Catania, Italy, August 3, 2019 – The Netherlands remained on track in Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Pool F on Saturday with a second win earned in three sets against Kenya 3-0 (25-17, 25-10, 25-10).
Later in the day, pool hosts Italy kept their hopes of qualification alive with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-16) victory against Belgium.
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Netherlands – Kenya (August 3, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Netherlands and Kenya meet for the first time in the last seven world Olympic qualifying campaigns (1996-2020).
• Netherlands won all three previous matches against Kenya at major world level (Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Nations League, Grand Champions Cup).
• Netherlands won 3-0 at the 1995 World Cup, at the 1998 World Championship and at the 2010 World Championship.
Netherlands
• Netherlands started their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win against Belgium.
• Netherlands participated in the Olympic Games on three occasions. They improved on their result in each of those Games: sixth in 1992, fifth in 1996 and fourth in 2016.
• The Dutch had nine different points scorers in the win versus Belgium. Both Lonneke Slöetjes (16) and Anne Buijs (10) reached double figures.
• Of Robin De Kruijf's seven points against Belgium, four were from stuff blocks. She was the only Netherlands player to win multiple points from stuff blocks in the match.
Kenya
• Kenya need to win to stay alive in this qualifying group. They lost their opener 3-0 against Italy in Catania.
• Kenya could still become the first African NOC to appear three times in the women's tournament at the Olympic Games. They finished joint-11th in both 2000 and 2004.
• Sharon Chepchumba Kiprono scored a team-leading eight of Kenya's 41 points against Italy.
• All 14 Kenyan players saw playing time on Friday versus Italy, with seven of those players contributing at least one point.
Belgium – Italy (August 3, 2019)
Head-to-Head
• Belgium and Italy meet for the first time in the last seven world Olympic qualifying campaigns (1996-2020).
• Belgium defeated Italy 3-2 in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League, their first victory against them at major world level (Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Nations League, Grand Champions Cup).
• Italy had won the first six world level encounters with Belgium, without losing a single set.
• Belgium also won their most recent meeting with Italy at the European championships, 3-1 in 2013. Italy had won 3-0 in 1967 and 3-1 in 1975.
Belgium
• Belgium lost their opening qualifying match in straight sets against Netherlands.
• Belgium have never competed in women's indoor volleyball at the Olympic Games.
• Britt Herbots (15) and Kaja Grobelna (14) led their team in scoring against Netherlands.
• Kaja Grobelna's 14 points included three stuff blocks and two aces, both team-highs.
Italy
• Italy began their qualifying group by beating Kenya 3-0 in front of a home crowd in Catania.
• Italy conceded only 41 points in their match against Kenya.
• Italy competed five times in the Olympic Games, all in the last five editions. Their best results are joint-fifth places in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
• Paola Ogechi Egonu scored 15 points against Kenya, most of all players in the match. Her tally included four serve winners.
• Miryam Fatime Sylla (11) also reached double figures in scoring versus Kenya on Friday.