Merelin Nikolova and her Korea Expressway Hi-Pass (10 wins-17 losses) defeated the defending champions Hyundai Hillstate (17-10) with a score of 3:1 sets (30-32, 25-16, 26-24, 25-17). With this victory, Hi-Pass climbed to 5th place, surpassing AI Peppers. Nikolova contributed 16 points to her team's success.

We remind you that Nikolova moved to the Korean V-League in May 2024, becoming the second Bulgarian after Elitsa Vasileva to play in the South Korean elite. Before starting her career in Korea, Nikolova played for teams such as AEK Athens in Greece and Sariyer Belediyespor in Turkey.
Although she is outside the top 10 scorers in the league, Nikolova continues to be an important player for her team, playing a vital role in attack and serve. With her playing time and stability on the court, she is at the heart of every victory for Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass.