This is the first FIVB meeting between the two teams with the winning tandem advancing to the Main Draw as Bansley will be celebrating her 29th birthday Tuesday. Prior to the SWATCH FIVB World Tour Finals, Bansley and Pavan had played in 38 international events together with three appearances in gold medal matches, six podium placements and seven "final four" finishes. As the most successful Canadian team on the FIVB World Tour since the start of women's competition in 1992, Bansley and Pavan combined to win US$456,450 to rank 30th all-time. Fifth-place finishers at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after being eliminated by eventual gold medal winners Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst of German, Bansley and Pavan won 111 of 186 FIVB World Tour matches (59.7 winning percentage). Humana-Paredes has recently played with Taylor Pischke as the pair competing in 28 FIVB World Tour stops together with three quarter-final finishes for their best placements. Wilkerson's last partner was Julie Gordon as the pair competed in 12 FIVB World Tour events with a ninth as their best placement. Humana-Paredes teamed with Pischke won three NORCECA events together with Wilkerson and Gordon partnering to win one continental tour crown.
MATCH PREVIEW
MATCH NOTES
• Rio Olympic teammates Pavan and Bansley now on opposite sides of the net
• Humana-Parades and Pavan both grew up in Ontario, while Bansley (London) and Wilkerson (Switzerland) were originally from Europe
• This will mark Pavan’s first FIVB tournament with a partner other than Bansley
• Bansley is celebrating her 29th birthday today
• While this is Bansley’s 69th FIVB competition, this marks her first ever country quota match
• Pavan is the tallest player in the field (6’5”) while Bansley is the shortest (5’7”)
• Humana-Parades is the youngest player in the tournament (23 years old), while Wilkerson (24 years old) has played in the fewest tournaments of all players here (this is her 15th FIVB event)