Italy and Poland meet in lucky loser for a second chance at advancing

Rio de Janeiro, August 11, 2016 – Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai and Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak of Poland meet in the “lucky loser” match for 3rd-place pool finishers giving them one more chance to advance to the elimination stage.  The Italians won one of their three matches in pool C while the Poles finished with one win and two losses in pool B.  The loser will finish 17th.

Head to Head

Kantor/Losiak have won the only previous meeting against Lupo/Nicolai, back in 2013

• Kantor/Losiak won 21-19, 15-21, and 15-11 in 48 minutes, Corrientes Grand Slam, Pool Play, 05/23/2013

This is the first time that the #10 and #11 seed have played in the Olympic Games.  The higher seeds have won three of the four “lucky loser” round matches in Beijing (2008) and London (2012).  The #10 seed has never played in this round, while the #11 seed lost its only “lucky loser” match.  Lupo/Nicolai played in the London lucky loser match, defeating Josh Binstock/Martin Reader of Canada, 21-16 and 22-20 in 38 minutes in London.     

Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai, Italy, Seed #10, Pool C, 1-2, 3rd Place, Qualified 10th with 5,220 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period

• Daniele: May 6, 1991 (25y3m0d), 195 cm (6’5″), 80 kg (178 lbs.), Hometown Rome, 62nd FIVB World Tour event, three gold medals, $312,487 career winnings (ranks 63rd)

• Paolo: August 6, 1988 (28y0m0d), 203 cm (6’8″), 91 kg (202 lbs.), Hometown Ortona, 82nd FIVB World Tour event, three gold medals, $358,412 career winnings (ranks 55th)

• Daniele and Paolo have been playing together since 2011. They are playing in their 58th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 46th), three gold medals, $620,175 career winnings (ranks 25th).

• Daniele has played in 15 FIVB World Tour final fours with three gold, five silver, five bronze medals and two 4th place finishes.

• Paolo has played in 15 FIVB World Tour final fours with three gold, five silver, five bronze medals and two 4th place finishes.

• Daniele and Paolo have played in four Final Fours …

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