Lausanne, Switzerland, July 19, 2017 - Korea host Kazakhstan Friday in Suwon for the second time this season, after a 3-0 Korea win in the opening weekend. That was the first time the two sides came head-to-head in the history of the FIVB World Grand Prix. But while Kazakhstan still seek their first win of the season, Korea are on a four-match winning streak and look to equal their previous best of five from 1994-95 and 1996-97.
Head-to-Head
• Korea and Kazakhstan have met once in the World Grand Prix. In the first weekend of this season, Korea proved too strong in straight sets.
• All matches between these teams this decade (2010-2017) have been won in straight sets by Korea (5).
• In 2010, Korea won 3-0 in the semifinals en route to the Asian Games final in which they lost against China.
Korea
• Korea have won their last four World Grand Prix matches. They can equal their best streak ever by winning five in a row. They achieved this in 1994-1995 and in 1996-1997.
• They can win six in a single World Grand Prix for the first time since 1997, when they won six and lost three.
• The last time Korea finished a World Grand Prix with a winning record was in 2011 when they won five and lost four.
• Korea have already won three matches in straight sets this season. Only in 1994 they claimed more straight set victories in a single edition as they managed to achieve it four times.
Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan claimed their first victory in the 2017 World Grand Prix in their last match after losing each of their first five.
• They can win consecutive matches for the first time since winning four in a row in the first and second weekend of the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Kazakhstan is one defeat away from losing their 50th match in the World Grand Prix. No country has played fewer matches (64) than Kazakhstan while losing 50 matches.
• Yekaterina Zhdanova has scored most points for the team this season (67). With 22 points, she led the team in scoring against Croatia.