Lausanne, Switzerland, June 2, 2018 - Table leaders Poland, the only team on full points after five matches, host Germany Sunday in Lodz, aiming to continue their winning streak and end Week 2 of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League undefeated and on the maximum points possible of 18. Poland have beaten Germany in their last three encounters at world level and lead the overall series 9-6.
Head-to-Head
• These teams played 15 world level major competition encounters, with Poland winning nine and Germany (including East Germany and West Germany) six.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Poland have won the last three encounters in world level major competitions against Germany, and could win four in a row for the first time ever.
• The last world level major competition match between these teams came at the 2014 World Championship semifinal, which Poland won 3-1 en route to the world title.
• Germany's last win in a world level major competition against Poland was a five-setter in the 2010 World League.
Poland
• Poland are the only team with 15 points after five matches at the VNL. They have recorded four straight-sets wins and one 3-1 victory (v Canada).
• Poland could claim five straight-sets victories at a single major world level tournament for the first time since the 2012 World League (8 wins), where they won their only title in the competition.
• The last time Poland recorded 3-0 wins in three successive fixtures at a major world level tournament was at the 2014 World Championships in Poland, where they claimed their second world title.
• Poland could win six major world level matches in a row for the first time since a run of 10 at the 2015 World Cup.
• Michal Kubiak and Jakub Kochanowski have both scored 45 points for Poland, most among their teammates. Kochanowski has scored 12 of those points from stuff blocks and five from serves.
Germany
• On 2 June, Germany lost 3-0 to France, their fourth defeat at the VNL.
• Germany have not suffered more than two straight-sets defeats at a single major world level tournament since the 2014 World Championships (3).
• The last time Germany failed to win a set in successive major world level fixtures was at the 2014 World League.
• Germany have not played a five-setter in their last 20 fixtures at major world level, since a 3-2 defeat against Montenegro at the 2016 World League.
• Simon Hirsch (now 54) scored nine points against France, surpassing Christian Fromm (47) as Germany's leading scorer at the VNL.