Volleyball World League 1997

The 1997 season of the World Volleyball League was the eighth edition of the competition. It started on May 16 and ended on July 5. Italy won the title for the sixth time.

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The preliminary round ("intercontinental round") was held in three groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group should qualify for the Final Six. Since the seeded host Russia was only third in the group, three teams from Group C and only one from Group B qualified. The two best teams in the Final Six played the final, the third and fourth of the group played for third place.

Preliminary round

Group A space team sentences Points 1.  Brazil 34: 9 22nd 2.  Bulgaria 29:16 18th 3.  Argentina 20:25 8th 4th  Japan 3:36 0

Group B space team sentences Points 1.  Italy 34:13 20th 2.  Yugoslavia 29:15 16 3.  Spain 18:30 8th 4th  People's Republic of China 8:31 4th

May 16 Bulgaria Brazil 2: 3 17th of May Bulgaria Brazil 0: 3 Argentina Japan 3-0 May 18 Argentina Japan 3-0 23. May Bulgaria Japan 3-0 May 24th Bulgaria Japan 3-0 Argentina Brazil 1: 3 25. May Argentina Brazil 0: 3 30th May Bulgaria Argentina 3: 1 31. May Japan Brazil 0: 3 Bulgaria Argentina 3: 1 June 1st Japan Brazil 0: 3 6th of June Brazil Argentina 3: 1 June 7th Japan Bulgaria 1: 3 8th June Brazil Argentina 3: 1 Japan Bulgaria 0: 3 June 13th Brazil Bulgaria 1: 3 14th June Japan Argentina 0: 3 15th June Brazil Bulgaria 3-0 Japan Argentina 1: 3 20th June Brazil Japan 3-0 June 21st Argentina Bulgaria 1: 3 June 22 Brazil Japan 3: 1 Argentina Bulgaria 2: 3

May 16 Spain China 3: 2 17th of May Italy Yugoslavia 3: 1 May 18 Spain China 3-0 Italy Yugoslavia 3-0 23. May Yugoslavia China 3-0 May 24th Italy Spain 3: 1 Yugoslavia China 3-0 25. May Italy Spain 3: 1 30th May Spain Yugoslavia 1: 3 31. May China Italy 0: 3 June 1st Spain Yugoslavia 3: 2 China Italy 0: 3 6th of June Spain Italy 2: 3 June 7th China Yugoslavia 0: 3 8th June Spain Italy 3: 2 China Yugoslavia 0: 3 June 13th Yugoslavia Spain 3-0 14th June Yugoslavia Spain 3-0 Italy China 3-0 15th June Italy China 3-0 20th June Yugoslavia Italy 2: 3 June 21st China Spain 3: 1 Yugoslavia Italy 3: 2 June 22 China Spain 3-0

Group C
space	team	sentences	Points
1.	Cuba	35: 6	22nd
2.	Netherlands	28:17	18th
3.	Russia	14:30	4th
4th	South Korea	8:32	4th

May 16	Cuba	Russia	3-0
17th of May	Netherlands	South Korea	3: 1
	Cuba	Russia	3-0
May 18	Netherlands	South Korea	3-0
23. May	Russia	Netherlands	1: 3
May 24th	South Korea	Cuba	0: 3
	Russia	Netherlands	2: 3
25. May	South Korea	Cuba	0: 3
31. May	Netherlands	Cuba	0: 3
	South Korea	Russia	3: 1
June 1st	Netherlands	Cuba	0: 3
	South Korea	Russia	3: 1
6th of June	Cuba	South Korea	3-0
June 7th	Netherlands	Russia	3-0
	Cuba	South Korea	3-0
8th June	Netherlands	Russia	3: 1
June 13th	Russia	Cuba	1: 3
14th June	South Korea	Netherlands	1: 3
	Russia	Cuba	1: 3
15th June	South Korea	Netherlands	0: 3
20th June	Russia	South Korea	3-0
	Cuba	Netherlands	3: 1
June 21st	Russia	South Korea	3-0
	Cuba	Netherlands	2: 3

Final Six and Playoffs

The Final Six and the finals on July 5th took place in Moscow ( Russia ).

Final Six
space	team	sentences	Points
1.	Italy	10: 4	7th
2.	Cuba	10: 5	7th
3.	Netherlands	9: 8	7th
4th	Russia	8: 8	6th
5.	Brazil	3: 9	5
6th	Bulgaria	6:12	4th

June 30th	Netherlands	Italy	3: 1
	Cuba	Brazil	3-0
	Bulgaria	Russia	2: 3
July 1	Bulgaria	Cuba	2: 3
	Italy	Brazil	3-0
	Russia	Netherlands	2: 3
2nd July	Italy	Bulgaria	3-0
	Brazil	Netherlands	3-0
	Cuba	Russia	3-0
July 4th	Netherlands	Bulgaria	3: 2
	Italy	Cuba	3: 1
	Russia	Brazil	3-0

final
Italy	Cuba	3-0
3rd place match
Netherlands	Russia	0: 3

Final score

1.  Italy
2.  Cuba
3.  Russia
4.  Netherlands
5.  Brazil
6.  Bulgaria
7.  Yugoslavia
8.  Argentina
9.  Spain
10.  People's Republic of China
11.  South Korea
12.  Japan

Awards

Best scorer	Guido Görtzen	Netherlands
Best attacker	Bas van de Goor	Netherlands
Best blocker	Ihosvany Hernández	Cuba
Best server	Ramon Gato	Cuba

Web links

• Information from the FIVB (English)