Lausanne, Switzerland, May 22, 2018 - Rio 2016 Olympic champions China eye a return to victories Wednsday against Thailand, after going down to Poland on Tuesday for their second straight defeat in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. China, who regardless of their finish in pool play have already qualified to the Final Six as hosts of the event in Nanjing, lead their series against Thailand 17-2.
Head-to-Head• China have won 17 of their previous 19 major world level encounters with Thailand.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Thailand's two wins versus China at world level came at the 2011 World Grand Prix (3-1) and 2012 World Grand Prix (3-2).
• China have won their last three world level fixtures against Thailand without dropping a set, including in their most recent meeting, in the final for fifth place at the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Thailand have won three of the last four encounters with China at the Asian Championships. One of those wins was a 3-1 victory in the 2009 final, marking Thailand's first trophy in the competition.
China
• China have lost consecutive VNL matches after beginning the tournament with two straight-sets victories.
• China could lose three consecutive major world level matches for the first time since the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Each of China's last eight defeats in world level major tournaments were in front of a home crowd in China.
• China could lose successive major world level matches against fellow AVC sides for the first time since losing twice in a row to Japan at the 2014 World Grand Prix.
• Li Yingying (55) is China's leading scorer this VNL. On Tuesday, Li (19 points) was the only player to score more than nine points for China against Poland.
Thailand
• Thailand have lost three of their four VNL matches, with the 3-0 win against Argentina as the only exception.
• Thailand have claimed at least two victories in their last three participations in a major world level tournament, all at the World Grand Prix: three in 2015, two in 2016 and three in 2017.
• All of Thailand's last four victories at major world level tournaments came in straight sets.
• Ajcharaporn Kongyot has scored a team-high 45 points for Thailand at the VNL.
• Pleumjit Thinkaow has scored 11 points from stuff block this VNL, at least six more than any of her teammates.