Lausanne, Switzerland, May 11, 2018 - Reigning world champions USA hist Poland in Lincoln to close the opening day of Pool 3 of the Volleyball Nations League, in a bid to break their 9-9 head-to-head tie - though the American side have won nine of their last ten encounters with the Europeans and have not lost since a 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix game.
Head-to-Head
• United States and Poland have both won nine times in their major world level encounters.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• USA's nine wins came in their last 10 major world level meetings with Poland. The only defeat in this run was a 3-1 loss at the 2010 World Grand Prix.
• Their most recent major world level meeting came at the 2013 World Grand Prix where USA won in straight sets in the preliminary round.
• This will be their first encounter in the United States at a major world level tournament.
United States
• United States have won seven titles at the major world level competitions. They won the world title in 2014 and collected six trophies at the World Grand Prix (1995, 2001, 2010-2012, 2015).
• Only Brazil (12) won the World Grand Prix more often than United States (6).
• United States have collected silverware in each of the last three editions of the Olympic Games: silver at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and bronze at Rio 2016.
• The last world level major competition United States participated in was the 2017 Grand Champions Cup, where they finished third.
• United States are currently ranked second in the world behind China.
Poland
• Poland have yet to win a major world level competition. Their best result came at the 1952 World Championship in which they finished runners-up to Soviet Union.
• They also claimed bronze at the 1956 and 1962 World Championships and at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.
• Poland have won two European titles (2003 and 2005) and claimed a total of 11 podium finishes (G2-S4-B5). Only Russia (inc. its predecessors) have claimed more medals (26) at the European Championship.
• The last world level major competition Poland participated in was the 2017 World Grand Prix in which they finished 13th.
• Poland are ranked 22nd on the women's ranking.