The South Korean women's national volleyball team endured a narrow loss in a five-set thriller against France, extending their losing streak to two matches at the 2025 Korea Invitational Jinju International Women's Volleyball Tournament.

On August 13 at Jinju Indoor Stadium in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea battled France through an intense contest, ultimately falling 2-3 (8-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 7-15). Coming off a 1-3 defeat to Argentina the previous day, the team was unable to break their slump.

This match was a much-awaited rematch after South Korea suffered a 0-3 defeat against France in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on July 13. Hopes for revenge fell short as France, having also lost 1-3 to Japan the day before, claimed their first victory of the tournament.

South Korea was overwhelmed by France's power in the first set, suffering a heavy 8-25 defeat. France quickly set the tone with powerful attacks from outside hitters Helena Cazaut and Amanda Silve, grabbing momentum early.

Regaining composure, South Korea launched a spirited counterattack from the second set, shifting momentum at 8-7 with a decisive spike. Mun Ji Yoon's service ace and follow-up points helped the team take the set 25-18. Another tight contest in the fourth set saw South Korea prevail 25-23, with crucial plays from Eun Jin Park's block and So Hwi Kang's quick attacks, forcing the match to a decisive fifth set.

However, early in the fifth set, South Korea struggled to contain France's Imane Ndiaye, ultimately conceding five straight points after leading 9-6 to end the match in defeat. Team captain So Hwi Kang put in a valiant effort, leading South Korea with 15 points, but it was not enough to lift the team to victory.

Eun Jin Park, who started as a middle blocker alongside Joo Ah Lee, showcased her presence with six points, including one service ace and two blocks. She delivered South Korea's first score with a service ace during the opening set and contributed vital points through fast attacks and blocks in the second set to help secure the win. Her critical block at 21-21 in the fourth set was instrumental in pushing the match to a fifth set.

Having graduated from Jinju Gyehae Middle School and Sunmyeong High School—both local schools—Park expressed that it was meaningful to play so close to home during this tournament. She commented, "Their main attackers were extremely solid," and admitted that defending against France's standout player, Helena Cazaut, was especially challenging.

Head coach Fernando Morales, reflecting after the match, noted, "It's tough to overcome the pressure after losing a first set 8-25, but the team showed a different side today thanks to the support of our fans." He emphasized to his players, "If we can bounce back from such a first set and compete in sets two through five, let's strive to play well from the very beginning."

With Sae Bin Kim joining the U-21 national squad, Eun Jin Park was called up once again to the senior team. Coach Morales explained, "The middle blocker position has strong depth, so I wanted to test Eun Jin Park, who was newly added to the roster." Regarding setter Da In Kim, he added, "She is our starting setter and is currently adjusting to a different system than she used in the VNL."

The South Korean women's national team will rest on the 14th before facing Sweden in their third match of the tournament on August 15, Korean Liberation Day.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News