Hamamatsu, Japan, September 30, 2018 - Kazakhstan are seeking to cease their losing start in the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship when they face Puerto Rico on Sunday.
Head-to-Head
• These nations meet for the second time in world level major tournaments (Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup).
• On 3 November 2006, Puerto Rico recorded a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan in the 2006 World Championship first group stage. Karina Ocasio scored a match-high 25 points for Puerto Rico.
• Kazakhstan have lost five of their six World Championships matches against NORCECA opposition, with the only exception a straight-sets victory over Mexico in the 2014 first round group stage.
• Puerto Rico have lost eight of their nine World Championships matches against Asian opposition (W1-L8), all in straight sets. Their only win came against Kazakhstan in the 2006 group stage.
Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan lost their opening match 3-0 against Kenya on Saturday.
• Kazakhstan could book a win in one of their first two matches at a World Championship for the first time. In each of their previous three World Championships appearances, Kazakhstan started with at least three defeats.
• Kazakhstan have won three of their 20 World Championships matches. All three wins came in straight sets - versus Thailand (2014), Mexico (2014) and Cameroon (2006).
• Each of Kazakhstan's last 10 defeats at World Championships came by a 3-0 scoreline. Their last non-straight set defeat in the competition came versus Cuba in the 2010 first group stage (3-2).
Puerto Rico• Puerto Rico have now lost eight of their last nine matches at World Championships, with the only exception in that run a 3-0 win over Cuba in 2014.
• 21 of Puerto Rico's last 22 defeats at World Championships have come in straight sets. Their only non-straight set defeat in this run (2002-2014) came versus Azerbaijan in 2014 (3-2 loss).
• At each of their last three World Championships, Puerto Rico started with a 3-0 defeat, before winning their second match in straight sets.
• The last time Puerto Rico lost both of their opening matches of a World Championship was in 1982.
• Five players scored at least five points in Puerto Rico's match against Brazil on Saturday (3-0 loss), but no player scored more than seven.