Volleyball World Tlaxcala Challenge: Quiggle-Schermerhorn lone Americans to survive qualifier

Five USA women’s teams and one men’s are left after the qualifier Wednesday in the first tournament of the season, the Volleyball World Pro Beach Tour Tlaxcala Challenge in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

And two of those USA women’s pairs face each right off in pool play Thursday when the new team of top-seeded Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon play Corinne Quiggle and Sara Schermerhorn. Quiggle and Schermerhorn, now seeded 24th, won both their matches Thursday, twice beating teams from Japan. They were one of eight pairs to survive the qualifier.

Also in action Thursday are third-seeded April Ross and Emily Day, who are in the same pool with 10th-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Emily Stockman. The other Americans are ninth-seeded Sara Hughes and Kelley Kolinske.

The lone USA men’s pair remaining is 11th-seeded Theo Brunner and Chaim Schalk.

The qualifier was tough on Americans. The new teams of Nick Lucena and Andy Benesh, Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander, Travis Mewhirter and Timothy Brewster all lost in the second round, and Chase Budinger and Troy Field also got knocked out in the second round. Americans Miles Evans and Logan Webber were eliminated in the first round.

And from the be-careful-who-you-interview department: Earlier this week, on SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, their guests were Canadians Sam Schacter and Dan Dearing. They beat Mewhirter and Brewster 21-13, 21-14 to get into pool play.

The other USA women eliminated Wednesday were Melissa Powell and Jade Race, Kim Hildreth and Allie Wheeler, and Jessica Gaffney and Molly Turner. Among those surviving the qualifier were the McNamara twins, Nicole and Megan, the Canadians who played at UCLA.

All of Wednesday’s results and Thursday’s schedule follow, courtesy of  BVBinfo.com:

MEN
Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Vitor Felipe/Renato Lima Brazil (12, Q1) def. Cody Caldwell/Adam Roberts  USA (Q32) 21-10, 21-16 (0:33)
Arthur da Silva/Adrielson Dos Santos Brazil (Q17) def. Ardis Bedritis/Arturs Rinkevics Latvia (Q16) 26-24, 21-18
(0:41)
Andy Benesh/Nick Lucena  USA (Q9) def. Hugo Campos/Joao Pedrosa Portugal (Q24) 21-14, 21-18 (0:38)
Paul Burnett/Christopher McHugh Australia (18, Q8) def. Milosz Kruk/Mikolaj Miszczuk Poland (Q25) 19-21, 21-19, 15-9 (0:53)
Saymon Barbosa/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (17, Q5) def. Rene Giralt/Alejandro Huerta Spain (Q28) 21-18, 23-21 (0:42)
Taylor Crabb/Taylor Sander  USA (Q12) def. Kristians Fokertos/Edgars Tocs Latvia (Q21) 28-26, 21-17 (0:41)
Noe Aravena/Vicente Dorguett Chile (21, Q13) def. Mateusz Florczyk/Jakub Szalankiewicz Poland (Q20) 21-16, 21-11 (0:33)
Nicolas Capogrosso/Tomas Capogrosso Argentina (Q4) def. Miles Evans/Logan Webber  USA (Q29) 21-19, 13-21, 15-13 (0:45)
Chase Budinger/Troy Field  USA (Q3) def. Jose Cardenas/Juan Espinoza Mexico (Q30) 21-18, 21-17 (0:35)
Leon Luini/Ruben Penninga Netherlands (23, Q19) def. Yves Haussener/Quentin Metral Switzerland (Q14) 15-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:48)
Leo Dillier/Adrian Heidrich Switzerland (Q11) def. Joaquin Bello/Luis Javier Bello England (Q22) 23-21, 22-20 (0:46)
Matthew Immers/Mart van Werkhoven Netherlands (24, Q27) def. Lukas Pfretzschner/Robin Sowa Germany (Q6) 21-18, 14-21, 15-7 (0:46)
Pawel Lewandowski/Jakub Zdybek Poland (Q26) def. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (Q7) 21-16, 21-19 (0:37)
Arthur Mariano/Pedro Solberg Brazil (19, Q10) def. Tomas Semerad/Jakub Sepka Czech Republic (Q23) 21-17, 21-14 (0:36)
Daniel Dearing/Sam Schachter Canada (22, Q18) def. Gianluca Dal Corso/Jakob Windisch Italy (Q15) 21-15, 21-18 (0:35)
Timothy Brewster/Travis Mewhirter  USA (Q31) def. Kristoffer Abell/Jacob Brinck Denmark (Q2) 21-19, 21-18 (0:40)
Round 2
Vitor Felipe/Renato Lima Brazil (12, Q1) def. Arthur da Silva/Adrielson Dos Santos Brazil (Q17) 21-14, 21-18 (0:38)
Paul Burnett/Christopher McHugh Australia (18, Q8) def. Andy Benesh/Nick Lucena  USA (Q9) 27-25, 21-15 (0:39)
Saymon Barbosa/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (17, Q5) def. Taylor Crabb/Taylor Sander  USA (Q12) 23-25, 29-27, 15-12 (1:06)
Noe Aravena/Vicente Dorguett Chile (21, Q13) def. Nicolas Capogrosso/Tomas Capogrosso Argentina (Q4) 21-17, 21-18 (0:43)
Leon Luini/Ruben Penninga Netherlands (23, Q19) def. Chase Budinger/Troy Field  USA (Q3) 21-12, 21-14 (0:31)
Matthew Immers/Mart van Werkhoven Netherlands (24, Q27) def. Leo Dillier/Adrian Heidrich Switzerland (Q11) 21-14, 21-19 (0:34)
Arthur Mariano/Pedro Solberg Brazil (19, Q10) def. Pawel Lewandowski/Jakub Zdybek Poland (Q26) 16-21, 21-16, 15-13 (0:54)
Daniel Dearing/Sam Schachter Canada (22, Q18) def. Timothy Brewster/Travis Mewhirter  USA (Q31) 21-13, 21-14 (0:40)
Pool A
Round 1
Stefan Boermans/Yorick de Groot Netherlands (1) vs. Matthew Immers/Mart van Werkhoven Netherlands (24, Q27)  
Vitor Felipe/Renato Lima Brazil (12, Q1) vs. Grant O’Gorman/Ben Saxton Canada (13)
Pool B
Round 1
Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (2) vs. Leon Luini/Ruben Penninga Netherlands (23, Q19)  
Theo Brunner/Chaim Schalk  USA (11) vs. Samuele Cottafava/Paolo Nicolai Italy (14)
Pool C
Round 1
Michal Bryl/Bartosz Losiak Poland (3) vs. Daniel Dearing/Sam Schachter Canada (22, Q18)  
Daniele Lupo/Alex Ranghieri Italy (10) vs. David Ahman/Jonatan Hellvig Sweden (15)
Pool D
Round 1
Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (4) vs. Noe Aravena/Vicente Dorguett Chile (21, Q13)  
Christoph Dressler/Alexander Huber Austria (9) vs. Kusti Nolvak/Mart Tiisaar Estonia (16)
Pool E
Round 1
Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Alison Cerutti Brazil (5) vs. Miguel Sarabia/Juan Virgen Mexico (20)  
Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (8) vs. Saymon Barbosa/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (17, Q5)
Pool F
Round 1
Josue Gaxiola/Jose Rubio Mexico (6) vs. Arthur Mariano/Pedro Solberg Brazil (19, Q10)  
Florian Breer/Marco Krattiger Switzerland (7) vs. Paul Burnett/Christopher McHugh Australia (18, Q8)

WOMEN
Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Sofia Gonzalez/Paula Soria Spain (Q16) def. Valentina Gottardi/Marta Menegatti Italy (Q17) 19-21, 23-21, 15-12 (1:05)
Sophie Bukovec/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (Q9) def. Menia Bentele/Anna Lutz Switzerland (Q24) 24-22, 21-14 (0:39)
Chantal Laboureur/Sarah Schulz Germany (23, Q8) def. Varvara Brailko/Deniela Konstantinova Latvia (Q25) 21-11, 21-8 (0:26)
Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara Canada (20, Q5) def. Melissa Powell/Jade Race  USA (Q28) 21-11, 21-10 (0:28)
Katarzyna Kociolek/Melania Marcinowska Poland (Q12) def. Kimberly Hildreth/Allie Wheeler  USA (Q21) 21-15, 21-18 (0:34)
Corinne Quiggle/Sarah Schermerhorn  USA (24, Q13) def. Sakurako Fujii/Megumi Murakami Japan (Q20) 21-9, 21-18 (0:35)
Akiko Hasegawa/Yurika Sakaguchi Japan (Q4) def. Jessica Grimson/Daisy Mumby England (Q29) 21-15, 21-13 (0:35)
Svenja Muller/Cinja Tillmann Germany (19, Q3) def. Jessica Gaffney/Molly Turner  USA (Q30) 21-18, 21-18 (0:41)
Reka Orsi Toth/Viktoria Orsi Toth Italy (Q19) def. Niina Ahtiainen/Anniina Parkkinen Finland (Q14) 21-17, 21-18 (0:36)
Lezana Placette/Alexia Richard France (Q11) def. Emma Piersma/Mexime van Driel Netherlands (Q22) 19-21, 21-17, 15-10 (0:52)
Esmee Bobner/Zoe Verge-Depre Switzerland (21, Q6) def. Suzuka Hashimoto/Reika Murakami Japan (Q27) 21-19, 21-10 (0:38)
Maria Carro/Angela Lobato Spain (22, Q7) def. Atenas Gutierrez/Maria Ibarra Mexico (Q26) 21-10, 21-15 (0:33)
Emi van Driel/Pleun Ypma Netherlands (Q10) def. Mara Betschart/Shana Zobrist Switzerland (Q23) 18-21, 21-18, 15-8 (0:51)
Phoebe Bell/Nicole Laird Australia (Q18) def. Takemi Nishibori/Asami Shiba Japan (Q15) 13-21, 21-17, 15-7 (0:46)
Round 2
Francisca Rivas/Chris Vorpahl Chile (17, Q1) def. Sofia Gonzalez/Paula Soria Spain (Q16) 19-21, 24-22, 15-9 (0:55)
Chantal Laboureur/Sarah Schulz Germany (23, Q8) def. Sophie Bukovec/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (Q9) 21-15, 21-19 (0:38)
Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara Canada (20, Q5) def. Katarzyna Kociolek/Melania Marcinowska Poland (Q12) 21-11, 21-11 (0:29)
Corinne Quiggle/Sarah Schermerhorn  USA (24, Q13) def. Akiko Hasegawa/Yurika Sakaguchi Japan (Q4) 21-14, 21-17 (0:33)
Svenja Muller/Cinja Tillmann Germany (19, Q3) def. Reka Orsi Toth/Viktoria Orsi Toth Italy (Q19) 21-15, 21-10 (0:30)
Esmee Bobner/Zoe Verge-Depre Switzerland (21, Q6) def. Lezana Placette/Alexia Richard France (Q11) 23-21, 23-21 (0:46)
Maria Carro/Angela Lobato Spain (22, Q7) def. Emi van Driel/Pleun Ypma Netherlands (Q10) 15-21, 21-15, 15-11 (0:48)
Barbora Hermannova/Marie-Sara Stochlova Czech Republic (18, Q2) def. Phoebe Bell/Nicole Laird Australia (Q18) 21-10, 21-16 (0:31)
Pool A
Round 1
Terese Cannon/Sarah Sponcil  USA (1) vs. Corinne Quiggle/Sarah Schermerhorn  USA (24, Q13)  
Victoria Lopes/Taina Silva Brazil (12) vs. Hegeile Almeida/Taiana Lima Brazil (13)
Pool B
Round 1
Carolina Salgado/Barbara Seixas Brazil (2) vs. Chantal Laboureur/Sarah Schulz Germany (23, Q8)  
Thamela Coradelli/Elize Maia Brazil (11) vs. Lidiannis Echeverria/Leila Martinez Cuba (14)
Pool C
Round 1
Emily Day/April Ross  USA (3) vs. Maria Carro/Angela Lobato Spain (22, Q7)  
Lauren Fendrick/Emily Stockman  USA (10) vs. Miki Ishii/Sayaka Mizoe Japan (15)
Pool D
Round 1
Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (4) vs. Esmee Bobner/Zoe Verge-Depre Switzerland (21, Q6)  
Sara Hughes/Kelley Kolinske  USA (9) vs. Lena Plesiutschnig/Katharina Schutzenhofer Austria (16)
Pool E
Round 1
Raisa Schoon/Katja Stam Netherlands (5) vs. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara Canada (20, Q5)  
Andressa Cavalcanti/Vitoria De Souza Brazil (8) vs. Francisca Rivas/Chris Vorpahl Chile (17, Q1)
Pool F
Round 1
Abril Flores/Maria Quintero Mexico (6) vs. Svenja Muller/Cinja Tillmann Germany (19, Q3)  
Karla Borger/Julia Sude Germany (7) vs. Barbora Hermannova/Marie-Sara Stochlova Czech Republic (18, Q2)

PLEASE JOIN THE TEAM!
Keep free volleyball journalism free by becoming a VolleyballMag.com Sustaining Member:  https://volleyballmag.com/sustaining-membership/  
Or make a contribution through Venmo @VolleyballMag 

VBM Staff