Pool H: China – Dominican Republic
Head-to-head
• China are unbeaten in their world championship meetings with Dominican Republic. China beat Dominican twice in straight sets (2006 and 2010) and once in five sets (2014).
• Their most recent meeting came in this year's second round. Dominican Republic outspiked China 68-65 but scored fewer points from blocks – 7-14.
• Bethania De La Cruz scored a match-high in the competition with 37 points, almost 38% of the total points (98) scored by Dominican Republic in this match.
• Dominican are yet to win their first match against Asian opposition at the World Championship after six defeats.
Dominican Republic
• After winning their first seven matches at the 2014 World Championship, Dominican have lost the last two. Both defeats came against teams from Asia: 3-2 against China and 3-2 against Japan.
• Dominican Republic could become the second country to lose three consecutive world championship matches in five sets in a single edition. Peru lost three five-setters in a row in 2006.
• Of all six teams in the third round, Dominican Republic have played the most sets in the first and second round combined: 41 sets in total. No other team of the top six has played more than 33 sets.
• Six of their nine matches were played out in five sets, two in four sets and only one in three.
• Dominican have won at least two sets in their last 10 world championship matches. Before this streak, they only succeeded to win two sets in 12 of their previous 38 matches in the competition.
China
• China lost 3-0 to Brazil on Wednesday, suffering their first back-to-back losses at the world championship since 2006 when they lost to Russia and Germany in the first group stage.
• They can lose three in a row for the first time since a team record of four consecutive losses in 1994.
• They have never lost back-to-back world championship matches in straight sets.
• China are one win shy of setting a team record nine wins in a single edition of the world championship. They currently share a record eight wins in 2014 with eight wins in 1974, 1982 and 1986.
• China are unbeaten in their last 12 world championship matches against NORCECA sides, including three against Dominican Republic.