Lausanne, Switzerland, May 23, 2018 - After scoring their first win in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Wednesday over Germany, Italy now eye another one when they go head-to-head against pool hosts Korea Thursday in Suwon. Italy lead the series 11-9, but Korea are currently on a four-match winning streak in the VNL after their opening day defeat to Belgium.
Head-to-Head
• Korea have won nine and lost 11 matches against Italy 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.
• Their last world level encounter was six years ago at the London 2012 Olympic Games, when Korea beat Italy 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The Koreans eventually finished fourth in London.
• Italy's loss at the London Games ended a run of eight successive wins against Korea at world level, six of which came in straight sets.
• Korea won the only match versus Italy that was played on Korean soil, 3-1 at the 1994 World Grand Prix.
Korea
• Korea lost their opening VNL match, 3-0 against Belgium, but have won all four since.
• Korea's current four-match VNL winning streak directly followed a run of seven consecutive straight-sets defeats at world level major tournaments, which followed an eight-match winning streak at world level major tournaments.
• Korea have won seven of the last eight world level major tournament matches they have hosted, with the only exception in that run a 3-1 defeat against Serbia in Ansan in the 2014 World Grand Prix.
• Korea have won all eight world level major tournament matches played in Suwon.
• Kim Su-Ji (18) averages one stuff block per set in the VNL.
Italy
• Italy lost each of their opening four VNL matches, before a straight-set victory against Germany.
• Only one of Italy's five VNL matches has not been won in straight sets (one victory, three defeats), a 3-2 loss versus Poland.
• Italy could win consecutive world level major tournament matches in straight sets for the first time since the 2015 World Grand Prix (against the Dominican Republic and Belgium).
• Serena Ortolani (52) is Italy's leading Nations League scorer.