Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta and Larissa Franca captured their 42nd gold medal on Sunday at the FIVB Swatch World Tour HP Beach Open.
The world champions beat USA’s Misty May-Treanor and Stanford grad Kerri Walsh in straight sets, 21-17 21-15, in 33 minutes. It was their second gold medal in The Hague after winning in 2009. Last year’s winners Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes took the bronze medal by beating China’s Chen Xue and Xi Zhang.
It was the fourth time the two rival teams from Brazil and USA met each other in a final this season and the third time Brazil won.
May-Treanor and Walsh captured the gold in Moscow in July, after losing in Brasilia and in Rome, in the World Championship final. In the head-to-head results the two-time Olympic champions from USA have a 12-8 advantage.
May-Treanor and Walsh took a lead in the first set, but gave it away at 17-17. Brazil scored four points in a row to win the set at 21-17.
In the second the Americans could hang on till 8-8 but had no answer to the consistent play of the Brazilians.
“I really do not know what I am most disappointed about, giving away the lead in the first set or being blown away in the second,” Walsh said. “But I am looking forward to next year, so we can work hard on playing together and finding our rhythm.”
Boys’ volleyball
The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team lost to Brazil, 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16, Saturday evening in the classification 9-12 semifinals of the FIVB Volleyball Boys’ Youth World Championship being played in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“It was exciting from both sides, but Brazil was better,” U.S. coach (and Stanford assistant) Ken Shibuya said. “Caldwell was very tired, so I replaced him with Petty, who had his best match today. I’m also proud of Matthew (Tarantino), who asked me to continue playing even though he was injured on his shoulder.”
Menlo Park native James Shaw, son of former Stanford volleyball coach Don Shaw, was the starting setter for the Americans.
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports