Gaffney-Turner win bronze in Klaipeda, Hughes-Kolinske finish fourth in Jurmala

Jessica Gaffney, the former Cal player, and Molly Turner, the product of Grand Canyon University, won bronze Sunday at the Volleyball World Future Klaipeda in Lithuania.

While they medaled, another USA pair came up short in Latvia as Sara Hughes and Kelley Kolinske lost in the bronze-medal match of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Jurmala Elite 16.

Gaffney, who turned 26 three weeks ago, and Turner, who will be 26 in three weeks, got their first international medals when they beat Estonia’s Heleene Hollas and Liisa Soomets 22-20, 21-19. They split 500 Euros.

In the gold-medal match, Lithuanians Erika Kliokmanaite and Monika Paulikiene beat Slovenians Tjasa Kotnik and Tajda Lovsin 21-19, 21-18.

Austrians Alexander Horst and Julian Hori won men’s gold. 

Hughes and Kolinske, who split $10,000, lost to Brazilians Duda Lisboa and Ana Patricia Silva 21-19, 21-17. Lisboa and Silva made $14,000.

The gold medal went to Canadian Olympians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan, who beat Brazilians Carolina Salgada and Barbara Seixas 21-19, 20-22, 15-7. The Canadians hauled in $30,000, while the Brazilians got $20,000.

The men’s gold went to Italians Samuele Cottafava and Paolo Nicolai, who rallied to beat Qatar Olympians Cherif Samba and Ahmed Tijan 16-21, 27-25, 15-12. Brazilians Andre Loyola and George Wanderly beat Estonians Kusti Nolvak and Mart Tiisaar for bronze 21-17, 18-21, 15-13.

Most of the top pairs are heading to Rome for the FIVB Beach World Championships that Thursday. 

The field includes USA pairs fifth-seeded Kelly Cheng and Betsi Flint, sixth-seeded Hughes and Kolinske, 17th-seeded Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon, and 18th-seeded Emily Day and Emily Stockman.

On the men’s side, Chaim Schalk and Theo Brunner are seeded 19th and the field also includes 28th-seeded Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander.

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