In the midst of fierce competition, Lee Sang-hyun was not eliminated. He was constantly striving to preserve his position and studying ways to develop.

Players born in 1999, who have been considered the present and future of the V-League and Korean men's volleyball since last season, have been loved by many fans. Kim Ji-han, Lim Dong-hyuk, Lim Seong-jin, and Park Kyung-min are representative members of the 99s. Although they have not received much attention compared to these players yet, there is another player who is a member of the 99s. It is Lee Sang-hyun. In his third year in the league, middle blocker Lee Sang-hyun was sweating profusely to prove his worth with Woori Card, the "middle blocker rich" team.

In the third round of the Dodram 2023-2024 V-League Men's match between Woori Card and Korean Air held at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on the 7th, Lee Sang-hyun elevated his value to the fullest. He started in the warm-up zone, behind Otake Issei (registered name Issei), but he started in the second set and scored 10 points including three blocks. Thanks to Lee's strong performance, Woori Card firmly maintained its lead by beating Korean Air with a set score of 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22).

After the game, Lee Sang-hyun, who was hit with water by his teammates while performing interviews with broadcasters, visited the interview room with wet hair. He said, "I'm glad that the parts I prepared while analyzing Korean Air hard turned out well by my performance. Still, I still have a lot to be lacking, so if I develop further, I think I will be able to show a better performance."

"Sanghyun is a good listener these days," Shin said in an interview after the game, praising Lee's attitude. "After joining the national team, Lee changed his fastball swing in a different direction from what the coach wanted. That's why I was criticized a lot. I had a hard time when criticism came out because I am not good at multitasking, but these days, as I keep trying to fix things that I can't, there are many things that I realize and things that I can't do well. The coach also gives me a lot of compliments. If I try to do what the coach tells me to do, I think there will be good results," Lee said, introducing his change process.

There are only seven players registered as middle blockers on Woori Card's roster (Lee Sang-hyun, Park Jin-woo, Kim Jae-hwi, Itsei, Choi Seok-ki, Kim Wan-jong, and Park Jun-hyuk). The presence of quality middle blockers is a positive factor for the team, but it is also not always good for middle blockers in the team. This is because in order to play, we have to overcome fierce competition.

Lee, however, was positive about the rivalry. "It's good to have many players who can compete. If I have a competitor, I will flog myself more and make an effort because even if I can't do a little bit, I might lose my seat," Lee said. "In addition, Kim Jae-hwi, Park Jin-woo, and Choi Seok-ki are seniors who give advice to their juniors even in the face of competition. I'm trying hard to find my place in the team while competing and receiving a lot of instruction."

It is not just the middle blocker teammates in Lee Sang-hyun's team that are a source of encouragement. Friends who are called "99s" and loved by fans, including fellow Kim Ji-han, are also a source of encouragement for Lee. "I got very close with (Kim) Ji-han in Woori Card, and (Im) Sung-jin, (Donghyuk, and (Park) Kyung-min when I joined the national team," Lee said. "If we weren't close to each other, we wouldn't have been much of a stimulus, but after we got close, I envied my friends," Lee said.

Lee expressed his ambition. "I'm the only middle blocker in the 99s. As my friends grow and play, I'm becoming representatives of each position. I'm also working hard to become a player who was born in 1999 representing middle blocker positions and a player who doesn't kneel down to my friends," Lee said.

So far, not many fans think of Lee Sang-hyun's name first when they hear the expression "99s." However, if Lee Sang-hyun continues to work hard without losing his current mindset, the day when Lee Sang-hyun will become the core of "99s" and representative of middle blockers will come someday as he wishes.

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