Carambula and Ranghieri won the only match between the two teams with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) gold medal win in 39 minutes at the 2015 Antalya Open on October 25 in Turkey.
MATCH PREVIEW
MATCH NOTES
• ITA won the only previous meeting between the two teams, in the gold medal match in Antalya in October 2015
• That match was the only time Ontiveros and Virgen have played for a gold medal
• Ontiveros played his first ever FIVB tournament in Montreal in 2005, losing in the qualifier
• Virgen is playing in his 37th FIVB event alongside Ontiveros, and he also played one tournament with his younger brother Ulises Ontiveros
• In the first main draw that Virgen ever played (Acapulco in 2006), he was eliminated by Lombardo and Ulises Ontiveros
• MEX finished 17th on qualifying list to gain entry into the Rio Olympics, the lowest ranked team to get into the Olympics via points (just 60 points ahead of Germany’s Jonathan Erdmann / Kay Matysik)
• This season MEX has a 53-27 match record, including 33-12 in pool play and 14-11 in three-set matches (after beginning the season 6-1)
• This season ITA has a 54-28 match record, including 33-13 in pool play and 23-11 in three-set matches
• In the first eight tournaments of the season, ITA had a 22-2 record in pool play, with one of the losses being a forfeit