Karasuno vs Kakugawa (2024)

Karasuno vs Kakugawa was the final match for Group 4 in the Spring High Preliminaries. Karasuno won in straight sets and advanced to the qualifiers.

Match[]

Set 1[]

The set begins with Tsukishima's serve. Asamushi receives it, and Komaki sets to Hyakuzawa. Kageyama, Hinata, and Tanaka jump to block, but their block is rendered useless when the ball goes straight above them and Hyakuzawa scores untouched.

Yamaguchi and Sugawara are worried about how they will manage to stop Hyakuzawa.

Nurukawa serves. Hyakuzawa spikes again, and Nishinoya is able to receive it, but it's not clean. Tanaka sends the ball to Hinata who jumps to spike. Because Hyakuzawa is in the middle, he knows he'll get stopped if he spikes. He attempts a feint, but Hyakuzawa still stops it easily, giving Kakugawa another point.

Tanaka attempts to spike, but Makado gets a one-touch. The ball is over, and Hinata attempts to jump for a direct, but Hyakuzawa easily drops into Karasuno's court, giving Kakugawa their 3^rd point. Nurukawa serves again but lands it out, finally giving Karasuno a point.

However, Hyakuzawa spikes and scores again. Daichi and Nishinoya think of something and Takeda calls a timeout. Hinata is super worried and yells that he doesn't know what to do. Daichi then tells him to calm down. Nishinoya reminds Hinata that aerial battles are not the only part of volleyball.

Hyakuzawa is seen expressing sympathy for Hinata as he is much smaller than him, but he's so desperate to score. Komaki reminds the team that some people might think it's stupid to rely on one person, but they don't have to worry about that. The timeout is over.

The score is 1-4, Kakugawa's favor. Hyakuzawa gets the ball again. A flashback of the timeout is shown where Nishinoya and Daichi explained how Hyakuzawa never hits line shots, and he only hits cross shots in the direction he's facing. He hits a cross shot, and Nishinoya is ready to receive. Kageyama sets to Hinata who jumps sideways to avoid the blockers. However, Hyakuzawa jumps up and blocks Hinata's path with one hand, but he manages to land a feint, which Minamida fails to receive.

Kageyama moves his fingers around in an odd way, and tells Daichi that he feels really good, and wants to use the new quick, making Hinata excited. Yachi notices his face and is freaked out a little, while Ogasawara says that his dog makes the same face when he sees food. Noya receives Hyakuzawa's spike again, and Kageyama prepares to set. Hyakuzawa thinks of an earlier comment by Komaki who said to keep his eye on the ball. He tries but fails, as Kageyama and Hinata perform the quick and score untouched.

Hyakuzawa thinks back to when he said: "Volleyball is pretty simple," and then, it is shown in confusion as to how he's 40 cm taller than Hinata, yet Hinata is the one above him. Hinata scores and the score is 15-14, Karasuno's favor. Makado scores a quick, but Hyakuzawa misses a serve, and Karasuno stays in the lead. Hinata is up to serve and sees that Hyakuzawa is in the corner on Kakugawa's court. He was told by Suga that it's so it won't be easy to aim serves at him, but Hinata doesn't worry as he knows he can't aim serves very well.

Takeda tells Ukai that he is relieved when Hyakuzawa rotates to the back, but is scared when Hinata gets hit by a back row attack. Makado attempts a direct, but Tsukishima shuts it down, gaining a break point for Karasuno at 17-15. Asahi scores an ace, and Karasuno gains a 3-point lead at 20-17.

Eventually, Hinata scores again and Karasuno gets to set point 24-21. Ogasawara explains the different types of tempos. Hyakuzawa scores again and the score is 24-22. Ukai explains the last type of tempo, minus tempo, which is when the spiker already finishes their approach before the setter sets the ball. Hinata gets the stopping set and scores, winning the set 25-22 for Karasuno.

Set 2[]

Kakugawa serves and Asahi receives. Hinata spikes and Minamida receives. Komaki then sets to Hyakuzawa who scores after Nishinoya fails to receive. Ogasawara asks Ukai Sr. if they will always have to use something like the quick attack to get past someone taller than them, to which Ukai replies that they don't always need a fast attack, but instead more people. Karasuno then performs a synchronized attack. Tanaka scores from the back and the score is 6-3, Karasuno's favor. Hyakuzawa tells his team to just let him attack and score points.

Ukai becomes confused as to how Hyakuzawa still has energy. Hyakuzawa himself then says that despite not having much experience, he can still score nonetheless. He also says that with his height, skills don't matter, and he just has to slam the ball. He does so and scores.

Soon enough, Tanaka spikes and the score is 24-19, with Karasuno at match point. Some spectators say that Kakugawa could up as Karasuno's current front rotation is pretty short. This angers Tanaka and Hinata. Daichi then tells them that they can't stop the ball, but can still manage to touch it.

Kageyama serves and Asamushi receives it. Hyakuzawa gets the ball but Daichi, Tanaka, and Hinata delay their jump, and manage to get a one-touch on the spike. Asahi saves the ball, and Tanaka sends it to Hinata. Hyakuzawa thinks that if it's not Hinata's super quick, then he has no chance of getting past him. Hinata then jumps up to spike. He remembers when Bokuto told him that spiking isn't all about slamming the ball into the floor.

He then spikes the ball off Hyakuzawa's hands and sends it flying towards the outside of Kakugawa's side. Asamushi and Minamida attempt to save the ball, but fail and it lands. The game ends in Karasuno's victory.

Aftermath[]

Hyakuzawa tells Inagaki that he was wrong about his earlier comment saying that volleyball is easy. Ukai then predicts that by the next tournament, Hyakuzawa will be a lot more dangerous to play against.

Karasuno advances to the qualifiers held in October.

Hinata forgets his lunchbox and goes back to get it, only to find two guys—Terushima and Bobata—hitting on Kiyoko. He jumps in front of them and tries to hurry Kiyoko away, but Terushima grabs him and tosses him aside. He then asks for Kiyoko's number again, but Hinata jumps in front of him, which surprises Terushima. He realizes he has Karasuno written on his shirt.

He questions if Karasuno was the team who defeated the "Giant 6'7" guy" (Hyakuzawa), to which Hinata replies that he's correct. Terushima then says it's a shame as he wanted to face him at some point. Hinata questions if Terushima's team got past the first preliminary. Terushima replies that his team didn't have to play the first preliminary because they placed in the top 4 during the Interhigh Preliminaries. Terushima and Bobata then leave and Teru says that if their teams face each other, it'll be a fun match up.