After a rough start against Brazil, the Japan women's volleyball team grabbed momentum in the third and fourth sets on Sunday, September 7 in Bangkok.
In the decisive fifth set, it was up for grabs, and Brazil prevailed to secure the bronze medal at the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship.
Japan's quest to earn its first world championship medal since 2010 came up short in a heartbreaking 12-25, 17-25, 25-19, 29-27, 16-18 defeat.
Later Sunday, Italy topped Turkey in a back-and-forth, five-set title match.
Japan struggled to contain Brazil's potent blocking, and the South American squad finished with a 15-6 advantage in that key statistic.
Yoshino Sato led Japan with 34 points, including 29 attack points. Mayu Ishikawa had 13 points, Yukiko Wada contributed 13 and Haruyo Shimamura finished with 11.
Brazil captain Gabriela "Gabi" Guimaraes had a match-best 35 points, including 33 kills.
Japan Volleyball Players React to Loss
After the match, Japan captain Ishikawa said the disappointment of defeat will fuel her desire to keep improving.
"It's incredibly frustrating we couldn't win in the end, but we gave it our all more than ever before," Ishikawa said, according to NHK. "While I'm the player entrusted with that final point in such situations, I aim to be the player who scores it."
She added, "While it's frustrating we couldn't surpass the top four in both the [2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball] Nations League and the world championship, it became an opportunity for us to grow. Each of us will return to our respective teams to develop further. Our goal is to show everyone a [better] team next year."
Sato said the players are aware of the team's strengths and weaknesses, and recognize what they need to focus on.
"Our current weakness is not being able to close out games," Sato was quoted as saying by NHK. "We need to face that head-on and grow together once more."
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Baseball
Dodgers' Yamamoto Loses No-Hit Bid in 9th
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one out away from a no-hitter on Saturday, September 6 in an interleague game against the Baltimore Orioles. Jackson Holliday spoiled Yamamoto's no-hit bid with a solo home run, his 17th of the 2025 MLB season, to right-center.
The Orioles' leadoff hitter connected on a 2-1 pitch, a 97 mph cutter.
After giving up the homer, Yamamoto left the game. The Dodgers led 3-1 at that point. Reliever Blake Treinen replaced Yamamoto, who fanned 10 batters and threw 112 pitches (the highest total of his MLB career).
Treinen faced five batters and didn't record an out, and the Orioles tied it at 3-3. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough, calling on Tanner Scott to take over the pitching duties.
With the bases loaded, Baltimore's Emmanuel Rivera delivered a walk-off single, giving the O's a 4-3 win.
Yamamoto got a no-decision, and Treinen (1-3) took the loss.
After the game, Yamamoto expressed disappointment about his mano a mano duel with Holliday.
"I was really frustrated," Yamamoto said, according to Kyodo News. "The last pitch was my choice. "I managed to attack the edge of the zone, but I believe the hitter got the timing right against my cutter."
Yamamoto had two no-hitters during his NPB career before joining the Dodgers in 2024. In June 2022, he twirled his first no-no against the Saitama Seibu Lions. Yamamoto pitched his second no-hitter versus the Chiba Lotte Marines in September 2023.
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Soccer
Japan, Mexico Play to a Scoreless Draw
In Oakland, California, Japan and Mexico squared off in an international friendly on Saturday night, September 6, and the match ended in a scoreless draw.
For both squads, it was a non-pressure event as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The 17th-ranked Samurai Blue had scoring opportunities against Mexico but couldn't capitalize on them at Oakland Coliseum.
"Mexico was very disciplined and very hard to break down," Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said, according to Agence France-Presse.
What else did Moriyasu tell reporters after the match?
"We had the upper hand in one-on-one duels and loose balls, and scoring chances too," Moriyasu was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "But it was about finishing them off, and we need to have more shots."
Up next: Japan faces the United States in another friendly on Tuesday, September 9 in Columbus, Ohio. On the same day, world No 13 Mexico takes on South Korea in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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