ROSAMARIA KEEPS ON BURNING IN JAPAN

Recap of women’s SV.League fourth-leg matches

Rosamaria celebrates with her Denso teammates (source: Denso Airybees)

A spectacular weekend in the women’s Daido Life SV.League’s unfolded in Japan. As many as six of the 12 fourth-leg matches produced five-set battles, while only two were resolved in straight sets. In one of Sunday’s four five-setters, table leaders Denso Airybees Koriyama dropped their first point of the season, but extended their impressive winning streak to eight matches in a row, with Brazilian star opposite Rosamaria Montibeller once again shining bright on both competition days.

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In Sunday’s 3-2 (16-25, 25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13) victory for Denso Airybees Koriyama over Osaka Marvelous, Rosamaria hammered out as many as 37 points, including three aces and a kill block. Her Belgian counterpart on the other side of the net, Lise Van Hecke, answered with 29 points, including two blocks.

“This was the first full five-set match for us this season, and it made me realize once again how much strength the support of the home crowd gives us,” said Denso’s head coach Takeshi Tsuji. “Next week we’ll be at home again and we will fight together as one, with the supporters, the people involved, and the team.”

On the previous day, the match between the top two teams in the current standings at the time was decided in four sets, 3-1 (25-13, 25-16, 23-25, 25-20) in favour of the home team. Rosamaria was the best scorer of that game as well, with 29 points to her name, including three blocks and an ace. Outside and captain Mizuki Tanaka was Osaka’s leading scorer with 18 points. This way, Denso widened the gap at the top of the table, now leading on an 8-0 win-loss record and 23 points, while Marvelous dropped to fifth place on 4-2 and 12.

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In another double header, both games were pushed to tie-breaker resolutions, with visitors Saga Hisamitsu Springs celebrating two upsets of defending champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki and climbing three positions up the table to eighth place on 4-4 and 11 points. Also on 4-4, but with 14 points, NEC Red Rockets stand sixth. In Saturday’s match, Saga achieved a hard-fought 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13) victory with a 27-point match high from outside hitter Ayane Kitamado. The score unfolded in a rollercoaster fashion on Sunday as well. This time Saga’s other outside Megumi Fukazawa led the team to a 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-13) win with 19 points, while her NEC counterpart Yoshino Sato topped the chart with 20.

This weekend’s only match-up that did not produce any five-setters was the one between Saitama Ageo Medics and Kurobe Aqua Fairies. Hosts Ageo achieved two four-set victories to climb to second place on 5-1 and 15. On Saturday, they were led by outside Momoko Niida with 19 points towards a hard-earned 3-1 (24-26, 25-22, 28-26, 28-26) win, while Kurobe’s opposite Akane Ukishima scored a match-high 23 points. On Sunday, Ageo’s other outside Ai Kurogo was the best scorer of the match with 21 points towards a 3-1 (25-14, 25-19, 15-25, 25-10) victory. On 1-7 and 3, Kurobe remain third from the bottom, in 12th place.

Astemo Rivale Ibaraki ascended to third place on 5-1 and 14 after registering two away victories over winless Aranmare Yamagata, second from the bottom, now on 0-8 and 2. But after Saturday’s 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-23) sweep with a 17-point match high from opposite Fuyumi Hawi Okumu Oba, on Sunday Astemo allowed their hosts to claim their second point of the season by pushing the game to five, 3-2 (22-25, 25-17, 25-16, 20-25, 15-8). This time, American opposite Mackenzie May was on fire with 29 points, including five aces, towards the visitors’ victory.

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Victorina Himeji also improved to 5-1 and surpassed Osaka Marvelous in the table to take fourth place on 13 points after two home wins over Toray Arrows Shiga. Thai star outside Chatchu-On Moksri put away a 23-point match high towards Himeji’s 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17) victory on Saturday. On Sunday, her cross-court teammate Arisa Inoue led the way to a 3-2 (5-20, 21-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-6) success with 25 points to her name. Toray Arrows descended to 11th place on 2-6 and 8.

PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku and Queenseis Kariya were the only two teams that exchanged victories during their double header this weekend. The visitors from Kariya mounted a hard-fought comeback from two sets down to grab a 3-2 (19-25, 24-26, 25-21, 33-31, 15-13) win on Saturday. Outside Yuki Yoshinaga led the winners with 20 points, while her PFU counterpart Miyu Kawazoe impressed with six kill blocks towards a 23-point match high. The home side reacted with a 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-21) shutout on Sunday, with Kawazoe spearheading the team with 14 points. BlueCats are now ninth in the table on 4-4 and 11, just above Queenseis, who stand 10th on 3-3 and 7.

The fifth leg next weekend will offer another six double headers on the programme for November 9 and 10.

Women’s SV.League 2024-2025 5th leg:
Nov 9, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Nov 9, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Aranmare Yamagata
Nov 9, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Gunma Green Wings
Nov 9, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Nov 9, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shiga v Queenseis Kariya
Nov 9, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v Saitama Ageo Medics
Nov 10, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Nov 10, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Aranmare Yamagata
Nov 10, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Gunma Green Wings
Nov 10, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Osaka Marvelous v Astemo Rivale Ibaraki
Nov 10, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Toray Arrows Shiga v Queenseis Kariya
Nov 10, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v Saitama Ageo Medics

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