Lausanne, Switzerland, June 15, 2018 - After successive wins over Germany last week and Korea on Friday, Australia look to score their third in a row Saturday, when they face China in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. The two sides have met four times in the past at world level, with the 'Volleyroos' winning only once, last year in the FIVB World Grand Prix.
Head-to-Head
• Australia won only one of their four world level major tournament matches against China, 3-0 in Helsinki in the 2017 World League (8 June 2017).
• The world level major tournaments are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• The most recent world level major tournament match between Australia and China was in the World League on 17 June 2017. The Chinese won 3-1 in Kunshan.
• China won both of their first two world level major tournament matches against Australia - 3-2 in Tokyo in the 1997 Grand Champions Cup and 3-1 in San Juan in the 2002 World Championships.
Australia
• Australia beat Korea 3-1 on Friday.
• Australia have now won back-to-back matches for the first time at the VNL, as they had beaten Germany on 10 June.
• Australia can record three successive victories at world level major tournaments for the first time since a run of four wins at the 2017 World League, when they beat forthcoming opponents China as well as Slovakia, Finland and Japan.
• Paul Carroll scored a match-high 21 points against Korea on Friday. Nehemiah Mote (14), Luke Smith (13) and Jordan Richards (11) also reached double figures in scoring.
China
• China's 3-1 loss to Italy on Friday was their fourth successive defeat at the VNL.
• This is their longest losing streak at world level tournaments since suffering five defeats spanning the 2015 and 2016 World League.
• China's last victory at the VNL was their 3-2 win over France on 3 June.
• China have suffered five straight-sets defeats at the 2018 VNL. The last time they lost more matches by a 3-0 scoreline at a single world level tournament was at the 2011 World Cup (6 matches).
• Chuan Jiang is the 2018 VNL top scorer on 193 points. He again led China in scoring in their match against Italy on Friday, totalling 19 points.