U21 World Championship matches to follow today

Check out all FIVB U21 World Championship opening-round pool-play matches to follow today and how to follow the matches live.

United States (0-0 Pool B) vs. Turkey (0-0 Pool B)
Match vitals:
8 p.m. (1 p.m. CST) in Brno, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: United States (No. 9); Turkey (No. 6)
NCAA players on U.S. roster: Kyle Ensing (Long Beach State); Jordan Ewert (Stanford); Patrick Gasman (Hawai’i); George Huhmann (Princeton); Micah Ma’a (UCLA); Austin Matautia (Hawai’i); Dylan Missry (UCLA); Brett Rosenmeier (Hawai’i); Scott Stadick (UC Irvine); Matt Szews (Ball State); Josh Tuaniga (Long Beach State)
Gage Worsley (Hawai’i)
NCAA players on Turkey roster: None
World Championship appearances: United States (9); Turkey (3)
Best World Championship finish: United States (fourth place in 2011); Turkey (sixth place in 2013 and 2015)
What to know: The only match-up during the opening day of the World Championship between two top-10 ranked teams will feature the United States. The United States will open its tournament Turkey in the first meeting between the two nations in the history of the World Championship. This U.S. team enters its seven consecutive World Championship after going undefeated and winning the gold medal at the 2016 U21 NORCECA Continental Championship. Long Beach State All-American setter Josh Tuaniga returns after earning most valuable player honors at the international tournament last year. In addition, Tuaniga was the 2017 recipient of the Lloy Ball Award as he led the nation with an 11.06 assists per game average and helped the 49ers reach the NCAA Tournament semifinals. Tauniga is one of two All-American setters on the U.S. roster. UCLA setter Micah Ma’a joins the team after spending last summer training with the U.S. Men’s National Team. Along with its All-American setters, the United States has two players who finished the 2017 college season in the nation’s top 25 for kills. Both Long Beach State All-American opposite Kyle Ensing and Ball State All-MIVA opposite Matt Szews ended the season with a 3.37 kills per game average. Defensively, all three of the U.S. middle attackers competed the recent college season among the nation’s leaders in blocks. UC Irvine Freshman All-American middle attacker Scott Stadick was fourth in the nation with a 1.19 blocks per game average, while Hawai’i middle attacker Patrick Gasman was ninth in the country with a 1.09 blocks per game average. In addition, Princeton George Huhmann averaged 1.03 blocks per game and led the EIVA with a .387 attack percentage. Turkey reached the World Championship as an at-large bid because of its No. 6 world ranking. A majority of these players also led Turkey to a ninth-place finish at the 2015 FIVB U19 World Championship. However, Turkey in that tournament lost its opener against the United States in five games. Opposite and current Turkish captain Abdullah Cam was one of 10 players to finish that tournament with at least 100 kills. He also was in the tournament’s top 25 with a 41.96 percent offensive efficiency.


Poland (0-0 Pool A) vs. Morocco (0-0 Pool A)
Match vitals:
12:30 p.m. (5:30 a.m. CST) in Brno, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Poland (No. 7); Morocco (No. 15)
NCAA players on Poland roster: None
NCAA players on Morocco roster: None
World Championship appearances: Poland (9); Morocco (5)
Best World Championship finish: Poland (gold medal in 1997 and 2003); Morocco (ninth place in 2005)

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Argentina (0-0 Pool C) vs. Ukraine (0-0 Pool C)
Match vitals:
12:30 p.m. (5:30 a.m. CST) in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Argentina (No. 2); Ukraine (No. 15)
NCAA players on Argentina roster: None
NCAA players on Ukraine roster: None
World Championship appearances: Argentina (14); Ukraine (3)
Best World Championship finish: Argentina (silver medal in 2013 and 2015); Ukraine (ninth place in 1999)

Russia (0-0 Pool C) vs. Cuba (0-0 Pool C)
Match vitals:
3 p.m. (8 a.m. CST) in Brno, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Russia (No. 1); Cuba (No. 13)
NCAA players on Russia roster: None
NCAA players on Cuba roster: None
World Championship appearances: Russia (19); Cuba (12)
Best World Championship finish: Russia (gold medal in 1977, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1995, 1999, 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2015); Cuba (silver medal in 1987 and 2009)

China (0-0 Pool D) vs. Japan (0-0 Pool D)
Match vitals:
3 p.m. (8 a.m. CST) in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: China (No. 3); Japan (No. 14)
NCAA players on China roster: None
NCAA players on Japan roster: None
World Championship appearances: China (15); Japan (13)
Best World Championship finish: China (silver medal in 1977); Japan (silver medal in 1989)

Czech Republic (0-0 Pool A) vs. Canada (0-0 Pool A)
Match vitals:
5:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. CST) in Brno, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Czech Republic (No. 35); Canada (No. 8)
NCAA players on Czech Republic roster: None
NCAA players on Canada roster: Daenan Gyimah (UCLA)
World Championship appearances: Czech Republic (1); Canada (10)
Best World Championship finish: Czech Republic (First appearance); Canada (fifth place in 1999)

Italy (0-0 Pool C) vs. Iran (0-0 Pool C)
Match vitals:
5:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. CST) in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Italy (No. 5); Iran (No. 11)
NCAA players on Italy roster: None
NCAA players on Iran roster: None
World Championship appearances: Italy (13); Iran (11)
Best World Championship finish: Italy (silver medal in 1985, 1991 and 1993); Iran (bronze medal in 2007)

Brazil (0-0, Pool D) vs. Egypt (0-0, Pool D)
Match vitals:
8 p.m. (1 p.m. CST) in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Follow live: Live stats
World Rankings: Brazil (No. 4); Egypt (No. 11)
NCAA players on Brazil roster: None
NCAA players on Egypt roster: None
World Championship appearances: Brazil (19); Egypt (11)
Best World Championship finish: Brazil (gold medal in 1993, 2001, 2007 and 2009); Egypt (ninth place in 2003)