Kaetan desu! (*≧▽≦)
In our last recap of Haikyuu!!, Tsukishima was finally able to block one of Ushijima’s balls back onto his side, scoring his first direct point of the game. During the break before resuming, Tendo seems to have understood that Tsukishima wanted Ushijima to think that he was going to get the ball through, before he blocked it. During the break, Coach Washijou doesn’t say anything, which makes it scarier for the players. After a few seconds, he calls Shirabu over. However, he simply notes that Shirabu should already know what he did wrong. He then gathers the team up and tells the players to not get distracted by Karasuno’s gimmicks and to just focus on their own strength.
The third set begins with both sides having claimed one game each, but Kageyama notices that not only is Shirabu no longer focusing on the results of the second sets, but he also seems even more focused than ever. As Shiratorizawa scores some points, Shirabu thinks back to when he first decided to aim for Shiratorizawa as his choice of high school. Despite looking up to setters like Oikawa, Shirabu admired the fact that Ushijima was just one powerful force on his own who made put any teamwork to shame. He loved that if all strategies failed, he could rely on that powerful play style to come through, which is exactly what Ushijima does and scores Shiratorizawa’s twenty fifth point of the set in contrast to Karasuno’s pathetic eighteen, knocking Nishinoya backwards when he tries to deflect it. Shiratorizawa has easily taken back the third set.
Azumane goes to help Nishinoya up, but he picks up that Nishinoya is super pissed at the last few plays and help is the last thing that he wants. Nishinoya says that there’s no doubt about it that the larger you are, the greater your advantage will be in volleyball a-nd at this moment there’s no one better than Ushijima. However, he then says that a means nothing to a libero and the only one that’s rightfully equal to Ushijima is Nishinoya himself. As the players switch sides, Hinata and Ushijima cross paths. Ushijima stops and tells Hinata that he assumed that Hinata would be good at receiving and blocking since he jumped so high at their initial meeting. SInce he is so short, Ushijima gives it to Hinata straight that he can’t fight with height so what can he expect to do if his technique is clumsy as well. This statement sends Hinata nuts.
As they rehydrate and rest, Ukai tells the boys to keep together while they block and to keep their heads together. The forth set begins and and Tsukishima proposes a strategy to Azumane. If Ushijima comes in from the right to spike where they block that they should tighten the cross side, in order to get the ball directed to Nishinoya, which ends up paying off. Karasuno sets up an attack which Azumane nails. The Shiratorizawa coach yells at Goshiki to stop standing in stupid places that he can’t make returns from. When Ohira tells him why the coach yells at him more than everyone else, this fires up Goshiki (Or at least his ego) Shiratorizawa sets up an attack. Kageyama and Hinata run in to try and block a stright, but Goshiki’s mind is elsewhere and he aims the spike at the outside of Kageyama’s arm, which counts as contact, giving Shiratorizawa the point (which ended up being a lucky shot anyway)
Karasuno tries to set up a synchronized attack but is stopped in their tracks by Kawanishi. The alumni are discussing this when Ukai’s grandfather, who was former coach of Karasuno High, arrives. Coach Washijou notices this and makes an observation but even though both teams utilize different strategies, they both score their points by force, making it a battle of concepts to see which school is stronger. After playing a few more points on both sides, Ushijima is set up for an attack, they attempt a play given to them in that in addition to having more than two blockers up front by having the center defense take a step back. He tells them to not let it end with Hinata or Tanaka who naturally have quick reflexes, so that they can make a save that isn’t purely out of luck. It works, until Tanaka goes to spike, but is blocked by Tendo. It is then revealed that Tanaka was looking where he was going to spike the entire time, so that’s how Tendo was able to pinpoint where he was going to hit.
Ushijima serves and the two sides each gain a point. Hinata rotates with Nishinoya. Tsukishima tells Hinata to start scoring points from the front line if he wants them to be on roll. Speaking of insults, Sugawaru and Yamaguchi discuss what Ushijima said to Hinata in between the sets. Very nice impression~ Suga knows that a statement like that isn’t enough to bring Hinata down. Tsukishima serves and the ball goes up short on Shiratorizawa’s side. As Shirabu goes to set up Ohira for a spike, Hinata thinks about what is the second and although frustrated he is determined to prove him wrong so he takes a step back and approaches the net for what might seem like a spike but is actually a block that goes in. He then yells out that he as jealous as he is of Ushijima’s height, HInata is determined to fight him regardless.
Pleasantly surprised at this outcome, Saeko questions why Hinata can’t just do that all the time, but the alumni say that would be too tiring considering his stamina and position as is. Hinata goes and attempts the maneuver again but he goes too fast and flies into the net. Nishinoya then brings some advice from Ukai. The idea is to jump straight up but for now he can start going to the sides to attempt the block and in return Kageyama and Tanaka will support him on either side. Former Coach Ukai says if you can find a way to be successfully lazy, then that works but Hinata has no choice but to jump because he is small.
In the stands, the defeated Iwaizumi and Oikawa from Aoba Johsai watch. As they observe, Oikawa makes a small observation that even though Hinata may seem like a monster it must be hard on his teammates to keep up with him. Back to the game, as Tsukishima serves, Hinata’s jumps become more and more precise putting pressure on Shiratorizawa’s spikers each time. Ohira tries to do a faint, but Sawamura gets it. Kageyama sets up a spike to Tanaka who is blocked by Tendo’s one touch. Shiratorizawa tries to set up Ushijima but Hinata gets there in time and creates Karasuno a one touch situation, to then sprint to the other side to distract. Kageyama then sets to Tanaka who spikes cleanly into the opposite court, finally breaking Karasuno away from Shiratorizawa. As we await next week’s episode, The score is 19-18 to Karasuno in the fourth set. Shiratorizawa is ahead by 1 set.
Season 3 of Haikyuu!! airs on Crunchyroll every Friday at 2:30PM (AST)
