Miyabe sisters to clash in SV.League Games of the Week

The two matches between table leaders Osaka Marvelous and reigning Empress Cup trophy holders Victorina Himeji have been selected Games of the Week by women’s Daido Life SV.League in Japan, as the seven double headers of the 16^th leg are about to unfold on Saturday and Sunday. Furthermore, they will offer an exciting head-to-head sibling encounters between the Miyabe sisters, Ameze and Airi, who compete for the two opposing clubs.

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Osaka Marvelous will host Victorina Himeji at the Ota City General Gymnasium at 13:05 local time (04:05 UTC) on both competition days. 23-year-old outside hitter Ameze Miyabe and her teammates occupy the first place in the current standings on a 24-4 win-loss ratio and 73 points, while 26-year-old middle blocker Airi Miyabe and her squad from Himeji are lining up sixth on 17-11 and 48.

The two sides arrive at this duel on different curves. While Osaka are enjoying the momentum of a seven-game winning streak, Himeji are on a negative series of four losses in a row. When they met in November, however, they split the victories. Hosts Victorina won the first match in five sets with Arisa Inoue leading the way with 21 points, and Marvelous celebrated a four-set win in the second with Belgian opposite Lise Van Hecke also producing a match-high 21 points. The overall head-to-head record between the two clubs in the league stands at 9-2 in favour of Osaka.

In another encounter between teams from the top half of the table, defending champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki will play at home against Astemo Rivale Ibaraki. The matches will be held at the Todoroki Arena on Saturday at 14:05 (05:05) and on Sunday at 13:05 (04:05). NEC are running third on 20-8 and 60, while Astemo are in seventh place on 16-12 and 46. The two squads put together two five-set battles when they met in Ibaraki in late December, with the home team winning the first one and Rockets winning the second.

Denso Airybees Koriyama, standing second on 23-7 and 71, will welcome Kurobe Aqua Fairies at the Iwaki City General Gymnasium, at 13:05 (04:05) on both Saturday and Sunday. Kurobe, who lost both matches of the previous double header with Denso at home, are ninth in the table on 12-18 and 34.

Saitama Ageo Medics will travel to Queenseis Kariya for two fixtures at the Sky Hall Toyota, also at 13:05 (04:05) on both competition days, hoping for more redemption for the five-set loss they suffered at home during their previous double header in December, after already shutting out the opponent in the second match on the following day. Now, Ageo stand in fourth place on 18-10 and 55, while Kariya are 10^th on 11-17 and 34.

Fifth-placed Saga Hisamitsu Springs, who stand on 19-11 and 58, will also play on the road this weekend. They will visit Toray Arrows Shiga at the YMIT Arena at 14:05 (05:05) on Saturday and Sunday. Toray Arrows are in eighth place on 16-14 and 46. These will be the first encounters between the two teams this season.

The remaining two double headers this weekend are between teams among the bottom four in the table. 11^th-placed PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku (11-19, 32) will be hosted by winless table trailers Gunma Green Wings (0-26, 2) at the Open House Arena Ota at 14:05 (05:05) on both days. Aranmare Yamagata, second from the bottom on 4-26 and 13, will entertain Okayama Seagulls, third from the bottom on 9-17 and 28, at the Yamagata Prefectural Sports Park Arena. Saturday’s game starts at 14:05 (05:05) and Sunday’s at 13:05 (04:05). When they met last month in Okayama, the hosts achieved two straight-set wins.

Women’s SV.League 2024-2025 16th leg:
Feb 15, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Feb 15, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Victorina Himeji
Feb 15, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 15, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Aranmare Yamagata v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 15, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Feb 15, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku
Feb 15, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shiga v Saga Hisamitsu Springs
Feb 16, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Kurobe Aqua Fairies
Feb 16, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Victorina Himeji
Feb 16, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 16, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Aranmare Yamagata v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 16, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Feb 16, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku
Feb 16, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shiga v Saga Hisamitsu Springs

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