Lausanne, Switzerland, June 7, 2018 - Italy are are on a roll as they try to catch up in the race for a ticket to the finals of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and look for a win Thursday against the Dominican Republic that could keep their hopes alive. After victories in their first two matches of the week, Italy will be looking at extending their winning streak to three. And against the Dominican Republic they have only lost four times in 22 matches and not since 2014.
Head-to-Head
• Italy have lost only four of their previous 22 major world level meetings with the Dominican Republic.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Italy have only won more major world level fixtures against Japan (22) than versus the Dominican Republic (18). The Italians have also beaten China on 18 occasions at major world level.
• Italy have won their last two encounters with the Dominican Republic at major world level: 3-0 at the 2015 World Grand Prix and 3-0 at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• The Dominican Republic's four victories against Italy all came in five sets, with the most recent of those wins at the 2014 World Championships.
Dominican Republic
• The Dominican Republic have won only two of their 11 VNL matches. Those victories came against the two teams who begin matchround three of week four below them in the table - 3-0 versus both Argentina and Thailand.
• The Dominican Republic have equalled the team record for most losses at a single world level major tournament - also nine in the 2015 World Grand Prix.
• The Dominican Republic have lost seven consecutive world level major tournament matches against European opposition, since a 3-2 victory versus Belgium at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• The Dominican Republic have won each of their last three world level major tournament matches when they have been victorious in the opening set.
• Brayelin Martinez (183) is the Dominican Republic's leading VNL scorer. Martinez (10) was their only player to reach double figures in points in the straight-set defeat against Serbia on Wednesday.
Italy
• Italy have won six of their last seven VNL matches, after beginning the competition with four consecutive defeats.
• Italy have won both of their VNL matches in week four in a deciding set. The last time Italy had three consecutive world level major tournament matches going to a fifth set was a run of five in a row (W1-L4) at the 2003 World Grand Prix.
• Italy could record four straight-set victories at a single major world level tournament for the first time since the 2015 World Grand Prix (four wins).
• Paola Egonu (125) is Italy's leading VNL scorer. She has amassed 55 points in their two matches in week four.