Kelly Cheng, Sara Hughes dominate Olympic opener
In fact it ended the way in which it did.
Eight occasions did the ball go over the web within the ultimate rally of Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes’ opening match of Olympic pool play towards the Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova and Marie-Sara Stochlova. It was a rally that included two excessive traces, one failed try at a pretend set assault (Cheng), one failed over-on-one (Hermannova), a heroic dig from Hermannova that had Olympic Broadcasting Providers announcer Clayton Lucas exclaim “Oh sure! Magnificent!” and, to cap it off, an over-on-one tomahawk kill into the deep angle from Cheng to clinch each the match and probably the most electrifying level of those younger Olympic Video games.
“Goodness me!” Lucas stated. “What a technique to finish the match! And the USA have accomplished it in fashion!”
Certainly they’ve. Cheng and Hughes’ 21-16, 21-11 win was the second-most lopsided of the day’s slate of 10 matches. Was it a flawless efficiency? No, not solely. Simply as Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth’s opening win over Sophie Bukovec and Heather Bansley was, as Nuss defined, not the perfect volleyball, Cheng and Hughes had been nervy within the opening set.
Then once more: How might they not be?
Eiffel Tower Stadium is being regarded by almost each participant within the subject as probably the most iconic venue they’ve performed. The phrase electrical is rapidly turning into ubiquitous. Add onto that the truth that that is Hughes’ debut match of her debut Olympic Video games, an accomplishment she has had designs on since she was an 8-year-old watching Misty Might-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings apply on the Huntington Seaside Pier, and it could be unusual if no nerves had been concerned.
However these nerves rapidly gave technique to the World Championship-winning type that locked Cheng and Hughes into these Olympic Video games final October. A 9-8 lead within the second set turned a 12-3 run faster than a hiccup. Cheng was blocking, Hughes digging, Cheng optioning, Hughes carving, and the Czech Republic was left with out solutions, although the scores bely simply how scrappy they performed on Sunday night in Paris.
The win, and the lopsided method during which it was taken, bode nicely for Cheng and Hughes. Alongside Germany’s Svenja Muller and Cinja Tillmann, who swept France’s Aline Chamereau and Clemence Vieira (21-14, 21-12), they’re now 1-0 in Pool C with a superb differential ought to they want it to flee the fortunate loser rounds come playoff time. Cheng and Hughes will meet France on July 31, and a win will basically assure them one of many prime two spots in Pool C.
Outcomes from Sunday’s Olympic Seaside Volleyball
Lili Fernandez, Paula Soria (Spain) defeat Marta Menegatti, Valentina Gottardi (Italy) 24-22, 9-21, 16-14
Adrian Carambula, Alex Ranghieri (Italy) defeat Steven van de Velde, Matthew Immers (Netherlands) 22-20, 19-21, 15-13
Carol, Barbara (Brazil) defeat Akiko Hasegawa, Miki Ishii (Japan) 21-12, 21-19
Svenja Muller, Cinja Tillmann (Germany) defeat Aline Chamereau, Clemence Vieira (France) 21-14-21-12
Katja Stam, Raisa Schoon (Netherlands) defeat Monika Paulikiene, Aine Raupelyte (Lithuania) 21-19, 21-17
Ana Patricia, Duda (Brazil) defeat Marwa, Elghobashy (Egypt) 21-14, 21-19
Ondrej Perusic, David Schweiner (Czech Republic) defeat Sam Schachter, Dan Dearing (Canada) 21-17, 21-19
Evandro, Arthur (Brazil) defeat Julian Horl, Alex Horst (Austria) 21-18, 21-19
Anders Mol, Christian Sorum (Norway) defeat Marco Grimalt, Esteban Grimalt (Chile) 21-14, 21-16
Monday’s Olympic Seaside Volleyball Schedule
One other USA workforce makes its debut in Chase Budinger and Miles Evans, who play France’s Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Youssef Krou at 7 a.m. Pacific, 10 a.m. Japanese.
Additionally in motion are Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth, who’re 1-0 in pool play, and former USC star Tina Graudina and her Latvian accomplice, Anastasija Samoilova.
9 a.m. — Sam Cottafava, Paolo Nicolai (Italy) vs. Mark Nicolaidis, Izac Carracher (Australia)
10 a.m. — Stefan Boermans, Yorick de Groot (Netherlands) vs. Adrian Gavira, Pablo Herrera (Spain)
11 a.m. — Chen Xue, Xinyi Xia (China) vs. Sophie Bukovec, Heather Bansley (Canada)
Midday — Nina Brunner, Tanja Huberli (Switzerland) vs. Daniela Alvarez, Tania Moreno (Spain)
3 p.m. — Melissa Humana-Paredes, Brandie Wilkerson (Canada) vs. Poletti, Michelle (Paraguay)
4 p.m. — Youssef Krou, Arnaud Gauthier-Rat (France) vs. Chase Budinger, Miles Evans (USA)
5 p.m. – Tina Graudina, Anastasija Samoilova (Latvia) vs. Esmee Bobner, Zoe Verge-Depre (Switzerland)
8 p.m. — David Ahman, Jonatan Hellvig (Sweden) vs. Cherif Younousse, Ahmed Tijan (Qatar)
9 p.m. — Lezana Placette, Alexia Richard (France) vs. Laura Ludwig, Louisa Lippmann (Germany)
10 p.m. — Kristen Nuss, Taryn Kloth (USA) vs. Mariafe Artacho, Taliqua Clancy (Australia)
