Chang Byoung-cheol Blows Up; Samsung Fire Wins 67th Consecutive Game

Samsung Fire won its 67th consecutive game, overcoming “coach Shin Young-cheol shock.”

At the KT&G V tour 2004 Daejeon tour (5th) men’s B group game held at Choong-mu gymnasium on February 23, Samsung crushed Korean Air with a set score of 3-0 (31-29, 25-19, 25-22) thanks to the power of its main attacker, Chang Byoung-cheol (24 points) and center Kim Sang-woo’s (13 points) quick attacks. It was the team’s 67th win in a row starting from the super league in January 2001. With two more wins, Samsung will tie the record set by LG Caltex of the women’s group.

Samsung Fire had been behind Korean Air in the first set because Chang Byoung-cheol committed three errors and Lee Hyoung-doo (8 points) and Seok Jin-wook made uneasy plays.

However, Samsung Fire scored little by little thanks to Shin Seon-ho and Chang Byoung-cheol’s spikes, taking advantage of Korean Air’s Kim Jong-hwa and Lee Dong-hyun’s errors with the score 12-15, and tied the score 21-21. At thrilling deuces of 29-29, Chang Byoung-cheol succeeded in making spikes in a row to gain the first set.

Beating Korean Air to the punch, Samsung Fire won the second set easily 25-19 with quick attacks and set plays based on stable dips. Samsung also finished the third set with ease.

Samsung Fire will face LG Fire, which is coached by Shin Young-cheol on February 26.

In women’s league play, Hyundai Construction beat Heung-gook Life with a set score of 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-19) to mark 15 wins straight.

-The results of February 23

Men’s group A

Samsung Fire (1 win) 3-0 Korean Air (1 loss)

Women

Hyundai Construction (1 win) 3-0 Heung-gook Life (1 loss)

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com