SEOUL (Yonhap) — GS Caltex and IBK will face off for the 2023 Gumi Dodram Cup professional volleyball tournament (the Cup) title.GS Caltex defeated Hyundai 토토 E&C 3-1 (23-25 25-23 25-17 25-20) in straight sets in the women’s semifinals of the Cup on Thursday at the Park Jung-hee Gymnasium in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province .In the other semifinal, Kookmin Bank defeated KGC Ginseng Corporation in straight sets 3-1 (19-25 25-19 25-18 25-19).GS Caltex and Ginseng Corporation will play the final match of the Women’s Cup at 2:15 p.m. on Friday.GS Caltex, the most decorated team in the Women’s Cup (five titles) and a finalist for four consecutive years since 2020, will attempt to win its sixth title and second straight tournament .In their first appearance in the Cup Final since 2016, when they were crowned champions, IBK will be looking for their fourth title in seven years.GS Caltex, which qualified as the second-place team in Group B (2-1), defeated Group A champion Hyundai E&C (3-1) to earn a chance to win its second consecutive Cup title, following last year’s victory in Suncheon.GS Caltex took control of the match from the second set onward .After dropping the first set, GS Caltex was down 18-21 in the second set .However, a timed attack by Kwon Min-ji gave them one point, and an attack error by Hyundai E&C’s Jeong Ji-yoon narrowed the gap further.GS Caltex tied the set at 21-21 when Jeong’s quick open went out of bounds.GS Caltex then took the lead for good at 22-21 with an open attack from ace Kang So-hwi after HHI middle blocker Yang Hyo-jin’s center attack was defended. A service ace by Yoo Seo-yeon gave GS Caltex a 23-21 lead. Kang So-hwi made set point with a quick opener at 23-22 and ended the set with a quick opener at 24-23.In the third set, Kang’s firepower shone through. At 11-11, Kang broke the balance with an open attack and then blocked Kim Joo-hyang’s open attack to even the score .The scene was repeated twice afterward, with Moon Ji-yoon shaking the Hyundai E&C receiving line with a strong serve and Kang So-hwi finishing with an attack.A block by Kang So-hwi and Oh Se-yeon and a service ace by Moon Ji-yoon gave GS Caltex an 18-11 lead and solidified the win.GS Caltex closed out the match in the fourth set. Kang So-hwi scored a game-high 23 points for both teams .Wing attackers Yoo Seo-yeon (14 points) and Moon Ji-yoon (14 points) helped Kang So-hwi after Choi Eun-ji suffered a sprained right ankle early in the second set. Hyundai E&C was unable to capitalize on its height advantage and was outscored 4-11 by GS Caltex in blocked shots .After losing to GS Caltex in the semifinals of last year’s Suncheon Cup, Hyundai E&C was blocked by GS Caltex in Gumi this year and failed to reach the final. Group B’s top-ranked IBK (2-1) beat Group A’s second-ranked Insam Corporation (2-1) to punch its ticket to the final. Despite the absence of Kim Hee-jin, who was rehabbing, and Hwang Min-kyung, who was suffering from knee pain, from the stands, IBK swept past Ginseng Corporation, led by the wing attacks of Pyo Seung-ju (25 points) and Yuk Seo-young (20 points).After dropping the first set, IBK rallied to take the second set 11-10 when Pyo Seung-joo blocked an open attack from opposing main man Lee Sun-woo, and in the ensuing rally, Yuk Seo-young scored back-to-back quick opens to extend the lead to 14-10After taking the lead midway through the second set, IBK continued 토토 its momentum into the fourth set. The Ginseng Corporation fought back with wing attacks from Lee Sun-woo (17 points) and center spikes from Jung Ho-young (15 points), but IBK’s side firepower was stronger.