Lausanne, Switzerland, July 21, 2017 - Reigning world champions USA and Belgium meet for the second time in history Friday in Cuiaba, two years after the Americans defeated the European side in straight sets at the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix. A four-set win over The Netherlands on Friday allowed USA to advance to 5-2 this season, but Belgium suffered their seventh defeat, 3-0 to Brazil, and remain the only winless team of Group 1.
Head-to-Head• These teams have met once before in a meeting at world level.
• In the 2015 World Grand Prix, the US defeated Belgium 3-0 in a meeting in Ankara, Turkey.
• Team USA have won 19 of their last 20 World Grand Prix matches facing European opposition, but have lost their most recent one (against Italy).
United States• On Thursday, United States beat Netherlands 3-1 to improve to a 5-2 record in the 2017 campaign. They rebounded from defeats in their last two World Grand Prix matches, their first consecutive defeats in the competition since August 2014.
• United States' next World Grand Prix defeat will be their 100th in the competition (compared to 170 wins).
• United States have won at least two sets in each of their last 17 World Grand Prix matches, including in all seven this season.
• Michelle Bartsch scored 23 points against Netherlands on Thursday. Tetori Dixon (20, including 6 blocks), Madison Kingdon (17) and Kelly Murphy (14) also reached double figures.
Belgium• Belgium are the only team in Group 1 that is still awaiting its first World Grand Prix victory of the season. Combined with last season, there have been nine successive defeats.
• Belgium have won only one of their last 16 World Grand Prix matches, the 3-1 triumph over Turkey on 24 June of last year.
• Against Brazil on Thursday (3-0 Brazil win), Kaja Grobelna was the only Belgian player to score double-digit points: 16 (all spikes). Marlies Janssens produced four of Belgium’s five serve winners.
• Grobelna is Belgium's top scorer in the 2017 World Grand Prix with 89 total points.