Amsterdam, the Netherlands, July 2, 2015 - Canadian pair Heather Bansley and Sarah Pavan will be out to stop the ambitions of Brazil's Juliana Felisberta and Maria Antonelli when the teams meet in the quarterfinals of the Netherlands 2015, FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships on Thursday.
Heather Bansley / Sarah Pavan (CAN), 2nd Place Pool C, Apeldoorn
· Heather Bansley and Sarah Pavan have been playing together since 2013. They are playing in their 25th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
· Heather has played in 2 FIVB World Tour final fours with two silver medals.
· Sarah has played in 2 FIVB World Tour final fours with two silver medals.
· Heather and Sarah have played in 2 Final Fours in 2015 (Silver Prague Open, Silver Porec Major Series).
· Heather and Sarah are currently ranked 2nd in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 2,950 points and 4th in winnings with $100,375.
· Heather won gold medals at the Norceca Beach Volleyball Circuit Puerto Rico in 2010 (Boquerón, Puerto Rico), and Guatemala in 2011 (Guatemala City, Guatemala), both with Elizabeth Maloney.
Maria Antonelli / Juliana Felisberta (BRA), 2nd Place Pool G, Amsterdam
· Maria Antonelli and Juliana Felisberta have been playing together since 2014. They are playing in their 19th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
· Maria has played in 47 FIVB World Tour final fours with 11 gold, 13 silver, 13 bronze medals and 10 4th place finishes.
· Juliana has played in 96 FIVB World Tour final fours with 47 gold, 25 silver, 18 bronze medals and six 4th place finishes.
· Maria and Juliana have played in 2 Final Fours in 2015 (Gold Stavanger Major Series, Silver St. Petersburg Grand Slam).
· Maria finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Talita Antunes in 2012 (London).
· Juliana won the bronze medal in the Olympic Games with Larissa Franca in 2012 (London).
· Maria and Juliana are currently ranked 3rd in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 2,720 points and 2nd in winnings with $136,000. They have one win in 2015 (Stavanger Major Series).
· Maria (11) ranks 15th and Juliana (47) ranks 3rd in all-time FIVB World Tour individual gold medals.
· Maria (104) ranks 40th and Juliana (129) ranks 17th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual tournaments.
· Maria ($792,712) ranks 10th and Juliana ($1,533,912) ranks 1st in all-time FIVB World Tour individual earnings.
· Juliana won the gold medal at the U21 World Championships with Taiana Lima in 2002 (Catania, Italy).
· Maria and Juliana were Tour Champions and were named the FIVB World Tour Team of the Year with Juliana Felisberta in 2014.
· Juliana was named the FIVB World Tour Best Blocker in 2009 and 2010, Best Offensive Player in 2006, 2010, and 2012, Most Outstanding in 2009, 2010, and 2011, Sportsperson in 2011 and 2014, and was Tour Champion and Team of the Year with Larissa Franca in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
· First Meeting Between the Two Teams