Claes-Sponcil, Kolinske-Stockman only Americans to advance to Gstaad playoffs

Only two American teams remain entering Friday’s FIVB Gstaad as Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil — who finally lost after winning their previous 13 FIVB matches — and Kelley Kolinske and Emily Stockman await their first-round elimination matches in the four-star pro beach volleyball tournament in Switzerland.

Both teams play at 5 a.m. Eastern. Sponcil and Claes play Finland’s Riikka Lehtonen and Niina Ahtianen, while Stockman and Kolinske face Brazil’s Ana Patricia Silva and Rebecca Cavalcanti.

Claes and Sponcil, who won the previous two FIVB events as they qualified for the Olympics, lost a tight three-set match to Brazil’s Carolina Salgado and Barbara Seixas (21-18, 28-30, 16-14) that gave the Brazilians the pool-play bye.

Kolinske and Stockman eliminated fellow Americans Corinne Quiggle and Allie Wheeler (21-18, 16-21, 15-9) to earn their playoff berth. Sara Hughes and Emily Day were knocked out by Spain’s Elsa Baquerizo and Liliana Fernandez (21-17, 14-21, 18-16).

Both USA men’s teams fell in the first round of playoffs. Chaim Schalk and Theo Brunner won their final pool over Estonia’s Kusti Nolvak and Mart Tiisaar (21-14, 21-16), but were then eliminated by Switzerland’s Adrian Heidrich and Mirco Gerson (21-12, 21-14).

Tri Bourne and Trevor Crabb lost to Germany’s Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler (21-19, 25-23).

USC beach product Tina Graudina, playing with fellow Latvian Anastasija Kravcenoka, earned a bye after defeating Australia’s Mariafe Artacho and Taliqua Clancy (21-17, 17-21, 15-12). Their second-round opponents will be the winners of Sponcil and Claes versus Lehtonen and Ahtianen.

Three other teams with NCAA roots made the first round of playoffs. UCLA alumni Megan and Nicole McNamara (Canada) advanced after defeating Greece’s Vasiliki Arvaniti and Penny Karagkouni (19-21, 21-17, 15-12). Former Nebraska indoor All-American Sarah Pavan and partner Melissa Humana-Paredes of Canada defeated the Netherlands’ Raisa Schoon and Katja Stam (13-21, 21-18, 15-11) to earn their playoff berth against Germany’s Chantal Laboureur and Cinja Tillmann. And TCU’s Daniela Alvarez and Angela Lobato of Spain play Poland’s Kinga Kojtasik and Katarzyna Kociolek after a loss to the Netherlands’ Sanne Keizer and Madelein Meppelink (21-19, 21-19).

While Claes and Sponcil played in the tournament, fellow USA Olympians Aprll Ross and Alix Klineman, Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena, and Jake Gibb and Taylor Crabb stayed home to train for the Tokyo Olympics that start in less than two weeks.

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Results courtesy of BVBinfo.com
WOMEN
Pool A
Round 1
Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (1) def. Corinne Quiggle/Allie Wheeler USA (32, Q13) 21-16, 21-11 (0:32)
Chantal Laboureur/Cinja Tillmann Germany (16) def. Kelley Kolinske/Emily Stockman USA (17) 18-21, 21-17, 15-10 (0:48)
Round 2
Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (1) def. Chantal Laboureur/Cinja Tillmann Germany (16) 18-21, 22-20, 15-12 (0:57)
Kelley Kolinske/Emily Stockman USA (17) def. Corinne Quiggle/Allie Wheeler USA (32, Q13) 21-18, 16-21, 15-9 (0:44)
Pool B
Round 1
Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (2) def. Lezana Placette/Alexia Richard France (31, Q9) 21-11, 21-14 (0:30)
Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (18) def. Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth Italy (15) 21-18, 18-21, 15-13 (0:54)
Round 2
Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (2) def. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (18) 17-21, 21-15, 15-12 (0:49)
Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth Italy (15) def. Lezana Placette/Alexia Richard France (31, Q9) 22-20, 21-16 (0:40)
Pool C
Round 1
Maria Antonelli/Talita Antunes Brazil (3) def. Emily Day/Sara Hughes USA (30) 23-25, 21-16, 22-20 (1:02)
Karla Borger/Julia Sude Germany (19) def. Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez Spain (14) 14-21, 24-22, 15-12 (0:51)
Round 2
Karla Borger/Julia Sude Germany (19) def. Maria Antonelli/Talita Antunes Brazil (3) 21-14, 21-12 (0:33)
Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez Spain (14) def. Emily Day/Sara Hughes USA (30) 21-17, 14-21, 18-16 (0:51)
Pool D
Round 1
Kelly Claes/Sarah Sponcil USA (4) def. Esmee Bobner/Zoe Verge-Depre Switzerland (29) 21-13, 21-8 (0:29)
Carolina Salgado/Barbara Seixas Brazil (13, Q1) def. Lena Plesiutschnig/Katharina Schutzenhofer Austria (20) 21-17, 21-18 (0:39)
Round 2
Carolina Salgado/Barbara Seixas Brazil (13, Q1) def. Kelly Claes/Sarah Sponcil USA (4) 21-18, 28-30, 16-14 (1:01)
Esmee Bobner/Zoe Verge-Depre Switzerland (29) def. Lena Plesiutschnig/Katharina Schutzenhofer Austria (20) 21-12, 21-16 (0:33)
Pool E
Round 1
Daniela Alvarez/Angela Lobato Spain (28, Q7) def. Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (5) 21-19, 21-19 (0:38)
Sanne Keizer/Madelein Meppelink Netherlands (12) def. Raisa Schoon/Katja Stam Netherlands (21, Q2) 18-21, 21-14, 15-13 (0:45)
Round 2
Sanne Keizer/Madelein Meppelink Netherlands (12) def. Daniela Alvarez/Angela Lobato Spain (28, Q7) 21-12, 21-16 (0:33)
Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (5) def. Raisa Schoon/Katja Stam Netherlands (21, Q2) 13-21, 21-18, 15-11 (0:46)
Pool F
Round 1
Rebecca Cavalcanti/Ana Patricia Silva Brazil (6) def. Niina Ahtiainen/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (27, Q6) 21-16, 21-14 (0:34)
Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig Germany (11) def. Kim Behrens/Sandra Ittlinger Germany (22, Q3) 22-20, 21-18 (0:40)
Round 2
Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig Germany (11) def. Rebecca Cavalcanti/Ana Patricia Silva Brazil (6) 21-18, 21-18 (0:39)
Niina Ahtiainen/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (27, Q6) def. Kim Behrens/Sandra Ittlinger Germany (22, Q3) 21-18, 20-22, 16-14 (0:56)
Pool G
Round 1
Mariafe Artacho/Taliqua Clancy Australia (7) def. Vasiliki Arvaniti/Penny Karagkouni Greece (26, Q5) 21-18, 22-24, 15-12 (0:53)
Tina Graudina/Anastasija Kravcenoka Latvia (10) def. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara Canada (23) 26-24, 21-23, 17-15 (1:02)
Round 2
Tina Graudina/Anastasija Kravcenoka Latvia (10) def. Mariafe Artacho/Taliqua Clancy Australia (7) 21-17, 17-21, 15-12 (0:48)
Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara Canada (23) def. Vasiliki Arvaniti/Penny Karagkouni Greece (26, Q5) 19-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:48)
Pool H
Round 1
Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (8) def. Katarzyna Kociolek/Kinga Wojtasik Poland (25) 21-19, 19-21, 15-10 (0:50)
Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (9) def. Ksenia Dabizha/Daria Rudykh Russia (24) 21-12, 21-19 (0:37)
Round 2
Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (9) def. Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (8) 21-16, 21-16 (0:36)
Katarzyna Kociolek/Kinga Wojtasik Poland (25) def. Ksenia Dabizha/Daria Rudykh Russia (24) 29-27, 21-23, 15-11 (0:55)

MEN
Pool A
Round 1
Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (1) def. Kristoffer Abell/Nicolai Hovmann Denmark (32, Q20) 21-11, 24-22 (0:39)
Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (16) def. Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (17) 21-19, 21-18 (0:38)
Round 2
Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (1) def. Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (16) 21-12, 21-17 (0:37)
Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (17) def. Kristoffer Abell/Nicolai Hovmann Denmark (32, Q20) 21-16, 18-21, 15-11 (0:46)
Pool B
Round 1
Cherif Samba/Ahmed Tijan Qatar (2) def. Yves Haussener/Quentin Metral Switzerland (31) 21-11, 21-14 (0:34)
Stefan Boermans/Yorick de Groot Netherlands (15) def. Nils Ehlers/Lars Fluggen Germany (18) 19-21, 21-16, 15-7 (0:48)
Round 2
Stefan Boermans/Yorick de Groot Netherlands (15) def. Cherif Samba/Ahmed Tijan Qatar (2) 20-22, 21-12, 15-11 (0:45)
Nils Ehlers/Lars Fluggen Germany (18) def. Yves Haussener/Quentin Metral Switzerland (31) 11-21, 21-17, 17-15 (0:49)
Pool C
Round 1
Evandro Goncalves/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (3) def. Mathias Berntsen/Hendrik Mol Norway (30, Q11) 21-17, 17-21, 15-12 (0:49)
Tri Bourne/Trevor Crabb USA (14) def. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (19) 21-16, 18-21, 15-9 (0:51)
Round 2
Evandro Goncalves/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (3) def. Tri Bourne/Trevor Crabb USA (14) 21-14, 19-21, 15-12 (0:49)
Mathias Berntsen/Hendrik Mol Norway (30, Q11) def. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (19) 21-18, 21-19 (0:43)
Pool D
Round 1
Nikita Liamin/Taras Myskiv Russia (29, Q8) def. Julius Thole/Clemens Wickler Germany (4) 25-23, 20-22, 15-10 (0:56)
Mirco Gerson/Adrian Heidrich Switzerland (20) def. Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg Austria (13) 21-19, 29-27 (0:51)
Round 2
Nikita Liamin/Taras Myskiv Russia (29, Q8) def. Mirco Gerson/Adrian Heidrich Switzerland (20) 21-18, 21-17 (0:37)
Julius Thole/Clemens Wickler Germany (4) def. Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg Austria (13) 21-17, 21-17 (0:38)
Pool E
Round 1
Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (5) def. Aliaksandr Dziadkou/Pavel Piatrushka Belarus (28, Q7) 21-14, 21-18 (0:29)
Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (12) def. Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Arthur da Silva Brazil (21) 21-15, 21-19 (0:36)
Round 2
Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (12) def. Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (5) 21-17, 15-21, 15-12 (0:48)
Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Arthur da Silva Brazil (21) def. Aliaksandr Dziadkou/Pavel Piatrushka Belarus (28, Q7) 25-23, 21-18 (0:41)
Pool F
Round 1
Steven van de Velde/Christiaan Varenhorst Netherlands (6) def. Theo Brunner/Chaim Schalk USA (27, Q5) 21-16, 21-13 (0:32)
Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (11) def. Kusti Nolvak/Mart Tiisaar Estonia (22) 17-21, 21-19, 15-10 (0:49)
Round 2
Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (11) def. Steven van de Velde/Christiaan Varenhorst Netherlands (6) 21-15, 21-18 (0:35)
Theo Brunner/Chaim Schalk USA (27, Q5) def. Kusti Nolvak/Mart Tiisaar Estonia (22) 21-14, 21-16 (0:31)
Pool G
Round 1
Ilya Leshukov/Konstantin Semenov Russia (7) def. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (26, Q3) 21-17, 23-21 (0:41)
Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (23) def. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (10) 21-13, 21-18 (0:36)
Round 2
Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (23) def. Ilya Leshukov/Konstantin Semenov Russia (7) 21-19, 21-19 (0:37)
Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (10) def. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (26, Q3) 28-26, 21-14 (0:37)
Pool H
Round 1
Florian Breer/Marco Krattiger Switzerland (8) def. Alexander Walkenhorst/Sven Winter Germany (25, Q2) 21-15, 19-21, 15-13 (0:50)
Robin Seidl/Philipp Waller Austria (24, Q1) def. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy Russia (9) 16-21, 21-19, 15-10 (0:54)
Round 2
Florian Breer/Marco Krattiger Switzerland (8) def. Robin Seidl/Philipp Waller Austria (24, Q1) 21-15, 21-18 (0:38)
Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy Russia (9) def. Alexander Walkenhorst/Sven Winter Germany (25, Q2) 14-21, 21-19, 22-20 (0:56)
Winners bracket
Round 1
Adrian Heidrich/Mirco Gerson Switzerland (20) def. Chaim Schalk/Theo Brunner USA (27, Q5) 21-12, 21-14 (0:33)
Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy Russia (9) def. Konstantin Semenov/Ilya Leshukov Russia (7) 21-14, 22-20 (0:35)
Cherif Samba/Ahmed Tijan Qatar (2) def. Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Arthur da Silva Brazil (21) 21-18, 21-19 (0:40)
Robin Seidl/Philipp Waller Austria (24, Q1) def. Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (17) 21-18, 21-17 (0:35)
Mathias Berntsen/Hendrik Mol Norway (30, Q11) def. Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (16) 18-21, 21-18, 17-15 (0:53)
Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (5) def. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (10) 14-21, 21-19, 15-12 (0:55)
Nils Ehlers/Lars Fluggen Germany (18) def. Christiaan Varenhorst/Steven van de Velde Netherlands (6) 21-16, 22-20 (0:39)
Julius Thole/Clemens Wickler Germany (4) def. Tri Bourne/Trevor Crabb USA (14) 21-19, 25-23 (0:45)

VBM Staff