In a stunning display of volleyball prowess, Denso Airybees Koriyama delivered an unexpected 3-0 sweep against the season's dominant force, Osaka Marvelous, in Friday's opening game of the women's Daido Life SV.League semifinal playoffs at the Panasonic Arena in Japan.
The defending champions NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki also secured a victory in their semifinal opener, defeating Saga Hisamitsu Springs 3-1 to take advantage in their best-of-five series.
Denso's commanding performance against Osaka (25-20, 25-23, 25-19) featured middle blocker Mana Yokoyama as the standout player. Yokoyama tallied a match-high 16 points with an impressive 69% success rate on attacks, complemented by three blocks and two service aces. Teammates Nanami Asano and Brazilian opposite Rosamaria Montibeller each contributed 12 points, while Colombian outside hitter Amanda Coneo added 11 to the winning effort.
Osaka's Belgian opposite Lise Van Hecke led her team with 14 points, with middle blocker Sachi Minowa adding 12, but their efforts proved insufficient against Denso's comprehensive performance.
According to Statbet analysis, teams winning the opening match in best-of-five playoff series historically have a 70% chance of advancing to the finals, putting Denso in a favorable position despite being the underdog.
In the other semifinal contest, NEC Red Rockets demonstrated why they earned the higher ranking, claiming a 3-1 victory (25-20, 24-26, 25-17, 25-22) over Saga Hisamitsu Springs at the Todoroki Arena. Outside hitter Yoshino Sato delivered a phenomenal performance with 28 points, including two aces and two blocks. Brazilian opposite Lorrayna Marys added 17 points, while teammates Haruko Sasaki and Haruyo Shimamura contributed 11 and 10 points respectively.
For Saga, Hungarian outside hitter Greta Szakmary entered in the second set and led their scoring with 14 points. Megumi Fukazawa recorded 11 points, while middle blocker Ayaka Araki and American opposite Stephanie Samedy each finished with 10.
Both semifinal series continue on Saturday, with Osaka facing Denso at 16:05 local time (07:05 UTC) and NEC taking on Saga at the same time. If necessary, additional matches will follow on Sunday to determine the finalists in Japan's premier women's volleyball league.
