The United States showcased a strong performance at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Newport Beach Elite, with eight out of nine American women’s teams advancing to the elimination rounds. Three of these teams notably secured direct berths in the quarterfinals by winning their respective pools.
Kelly Cheng and Molly Shaw, Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss, and Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft all remained undefeated in pool play, placing them just one victory away from the medal rounds in California. Interestingly, Olympic champions Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patrícia Ramos from Brazil were the only non-American pair to top their pool.
Cheng and Shaw claimed first place in Pool C after a thrilling win against Brazil`s FIVB World Ranking leaders, Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes. Leveraging their home-court advantage, the American duo triumphed 2-1 (21-14, 17-21, 15-5). Their compatriots, Hailey Harward and Molly Phillips, also progressed to the Round of 12 after defeating Brazilian veterans Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima in straight sets (21-14, 21-15).
In Pool A, Brasher and Nuss delivered a flawless performance, winning all three of their matches without dropping a single set. On Thursday, they secured two of these victories, first against Germans Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne 2-0 (21-14, 21-12), then repeating the feat with another two-set win (21-14, 21-14) against Austrian sisters Dorina and Ronja Klinger. Alaina and Morgan Chacon, also from the U.S., advanced in third place from this pool by beating Ittlinger and Grüne 2-0 (21-11, 21-19), securing their spot in the Round of 12.
Cannon and Kraft, the top team in Pool D, had a challenging yet successful day. In their single match on Thursday, they overcame Brazilian Olympians Carol Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcanti in a tie-breaker, winning 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 15-13). Despite a tie-breaker loss (16-21, 21-19, 15-9) to fellow Americans Sara Hughes and Ally Batenhorst in their final pool play match, Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen still advanced to the Round of 12.
Meanwhile, Duda and Ana Patrícia of Brazil secured Pool B by defeating Americans Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) and Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann 2-0 (21-14, 21-17) on Thursday. Donlin and Denaburg also advanced, as did their American counterparts Jaden Whitmarsh and Devon Newberry, who clinched a significant 2-1 (17-21, 21-19, 15-10) victory over Bock and Lippmann.
Friday`s schedule will feature five American teams competing in the Round of 12. Donlin/Denaburg will face Chacon/Chacon in an all-American clash. Whitmarsh/Newberry are set to play against Carol and Rebecca, Harward/Phillips will take on the Klinger sisters, and Quiggle/Loreen will challenge Thamela and Victoria. Following the completion of the Round of 12, the quarterfinals will also be held on Friday. The semifinals and medal matches are slated for Saturday.
Oliver Wrenwick