Yamato's setter play powers KEPCO to five consecutive wins

[Anchor]

The Korean V-League team Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is on a five-game winning streak at the start of the season.

Volleyball is often said to be a setter's game, and the standout performance of the only foreign setter in the men's division, Nakano Yamato, is particularly noteworthy.

Reporter Kim Hwa-young has the story.

[Report]

In the fifth set, where deuce battles are repeated.

Yamato's long back toss enhances the hitting point of the main attacker, Elian, and the toss that connects to the middle attack catches the opposing blockers off guard.

[Commentary: "This is Yamato! He neutralized the opponent's strategy, This is a play that only a setter can execute!"]

KEPCO achieved its first-ever opening five-game winning streak by defeating the title contender, Hyundai Capital.

At the center of this success is Yamato, the only foreign setter among the seven teams.

He not only provides stable ball distribution but also maximizes his teammates' strengths with various attacking patterns.

[Yamato/KEPCO: "I believe that as trust in my teammates grows, the accuracy of my tosses will improve significantly, so for now, I am focusing on building trust with my teammates."]

In particular, his quick use of fast attacks that disrupt the timing of opposing blockers is exceptional.

Thanks to this, the success rate of middle blockers Shin Yung-suk and Jeon Jin-seon in fast attacks ranks among the top five in the league.

[Shin Yung-suk/KEPCO: "I think he knows well what balls need to be set at the right time, and I believe Yamato has about 80% of the credit for our five-game winning streak..."]

Head coach Kwon Young-min, a former top setter, also does not hold back on his praise.

[Kwon Young-min/KEPCO Coach: "I think Yamato is better than I was in the past. He has tosses that can shake the opponent's blocking..."]

To challenge for a perfect record in the first round, filling the gap left by the injured Elian is crucial.

Yamato's fingertips, which will support the performance of domestic attackers, have become more important than ever.

This is KBS News, Kim Hwa-young.