ASTEMO ON VERGE OF QUALIFYING FOR SV.LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

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Astemo’s American star Brionne Butler on the serve

Astemo Rivale Ibaraki are just a win away from booking the last available vacancy in the women’s Daido Life SV.League playoffs and they could achieve that this weekend, when the seven double headers of the 22nd leg in the regular season unfold.

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It looks like a pretty safe bet for Astemo Rivale Ibaraki as they host bottom-placed Gunma Green Wings for two matches at the Hitachinaka City Sports Park Total Gymnastics on Saturday and Sunday at 13:05 local time (04:05 UTC). However, Gunma are enjoying the momentum of their first three victories in a row, which put an end to the 35-match losing streak they had been on since the start of the season. They still trail bottom, in 14th place on a 3-35 win-loss ratio and 11 points. Meanwhile, Astemo occupy eighth place in the current standings on 21-19 and 59, four wins clear of the closest rivals with four matches to go, which means that one win would make them untouchable in the top eight of the table. In the previous two meetings between the two teams in October, Astemo took the full six points, allowing their hosts only a set in the two matches.

Another two teams still have a mathematical shot at the last quarterfinal vacancy and as a minimum condition they have to win all their remaining regular season matches. Queenseis Kariya are one of them. Placed ninth on 17-23 and 53, they have away games at Kurobe Aqua Fairies. The fixtures at the Ariso Dome will also start at 13:05 (04:05) on both days of the weekend. Kurobe are in 11th place on 14-26 and 40. When they met in November, Kurobe produced two away victories over Kariya, 3-0 and 3-2.

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At the same time on Saturday and Sunday, PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku, standing 10th on 17-23 and 51, will have two home games against Toray Arrows Shiga at the Toriyasaimiso BlueCats Arena. Toray Arrows stand sixth on 24-14 and 69 and are one of the seven teams that have already secured their spots in the quarterfinals. When they hosted PFU in January, the two sides traded three-point victories.

The weekend is also highlighted by two big clashes between top-four teams, which might serve as previews to some potential playoff match-ups. Defending champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki will welcome Denso Airybees Koriyama to the Todoroki Arena at 15:35 (06:35) on Saturday and at 13:05 (04:05) on Sunday. NEC Red Rockets are running second on 29-11 and 88, right above Denso, who are in third place on 27-13 and 83. In early February, Denso hosted NEC and that double header offered two five-set matches, both won by the visitors.

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Table leaders Osaka Marvelous, edging ahead on 31-7 and 95, will travel to Saitama Ageo Medics, standing fourth on 26-14 and 79. Both games at the Ageo Citizen Gymnasium will start at 13:05 (04:05). When Osaka hosted Ageo earlier this month, they swept the first match, but Medics struck back with a 3-1 win in the second.

Victorina Himeji, who secured their spot in the playoffs last weekend, will now have a home double header against Aranmare Yamagata. Seventh-placed Himeji (24-16, 70) will take on 13th-placed Aranmare (5-35, 16) at the Victorina Wink Gymnasium on Saturday at 13:05 (04:05) and on Sunday at 14:05 (05:05).

Okayama Seagulls will entertain Saga Hisamitsu Springs at the ZIP Arena Okayama at 14:05 (05:05) on Saturday and at 13:05 (04:05) on Sunday. The visitors are fifth in the standings on 26-14 and 78, while the home team is third from the bottom, in 12th place on 12-26 and 36.

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Women’s SV.League 2024-2025 22nd leg:
Mar 29, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Gunma Green Wings
Mar 29, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Saitama Ageo Medics v Osaka Marvelous
Mar 29, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Queenseis Kariya
Mar 29, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Toray Arrows Shiga
Mar 29, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Victorina Himeji v Aranmare Yamagata
Mar 29, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Okayama Seagulls v Saga Hisamitsu Springs
Mar 29, 15:35 local (06:35 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Denso Airybees Koriyama
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Gunma Green Wings
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Saitama Ageo Medics v Osaka Marvelous
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Queenseis Kariya
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Toray Arrows Shiga
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Okayama Seagulls v Saga Hisamitsu Springs
Mar 30, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki v Denso Airybees Koriyama
Mar 30, 14:05 local (04:05 UTC): Victorina Himeji v Aranmare Yamagata

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