Tokyo, Japan, June 11, 2019 – Serbia are counting on their advantage in wins over Thailand, while Brazil are looking to win their seventh match in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Serbia – Thailand (June 11, 2019)
Head-to-head
• Serbia lead the head-to-head against Thailand 5-3 from their previous eight encounters in world level major competitions (FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup).
• Serbia have won each of their last three encounters with Thailand, since a 3-2 Thailand win at the 2015 World Grand Prix.
• These teams also met at last year's VNL. Serbia won 3-1 on 22 May 2018, with Tijana Boškovic (29) scoring at least twice as many points as any other player on the pitch.
• Serbia won at least one set in all of their previous eight world level competition encounters with Thailand.
Serbia
• Serbia have won five and lost four of their first nine matches at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
• Serbia could become the first reigning world champions to lose at least five matches at the first world level major tournament following the World Championship since Russia at the 2011 World Grand Prix.
• The last time Serbia lost at least five matches at a world level major competition came at the 2015 World Grand Prix (6).
• Maja Aleksic is the third-best blocker at this year's VNL. Her average of 0.75 per set ranks her just behind Bulgaria's Mira Todorova (0.76) and Turkey's Kubra Caliskan (0.76).
• Ana Bjelica was Serbia's top scorer in their match against Belgium on Thursday on 11 points, including two aces.
Thailand
• Thailand have won exactly one match in every week at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
• They have already won more Volleyball Nations League matches in 2019 (3) than in 2018 (2).
• Thailand could win more than three matches in a world level major competition for the first time since a team record nine victories at the 2012 World Grand Prix.
• Nootsara Tomkom (5.03 per set) is the best setter at this year's Nations League, while Piyanut Pannoy (45%) is this year's best receiver.
• Chatchu-On Moksri (99) is one shy of becoming the second player in Thailand's squad to reach a century of points scored at the 2019 VNL, after Ajcharaporn Kongyot (113).
Japan – Brazil (June 11, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Japan and Brazil will meet for the 70th time in a world level major competition (Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup). Brazil won 55 times, Japan 14.
• This fixture will equal China - United States (70) as the most played fixture in world level major competitions in women's volleyball. Two days after this match, China and USA will meet for the 71st time in their VNL encounter.
• Brazil won 10 of their last 12 matches against Japan. Japan's only victories in this run both came in 2017, 3-2 at the World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Japan won the first set in each of their last four matches against Brazil, winning the first two matches in this run but losing the last two (2018 VNL and 2018 World Championship).
Japan
• Japan have won five and lost four matches after three weeks of Volleyball Nations League play in 2019.
• Five of Japan's last six VNL matches have ended in straight sets, including the last four. This run immediately follows a stretch of seven VNL matches involving Japan in which both teams won at least one set.
• Japan could win back-to-back VNL matches by a 3-0 scoreline for the first time in the history of the competition.
• Ishii (135) is Japan's top scorer in the 2019 VNL. In 2018, Ishii (157) missed out on one point to become Japan's top scorer in the competition (Ai Kurogo 158).
• Only Bulgaria's Zhana Todorova (3.06) averages more digs per set than Japan's Mako Kobata (2.87).
Brazil
• Brazil have six wins and three defeats at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League. They won the last two, 3-0 against Korea and 3-1 against United States.
• With three defeats, Brazil have already equalled their total tally from last year's league round (W12-L3). They had a W8-L1 record after the first nine matches in last year's VNL.
• Brazil could win three matches in a row for the first time in the 2019 edition of the VNL.
• Gabriela Braga Guimaraes (154 points) is third on the top scorers list of the 2019 VNL, behind only Poland's Malwina Smarzek (245) and Dominican Republic's Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez (201).
• Gabriela Braga Guimaraes has compiled 126 excellent receptions during the 2019 VNL, at least 26 more than any other player in the competition.
• Only Poland's Agnieszka Kakolewska (27) and Bulgaria's Mira Todorova (26) have scored more points from stuff blocks at the 2019 VNL than Ana Beatriz Correa (25).
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
FIVB.com - Volleyball
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