2017 FIVB World Tour – Monaco
· June 17-18, 2017
· Plage du Larvotto, Monaco
The first two rounds of the Main Draw of the Women’s One Star Monaco stop on the FIVB World Tour were played on Saturday, setting up semifinals action and podium matches on Sunday.
The women’s only $10,000 FIVB Monaco One-Star is the 10th women’s event on the FIVB World Tour and marks the first time a FIVB beach volleyball event has been staged in the city.
Thirty teams from 21 countries were on the entry list. Italy and Germany each boast three teams, while the United States, Slovenia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Denmark feature two apiece. Also in the field are teams from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Israel, Japan, Norway, Scotland, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Sweden and Switzerland.
There will be a new champion crowned as Germans Kim Behrens and Anni Schumacher, Greeks Panagiota Karagkouni and Konstantina Tsopoulou, New Zealanders Shaunna Marie Polley and Kelsie Wills and Brazilians Juliana Da Silva and Carol Horta advanced through to the semifinals with 2-0 marks.
Behrens/Schumacher made the final of the Shepparton One-Star in March, but fell to Canada’s Gordon/Saxton in the championship match. The duo finished fourth at the Sydney Two-Star.
The Monaco One Star marks the FIVB Tour debut for Polley/Wills, while Juliana/Carol are making their first semifinal appearance since teaming up at the beginning of the season. Horta made the semis of the Xiamen Three Star with Maria Antonelli in April.
Behrens/Schumacher played in the day’s opening match, downing the Israeli team of Sofia Starikov and Yael Yellin 2-0 (21-9, 21-9). Later in the day, they made quick work of Japan’s Azusa Futami and Akiko Hasegawa 2-0 (21-10, 21-14).
Karagkouni/Tsopoulou made their way to Sunday’s action with straight set wins over Tadva Yoken and Sigrid Simonsson of Sweden (21-11, 21-15) and Serbia’s Tijana Basic and Milena Matic (21-14, 21-15).
Polley/Wills topped Laura Giombini and Agata Zuccarelli of Italy 21-16, 19-21, 17-15 and Denmark’s Line Trans and Maria Tyndeskov 21-19, 21-17 to move on.
Juliana/Carol edged Americans Lara Dykstra and Jace Pardon 16-21, 24-22, 15-11 in the first round and made it past the French team of Margaux Carrere and Alexia Richard 21-15, 14-21, 15-9 in the second.
Sunday’s first semifinal pits Behrens/Schumacher against Karagkouni/Tsopoulou. The second features Juliana/Carol vs. Polley and Wills.
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