matchday programMatchday Program

Hello everyone. I am analyst Tsukasa Iwasawa. This week we are playing against Voreas Hokkaido.

Voreas Hokkaido is currently in 7th place (5 wins, 11 losses) and is a team that prides itself on its serve and serve-receive. They rank 3rd in the league in serve efficiency (9.9%) and 1st in serve-receive success rate (45.5%). They also play with tenacious defense, have a high level of offensive participation from all players, and utilize open spaces to build combinations with various variations. Furthermore, they are a team with momentum after finishing as runners-up in the recent Emperor's Cup.

Players to watch on Voreas Hokkaido are #20 Teru Someya, #34 Keisuke Miyoshi, and #44 Timo Tammemaa.

Someya is a 185cm outside hitter who joined on a loan transfer from Suntory Sunbirds Osaka. He possesses high technical skills and is stable in all aspects of play, with a serve efficiency of 10.1%, a serve-receive success rate of 43.7%, and an attack success rate of 42.0%. In blocking, he is skilled at positioning against attacks from the right side and actively participates in triple blocks against high-ball attacks.

Miyoshi is a 190cm middle blocker who excels at B-quick attacks and can hit powerfully even from tosses made when the pass is disrupted. He is a player with quick blocking movements and excellent technique in positioning his hands, serving as the starting point for transition attacks by getting good block touches. He is also capable of hitting jump serves with varying speeds, and since he had a 42% break rate in our previous match against Bluteon, we need to be careful.

Tammemaa is a 205cm middle blocker from Estonia who excels at read blocking. He has a high ability to react after watching the toss and ranks 4th in the league with 0.61 blocks per set. In attack, he specializes in A-quick attacks over the block and currently has an attack success rate of 55.7%.

Hello everyone. This is Shirasawa. The Haruko Volleyball tournament is really heating up, isn't it? In the staff room, Coach Yamaguchi is getting excited, going "Oh!", "Eh!", and "Ah!".
Speaking of excitement, we have also signed a new player, Nozoe, to the Bluteon team. His position is setter, and he has a very powerful jump serve. Please look forward to it if he gets the chance to play in a match. Also, I hope he leaves a lasting impression during his self-introduction after our home games.

• Click here for home game information for the Regular Round Section 10 GAME 1 on Saturday, January 10, 2026
• Click here for home game information for the Regular Round Section 10 GAME 2 on Sunday, January 11, 2026

We are currently 14-4, and the regular round is about to enter its second half.
How is the team's current situation and condition?

I think the team is in very good condition. We have had some losses, but I believe it is nearly impossible to maintain peak condition throughout a long season. Amidst the ups and downs, I think the team is currently facing a down period. Having gone through the World Club Championship as well, I accept that this is normal in a long season.
Since the STINGS Aichi match last weekend, the coaching staff has been reviewing the past 18 matches and gathering information. We are currently analyzing what we need to do and what we need to improve upon.
Fortunately, we are able to practice at home this week, so we are taking the time to work on what we need to do. The players are working very hard, and we want to focus on improving the areas we can. I hope we can use the upcoming matches as a benchmark to measure the progress we have made.

How do you plan to approach the second half of the league?

As I mentioned earlier, this time is extremely important. While setting long-term goals throughout a long season is of course important, what also becomes crucial is how we set short-term goals. For Bluteon, that had been the World Club Championship, but now that it is over, the next three rounds of matches against Voreas, VC Nagano, and WD Nagoya will be held in Osaka, so I want to ensure we have enough practice time to decide how we will compete as a team. I plan to set different short-term goals after that as well.
Another point concerns our physical condition. I want to focus on improving our condition in conjunction with volleyball, rather than treating it as something separate from the sport.

This weekend we face Voreas Hokkaido. They are one of the teams with a lot of momentum right now, having finished as runners-up in the Emperor's Cup.

I imagine there is no one left who would call Voreas Hokkaido a dark horse. I believe Voreas is a team that has proven what they are capable of by securing victories in situations where either side could have won, so Bluteon also recognizes that these will not be easy matches.
Voreas is a very well-rounded team with excellent technical skills, and I expect them to enter the court with confidence, bolstered by their achievement as runners-up in the Emperor's Cup, so we want to make sure we are well-prepared.

Please share your enthusiasm for this weekend's matches.

We have finally reached our home games, which I have been very much looking forward to, and not just me, but all the players and staff are extremely happy about it. This is a time when we need the energy from our fans. We will play the best we can right now, and we would appreciate your warm support. Thank you.

You are currently in second place with 14 wins and 4 losses. From your perspective, Yamauchi-senshu, how would you describe the team's current situation?

When we are playing well, the team obviously functions smoothly, but our challenge is that we are unable to maintain a good tempo and rhythm in our volleyball when we are fatigued, not clicking well, or simply unable to play our own game. If we can clear those hurdles, I believe it will become possible to consistently maintain an advantage over the opposing team.

What do you think will be important for the team moving forward?

Our opponents also collect data and prepare countermeasures, so I want us to cover that with team strength rather than relying on individual ability. I also think it will be necessary for us to surpass our opponents through team strength and for each individual to maintain their focus.

As a veteran on the team this season, have there been any changes in your role or your play?

Now that I am just a player rather than the captain, I feel that I can focus more on my own play and myself, such as by providing feedback to myself, reflecting on my performance, and reviewing my challenges.
That said, it doesn't mean I'm not looking at those around me; I think I'm managing well for now, such as by giving advice to the younger players.

This weekend you will face Voreas Hokkaido. What is your impression of the opponent, and how do you intend to approach the match?

Watching the Emperor's Cup, I felt that they are a team that, once they gain momentum, becomes unstoppable and impossible to handle. Rather than having one big gun, each of their opposite, outside, and middle hitters plays a good role, so it's not just a matter of stopping one specific player. They also have defensive tenacity, so I think it's important for us not to lose our focus, and we must fight with persistence and patience, such as by not being out-dug.

Please share a message for the fans as you look to secure a victory in the Hirakata home games.

Since this is one of the few games in Hirakata this season, I will do my best to win, share the joy of victory with all of you, and carry that momentum into the second half of the long league season, so please continue to support us!

• #10 Akihiro Yamauchi Player Profile