Stuttgart, Germany, June 11, 2019 – Belgium are meeting European neighbours the Netherlands aiming for their sixth win, while Dominican Republic take on Germany seeking their third straight win in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Belgium – Netherlands (June 11, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Belgium won only one of their nine matches against Netherlands in world level major competitions (FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup).
• That sole victory for Belgium over Netherlands came at the 2014 World Grand Prix: 3-2.
• Netherlands won their last two matches against Belgium in five sets: 3-2 at the 2017 World Grand Prix and the 2018 Volleyball Nations League.
• In that only previous VNL match between these sides on 22 May 2018 in Toyota, Belgium took the lead twice in the match (1-0, 2-1 in sets) but still lost. Kaja Grobelna (28) and Lonneke Slöetjes (26) were the top scorers in the match.
Belgium
• Belgium (5) have already won more matches at this year's Volleyball Nations League than they did last year (4).
• Belgium could win more than three matches in straight sets at a world level major tournament for the second time, after the 2014 World Grand Prix (7).
• Britt Herbots scored a match-high 24 points against Serbia, at least 11 more than any other player on the court.
• Herbots (146) is the fourth-best scorer at this year's VNL, after Malwina Smarzek (245), Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez (201) and Gabriela Braga Guimaraes (154).
• Ilka Van De Vyver is the second-best setter at the 2019 VNL, averaging 3.77 per set, only behind Thailand's Nootsara Tomkom (5.03).
• Marlies Janssens has recorded most aces (19) and the highest average per set (0.61) at this year's VNL.
Netherlands
• Netherlands have lost seven of their nine matches at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League, including each of their last four.
• Netherlands could lose five successive matches within a single world level major competition for the first time since the 1999 World Grand Prix.
• The last time Netherlands suffered three consecutive straight set defeats within a single world level major tournament came at the 1996 World Grand Prix.
• Annick Meijers (11) was the only Netherlands player to reach double digits in points scored against Japan.
• Nicole Oude Luttikhuis (89) and Marrit Jasper (86) are Netherlands's top scorers at this year's VNL. They scored only five (Jasper) and three (Oude Luttikhuis) points in the 2018 VNL preliminary round.
Germany – Dominican Republic (June 11, 2019)
Head-to-head
• Germany (including East Germany and West Germany) and Dominican Republic have met 20 times at world level major tournaments (Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup). Germany won 13 matches, Dominican Republic seven.
• Dominican Republic are the opponents Germany have won most world level matches against (13).
• Dominican Republic won their most recent world level encounter with Germany in straight sets, in the 2018 World Championship second round, with Bethania De La Cruz De Peña scoring a match-high 18 points.
• Dominican Republic can now win successive world level matches against Germany for the first time since two five-setters at the 2010 World Grand Prix and the 2011 World Cup.
• These sides also met in last year's VNL league round, with Germany winning 3-1 on 31 May 2018.
Germany
• Germany have three wins and six defeats after three weeks of 2019 Volleyball Nations League play, the same record as they had after nine fixtures in 2018.
• Germany won their 10th match of the 2018 VNL, 3-1 versus Belgium.
• Germany could win back-to-back VNL matches in straight sets for the first time in the tournament's history.
• In this year's VNL campaign, Germany (7; 2 wins, 5 defeats) and Turkey (7) have had most matches resulting in 3-0.
• Three weeks into the 2019 VNL, Lenka Dürr's 43% efficiency as receiver is second-highest of all players, behind only Thailand's Piyanut Pannoy (45%). Dürr's 2.43 per set average as digger ranks her fourth.
Dominican Republic
• Dominican Republic have won five and lost four 2019 Volleyball Nations League matches. In 2018, the team won three of their 15 VNL matches.
• Dominican Republic could win three VNL matches in a row for the first time in a single VNL. They did win their last match of 2018 followed their first two of 2019.
• After losing all three five-setters in the 2018 VNL, Dominican Republic have won both VNL matches in 2019 played over five sets (versus United States and Thailand).
• Only Poland's Malwina Smarzek (245) has totaled more points in the 2019 VNL than Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez (201). In last year's VNL, she Martinez had a total of 250 points.
• Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez (52%) also has the second-highest efficiency rate in attacks at the 2019 VNL, behind Turkey's Ebrar Karakurt (53%).
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