Top-end clash between Saga and NEC to highlight weekend in Japan

The top two teams in the current standings of the women’s Daido Life SV.League in Japan – Saga Hisamitsu Springs and NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki – will go head to head in the most interesting double header coming up this weekend, February 7 and 8, as the 15^th leg unfolds with a total of 14 matches on the program.

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Saga Hisamitsu Springs will entertain NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki at the Saga Arena, with both matches serving off at 14:05 local time (05:05 UTC) on Saturday and Sunday. The visitors are convincing leaders of the table on a 23-3 win-loss ratio and 65 points. The home team is second on 20-6 and 53, so even if Saga gain the full six points from this double header, they will not be able to catch up with NEC, but will get dangerously close to them. In their previous meeting this season, when Red Rockets hosted Hisamitsu Springs in October, they swept both matches in straight sets.

In another clash within the top half of the table, Gunma Green Wings will welcome defending champions Osaka Marvelous to the Yamato Citizen Gymnasium Maebashi on Saturday and Sunday at 13:05 (04:05). Gunma are running in sixth place on 16-12 and 47, while Osaka are third on 20-8 and 61. This will be the first encounter between the two teams this season.

PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku and Saitama Ageo Medics will also engage in a high-profile duel between top-seven teams. PFU, standing fifth on 16-10 and 53, will host Ageo, standing seventh on 14-12 and 39, at the Toriyasaimiso BlueCats Arena, with both matches also starting at 13:05 (04:05). When the two sides met in October, Ageo put together two home wins, by 3-2 in the first match and by 3-1 in the second.

Fourth-placed Victorina Himeji will play on the road this weekend. Also at 13:05 (04:05) on both competition days, they will visit Denso Airybees Koriyama at the Horaiya Bonds Arena. Himeji stand on 18-10 and 52, while Denso are in 10^th place on 12-14 and 37. The two teams have not met this season yet.

At the same starting times on Saturday and Sunday, Queenseis Kariya will entertain Okayama Seagulls at the Sky Hall Toyota. Kariya occupy eighth place on 15-13 and 51. Okayama are third from the bottom, in 12^th place on 4-22 and 15. These two will also meet for the first time this season.

Kurobe Aqua Fairies will play host to Toray Arrows Shiga. The two matches are at 14:05 (05:05) and will be held at the Kurobe City Gymnastics Center. The home team is in ninth place on 13-13 and 37, while Toray Arrows, sliding down a negative 15-match losing streak in the league, occupy the penultimate 13^th place on 3-23 and 10, and a better set ratio that bottom-placed Aranmare Yamagata. Kurobe and Toray Arrows traded three-point victories in November’s double header in Shiga and that was actually the last time Toray Arrows won an SV.League match.

Table trailers Aranmare Yamagata will also play on the road this weekend. They will travel to Astemo Rivale Ibaraki for two games at the Hitachinaka City Sports Park Total Gymnastics. Astemo take 11^th place on 9-17 and 28. Aranmare are 14^th on 3-23 and 10. Astemo celebrated two 3-1 road wins, when they visited Aranmare in October.

Women’s SV.League 2025-2026 15^th leg:
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Osaka Marvelous
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Aranmare Yamagata
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Toray Arrows Shiga
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Osaka Marvelous
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Aranmare Yamagata
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Toray Arrows Shiga
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki

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