Ekaterinburg, Russia, June 20, 2019 - The Netherlands defeated Russia in pool action in Ekaterinburg on Thursday.
Pre-match stats:
Thailand - United States (20 Jun 2019)
Head-to-Head
· United States have lost only one of their 22 previous major world level matches against Thailand, a 3-2 defeat at the 2009 World Grand Prix.
· Thailand's 21 world level defeats against United States are most for them against specific opponents (20 versus Brazil).
· United States are unbeaten in their last 12 world level encounter with Thailand, including a 3-0 win in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (preliminary) and a 3-2 win at the 2018 World Championship (1st round).
· Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Ajcharaporn Kongyot (both 23) shared top-scorer honours in their 2018 World Championship meeting, while Jordan Larson scored a match-high 15 points in their previous VNL encounter.
Thailand
· Thailand have won exactly one match in each week of play in this year's Volleyball Nations League. They can add a second win in the last week of the preliminary round.
· Thailand could win at least six matches at a single world level tournament for the third time, after the 2012 World Grand Prix (9) and the 2011 World Grand Prix (6).
· Thailand could win back-to-back world level major tournament matches for the first time since the last two matches of the World Grand Prix in 2017.
· Ajcharaporn Kongyot (134) and Chatchu-On Moksri (133) are Thailand's leading scorers in the 2019 VNL. Kongyot (187) and Moksri (160) also won the most points for the team in last year's preliminary round.
· Nootsara Tomkom (6.21 average per set) is the most prolific setter in the 2019 VNL.
· Only Brazil's Gabriela Braga Guimaraes (30.81) has a higher receiving efficiency rate than Piyanut Pannoy (26.92).
United States
· United States come off a five-set victory against Netherlands. They have now won two and lost one five setter in the 2019 VNL. The other win came against Italy, the defeat against Dominican Republic.
· United States have lost three matches in this year's VNL (W10-L3), already one more than in their entire 2018 campaign (W17-L2).
· United States have failed to win a set in only one of their 33 VNL fixtures, a straight-set defeat against Turkey on 11 June 2019.
· Andrea Drews (158) is United States's leading scorer in the 2019 VNL. A 24-point scoring effort against Netherlands on Wednesday contributed to that team-high total.
· Chiaka Ogbogu (23) has won the most points from stuff blocks for United States in the 2019 VNL. Last year, only Lauren Gibbemeyer (26) had more points from blocks for the team in the preliminary round for USA.
· Andrea Drews is among the players with the highest spike success rates in this year's VNL, with 46.26%.
Russia - Netherlands (20 Jun 2019)
Head-to-Head
· Russia (incl. predecessors) have a W15-L4 record against Netherlands at major world level competitions.
· Netherlands have won their last three world level encounters with Russia: 3-2 at the 2016 World Grand Prix (third-place decider), 3-1 at the 2017 World Grand Prix (preliminary) and 3-0 in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (preliminary).
· Celeste Plak (18) and Kseniia Parubets (17) scored the most points for their teams in their previous VNL meeting.
· At the European Championships, these teams most recently met in the 2015 final. Russia defeated Netherlands in straight sets and claimed their 19th title in the competition.
Russia
· Russia have won only three of their 14 Volleyball Nations League matches this year. In 2018, they finished the preliminary round with eight wins and seven defeats.
· Russia's 11 defeats in the 2019 VNL are three more than they lost in any single world level tournament. Their previous record for most defeat was eight in the 1995 World Grand Prix.
· Tatiana Iurinskaia (152) is Russia's leading scorer this VNL campaign. Last year, only Irina Voronkova (201) scored more points for the team in the preliminary round.
· Tatiana Iurinskaia (152), Margarita Kurilo (125) and Kseniia Parubets (111) are the Russian players with 100+ points in the 2019 VNL.
Netherlands
· Netherlands have won five and lost nine Volleyball Nations League matches in 2019. They come off a five-set loss against United States, which ended a three-match winning streak in the competition.
· Netherlands (W5-L9) could lose 10 matches at a single world level tournament for the second time, after the 1996 World Grand Prix (10).
· Netherlands have now lost three of their four 2019 VNL matches that went to a fifth set. The only exception was their win against Germany on 13 June.
· Juliet Lohuis (117 points) is Netherlands' leading scorer this VNL campaign. In last year's preliminary round, five Dutch players reached the 100-points mark, including top scorer Lonneke Slöetjes (202).
· Lohuis (21 aces) is among a small group of players with 20+ serve winners in this year's VNL. She managed three against United States on Wednesday.