Viktor Yosifov secured seven of Bulgaria's 16 blocks in their 3-2 win against Canada
Botevgrad, Bulgaria, May 31, 2015 - Bulgaria ended Canada's ubeaten start to the 2015 FIVB World League with some inspired play,
coming from 0-2 down to win 3-2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-14, 15-9) in their Pool C match in Botevgrad, Bulgaria.
In other matches on Sunday,
USA started in clinical fashion against Iran and won their Pool B match 3-1 (25-16, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20).
Brazil beat Serbia 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22) in their Pool A match, Belgium continued their recent dominance over Finland with a
3-1 (29-27, 23-25, 25-16, 25-10) win in Pool E, and in Pool D
Czech Republic overcame a two-set deficit to beat Japan 3-2 (22-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-11) and
France beat Korea 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-21).
Key Points• Viktor Yosifov secured seven of Bulgaria's 16 blocks (equal second mosts in the tournament) as they beat Canada 3-2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-14, 15-9) to end their Pool C oppononent's undefeated start to the 2015 FIVB World League.
• Todor Aleksiev and Vladimir Nikolov each had 25 points for Bulgaria in the win, guiding the hosts to their first victory of the 2015 tournament.
• USA were clinical in their 3-1 Pool B win against Iran, scoring 15 of 20 spikes in the opening set and not making a hitting error until the 37th minute of the match. Matt Anderson scored 19 points, Murphy Troy 16 and Aaron Russell 13.
• Brazil middle blocker Riad Ribeiro scored 16 points with four blocks in Brazil's 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22) win against Serbia in Pool A.
• Yuki Ishikawa scored 25 points for Japan, but it was Czech Republic with Jan Stokr (a match day-high 26 points) that secured the 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 24-26, 23-25, 11-15) win in Pool D, the highest scoring match of the day with both teams registering 108 points.
• Sam Deroo again top-scored for Belgium, this time with 22 points, as the hosts beat Finland 3-1 (29-27, 23-25, 25-16, 25-10) in Pool E, with Belgium coach Dominique Baeyens saying his side was surprised to have beaten Finland four times in a row.
•Song Myung-Geun scored a game-high 19 points for Korea, but France won the Pool D match in Suwon, Korea, 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-21); their second successive straight-sets win.
Top scoring performances• 28 - Thomas Edgar of Australia v Italy (May 30)
• 28 - Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Argentina (May 30)
• 26 - Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Japan (May 31)
• 26 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)
• 25 - Todor Aleksiev of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 25 - Vladimir Nikolov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 25 - Yuki Ishikawa of Japan v Czech Republic (May 31)
• 25 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 25 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 24 - Hugo Gaspar of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 23 - Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Russia (May 29)
• 22 - Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 31)
• 22 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 21 - Olli-Pekka Ojansivu of Finland v Belgium (May 31)
• 21 - Antonin Rouzier of France v Korea (May 30)
• 21 - Mateusz Mika of Poland v Russia (May 29)
• 21 – Gert Van Walle of Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 21 - Antti Siltala of Finland v Belgium (May 24)
• 21 - Antti Siltala of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 21 - Urpo Sivula of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 21 - Kay van Dijk of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 20 - Vladimir Nikolov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 30)
• 20 - Thomas Edgar of Australia v Italy (May 29)
Top scoring performances by team• 117 – Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 115 - Brazil v Serbia (May 29)
• 113 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 112 - Poland v Russia (May 29)
• 109 - Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 108 - Czech Republic v Japan (May 31)
• 108 - Japan v Czech Republic (May 31)
• 108 – Finland v Belgium (May 24)
• 106 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 105 – Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 105 - Russia v Poland (May 29)
• 104 - Serbia v Brazil (May 29)
• 103 - France v Korea (May 30)
• 102 - Belgium v Finland (May 31)
• 102 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
Top blocking performances• 8 - Konstantin Shumov of Finland v Belgium (May 30)
• 7 - Viktor Yosifov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 6 - Kevin Le Roux of France v Korea (May 31)
• 5 - Travis Passier of Australia v Italy (May 29)
• 5 – Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 5 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 5 - Cornelius Bontje Johannes of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 4 - Teodor Todorov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 4 - Ribeiro Riad Garcia Pires of Brazil v Serbia (May 31)
• 4 - Martin Ramos of Argentina v Cuba (May 30
• 4 - Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Finland (May 30)
• 4 - John Gordon Perrin of Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)
• 4 - Yoshifumi Suzuki of Japan v Czech Republic (May 30)
• 4 - Kevin Le Roux of France v Korea (May 30)
• 4 – Eemi Tervaportti of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 4 - Nimir Abdel-Aziz of Netherlands v Portugal (May 16)
• 4 – Mateusz Bieniek of Poland v Russia (May 28)
• 4 - Simone Anzani of Italy v Australia (May 29)
• 4 - Dragan Travica of Italy v Australia (May 29)
Top blocking performances by team• 17 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 16 - Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 16 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 15 – Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 14 - Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)
• 14 - Italy v Australia (May 29)
• 13 - Belgium v Finland (May 30)
• 13 - Finland v Belgium (May 24)
• 12 - USA v Iran (May 31)
• 12 - France v Korea (May 31)
• 12 - Netherlands v Portgual (May 16)
• 11 - Czech Republic v Japan (May 31)
• 11 - Finland v Belgium (May 30)
• 11 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 11 – Poland v Russia (May 28)
• 11 – Russia v Poland (May 28)
• 11 - Australia v Italy (May 29)
Top serving performances• 6 – Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 5 - Micah Christenson of USA v Iran (May 30)
• 5 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)
• 5 - Antonin Rouzier of France v Korea (May 30)
• 4 - Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Argentina (May 30)
• 4 – Antti Siltala of Finland v Belgium (May 23)
• 4 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• 3 - Micah Christenson of USA v Iran (May 31)
• 3 - Nikolay Penchev of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 3 - Olli-Pekka Ojansivu of Finland v Belgium (May 31)
• 3 - Earvin Ngapeth of France v Korea (May 30)
• 3 - Samuel Walker of Australia v Italy (May 29)
• 3 - Oleg Antonov of Italy v Australia (May 29)
• 3 - Filippo Lanza of Italy v Australia (May 29)
• 3 - Andre Reis Lopes of Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
• 3 - Jeroen Rauwerdink of Netherlands v Portugal (May 16)
• 3 - Andre Reis Lopes of Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
• 3 – Mateusz Bieniek of Poland v Russia (May 28)
Top serving performances by team• 12 - France v Korea (May 30)
• 10 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 9 - USA v Iran (May 31)
• 9 - Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)
• 9 - Japan v Czech Republic (May 31)
• 9 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 16)
• 8 - Australia v Italy (May 29)
• 8 - Italy v Australia (May 29)
• 8 – Belgium v Finland (May 24)
• 7 - USA v Iran (May 30)
• 7 - Cuba v Argentina (May 30)
• 7 – Finland v Belgium (May 24)
• 7 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
Highest scorer by round• Day 1: 17 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Cuba (May 16)
• Day 2: 25 - Dick Kooy of Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)
• Day 3: 25 - Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• Day 5: 15 - Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Russia (May 28)
• Day 6: 23 - Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Russia (May 29)
• Day 7: 28 - Thomas Edgar of Australia v Italy and Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Argentina (May 30)
• Day 8: 26 - Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Japan (May 31)
Highest set score• Day 1: Canada v Cuba, 26-24 (May 16)
• Day 2: Canada v Cuba and Portugal v Netherlands, 26-24 (May 17)
• Day 3: Belgium v Finland, 30-28 (May 23)
• Day 4: Belgium v Finland, 31-29 (May 24)
• Day 5: Poland v Russia, 25-20 (May 28)
• Day 6: Brazil v Serbia, 26-28 (May 29)
• Day 7: Korea v France, 30-28 (May 30)
• Day 8: Belgium v Finland, 29-27 (May 31)
Highest scoring matches• Day 1: Netherlands v Portugal (May 16) (23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20) - 184
• Day 2: Netherlands v Portugal (May 17) (17-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 25-12) - 208
• Day 3: Belgium v Finland (May 23) (25-20, 30-28, 20-25, 23-25, 15-7) - 218
• Day 4: Belgium v Finland (May 24) (29-31, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21, 15-11) – 225
• Day 5: Poland v Russia (May 28) (25-16, 25-17, 25-20) – 128
• Day 6: Brazil v Serbia (May 29) (24-26, 25-17, 25-22, 26-28, 15-11) - 219
• Day 7: Argentina v Cuba (May 30) (25-17, 17-25, 21-25, 25-16, 9-15) - 195
• Day 8: Japan v Czech Republic (May 31) (25-22, 25-20, 24-26, 23-25, 11-15) - 216