SK Sugar Gliders goalkeeper Lee Min-ji and Gyeongnam Development Corporation goalkeeper Osara Osara battled to a draw.
SK Sugar Gliders and Gyeongnam Development Corporation battled to a 30-30 tie in the fourth match of the second round of the Shinhan SOL Pay 23-24 Handball H League Women’s Division at SK Handball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on Monday.
With the result, SK Sugar Gliders remained in first place with nine wins, one draw and one loss, and 19 points, while Gyeongnam Development Corporation remained in second place with eight wins, one draw and two losses, and 17 points.
The game was a reminder of the importance of goalkeeping, with both goalkeepers coming up big in crucial moments to keep the game close. The two goalkeepers combined for 13 saves.
They exchanged saves to keep the game close in the middle of the first half, and then alternated saves in the dying minutes of the game to keep it a one-goal game.
The first half was all SK Sugar Gliders. While Kang Kyung-min scored back-to-back goals, Gyeongnam Development Corporation was held scoreless for more than five minutes due to a series of mistakes. SK Sugar Gliders went on a 3-0 run to cut the deficit to 3-2, but another Gyeongnam error extended the lead to 7-3.
Another SK Sugar Gliders error allowed Gyeongnam Development Corporation to pull within 10-9. Heo Yoo-jin scored back-to-back breakthrough shots to give Gyeongnam a 16-14 lead at the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, SK Sugar Gliders got on a roll and tied the game, and then took advantage of a two-minute Gyeongnam Development Corporation turnover to take a 20-18 lead.
While Kang Kyung-min was the star of the show in the first half, SK Sugar Gliders used a pivot play utilizing Kang Eun-hye to score in the second half. Gyeongnam Development Corporation responded with goals from Lee Yeon-kyung, Choi Ji-hye, and Heo Yoo-jin to cut the deficit to one or two points.
SK Sugar Gliders seemed to have the game in hand, leading 28-25 with 10 minutes left, but Heo Yoo-jin scored back-to-back goals to pull within 30-29.
With Lee Min-ji and Osara exchanging saves, the game remained scoreless for nearly three minutes and 40 seconds before Kim Sora scored a goal to tie the 바카라사이트 game at 30-30.
With the score tied and just over a minute left, all eyes in the stadium were on the two goalkeepers as Osara and Lee Min-ji alternated saves.
Gyeongnam Development Corporation had the last chance as Kang Eun-hye’s shot was saved by Osara, but Lee Yeon-kyung’s mid-range shot was saved by Lee Min-ji to end the game in a 30-30 tie.
The SK Sugar Gliders were led offensively by Kang Kyung-min with 11 goals, Kang Eun-hye and Yoo So-jung with six goals each, and goalkeeper Lee Min-ji with 13 saves. Lee reached 800 saves in goal. Kang Kyung-min, who scored the most goals in the match, was named MVP.
Gyeongnam Development Corporation’s offense was led by Lee Yeon-kyung and Heo Yoo-jin with eight goals apiece, while Osara made 13 saves.
“I’m very disappointed that we drew, but I’m glad we didn’t lose back-to-back games,” said Osara, who saved the game in the last minute in a one-on-one situation. “We still have many difficult games ahead, but we will work together and prepare to win the next game.”