Shanghai and Bolivar race to snap losing streak

Lodz, Poland, December 14, 2017 – China’s Shanghai Golden Age and Argentina’s Personal Bolivar will race to win in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, following their their two-match losing start.

• This will be the first meeting at the men's club world championships between Shanghai Volleyball Club and Bolivar.

• Bolivar lost their only previous club world championships meeting with a team representing the AVC: 3-2 against Iranian side Paykan Teheran in the bronze medal match in 2010.

• The Chinese debutants have been defeated 3-0 by two powerhouses in the men’s club world championship, Skra Belchatów on Tuesday and Zenit Kazan on Wednesday.

• Shanghai Volleyball Club’s total of 52 points against Zenit Kazan was split between eight players. No player had more than seven points (Zhong Weijun, all spikes).

• On Wednesday Shanghai Volleyball Club coach Shen Qiong changed half of his starting line-up compared to Tuesday – Julien Lyneel, Facundo Conte and Rao Shuhan were benched in favour of Gu Jiafeng, Zhang Chen and Zhang Binglong. Lyneel and Shuhan were Shanghai’s top scorers against Skra Belchatów on Tuesday.

 

• Bolivar are still without a point in this season’s men’s club world championship. They lost 3-0 to Zenit Kazan on Tuesday and 3-1 against Skra Belchatów on Wednesday.

• Bolivar have lost two preliminary round matches for the first time ever. In each of their two previous participations, they won two of three preliminary encounters.

• Seven of Bolivar’s eight men’s club world championship preliminary round matches ended 3-1 (four Bolivar wins, three wins by opponents). The only exception was the 3-0 defeat against Zenit Kazan on Tuesday.

• In both matches thus far, Theo Lopes has been Bolivar’s most prolific scorer. With 16 points against Skra Belchatów, he raised his tournament tally to 25.