Ottawa, Canada, June 7, 2019 – Serbia and Australia are looking to end their losing streak when they meet Germany and Canada in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Germany – Serbia (June 7, 2019)
Head-to-head
• Germany and Serbia also met in the Volleyball Nations League last season, with Serbia emerging victorious 3-1 in front of a home crowd in Kraljevo.
• Germany had won each of the previous three meetings, none of which came at a major tournament at world level.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, FIVB Volleyball Nations League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Germany's last victory over Serbia in a major encounter at world level dates back to June 2013, when they beat them 3-1 in Niš, Serbia.
• In 2017, Germany beat Serbia in a five setter in the European Championship semi-finals. Germany lost the final 3-2 against Russia, while Serbia won the third place game 3-2 against Belgium.
Germany
• Germany have started their 2019 Volleyball Nations League campaign with one victory from their first three matches.
• This is already a better start than they had last season, when they dropped their first three and secured their first victory in their fourth match.
• Germany can lose three consecutive matches at world level major tournaments in straight sets for the first time since a run of three in the 2014 World League.
• In the opening week of the 2019 VNL, Germany's Julian Zenger emerged as the tournament's best receiver and the only player to top 50% efficiency.
• In the 2019 VNL, Simon Hirsch leads Germany in scoring. Of his 38 points in the tournament, 31 have come off spikes.
Serbia
• Serbia are one of three teams that have started their 2019 Volleyball Nations League campaign with three defeats, along with Australia and China.
• Combined with last season, Serbia have now lost their last five VNL matches. They had dropped only four of their first 15 in the competition.
• Serbia have lost each of their last six matches in world level major competition matches. They have never lost seven consecutive matches at world level.
• In the 2019 Volleyball Nations League, Dusan Petkovic leads Serbia on 37 points (34 off spikes).
Canada – Australia (June 7, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Canada have won their last two matches against Australia at world major level (FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup).
• Canada beat Australia 3-0 win in the VNL in Ottawa in the 2018 VNL. Stephen Timothy Maar (18) and Jason Derocco (17) were Canada's leading scorers in this match. Paul Carroll had 15 points for Australia.
• Australia have won three of their seven matches against Canada at world major level. All these wins came in the 2014 World League.
Canada
• Canada's W2-L1 start to the 2019 VNL is an improvement from last year's opening week, when they had a W1-L2 record after Week 1.
• Canada can win three VNL matches in a row for the second time, after claiming four successive wins in 2018, including all three matches in Week 2.
• Stephen Timothy Maar (38) and Sharone Vernon-Evans (38) Canada's leading scorers in the 2019 VNL. Maar (18) led his team in scoring in their 3-0 win over Australia in last year's VNL.
• Graham Vigrass (0.82) has the third-highest average in the Best Blocker category in the 2019 VNL. Only Mitchell Staal (USA, 10) has scored more points from stuff blocks than Vigrass (9). Argentina's Sebastian Solé also has nine points from blocks.
• Canada's Steven Marshall (20 digs, 1.82 average) and Blair Cameron Bann (20 digs, 1.82) are in the top-10 of the Best Digger category.
Australia
• Australia have yet to claim their first win in the 2019 VNL.
• In 2018, Australia lost their first four VNL matches, before claiming their first win in Week 2 (3-0 against Bulgaria).
• Australia have lost their last six VNL matches since a 3-1 win over Italy on 17 June 2018.
• Lincoln Alexander Williams is Australia's top scorer in the 2019 VNL on 28 points. He was their fifth-highest scorer in the 2018 VNL on 81 points.
• Samuel Walker (0.46 avg) has the fourth-highest average in the Best Server category in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
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FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
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