FIVB World Grand Prix
- July 7-23, 2017
- Kunshan, China
- Group 1 Schedule/Results
Notably missing from the Russian lineup for the World Grand Prix is Nataliya Goncharova, who led the team in scoring at the European Qualifications last week and was a member of the country’s 2016 Olympic team.
Goncharova managed 59 points (3.93 per set; 15 sets) to lead the Russians to a 5-0 record in Croatia and Pool A’s automatic berth to the 2018 World Championships. The opposite plays for Dynamo Moscow and was a member of Russia’s World Grand Prix silver medal squad in 2015.
Middle blocker Irina Zaryazhko-Koroleva was next on the team with 44 points (3.38 per set; 13 sets) and was its top blocker with 16 stuffs (1.23 per set). Koroleva also chipped in a team-best eight aces (0.62 per set). Middle blocker Irina Fetisova added 0.82 stuffs per set (nine overall) to rank second on the team.
Koroleva and Fetisova are on the World Grand Prix squad as are 20 other members of the Euro Qualifying team. The Russians will be vying to best last year’s fourth place finish at the World Grand Prix in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Russians finished fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games. Five members of that squad will represent Russia at the World Grand Prix: Yana Shcherban, Korolova, Daria Malygina, Vetrova and Fetisova,
Missing are Gonchorova, captain Ekaterina Kosianenko, Tatiana Kosheleva and libero Anna Malova.
Gonchaorova’s Dynamo Moscow squad won the Russian Super League title and finished fifth at the FIVB Club World Championships in 2017. Three members of the Russian World Grand Prix roster played for the side in 2017: opposite Anna Lazareva, setter Vera (Ulyakina) Vetrova and Fetisova,
A captain has not yet been named for the Grand Prix team.
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