Defending champions Russia continue their winning streak at 2014 FIVB Women's World Champs, delighting their fans with fantastic play.
Trieste, Italy, September 24, 2014 - On the second competition day of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Italy, the tournament favourites lived up to expectations, confirming their supremacy in the 17th edition of the Women’s World Championship.
World No.3 Japan, who lost their opening encounter against Azerbaijan on Tuesday, returned to winning ways by defeating Belgium in a hard-fought duel 3-1.
Hosts Italy (v Croatia), world No.1 Brazil (v Cameroon), defending champions Russia (v Mexico), China (v Azerbaijan) and the Netherlands (v Thailand) all retained impeccable records and have not dropped a single set so far in the tournament.
World No.2 USA (v Kazakhstan), the Dominican Republic (v Tunisia) and Serbia (v Bulgaria) improved their records to 2-0 as well, while Germany (v Argentina), Turkey (v Canada) and Puerto Rico (v Cuba) booked their first wins on the second tournament day.
A total of 60 matches are played during the first phase of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, running from September 23-28 with the best four teams of the four pools advancing to the second competition round.
The volleyball show continues on Thursday with another 12 exciting matches featuring the best women’s players of the planet.
Pool A
Dominican Republic 3, Tunisia 0
Germany 3, Argentina 0
Croatia 0, Italy 3
Pool B
Turkey 3, Canada 0
Cameroon 0, Brazil 3
Serbia 3, Bulgaria 2
Pool C
Kazakhstan 0, United States 3
Russia 3, Mexico 0
Thailand 0, Netherlands 3
Pool D
China 3, Azerbaijan 0
Belgium 1, Japan 3
Puerto Rico 3, Cuba 0
TOP PERFORMANCES
Top scorer by day
Brankica Mihajlovic- 31 of Serbia v Bulgaria on 24-9-14
Polina Rahimova- 33 of Azerbaijan v Japan on 23-9-14
Top scoring performances
33- Polina Rahimova of Azerbaijan v Japan on 23-9-14
31- Brankica Mihajlovic of Serbia v Bulgaria on 24-9-14
Top blocking performances
6- Annerys Victoria Vargas Valdez of Dominican Republic v Germany on 23-9-14
6- Junjing Yang of China v Azerbaijan on 24-9-14
6- Maja Poljak of Croatia v Italy on 24-9-14
Top serving performances
5- Mizuho Ishida of Japan v Azerbaijan on 23-9-14
Top team blocking performances
18- Azerbaijan v Japan on 23-9-14
17- Serbia v Bulgaria on 24-9-14
Top team serving performances
11- Japan v Azerbaijan on 23-9-14
11- Germany v Argentina on 24-9-14
Highest scoring sets
28-26 Argentina v Croatia (2nd set) on 23-9-14
27-25 Puerto Rico v Cuba (2nd set) on 24-9-14
Highest scoring matches
217- Dominican Republic v Germany 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 15-13) on 23-9-14
206- Serbia v Bulgaria 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-12)