With less than a week left in the competition, only six teams remain in the hunt for the 2018 FIVB Women’s World Championship gold medal. 

Starting Sunday, the Final Six begins, with the USA facing China and Netherlands in Pool H and Italy, Japan, and Serbia making up Pool G. Only the top two performers from each pool move on to the semifinals. 

Here’s what to know heading into the third round of play.

Team USA

The USA narrowly made it to the Final Six, losing its last two matches of the second round and having to wait to see if China would defeat Russia, which it did, in the process dooming Russia to its worst World Champs finish ever, with a 6-3 record and 18 points, just one point behind the USA.

As he did during Volleyball Nations League earlier this summer, USA head coach Karch Kiraly has often mixed up his starting lineup, in particular making a point give his hitters plenty of rest. Jordan Larson, Kim Hill, Kelly Murphy, Karsta Lowe, Foluke Akinradewo, and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley have each contributed at least 45 kills, with Larson leading with 94 total points. 

What has stayed steady, however, is Carli Lloyd at the setter position, and Micha Hancock sometimes coming in as part of the double sub, and Kelsey Robinson at libero. 

China | Sunday, Oct. 14, 2:10 AM CT

China finished ninth at Volleyball Nations League and the USA defeated the Chinese squad in both VNL meetings, but the reigning Olympic champion has proven to be quite formidable so far at Worlds. 

Just last week, in their second-to-last Pool F match, China swept the USA to hand the Americans their first loss of the tournament. Overall, China is 8-1 with its only loss to undefeated Italy.

A couple players have largely dominated China’s scoring. Six-foot-six outside hitter and captain Zhu Ting, who plays for reigning CEV Champions League winner Vakifbank Istanbul during the professional season, leads the team with 147 total points, while 21-year-old opposite Xiangyu Gong has 85 kills, 17 blocks, and three aces for a second-best 105 points.

Middles Xinyue Yuan and Ni Yan have been absolutely key for China on defense. The 6-7, 21-year-old Yuan has collected 20 blocks and has tacked on 69 kills and 13 aces, while 6-4 Yan boasts a team-best 24 blocks. At 28, setter Xia Ding is one of the more veteran players on this Chinese squad and has been a constant on the roster throughout both VNL and Worlds.

Netherlands | Monday, Oct. 15, 2:10 AM CT

Netherlands topped Pool E with an 8-1 record and 24 total points. The team’s only loss was to Brazil in five.

High flying 6-4 opposite Lonneke Slöetjes has led the way so far, as she did at Volleyball Nations League, collecting 146 kills, nine blocks, and 19 aces for 174 total points thus far at Worlds (third highest scorer overall). 

Additional offensive weapons for the Netherlands include 6-3 outsides Anne Buijs and Celeste Plak, 6-2 middle Yvon Belien, and 5-11 lefty pin hitter Maret Balkestein-Grothues. 

The Dutch squad does not, however, have Robin de Kruijf, who in past years has played a starring role for this team. The 6-4 middle had surgery in March to repair a torn meniscus and is still in recovery. 

Netherlands has been on a roll the past few years. It won bronze at the World Grand Prix and silver at the European Championships in 2015,  then took fourth at the Rio Olympics in 2016, and silver at the 2017 European Championships.

This year, the Dutch squad made it to the Final Six of the inaugural Volleyball Nations League, finishing fifth.

By advancing to the Final Six, the Netherlands, coached by former U.S. national team assistant Jamie Morrison, has already surpassed its previous best World Champs finish of seventh.