Lee Hyung-doo, Samsung Fires’ New Problem Solver

There also stood Lee Hyung-doo (24) for the Samsung Fires.

The Samsung Fires and Hyundai Capitals squared off at the 2004 KT&G Volleyball Mokpo (Second) Tour held at the Mokpo Gymnasium.

Before the competition, most of the attention was focused on the first showdown between the prominent coaches of the two teams: the Samsung Fires’ coach Shin Chi Yong, “The General,” who lead the team to seven consecutive wins in this competition, and Hyundai Capitals coach Kim Ho Chul, who was a one-of-a-kind setter that represented 1970`s Korea volleyball. However, somehow the main spotlight turned out to be Samsung`s player Lee Hyung-doo.

Lee Hyung-doo, who is in his second season, started as a left flank attacker and succeeded in 15 shots out of 23 attack chances, recording a team high 19 points and leading the team to a 3-0 victory.

Lee Hyung-doo had been overshadowed by his teammates, Shin Jin-shik and Kim She-jin, who are the nations best left and right “cannon” front liners. But as Shin Jin Shik couldn`t recover from his shoulder injury and get back in pace, Lee didn`t miss this chance.

Lee`s potential to be a future top prospect shows in his games. Lee stands on top of the group in attack success rates (57.14 percent) and is positioned in sixth place in points in the first tour of 2004 KT&G Volleyball Mokpo. On the day of the match, he showed his great talent with tremendous leaping abilities and huge shots to hold off Hyundai Capitals’ willingness to pursue.

Hyundai cut the margin to one with a score of 21-20 in the first set when Lee Hyung-doo scored two consecutive points for Samsung and opened the gap back to two points at 23-21.

After having much in reserve, Samsung wrapped up the first set 25-23 when Hyundai’s Baek Seung-hun committed a fault on serve and a big shot was made by Samsung`s Suk Jin-wook.

In the second set, the combined front left and right attacks of Lee Hyung Doo and Kim

Seh Jin lead the team to win the second set, 25-14, with ease.

The third set was Lee Hyung-doo`s show time, which displayed his true talent. After Hyundai Capital substituted 198 cm rookie Park Chul-woo and rallied to even up the score 24-24, Samsung Lee Hyung-doo’s fierce shot passed through the defenders blocks, and soon after he took a service ace and shook off the chase of Hyundai as the team captured a 26-24 third set victory.

At the interview, Lee seemed pretty much aware of his senior players and commented,

"My goal is to join the starting lineup."

Day 5 Statistics

Male Group A

Samsung Fire (1 win) 3-0 Hyundai Capital (1 loss)

Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com