75th All-Japan High School Championship 2023 (Jan 4–8)

Higashi playing a little BCS mini ball with their Russian MB, Emiri Iiyama. She's improved a lot, and kinda wore out the Shiojiri girls. Going to a Tie Break

Lucky Higashi win the Tie Break 25–21. It would have been tragic if they got sent home in the first round

I thought Shiojiri was a better team. Higashi's just got the big gun. Shiojiri girls fell apart at the end of sets 2 & 3 with mistakes that cost them

Except for the occasional blunders this is really good volleyball

Nara Girls are getting creamed by someone -- I can't keep track but I wanted Nara Girls to win because the uber adorable setter who just signed with Toyota came from there

** These are great streams, btw. I've got three of them running at once through a shitty browser vpn and there are beautiful ... who was dissing the sport bull

It's crazy how some of these high school teams high set the middle blocker

Welp, the VODs went immediately behind the paywall

Best killer of the night so far for me is Saki Tanaka from Bunkyo Gaukuen. She's a bruiser

But then again, I know who she is. Shiojiri's OH #10 was enjoyable, or was it #7?

Bunkyo is the team that beat Setoku in the Inter-High Semifinals and they are inches away from getting knocked out in the first round tonight

Holy freaking crap . My Bunkyo Babies came back from 13–20 in the Tie Break to win it 26–24 and stay alive

If you're on the other team, Koriyama Girls, that's gotta hurt

I thought I might like Fukuoka Jyoto Whatever because of all the Fukuoka vibes lately ... and I'm enjoying them. But the team they're playing against, Japan Aviation, might be the discovery team of the tournament for me. I think this will be the next match that goes to Tie Break

I forgot Kyoto Tachibana is a silly headband wearing team. No need to watch that

This Fukuoka / Japan Airlines match is one of those quintessential high school matches where you can't catch your breath. They never slow down

The Kyoto Tachibana / Yasugi match is a headband wearing competition. It's embarrassing

That was a very satisfying match. No Tie Break. Japan Airplanes wins 2–0 ... feel bad for Fukuoka . They tried real hard, played scrappy and full of joy

I notice that one of the Airline Hostesses has signed with Gunma Bank. Momoka Kojima. She wasn't a stand out for me. #2 is their star . Will have to try and figure out who she is

[update]

Japan Airlines #2 Maya Watanabe

Quote from volleyb

OMI won’t be able to participate, so the game I am planning to watch is cancelled.

Oh man. I just saw that. Sads

The translations I used say "influenza" not covid or coronavirus. Not sure about it though

Oh well, I was looking forward to the Shinai Dirls match, but it's almost 1:00am and that Japan Aviation match wore me out

Scores for tonight's matches and schedule for tomorrow are on the sport bull site. Probably free. I'm not posting them here

Quote from brahmin

Sports Nippon says Corona. 春高バレー　女子の静岡代表・富士見が出場辞退へ　メンバー数人が新型コロナ陽性― スポニチ Sponichi Annex スポーツ

That's the Fujimi team news. Got corona for that one. Wondering about the Omi Brotherhood team from Shiga. PDF

Quote from wargirls

EDIT: oh cool, live streams are not geo-blocked for me this year

Weird they aren't geo-blocked for me tonight