66th All-Japan InterCollegiate Championship 2019 (Nov 26–Dec 1)

66th Super College Women's Championship

Sixty-four teams will haul ass through the Regular Round in four days. Day 5 is the Semis; Day 6, the Final (and 3rd place match). It's like March madness: You lose, you go home (I think). In its 65 year history (1954–present) only about a dozen different teams have won it, with Nippon Sport Science University winning it 29 times (28 times in the first 40 years, and then not again until 2014). (Wiki-Source)

The brackets are presumably drawn so that the favored teams don't meet on day 1. Here they are in Japanese.

2018:

1. University of Tsukuba (Tsukuba Daigaku), who featured the oh so lovely MVP and best MB Haruka Maruo, are the reigning Champions
2. Aoyama Gakuin University, Silver Meadlists, have a bunch of little sisters: Ai Shimamura, Yuka Oikawa, Aki Meguro, Yuki Higane
3. Shoin University captured Bronze with Himeji Gold Arisa Nagano (Best Spiker), and NEC's Chinami Furuya (Best Scorer)

Probably not going to be a lot of news here because I can't find anywhere on the web that is covering it. Apologies to any Universities whose name I have mangled through Google Translation. I would kill for some roster action, and kill with prejudice to know a place where these matches (at least the finals) might be broadcast.

The getsuvolley site will have rosters and broadcasts of the High School Championship but nada for Universities that I can find

2019.11.26 -- Round 1

Speaking of the fabulous Tamaki Matsui, I watched her College team, JWCPE, win their first match. I like their Freshman Middle-Blocker, Yoshi Shiozaki 塩崎葵葉, at least I think it's "Yoshi". She doesn't look super tall or anything but has that "Let's get it on" attitude and she's fast and hits hard. Tamaki gave her more than a couple opportunities for HULK SMASH-ing. Three years from now I will return to name check this thread and see how she's doing

2019.11.27 -- Round 2

The winning teams zig-zag perfectly down this list. I didn't plan that. 15/16 matches were 3–0. Shoin University got the hard draw. If they'd have played any one of eight different teams, they'd be in the Sweet Sixteen:

• JWCPE v NIFS
• Fukuoka v Nihon
• Kyoto Tachibana v Tohoku Fukushi
• TWCPE v Tokai
• NSSU v Tezukayama
• Kansai v Juntendo
• Kokushikan v Tsukuba
• Aoyama v Kobe Women's

Some easy ones and some tragic ones.

The fabulous Tamaki Matsui went to serve in Set 2 at 15–8 and served until 24–9. A team mate had to close it out a point later, but then Tamaki started Set 3 at the service line and served until 18–0. That 27 serves, practically in a row. Pretty tragic for the opposing team

2019.11.28 -- Round 3

Last year Tsukuba beat Aoyama Gakuin for the Title. The previous year Aoyama Gakuin beat Tsukuba for the Title. This year one of them goes home after the Quarterfinals:

• Aoyama Gakuin University v University of Tsukuba
• JWCPE v Fukuoka University
• Kyoto Tachibana University v Tokai University
• NSSU v Juntendo University

The only surprise is that the JVA web site put up a box score and filled in the Bracket Sheet giving Fukuoka a 3–1 victory over JWCPE on the 29th, which hasn't happened yet. That was weird and a little sad, as I'm rooting for JWCPE and their whippersnapper middle-blocker and fabulous Tamaki.

Of course the Free Broadcasts are over now, so I won't get to see any more matches. It was fun while it lasted

2019.11.29 -- Quarter finals

Sad to see JWCPE go

Semis

Fukuoka University v Tokai University

University of Tsukuba v Juntendo University

Tsukuba is going to play for gold again. I wish I could see it

And they are going to play Fukuoka

Bronze goes to the Tokai Mermaids

FINAL STANDINGS

	Tsukuba University
	Fukuoka University
	Tokai University

Individual Awards

MVP	Miho Yokota	Tsukuba Daigaku
Dare Fighter	Tosuna Ito	Fukuoka University
Best Scorer	Moeka Ko	Tsukuba Daigaku
Best Spiker	Moeka Ko	Tsukuba Daigaku
Best Blocker	Manaka Hayashida	Fukuoka University
Best Server	Minoru Yamamoto	Fukuoka University
Best Receiver	Ami Yamashiro	Tsukuba Daigaku
Best Setter	Manami Mandai	Tsukuba Daigaku
Best Libero	Chiharu Tashiro	Fukuoka University

Source

So much good stuff out there in the world I miss. Apparently there was a "PSL SuperCup" where Tsukuba Daigaku played the PHI National team. This is Golden stuff for me since none of the Tsukuba College Championship matches have shown up on youtube. And I can never get enough Majoy!

All I can find is highlights

A decent Fan Cam of 4 of the 5 sets of the Final between Tsukuba and Fukuoka:

So happy to finally see that match. One thing I don't get: Manami Mandai, my favorite setter (for Tsukuba) has won Best Setter Award every year she's been in University, even her freshman year when Tsukuba didn't win. She played every second of this match (at least the 4 sets on display), and has played every second of every Tsukuba match I've seen--which isn't a lot, but at least most of the Finals matches the past few years. And somehow Tsukuba's other setter, Miho Yokota (who signed with Brilliant Aries) gets the MVP

Tsukuba MB Moeka Kinoe, who has signed with NEC, won best spiker and best scorer. Manami Mandai uses her a lot. Uni setters love their middles.

Manami's got one more year in Uni. I'll bet she goes to 9-ball instead of V.League.

Tsukuba beat the PHI National Team to win the PSL Super Cup last year - Highlights 2019.11.08

Tsukuba Rocks