Four tiebreaker matches highlight Day 10 of World League

Lausanne, Switzerland, June 7, 2015 – Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland and Argentina outlasted their opponents in the tiebreakers that filled the intense Day 10 of the FIVB Volleyball World League on Saturday.

• Four out of eight matches were tiebreakers.

• Poland have four home wins against Russia and Iran. 

• USA are still unbeaten in the tournament to stay on top of Pool B.

• Argentina have played two five-set matches so far, they lost the first five-setter and won the second.

• Bulgaria scored double victories in their visit to Havana to occupy the third spot in Pool C rankings.

• France are on top of Pool D standings with three victories so far in the World League, followed by Czech Republic with two wins and Japan with one win.

• Korea are still winless in Pool D.

• Netherlands now have three victories out of three matches, while Belgium have four victories out of five matches.

• Finland made back-to-back wins against Portugal.

Poland took a 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 15-6) win over Iran in Pool B. The Iranians stunned the Polish players as they snatched the first set win. Poland soon recovered with two straight victories in the second and third sets, but Iran found a way to stop Poland’s key players to extend the match to a fifth set. Poland, however, raced to an 8-2 advantage, which Iran could no longer topple and conceded the match to the home team.

USA are on top of the standings in Pool B after a straight-set (25-23, 25-21, 25-16) win over Russia. The United States showed accelerating strength in each set that held Russia to score only 16 points in the third set. Matthew Anderson topscored with 14 points for the United States. Aaron Russell and Murphy Troy contributed 10 points each, while Pavel Moroz of Russia was the lone double-digit scorer with 12 points.

Argentina got a solid game from Nicolas Bruno, Pablo Crer and Martin Ramos to earn their victory in the tiebreaker against Canada in Pool C. The visiting team’s 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10) win gave them a 1-1 record in Halifax after their dismal performance against Canada the day before. Martin Ramos had five blocks to lead the Argentine defence.

Bulgaria scored double victories in Havana after they completed a 3-1 (18-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-23) victory over Cuba in Pool C. Cuba were eager but unsuccessful to give their home crowd victory. Although Cuba had a strong performance in the match opener, Bulgaria brandished its full might in the succeeding sets to deny the hosts of any tie-break extensions. Danail Milushev scored 18 points to lead the Bulgarian scorers, as three others scored in double figures.

In Pool D, Czech Republic carried on a 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-20, 15-12) win over Korea. These teams traded wins until the tiebreaker where Czech Republic finally got the break to win the match with a lead of only three points. Jan Stokr topscored for Czech Republic with 25 points.

Also in Pool D, France dominated in the first two sets but got its biggest challenge in the third set. The French team nonetheless prevailed in the third frame with an attack from Kevin Tillie and a block from Mory Sidibe. Tillie scored 14 points to lead France to their 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 28-26) victory, while Kunihiro Shimizu was the lone double-digit scorer from the Japanese side.

Netherlands asserted its power with a 3-2 (25-21, 25-18, 14-25, 22-25, 15-9) victory over Belgium in Pool E. Netherlands opened the match with two set victories until they suddenly lost grip of their game and conceded the next two sets. Belgium led 6-5 but the Dutch side scored three straight points to snatch the lead at side change 8-6 with Nimir Abdel-Aziz scoring on a series of aces. The Dutch held their lead and ended it with an attack from Kay Van Dijk.

Like the Dutch team, Finland claimed their second victory with a 3-1 (25-23, 28-30, 25-14, 25-23) triumph over Portugal in the other Pool E clash. The Finns started well but the Portuguese came close but could not convert their run to a win in the first set. In the second set, Portugal finally punched through a win but needed extra points to close the set. Portugal were not able to recover from their second-set efforts as Finland raced to victory in four sets.

• 30 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Iran (June 5)

• 28 - Thomas Edgar of Australia v Italy (May 30)

• 28 - Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Argentina (May 30)

• 26 – Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Bulgaria (June 5)

• 26 - Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Japan (May 31)

• 26 - Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)

• 25 – Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 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 – Gavin Schmitt of Canada v Argentina (June 5)

• 22 - Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 31)

• 22 – Sam Deroo of Belgium v Finland (May 24)

• 21 – Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Bulgaria (June 6)

• 21 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 21 – Kamil Baranek of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 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 – Steven Marshall of Canada v Argentina (June 6)

• 20 - Shahram Mahmoudi of Iran v Poland (June 6)

• 20 - Vladimir Nikolov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 30)

• 20 - Thomas Edgar of Australia v Italy (May 29)

• 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 - Argentina v Canada (June 6)

• 109 - Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 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 – Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 103 – Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 103 - France v Korea (May 30)

• 102 - Belgium v Finland (May 31)

• 102 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)

• 8 – Georgi Manshev of Bulgaria v Cuba (June 6)

• 8 - Konstantin Shumov of Finland v Belgium (May 30)

• 7 - Viktor Yosifov of Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)

• 6 – Seyed Mousavi Eraghi of Iran v Poland (June 6)

• 6 – Matti Oivanen of Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 6 - Kevin Le Roux of France v Korea (May 31)

• 5 – Martin Ramos of Argentina v Canada (June 6)

• 5 – Jasper Diefenbach of Netherlands v Belgium (June 6)

• 5 – Adam Bartos of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 5 – Shin Yung-Suk of Korea v Czech Republic (June 6)

• 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 – Georgiev Krasimir of Bulgaria v Cuba (June 6)

• 4 – Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Netherlands (June 6)

• 4 – Jakub Vesely of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 4 – Viktor Yosifov of Bulgaria v Cuba (June 5)

• 4 – Rolando Cepeda of Cuba v Bulgaria (June 5)

• 4 – Murilo Endres of Brazil v Australia (June 5)

• 4 – Eder Carbonera of Brazil v Australia (June 5)

• 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)

• 18 – Bulgaria v Cuba (June 6)

• 17 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)

• 16 - Bulgaria v Canada (May 31)

• 16 - Netherlands v Portugal (May 17)

• 15 – Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 15 – Belgium v Finland (May 24)

• 14 - Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 14 - Bulgaria v Cuba (June 5)

• 14 - Canada v Bulgaria (May 30)

• 14 - Italy v Australia (May 29)

• 13 - Iran v Poland (June 6)

• 13 - Belgium v Finland (May 30)

• 13 - Finland v Belgium (May 24)

• 12 - Russia v USA (June 6)

• 12 - Netherlands v Belgium (June 6)

• 12 - Belgium v Netherlands (June 6)

• 12 - USA v Iran (May 31)

• 12 - France v Korea (May 31)

• 12 - Netherlands v Portgual (May 16)

• 11 - France v Japan (June 6)

• 11 - Cuba v Bulgaria (June 5)

• 11 - Canada v Argentina (June 5)

• 11 - Poland v Iran (June 5)

• 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)

• 6 – Nimir Abdel-Aziz of Netherlands v Belgium (June 6)

• 6 – Pieter Coolman of Belgium v Finland (May 23)

• 5 – Matti Oivanen of Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 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 – Todor Skrimov of Bulgaria v Cuba (June 5)

• 4 – Olli-Pekka Ojansivu of Finland v Portugal (June 5)

• 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 – Cristian Poglajen of Argentina v Canada (June 6)

• 3 – Michal Kubiak of Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 3 – Mateusz Bienek of Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 3 – Eemi Tervaportti of Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 3 – Andre Reis Lopes of Portugal v Finland (June 6)

• 3 – Ricardo Calvo Manzano of Cuba v Bulgaria (June 5)

• 3 – Aleksandar Atanasijevic of Serbia v Italy (June 5)

• 3 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Iran (June 5)

• 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)

• 12 - Finland v Portugal (June 6)

• 12 - France v Korea (May 30)

• 10 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)

• 9 - Netherlands v Belgium (June 6)

• 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 - Poland v Iran (June 6)

• 7 - Bulgaria v Cuba (June 5)

• 7 - Italy v Serbia (June 5)

• 7 - Finland v Portugal (June 5)

• 7 - USA v Iran (May 30)

• 7 - Cuba v Argentina (May 30)

• 7 – Finland v Belgium (May 24)

• 7 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)

• 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)

• Day 9: 30 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Iran (June 5)

• Day 10: 25 – Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)

• 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)

• Day 9: USA v Russia, 28-26 (June 5) 

• Day 10: Portugal v Finland, 30-28 (June 6)

• 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

• Day 9: Serbia v Italy (June 5) (22-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23) – 193

• Day 10: Argentina v Canada (June 6) (23-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10) – 210