Chicago (US), July 18 -- China lost 3-1 to Bulgaria in the men's Volleyball Nations League (VNL) here, dropping to a 1-10 win-loss record in the preliminary phase.
China made a strong start against the world No. 10 side, taking an early 4-1 lead and held on in the closing stages to win the opening set 25-22 on Friday.
Bulgaria responded in the second set, producing a 5-0 scoring run at the start before leveling the match with a 25-14 victory.
The European team continued to dictate the rhythm in the next two sets, winning both 25-20 to complete a comeback victory.
Bulgaria's outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov had a game-high 28 points, while China's opposite Wen Zihua contributed a team-high 13 points.
Despite the loss, China coach Vital...