Nagoya, Japan, 5 October 2018 - Japan host the Dominican Republuc Sunday at the 2018 FIVB World Championship, as the two sides go head-to-head for the third time in the history of the competition. Japan won both previous meetings and also lead the overall series in major international competitions 16-3.
Head-to-Head• Japan and the Dominican Republic will meet for the third time at the World Championship.
• Japan won both previous meetings, also in the second round, 3-0 in 1998 and 3-2 in 2014.
• The Dominican Republic have won three of their 19 major world level meetings with Japan: 3-0 at the 2008 World Grand Prix, 3-1 at the Grand Champions Cup and more recently 3-1 at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• The women's major world level competitions are: the Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Grand Champions Cup and the Nations League.
• In their most recent world level meeting, at the 2018 Nations League, Japan won 3-2 after trailing by 2-1.
Japan• Japan won four of their five matches in the first round at this World Championship, all in straight sets. Their defeat came in a five setter against Netherlands.
• Japan could win four successive World Championship matches for the first time since winning the first five in 2010.
• The last time Japan did not concede a set in four consecutive World Championship fixtures was in their first six matches in 1982.
• Japan could already equal their number of wins of the last World Championships - five in 2014.
• Ai Kurogo is Japan's leading points scorer this tournament on 70 points.
Dominican Republic• The Dominican Republic opened their World Championship campaign with two straight-set defeats, but have won their last three without dropping a set.
• The Dominican Republic can win four successive World Championship matches for the second time, after a run of eight from 2010-2014.
• The three straight-set victories are already a nation record at a single World Championship.
• This is also the first time the Dominican Republic have not lost a set in three successive World Championship fixtures.
• The Dominican Republic have only won more World Championship matches in 2014 (7) than in current edition (3).
• Yonkaira Pena leads her team in terms of scoring, on 54 points.