Beach volleyball was hands down one of the most anticipated Olympic events as three-time time gold medal victor Kerri Walsh Jennings defended her gold. Walsh-Jennings and teammate April Ross were upset by the Brazilian team of Agatha and Barbara during the semifinals early Wednesday morning in Rio.
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Agatha Bednarczuk (BRA) goes up for a block against Kerri Walsh Jennings (USA) Tuesday night during the Women’s Beach Volleyball semifinals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Emphatically ending a stretch of three straight close games, the Americans advanced by sprintingpast Argentina 105-78 Wednesday night. They play Spain on Friday in a rematch of the past two gold-medal games.
Brazil’s loss leaves the home country with two beach volleyball medals at the Games. The Brazil team will play Germany for the gold Wednesday, while the Americans will have to face Brazil’s top team, Larissa and Talita, for bronze.
“It’s a bad feeling”, she said, taking the blame for the loss by saying her failure to pass effectively put her partner in a bind.
Rocha continually found space with her soft shots at the net and she clinched the first set 21-17 with a trademark touch into space near the right boundary line. That’s ok. Let them enjoy Brazil.
After hugging her opponents, Walsh Jennings slapped hands with some courtside volunteers and then found a USA cheering section in the corner of the 12,000-seat arena built on the beach that serves as the sport’s spiritual home.
Boos and catcalls drowned out thumping music during every serve by the U.S.’ Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross. “What I noticed is that when they’re down, the crowd goes away”. They won the set, 21-17, and it would all come down to the third.
“The fans are the third player”.
Talita/Larissa not giving up, but Walsh Jennings/Ross lead 19-17 and call a time-out.
From there, Ross took over. Walsh Jennings, in particular, struggled with her passing. She holds three consecutive beach volleyball gold medals from 2004, 2008 and 2012 with former partner Misty May-Treanor. Larissa and Talita entered the tournament as the No. 1 ranked team in the world by FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball).
Kerri Walsh Jennings may not have won gold this Olympics, but she says she will cherish this bronze medal even more.
Walsh Jennings, 38, has not said if she will return in four years for Tokyo 2020. But Walsh Jennings, until the 2016 Olympics, had only dropped one set in a Summer Games competition in her career.
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“That’s quintessential Kerri”, said Ross, crediting her partner. They played great and I know it’s going to kill me to watch that.
