Catching Action on the Sandy Court
A riveting game ended earlier on Wednesday in Women's beach volleyball for bronze medal that was sure to get your heart pulling for the to be reckoned with team of China against a notorious Brazilian squad. Xue Chen and Zhang Xi, 23 and 27 respectively have been playing partners since 2006, where they've toured the international competitions with impressive results taking bronze in the Beijing Olympics. Juliana Silva of Brazil who disappointingly was unable to complete in Beijing four years ago due to suffering a knee injury before the games had committed to recovery and a return in seek of a medal with her playing partner Larrisa Franca. The team has been playing together for each major world tour event since 2004 except when back up Ana Paula filled in for Silva in the last Olympics for a Brazilian fifth place finish. With China having made impressive stops across the Swatch World Tour last season taking top finishes in two of the 12 events and winning the last tournament of the season in Thailand, they were poised to come into London with a hunger for recognition as a top finisher. Brazil is a top contender though. In last season's World Tour they placed first in 6 of the 12 tournaments competed.
However the matches that took place at this years Olympics showed a talented Chinese pair who battled each point and seemed to dictate the flow of the game not only against Brazil in the Bronze game but also in the quarterfinals against USA's Misty Mae Traenor and Kerri Jennings. In yesterday's quarterfinal, the Chinese showed resilience in several point saving battles by getting into the sand on defense and setting up volleys at the net to earn numerous spikes. The first set just barely went in favor of Traenor and Jennings as the score was tied 20-20 and either team needing to win by two. Kerri Jennings was at the net to block a power shot by Xue that gave the US a point advantage and the first set was captured after China spiked it into the net. Next set was equally as intense, consisting of some great plays by both teams and some incredible digs by the Chinese star Xue Chen to get a turnaround that kept things evenly matched throughout. With the US behind by one point, Traenor had a athletic fetch in the back court to one hand it back up to the net and set up a short drop by Walsh to tie it at 19-19. At 20-20, a great rally with impressive in the sand gets led to an eventual volley by Misty Traenor to send it to the uncovered backcourt that set up match point for the US team. On the final point, a play at the net was just too much for China as Xue Chen had a strong overhand into the face of Jennings who blocked it to secure USA's entry into the Gold medal game.
So could a repeat bronze be in store for China? It was to be seen with their matchup aginst Brazil and an evenness that was sure to produce excitement. The Chinese got off to an incredible start by taking first set 21-11, proving their dominance as a leading competitor. Bringing the second set into a much closer contest, the Brazilians kept up on clinch points to position the score at 19-17 in favor of China. But then in several uncharacteristic mistakes by Xue Chen such as a long ball retrieval that was hit out of bounds made it 19-18. Then a missed opportunity in the sand to let the lead slip to a 19-19 tie. Two points later, Brazil's Juliana Silva dug a downward blast to set up a play at the net that found its way in undefended territory on the other side to even the match at one set a piece. The third set was just too little too late for China as they pulled behind at the start and despite a series of points to stay in it at the end, couldn't out point Juliana Silva and Larrissa Franca who took home the bronze.
Highlights of this matchup can be viewed here..
So a disheartening series of losses for China's women's beach volleyball team. With the youth of Xue Chen though, it's certain that she will be creating attention for herself in the years to come on the International tour and again likely in Olympic match ups four years from now when the games will be held in Rio de Jenario, Brazil.
The gold medal game played an hour later was an America glory match of Misty Traenor and Kerri Jennings versus Jennifer Kessy and April Ross. The play in game for Kessy and Ross against the bronze medal Brazilian squad was a brilliant match up that they won with a score of two sets to one. But today going up against the '04 and '08 USA counterparts would prove to be too much to handle. Traenor and Jennings slipped away in both games to win 21-16, 21-16. They celebrated with a victory lap and singing of the star spangled banner at the attractive makeshift sand court at Horse Guards Parade, across St James Park from Buckingham Palace. An impressive showing of Olympic Glory between the countries that had a lot to offer in the fast paced, captivating beach volleyball. The mens team gold medal game will be held Thursday evening between Brazil and Germany.