FIVB Gstaad: Hughes-Claes go 2-0, KWJ-Branagh 0-2

Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh went 0-2 as pool play began Wednesday at FIVB Gstaad. While the elder stateswomen struggled in the five-star event in Croatia, the young kid went 2-0 as Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes won both their matches.

The results for the American men were mixed as they had just one round of pool play.

Claes and Hughes defeated Spain’s Elsa Baquerizo and Amaranto Navarro 22-20, 23-21 as well as Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta and Carolina Horta 21-14, 21-19. Americans Lauren Fendrick and April Ross split their matches, defeating countrywomen Kim DiCello and Emily Stockman 21-19, 21-19, while falling to Ekaterina Birlova and Nadezda Makroguzova of Russia 21-17, 21-19.

Americans Summer Ross and Brooke Sweat were upset by both Kristina May and Taylor Pischke of Canada 21-14, 21-19 and Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy of Australia 29-27, 11-21, 17-15. Ross and Sweat will need to defeat Julie Gordon and Camille Saxton of Canada tomorrow to advance. The teams have never played.

After two rounds, four women’s Brazilian pairs were unbeaten, Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca, Agatha Bednarczuk and Eduarda Lisboa, Fernanda Alves and Barbara Seixas, and Taiana Lima and Elize Maia. Three Canadian teams were 2-0, Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes, Heather Bansley and Brandie Wilkerson and May and Pischke. Also 2-0 are the Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova and Marketa Slukova, Germany’s Chantal Laboreur and Julia Sude, and Switzerland’s Joana Heidrick and Anouk Verge-Depre.

Walsh Jennings and Branagh had two three-set losses, to Alves and Seixas 21-18, 21-23, 15-11 and Heidrich and Verge-Depre 21-19, 22-24, 15-12. Walsh Jennings and Branagh must defeat Jolien Sinnema and Joy Stubbe of the Netherlands to advance to the elimination rounds. The two teams have never played previously.

DiCello and Stockman also finished 0-2 after their loss to Laboreur and Sude 21-17, 21-12. It puts DiCello and Stockman in a must-win situation against Russians Ekaterina Birlova and Nadezda  Makroguzova Thursday. The squads have never faced each other.

On the men’s side, it was largely business as usual, but there were a few upsets Wednesday as No. 19 Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst of Austria defeated No. 14 Theo Brunner and Casey Patterson of the USA 21-16, 21-16.

In other USA results, Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena defeated Trevor Crabb and Sean Rosenthal 21-16, 21-16. Taylor Crabb and Jake Gibb defeated Esteban and Marco Grimalt of Chile 21-15, 21-16.

Americans Ryan Doherty and John Hyden of the USA were defeated by Poland’s Michal Bryl and Grzegorz Fijalek 18-21, 21-13, 15-10.

Among the results from Wednesday, No. 13 Jefferson Santos and Cherif Younousse of Qatar upended Daniele Lupo and Paolo Nicolai of Italy 13-21, 21-13, 23-21, qualifiers and No. 21 seeds Ander Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway defeated No. 12 Oleg Stoyanovskiy and Artem Yarzutkin of Russia 21-12, 21-17, qualifiers and No. 26 Dries Koekelkoren and Tom van Walle of Belgium defeated No. 7 Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Nikita Liaman 21-19, 21-19, and No. 25 Nivaldo Diaz and Sergio Gonzalez of Cuba defeated No. 8 Nico Beeler and Marco Krattiger of Switzerland 21-17, 21-19.

Wednesday’s women’s results
Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (1) def. Inna Makhno/Iryna Makhno Ukraine (32, Q21) 18-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:42)
Match 2: Taiana Lima/Elize Maia Brazil (17, Q1) def. Taru Lahti/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (16) 21-14, 20-22, 17-15 (0:53)
Round 2
Match 17: Taiana Lima/Elize Maia Brazil (17, Q1) def. Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (1) 15-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:46)
Match 18: Taru Lahti/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (16) vs. Inna Makhno/Iryna Makhno Ukraine (32, Q21)
Pool B
Round 1
Match 3: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca Brazil (2) def. Laura Caluori/Elena Steinemann Switzerland (31) 21-17, 21-16 (0:30)
Match 4: Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel Netherlands (18) def. Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (15) 21-19, 24-22 (0:37)
Round 2
Match 19: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca Brazil (2) def. Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel Netherlands (18) 16-21, 21-12, 15-11 (0:35)
Match 20: Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (15) def. Laura Caluori/Elena Steinemann Switzerland (31) 21-15, 21-12 (0:29)
Pool C
Round 1
Match 5: Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (3) def. Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry Italy (30, Q8) 21-19, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 6: Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (14) def. Valentyna Davidova/Ievgeniia Shchypkova Ukraine (19) 21-18, 19-21, 15-13 (0:52)
Round 2
Match 21: Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (3) def. Valentyna Davidova/Ievgeniia Shchypkova Ukraine (19) 21-19, 21-14 (0:35)
Match 22: Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (14) def. Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry Italy (30, Q8) 21-13, 21-12 (0:30)
Pool D
Round 1
Match 7: Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (4) def. Ana Gallay/Virginia Zonta Argentina (29) 21-15, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 8: Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (13) def. Nadja Glenzke/Julia Grossner Germany (20) 21-19, 21-15 (0:36)
Round 2
Match 23: Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (4) vs. Nadja Glenzke/Julia Grossner Germany (20)
Match 24: Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (13) vs. Ana Gallay/Virginia Zonta Argentina (29)
Pool E
Round 1
Match 9: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (5) def. Juliana Felisberta/Carolina Horta Brazil (28, Q7) 21-13, 21-17 (0:31)
Match 10: Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes United States (12) def. Elsa Baquerizo/Amaranta Navarro Spain (21) 22-20, 23-21 (0:37)
Round 2
Match 25: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (5) def. Elsa Baquerizo/Amaranta Navarro Spain (21) 21-17, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 26: Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes United States (12) def. Juliana Felisberta/Carolina Horta Brazil (28, Q7) 21-14, 21-19 (0:31)
Pool F
Round 1
Match 11: Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (6) def. Kim DiCello/Emily Stockman United States (27, Q6) 21-17, 21-12 (0:33)
Match 12: Ekaterina Birlova/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (22, Q2) def. Lauren Fendrick/April Ross United States (11) 21-17, 21-19 (0:38)
Round 2
Match 27: Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (6) def. Ekaterina Birlova/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (22, Q2) 21-16, 21-17 (0:31)
Match 28: Lauren Fendrick/April Ross United States (11) def. Kim DiCello/Emily Stockman United States (27, Q6) 21-19, 21-19 (0:38)
Pool G
Round 1
Match 13: Kristina May/Taylor Pischke Canada (26, Q4) def. Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat United States (7) 21-14, 21-19 (0:14)
Match 14: Julie Gordon/Camille Saxton Canada (23) def. Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy Australia (10) 21-13, 21-14 (0:14)
Round 2
Match 29: Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat United States (7) vs. Julie Gordon/Camille Saxton Canada (23)
Match 30: Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy Australia (10) vs. Kristina May/Taylor Pischke Canada (26, Q4)
Pool H
Round 1
Match 15: Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (8) def. Jolien Sinnema/Joy Stubbe Netherlands (25, Q3) 21-10, 23-21 (0:32)
Match 16: Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (9) def. Nicole Branagh/Kerri Walsh Jennings United States (24) 21-19, 22-24, 15-12 (0:55)
Round 2
Match 31: Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (8) def. Nicole Branagh/Kerri Walsh Jennings United States (24) 21-18, 21-23, 15-11 (0:53)
Match 32: Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (9) def. Jolien Sinnema/Joy Stubbe Netherlands (25, Q3) 21-10, 21-12 (0:13)

Wednesday’s men’s results
Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (1) def. Jonas Kissling/Alexei Strasser Switzerland (32) 21-17, 21-12 (0:34)
Match 2: Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (16) def. Ryan Doherty/John Hyden United States (17, Q2) 18-21, 21-13, 15-10 (0:44)
Round 2
Match 17: Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (1) vs. Ryan Doherty/John Hyden United States (17, Q2)
Match 18: Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (16) vs. Jonas Kissling/Alexei Strasser Switzerland (32)
Pool B
Round 1
Match 3: Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg Brazil (2, Q1) def. Mirco Gerson/Michiel Zandbergen Switzerland (31) 21-19, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 4: Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (15) def. Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (18) 21-18, 17-21, 15-13 (0:41)
Round 2
Match 19: Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg Brazil (2, Q1) vs. Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (18)
Match 20: Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (15) vs. Mirco Gerson/Michiel Zandbergen Switzerland (31)
Pool C
Round 1
Match 5: Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (3) def. Trevor Crabb/Sean Rosenthal United States (30) 21-16, 21-16 (0:33)
Match 6: Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (19) def. Theo Brunner/Casey Patterson United States (14) 21-16, 21-16 (0:32)
Round 2
Match 21: Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (3) vs. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (19)
Match 22: Theo Brunner/Casey Patterson United States (14) vs. Trevor Crabb/Sean Rosenthal United States (30)
Pool D
Round 1
Match 7: Jefferson Santos Pereira/Cherif Younousse Qatar (29, Q13) def. Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai Italy (4) 13-21, 21-13, 23-21 (0:47)
Match 8: Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (13) def. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (20) 21-15, 21-16 (0:34)
Round 2
Match 23: Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai Italy (4) vs. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (20)
Match 24: Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (13) vs. Jefferson Santos Pereira/Cherif Younousse Qatar (29, Q13)
Pool E
Round 1
Match 9: Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (5) def. Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri Italy (28, Q11) 21-19, 21-9 (0:33)
Match 10: Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (21, Q3) def. Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin Russia (12) 21-12, 21-17 (0:30)
Round 2
Match 25: Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (5) vs. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (21, Q3)
Match 26: Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin Russia (12) vs. Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri Italy (28, Q11)
Pool F
Round 1
Match 11: Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (6) def. Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann Australia (27, Q10) 21-15, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 12: Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (11) def. Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk Canada (22) 21-13, 13-21, 15-12 (0:49)
Round 2
Match 27: Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (6) vs. Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk Canada (22)
Match 28: Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (11) vs. Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann Australia (27, Q10)
Pool G
Round 1
Match 13: Dries Koekelkoren/Tom van Walle Belgium (26, Q8) def. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (7) 21-19, 21-19 (0:37)
Match 14: Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (10) def. Martins Plavins/Haralds Regza Latvia (23, Q5) 21-15, 21-13 (0:29)
Round 2
Match 29: Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (7) vs. Martins Plavins/Haralds Regza Latvia (23, Q5)
Match 30: Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (10) vs. Dries Koekelkoren/Tom van Walle Belgium (26, Q8)
Pool H
Round 1
Match 15: Nivaldo Diaz/Sergio Gonzalez Cuba (25) def. Nico Beeler/Marco Krattiger Switzerland (8) 21-17, 21-19 (0:36)
Match 16: Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (9) def. Grant O’Gorman/Michael Plantinga Canada (24) 21-17, 21-17 (0:36)
Round 2
Match 31: Nico Beeler/Marco Krattiger Switzerland (8) vs. Grant O’Gorman/Michael Plantinga Canada (24)
Match 32: Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (9) vs. Nivaldo Diaz/Sergio Gonzalez Cuba (25)