Catania, Italy, August 2, 2019 - Pool F hosts Italy claimed a 3-0 (25-17, 25-10, 25-14) victory against Kenya in Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Pool F on Friday with Paola Egonu leading her team in scoring with 15 points.
Earlier in the day, the Dutch defeated neighbours Belgium in three sets 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-22) with Lonneke Sloetjes top-scoring for her team with 16 points, one more than Belgium's Britt Herbots on 15.
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Belgium - Netherlands (August 2, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· Belgium and Netherlands meet for the first time in the last seven world Olympic qualifying campaigns (1996-2020).
· Netherlands won eight of their 10 major world level matches against Belgium (Olympic Games, FIVB Volleyball World Championship, FIVB Volleyball World Cup, FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, FIVB Volleyball Nations League, FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup).
· Belgium's two world level victories over Netherlands came in the 2014 World Grand Prix (3-2) and in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League (3-2).
· The last three world level encounters between these nations all needed a deciding set.
· Netherlands are unbeaten in their European championship matches against Belgium, winning all four.
Belgium
· Belgium are hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time.
· Belgium feature in a world Olympic qualification tournament for the first time in the last seven campaigns (1996-2020).
Netherlands
· Netherlands participated in the Olympic Games on three occasions. They improved on their result in each of these Games: sixth in 1992, fifth in 1996 and fourth in 2016.
· Netherlands play in a world Olympic qualification tournament for the fourth time since 1996. They qualified for the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2016, but failed to secure a ticket in 2000.
· Netherlands have a W14-L7 match record in their three previous world Olympic qualifying campaigns. They lost their last match of the 2016 campaign, 3-2 to Japan.
· Three of the Netherlands' last seven world Olympic qualification defeats came against European teams, all in five sets.
· Netherlands have lost their last four five-setters in world Olympic qualification tournaments.
Dutch captain Maret Balkestein-Grothues keeps the ball in play during the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League
Italy - Kenya (August 2, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· Italy and Kenya meet for the first time in the last seven world Olympic qualifying campaigns (1996-2020).
· Italy and Kenya met four times in major world level tournaments (Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World Grand Prix, Nations League, Grand Champions Cup).
· Italy won 3-0 at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the 2007 World Cup, the 2010 World Championship and the 2011 World Cup.
Italy
· Italy competed five times in the Olympic Games, all in the last five editions.
· Italy's best results in the Olympic Games are fifth places in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
· Italy appear for the fifth time in the last seven world Olympic qualifying campaigns (1996-2020). They earned an Olympic ticket in 2000, 2004 and 2016, but failed in 1996 (6th).
· In 2008 and 2012, Italy qualified for the Olympic Games as the World Cup winners.
· Italy won nine of their last 10 matches in world Olympic qualification, with the only exception a 3-0 defeat against Netherlands in 2016.
Kenya
· Kenya can become the first African NOC to appear three times in the women's tournament at the Olympic Games.
· Kenya finished in joint-11th place at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, failing to win a single match.
· Kenya qualified for the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games through African qualification.
· Kenya appeared at the 2016 World Olympic Qualification tournament in San Juan. They finished third behind Puerto Rico and Colombia and failed to qualify.
· Kenya won one of their three world Olympic qualification matches in 2016, a 3-1 win against Algeria.
Related articles: Pools A, B, C, D, E:
- Tokyo Volleyball Qualification Pool A begins with Serbia v Thailand and hosts Poland v Puerto Rico
- Turkey, Germany and Czech Republic join Pool B hosts China in Ningbo
- USA welcome Argentina, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan in Pool C