Press Release
SAGA Hisamitsu Springs clinch 2025-26 DAIDO LIFE SV.LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Finals With 2-0 win over OSAKA MARVELOUS
April 26, 2026, Yokohama, Japan — SAGA Hisamitsu Springs overcame OSAKA MARVELOUS3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-14) on Sunday to clinch the 2025-26 DAIDO LIFE SV.LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Finals 2-0 at Yokohama BUNTAI Arena.
SAGA HM won the first game 3-2 on Saturday.
Libero Minami Nishimura was named the MVP of the Championship after a spectacular defensive performance that kept her team alive in many rallies.
Stephanie Samedy (USA) was the top scorer for SAGA HM with 23 points, while Lise Van Hecke (BEL) led OSAKA with 12 points.
After a close opening match on Saturday, Sunday’s first set was just as intense and just as close.
OSAKA edged into an early lead with some good defensive work from Mizuki Tanaka and a couple of points from the always dangerous Van Hecke.
But the OSAKA team fell from 3-1 to 5-7 as they allowed SAGA HM to get back into the game and stretch their lead to three points.
Tanaka slammed down some classy spikes to keep OSAKA alive and they drew level at 14 on a spike by Kotona Hayashi.
The teams were still level at 16 but a block on the impressive Ameze Miyabe and a slick tipover by Ayaka Araki swung the momentum in SAGA HM’s favor.
OSAKA head coach Daisuke Sakai called a timeout at 16-18 and another one at 17-20 when a long rally ended with a spike by Ayane Kitamado that put SAGA HM 21-17 up.
Kitamado brought up setpoint with a classy crosscourt spike and a wide shot by OSAKA’s Haruka Oyama handed the first set to the Springs.
OSAKA fought back and again had a slight advantage early in the second set.
They kept the lead to 10-9 but a poor reception by Hayashi handed SAGA HM the lead at 11-10, prompting Sakai to call another timeout.
SAGA HM then went on a tear behind the serving of Araki and found themselves five points ahead at 15-10 after a couple of spikes from Samedy and a block by Shion Hirayama on Hayashi.
Sakai sought help from Miyabe and she delivered with a devastating burst of spikes that saw SAGA HM’s lead fall to one point at 16-15 and forced SAGA HM head coach Kumi Nakada to call a timeout.
After another point by Miyabe, Sakai took her out of the lineup.
Van Hecke took up the slack with a couple of hits and a block by Samantha Francis (USA) on Samedy helped OSAKA draw level at 19-19.
The crucial point in the set came at 20-20 when SAGA HM challenged a call that would have put OSAKA ahead again.
SAGA HM won the point and saw out the set with two brilliant points from Samedy and additions from Kitamado and Sae Nakajima, who clinched the set and put SAGA HM 2-0 up on the night.
OSAKA made a couple of receiving errors early in the third set and SAGA HM took advantage, with Samedy again showing her class with a brilliant tipover and a massive smack down the middle from yet another great set by Erika Sakae.
A timeout at 5-10 did little to stop SAGA’s momentum and they were 10 points ahead after another lengthy service spell by Araki.
Two more strong spikes by Miyabe gave OSAKA faint hope of a recovery, but they were too far back and SAGA HM were able to cruise to victory.
A stinging cross-court shot by Mina Inoue brought up matchpoint and Samedy ended the match after more errors on the other side of the net.
SAGA HM Head Coach Kumi Nakada said it was “mission accomplished” and also a sense ofrelief:
“To be honest, my feeling right now is more one of relief than excitement.
I returned to the sidelines (after nine seasons) with a clear mission from the team —to win the championship—and with the mindset that nothing less than the title would be acceptable.
In that sense, I'm verypleased that we were able to accomplish that mission.
I am very proud of the team for continuing to fight until the very end throughout a long and challenging season.
We hope to come back even stronger next season and take on this challenge once again.”
(Regarding today's final)
“OSAKA is a very strong team but our players were determined to finish the match in straight sets.
Our serving was effective, and although we didn't record many block points, our transition play was strong, which I believe disrupted OSAKA's rhythm."
(Regarding Samedy's role in the offense)
“Steph was a tremendous support for us throughout the season.
While her stats yesterday were not at their best, she brings stability when she maintains a success rate above 40 percent, and she delivered a strong performance today.
I'm truly grateful for her contribution.
We have three foreign players, and while they are all key contributors, I believe it was important that we built a team that does not rely solely on them.
Over-reliance can make it difficult to maintain balance, especially in terms of developing younger players.”
SAGA captain Erika Sakae said her team overcame a tough start to the season: “We're very pleased to have been able to finish a long season in the best possible way.
The regular season, which began in October, started under difficult circumstances with three consecutive losses, and there were challenging periods as we competed with a small but dedicated group.
As a team, we were able to overcome those situations, but even in the championship we faced many tough battles.
By never giving up and continuing to fight until the very end, we were able to make it this far.
Moving forward, we will continue to work hard to help grow the SV.LEAGUE and women's volleyball as a whole."
Libero Minami Nishimura said she was surprised at her award: “I was honestly surprised that a libero could win the MVP award, but I'm very happy.
I faced many difficulties in the semifinals, but heading into the final, I had the confidence that if I could keep the ball alive, we would win.
I feel both joy and relief after winning the championship. It was a long season with both good moments and many challenging periods for the team.
Being able to come together—not only the players, but also the staff—and ultimately come out on top means a great deal to us.
Saga is a team that has experienced a lot of disappointment in the past, so to be able to express those feelings through our performance on the court and finish the season as champions is something truly special.”
Stephanie Samedy was overjoyed with the result. “It’s amazing,” she said.
“The amount of workwe've been able to put in and you know just how we showed up today and throughout the season, I'm so proud.”
Samedy said her team was able to find its groove quickly in Sunday’s match. “I think as a team we just were able to settle in and find our flow early on and maintain it the throughout the match.”
The SAGA HM opposite was full of praise for her teammates, especially MVP Nishimura.
“She's so consistent, very steady, and helps us get out of difficult situations. I know for me as a blocker, if I make a mistake, she's right there covering behind me, so it's really reassuring to have a player like her on the team.”
The American was also grateful to setter and team captain Erika Sakae. “I love Erika. I'm so proud of how she has been showing up throughout the whole season, especially this weekend.
I appreciate the fact that she is able to get us in good situations and give us space to hit.
She'sable to give the hitters what they need.”
Samedy also praised head coach Kumi Nakada. “I think she's really good at keeping us steady.
I think she knows what to say, when to say it, and is able to give us that encouragement to help us believe in ourselves. As players, we're always hard on ourselves, but she's able to guide us and mold us in a way that's constructive instead of beating ourselves up.
After the second set, we had that break and we thought we're going to finish this, this is our time.
And I think we're able to come out on fire.”
Swiss player Julie Lengweiler agreed with her teammate: “I think we all look up to our coaching staff, especially Kumi-san. It's such an honor to play for her. She didn't say too much before the game, but what she said really stuck with us.
And I think we went out there and delivered.”
One of the keys for SAGA HM was the variation of attack.
“I think it was really huge for us today that all our hitters were scoring so well, especially from the pin,
” Lengweiler said. “I think we were just unstoppable in all three positions and it is really hard to slow down a team that scores from every pin.
And not counting the middles; they also did a great job.”
OSAKA Head Coach Daisuke Sakai admitted his team failed to deliver an optimum performance.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate Hisamitsu on their championship. Following yesterday's five-set loss, we came into today's match determined to focus on what we could control: executing our game, applying pressure as a team, and sustaining rallies through collective effort and support.
However, there were moments when our serve broke down, and in both block and defensive situations, we allowed our opponents to score. In the third set, in particular, we lost control of the game.”
“That said, I am very proud of our players for continuing to chase every ball from the first and second sets through to the end, and for demonstrating the hard work and commitment that define our team culture. I am truly grateful to them. We had a full week to prepare, and we believe we came in with the best possible plan.
The team atmosphere was very positive, and although we were put under pressure from the middle to latter stages of the second set,
I feel the players delivered strongly on what we had prepared.”
“Of course, winning is never easy. This season, we suffered twice as many losses as last year, which highlighted the difficulty of maintaining consistency.
I also reflect on whether my coaching was sufficient to prepare the team consistently for a final at this level.
Moving forward, by improving areas where our execution rate was not high enough this season and striving to play a style of volleyball that is exciting for fans to watch,
I believe both the team and I can continue to grow."
OSAKA captain Mizuki Tanaka also commented on how the team had overcome hardships:
“At the start of the season, we struggled to align our individual conditions, and we experienced more losses than we did last year.
As a team, we held player-only meetings and had honest conversations, which allowed us to open up about our weaknesses in a positive way.
From there, we were able to support and trust one another, and I believe that became the foundation that led us to qualify for the championship."
"After yesterday's loss, we were in a must-win situation. At the start, there were many moments where we were able to execute the kind of play we wanted.
However, when our opponents adjusted and made corrections, we were unable to respond with our next move, and I believe that was one of the key factors in today's result.
That said, I am very proud of how far we were able to come with this group, and I'm truly grateful to all of my teammates.”
Kotona Hayashi reflected on losing the first match of the Finals:
"After yesterday's loss, each of us tried to reset mentally, but SAGA HM simply played better volleyball, and that ultimately led to our defeat.
It also made me realize that I need to improve my consistency and become a player who can perform at a high level in any situation.
Because it was this group, we were able to aim higher together, and I'm truly grateful to my teammates and staff who supported me throughout the season.”
“We started the season with two consecutive losses in the opening matches, and many of us went through difficult periods.
However, we made a conscious effort to maintain communication and talk things through as a team.
That helped strengthen not only our play, but also our bond, and I believe that connection is what allowed us to reach this stage.”
OSAKA’s Samantha Francis gave credit to SAGA HM’s performance. “I think in the end they just had a really good game plan against us and they were in all the right spots at the right moments.
I also think in crucial moments we weren't able to execute as well as we could have.
SAGA HM played very well. There are many moments where we could have capitalized more and crucial moments where we could have executed better.
But I think we had a great season. We had some tough losses, but we made it here, so it was a really great year.”
SAGA HM won the first game 3-2 on Saturday.
Libero Minami Nishimura was named the MVP of the Championship after a spectacular defensive performance that kept her team alive in many rallies.
Stephanie Samedy (USA) was the top scorer for SAGA HM with 23 points, while Lise Van Hecke (BEL) led OSAKA with 12 points.
After a close opening match on Saturday, Sunday’s first set was just as intense and just as close.
OSAKA edged into an early lead with some good defensive work from Mizuki Tanaka and a couple of points from the always dangerous Van Hecke.
But the OSAKA team fell from 3-1 to 5-7 as they allowed SAGA HM to get back into the game and stretch their lead to three points.
Tanaka slammed down some classy spikes to keep OSAKA alive and they drew level at 14 on a spike by Kotona Hayashi.
The teams were still level at 16 but a block on the impressive Ameze Miyabe and a slick tipover by Ayaka Araki swung the momentum in SAGA HM’s favor.
OSAKA head coach Daisuke Sakai called a timeout at 16-18 and another one at 17-20 when a long rally ended with a spike by Ayane Kitamado that put SAGA HM 21-17 up.
Kitamado brought up setpoint with a classy crosscourt spike and a wide shot by OSAKA’s Haruka Oyama handed the first set to the Springs.
OSAKA fought back and again had a slight advantage early in the second set.
They kept the lead to 10-9 but a poor reception by Hayashi handed SAGA HM the lead at 11-10, prompting Sakai to call another timeout.
SAGA HM then went on a tear behind the serving of Araki and found themselves five points ahead at 15-10 after a couple of spikes from Samedy and a block by Shion Hirayama on Hayashi.
Sakai sought help from Miyabe and she delivered with a devastating burst of spikes that saw SAGA HM’s lead fall to one point at 16-15 and forced SAGA HM head coach Kumi Nakada to call a timeout.
After another point by Miyabe, Sakai took her out of the lineup.
Van Hecke took up the slack with a couple of hits and a block by Samantha Francis (USA) on Samedy helped OSAKA draw level at 19-19.
The crucial point in the set came at 20-20 when SAGA HM challenged a call that would have put OSAKA ahead again.
SAGA HM won the point and saw out the set with two brilliant points from Samedy and additions from Kitamado and Sae Nakajima, who clinched the set and put SAGA HM 2-0 up on the night.
OSAKA made a couple of receiving errors early in the third set and SAGA HM took advantage, with Samedy again showing her class with a brilliant tipover and a massive smack down the middle from yet another great set by Erika Sakae.
A timeout at 5-10 did little to stop SAGA’s momentum and they were 10 points ahead after another lengthy service spell by Araki.
Two more strong spikes by Miyabe gave OSAKA faint hope of a recovery, but they were too far back and SAGA HM were able to cruise to victory.
A stinging cross-court shot by Mina Inoue brought up matchpoint and Samedy ended the match after more errors on the other side of the net.
SAGA HM Head Coach Kumi Nakada said it was “mission accomplished” and also a sense ofrelief:
“To be honest, my feeling right now is more one of relief than excitement.
I returned to the sidelines (after nine seasons) with a clear mission from the team —to win the championship—and with the mindset that nothing less than the title would be acceptable.
In that sense, I'm verypleased that we were able to accomplish that mission.
I am very proud of the team for continuing to fight until the very end throughout a long and challenging season.
We hope to come back even stronger next season and take on this challenge once again.”
(Regarding today's final)
“OSAKA is a very strong team but our players were determined to finish the match in straight sets.
Our serving was effective, and although we didn't record many block points, our transition play was strong, which I believe disrupted OSAKA's rhythm."
(Regarding Samedy's role in the offense)
“Steph was a tremendous support for us throughout the season.
While her stats yesterday were not at their best, she brings stability when she maintains a success rate above 40 percent, and she delivered a strong performance today.
I'm truly grateful for her contribution.
We have three foreign players, and while they are all key contributors, I believe it was important that we built a team that does not rely solely on them.
Over-reliance can make it difficult to maintain balance, especially in terms of developing younger players.”
SAGA captain Erika Sakae said her team overcame a tough start to the season: “We're very pleased to have been able to finish a long season in the best possible way.
The regular season, which began in October, started under difficult circumstances with three consecutive losses, and there were challenging periods as we competed with a small but dedicated group.
As a team, we were able to overcome those situations, but even in the championship we faced many tough battles.
By never giving up and continuing to fight until the very end, we were able to make it this far.
Moving forward, we will continue to work hard to help grow the SV.LEAGUE and women's volleyball as a whole."
Libero Minami Nishimura said she was surprised at her award: “I was honestly surprised that a libero could win the MVP award, but I'm very happy.
I faced many difficulties in the semifinals, but heading into the final, I had the confidence that if I could keep the ball alive, we would win.
I feel both joy and relief after winning the championship. It was a long season with both good moments and many challenging periods for the team.
Being able to come together—not only the players, but also the staff—and ultimately come out on top means a great deal to us.
Saga is a team that has experienced a lot of disappointment in the past, so to be able to express those feelings through our performance on the court and finish the season as champions is something truly special.”
Stephanie Samedy was overjoyed with the result. “It’s amazing,” she said.
“The amount of workwe've been able to put in and you know just how we showed up today and throughout the season, I'm so proud.”
Samedy said her team was able to find its groove quickly in Sunday’s match. “I think as a team we just were able to settle in and find our flow early on and maintain it the throughout the match.”
The SAGA HM opposite was full of praise for her teammates, especially MVP Nishimura.
“She's so consistent, very steady, and helps us get out of difficult situations. I know for me as a blocker, if I make a mistake, she's right there covering behind me, so it's really reassuring to have a player like her on the team.”
The American was also grateful to setter and team captain Erika Sakae. “I love Erika. I'm so proud of how she has been showing up throughout the whole season, especially this weekend.
I appreciate the fact that she is able to get us in good situations and give us space to hit.
She'sable to give the hitters what they need.”
Samedy also praised head coach Kumi Nakada. “I think she's really good at keeping us steady.
I think she knows what to say, when to say it, and is able to give us that encouragement to help us believe in ourselves. As players, we're always hard on ourselves, but she's able to guide us and mold us in a way that's constructive instead of beating ourselves up.
After the second set, we had that break and we thought we're going to finish this, this is our time.
And I think we're able to come out on fire.”
Swiss player Julie Lengweiler agreed with her teammate: “I think we all look up to our coaching staff, especially Kumi-san. It's such an honor to play for her. She didn't say too much before the game, but what she said really stuck with us.
And I think we went out there and delivered.”
One of the keys for SAGA HM was the variation of attack.
“I think it was really huge for us today that all our hitters were scoring so well, especially from the pin,
” Lengweiler said. “I think we were just unstoppable in all three positions and it is really hard to slow down a team that scores from every pin.
And not counting the middles; they also did a great job.”
OSAKA Head Coach Daisuke Sakai admitted his team failed to deliver an optimum performance.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate Hisamitsu on their championship. Following yesterday's five-set loss, we came into today's match determined to focus on what we could control: executing our game, applying pressure as a team, and sustaining rallies through collective effort and support.
However, there were moments when our serve broke down, and in both block and defensive situations, we allowed our opponents to score. In the third set, in particular, we lost control of the game.”
“That said, I am very proud of our players for continuing to chase every ball from the first and second sets through to the end, and for demonstrating the hard work and commitment that define our team culture. I am truly grateful to them. We had a full week to prepare, and we believe we came in with the best possible plan.
The team atmosphere was very positive, and although we were put under pressure from the middle to latter stages of the second set,
I feel the players delivered strongly on what we had prepared.”
“Of course, winning is never easy. This season, we suffered twice as many losses as last year, which highlighted the difficulty of maintaining consistency.
I also reflect on whether my coaching was sufficient to prepare the team consistently for a final at this level.
Moving forward, by improving areas where our execution rate was not high enough this season and striving to play a style of volleyball that is exciting for fans to watch,
I believe both the team and I can continue to grow."
OSAKA captain Mizuki Tanaka also commented on how the team had overcome hardships:
“At the start of the season, we struggled to align our individual conditions, and we experienced more losses than we did last year.
As a team, we held player-only meetings and had honest conversations, which allowed us to open up about our weaknesses in a positive way.
From there, we were able to support and trust one another, and I believe that became the foundation that led us to qualify for the championship."
"After yesterday's loss, we were in a must-win situation. At the start, there were many moments where we were able to execute the kind of play we wanted.
However, when our opponents adjusted and made corrections, we were unable to respond with our next move, and I believe that was one of the key factors in today's result.
That said, I am very proud of how far we were able to come with this group, and I'm truly grateful to all of my teammates.”
Kotona Hayashi reflected on losing the first match of the Finals:
"After yesterday's loss, each of us tried to reset mentally, but SAGA HM simply played better volleyball, and that ultimately led to our defeat.
It also made me realize that I need to improve my consistency and become a player who can perform at a high level in any situation.
Because it was this group, we were able to aim higher together, and I'm truly grateful to my teammates and staff who supported me throughout the season.”
“We started the season with two consecutive losses in the opening matches, and many of us went through difficult periods.
However, we made a conscious effort to maintain communication and talk things through as a team.
That helped strengthen not only our play, but also our bond, and I believe that connection is what allowed us to reach this stage.”
OSAKA’s Samantha Francis gave credit to SAGA HM’s performance. “I think in the end they just had a really good game plan against us and they were in all the right spots at the right moments.
I also think in crucial moments we weren't able to execute as well as we could have.
SAGA HM played very well. There are many moments where we could have capitalized more and crucial moments where we could have executed better.
But I think we had a great season. We had some tough losses, but we made it here, so it was a really great year.”
