They may have lost, but still won. You couldn't say it better. This practice match was quite the emotional ride. We saw and learned so much, in particular about the principal. It's kinda amazing how one aspect of additional info can change your whole perception of a character.
Another emotional highlight gotta be Shinjo's arrival when he was needed. Definitely perfect moment for him to join the team for real. I loved how the guys welcomed him with open arms and how they celebrated after the successful match. It's been roughly a month, but everyone matured so much. And this is merely the beginning, I'm looking forward to see how far this team can go.