Lausanne, Switzerland, July 4, 2017 - Bulgaria host Kazakhstan Friday in Ruse in an attempt to extend their 1-0 record in the series at the FIVB World Grand Prix, as the Asian side sill seeks their first ever win over European opposition.
Head-to-Head• Bulgaria and Kazakhstan will meet for the second time in the World Grand Prix. In 2014, Bulgaria won 3-1 in Group 3.
• Bulgaria have only met Croatia (3) and Kenya (2) multiple times in the competition without losing.
• Bulgaria also won their meeting at the world championship two months later, a 3-0 victory.
• Kazakhstan are searching for their first win against a team representing the European Volleyball Confederation. They lost all previous 21 matches.
Bulgaria• Bulgaria will participate in their fifth World Grand Prix. Their best result came in their debut year in 2013, a ninth place.
• Bulgaria have only failed to win a single set in three of their 31 World Grand Prix matches.
• Bulgaria ended their 2016 campaign with two defeats, against Poland and Puerto Rico. They have never lost three successive matches in the competition.
Kazakhstan• Kazakhstan will appear in their eighth World Grand Prix and in their fifth successive edition.
• Their best finish results from their debut year, a 10th place in 2007.
• Kazakhstan won five matches at the 2016 World Grand Prix. They managed only nine wins in their other six campaigns combined.