Lausanne, Switzerland, May 22, 2018 - The Netherlands may have lost their perfect record when they dropped a point to Belgium on Tuesday, but they're still undefeated after four matches in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and are out to make it 5 out of 5 when they take on reigning world champions USA Toyota to open Wednesday's action. This is a rematch of the bronze medal game of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which USA won in four sets, bulding up to a winning streak against The Netherlands which now stands at eight matches.
Head-to-Head
• United States are on an eight-match winning streak against Netherlands in matches played at world level major tournaments.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• The most recent encounter was a 3-1 win for USA at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• Netherlands claimed the last of their five wins against USA at the 2009 World Grand Prix, 3-2.
• USA have won all four world level matches when they faced Netherlands in Japan.
Netherlands
• Netherlands became the first team to win each of their opening four VNL matches, when they beat Belgium 3-2 on 22 May.
• Netherlands could win five consecutive fixtures at a single world level major tournament for the first time since they were victorious in all eight matches of the 2015 World Grand Prix.
• Netherlands have had at least three players reaching double figures in points in all four VNL matches. In the 3-2 victory against Belgium on 22 May they had five players on at least 10 points.
• Anne Buijs (62) and Celeste Plak (58) are the leading Netherlands VNL points scorers.
United States
• United States have won three of their four VNL matches, only suffering defeat against Turkey (3-2).
• United States have won consecutive VNL matches in straight sets. They could win three fixtures in a row in straight sets at a single world level major tournament for the first time since a run of four in a row at the 2016 World Grand Prix. That streak included a victory against Netherlands.
• In USA's last five matches at world level major tournaments, they won the first set in their three victories and lost the opening set in their two defeats. The last time the outcome of the opening set was not the same as the final result, was in the 3-2 win against Japan at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup. USA lost the first set 22-25 in that match.
• Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (55) and Kimberly Hill (48) are the leading VNL points scorers for United States.