Sakai against Nagano in bottom-of-the-table clash in Japan

The 10^th leg in the men’s Daido Life SV.League in Japan will offer a full set of five double headers this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11. The focus is on an unpredictable clash between the two teams trailing at the bottom of the current standings, Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers and Nagano Tridents.

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Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers are currently stuck in 10^th place on a 3-15 win-loss ratio and 10 points. Nagano Tridents are just above them, second from the bottom on 3-15 and 13. So, moving away from the last place will be at stake when they meet at the Nippon Steel Sakai Gymnasium on Saturday at 15:05 local time (06:05 UTC) and on Sunday at 13:05 (04:05). Sakai have managed to win only one of their last 12 league matches, while Nagano arrive on a negative 11-game losing streak. This will be the second double header between the two teams this season. When Tridents hosted Blazers in October, they won both matches by 3-1.

Defending champions and table leaders Suntory Sunbirds Osaka will visit Hiroshima Thunders at the Hiroshima Green Arena this weekend. Saturday’s match will serve off at 14:05 (05:05). Sunday’s first whistle will blow at 12:35 (03:35). Suntory convincingly top the standings on 17-1 and 49, and they haven’t suffered a loss since their season opener, while Hiroshima are in fifth place on 7-9 and 22. The club from Osaka is also on a seven-game winning streak in the head-to-head series in the league against Thunders, who last beat Sunbirds back in October 2023.

Second-placed Osaka Bluteon will play at home, hosting Voreas Hokkaido at the Panasonic Arena at 14:05 (05:05) on both competition days. The FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship silver medalists stand on 14-4 and 40 in the runner-up position. Voreas occupy seventh place on 5-11 and 16. Bluteon also hosted Voreas in early November and mastered two straight-set victories.

Wolfdogs Nagoya will travel to Tokyo Great Bears. The iconic Ariake Coliseum will welcome the two matches at 14:05 (05:05) on both Saturday and Sunday. Wolfdogs are in third place on 13-5 and 37, while Great Bears stand sixth on 7-9 and 21. In the previous double header between the two teams in mid-November, Nagoya claimed two road victories, both in straight sets.

Fourth-placed JTEKT Stings Aichi will also play on the road this weekend. Toray Arrows Shizuoka will entertain them at the Koryo Arena at 14:05 (05:05) on both competition days. Aichi stand on 12-6 and 36. Toray Arrows are running third from the bottom, in eighth place on 5-11 and 14. The two squads also met in early November. Hosts JTEKT won both matches, but were pushed by their visitors to four sets in the first one and to a tie-breaker resolution in the second.

Men’s SV.League 2025-2026 10th leg:
Jan 10, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Hiroshima Thunders v Suntory Sunbirds Osaka
Jan 10, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Tokyo Great Bears v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Jan 10, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shizuoka v JTEKT Stings Aichi
Jan 10, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Osaka Bluteon v Voreas Hokkaido
Jan 10, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers v Nagano Tridents
Jan 11, 12:35 local (03:35 UTC): Hiroshima Thunders v Suntory Sunbirds Osaka
Jan 11, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers v Nagano Tridents
Jan 11, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Tokyo Great Bears v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Jan 11, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shizuoka v JTEKT Stings Aichi
Jan 11, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Osaka Bluteon v Voreas Hokkaido

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