 Stavanger, Norway, July 3, 2009 - Teams from Beach Volleyball powers Brazil and United States will vie for the women's medals at the 2009 SWATCH FIVB World Championships presented by ConocoPhillips as the Beach Volleyball tandems won a pair of matches each here Friday on the Vaagen Harbour courts.
Competing in mid-day semi-finals Saturday will be four of the top five-seeded teams in the competition with the first match featuring Americans Jen Kessy/April Ross against Brazilians Shelda Bede/Ana Paula Connelly. The second "final four" match will be an All-Brazilian affair between Talita Antunes/Maria Antonelli and Juliana Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca.
The USA-Brazil semi-final confrontation was established when the fifth-seeded Shelda and Ana Paula scored a 17-21, 22-20 and 15-12 win in 63 minutes over the fourth-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youungs of the United States while top-seeded Kessy and Ross ousted sixth-seeded compatriots Angie Akers and Tyra Turner 17-21, 21-12 and 15-9 in 51 minutes.
The All-Brazilian semi-final was set when second-seeded Talita Antunes and Maria Antonelli scored a 21-17 and 21-16 win in 42 minutes over the 12th-seeded Austrian Schwaiger sisters (Doris and Stefanie) while the third-seeded Juliana and Larissa posted a 21-13 and 21-16 win in 35 minutes over 14th-seeded Sanne Keizer and Marleen Van Iersel of The Netherlands.
Kessy and Ross advanced to the quarter-finals with a 21-11 and 21-12 victory in 32 minutes 20th-seeded Maria Tsiartsiani and Vassiliki Arvanti of Greece.
Shelda and Ana Paula opened play Friday with a a 22-20 and 21-16 win in 48 minutes over 15th-seeded Ying Haung and Xi Zhang of China.
Juliana and Larissa defeated 23rd-seeded Chen Xue and Ying Zhang of China 21-18 and 21-17 in their opening match Friday in 40 minutes. Juliana and Larissa have won twice on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour this season with titles in Brazil and Japan.
Talita and Antonelli started play Friday with 21-15 and 21-15 victory in 38 minutes over 17th-seeded Liesbeth Mouha and Liesbet Van Breedam of Belgium. |