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Kixx draws first blood against Hi-Pass in V League championship series

Published: 02 Apr. 2026, 16:17 Updated: 02 Apr. 2026, 17:05

GS Caltex Seoul Kixx players celebrate after scoring during Game 1 of the championship finals at Gimcheon Gymnasium in North Gyeongsang on April 1. [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

GIMCHEON, North Gyeongsang — The GS Caltex Seoul Kixx opened the V League women’s championship series with a 3-1 road victory over regular-season champion Korea Expressway Corporation Hi-Pass.

The Kixx took Game 1 of the best-of-five finals at Gimcheon Gymnasium on Wednesday, winning 25-23, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22 and flipping home-court advantage early in the series.

Gyselle Silva set the tone with 33 points on a 49.7 percent attack success rate, consistently delivering in transition and late in sets. Kwon Min-ji added 14 points, and Yoo Seo-yeun contributed 13 as the Kixx spread its offense effectively behind stable reception.

Hi-Pass leaned heavily on Laetitia Moma Bassoko, who scored 31 points but struggled to consistently assist, particularly as the match wore on.

The result gives the Kixx an early edge in a series where Game 1 has historically mattered — teams that take the opener have won the title 57.9 percent of the time. Game 2 will be played on Friday at 7 p.m. in Gimcheon.

GS Caltex Seoul Kixx’s Gyselle Silva attempts an attack during Game 1 of the championship finals at Gimcheon Gymnasium in North Gyeongsang on April 1. [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

A first-set swing that changed the match

Hi-Pass acting head coach Kim Young-rae stressed the importance of a fast start, saying, “Establishing our match rhythm early in the first set is important.”

His team did so, building a 6-2 lead with balanced scoring from Kang So-hwi, Thanacha Sooksod and Moma Bassoko, while its middle blockers disrupted the Kixx's attack.

The match shifted when the Kixx stabilized its reception. That allowed setter An Hye-jin to diversify the offense, and Silva took over in transition. The Kixx erased a 16-20 deficit, tying the set at 20-20 before moving ahead on a counterattack sequence that began with a defensive dig.

Kwon’s block on Moma Bassoko helped extend the lead, and a late double switch brought in Reina Tokoku to close out the set.

Hi-Pass responds, but loses control

The Kixx carried that rhythm into the second set, opening a 9-4 lead as Kwon and Yoo contributed on the outside and Choi Ka-eun added a key block.

Hi-Pass adjusted by inserting Kim Se-in and rebalancing its attack. The team worked back to 12-12 and eventually took control late, with Moma Bassoko producing in key moments and Kim Se-been blocking Silva to help secure the set. A missed serve by Silva at set point leveled the match.

GS Caltex Seoul Kixx’s An Hye-jin sets the ball during Game 1 of the championship finals at Gimcheon Gymnasium on April 1. [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

The third set marked the turning point. Hi-Pass’s offense became predictable as the ball continued to funnel to Moma Bassoko. Her efficiency dropped, and setter Lee Yun-jung struggled to vary the distribution.

The Kixx took advantage, activating its middle attack and adding timely blocks, opening a gap to 16-8. Hi-Pass pulled Moma Bassoko late in the set, shifting focus to the fourth.

Hi-Pass regained some balance in the fourth set. Kim Se-in contributed on both ends, and Bae Yoo-na’s block gave the team a 13-10 lead.

Again, Silva answered. She scored on consecutive back-row attacks to tie the set at 15-15, and from there the Kixx controlled the decisive moments.

With the score tied late, Moma Bassoko’s attack went long to give the Kixx the lead. Silva followed with a block and an open attack, pushing the margin to 21-18. The Kixx maintained that edge to close out the match.

Coaches point to rhythm and balance

Kim Young-rae, acting head coach of Korea Expressway Corporation Hi-Pass [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

Hi-Pass acting head coach Kim pointed to reception issues and offensive imbalance as key factors.

“Our reception broke down, and that affected Yun-jung as well. The offense became too focused on Moma,” he said.

“We didn’t play with enough composure and tried to force things with power. It felt like we lacked match sharpness. I also think I trusted the players too much and was late with timeouts and substitutions.”

“Fundamentals have to be there, but they weren’t," Kim added. "That made the setter’s distribution disappointing. When an attacker gets stopped, it’s hard to keep feeding them to build confidence. You end up going back to the player you trust.”

Looking ahead, Kim emphasized timing and variety.

“When reception is clean, we should be able to use quick attacks, but the timing wasn’t there, so the ball kept going to Moma,” he said.

“We need more time to sync with our middle attackers and fix those timing issues.”

GS Caltex Seoul Kixx head coach Lee Young-taik is pictured after a win in Game 1 of the championship finals at Gimcheon Gymnasium on April 1. [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

The Kixx's head coach, Lee Young-taik, pointed to his team’s growing confidence.

“You can see the players getting tired late in matches, but momentum is real,” he said. “We’ve been winning, and that confidence carried over. The first set was the turning point.”

Lee also explained the late first-set substitution, when the Kixx used a double switch to bring in Reina for Silva, and she finished the set with the final point.

“We used a double switch because the setter rotates into the No. 2 blocking position, and I believed Reina could score there,” he said. “She’s prepared as an opposite, and we can also use her as an outside hitter if needed.”

“We struggled to side out against Kang So-hwi’s short serves, but we expected Moma to switch over and block Silva, so we prepared for that,” he said. “Kwon Min-ji was able to break through on offense, which gave Silva some time to rest.”

On Silva’s condition, Lee said, “She has knee pain, but her mentality is outstanding. She keeps telling us she can play.”

He credited the team’s late-season experience for its composure.

“The players went through a lot of difficult matches late in the season, and that made them stronger,” he said. “They’ve developed the ability to get through tough moments.”

On the opponent, Lee said, “Thanacha still seems to be having some difficulty with reception, but I’m not sure about the rest."

“Moon Jung-won’s reception and defense are outstanding, and Moma is always a threat. They’re a tough team. They had a long break before Game 1, but now we’re in the same position,” he added. “I don’t think we’ll fall behind physically, so we’ll keep pushing.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM HYO-KYOUNG [[email protected]]