Serbia's Sasa Starovic takes on Italy's triple block
Lausanne, Switzerland, June 7, 2015 - There were a couple of impressive performances on day 11 of the FIVB Volleyball World League as first France dominated in a 3-0 victory over Japan before Belgium completely blew away the Netherlands 3-0 in Group E. There were also wins for Korea, Brazil and Italy who triumphed over the Czech Republic, Australia and Serbia respectively.
Key Points• Korea finally won a match with a 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Pool D
• France eight points clear of the rest of the pack in Pool D
• France in front on twelve points in Pool D but all three chasing teams now on four points
• Belgium now seven points clear of Netherlands in Pool E after a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Dutch side.
• Italy gain revenge on Serbia sealing a tie-break win
• Italy now sit on eight points in Pool A, three behind leaders Brazil.
• Brazil claim second victory against Australia 3-0
Korea finally won a game in Pool D after a 3-1 (27-29, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21) success at home to the Czech Republic with an inspired Jae-Duck Seo, contributing 26 points to the Korean cause. In a close fought first set it needed a tie-break 27-29 win for the Czech Republic before the Korean side battled back to take the second set 25-18. The final two sets were again close battles but Korea took the third set 25-20 before wrapping up victory with a 25-21 fourth set win.
France continued to dominate Pool D after blowing away Japan 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-23) to leave them eight points clear of the chasing pack on twelve points. Antonin Rouzier was the top points scorer in the game in Kyoto as France comfortably took the first set 25-15. Japan improved in the second set but still lost 18-25 before nearly forcing a tie-break in the third, narrowly going down 23-25.
Belgium recorded a comfortable victory in the Netherlands with a 3-0 victory (25-12, 25-17, 25-14) in Pool E to extend their lead at the top of the table to four points whilst the Netherlands miss the chance to go to the top of the league. The Belgians blew away the Netherlands in the first set 25-12 and in it barely got better for the Dutch side as they went down 17-25 in the second set before tamely losing the third set 14-25. Gert Van Walle was the top scorer in the match with twelve points for the Belgians who move onto 11 points in Pool E.
Brazil took a 3-0 victory at home to Australia but were made to fight for victory including a first set 31-29 win. Lucarelli was the man for Brazil as he scored 20 points for his side who wrapped up victory with a two final set scores of 25-19. The win sees the South American side sit three points ahead of second placed Italy.
The final game of the day saw the Italians gain some revenge for their 1-3 loss to Serbia on Friday as they took a tie-break 15-12 victory in the final set, coming from behind to keep the pressure on Brazil in Pool A. Italy took the first set 25-14 but went behind 2-1 in sets as Serbia looked to end the tie early. However Italy fought back to take the fourth set 25-20 before sealing the tie 15-12 in the tie-break.
Top scoring performances• 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)
• 26 - Jae-Duck Seo of Korea v Czech Republic (June 7)
• 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 - Ricardo Lucarelli Santos De Souza of Brazil v Australia (June 7)
• 20 - Myung-Guen Song of Korea v Czech Republic (June 7)
• 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)
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 - 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 - Italy v Serbia (June 7)
• 102 - Korea v Czech Republic (June 7)
• 102 - Portugal v Netherlands (May 17)
Top blocking performances• 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 - Simone Anzani of Italy v Serbia (June 7)
• 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 - Marko Podrascanin of Serbia v Italy (June 7)
• 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)
Top blocking performances by team• 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 - Italy v Serbia (June 7)
• 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 - Czech Republic v Korea (June 7)
• 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)
Top serving performances• 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 - Emanuele Birarelli of Italy v Serbia (June 7)
• 3 - Aleska Brdjovic of Serbia v Italy (June 7)
• 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)
Top serving performances by team• 12 - Finland v Portugal (June 6)
• 12 - France v Korea (May 30)
• 10 – Belgium v Finland (May 23)
• 9 - Serbia v Italy (June 7)
• 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 - Korea v Czech Republic (June 7)
• 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)
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)
• Day 9: 30 – Bartosz Kurek of Poland v Iran (June 5)
• Day 10: 25 – Jan Stokr of Czech Republic v Korea (June 6)
• Day 11: 25 - Jae-Duck Seo of Korea v Czech Republic (June 7)
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)
• Day 9: USA v Russia, 28-26 (June 5)
• Day 10: Portugal v Finland, 30-28 (June 6)
• Day 11: Korea v Czech Republic, 27-29 (June 7)
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
• 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
• Day 11: Italy v Serbia (June 7) (25-14, 19-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-12) -198