The Hague, the Netherlands, June 30, 2015 - One of the key match ups in the Round of 32 will see Madelein Meppelink / Marleen Van Iersel (NED) play Karolina Baran/Jagoda Gruszczynska (POL) for the first time.
Madelein Meppelink / Marleen Van Iersel (NED), 1st Place Pool A, The Hague
• Madelein Meppelink and Marleen Van Iersel have been playing together since 2014. They are playing in their 16th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
• Madelein has played in 10 FIVB World Tour final fours with one gold, three silver, three bronze medals and three 4th place finishes.
• Marleen has played in 18 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, three silver, six bronze medals and seven 4th place finishes.
• Madelein and Marleen have played in 3 Final Fours in 2015 (Silver Lucerne Open, Silver Moscow Grand Slam, Bronze Stavanger Major Series).
• Madelein finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Sophie van Gestel in 2012 (London).
• Marleen finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Sanne Keizer in 2012 (London).
• Madelein and Marleen are currently ranked 8th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 2,370 points and 4th in winnings with $94,000.
• Madelein ($266,850) ranks 55th and Marleen ($417,900) ranks 29th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual earnings.
• Madelein and Marleen won the gold medal at the 2014 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship Final in 2014 (Cagliari, Italy).
• Marleen won the gold medal at the U21 World Championships with Danielle Remmers in 2008 (Brighton, England).
• Marleen won the silver medal at the U19 World Championships with Danielle Remmers in 2006 (Bermuda, Bermuda).
• Marleen won bronze medals at the U21 World Championships with Marloes Wesselink in 2007 (Modena, Italy) and 2006 (Myslowice, Poland).
• Marleen won the gold medal at the 2012 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship Final with Sanne Keizer in 2012 (The Hague, Netherlands).
• Marleen was named the FIVB World Tour Best Server in 2010 and Most Improved Player in 2009.
Karolina Baran/Jagoda Gruszczynska (POL), 3rd Place Pool K, Apeldoorn
• Karolina Baran and Jagoda Gruszczynska have been playing together since 2014. They are playing in their 6th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
• Karolina and Jagoda are currently ranked 50th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 490 points and 42nd in winnings with $7,000.
• Karolina won the gold medal at the U19 World Championships with Katarzyna Kociolek in 2011 (Umag, Croatia) and the silver medal with Katarzyna Kociolek in 2012 (Larnaca, Cyprus).
• Jagoda won the gold medal at the U21 World Championships with Katarzyna Kociolek in 2013 (Umag, Croatia).
• First Meeting Between the Two Teams