On Sunday the Women's Beach Volleyball quarterfinals took place and the competition narrowed from eight teams to just four heading to the semifinals. China's Chen Xue and Xi Zhang, USA's Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Welsh Jennings plus April Ross and Jennifer Kessy and Brazil's Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca will play in the Women's Beach Volleyball semis on Tuesday.
How did these teams get here?
China's duo of Xue and Zhang faced Stefanie Schwaiger and Doris Schwaiger on Sunday for the first matchup of the quarterfinals.
Xue and Zhang defeated Austria's duo in two sets 21-18, 21-11. Game one between the two teams was pretty close as Austria led through the first 15 games. China took over the game with the score 8-8, taking their first lead of the match. Little by little they increased their lead, which peaked at 18-13.
Xue and Zhang did not waste too much time before taking their first lead of the game. Austria's duo struck first, but China took a 4-3 lead and never trailed again after that.
For USA's May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings it was business as usual. They defeated Italy's duo of Marta Menegatti and Greta Cicolari 21-13, 21-13.
USA's duo never trailed in either match and ovewhelmed the Italian team.
The other U.S. team in Women's Beach Volleyball, Ross and Kessy played in closer matches as they needed a few extra games to capture the first set. Eventually, they defeated the Czech Republic's duo of Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova in two sets 25-23, 21-18.
Ross and Kessy controlled most of the first game until the Czechs took a 20-19 lead. After a timeout, Team USA defended Slukova's serve well and earned the point to tie the game. The Czechs once again took the lead 23-22, but Ross and Kessy went on a 3-point run, closing out the set.
In game two, Ross and Kessy trailed early, but took over after the first 12 games. With the game tied 6-6, the U.S.'s ladies scored six unanswered points for a 12-6 lead.
Ross and Kessy struggled to score their 17th and 18th points, allowing the Czechs to catch up. However, it was too late as Ross and Kessy closed out the match.
The last team to qualify into the Women's Beach Volleyball was the Brazilian duo of Silva and Franca. They got past Laura Ludwig and Sara Goller of Germany. Silva and Franca won in two sets 21-10, 21-19.
Game two served as the closest match between the two teams. Germany's duo ran out to a 3-0 lead. They remained stuck on four points and Brazil went on a run and took the 8-4 lead. They eventually led 16-9 and the match looked one-sided. Germany then went on a run and took a 19-18 lead. Brazil went on a 3-0 run to close out the match and move on into the semis.
