Japan - V.League V1 (Division 1, Women) 2019-2020

I am so bummed this NEC coach is playing YOLO at OH

NEC is lucky PFU isn't playing well. And Sarina Koga is hitting well offensively. Yay!

Saitama is taking it to Hisamitsu 2–0

The stats show the two kids, Inoue and Nakagawa hitting in the 20s and Yuki in the 40s. Little flip flop there

I think Hisamitsu is going B-team-ish to retroactively explain their collapse.

NEC 3–1 PFU

Watch Okayama's libero on this play in the 5th set against Hisamitsu. She's one reason the NoSmilers are winning

The 30 day waiting period is passing for some of the V.League matches so I finally get to see some more Okayama NoSmilers. Here's what's up with them:

Setters: Haruka Miyashita and Mizuki 'Wonder Woman' Ugajin. Miyashita is Miyashita. Ugajin is Team Captain. She keeps everyone in line and not smiling. They can win with either one of them. I've yet to see them on court together this year setting one another. Damn, that's a blast!

Liberos: Yoshie Narasaki must have just finally grown into her role. She is playing as good or better than Mako Kobata and Kotoe Inoue right now, but they've been doing it for years, so I'm not putting her in their class. yet. She's league leader in reception and a busy bee on defense all around. Quick and courageous. I'm kind of stunned, as I couldn't have even told you her name before this season started. Veteran Aki Maruyama is her backup. They also have U20 Gold alum Minami Nishimura, who double subs every set as serve/DS, but she can also play libero if needed. She's one of the best utility players around, even attacks well.

Opposite: Sanae Watanabe. She's jumped from a 35-38% hitter to a 45-48% hitter because she's gone YOLO. I'll bet she still hits 35-38% in Zone 2, but hits 55-58% in Zone 3. There's no real backup for her. If she goes down, the NoSmilers go with her.

Middle-Blockers: Okayama doesn't block. Their two main MBs, 22 y/old Teen Idol Mayu Oikawa and Anna Imura each have about 20 block kills, which isn't zero but it's not Araki either. They are both quick and reasonably powerful as attackers, with Oikawa showing some real smarts in the tipping game. Yurika Kouno is the main third choice, vet Aimi Kawashima, the fourth. Both serviceable.

Guns: Syuuka Kaneda should have started training with the NT a year ago. She has a far better complete game than everyone but Yuki and Risa (Ishikawa and Kurogo remain to be seen. I think Ishikawa explodes, Kurogo goes Koga. Ishikawa's got guts, Kurogo needs to be coddled, but I digress). Syuuka is the best non-libero floor defender I've ever seen. World-wide. She can make a perfect pass from the wildest dive-dig imaginable. She's 7th in the league in scoring and reception right now. In other words, she can bend over a little and still finish a match without taking a nap. I really don't know if her 66% reception will hold. It's new. For five years she's been 55%. We'll see. If it sticks, good times ahead.

Moe Sasaki has been a NoSmiler for a decade. She's one of those 30/60 girls (kill/receive) who's mostly there so things aren't any worse than that. Never gonna be a hero, unlikely to be a goat.

Coach Aihara's Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku alum Miharu Yoshioka and 186cm Aoi An Furukawa are the two youngsters vying for a chance in the rotation. Haven't seen enough of them. Okayama has 25 registered players but they've got to stick to an extremely tight rotation in order to succeed. Nobody's going to get tired. That's for wussies who don't train properly.

Denso plays Okayama on the last day of the season as one of the makeup games that got cancelled. It might decide who wins the Conference. Too bad it won't be televised

Quote from werka

25-14, 25-14 for JT!

WTF is happening to Toyota? I think only Toray stands a chance at challenging JT at this point.

Did you get to see the JT match? I haven't looked around

I just got in am watching the NEC v Okayama match. I have a feeling it's going to go like the JT match. I hate to see NEC get walloped at home, but whaddaya gonna do

Quote from haru_12

got any live for NEC vs Okayama?

It's VTV. Maybe the Facebook dude streams it after the JT match

Quote from werka

WTF is happening to Toyota? I think only Toray stands a chance at challenging JT at this point.

Don't discount Saitama. Unless Ishikawa/Kurogo catch fire--which is totally possible--I wouldn't be surprised if Saitama finishes better than Toray. Saitama has a solid lineup.

The reason Okayama has such great defense is that every one of their players plays like the ball is going to bounce awkwardly off someone's knee and go hurtling gosh knows where. There are a totally in-the-moment team. It's their culture as a team.

Okayama takes the first set pretty easy 25-20 and Kaneda had a lousy set. When she wakes up ... Look out NEC.

OP Sanae Watanabe also has a very smart Tip game. She kind of palms the ball and redirects it. Seems to be a thing lefty OPs do more than righty OHs

I notice Yurie Nabeya isn't rostered up for Denso. I hope she's not hurt

Quote from haru_12

i see. Yup i tot he's an NEC fan? but not today haha so im just at vleague site watching the points

Facebook switched to the Denso/Himeji match. I love Himeji but am sticking with the NEC match. YOLO is having a pretty good game, NEC playing small ball.

Okayama's block coverage is amazing