In the most interesting match-up, JTEKT Stings Aichi will host Osaka Bluteon. The two teams stand next to each other in the table. Osaka are in second place on a 13-3 win-loss ratio and 37 points, while Aichi are running third on 11-5 and 33, so if JTEKT Stings secure the full six points from this double header, they will overtake their opponents to the runner-up position. Bluteon, however, won both matches of the first double header with Aichi this season in November, a 3-1 and a 3-2 road victories. They will also arrive at the Okazaki Central Park Gymnasium with the confidence of silver medalists of last month’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship in Brazil. Both teams’ rosters feature constellations of top-caliber athletes. French opposite Stephen Boyer and outside hitters Torey DeFalco from the United States and Ricardo Lucarelli from Brazil headline the Aichi squad, while libero Tomohiro Yamamoto, opposite Yuji Nishida, French setter Antoine Brizard and Cuban outside Miguel Lopez are some of the stars available to Finnish coach Tuomas Sammelvuo on Osaka’s side.
Both games this weekend will serve off at 14:05 local time (05:05 UTC).
