Arnoldt/Welsch, Valkova/Zolnercikova Score First Round Upsets in Daegu

FIVB World Tour – Daegu One-Star

• Daegu, South Korea
• July 14-16, 2017
• Schedule/Results

Korea is the center of the FIVB World Tour this weekend as the country plays host to its first tour event since 2010 with the women’s only Daegu One Star. Action got under way on Friday with six of the eight first round matches by Suseong Lake.

The final two matches, including one featuring Americans Amanda Dowdy/Irene Pollock, will be played at 1 and 2 a.m. ET Saturday.

Sixteen teams from 12 countries are in the field. New Zealand’s Shaunna Marie Polley and Kelsie Wills finished fourth at the Monaco One-Star June 18.

Polley/Wills had the closest match of the day, defeating Brazil’s Eunyce Martins Vercosa/Camila Habowski 2-0 (21-21, 24-22).

Two upsets highlighted Friday’s results. No. 14 seed Lisa Arnholdt and Leonie Welsch of Germany knocked out No. 3 seed Victoria Palmer/Jessica Grimson of England 21-15, 21-18. No. 13 seeded Katerina Valkova and Diana Zolnercikova of the Czech Republic downed No. 4 seed Lee Jinhwa and Yoon Hye-Suk of Korea 21-11, 21-11.

Wildcard entry Amanda Harnett and Kelsey Veltman of Canada also moved on (21-18, 21-19) over Rumpaipruet Numwong/Khanittha Hongpak of Thailand.

Top seeded Miki Ishii and Megumi Murakami made quick work of their first round foe, Kim Ka-Yeon and Kim Hyunji of Korea, dispatching the pair in just 28 minutes in a storm- interrupted match.

The first round wraps up on Saturday morning with Dowdy/Pollock taking on Denmark’s Cecilie Kollner Olsen and Laerke Mygind Gronfeldt and Japan’s Sayaka Mizoe/Suzuka Hashimoto facing off with tour regulars Varapatsorn Radarong/Tanarattha Udomchavee of Thailand.

The second round will begin at 5 a.m. ET.

Daegu One-Star Round 1 Results

Amanda Harnett/Kelsey Veltman (Canada) def. Rumpairpruet Numwong/Khanittha Hongpak (Thailand)  2-0 (21-19, 21-18)

Katerina Valkova/Diana Zolnercikova (Czech Republic) def.  Jinhwa Lee/ Hye-Suk Yoon(Korea) 2-0 (21-11, 21-11)

Lisa Arnholdt/Leonie Welsch (Germany) def. Victoria Palmer/Jessica Grimson (England) 2-0 (21-15, 21-18)

Julia Tilley/Alice Bain (New Zealand) def. Yael Yellin/Sofia Starikov (Israel) 2-0 (21-18, 21-16)

Miki Ishii /Megumi Murakami (Japan) def. Ka-Yeon Kim/Hyunji Kim (Korea) 2-0 (21-10, 21-9)

Shaunna Marie Polley/Kelsie Wills (New Zealand) def. Eunyce Martins Vercosa/Camila Habowski (Brazil) 2-0 (21-21, 24-22)