Two additional qualifying teams, Gonzalez & Navas and Polley & MacDonald, will compete for the bronze medal.
Raisa Schoon in action at the Veracruz Challenge.
Dutch beach volleyball stars Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon have showcased their excellent return to form, reaching Sunday`s women`s final at the Veracruz Challenge on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. Following Stam`s recent comeback from a lengthy injury absence, the pair powered through the qualification rounds all the way to the gold medal match in Mexico. There, they are set to face the top-seeded American duo, Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen. Meanwhile, two other teams who also emerged from the qualifiers—Allanis Navas and Maria Gonzalez of Puerto Rico, along with Shaunna Polley and Olivia MacDonald of New Zealand—are poised to battle for the bronze.
Tournament Highlights: Quarterfinals & Semifinals
Saturday`s schedule for the women`s competition in Veracruz featured both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
Stam & Schoon`s Journey to the Final
The Dutch Olympians Stam and Schoon, seeded 26th in the 32-team main draw, commenced their impressive run with a hard-fought 2-0 (29-27, 21-12) victory in the quarterfinals against third-seeded Marketa Svozilova and Marie-Sara Stochlova from Czechia. Stam was a standout performer, securing 25 points, including three crucial blocks and an ace. Schoon contributed another 11 points, all from offensive plays.
In the semifinals, Stam and Schoon confidently swept 24th-seeded Polley and MacDonald 2-0 (21-17, 21-13). Stam recorded a match-high 19 points, comprising five blocks and two aces, while Schoon added nine points to their tally.
Polley & MacDonald`s Bronze Bid
The New Zealand team (Kiwis) secured their spot in the semifinals by overcoming a set deficit to defeat 14th-seeded Americans Hailey Harward and Molly Phillips 2-1 (15-21, 21-18, 15-13). MacDonald led all scorers with an impressive 27 points, while Polley contributed 16. Both players also served three aces each.
Quiggle & Loreen Dominance
Top seeds Quiggle and Loreen delivered a dominant 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) performance in their all-American quarterfinal clash against 21st-seeded Kylie Kuyava-De Berg and Xolani Hodel. Loreen was the highest scorer with 22 points, featuring two aces and a block, while Quiggle added 10 points through her attacks.
The leading pair then maintained their momentum, shutting out Gonzalez and Navas 2-0 (21-15, 21-11) in the semifinals. Loreen once again distinguished herself as the top scorer with 16 points, including two blocks and an ace, while Quiggle notched 13 points, all from successful attacks.
Gonzalez & Navas` Breakthrough Performance
Making their debut on the 2025 Beach Pro Tour, the 28th-seeded Puerto Rican duo advanced remarkably to the medal rounds. In Saturday`s quarterfinals, they mounted a comeback after losing the first set, securing a 2-1 (15-21, 21-17, 15-12) victory over Czechia`s Katerina Pavelkova and Anna Pavelkova, who were seeded 18th. Gonzalez paced her team with 17 points, including two blocks, and Navas added 14 points, with three aces. Katerina Pavelkova was the match`s overall high scorer with 24 points.
Upcoming Matches
The match for third place is scheduled for Sunday at 12:00 local time (18:00 UTC), with the championship final following at 13:00 (19:00 UTC).
Oliver Wrenwick