Perugia, Italy, June 12, 2019 – Russia are hoping to win against Bulgaria for the 10th time, while Italy are aiming for their ninth win in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Bulgaria – Russia (June 12, 2019)
Head-to-head
• Russia (including predecessors) have won all their nine previous matches against Bulgaria at world level major tournaments.
• All but one of those aforementioned nine matches took place at the World Championship. The only exception is Russia's 3-1 victory at the 1981 World Cup.
• World level major tournaments are: Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Bulgaria have never claimed more than one set in a world level match against Russia.
• Including other competitions, Bulgaria's most recent victory over Russia came back at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan (3-0).
Bulgaria
• Bulgaria have lost all of their 10 matches in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League, their debut campaign in the competition.
• Bulgaria had never lost more than six consecutive matches in world level major tournaments until the 2019 VNL.
• Bulgaria (10) are closing in on Argentina, the only nation with a longer VNL losing streak from the start of their debut in the competition (12 matches).
• Zhana Todorova averages 3.54 digs per set, most of all players in the 2019 VNL.
Russia
• With their 3-1 win over Korea, Russia stopped a seven-match losing streak in the Volleyball Nations League and a joint-negative team record of eight defeats at a world level major tournaments.
• Russia has won two and lost eight matches in the 2019 VNL. In 2018, they had eight wins and seven defeats in the competition.
• Russia have conceded at least one set in each of their last 13 world level major tournament matches since a 3-0 win over Turkey at the 2018 World Championship.
• Russia have lost four matches in straight sets at the 2019 VNL. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the only world level major tournament in which Russia lost more matches by a 3-0 scoreline was the 2018 VNL (6).
• Three players reached double figures for Russia against Korea: Kseniia Parubets (16), Tatiana Iurinskaia (13) and Irina Voronkova (12).
Italy – Korea (June 12, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Italy lead the head-to-head with Republic of Korea 12-9 in world level major competitions.
• Italy won nine of their last 10 matches against Republic of Korea in world level major competitions, including 3-0 in their only previous VNL encounter in 2018. The only exception was a 3-1 Republic of Korea win in the 2012 Olympic Games quarter-finals.
• World level major competitions are: FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Republic of Korea went on to finish in fourth place at the 2012 Olympic Games after beating Italy, their best result in the competition since 1976 (bronze).
• In total, Italy won 12 of their 21 world level matches against Republic of Korea. Republic of Korea won eight of their first 11 matches against Italy.
Italy
• Italy have won eight of their 10 Volleyball Nations League matches in 2019.
• Italy could already match their wins total of the 2018 VNL this week. They had 10 wins last year, which they could equal with wins against Republic of Korea and Russia.
• Italy have won multiple sets in each of their last 21 VNL matches (W18-L3). The defeats in this run came in five sets against Japan (29 May 2018), United States (29 May 2019) and China (6 June 2019).
• Indre Sorokaite improved to a team-leading 150 total points in the 2019 VNL thanks to her match-leading 19 points against Bulgaria on Tuesday.
• Sorokaite is also among the best attackers (44.95 success rate) and the best servers (0.44 aces per set) in the 2019 VNL.
Republic of Korea
• Republic of Korea have lost nine of their 10 Volleyball Nations League matches this year, with the only exception of a straight set victory against Belgium on 28 May.
• Republic of Korea could lose seven successive matches within a world level major competition for only the second time, after a run of 11 defeats at the 2001 World Grand Prix.
• Yeon Koung Kim was Korea's top scorer in their 3-1 defeat against Russia on Tuesday with 17 points. Kim also was Korea's overall top scorer in the 2018 VNL with 145 total points.
• Juah Lee is among the best servers of the 2019 VNL, with 0.38 aces per set.
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