2018 FIVB MEN’S VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE – WEEK 1/POOL 1
- May 25-27, 2018
- Kindarena, Rouen, France
- Time Zone: GMT + 2 (US Eastern Time +6)
- World Rankings: #8 Iran, #9 France, #12 Japan, #16 Australia
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- Schedule/Results
| Date | Time | Score | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 May | 17:00 | Australia  |
1–3 |  Japan |
18–25 | 15–25 | 25–23 | 17–25 | 75–98 | P2 P3 | |
| 25 May | 20:00 | France  |
3–1 |  Iran |
25–20 | 24–26 | 25–20 | 25–17 | 99–83 | P2 P3 | |
| 26 May | 17:00 | Australia |
0–3 | Iran |
23–25 | 23–25 | 21–25 | 67–75 | P2 P3 | ||
| 26 May | 20:00 | France |
3–1 | Japan |
25–16 | 20–25 | 25–20 | 25–22 | 95–83 |
Iran def. Australia 3-0
- Iran defeated Australia 25-23, 25-23, 25-21
- Iran moved to 1-1 (3 points); Australia moved to 0-2 (0 points)
Lincoln Williams scored a match-high 18 points, but it was not enough to help Australia overcome 24 errors in a 3-0 loss to Iran.
The Iranians scored 24 points on Aussie miscues, while also besting their foes 42-40 in kills and 5-4 in blocks. Both teams served up five aces. Iran limited its errors to 15.
Ali Shafiei took the reins for Iran with an all-around effort including 12 kills, three blocks and two aces. Four other players added six or more kills: Seyed Eraghi (8), Mortez Sharifi (7), Milad Ghara (6) and Amir Ghafour (6). Eraghi rounded out his 11 point effort with two aces and a block.
Williams downed a match-leading 17 kills and added an ace, while Luke Smith also scored in double-digits (12) with nine kills, two aces and a block. Beau Graham was next on the team with six points, including a team-high two blocks.
Iran led 9-5 in Set 1, only to see Australia ride Williams’ arm to a 14-12 advantage. However, in the end, the Iranians stole away the 25-23 win.
Set 2 was a back and forth battle with ties at 6 and 14. A pair of Williams putaways gave the Aussies a two-point edge, but again they could not hold on, falling 25-23 on a Shafiei putaway.
Iran took the early lead in Set 3 (6-4) and boasted a 13-10 advantage midway through before cruising to a 24-21 victory.
France def. Japan 3-1
- France defeated Japan 25-16, 20-25, 25-20, 25-22
- France moved to 2-0 (6 points); Japan moved to 1-1 (3 points)
Japan gave away 28 points on errors and trailed France at the net in kills and blocks in a four-set loss.
The French boasted a 54-51 lead in kills and a 10-6 advantage in blocks, plus earned eight extra points on miscues (28-20) in the win. Both teams served up three aces.
Kevin Tillie led a trio of double-digit scorers for France, posting 17 points (14 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace). Stephen Boyer was right behind with 15 points (13 kills, 2 blocks) and Jonas Aguenier followed with 13 (10 kills, 3 blocks).
Yuji Nishida and Naoya Takano led the Japanese charge with 15 and 11 points respectively. Nishida notched a team-high 13 kills and two blocks, while Takano turned in eight kills, two aces and a block. Issei Otake added nine points, all on kills.
France jumped ahead 5-1 in Set 1 and upped its advantage to eight points midway through at 16-8 as Boyer and Tillie excelled offensively. Japan rallied, but fell short in a 25-16 score.
The Japanese turned the tables in Set 2, scoring five of the first six points. The teams were level at 6, but Japan countered to grab a four-point lead at 16-12. France was within three at 22-19, but Boyer proved his humanity with a serve into the net to give Japan the 25-20 victory.
It was just a one-point game at 12-11 in Set 2, but the French came through in front of their home crowd to clinch it 25-20 on a Tillie putaway.
France led 10-4 in Set 4 as Barthelemy Chinenyeze got in on the offensive action. In the end, it was a Japanese miscue the sealed the match at 25-22.
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