Ankara, Turkey, May 30, 2019 – Japan and Russia are counting on their win-advantage over Germany and Turkey when they face off in Pool 6 competition of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Ankara on Thursday.
Japan – Germany (May 30, 2019)
Head-to-head
• Japan won eight of their last nine matches against Germany at world level major competitions, with the exception in this run a 3-1 defeat at the 2012 World Grand Prix.
• World level major tournaments are: Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• At last year's Volleyball Nations League, Japan beat Germany 3-1 on 17 May 2018. Japan's Sarina Koga registered a match-high 25 points.
• In total this will be the 34th major competitive meeting between Japan and Germany (including West Germany and East Germany). Japan won 24 matches, Germany nine.
Japan
• Japan have won three matches and lost two at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
• After victories over Turkey and Russia, Japan could now win three VNL matches in a row for the first time.
• Japan also never lost three successive VNL matches.
• Japan could win four of their first six matches at the 2019 VNL. In 2018, Japan did not record their third win until their ninth match.
• Risa Shinnabe and Yuki Ishii (17 points each) led Japan in scoring in their 3-1 win over Russia on Wednesday. Ishii (94) is the most productive scorer among Japanese players in the competition.
Germany
• Germany have lost four and won one match at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League. Their only win was came in straight sets against Russia in their fourth match.
• In last year's VNL, Germany also won one of their first five matches. They lost their sixth match 3-1 against Russia.
• Germany have lost three matches in straight sets at the 2019 VNL, as many as they lost in the full 2018 VNL campaign.
• In the 3-0 defeat against Turkey on Wednesday, Louisa Lippmann scored a team-leading 14 points, all from attacks.
Turkey – Russia (May 30, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Russia have won their last four matches against Turkey in world level major tournaments since a 3-2 defeat in the second round of the 2014 world championship.
• World level major tournaments are: Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• The last match between Turkey and Russia took place at the 2018 world championship, with Russia winning 3-0. This is the only straight-sets result in nine world level major tournament matches between these teams.
• In eight of the nine world level major tournament matches between Turkey and Russia, including the last seven, Russia won the first set.
Turkey
• Last year's finalists Turkey started the 2019 Volleyball Nations League with four wins and one defeat. The only defeat came on Tuesday against Japan (3-0).
• Turkey also started their 2018 VNL campaign with three victories, a defeat and then another win. They won their sixth match 3-0 against Argentina.
• Turkey (9) could become the second team to claim at least 10 straight set victories in the Volleyball Nations League, after USA (14, excluding match against Italy on Wednesday).
• Meryem Boz scored a match-high 17 points for Turkey in the 3-0 win against Germany on Wednesday.
• Fatma Yildirim was the only player in the match against Germany with multiple points from attacks (5), blocks (3) and serves (2).
Russia
• Russia have won one and lost four matches at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
• Russia have lost three straight VNL matches for only the second time, after straight defeats against United States, China and Brazil in June 2018. Another defeat would indicate their longest losing streak in the competition.
• Russia could suffer their fifth defeat in their sixth VNL match in 2019. In last year's VNL, they did not suffered their first loss until their 11th encounter.
• Margarita Kurilo is Russia's most prolific scorer in the 2019 VNL, scoring 86 total points.