Victorina Himeji and Kurobe Aqua Fairies suffered their first losses of the new season in the women’s Daido Life SV.League in Japan on Saturday, both at home, to lose their undefeated status. Himeji even lost again on Sunday to drop from first to third in the current standings, as the seven double headers of the fourth leg unfolded over the weekend.
SV-Women 2025-2026
Himeji and Kurobe suffer season’s first setbacks in Japan
Recap of women’s SV.League fourth-leg matches
Published 12:34, 02 Nov 2025
Saga’s Olga Strantzali in attack against Himeji
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Saga Hisamitsu Springs upset their hosts Victorina Himeji twice at the Victorina Wink Gymnasium. They produced an emphatic 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-17) shutout on Saturday, led by Greek outside hitter Olga Strantzali with 18 points, all in swings. On Sunday, the two teams put up a much more competitive five-set battle, but it was the visitors that celebrated the victory again, 3-2 (23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13). Strantzali led her team again, this time with 28 points, including one ace and one kill block, while Himeji’s Italian outside Camilla Mingardi put away a match-high 33 points, including one block. Saga improved to a 5-3 win-loss ratio and 14 points to climb to fifth place, while previous leaders Himeji fell to third place on 6-2 and 18.
Gunma Green Wings surprised their hosts Kurobe Aqua Fairies with a sweeping 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-22) victory on Saturday, on the wings of a match-high 23 points by Polish-French outside hitter Olivia Rozanski, including one ace and one kill block. These two teams also engaged in a five-set duel on Sunday, but in this one, the home team managed to take their partial revenge with a 3-2 (25-18, 24-26, 30-28, 19-25, 15-13) win. German outside Lena Stigrot spearheaded the winners with 35 points, including two blocks and one ace. So, despite their setback on Saturday, Kurobe actually improved their standing by rising to second place on 7-1 and 17. Gunma occupy eighth place on 4-4 and 12.
After two wins at Astemo Rivale Ibaraki, NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki remained the only undefeated team in the league and topped the current standings on 8-0 and 22. Astemo are in 10th place on 3-3 and 9. Saturday’s encounter went 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-19) NEC’s way, with outside hitter Yoshino Sato spearheading the team with a match-high 21 points, including one ace. On Sunday, Astemo managed to snatch a set from their visitors, but NEC still took home the three points with a 3-1 (25-21, 18-25, 25-20, 25-16) victory. Italian opposite Sylvia Nwakalor contributed two aces and 21 kills in attack, while Astemo’s American striker Mackenzie May topped the match charts with three aces and 28 spike kills towards a 31-point total.
Saitama Ageo Medics ascended to fourth place on 4-2 and 13 after bringing home the full six points from their visit to Toray Arrows Shiga, who are now on 2-6 and 5 in 12th place. Ageo managed a 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19) comeback victory in the first match, with a team-high 16 points from outside and captain Mami Uchiseto, including two blocks. Toray Arrows’ French opposite Lucille Gicquel was the best scorer of the match with 19 points, including two aces and two blocks. Sunday’s game was resolved in straight sets, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-18), highlighted by top scorer American-Polish opposite Izabella Rapacz’s 15 points, including one block.
Defending champions Osaka Marvelous got back on the winning track with two victories at Okayama Seagulls. On Saturday, they achieved a 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-14) win with a match-high 21 points from Belgian opposite Lise Van Hecke. On Sunday, Osaka mastered a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-17) sweep of the second game. This time, Filipino opposite Alyssa Jae Solomon was the best scorer of the match with an impressive five kill blocks towards a total of 18 points. On 4-4 and 15, Marvelous are in sixth place, while winless Seagulls are second from the bottom, in 13th place on 0-8 and 1.
PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku and Denso Airybees Koriyama traded victories in their double header this weekend. Hosts PFU took Saturday’s game by a hard-fought 3-1 (28-30, 36-34, 25-23, 25-21). Thai middle blocker Thatdao Nuekjang led the winners with 21 points, including four kill blocks and an ace. Denso’s Brazilian opposite Rosamaria Montibeller topped the match charts with 25 points, also including four blocks. The visitors from Koriyama got back at the home team with a 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13) win on Sunday. With two aces and two kill blocks to her name, outside Minami Nakamoto emerged as the best scorer of the match on a total of 30 points towards Denso’s success. On 4-4 and 11, Denso stand ninth in the table, two spots above 11th-placed PFU on 3-5 and 12.
Queenseis Kariya hammered out two shutouts of Aranmare Yamagata at home to improve to 4-4 and 13 in seventh place, leaving the opponents at the bottom of the table, in 14th place on 0-8 and 0. In the first game, Kariya mastered a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22) sweep, led by American opposite Danielle Cuttino with 24 points, including three blocks. Sunday’s game was a little bit more competitive, but still ended in straight sets, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 29-27). Three players shared the top scorer honors with 15 points each – Kariya’s German middle blocker Marie Schoelzel (four blocks, one ace) and outside hitter Riri Kasai (three blocks), and Aranmare’s Thai outside Ajcharaporn Kongyot (three blocks).
Another full set of seven double headers will be played next weekend as the fifth leg unfolds on November 8 and 9.
Women’s SV.League 2025-2026 fifth leg:
Nov 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki
Nov 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Saga Hisamitsu Springs
Nov 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Toray Arrows Shiga
Nov 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya в Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Nov 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Aranmare Yamagata v Okayama Seagulls
Nov 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Nov 08, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): Saitama Ageo Medics в Victorina Himeji
Nov 09, 12:05 local (03:05 UTC): Aranmare Yamagata v Okayama Seagulls
Nov 09, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki
Nov 09, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Saga Hisamitsu Springs
Nov 09, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Toray Arrows Shiga
Nov 09, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya в Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Nov 09, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Nov 09, 15:05 local (06:05 UTC): Saitama Ageo Medics в Victorina Himeji
