SV.League semifinal line-up completed

Wolfdogs Nagoya will take on defending champions Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in one of the men’s Daido Life SV.League semifinals in Japan next week. In the other, JTEKT Stings Aichi will lock horns with regular season winners Osaka Bluteon. Nagoya and Aichi closed their best-of-three quarterfinal series in straight wins on Saturday and completed the line-up for the semis.

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Dutch opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz once again spearheaded Wolfdogs Nagoya in their second home game against Hiroshima Thunders. Nagoya hammered out a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) shutout and booked their ticket to the semifinals. Nimir led the way with 21 points, including one kill block. Outside hitter and captain Kenta Takanashi added another 12.

“We won two games in a row and got a ticket to the semifinals. This result came thanks to the efforts of all players and, above all, the enthusiastic support of the fans, who filled the venue,” said Wolfdogs’ Italian head coach Valerio Baldovin. “Next, we will play away from home in Osaka, where the team that came second in the regular season is awaiting us, but we will continue to give it our all, thinking of this as an opportunity to grow even more with the momentum and confidence we have gained here. Let's create a historic moment for the SV.League together and take a new step ahead!”

In Saturday’s late game, JTEKT Stings Aichi achieved their second home win in the series against Tokyo Great Bears, once again in four sets, 3-1 (26-28, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21). American outside Torey DeFalco led the way to victory with four kill blocks and 18 kills in attack towards a match-high 22-point total. Opposite Kento Miyaura put away 20 points, including one block and one ace, while Brazilian outside Ricardo Lucarelli finished with 15, including two aces and one block. Tokyo were led by their foreign players – Polish opposite Maciej Muzaj with 18 points and Portuguese outside Alexandre Ferreira with 16.

“Tokyo Great Bears played very tenaciously, so it was really hard to respond, but we fought until the end without giving up, and we were able to advance to the semifinals!” Aichi’s Polish head coach Michal Gogol commented. “Next week we will continue to fight as a team, doing our best. The most important thing is that we all fight together. If we take on the challenge together, nothing is impossible.”

The teams ranked higher in the regular season standings, Osaka Bluteon and Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, will have the home-court advantage in the best-of-three semifinals, scheduled at the Asue Arena Osaka from Friday to Sunday of next week.

Men’s SV.League 2024-2025 semifinals:
Apr 25, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Bluteon v JTEKT Stings Aichi
Apr 25, 18:05 local (09:05 UTC): Suntory Sunbirds Osaka v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Apr 26, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Bluteon v JTEKT Stings Aichi
Apr 26, 18:05 local (09:05 UTC): Suntory Sunbirds Osaka v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Apr 27, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Bluteon v JTEKT Stings Aichi (if necessary)
Apr 27, 18:05 local (09:05 UTC): Suntory Sunbirds Osaka v Wolfdogs Nagoya (if necessary)

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