Rio de Janeiro, August 11, 2016 - Jantine van der Vlist/Sophie van Gestel of the Netherlands are looking to stay alive against Switzerland's Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr in a pool E match on day six. A loss by the Dutch would send them home with a 19th-place finish, while a win could send them into a three-way tie for 2nd place if Canada wins the other pool play match or a tie for 3rd with the Swiss if Germany wins. A win by Switzerland could land them in a three-way tie for 2nd place if Germany wins or a sole possession of 2nd place if Canada wins.
Head to Head
Heidrich/Zumkehr has won both matches against van der Vlist/van Gestel in FIVB World Tour play, one in 2015 and one in 2016.
• Heidrich/Zumkehr won 21-15 and 21-14 in 35 minutes, Vitória Open, Pool Play, 03/16/2016
• Heidrich/Zumkehr won 21-17 and 21-16 in 43 minutes, Long Beach Grand Slam, Pool Play, 08/20/2015
Historically the #20 seed has won three of four matches against the #17 seed in the Olympic Games
• Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel (20), Netherlands def. Louise Bawden/Becchara Palmer (17), Australia, 21-19, 21-15 in 36 minutes, Pool Play, London (2012).
• Milagros Crespo/Imara Esteves Ribalta (17), Cuba def. Rebekka Kadijk/Merel Mooren (20), Netherlands, 21-11, 21-15 in 34 minutes, Pool Play, Beijing (2008).
• Lina Yanchulova/Petia Yanchulova (20), Bulgaria def. Lu Wang/Wenhui You (17), China, 21-19, 21-17 in 38 minutes, Pool Play, Athens (2004).
• Dalixia Fernandez Grasset/Tamara Larrea Peraza (20), Cuba def. Jia Tian/Jingkun Zhang (17), China, 15-12 in 34 minutes, Contender's Bracket Round 2, Sydney (2000).
Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr, Switzerland, Seed #17, Pool E, 1-1, 1.000 Set Ratio, 1.1143 Point Ratio, Qualified 14th with 4,620 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period
• Joana: October 2, 1991 (24y10m4d), 190 cm (6'3"), 72 kg (160 lbs.), Hometown Zürich, 59th FIVB World Tour event, two gold medals, $189,250 career winnings (ranks 94th)
• Nadine: February 5, 1985 (31y6m1d), 172 cm (5'8"), 64 kg (142 lbs.), Hometown Frutigen, 120th FIVB World Tour event (ranks 24th), four gold medals, $381,300 career winnings (ranks 38th)
• Joana and Nadine have been playing together since 2013. They are playing in their 43rd FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 68th), two gold medals, $350,300 career winnings (ranks 45th).
• Joana has played in five FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.
• Nadine has played in nine FIVB World Tour final fours with four gold, one silver, three bronze medals and one 4th place finish.
• Joana and Nadine have played in five Final Fours in 2015-2016 (Bronze Sochi Open 2015, Gold Xiamen Open 2015, Bronze Fuzhou Open 2016, Gold Sochi Open 2016, Silver Klagenfurt Major 2016).
• Nadine finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Simone Kuhn in 2012 (London).
• Joana and Nadine finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships in 2013 (Stare Jablonki) and 33rd in 2015 (The Hague).
• Nadine finished 37th in the FIVB World Championships with Annik Skrivan in 2007 (Gstaad) and 17th in 2009 (Stavanger) and 17th in 2011 (Rome), both with Simone Kuhn.
• Joana and Nadine are currently ranked 11th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 3,940 points and 7th in winnings with $111,150.
• Joana and Nadine have a career 112-88 (56.0%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 74-45 (62.2%) record in 2015-16.
• Joana and Nadine have won one gold medal and one silver medal on the European (CEV) Continental Tour.
• Joana Heidrich won the gold medal at the U21 World Championships with Nina Betschart in 2011 (Halifax, Canada).
• Nadine won the bronze medal at the CEV Continental Championships with Simone Kuhn in 2009 (Sochi, Russia).
• Defeated Karla Borger/Britta Buthe, Germany (8), 21-12 and 21-16 in 38 minutes.
• Lost to Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan, Canada (5), 18-21 and 18-21 in 45 minutes.
Jantine van der Vlist/Sophie van Gestel, Netherlands, Seed #20, Pool E, 0-2, 0.000 Set Ratio, 0.7738 Point Ratio, Qualified through European Confederation (CEV) Continental Cup
• Jantine: October 30, 1985 (30y9m7d), 183 cm (6'0"), 73 kg (162 lbs.), Hometown Wageningen, 77th FIVB World Tour event, $102,300 career winnings
• Sophie: June 29, 1991 (25y1m8d), 180 cm (5'11"), 67 kg (149 lbs.), Hometown Oostelbeers, 48th FIVB World Tour event, one gold medal, $135,925 career winnings
• Jantine and Sophie have been playing together since 2015. They are playing in their 17th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together, $67,600 career winnings.
• Jantine has played in four FIVB World Tour final fours with four 4th place finishes.
• Sophie has played in seven FIVB World Tour final fours with one gold medal, one silver medal and five 4th place finishes.
• Jantine and Sophie have played in three Final Fours in 2015-2016 (4th Olsztyn Grand Slam 2015, 4th Puerto Vallarta Open 2015-16, 4th Cincinnati Open 2016).
• Sophie finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Madelein Meppelink in 2012 (London).
• Jantine and Sophie finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships in 2015 (The Hague).
• Jantine finished 37th in the FIVB World Championships with Roos Van der Hoeven in 2011 (Rome) and 33rd with Marloes Wesselink in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Sophie finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships with Madelein Meppelink in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Jantine and Sophie are currently ranked 33rd in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 2,200 points and 34th in winnings with $32,600.
• Jantine and Sophie have a career 33-40 (45.2%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events, all in 2015-16.
• Sophie won the silver medal at the U19 World Championships with Rimke Braakman in 2008 (The Hague, Netherlands).
• Sophie won the silver medal at the U21 World Championships with Michelle Stiekema in 2008 (Brighton, England) and the bronze medal with Rimke Braakman in 2011 (Halifax, Canada).
• Sophie was named the FIVB World Tour Most Improved Player in 2012.
• Lost to Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan, Canada (5), 15-21 and 17-21 in 39 minutes.
• Lost to Karla Borger/Britta Buthe, Germany (8), 19-21 and 14-21 in 35 minutes.