Kobe, Japan, May 5, 2017 - Hosts Hisamitsu Springs Kobe and South American champions Rexona-SESC Rio de Janeiro will close the opening competition day at the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2017 on May 9 with a Pool A match between them. This will be the second clash between a team from Japan and a team from Brazil on that day, following the NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki vs. Osasco Voleibol Clube Pool B fixture to take place earlier on Tuesday. The tournament in Kobe will run through May 14.
This will be the fourth consecutive Club World Championship participation for Hisamitsu Springs, but the Japanese club is hosting the competition for the first time.
Rexona-SESC travel to Kobe also for their fourth appearance at the Club World Championships, in the capacity of reigning South American club champions.
Hisamitsu Springs and Rexona-SESC have met each other once in the history of the Club World Championships. In their very last match of the previous edition in 2016, the fifth place final on October 23, the Brazilian squad managed to snatch the victory after a dramatic five-set battle – 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 30-32, 15-7).
Hisamitsu Springs Kobe (JPN)
- Hisamitsu Springs have played continuously at the Club World Championships since 2014. In their first three participations, they finished fifth in 2014 and 2015, and sixth in 2016.
- Hisamitsu Springs have played a total of nine matches at the Club World Championships and have a 2-7 win-loss record. Both of their victories came at the 2016 edition in the Philippines against other teams from Asia.
- After Hitachi represented the Asian continent back at the first two editions in 1991 and 1992, in 2014 Hisamitsu Springs became the second Japanese team in the history of the competition.
- A Japanese team has never won a medal at the Women’s Club World Championships.
Rexona-SESC Rio de Janeiro (BRA)
- Rexona-SESC have taken part in three editions of the Club World Championship, earning a silver medal in 2013. In 2015 they finished in fourth place and in 2016 they ended up fifth.
- For Rexona-SESC, this will be the 14th match at the Club World Championships. So far, they have won seven and lost six games.
- On February 18, 2017, Rexona-SESC triumphed with the trophy at the women’s South American Volleyball Club Championship in Brazil after a 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 25-11) victory over compatriots Dentil/Praia Clube Uberlandia in the final. This was their third consecutive title for an overall four in the competition.
- On April 23, 2017, Rexona-SESC celebrated with the Brazilian Superliga title after a five-set win in the single-match final against another participant in the 2017 Women’s Club World Championship - Osasco Voleibol Clube. This was their fifth consecutive national gold for a total of 12 titles in the history of the league.