Anna 
The 17th leg of the Women’s Daido Life SV.League saw no upsets, with the top-ranked teams maintaining their strong form to secure valuable points and solidify their playoff positions. Osaka Marvelous and Denso Airybees Koriyama have now officially qualified for the quarterfinals, while Victorina Himeji produced impressive back-to-back victories on the road.
Victorina Himeji put on a strong performance against Astemo Rivale Ibaraki, winning both matches 3-1. On Saturday, Himeji overcame a tough first set to claim a 25-27, 26-24, 25-18, 25-15 victory. Star outside hitter Arisa Inoue led with 20 points, and Serbian middle blocker Minja Osmajic made a big impact with 11 points, including five blocks. On Sunday, despite a fightback from Astemo, Himeji sealed another 3-1 win (25-18, 25-18, 23-25, 26-24). Thai outside hitter Chatchu-On Moksri led the charge with 25 points, while Inoue and Saki Tanaka added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Osaka Marvelous maintained their dominance in a double-header against Queenseis Kariya. The league leaders won both matches 3-0, with Mikoto Shima scoring 16 points in the first and Ameze Miyabe contributing 18 in the second. Osaka’s perfect performance has earned them a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinals, sitting comfortably at the top of the standings with a 27-5 record.
Defending champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki strengthened their playoff hopes with two wins against Okayama Seagulls. Yoshino Sato was the standout player, scoring 24 points in a 3-0 win on Saturday, and leading again with 25 points in Sunday’s 3-1 victory. NEC is third in the standings with a 23-9 record.
Fourth-placed Saitama Ageo Medics showed no mercy against winless Gunma Green Wings, securing two straight-set victories. On Saturday, Slovenian opposite Nika Markovic led with 14 points, and on Sunday, captain Yuka Sato topped the charts with 16 points.
With the regular season winding down, the top teams continue to dominate, leaving little room for surprises. A full set of seven double headers is scheduled for next weekend, March 1-2.
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