Ekaterinburg, Russia, June 18, 2019 – The Netherlands claimed a three set victory against Thailand and their fifth win in the 2019 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League in the first match in Ekaterinburg on Tuesday.
Netherlands – Thailand (June 18, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Netherlands have won eight of their previous nine matches against Thailand in world level major competitions, with the only exception a 3-1 defeat at the 2010 World Championship.
• These teams most recently met at world level on 15 May 2018, when Netherlands beat Thailand in straight sets in their first ever FIVB Volleyball Nations League fixture. Celeste Plak scored a match-high 16 points.
• Seven of Netherlands' eight wins over Thailand in world level major competitions came in straight sets. They only failed to claim a 3-0 victory at the 2009 World Grand Prix (3-1).
Netherlands
• Netherlands have won their last two Volleyball Nations League matches, their longest winning run in the competition since winning their last four in last year's preliminary round.
• Netherlands (W4-L8) could lose at least nine matches at a single world level tournament for the third time, after the 1996 World Grand Prix (10) and the 1956 World Championship (9).
• Juliet Lohuis and Marrit Jasper (both 94) are Netherlands' leading scorers this VNL campaign. In last year's preliminary round, five Dutch players reached the 100-points mark, including top scorer Lonneke Slöetjes (202).
• Lohuis and Nicole Oude Luttikhuis have respectively 16 and 14 aces at this year's VNL, already as many as or more than any Dutch player managed in the 2018 preliminary round (14 by Slöetjes).
Thailand
• Thailand won one match in each of the previous four weeks of playing in this year's Volleyball Nations League (W4-L8).
• Thailand's four wins at the 2019 VNL are already twice as many as their number of victories in 2018 (2).
• Thailand could win at least five matches at a single world level tournament for the third time, after the 2012 World Grand Prix (9) and the 2011 World Grand Prix (6).
• Ajcharaporn Kongyot and Chatchu-On Moksri (both 126) are Thailand's leading scorers in the 2019 VNL. Kongyot (187) and Moksri (160) also won the most points for the team in last year's preliminary round.
• After four weeks of play, Nootsara Tomkom (7.00) is the best setter in the competition.
Russia – United States (June 18, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Russia (incl. predecessors) have a W28-L25 record in their major world level matches against United States.
• United States have won 10 of their last 11 world level encounters with Russia, including each of their last five since a 3-0 defeat at the 2015 World Cup.
• United States could win six successive world level matches against Russia for the first time.
• Three of United States their last four world level wins versus Russia came in five sets - 3-2 at 2017 World Grand Prix, 3-2 at 2017 Grand Champions Cup, 3-0 at 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nation League and 3-2 at 2018 World Championship.
• Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (18) and Kseniia Parubets (13) won the most points in United States their 3-0 win in last year's VNL.
Russia
• Russia have won only three of their 12 Volleyball Nations League matches this year. In 2018, they finished the preliminary round with a W8-L7 record.
• Russia's nine defeats in the 2019 VNL are already most for them at a single world level tournament.
• Tatiana Iurinskaia (133) is Russia's leading points scorer this VNL campaign. Iurinskaia finished as Russia's top scorer in their last two VNL matches.
• Ekaterina Efimova has won 21 points from stuff blocks in this year's VNL. In 2018, Ekaterina Lyubushkina (23) reached the most points from stuff blocks for Russia in the preliminary round.
United States
• Defending champions United States could reach the 2019 Volleyball Nations League final round with a win against Russia.
• United States have lost three of their 12 matches in this year's VNL, already one more than in their entire 2018 campaign (W17-L2).
• United States have failed to win a set in only one of their 31 VNL fixtures, in a straight-set defeat against Turkey on 11 June 2019.
• Andrea Drews (133) and Chiaka Ogbogu (100) have both reached 100 points in this year's VNL.
• Ogbogu (20) has won the most points from stuff blocks for United States this campaign. Last year, only Lauren Gibbemeyer (26) had more points from blocks for the team in the preliminary round.
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FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
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