USA's Carli Lloyd sets the ball on the opening day of the 2017 FIVB Women's World Grand Champions Cup against China.
Lausanne, Switzerland, Septermber 5, 2017 - Reigning world champions USA take on Korea Wednesday in Tokyo with both seeking their first win at the 2017 FIVB Women's World Grand Champions, after they lost on the opening day to China and Japan respectively. It's the third meeting between the two sides in the history of the competition, having split victories in their past encounters.
Head-to-Head• Korea and United States have met twice at the Grand Champions Cup. Both teams have won one match each.
• Korea won the first encounter at the Grand Champions Cup in 2001 (3-1), United States the last in 2005, in straight sets.
• Their most recent meeting came at the 2015 World Cup. United States won in straight sets.
Korea• Korea opened their 2017 Grand Champions Cup campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Japan.
• Korea have won only three of their 21 matches so far at the Grand Champions Cup.
• Two of their victories have come in a five-setter. Ahead of Day 2 at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup, only Russia (4) and United States (3) have won more five-setters in the competition.
• Korea have not finished on the podium of a world level tournament since their third place in the 1997 World Grand Prix.
• Ha Hyejin scored 20 points against Japan, most of all players on the court that match.
United States• United States started with a 3-1 defeat against China at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• United States have now failed to win their opener in four of their five participations in the competition. In 2013, they lost to Brazil in their first match before winning the other four that year and finishing runners-up to the Brazilians.
• They have not lost back-to-back Grand Champions Cup matches since their last two of the 2001 edition.
• United Stated are the reigning world champions (2014) and claimed bronze at the last Olympic Games (2016) and the last World Cup (2015). They finished only fifth at the 2017 World Grand Prix.