Lausanne, Switzerland, May 27, 2019 – Week 1 is in the books, so here is everything you need to keep up with all the action from the upcoming slate of matches in the women’s tournament of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League – all available live and on-demand on Volleyball TV.
Belgium and Korea will open the VNL’s second week of action in Macau, China at 15.30 local time, where they will also face China and Thailand in Pool 7. Last week Belgium lost their first match but recovered to win their next two encounters, leading all teams in Pool 7 in wins. Korea, on the other hand, are still looking to break into the win-column. The matchup between the China and Thailand highlights the second week of action in Macau, as these two squads continue their strong rivalry in Asia.
The encounters in Pool 6 at the Baskent Volleyball Hall in Ankara will start on Tuesday at 14.30 local time featuring European sides Russia and Germany, followed by the match of Turkey and Japan at 17.30. Ebrar Karakurt’s brilliant performance set the pace for Turkey to win all their matches on the first week. The young Turkish player’s role will be vital when she faces off with Japan’s Yuki Ishii who is currently the second best scorer in the tournament.
An all-European clash will open the matches in Pool 8 in Apeldoorn, between Bulgaria and Poland at 16.30 local time, then hosts Netherlands will face-off with Brazil at 19:30. The highlight match is likely to be between Poland and Brazil on Wednesday, May 29, when heavy-scoring Polish player Malwina Smarzek will go up against the versatile Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimaraes. Both their squads have 2-0 win-loss cards, while the Netherlands have only one win so far and Bulgaria are still seeking their first win in the VNL 2019.
Pool 5 will take place in another European city this week. At the Zoppas Arena in Conegliano, Italy will host the Dominican Republic, the United States and Serbia. The opening match will feature VNL reigning champions USA and world champions Serbia at 17.00 local time, highlighting the tough pool encounters in Conegliano, but the matchup of the hosts and USA will also be interesting as both teams are vying to keep their unbeaten runs.