(Asiad) Volleyball captain Kang So-hwi overcomes fear of injury to find rhythm in Asiad opener

KOMAKI, Japan, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean women's volleyball team captain Kang So-hwi said Wednesday she found her rhythm after struggling in the first set and enjoyed the rest of the match to help her country win its Asian Games opener against Hong Kong.

"I'm in good condition, but I had a mental problem," Kang said during a mixed-zone interview after South Korea beat Hong Kong 3-0 (25-23, 25-12, 25-12) in the women's volleyball preliminary Pool D match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Park Arena Komaki in Komaki, just north of Nagoya, Japan.

She led South Korea with a match-high 14 points, including two aces and one block.

"After the first set, I overcame the fear," she said, referring to a thigh injury that had bothered her for months before coming to Nagoya.

While Kang had been struggling with the injury, South Korea lost 3-0 to Thailand in the quarterfinals at this year's continental championship in August.

She said her tempo went on and off in the first set, while South Korea managed a close 25-23 win over Hong Kong.

"I couldn't find my rhythm in the first set, and we couldn't play our game," she said. "In the second set, my receiving got better."

Setter Kim Da-in said she noticed Kang's improvement and took advantage of her increased confidence from the second set, which helped the game go more smoothly.

"She plays far better when she is in high spirits, so I thought it would be better to use her mood more," Kim said.

With the better-than-expected start to the Asian Games, South Korean players are now looking ahead to the rest of the preliminary round and matches against volleyball powerhouses, such as Japan, China and Thailand.

At the 2023 Hangzhou Games, South Korea failed to advance to the medal round after losing to Vietnam in the preliminary round. It was the first time since 2006 that South Korea had failed to win an Asian Games medal in women's volleyball.

"Since we started training at the national training center in Jincheon, we have prepared for matches against Japan, Thailand and China," said middle blocker Lee Da-hyeon. "As we expect a higher position and better results, we are trying to believe in ourselves and our efforts."

South Korea will face Qatar the next day and Vietnam on Friday. The match against Vietnam will decide the first place in Pool D. The top two teams in the group will advance to the quarterfinals.