Head Coach Cha Sang-hyun: "Acknowledging the skill gap with Japan, praising players for holding out until the end"... 'All-out effort' for the bronze medal match [20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya]

[Financial News] Head coach Cha Sang-hyun, who failed to overcome the Japanese barrier in the women's volleyball semifinals of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya, cleanly acknowledged the crushing defeat but encouraged the players for showing fighting spirit until the end, revealing his firm determination to win a bronze medal.
The South Korean women's volleyball team, led by head coach Cha, failed to advance to the finals after losing to Japan 0-3 (20-25 22-25 16-25) in the semifinals of the tournament held at Park Arena Komaki in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 21st.
After the match, Coach Cha met with reporters and remarked, "We must realistically admit that Japan's level is higher than ours." He assessed, "Their precise play, such as receiving and setting, was outstanding, and perhaps because it was home, their teamwork was also excellent." He continued, "They served with such force that it was impossible to defend. We prepared to exploit their weaknesses in our own way, but since they were hitting attacks that were simply unblockable, there was nothing we could do." He added, "We will prepare better going forward and give serious thought to how to close the gap."
Although they failed to win a single set, Korea fought close battles in every set and did not back down easily. Coach Cha struggled in the bench battle as well, attempting to turn the tide by bringing in outside hitter Ye-Rim Lee (Suwon Hyundai Hillstate), who has solid fundamentals, when serve reception faltered starting from the second set, but it was not enough to completely turn the match around.
Nevertheless, Coach Cha highly praised his students' fighting spirit regardless of the result. He encouraged his students, saying, "Although we lost the game, I want to commend them for not giving up until the very end, point by point," and added, "The score is the same as when we lost to Japan at the Asian Championships last month, but I believe our players are clearly growing."
The national team also faced a grueling physical strain. Starting with their first group stage match against Hong Kong on the 16th, Korea endured a grueling schedule, playing as many as five matches in six days. Coach Cha expressed his regret, stating, "I am not trying to make excuses, but playing five matches in six days with only 12 players was an extremely tough schedule," and added, "I could only tell the players to keep 'hang in there.'"
On the afternoon of the 22nd at 4 p.m., Korea will face powerhouse Thailand in the bronze medal match for its first Asian Games medal in eight years since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. Thailand, which secured a direct ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by winning the Asian Championships last month, suffered a narrow defeat against China in the semifinals after a close five-set match.
Head Coach Cha noted, "Thailand has a powerful attacking trio and a seasoned starting setter (Pornpun Guedpard, formerly of the Korean V-League)." He pointed out, "To break down Thailand's set plays, we must effectively counter their serves. We will focus on creating smooth counterattack sequences through rebounds." He added, "Since tomorrow is the final match, we will pour everything into it and secure the win no matter what."
[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter