Just showed up on the betting site
Toray up 2-1
Looks like Toyota is still without has their Captain
Japan - V.League V1 (Division 1, Women) 2018-2019
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I can't believe that in the midst of The Apocalypse this N K youtuber has uploaded almost every match of the season in in wonderful 1080--the good/important matches often hours after they are finished.
So I just got to watch the Toray v Toyota match from last night in HD.
A couple observations:
1) It's been explained to me about nine times and I still don't get it: Targeting an OH on serve to reduce her likelihood of an attack. I read about it all the time in the Euro-Threads.
Sure. if you put her stomach on the floor with the serve, good move. But just bringing her to her knees doesn't look like much of a deterrent (allowing that there's a slight difference for a 173cm vs 193cm person getting up from their knees). One Euro-comment suggested that even just making the receiver bend her knees was enough to take her out of the play. WT-lol-F? If the reception is routine it seems like an advantage for the receiver because she has some inside scoop on timing. Isn't this one reason everyone wants their best OHs to also be receivers? If you don't want them caught in the trap just hide them.
Toyota totally targeted Kurogo in the match (instead of the 98 pound teenage rookie, Rena Mizusugi, who just joined the club (and who, for my money, looks like she is going to improve Toray).
- Jana Kulan: 23/63, 2 errors; zero receptions
- Ai Kurogo: 23/50, 2 errors; 54 receptions, 28 Excellents, 13 "into the power Goods" (whatever they are)
- Rena Mizusugi: 6 receptions, 3 Excellents, 3 "into the power Goods" (whatever they are)
2) Nanami Seki uses her middle blockers in transition for the HULK SMASH. A lot. It's beautiful
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A Brankica-less JT and Toray heading to Tie Break
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A Brankica-less JT and Toray heading to Tie Break
What happened? She looks so pale
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No idea. I think everyone partied too much last night. All of Toray looked pretty pale
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So I just got to watch the Toray v Toyota match from last night in HD.
A couple observations:
1) It's been explained to me about nine times and I still don't get it: Targeting an OH on serve to reduce her likelihood of an attack. I read about it all the time in the Euro-Threads.
Sure. if you put her stomach on the floor with the serve, good move. But just bringing her to her knees doesn't look like much of a deterrent (allowing that there's a slight difference for a 173cm vs 193cm person getting up from their knees). One Euro-comment suggested that even just making the receiver bend her knees was enough to take her out of the play. WT-lol-F? If the reception is routine it seems like an advantage for the receiver because she has some inside scoop on timing. Isn't this one reason everyone wants their best OHs to also be receivers? If you don't want them caught in the trap just hide them.
Toyota totally targeted Kurogo in the match (instead of the 98 pound teenage rookie, Rena Mizusugi, who just joined the club (and who, for my money, looks like she is going to improve Toray).
Teams run 3 person serve receive. Setters, middles and opposite are not expecting to do serve receive. Middles and setters only play the ball when necessary. So that leaves outside hitters and liberos as the serve receive takers. With the rotation, one outside hitter will be in the front row, while the other is in the back row, and the libero is in the back row of course.
Teams always want three hitters in the front row. When the setter is in the front row, that is not possible (excluding the in frequent setter on 2). If you have an outside hitter who has to pass and hit, let alone block and dig, they will be using their energy more. Also if that player is the focus of their offense (more spike attempts), all of the jumping and movement just builds up over time.
Remember part of the game is physical and part of it is mental. Can you pass well? If you can’t pass well, does that take you out of the offense? Some players like passing and getting set immediately, but offense needs all players not just the one to succeed.
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Sun 24 March 2019 Results Day 8/8 Final 8 Stage Final Finale
Home Team Away Team
Set 1
Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Stats NEC Red Rockets 0–3 Hisamitsu Springs 21-25 23-25 16-25 60–75 Stats JT Marvelous 2–3 Toray Arrows 25-22 25-18 23-25 26-28 10-15 109–108 Stats Saitama Ageo Medics 2–3 Denso Airybees 25-18 19-25 25-20 25-27 14-16 108–106 Stats JT outplayed a dreary looking Toray, with a surprising result.
Final 8 Finish:
POS TEAM POINTS
WIN LOSE Sets 1 Hisamitsu Springs 26 7 0 21:5 2 Toray Arrows 16 6 1 19:9
3 JT Marvelous
15 3 4 13:13 4 Toyota Auto Queens
13 4 3 14:13 5 Denso Airybees
12 4 3 14:14
6 NEC Red Rockets
10
1 6 8:20
7 Saitama Ageo Medics 10
1
6
9:18
8 Hitachi Rivale 6
2 5 11:17
Here's what the Final 8 Finish without Gift Points would have looked like:
POS TEAM POINTS WIN LOSE Sets 1. Hisamitsu Springs
20 7 0 21:5 2. Toray Arrows
16 6 1 19:9 3. Toyota Body Queens
11 4 3 14:13 4. JT Marvelous
11 3 4 13:13 5. Denso Airybees
10
4
3
14:14
6. Hitachi Rivale
6 2 5 11:17 7. Saitama Ageo Medics 6
1
6
9:18
8. NEC Red Rockets
4 1 6 8:20 NEC
FINAL 3 Sat 30 MAR 2019 15:08 JT Marvelous v Toray Arrows Sun 31 MAR 2019 15:08 JT Marvelous v Toray Arrows
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Hisamitsu pulled a Himeji against NEC with two come from behind set wins followed by a beat down. Winners do that a lot. No stream for it so I watched a web page update the score. (N K just posted the match in uncharacteristic poor resolution--not worth watching).
The only other time I can recall JT playing without Brankica they used Kurihara in her place. That didn't change the equation at all in terms of floor coverage. Last night JT went with Kitsui (19/50) ,and they looked like Okayama out there. JT was digging everything, saving all the pinball machine plays, the tips, the flips, and the dips. They even got in some block coverage! A totally different team. Makes me wish Japan would outlaw Defensive Liabilities and just play Japanese ball. It's so much more fun to watch.
Toray looked awful in the first two sets, dead to the world. JT was frustrating them deeply, not letting them score. But as I've been saying for weeks now, Toray has this winner's mentality, where they are oblivious to the score and just play like they are on their way to a win. It's admirable. Winners don't play the score, they play the point. Toray hung in there and then put the clampers on in the Tie-Break. It's going to be a different game next weekend when JT has Brankica--assuming she's not injured or ill and just took the night off--but it feels like Toray has the wind at their back.
I love this story. Toray could have Euro-commented the heck out of the unfair pool draw (if we can call the East/West Conference divide a Pool Draw). But they chose the alternative: WIN MATCHES. Of course I'm just making that up but remember: Toray finished 4th in the West which netted them zero gift points for the Final 8. They would have finished 1st in the East and brought six with them. So based on that, and Nanami Seki's awesomeness, I want Toray to win it all
I couldn't stay awake for the Denso/Saitama match--it didn't start until almost 1:00am my time--but it looks like it was a fun one.
Jaja (18/28, 5 blocks), Kyōko "pajamas' Aoyagi 9/11, 2 blocks, 1 ace). Keti was only (25/58, 4 blocks)--not a lot of swings for a 5 setter, so I'm also giving props to The Great Distributor Misaki Inoue even though I haven't seen the match yet On the Denso side Sinéad went (14/28, 7 blocks). Nothing else on the Denso stats remotely suggests Denso won the match
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JT vs. Toray for the season
JT 2-1, Set score 8-5
Hisamitsu vs. JT
Hisamitsu 2-1, Set score 8-3
Hisamitsu vs. Toray
Hisamitsu 3-0, Set score 9-2
Springs are still favorites in the Final in my mind
Toray has played well in the Final 8, and if Brankica has any issues for JT, then it is Toray's to lose.
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Hisamitsu is on a different level, and clearly the favorite. That's why it will be fun, and likely make my heart race a little, rooting for some other team--who's playing well--to win
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If I recall correctly, Hisamitsu only loss to JT was when they were without Akinradewo in the early part of the season.
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If I recall correctly, Hisamitsu only loss to JT was when they were without Akinradewo in the early part of the season.
True. A magnificent 5 setter
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is it true that the league will start early next season around august or sept? if so, I am wondering if they will renew the contract of all foreign player. I know mihajlovic will transfer in turkey next season, interesting who will replace her. a shoe to fill.
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League will not start until the World Cup is over, practice may start in September but no matches.
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Overlapping Doubleheader tonight:
Sat 30 MAR 2019
15:08 JST ... which is Friday night 11:08pm PST USA west coast
Final 3 GAME 1 - Toray Arrows v JT Marvelous
Sat 30 March 2019
16:00 JST ... which is freaking Midnight here
Challenge Match GAME 1 - PFU BlueCats v JA Gifu Rioreina
Will they or won't they be streamed live for my viewing enjoyment?
I hope they will have on youtube. I`m not sure if I will stay up to watch it live ( I will try).
I tried signing up for DAZN, I was able to sign up but it took me to where there`s only wresting, boxing etc. I tried with VPN but they would not allow mw to access the page with volleyball.
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Been there done that. Also, in an extended email exchange with DAZN support I told them I was a Japanese citizen temporarily working in the USA and my daughter was suffering depression and eating disorder without being able to watch her beloved NEC Red Rockets.
They weren’t moved
