Karasuno vs. Aobajōsai (Practice Match) was a practice match among both schools. The match Karasuno vs. Aobajōsai (Practice Match) was a practice match among both schools. The match resulted in Karasuno winning the last two sets.
Practice Match
The match soon begins and Aobajōsai’s surprised by Hinata’s height and Kageyama’s presence on a team like Karasuno. The match starts off badly when Hinata takes Daichi’s receive by accident and Aobajōsai scores the first point by blocking Tanaka. For the first part of the match, Hinata continues messing up, angering Kageyama, who yells at him. Kindaichi and Kunimi watch scornfully and comment on how Kageyama hasn’t changed at all.
Right when Aobajōsai is at 24 points, it becomes Hinata’s turn to serve. Anxious about the prospect of missing and making things worse for his team, Hinata messes up and spikes the ball into the back of Kageyama’s head instead. Kageyama approaches Hinata slowly and questions him about his anxiety while slapping his own head to emphasize his point. Intimidated, Hinata starts backing away in anticipation of his punishment, but Kageyama only tells him to pay more attention before walking away.
Afterwards, Hinata regains his composure and lines up with his team. After they bow, Tanaka approaches the first year and yells at him to stop messing up while reminding him to rely more on his teammates. Motivated, Hinata changes his attitude.
The match resumes and Kageyama tries a quick with Hinata right away. The latter misses and Kindaichi warns him about Kageyama’s reaction, but the setter only apologizes. Stunned, Kindaichi and Kunimi watch their former teammate and try to figure out what’s going on.
Kageyama and Hinata try a quick again, but succeed this time. The members huddle up for a cheer and Hinata exclaims that he feels like he’s on a team as he had never done anything like that before. The next move, Tanaka and Hinata rush forward for a spike, but Kageyama uses Hinata’s natural abilities as a decoy instead to let Tanaka get the point.
The players take a quick break and Daichi notices Hinata staring at his hand. The latter reveals that he’d never played on an actual team before but now, he’s surrounded by players who are all better than he is so all he has to do is trust them and play. On Aobajōsai’s side, Kindaichi’s still trying to figure out Kageyama’s behavior and synchronization with his team. He concludes that it’s only because Hinata’s can spike Kageyama’s toss, but Coach Irihata explains that Hinata wasn’t looking at the ball when he spiked, implying that Kageyama has truly changed. Mizoguchi wonders if Kageyama’s would help Aobajōsai if he had chosen it instead of Karasuno, but Irihata replies that Kageyama only plays this way because Karasuno and Hinata changed him.
Kageyama and Tsukishima are placed next to each other, forming a good defense zone despite their poor relationship with each other. On the side, Irihata remarks that he wasn’t expecting Karasuno to be this strong and unpredictable.
After winning the first set, the players leave the court for a short break. As Daichi expresses his relief that there aren’t any players like Kageyama on Aobajōsai’s team, the first year setter reveals that Yahaba probably isn’t the main setter. Just as he finishes saying that, everyone hears screams suddenly. Kageyama turns around to see someone greet the coach on Aobajōsai’s side.
Just as Karasuno takes the second set, Aobajōsai's captain and official setter Tōru Oikawa suddenly arrives. Having just recovered from a knee injury, he is only now able to return to practice. Irihata admonishes Oikawa and warns him to be more careful; especially since Oikawa was the one who requested the practice match against Karasuno (and in turn, against Kageyama).
A couple of fangirls on the balcony wish Oikawa well and he waves at them. Their squealing irritates Tanaka and he asks Kagayama who the 'nice guy' is. Kageyama reveals that Oikawa was his senpai in middle school and is an extremely strong player with a personality even worse than Tsukishima's, leading to Hinata immediately dubbing him as the "Great King".
Irihata orders Oikawa to warm up more than usual and while he's away, Karasuno manages to bring the score to 24-21 in their favour. However, Oikawa soon switches in as a pitch server. To Karasuno's shock, Oikawa has figured out that Hinata and Tsukishima are weak receivers, and perfectly serves the ball at Tsukishima, gaining two points for Aobajōsai. Sugawara realizes that Oikawa's serve is not only more powerful than Kageyama's, but also has great control.
With one point left before Aobajōsai catches up, Hinata tries to get Oikawa to aim at him. When Tsukishima tells him to cut it out, Hinata repeats Tanaka's earlier words (that in volleyball, everyone on your side of the net is your ally) to Tsukishima's annoyance. Daichi then decides to change their formation by having Hinata, Tsukishima, Tanaka, and Ennoshita spread out, giving Daichi more area to defend. Unfazed at the captain's attempt to counterattack, Oikawa continues to target Tsukishima. However, his accuracy comes at the cost of power and Tsukishima is finally able to return his serve. The ball becomes a chance ball for Aobajōsai, but when Kindaichi attempts to spike it, he is blocked by Hinata. Using his quick speed, Hinata sprints to the other side of the court and Kageyama sets the ball to him. Hinata then spikes it directly past Oikawa, resulting in Karasuno's win. While the rest of Aobajōsai is upset by the loss, Oikawa smiles after getting to see Hinata and Kageyama's freak quick in action.