GS Caltex successfully seized the initiative against regular season top-ranked Korea Expressway Corporation in the women's professional volleyball championship finals.
GS Caltex defeated Korea Expressway Corp. 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22) in Game 1 of the Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League women's division championship series (best-of-five) held at Gimcheon Gymnasium on the 1st.
Historically, teams that won Game 1 in the women's best-of-five championship finals have gone on to win the title 11 out of 19 times, a 57.9 percent rate.
GS Caltex, which finished the regular season in third place, defeated Heungkuk Life Insurance in the single-elimination semi-playoff and swept Hyundai E&C 2-0 in the best-of-three playoff to reach the championship finals for the first time in five years since the 2020-2021 season.
GS Caltex extended its postseason winning streak to four matches, taking Game 1 against Korea Expressway Corp., which had decided to terminate the contract of former head coach Kim Jong-min ahead of the championship series.
Riding strong momentum, GS Caltex took the first set against a Korea Expressway Corp. side that had been dealing with internal turmoil. At the center of the effort was GS Caltex's main attacker Silva, who scored 11 points in the first set alone.
GS Caltex struggled with its receive early in the set and could not fully utilize Silva's attacking power. However, the team found stability from the middle of the set and began to close the gap. Trailing 16-20, GS Caltex won the serve with Silva's quick open attack, then Silva scored three consecutive points during captain Yoo Seo-yeon's serve to level the score.
At 21-21, Silva converted a difficult open attack to give her team the lead for the first time. Kwon Min-ji then blocked an attack by Moma Letizia Bassoco (registered name: Moma), extending the lead to 23-21.
GS Caltex clinched the first set when Reina Dococu (registered name: Reina), who entered via a double substitution at 24-23, successfully landed an attack.
The second set went to Korea Expressway Corp., as Kim Se-bin effectively neutralized Silva's attacks like a leech. Kim Se-bin recorded four blocking points in the second set alone, all against Silva's attacks.
Trailing 6-11, Korea Expressway Corp. turned the momentum with Kim Se-bin's block and scored three additional consecutive points to pull within one. At 20-20, Korea Expressway Corp. took the lead with Moma's quick open, and Kim Se-bin again blocked Silva's attack. Silva, who had struggled throughout the second set, committed a service error at 23-24, sending the match back to even at one set apiece.
GS Caltex regrouped and seized control from the start of the third set, with balanced contributions from Kwon Min-ji, Yoo Seo-yeon, and Choi Ga-eun. The team spared Silva's shoulder and built a commanding 20-10 lead. Late in the set, GS Caltex used a double substitution, replacing Silva and Ahn Hye-jin with Reina and Kim Ji-won.
GS Caltex closed out the match in the fourth set. Trailing 16-18 through the middle of the set, the team surged to a 21-18 lead on the back of two consecutive points from Kwon Min-ji, an error by Moma, and a block by Silva.
After a back-and-forth battle, Yoo Seo-yeon delivered a quick open attack that caught the opposing blockers off guard at 23-22, reaching match point at 24-22. Silva then sealed the victory with a powerful back-row attack.
Silva showcased her dominance with 33 points and a 49.21 percent attack success rate. Kwon Min-ji (14 points) and Yoo Seo-yeon (13 points) provided double-digit scoring support.
For Korea Expressway Corp., Moma fought valiantly with 31 points, but no domestic player reached double-digit scoring. The two teams will play Game 2 of the championship series at the same venue on the 3rd.