Walsh Jennings/Branagh, Behlen/Schneider Among Espinho Pool Winners

  0 Wendy Mayer | July 05th, 2018 | FIVB World Tour, News, Pro Beach

Espinho Four Star

While the men finished up qualifying action, the women got rolling in the main draw with 32 pool play matches, crowning eight champions.

German qualifiers Anna Behlen/Sarah Schneider carried on their success in the main draw, winning both of their matches in Pool H en route to the title. The duo topped Americans Brittany Hochevar/Kelly Claes (21-18, 23-21) and Portugal’s Gabriela Coelho/Vanessa Paquette (24-22, 21-17).

The rest of the eight qualifiers dropped their opening round match. Poland’s Jagoda Gruszczynska/Aleksandra Wachowicz, Spain’s Angela Lobato/Amaranta Navarro and Brazil’s Ana Patricia Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti Barbosa Silva rebounded with second round wins to move on to Friday

Joining Behlen/Schneider as pool play winners were:

  • Pool A: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan (Canada)
  • Pool B: Anastasija Kravcenoka/Tina Graudina (Latvia)
  • Pool C: Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson (Canada)
  • Pool D: Maria Antonelli/Carol Solberg Salgado (Brazil)
  • Pool E: Taliqua Clancy/Mariafe Artacho del Solar (Australia)
  • Pool F: Kerri Walsh Jennings/Nicole Branagh (USA)
  • Pool G: Taiana Lima/Carol Horta (Brazil)

Ten of the 32 matches went to tiebreak with Japan’s Megumi Murakami/Miki Ishii participating in two of those. First, the Japanese pair bested Germany’s Kim Behrens/Sandra Ittlinger (21-15, 16-21, 15-12). The duo then lost to Taiana Lima/Carol Horta 22-20, 23-25, 15-8).

Four of the pool title matches went the distance with Latvia’s Kravcenoka/Graudina, Clancy/Artacho del Solar and Walsh Jennings/Branagh joining Taiana Lima/Carol Horta with tiebreak wins to seal their dominance.

Walsh Jennings/Branagh won an all-American pool title match in Pool F, besting No. 6 seed Sara Hughes/Summer Ross 21-19, 19-21, 15-11.

Also missing out on pool titles among the Top 8 seeds were No. 2 Barbara Seixas De Freitas/Fernanda Alves (Brazil) and No. 8 Coelho/Paquete (Portugal).

Nicole Branagh – Kerri Walsh Jennings – Espinho Four Star – pool play

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About Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer has worked in athletics media relations for the last 20 years. The Northwest Missouri State alumna is currently senior writer for Volleymob.com after spending the last 15 years with Purdue athletics.

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