A blockbuster match kicks off the final Round 6 of the Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League Women's Division.
Korea Expressway Hi-pass and Hyundai E&C Hillstate, battling for 1st and 2nd place separated by just 3 points, clash today (February 24) at Suwon Indoor Gymnasium.
This is the first match of the final round of the regular season, and also the last head-to-head meeting between the two teams this season.
In this showdown for a direct ticket to the Championship Finals, who will come out on top?
Match Overview
| Category | Details |
| Tournament | Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League Women's Division Round 6 |
| Date & Time | Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 7:00 PM |
| Venue | Suwon Indoor Gymnasium (Hyundai E&C Home) |
| Broadcast | KBSN Sports |
| Matchup | Hyundai E&C Hillstate vs Korea Expressway Hi-pass |
This match marks the beginning of the final Round 6 of the regular season.
As the game is held at Hyundai E&C's home court, Suwon Indoor Gymnasium, the passionate support of the home fans is expected to be a major boost for the team.
Korea Expressway, on the other hand, must take the court with the burden of playing on the road.
Team Form - Chaser Hyundai E&C vs Leader Korea Expressway
| Category | Hyundai E&C (2nd) | Korea Expressway (1st) |
| Points | 56 pts | 59 pts |
| Season Record | 19W 11L | 21W 9L |
| Last 5 Matches | 4W 1L | 2W 3L |
| Recent Form | 4-game win streak | 1 win after 3-game losing streak |
Hyundai E&C has been on a remarkable surge with four consecutive victories recently.
Starting with a win against Heungkuk Life on February 9, where Kari exploded for 36 points, they followed up on the 13th by defeating league-leading Korea Expressway 3-1, gaining tremendous confidence.
After a victory against Jeonggwanjang on the 17th, they continued their winning streak with a 3-1 victory over IBK Industrial Bank on the 21st.
Notably, in the February 21st match, Kari recorded 27 points including a personal single-match record of 8 blocks, while Yang Hyo-jin and Justice each tallied 17 points, showing the team's well-distributed attacking power.
In contrast, Korea Expressway posted a disappointing 2-6 record in Round 5.
They suffered three consecutive losses to Pepper Savings Bank, Hyundai E&C, and Heungkuk Life, putting their lead in jeopardy at times.
Fortunately, they escaped the three-game skid with a 3-1 victory (23-25, 25-20, 38-36, 25-20) against GS Caltex on February 20th.
Winning an extraordinary deuce battle at 38-36 in the third set and proving their resilience is a positive sign.
However, it remains to be seen how their recent instability will affect today's match.
Season Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Home Team | Set Score | Away Team | Result |
| Nov 15 | Expressway | 3-0 | Hyundai E&C | Expressway Win |
| Dec 18 | Expressway | 3-1 | Hyundai E&C | Expressway Win |
| Dec 24 | Hyundai E&C | 3-1 | Expressway | Hyundai E&C Win |
| Jan 7 | Expressway | 3-0 | Hyundai E&C | Expressway Win |
| Feb 13 | Hyundai E&C | 3-1 | Expressway | Hyundai E&C Win |
This season's head-to-head record between the two teams stands at 3-2 in favor of Korea Expressway.
An interesting observation is that the home-court advantage has been clearly evident.
Korea Expressway has gone 3-0 at their home in Gimcheon, while Hyundai E&C boasts a 2-0 record at their home in Suwon.
The fact that today's match is being held at Hyundai E&C's home court in Suwon is clearly an advantage for them.
It is also noteworthy that in the most recent encounter on February 13, Hyundai E&C secured a 3-1 comeback victory led by Kari's 31 points.
Expected Starting Lineups
| Position | Hyundai E&C | Korea Expressway |
| Outside Hitter 1 | Kari Geisberger | Moma Bassoko |
| Outside Hitter 2 | Justice Yauch | Tanacha Sooksod |
| Middle Blocker 1 | Yang Hyo-jin | Bae Yu-na |
| Middle Blocker 2 | Lee Ye-rim | Lee Ji-yun |
| Setter | Jeong Ji-yun | Kim Da-eun |
| Libero | Kim Su-ji | Im Myeong-ok |
Both teams are expected to deploy their dual-foreign-player attacking formations.
Hyundai E&C is likely to maintain their setup with Kari and Justice on the wings, with veteran Yang Hyo-jin and Lee Ye-rim anchoring the middle.
Korea Expressway will also feature Moma and Tanacha, who have been dominant throughout the season, as their primary offensive weapons.
The setting distribution skills of both teams' setters, Jeong Ji-yun and Kim Da-eun, will be a crucial variable that could dictate the flow of the match.
Key Players
Kari Geisberger (Hyundai E&C / Outside Hitter)
Standing at 197cm, this towering foreign ace has recorded 357 points this season (5th in the league).
With an attack success rate of 41.40%, she boasts impressive offensive efficiency and has delivered explosive performances in every match during the recent 4-game winning streak.
She was the driving force behind the comeback victory against Korea Expressway on February 13, scoring 31 points.
She also excels in blocking, supporting the team on both offense and defense.
Moma Bassoko (Korea Expressway / Outside Hitter)
As Korea Expressway's undisputed offensive ace, she ranks among the top scorers in the league this season.
In the recent GS Caltex match, she led the team out of their 3-game losing streak with 31 points.
On January 7 against Hyundai E&C, she put on a one-woman show with 33 points, leading the team to a dominant 3-0 victory.
However, in the February 13 away match in Suwon, despite scoring 29 points, she was outshone by Kari and could not prevent her team's defeat.
All eyes will be on whether she can avenge that loss in today's rematch against Kari.
Yang Hyo-jin (Hyundai E&C / Middle Blocker)
A living legend of Korean women's volleyball, she holds the all-time record of 17 All-Star Game selections.
Living up to her status as the women's division's highest-paid player with a season salary of 800 million won, she continues to deliver consistent performances, recording 17 points in a recent match alongside Kari as one of the team's twin pillars.
Her ability to dominate matches through quick attacks and blocking from the middle blocker position is outstanding.
Match Key Points
1. Foreign Duo Showdown - Kari & Justice vs Moma & Tanacha
The biggest spectacle of this match is undoubtedly the battle between both teams' foreign players.
Which pairing—Hyundai E&C's Kari-Justice combination or Korea Expressway's Moma-Tanacha duo—demonstrates higher attacking efficiency will be the key to victory.
In the February 13 encounter, Kari (31 points) narrowly edged out Moma (29 points), and that difference translated directly into the match result.
Today, the scoring battle between these two aces is again likely to determine the outcome.
2. The Blocking War
With both teams possessing numerous tall players, the blocking battle is expected to be fierce.
Hyundai E&C's Kari recently set a personal single-match record with 8 blocks against IBK Industrial Bank, and Yang Hyo-jin is also a force at the net.
Korea Expressway also demonstrated overwhelming superiority with a 17-7 blocking advantage against GS Caltex, meaning the aerial battle at the net could decide the outcome.
3. Home-Court Advantage and the Mental Game
The fact that the home team has won every head-to-head matchup this season is a highly notable statistic.
Hyundai E&C, with a perfect 2-0 record at home in Suwon, will once again take the court backed by their home fans.
Meanwhile, Korea Expressway, having just escaped a 3-game losing streak, faces the challenge of regaining their psychological composure.
The mental battle between Hyundai E&C riding the momentum of a 4-game winning streak and Korea Expressway trying to shake off the trauma of three consecutive losses will be a crucial factor.
What to Watch
First, the scoring duel between Kari and Moma.
Watching two of the league's premier foreign aces go head-to-head is one of the most exciting matchups of the V-League season.
In their last meeting, Kari narrowly outscored Moma 31 to 29—it will be thrilling to see who delivers the hotter performance today.
Second, Yang Hyo-jin's big-match presence.
It will be fascinating to see how Yang Hyo-jin, widely regarded as the greatest middle blocker in V-League history, performs in such a pivotal match.
Her quick attacks, blocking prowess, and game management ability born from years of experience will be a tremendous asset for the team.
Third, the potential for standings changes.
With only a 3-point gap between the teams, a 3-0 shutout victory for Hyundai E&C would bring the standings to a tie.
Conversely, a Korea Expressway victory would widen their lead and allow them to close out the regular season comfortably.
With every set carrying significant implications, both teams will give their all to win every possible point.
Match Prediction
Based on objective indicators alone, this match appears to favor Hyundai E&C.
In addition to the home-court advantage, the team's confidence is at its peak following a 4-game winning streak.
They also hold a perfect 2-0 record against Korea Expressway at their Suwon home this season.
On the other hand, Korea Expressway, having managed only one win after a 3-game losing streak, may not have fully recovered mentally.
However, Korea Expressway's overall head-to-head lead of 3-2 this season and the presence of their absolute ace Moma cannot be overlooked.
Overall, Hyundai E&C appears slightly more likely to win 3-2 or 3-1 by leveraging their home advantage, but given Korea Expressway's resilience, a full five-set thriller is also a real possibility.
This blockbuster match with direct implications on the regular season standings tips off today at 7:00 PM at Suwon Indoor Gymnasium.
Do not miss the fierce battle between Korea Expressway fighting to defend their top spot and Hyundai E&C dreaming of an overtake.