Seven countries advance to men’s quarterfinals at FIVB Fortaleza Open

Fortaleza, Brazil, April 29, 2016 — While the names aren’t as familiar as many in their country are, host country Brazil has advanced two men’s teams to Saturday’s quarterfinals of the double-gender FIVB Fortaleza Open, the fourth event in Brazil that is part of this year’s 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. This is the fifth of eight straight events on the FIVB World Tour as the qualification window is drawing to a close for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.While five more men’s teams from Brazil’s powerful arsenal lost in Friday’s Round of 16, the two youngest teams stood the tallest Friday, seizing the day as it were with two more seed breakthroughs to advance to the quarterfinals. Brazil’s men’s teams still standing are 22nd-seeded Oscar Brandao/Andre Loyola and 30th-seeded George Souto Wanderley/Joalisson Gomes. By the law of the brackets of single-elimination, the two young gun Brazilian teams will meet in a quarterfinal match Saturday.Advancing along with the two Brazilian teams following Round of 16 victories on Friday are one team each from the Chile, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Norway and the United States.MEN’S ‘ELITE EIGHT’Joining Brazil’s Oscar/Andre and George/Joalisson in the ‘elite eight’ are the other six men’s quarterfinalists in the 11th men’s event on the 2016 FIVB World Tour: USA’s second-seeded Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson, Mexico’s third-seeded Ontiveros Lambardo/Juan Virgen, Germany’s sixth-seeded Jonathan Erdmann/Kay Matysik, Chile’s seventh-seeded cousins Marco Grimalt/Esteban Grimalt, Israel’s 20th-seeded Sean Faiga/Ariel Hilma, and Norway’s 17th-seeded Morten Kvamsdal/Christian Sorum.THE SKEDOn Saturday, the quarterfinals and semifinals for both genders will be played. The medal matches for both genders will all be played on Sunday with the awarding ceremony following the last gold medal match concluding the event. The FIVB Fortaleza Open is being played at the purpose built stadium at Praia do Futuro in Fortaleza, site of last week’s season finale of the Brazilian National Tour.QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPSFriday’s only matches in Fortaleza for the men were the eight Round of 16 battles with the winner’s advancing to Saturday’s quarterfinals.  The quarterfinal matchups are USA’s second-seeded Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson meeting Germany’s sixth-seeded Jonathan Erdmann/Kay Matysik, Chile’s seventh-seeded cousins Marco Grimalt/Esteban Grimalt facing Israel’s 20th-seeded Sean Faiga/Ariel Hilman, Brazil’s 30th-seeded George Souto Wanderley/Joalisson Gomes facing off against compatriots in Brazil’s 22nd-seeded Oscar Brandao/Andre Loyola and Mexico’s third-seeded Ontiveros Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen attempt to hold off surprising ‘giant killers’ in Norway’s 17th-seeded Morten Kvamsdal/Christian Sorum.Two of the four quarterfinalists feature teams that have met before on the FIVB World Tour and it will be the first meeting between Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgen and Norway’s Kvamsdal/Sorum. And while the two Brazilian teams will meet for the …

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