Force meets finesse: Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes are beach volleyball's best new duo

The pressure mounted for Sarah Pavan.

It was an elimination game in the 2017 Porec Major, a five-star tournament on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. The previous two years in Croatia, Pavan reached the final with partner Heather Bansley, only to fall short. 

In September 2016, Pavan, 30, moved on from Bansley after four years together to join forces with former Women's World Tour top rookie Melissa Humana-Paredes, then just 23.

The new duo had just started to click, with two top-four finishes in the prior two months. Now, they were staring down an 8-3 deficit in the third set.

"I remember I turned to her, and pulled her aside between plays, and I looked at her and was like 'we aren't losing this game. We've been down big before and we've come back and we're gonna do whatever it takes, because this is our time,'" says Pavan. "And she just looked at me and she smiled and she nodded."

The pair reeled off five straight points and roared back to win the set 20-18 and advance.

Pavan and Humana-Paredes went on to celebrate their first tour victory, either together or separately, on Canada Day, after a straight-sets defeat of the Czech Republic.

Not just another day at the beach for Canadian duo

7 years ago

Duration 0:39

Melissa Humana-Parades and Sarah Pavan claimed their first gold medal as a duo at the FIVB beach volleyball World Tour event in Porec, Croatia

A partnership is formed

At first glance, Pavan and Humana-Paredes seem like an odd couple.

Pavan is the more decorated, more experienced player of the two. When she broke up with Bansley, she just wanted someone she could succeed with.

"My goal in beach volleyball is to win tournaments and represent our country well and I had the feeling from Melissa that she possessed those qualities," says Pavan.

Humana-Paredes had reached a point with her partner, Taylor Pischke, where she felt they had accomplished everything they could together.

"When Sarah approached me it was a no-brainer. It was an easy answer for me to play with her. I mean, she's one of the best players in the world," says Humana-Paredes.

However, the newly formed partnership got off to a rough start. In September, they lost to Bansley and her new teammate, Brandie Wilkerson, with a spot in the FIVB World Tour final on the line. 

"That was pretty disheartening because I know we had high expectations," says Humana-Paredes.

So, as any great team does, they turned the loss into fuel.

"Coming into the season I know we had a lot to prove to ourselves and to myself as well because I was in a completely new role," says Humana-Paredes. "But coming off after that loss to this summer was just pretty amazing. I know I made the right choice."

This summer, the duo has exploded for four top-four finishes in five tournaments, a rare feat in beach volleyball. They followed up the Porec gold with a bronze in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Force and finesse

Pavan and Humana-Paredes are the perfect on-court complement. Pavan is taller and prefers playing at the net where she can dominate with blocks and smashes. Humana-Paredes prefers staying at the back in a more defensive role where she can set for Pavan.

"She is definitely that force and I'm a little bit more finesse," says Humana-Paredes. "But I can bring a little bit of the force too."

Pavan agrees, but notes that the partnership works because of the intelligence and attention to detail each provides.

"The fact that we're both able to set each other well and score, I think it makes it really hard for teams to know who to go after because we both value and take care of the details that a lot of people may let go," says Pavan.

Away from the sand, the women's playing styles don't necessarily match their personalities.

"[Melissa] is so bubbly and full of life and she's everybody's friend and she's so much fun to be around. I'm more reserved. I'm a little more quiet," says Pavan.

'She's everything I'm not'

That difference has translated on the court, too.

"I'm very, very serious — especially when I'm playing — and there have been moments when normally I would be very demure and, not panicking, but extra focused," says Pavan, "and she helps relieve the tension by just smiling and making me laugh."

On the flip side, that seriousness can come in handy when Humana-Paredes gets in her own head.

"It's nice to be with her. She's kind of a calming presence," says Humana-Paredes. "She's able to really step up to the plate in pressure situations and she can really take over a game."

"I like to think when I'm around her, I bring it out a little in her, like the outgoing part. It's been fun."

Pavan doesn't typically think of herself as old, seeing as she's only 30. Yet, sometimes, Humana-Paredes can evoke that feeling.

"I listen to her talking about social media and stuff and I'm like 'Man, I have no idea what's going on.' So she's like my little teacher for all things social-media related," says Pavan. "She's everything I'm not."

The duo holds high hopes going forward. In the short term, the world championships in Vienna begin July 28. A podium finish there could really cement Pavan and Humana-Paredes as a force.

After that?

"Our goal is to win a gold medal for Canada in Tokyo," said Pavan.

For now, the unlikely duo will continue to get to know each other's personalities and playing styles better. Humana-Paredes refers to this first year together as the honeymoon phase, because it's been so fun.

They still haven't hit their peak, though.

"I don't really think we've reached our true potential," said Humana-Paredes, "Which is kind of scary because it's been so successful."