Hyomyeong Construction, the Spear, Pierces

“The Showdown of Impenetrable Shield and All-piercing Spear”

At the core of Busan Metropolitan City Facilities Management Authority (BMFM)’s defense are Kang Ji-hye (186cm), the tallest among women’s handball players in Korea, along with Ahn Sung-hee (177cm) and Yoon Sung-mi (175cm). They led the team to victory with the fewest points given up among the teams at the meet (average 29.1 points per game).

However, Hyomyeong Construction, led by the offensive Lee Sang-eun, Moon Pil-hee and Myung Bok-hee, has the record of most goals of this tournament with an average of 20.1 points.

Myomyeong Construction beat defensive BMFM 31-24 to take one step closer to championship.

The first of the three finals game of the 2004~2005 Jackfield Handball Championship was held on January 14 at the Uijeongbu Indoor Gym.

Hyomyeong Construction dashed ahead with Kim Gyeong-hwa, Moon Pil-hee (eight goals), Park Jeong-hee, and Han Sun-hee scoring one after another at the beginning of the game to lead 9-4 and never once was behind. Hyomyeong’s Lee Sang-eun opened the defensive line with bold frontal breakthroughs, her trademark move, to make way for scoring chances while Moon Pil-hee on the left and Myeong Bok-hee (six goals) on the right with medium-distance shots.

Hyomyeong will be victorious at its first attempt if it wins the second match on January 15.

For the men’s team, KOROSA won the first final match over Choongcheong Hana Bank (CCHB) 23-20 with superb play at the end by its members including goalie Kang Il-gu (41 percent defense rate) along with Lee Jun-hee (seven goals) and Jang Dae-soo (five goals).

With Lee Jae-woo’s (five goals) three consecutive goals in the beginning, KOROSA took the lead and finished the first half with a 13-10 lead by the post play put on by the pivot, Park Chan-yong, bringing in three goals at the end of first half all on his own. CCHM caught on to 20-22 with two minutes and 30 seconds to go with a great play by Kim Tae-wan (eight goals) in the second half, but was brought down by Lee Jun-hee’s driving shot.

Sung-Kyu Kim kimsk@donga.com