Chapter 77: Opening of the Starting Lineup Battle
Players from both sides positioned themselves according to the pre-agreed formation chart, using the net as the dividing line. In official matches, formation charts need to be submitted to the head referee.
But since this was only a practice match without prepared formation charts, the pre-agreed positions were treated as the submitted formations.
First-Year Team Roster:
Front row: Tsukishima Kei (Hoshino Masaru), Hyakuzawa Yudai, Ichise Guren.
Back row: Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shoyo, Yamaguchi Tadashi.
Veteran Team Roster:
Front row: Azumane Asahi, Sugawara Koshi, Takinoue Yusuke (tall blonde from the electronics store).
Back row: Sawamura Daichi, Tanaka Ryunosuke (Nishinoya Yu), Shimada Makoto (jump floater from the convenience store).
The veteran team deployed a fairly traditional formation: wing spiker at position 4, setter at position 3, middle blocker at position 2.
Meanwhile, the first-year team immediately set up Karasuno's iron wall formation that had battled the freak quick attack before. Three oversized attackers who could easily shut down most high ball attacks during blocking.
Takinoue Yusuke now stood to the right of the veteran team's setter, Sugawara Koshi.
This stubble-faced man with short blonde hair had continued physical training after high school graduation, even though he hadn't joined any professional teams.
With his tall and sturdy build, during high school he never felt intimidated facing opponents mostly over 190cm tall. Instead, it would ignite his fighting spirit to overcome the odds.
But this time might be the first time in Takinoue Yusuke's life that he faced a person over two meters tall at close range.
With this level of height, even if Hyakuzawa Yudai were a complete volleyball novice, he could deliver frightening spikes and blocks just relying on height and reach.
"Whew~"
Takinoue Yusuke looked up at Hyakuzawa Yudai across the net and couldn't help taking a deep breath to adjust the retreating feeling deep in his heart.
'He seems even taller when you're right in front of him.'
'That Keishin guy only said he'd become coach and needed us to help test the students' level before coming.'
'He didn't mention there'd be such a towering giant.'
Takinoue Yusuke forced himself not to step back, making a strained smile at the corner of his mouth as he forced out some ineffective tough talk to Hyakuzawa Yudai.
"Big guy! You should know volleyball isn't a sport you can play well just by being tall!"
"Let senpai show you how a middle blocker really plays!"
Hyakuzawa Yudai lowered his head to look at the stubble-faced senpai trying hard to maintain a wicked smile. Hearing no malice, he took it as serious advice from senpai not to become arrogant just because of his height.
So the two-meter giant nodded seriously and replied:
"Yes! I learned about this a long time ago."
"So I've been working hard to improve my technique."
"Please teach me well, senpai!"
Takinoue Yusuke hadn't expected this two-meter kohai to be so polite. Not knowing what to say for a moment, he could only politely respond:
"Oh!?"
"I'll teach you seriously!"
Only after reacting did he realize his behavior had changed from trash talk to earnest guidance from a caring senpai. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he patted his forehead, sighed, then said:
"Since that's the case, I'll give it my all! Get ready, big guy!"
"Please teach me, senpai!"
The other graduate, Shimada Makoto, stood in the serving area slowly rotating the volleyball in his hands. He wasn't as tense as Karasuno's current upperclassmen, nor as serious as his teammate.
Shimada Makoto adjusted his glasses, looking at the first-years across the net. Though except for the libero and Hinata Shoyo, none were short - they could even be considered tall.
But their young faces would make people underestimate their abilities, and Shimada Makoto was no exception at this moment.
'Well, getting serving aces is nice, but that wouldn't let me see their offensive capabilities. Better hold back a bit first.'
'They just entered high school after all - can't crush the kids' confidence.'
So Shimada Makoto didn't use his signature jump floater, instead delivering an ordinary jump serve.
This serve was so easy that even Hinata Shoyo, who had barely passing receiving skills, could handle it easily, providing an extremely high-quality first pass.
A good first pass gives the setter excellent options. With this first pass from Hinata Shoyo, Kageyama Tobio could execute any tactical set he wanted.
But this was his first time cooperating with the main attackers from the national championship middle school team, and he was getting somewhat excited. Because until now, Kageyama Tobio had never set to attackers over 1.9 meters tall.
This time he was setting to a two-meter giant right from the first pass. The volleyball-obsessed Kageyama Tobio couldn't help getting overly excited. Face flushed with excitement - but excitement aside, Kageyama hadn't lost the most basic technique as a setter.
A tactical high ball was sent to Hyakuzawa Yudai, who was already approaching.
The veteran team's middle blocker quickly targeted Hyakuzawa Yudai across the net. Together with Azumane Asahi and Sugawara Koshi, they tried hard to shut down this obvious but not fast enough tactical high ball.
Unfortunately, Hyakuzawa Yudai's two-meter height wasn't just for show. His solid frame carried swift steps as he launched into the air with a thud.
A super attack far exceeding Takinoue Yusuke's highest contact point occurred above them. The contact point between palm and volleyball was nearly 15 centimeters above their blocking fingertips.
The volleyball thundered down from overhead while the three blockers watched in disbelief, accompanied by a tremendous sound like an exploding hand cannon with recoil, almost seeming to create a shock wave in mid-air.
Even more shocked than the three blockers were the first-year team players.
Because this tremendously powerful super attack was touched by the libero Nishinoya Yu, who had been far in the back court with no expectation of this super attack, with a diving save. Though the volleyball's power was too great and ultimately bounced off Nishinoya's hands out of bounds.
But Ukai Keishin and his neighborhood association teammates watching from the sidelines had stretched their eyelids to the limit.
"Are you kidding me! That ridiculous super attack aside - he's got two meters of height after all. But what's with this libero!"
"He was still in the back court just now! When he saw the contact height of this two-meter kohai's attack, he'd already started moving forward!"
"That defensive stance in the back court clearly showed he'd never played with this kohai before, right? I don't know the specific situation, but with receiving ability like this, this libero is definitely national level!"
"Keishin! What's with your team? These two guys alone could support your team to the semifinals!!!"
After listening to their analysis, Ukai Keishin quickly adjusted his expression after brief shock - he still needed to maintain his dignity as coach, clearing his throat lightly.
"Don't be silly. Do you think semifinals are that easy to reach? Do you know how many teams are in Miyagi Prefecture?"
"If just having a taller player and a quick-reacting libero could reach semifinals, how many semifinalist teams would Miyagi have?"
Seeing his schoolmate and teammate friends show dismissive expressions, Ukai Keishin felt somewhat helpless - his little thoughts really couldn't be hidden from these old friends he'd been with for years.
"Well, that spike and receive were quite spectacular though."
"Tch, pretentious guy." x2
"Hey! I'll kick you out of the gymnasium!"
"Ooh~ apologizing to coach-sama~"
***
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