Schmitt.


    Inarguably the best import ever, Schmitt scored a league-high 839 points in the regular season last year to see his team make the playoffs in third place behind the Korean Air Jumbos and the Hyundai SkyWalkers.


    While third place was a disappointment for the team, the 2.07-meter Canadian led the Daejeon-based squad to eliminate the Greaters and then defeat its rival SkyWalkers in the next round. In the best-of-seven championships against the Jumbos, he amassed 192 points in the team’s four straight victories.


    Schmitt will be supported by fellow wing attacker Park Chul-woo, who was the team’s second-highest scorer last campaign with 401 points.


    Suk Jin-wook, also an attacker, has fully recovered from a knee injury that saw him miss the entire 2010-11 season.


    Meanwhile the SkyWalkers have a new head coach, with Ha Jong-hwa succeeding Kim Ho-chul. The new coach is expected to employ a different strategy to Kim’s who stepped down after failing to advance to the championship series last year. While the former head coach put weight on offense, Ha demands his boys to focus on the basics and a stable defense.


    Other clubs are looking to similar tactics and last season’s fifth-placed KEPCO 45 enhanced their defense in the preseason.


    While the BlueFangs and the SkyWalkers were known for their rivalry, the Jumbos have a good possibility of challenging the existing order.


    Seoul Dream 6, formerly Woori Dream 6, could emerge as a threat through rookie Choi-suk. He was the first pick in the draft and will bring experience coupled with talent as a member of the national team.


    The Sangmu Phoenix, a club comprised of professional players playing on the team in lieu of serving their military duty, could be a surprise package, as they caused several upsets against the BlueFangs last season.
    source: koreatimes.co.kr

    Quote from brahmin

    I predict that Gavin will score 1,000 points. :cheesy:


    In the article it says that Gavin had 839 points and the #2 scorer on his team had 401. That is a big drop-off.


    Yes, he got lazy :lol:

    2011-10-22
    Samsung Bluefangs vs LIG Greaters 3:2 (25:22 23:25 19:25 25:18 15:12)
    Best scorer: Milan Pepic (LIG) 41 points


    2011-10-23
    Korean Air Jumbos vs KEPCO45 3:2 (25:21 21:25 21:25 25:21 17:15)
    Best scorer: Martin Nemec (Jumbos) 40 points

    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers vs Woori Capital Dream Six 1:3 (24:26 25:22 19:25 13:25)
    Best scorer: Kim Jung Hwan (Dream Six) 21 points


    2011-10-25
    Sangmu Bulsajo vs Korean Air Jumbos 2:3 (19:25 28:26 25:23 23:25 12:15)
    Best scorer: Martin Nemec (Jumbos) 43 points


    2011-10-26
    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers vs Gumi LIG Greaters 3:0 (25:19 25:22 25:17)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 29 points

    2011-10-27
    Woori Capital Dream Six vs Samsung Bluefangs 1:3 (25:22 19:25 19:25 29:31)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 48 points

    2011-10-29
    LIG Greaters vs Korean Air Jumbos 1:3 (23:25 25:15 26:28 23:25)
    Best scorer: Martin Nemec(Jumbos) 28 points


    2011-10-30
    Woori Capital Dream Six vs Sangmu Bulsajo 3:1 (25:23, 34:32, 27:29, 25:11)
    Best scorer: Choi Hong Suk (Dream Six) 24 points

    KEPCO45 vs Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 3:2 (21:25 25:22 25:27 25:23 15:10)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 39 points


    2011-11-01
    Woori Capital Dream Six vs LIG Greaters 3:1 (25:22 20:25 25:23 25:17)
    Best scorer: Milan Pepic (LIG) 23 points


    2011-11-02
    Samsung Bluefangs vs Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 3:0 (25:22 29:27 25:22)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 32 points


    2011-11-03
    Sangmu Bulsajo vs KEPCO45 0:3 (23:25 19:25 21:25)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 28 points

    Woori Capital Dream Six vs Korean Air Jumbos 2:3 (26:28 25:19 25:22 19:25 13:15)
    Best scorer: Martin Nemec (Jumbos) 35 points

    2011-11-05
    Sangmu Bulsajo - LIG Greaters 1:3 (25:22, 25:27, 21:25, 21:25)
    Best scorer: Im Dong Kyu (LIG) 18 points (55,56%)


    2011-11-06
    Samsung Bluefangs - Korean Air Jumbos 3:2 (25:17, 21:25, 18:25, 25:20, 17:15)
    Best scorer: Martin Nemec (Jumbos) 44 points (70,18%)


    Woori Capital Dream Six - KEPCO45 1:3 (19:25, 25:23, 13:25, 17:25)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 29 points (58,54%)


    2011-11-08
    Sangmu Bulsajo - Samsung Bluefangs 0:3 (16:25, 14:25, 20:25)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 32 points (71,43%)


    2011-11-09
    Korean Air Jumbos - Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 3:0 (25:23, 25:18, 25:21)
    Best scorer: Kim Hak Min (Jumbos) 19 points (60%)


    2011-11-10
    LIG Greaters - KEPCO45 0:3 (18:25, 15:25, 23:25)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 21 points (62,07%)


    2011-11-12
    KEPCO45 - Samsung Bluefangs 0:3 (23:25, 20:25, 21:25)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 33 points (62%)


    2011-11-13
    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers - Sangmu Bulsajo 3:1 (25:16, 25:18, 20:25, 25:18 )
    Best scorer: Moon Sung-Min (Skywalkers) and Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 17 points (54,17%/50%)

    2011-11-15
    Woori Capital Dream Six - Sangmu Bulsajo 3:0 (25:20, 25:19, 25:22)
    Best scorer: Choi Hong Suk (Dream Six) 16 points


    2011-11-16
    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers - KEPCO45 2:3 (18:25, 29:27, 25:23, 21:25, 18:20)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 45 points


    2011-11-17
    Korean Air Jumbos - LIG Greaters 2:3 (25:20, 20:25, 25:20, 22:25, 12:15)
    Best scorer: Kim Hak Min (Jumbos) 38 points


    2011-11-19
    KEPCO45 - Sangmu Bulsajo 3:0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:15)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk / Seo Jae Duck (KEPCO) 14 points


    2011-11-20
    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers - Samsung Bluefangs 3:1 (25:21, 21:25, 27:25, 26:24)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 32 points


    LIG Greaters - Woori Capital Dream Six 3:0 (25:15, 29:27, 25:19)
    Best scorer: Milan Pepic (LIG) 13 points


    2011-11-22
    Korean Air Jumbos - Sangmu Bulsajo 2:3 (25:18, 26:28, 28:30, 25:23, 16:18 )
    Best scorer: Kim Hak Min (Jumbos) 40 points

    2011-11-23
    Woori Capital Dream Six - Samsung Bluefangs 0:3 (24:26, 18:25, 19:25)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 23 points


    2011-11-24
    LIG Greaters - Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 0:3 (18:25, 22:25, 23:25)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 22 points


    2011-11-26
    Korean Air Jumbos - Woori Capital Dream Six 1:3 (25:22, 19:25, 20:25, 17:25)
    Best scorer: Kim Hak Min (Jumbos) 21 points


    2011-11-27
    Sangmu Bulsajo - Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 0:3 (14:25, 26:28, 22:25)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 22 points


    Samsung Bluefangs - KEPCO45 3:0 (25:19, 25:19, 25:22)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 35 points


    1. Samsung Bluefangs 9 (game) 8 (win) / 1 (lose) 22 (points)
    2. KEPCO45 9 6/3 17
    3. Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 10 5/5 17
    4. Woori Capital Dream Six 10 5/5 16
    5. Korean Air Jumbos 9 5/4 15
    6. LIG Greaters 9 3/6 9
    7. Sangmu Bulsajo 10 1/9 3

    Canadian volleyball player hits his stride on and off the court
    When Dallas Soonias signed with the Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers this season, fans wondered how he would do against Gavin Schmitt, his teammate in Canada. Though he struggled in the early part of the season, Soonias has since transformed himself into a formidable player who is finally moving out of Schmitt’s shadow to make his mark on the court.


    Schmitt, who currently plays for the Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs, has ruled the Korea Professional Volleyball League for the past two seasons, taking MVP awards while lifting his team to the championships. He’s been so tough to beat that teams scrambled to bring in foreign athletes to challenge him. The Incheon Korean Air Jumbos, last season’s runner-up, signed Slovakian Martin Nemec, Suwon Kepco 45 signed Andjelko Cuk, who once played with the Bluefangs, and Gumi LIG Insurance Greaters chose Milan Pepic.


    The Skywalkers brought in Soonias hoping that his experience with Schmitt would give him an advantage and help propel the team to victory over its long-time rival.


    While on the Canadian national team, both competed for the right side hitter position, a fact that may have helped fan expectations that Soonias would be a match for Schmitt.


    But while Schmitt raked up 37 points per match in the first six games of the season, Soonias struggled, averaging only 23 points per match. The Skywalkers, which haven’t missed a championship series since the V-League started in 2005, dropped to fifth in the first round. The team lacked coordination, and Soonias didn’t seem to be working well with his teammates. Some Skywalkers fans even complained that the team had picked the wrong athlete.


    But everything changed in the second round. Soonias transformed himself and led the Skywalkers to four wins and two losses in the second round, including a victory against Schmitt’s Bluefangs. In fact, the Skywalkers are the only team to beat the Bluefangs so far this season.


    In terms of performance, Soonias improved beyond expectations. He averaged 29.67 points per match with an attacking success rate of 58.82 percent in the second round, an increase of almost six percent from the previous round. More impressive were his blocking skills. The 203 centimeter (6 feet 8 inches) tall player topped the blocking in the second round with an average of 0.91 per set, up 0.549 from the first round.


    With those numbers, Soonias was voted the second-round MVP in the V-League last Friday, finally putting down the criticism he’d received.


    Soonias was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1984 and is of Oji-Cree descent. In 2005, he won the Tom Longboat Award, which is given to the top First Nations athletes in Canada.


    He began his professional career with Poland’s Jadar Radom in 2006 and played in France, Russia, Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates before coming to Korea in September.


    Since his arrival, Soonias, whose name means “coin money” in Cree, has won over fans. His hard work and dedication have been as much of a draw as his dashing smile and victory dances, while his activity on Twitter (@soonias) has also earned him a loyal following.


    Last week, the Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Soonias at the Skywalkers’ gym in Yongin, Gyeonggi, to talk about playing volleyball and his life in Korea.


    Q. It’s been almost three months since your arrival. How are things going so far?
    A. I recently broke up with my girlfriend, who I’d been dating for about a year and a half. It’s tough, being here, to maintain a long distance relationship. Love is a scary thing. [Laughs.] But my team and my teammates take good care of me. They understand foreign players have a different style.


    What brought you to Korea?
    It was a league that I could have success in, and I saw the league getting better every year. I could have played in Korea five years ago, but none of the teams would give me a trial until this year. Schmitt told me good things about the league, and I watched a video of the league in action. It looked like a very exciting country to play volleyball.


    What things have been difficult about living in Korea?
    Probably most foreign players will tell you that the biggest difference between playing in Europe and playing in Korea is the lack of free time. Here you live in a dorm, while in Europe you go home after practice. People take good care of us, but sometimes it’s difficult to take your mind off of volleyball.


    You’re playing better now than in round one. What’s changed?
    It’s not just me, but all of our players were trying to find their rhythm in the first round. But now, we know what each other is going to do on the court. Now, we’re moving like one machine rather than six individuals.


    In particular, your blocking has improved. How did you do that?
    It took me a while to adjust to the team’s style, and I guess I was just lucky in the last few games. In Canada, we focus more on team blocking, but there’s more one-on-one blocking in Korea. I understand it’s because the style of attack is different here.


    You played in six countries before coming here. Do you see different volleyball styles in Korea?
    The defense in Korea is impressive, and players are very good at basic skills. There’s also more deception in the attacks, whereas in other countries, it’s mostly about power.


    What about Korean fans? Are they also different?
    In Poland when a team is struggling, fans get really upset and will yell in your face. In Korea, we started poorly, but I felt lot of support from fans, and I feel very thankful to them.


    Some fans say that you’re not performing as a closer for the team. How would you respond to that?
    You’re only as good as your last game, but I know that as a foreign player, I have a great deal of responsibility and it’s my job to put away the last ball of the game. I’ve missed some, and I’m going to miss more, but I know I will score more than I miss.


    As a volleyball player, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
    I don’t think that I really have one skill that I excel at, but at the same time, there’s nothing I’m really terrible at. I think of myself as a well-rounded player.


    What do you think about the rivalry between you and Schmitt?
    I know people want to make something of Schmitt and me, but I don’t think of him as a rival. Of course we are on separate teams, and we’re going to compete. But before the whistle blows and afterward, we are good friends.


    How would you compare your playing styles?
    I can definitely say he has more power than me, but I can also say I’m faster than him. Because when we played in France, we went go-karting, and I beat him every single time. He wasn’t even close. [Laughs.]


    Have you always wanted to be a volleyball player?
    I thought I could be a teacher, but I was always involved in sports. I was really lucky that my parents told me I could do anything I wanted as long as I tried. They gave me the option to play every sport. My brother and I played lot of basketball though.


    Is it true that you started playing volleyball to attract girls?
    The girls on the volleyball team were pretty for sure. [Laughs.] I wouldn’t say that wasn’t the part of the reason, but I find that the team mentality of volleyball suits me better than the team mentality of basketball. I played volleyball to get into shape before basketball season, but I started to like it a lot.


    You majored in philosophy. Do you have a life philosophy?
    I studied philosophy because I just find it interesting. For the last two years, I’ve been following this quote: “If you walked out of bed today, had a job to go to, had a home to come back to and had people who care about you, the game is over and you’ve won.” It’s very simple.


    What are your plans after you retire?
    My father is lawyer, and he started an aboriginal law school. I want to start small colleges geared towards aboriginal sports. There are so many aboriginals living on reservations. When I have free time, I go there to have a volleyball camp, and I see a lot of potential athletes there. I hope these young aboriginals come and play their sport while getting educated at the same time. I know it’s a huge goal, and it will take a long time, but we’ll see.


    Source: koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com

    2011-11-29
    Hyundai Capital Skywalkers vs Korean Air Jumbos 2 : 3 (26:24, 14:25, 25:23, 30:32, 23:25)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 37 points


    2011-11-30
    KEPCO45 vs LIG Greaters 3 : 0 (26:24, 25:23, 25:23)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 22 points


    2011-12-01
    Samsung Bluefangs vs Sangmu Bulsajo 3 : 0 (25:15, 25:21, 25:16)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 27 points


    2011-12-03
    KEPCO45 vs Woori Capital Dream Six 3 : 1 (17:25, 25:20, 25:22, 25:18 )
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 30 points


    2011-12-04
    Korean Air Jumbos vs Samsung Bluefangs 2 : 3 (24:26, 25:16, 22:25, 25:17, 11:15)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 34 points


    LIG Greaters vs Sangmu Bulsajo 2 : 3 (22:25, 25:22, 23:25, 25:22, 12:15)
    Best scorer: Kim Yo Han (LIG) 40 points


    2011-12-06
    Woori Capital Dream Six vs Hyundai Capital Skywalkers 0 : 3 (24:26, 22:25, 19:25)
    Best scorer: Dallas Soonias (Skywalkers) 21 points


    2011-12-07
    LIG Greaters vs Samsung Bluefangs 1 : 3 (26:28, 25:23, 21:25, 18:25)
    Best scorer: Gavin Schmitt (Bluefangs) 47 points

    2011-12-08
    KEPCO45 vs Korean Air Jumbos 3 : 2 (22:25, 21:25, 25:19, 25:19, 15:13)
    Best scorer: Andelko Cuk (KEPCO) 35 points

    2011-12-03
    KEPCO45 vs Woori Capital Dream Six


    2011-12-04
    Korean Air Jumbos vs Samsung Bluefangs


    2011-12-06
    Woori Capital Dream Six vs Hyundai Capital Skywalkers


    2011-12-08
    KEPCO45 vs Korean Air Jumbos