Costa Rica and Venezuela looking for first win in pool F

Rio de Janeiro, August 10, 2016 – Natalia Alfaro/Karen Charles of Costa Rica and Venezuela’s Norisbeth Agudo/Olaya Pazo are both looking for their first win in pool F.  The loser of this match will go home with a 19th-place finish, while the winner will have to wait to see if they advance to the elimination round on a tie-breaker or have to play in one of the two “lucky loser” matches on Thursday night.

Head to Head

The two teams have not met in FIVB World Tour competition.

Historically the #18 seed has won all four matches against the #19 seed in the Olympic Games.

• Ekaterina Birlova/Evgeniya Ukolova (18), Russia def. Marie-Andree Lessard/Annie Martin (19), Canada, 21-18, 28-30, 15-13 in 69 minutes, Pool Play, London (2012).

• Doris Schwaiger/Stefanie Schwaiger (18), Austria def. Bibiana Candelas/Mayra Garcia (19), Mexico, 21-17, 21-10 in 34 minutes, Pool Play, Beijing (2008).

• Summer Lochowicz/Kerri Pottharst (18), Australia def. Hilda Gaxiola/Mayra Garcia (19), Mexico, 26-24, 22-20 in 50 minutes, Pool Play, Athens (2004).

• Daniela Gattelli/Lucilla Perrotta (18), Italy def. Yuki Ishizaka/Rii Seike (19), Japan, 15-5 in 44 minutes, Contender’s Bracket Round 2, Sydney (2000).

Natalia Alfaro/Karen Charles, Costa Rica, Seed #18, Pool F, 0-2, 0.000 Set Ratio, 0.7262 Point Ratio, Qualified through North, Central America and Caribbean Confederation (NORCECA) Continental Cup

• Natalia: April 8, 1987 (29y3m29d), 165 cm (5’5″), 59 kg (131 lbs.), Hometown Heredia, 8th FIVB World Tour event, $2,500 career winnings

• Karen: November 6, 1985 (30y9m0d), 173 cm (5’8″), 60 kg (133 lbs.), Hometown San Jose, 7th FIVB World Tour event, $2,500 career winnings

• Natalia and Karen have been playing together since 2015. They are playing in their 7th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together with $5,000 in career winnings.  They are the second-least experienced women’s team competing in the Rio Olympics, ahead of Elghobashy/Meawad of Egypt with no previous events.

• Neither Natalia nor Karen have played in an FIVB World Tour final four.  Their best finishes are a pair of 25ths in the Puerto Vallarta Open 2015-16 and the Cincinnati Open 2016.

• Natalia and Karen finished 37th in …

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