Lausanne, Switzerland, June 13, 2018 - Turkey claimed the last remaining berth at the Final Six of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations with their win on Wednesday over Germany, and now face China Thursday in Stuttgart in their last match of pool play before heading to Nanjing. China lead the head-to-head against Turkey 5-2, including each of the last four encounters. Turkey have not beaten China in six years, since the finals of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix.
Head-to-Head
• China have won five of their previous seven major world level encounters with Turkey, including each of their last four.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Turkey's last major world level victory over China came in the Final Six at the 2012 World Grand Prix (3-1). They eventually finished third in the competition, their only World Grand Prix podium.
• Their most recent encounter at major world level was at last year's World Grand Prix. China won 3-1 in the group stage in Macau, China.
• None of the previous seven major world level matches between Turkey and China finished in three sets.
China
• China lost 3-1 to The Netherlands on Wednesday.
• China can now suffer back-to-back defeats for the third time in the VNL. China have set no streak of more than two matches with the same result (win/loss) in the campaign.
• China have won three and lost four matches against European teams this VNL season. They beat Belgium, Russia and Germany, but lost to Poland, Serbia, Italy and Netherlands.
• Li Yingying was China's top scorer in their match against The Netherlands on Wednesday, scoring 19 points. Five of her points she scored from eight block attempts, more than any other player on the field.
Turkey
• Turkey have won 10 of their 14 VNL matches and have cliched a final round berth.
• Turkey (10) have equalled their team record of winning 10 matches at a single world level major tournament, previously set at the 2012 World Grand Prix.
• Turkey have lost three five-setters in the VNL, against The Netherlands, Serbia and Russia. This equals Turkey's team record for most five-setters lost within a single world level major tournament (also three at the 2014 World Grand Prix).
• Turkey have won at least one set in each of their last 15 world level major tournament matches, since a 3-0 loss against Thailand at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• Five Turkish players reached double figures in scoring against Germany on Wednesday: Meryem Boz (21), Zehra Gunes (15), Eda Erdem Dundar (14), Seyma Ercan (10) and Meliha Ismailoglu (10).