JAPAN vs FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS Women s VNL 2025

A bit extra on that and that is an ace service. Yoshino, 10th ace of the VNL for Yoshino. One of the biggest clubs in women's volleyball. Shimamura in a little shorter for Hawajiri. Looking for the slide attack and Japanese defense comes into play. Oh, great dig again. The swing was fine. That was better by Ishikawa. Two point game. Great aggressive set in transition and Ishikawa is ready to go and swing high seam. The initial efforts from Japan on defense and then this chance here where it goes fast. Here's the captain Kazut. Off the net which means the pass should be perfect. The swing wasn't but it's just clipped the baseline. Ishikawa into Seki and gets it back and that is a top draw first ball side out from Japan. 18-16. Seki. Oh, monster block. That is absolutely huge. Caused a timeout. 19-16. Twice today already we've seen the underdogs take a set against the favorites. Are we about to see the same here? Great touch by Kazut. A lovely return but a passive one. A block while she's back row. Japan are making France play. Oh, that is so good and so Japanese. Kazut with the tip. The cover's there. Of course it is. It was Seki. Outstanding. That is outstanding and it is a one point game. Is a great solution by Sato. The ball was a long way off the net. She had a lot of work to do. Plays into the space forcing France to make a defensive play. One attack point. One block point for her so far. Indeed Shimomura. We are on side out at 22-22. Japan hit the front from five down to one up but they still need a break point. Left-handed. Kazut. Are you kidding me? Difficult moments call for different solutions and this is about as different as it gets. Check out the lefty. They didn't have that in the scouting report I'm sure. One ace serve already. Six attack points. This for a 1-0 lead. 24-23. Kazut another good pass. Oh and the block does it. Japan have stolen France's lunch money. They have pulled the rug at the end of the first set. Silence falls on the arena. Yoshino cross-court. Jalan. Lovely dig. Awajiri. She stepped over the line there. We might have a challenge. Especially now that block has gone down from Fong Edu. Seki. Oh so many options but it's only a tip. Timing was off for Ishikawa. Beautiful pancake. Another block. Push back court. What a touch. Kazut. She's blocked now. Up goes Shimomura and that's the spot for her. Awajiri makes the pass. Ndai. Oh straight into the block. 14-9. It is starting to get away from them because Japan are relentless. They're going to get an ace there as well. No they're not. That looked a little double touchy which would have added up to four. But they've still got an opportunity here. Kota. First swing for her. Kojima's there. Ishikawa. Yoshino. He's going to put something on it. It had to be played. Another block. Oh the cover by Jalan. Kota. Off the hands. Kojima's there. Of course she is. Yoshino. Off the hands. Pretty comfortable now for Japan. Shimomura with the serve. Oh a good block but Jalan's there. Tries to cause a little chaos. But it's cleaned up by Mayu Ishikawa. Good service from the captain. Awajiri gets into that one but Kojima's there. Jalan sets the platform for Awajiri. She goes cross court. Yoshino digs. Jalan plays it then gets out of the way most importantly. Oh my goodness me. They just need to make a little bit more time and keep it on their side of the net. On the pipe. Dana Selos. Eased over by Yoshino. 22-14. That's nice. To the middle. We've not really seen France establish the middle. Akimoto in the front court. She was the MVP of the All Japan High School Championship. Oh what a block. What a block. Shimomura. Oh set points to go. 2-0 up. Oh that's the first one saved. It's a two-time MVP in the intercollegiate university championships in Japan. She has got beautiful pair of hands and she has used them. Mayu Ishikawa will serve first. It's an overpass immediately and the hammer fist. 4-1. Jalan painted in nicely. Can't finish. Fongado with the touch. Offset for Yoshiko Wada. Ndai. Ishikawa offers up the tip and Ndai gets there. Awajiri. Again too passive and Japan take full advantage. Oh no they don't and Ndai. That is some dig but the block touch. A good one. On the slide attack. Oh another block but it's returned. Stojkovic. Ndai. Oh still up. Pinballing around the French. Japan to finish the job. No. Oh goodness me. Kojima. Who can finish this rally? Awajiri. That is a crazy swing to finish an unbelievable rally. Rallies like that deserve finishes like that. She's got a wrist like an owl's neck. Incredible. Oh what a block. She's level on 10 points with Ndai. Yoshino the top scorer in the game with 12. Another block. Great reflexes. Ishikawa and another one. Need to get back on the horse. That needs to be played. Japan has gotten Dia's number at the moment. Yoshino thinks she's got a touch. Disagrees straight away. There's going to be a challenge here. The French team in. Watch the pinky of Amane Futa. Secondly is our official translator. It felt as though we spoke to her after every game. Kojima. Oh Yoshino. Good block touch. This could be a three-point lead. Oh it is. Yoshino. Oh here we go. That's close. That's in. Yoshino Sato serves the ace and surely now. And as previously mentioned pipe option. Much better from Jiquel. Silves. Kojima. Now Ishikawa. Such a good swing. Maya Ishikawa serving for victory. Futa has over bumped it. Ayori thought about the swing but showed patience. And she is rewarded with the set. That clinches it for Japan. But it took them a little while to get going. It was a nervy first set.