Ruse, Bulgaria, May 22, 2019 - Japan play title-holders USA and pool hosts Bulgaria play Belgium in 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Pool 2 when the matches start again on Wednesday. Get the head-to-head statistics below.
Japan - United States (May 22, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· United States have won their last 12 matches against Japan in world level major competitions (FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup), since a 3-0 loss at the 2011 World Cup.
· These teams most recently met at the 2018 World Championship, where United States beat hosts Japan 3-1 in the fifth-place decider in Yokohama.
· At the 2018 Volleyball Nations League, United States started week two with a straight-set win over Japan in Toyota (25-20, 25-16, 25-23).
Japan
· Japan beat Bulgaria 3-1 in their 2019 Volleyball Nations League opening match on Tuesday.
· Japan could now claim back-to-back VNL wins for only the second time, after a run of two victories in June 2018, when they beat both Republic of Korea and Thailand.
· Japan have won the opening set in five of their last six VNL matches, including in each of their last four.
· Yuki Ishii scored a match-high 19 points in Japan's opening fixture, including a joint-high 17 spikes.
United States
· United States started their 2019 Volleyball Nations League with a 3-0 win over Belgium.
· United States have won 18 of their 20 Volleyball Nations League matches, with the only exceptions a 3-1 loss against Serbia and a five-set defeat against Turkey.
· United States have won 13 VNL matches in straight sets, at least five more than any other team (Serbia on 8).
· Andrea Drews scored 14 spikes from 23 attempts in USA's opener against Belgium.
· In total, Drews scored a match-high 19 points versus Belgium. Sarah Wilhite (14 points) also reached double figures for United States.
Bulgaria - Belgium (May 22, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· This will be the teams' first ever meeting in a major intercontinental championship (FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup).
· These sides have met at European Championships on four occasions, with Bulgaria winning three of those four encounters.
· They most recently met at the European Championships in 2009, with Bulgaria emerging victorious in five sets in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
· Belgium's only victory over Bulgaria at European Championships came in front of a home crowd in Hasselt in 2007. Belgium won that match in four sets.
Bulgaria
· On Tuesday, Bulgaria lost 3-1 against Japan in their Volleyball Nations League debut match.
· Bulgaria is the only team to feature in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League that was not present in the inaugural Nations League last year. Bulgaria replace Argentina from last year's field.
· Gergana Dimitrova scored 18 points in Bulgaria's opener against Japan, at least four more than any other teammate. Mira Todorova (14) and Nasya Dimitrova (10) also reached double figures.
Belgium
· Belgium started their 2019 Volleyball Nations League campaign with a 3-0 defeat against United States.
· Belgium have won four of their 16 Volleyball Nations League matches. None of those victories came against a CEV nation.
· Last year, Belgium won two of their first three VNL matches - 3-0 against Republic of Korea and 3-2 against Dominican Republic.
· With 12 points, Kaja Grobelna was the only player to reach double figures for Belgium in their opener against United States.
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
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