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 
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.
| The 2019 Contenders | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Aichi Gakuin University Aoyama Gakuin University Ashiya University Chūgoku Gakuen University Chukyo University Daito Bunka University Edogawa University Fukuoka University Fukushima University Fukuyama Heisei University Gifu Kyoritsu University Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen University Hiroshima University Hokkaido Tokai University Hokusho University International Pacific University |
JF Oberlin University Juntendo University JWCPE Kaetsu University Kanagawa University Kanazawa Seiryo University Kansai University Keiai University Kinjo University Kobe Gakuin University Kobe Shinwa Women's University Koeki University Kokushikan University Kumamoto Gakuen University Kwansei Gakuin University Kyoto Sangyo University |
Kyoto Tachibana University Kyushu Kyoritsu University Matsuyama Shinonome College Mukogawa Women's University Nagasaki International University Nagasaki Junshin University Nagoya Gakuin University NIFS Nihon University Niigata University of Health and Welfare NSSU Osaka International University Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Ryukoku University Sapporo University Seinan Jo Gakuin University |
Seisa Dohto University Senri Kinran University Shigakkan University Shigakukan University Shikoku University Shoin University Shokei Gakuin University Sonoda Women's University Tenri University Tezukayama University Tohoku Fukushi University Tokai Mermaids Tsukuba Daigaku Tsuru University TWCPE Waseda Universit |
Mai Okumura got hit in the face possibly by a teammate and had to leave the Hisamitsu match early. Denso put out a press release about her getting bruised on her face. I am guessing something with her nose. No good online or twitter pictures of the damage.
If only they would have broadcast the match for my consumption I'd have photos
The cancelled Toray v Saitama from opening weekend has been re-scheduled for the same weekend as the others:
Rescheduled matches:
Sat 4 Jan 2020
12:00 Denso v Hisamitsu
14:00 Toray v Saitama
15:00 NEC v Okayama
Sun 5 2020
12:00 Denso v Okayama
15:00 Hisamitsu v NEC
are you running Google translate while it is running? That may be the reason things aren’t looking right.
That's it! That's what makes the names lag behind the photos.
So when Tominaga comes on for Inoue the picture updates but Inoue's name hangs around--and the reason Tominaga is labeled Inoue is because of the way double subs work (Tominaga doesn't actually sub Inoue). I've noticed the names are often 2 spots behind the pic, but in this case above they are 4 spots behind. It's just lucky that Tominaga/Inoue happened.
I guess the question is: What does it look like when you look at it , because you can read Japanese? Next time it's convenient for you give it a look, see if the names match the photos and keep up with the match.
| Home |
Away |
Set 1 |
Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Stats | Vid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JA Gifu | 2–3 | GSS Sunbeams | 25-21 | 24-26 | 28-26 | 13-25 | 13-15 | 103–113 | Stats | |
| Kashiwa | 1–3 | Hamamatsu | 22-25 | 25-23 | 12-25 | 18-25 | 77–98 | Stats | ||
| Brilliant Aries | 1–3 | Gunma Bank | 25-23 | 13-25 | 16-25 | 19-25 | 73–98 | Stats | ||
| Hiroshima | 2–3 | Prestige | 25-18 | 27-25 | 22-25 | 26-28 | 14-16 | 114–112 | Stats |
Hard to tell what's going on down here in the minors, but the surprising, and confounding, thing to me is that The GSS Sunbeams have beaten the top two teams from last year (excluding Himeji) both in 5 set matches. The Sunbeams did pick up a transfer player from Hiroshima, Haruka Yoshizato, who's doing well but they have a terrible terrible web site, and one of the biggest, clumsiest looking players I've ever seen on a volleyball court, so I don't want them to win anything.
JA Gifu lost 3 or 4 of their starters from last year so they're in rebuilding mode but they still have some good players --Kino Yoshii might be one of the best OHs in the league.
My team, New Kids on the Block Brilliant Aries, has at least taken a set from the two best teams from last year. Let's go Ami & Emi 
It's a shame the VTV "Live Score" thing just can't seem to keep up.
If you know these players it's immediately clear how wrong it all is. Some of the players pictured aren't even on court. They are all misidentified by name.
You people, and your ultra high definition well produced replays of matches, that show up hours after the match has ended. It's not fair
it is on their spiking. Second fewest back row attack kills. Also their kill percentage is really bad as well. Passing is really good but kills aren’t happening.
Odd stat Araki and Fabiana have the same number of kills, but Araki has done it in fewer swings.
I see the bad kill % as a symptom more than a cause, but you got the numbers right. It's weird.
Watching Hisamitsu (when I can) the thing I see that's different about them this year is a sad bit of body language that happens after a player is crouched down a little, readying themselves for the attack to come, and then the ball lands in a giant empty bit of real estate between players. The body language thing: that embarrassing WTF moment when they straighten up. It's glaring, and unusual. Other than that, everything appears the same to me.
Miss Chizuru Koto may be missed. I miss her for sure. Such a warrior. Such a smart and nice girl.
Definitely.
| Home |
Away |
Set 1 |
Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Stats | Vid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JT | 3–1 | Toyota | 25-14 | 22-25 | 25-18 | 25-18 | 97–75 | Stats | YT | |
| Hisamitsu | 1–3 | Denso | 25-21 | 21-25 | 12-25 | 22-25 | 80–96 | Stats | ||
| Saitama | 3–1 | Kurobe | 25-19 | 25-20 | 23-25 | 25-22 | 98–86 | Stats | YT | |
| Okayama | 3–0 | Himeji | 25-12 | 25-14 | 25-21 | 75–47 | Stats |
Two things JT has going for them: Aki Momii, their new teenage setter is a big upgrade. She contributes a lot on defense, from blocking to digging; Annie Drews is not getting in the way of JT playing the kind of volleyball they like to play. Technically this JT v Toyota match wasn't high quality: 33–30% hitting and 42–32% receiving, but it was fun to watch. The Star Conference play out is going to be fun. Toray isn't at full strength yet (still missing Kurogo).
No surprise Denso beat Hisamitsu. Wish I could have seen it.
Kurobe is being a bit of a thorn in the side of other teams this year. I wish they would actually win a game or two that they fight so hard for. It was fun watching the Santiago sisters go at it. Dindin is a nice upgrade in the middle over that girl who does cartwheels after scoring a point. And Natsumi Watabiki has come out of nowhere and is having a banner year: leads the league in blocks with 30. Kurobe has played a game or two more than others, but still.
I still believe in Himeji.
You're right!
What's happening to Hisamitsu? They lost most games now than the entirety of last season... Are they missing Foluke so much that they don't know how to win anymore?
It's inexplicable. I don't think they miss Foluke. Fabiana is doing a good job. She's not the party animal Foluke was, she's all business, but with the roster they have they shouldn't be dependent on one person.
They've lost more games now than they lost in the last TWO seasons combined.
Shame there's no stream for watching Hisamitsu get destroyed by Denso.
Hisamitsu took the first set but it's going to be a 1–3 loss to Denso
This JT v Toyota match is a good game of volleyball. JT's coach has a different rotation/sub philosophy than the previous year. Annie sits out the 3rd quarter, or so, so JT's other players don't feel useless. Yuka Kitsui has court presence, now. With Meguru, Tanaka, and Kobata in the back row, it's hard to beat that. Brilliant move. Hayashi rotates into that with no downgrade while Annie does the full court run-around 
Apologies to the Brankica lovers in this world --I consider myself one of them-- but Annie Drews is a much much better fit for JT than Brankica was. Annie is a true, dedicated OP. Brankica just got called one because JT had no one local to carry that mantle. Annie doesn't drag the team down with pout parties when things aren't going well, and she's not nearly the defensive liability Brankica was. JT is a quick, scrappy team if you let them be. They play Japanese volleyball, receiving and passing well. And it looks like Annie has ditched the gum. Took her long enough. I hope it sticks!
I wonder why Saori Takahashi isn't playing much at all this year for Toyota. She's rostered up and in uniform
Edit: She's made an entrance !
The first 30 day waiting period VOD match has arrived at vtv. Since vtv aren't broadcasting anything else and nobody's streaming, I guess I'll watch the Hitachi v Himeji match from opening night tonight. How sad
| Home |
Away |
Set 1 |
Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Stats | Vid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunma Bank | 2–3 | GSS Sunbeams | 36-34 | 19-25 | 25-15 | 21-25 | 13-15 | 114–114 | Stats | |
| Prestige | 1–3 | Kashiwa | 18-25 | 24-26 | 25-18 | 25-27 | 92–96 | Stats | ||
| Brilliant Aries | 1–3 | JA Gifu | 21-25 | 19-25 | 25-23 | 20-25 | 85–98 | Stats | ||
| Hiroshima | 1–3 | Hamamatsu | 18-25 | 10-25 | 25-22 | 23-25 | 76–97 | Stats |
Not one of them streamed on VTV. This sucks
| Home |
Away |
Set 1 |
Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Stats | Vid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Himeji | 0–3 | Denso | 15-25 | 15-25 | 20-25 | 50–75 | Stats |
YT |
||
| Toray | 3–0 | PFU | 25-15 | 25-14 | 25-17 | 75–46 | Stats | |||
| JT | 3–1 | Saitama | 25-17 | 20-25 | 25-22 | 25-23 | 95–87 | Stats |
YT |
|
| Hisamitsu | 3–2 | Okayama | 25-20 | 26-24 | 18-25 | 20-25 | 15-11 | 104–105 | Stats |
YT |
| Toyota | 3–2 | Kurobe | 20-25 | 25-16 | 17-25 | 25-21 | 15-9 | 102–96 | Stats |
YT |
| NEC | 3–0 | Hitachi | 25-18 | 30-28 | 25-20 | 80–66 | Stats |
Not one single replay I can find. This sucks
Edit: Found a few
The rookie that I mentioned Lee Da-Hyeon got 7 kills from 8 attempts in the 4th set (her first proper chance).
This is my favorite thing, when a rookie/youngster gets a chance and delivers. She was so happy and delighted. It was beautiful 
