Americans Ross/Fendrick Score Upset Win, One of Eight Pool Titles

2017 FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – VIENNA

• July 28 to August 6
• Vienna Centre Court, Vienna, Austria
• Co-ed
• Championships
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Eight pairs secured pool titles and favored placings in the round of 32, while five teams pulled off upsets, and three Top 12 teams went down on Day 4 of the FIVB Beach World Championships.

Two of the eight pool winners did so via upset, although slight ones. Americans April Ross and Lauren Fendrick, the No. 14 seed, upset No. 11 seeded Louise Bawden/Teliqua Clancy from Australia, to take Pool K. The No. 13 seeded team of Kristyna Kolocova and Michala Kvapilova of the Czech Republic scored a slight upset of No. 12 Stefanie Schwaiger/Katharina Schutzenhofer at 31-29, 13-21, 15-7 to win Pool L.

Pool Winners

Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst (Germany) – Pool D

Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (Czech Republic) – Pool F

Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan (Canada) – Pool G

Taiana Lima/Eliza Maia (Brazil) – Pool H

Maria Antonelli/Carolina Salgado (Brazil) – Pool I

Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli (Switzerland) – Pool J

Lauren Fendrick/April Ross (USA) – Pool K

Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova (Czech Republic) – Pool L

Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre played the role of spoiler, taking out No. 8 seed Barbara Seixas/Fernanda Alves of Brazil with a 23-21, 21-19 win, knocking the team out of the top two spots in pool H. The Brazilians did however gain entry into the Round of 32 as one of the four best third place teams.

Top 12 Results – Monday

#4 Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst (Germany) def. Karla Borger/Margareta Kozuch (Germany) 21-19, 21-18

#6 Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (Czech Republic) def. Riikka Lehtonen/Taru Lahti (Finland) 21-8, 21-17

#7 Sarah Pavan/Melissa Humana-Paredes (Canada) def. Yue Yuan/Wang Fan (China) 21-16, 21-13

Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre (Switzerland) def. #8 Barbara/Fernanda (Brazil)23-21, 21-19

#9 Maria Antonelli/Carolina Salgado (Brazil) def. Sarah Hughes/Kelly Claes (USA) 18-21, 21-16, 15-8

#10 Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli (Switzerland) vs. Brandie Wilkerson/Heather Bansley (Canada) 21-17, 21-19

April Ross/Lauren Fendrick (USA) def. #11 Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy (Australia) 21-16, 21-13

Kolocova/Kvapilova (Czech Republic) def. #12 Stefanie Schwaiger/Katharina Schutzenhofer 31-29, 13-21, 15-7

Four matches went the distance, with two ending in upsets: the Kolocova/Kvapilova win as well as one by Dutch team Manon Nummerdor Flier and Marleen van Iersel. Flier/van Iersel topped Italians Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry 21-18, 22-24, 15-12.

Teams play each other team in their pool once. The top two teams in each of the 12 pools automatically advance to the round of 32 elimination stage. The four best 3rd-place teams (as determined by the heirarchy below) also get a free pass to the round of 32. The other eight 3rd-place teams play in “lucky losers” matches, with the winners earning spots in the 32-team bracket.

Pool Standings:

1. Wins
2. Sets Ratio (Sets won/Sets lost)
3. Points Ratio (Points won/Points lost)