FIVB Porec: Claes and Hughes go 2-0 on otherwise tough day for USA

The USA’s Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes, the recent USC graduates who owned college beach volleyball the past four years, had a breakthrough day on Wednesday in the FIVB Porec five-star tournament in Croatia as Americans beat up on Americans.

Claes and Hughes won both their pool-play matches on a day when rain played havoc. They kicked it off with a 26-24, 21-8 win over compatriots Lauren Fendrick and Lane Carico and followed it up with a 21-9, 21-14 victory over Manon Nummerdor-Flier and Marleen Van Iersel of the Netherlands. It doesn’t get any easier when Claes and Hughes face Brazilians Agatha Bednarczuk and Eduarda Lisboa on Thursday. They clinch Pool C with a victory.

On a day when three matches were postponed because of the weather, Fendrick and Carico rebounded with a big 22-20, 21-19 win over Bednarczuk and Lisboa to finish 1-1 and leave the Brazilians desperate at 0-2. Fendrick and Carico play Nummerdor-Flier/Van Iersel on Thursday.

Summer Ross and Brooke Sweat dropped their only match of the day 21-23, 21-16, 15-12 to Stephanie Schwaiger and Katharina Schutzenhofer of Austria. Their second match was rained out, so they have matches remaining in pool D Thursday against Heather Bansley and Brandie Wilkerson of Canada and Madelein Meppelink and Sophie van Gestel of the Netherlands.

Americans Emily Day and Brittany Hochevar are 0-2 after a 21-11, 21-14 loss to Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre of Switzeland and a 19-21, 21-19, 15-10 defeat to Barbora Hermannova and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic. Their final pool E match is against Jagoda Gruszczynska and Kinga Kolosinska of Poland.

Six other women’s teams went 2-0 on Wednesday: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca and Barbara Seixas and Fernanda Alves of Brazil, Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova and Hermannova/Slukova of the Czech Republic, Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan of Canada, and Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli of Switzerland.

In men’s pool play, each team played once with two matches for everyone on Thursday. In an all-USA matchup, Theo Brunner and Casey Patterson defeated Taylor Crabb and Jake Gibb 21-18, 21-17. Both Brunner/Patterson and Taylor Crabb/Gibb will face Saymon Barbosa and Alvaro Filho of Brazil and Niksa Dellorco/Ivan Perisic of Croatia. Brunner/Patterson will likely need both wins to earn a first-round elimination bye, while Taylor Crabb/Gibb will need at least one victory to advance.

Americans Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena lost to Austrians Robin Seidl and Tobias Winter 21-17, 22-20. They need to bounce back Thursday against two Canadian pairs, Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter and Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk.

Other Wednesday winners were Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins, Austria’s Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst and Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg, Canada’s Pedlow/Schachter, Poland’s Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek, Maciej Rudol/Jakub Szalankiewicz and Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak, Brazil’s Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt and Gustavo Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg, Italy’s Daniele Lupo and Paolo Nicolai, and the Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen.

Pool winners get coveted first-round byes in elimination play, while last-place finishers are out.Thursday’s weather forecast is also dicey, calling for morning thunderstorms and 20-30 mph winds.

Men’s results
Wednesday’s pool play
Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (1) vs. Niksa Dellorco/Ivan Perisic Croatia (32)
Match 2: Theo Brunner/Casey Patterson United States (16) def. Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (17) 21-18, 21-17 (0:36)
Round 2
Match 17: Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (1) vs. Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (17)
Match 18: Theo Brunner/Casey Patterson United States (16) vs. Niksa Dellorco/Ivan Perisic Croatia (32)
Round 3
Match 33: Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (1) vs. Theo Brunner/Casey Patterson United States (16)
Match 34: Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (17) vs. Niksa Dellorco/Ivan Perisic Croatia (32)
Pool B
Round 1
Match 3: Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (2) def. Marin Jercic/Kresimir Karaula Croatia (31) 21-8, 21-9 (0:26)
Match 4: Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (18) def. Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin Russia (15) 21-19, 21-17 (0:36)
Round 2
Match 19: Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (2) vs. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (18)
Match 20: Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin Russia (15) vs. Marin Jercic/Kresimir Karaula Croatia (31)
Round 3
Match 35: Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (2) vs. Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin Russia (15)
Match 36: Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (18) vs. Marin Jercic/Kresimir Karaula Croatia (31)
Pool C
Round 1
Match 5: Robin Seidl/Tobias Winter Austria (30, Q19) def. Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (3) 21-17, 22-20 (0:39)
Match 6: Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (19) def. Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk Canada (14) 21-11, 21-15 (0:31)
Round 2
Match 21: Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (3) vs. Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (19)
Match 22: Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk Canada (14) vs. Robin Seidl/Tobias Winter Austria (30, Q19)
Round 3
Match 37: Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (3) vs. Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk Canada (14)
Match 38: Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (19) vs. Robin Seidl/Tobias Winter Austria (30, Q19)
Pool D
Round 1
Match 7: Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg Austria (29) def. Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (4) 21-17, 22-20 (0:39)
Match 8: Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (13) def. Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (20) 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 (0:55
Round 2
Match 23: Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (4) vs. Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (20)
Match 24: Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (13) vs. Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg Austria (29
Round 3
Match 39: Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (4) vs. Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek Poland (13)
Match 40: Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (20) vs. Martin Ermacora/Moritz Pristauz-Telsnigg Austria (29)
Pool E
Round 1
Match 9: Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (5) def. Armin Dollinger/Jonathan Erdmann Germany (28, Q15) 21-19, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 10: Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai Italy (12) def. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (21) 21-13, 15-21, 17-15 (0:46)
Round 2
Match 25: Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (5) vs. Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (21)
Match 26: Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai Italy (12) vs. Armin Dollinger/Jonathan Erdmann Germany (28, Q15)
Round 3
Match 41: Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (5) vs. Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai Italy (12)
Match 42: Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt Chile (21) vs. Armin Dollinger/Jonathan Erdmann Germany (28, Q15)
Pool F
Round 1
Match 11: Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (6) def. Mathias Berntsen/Anders Mol Norway (27, Q13) 21-15, 19-21, 16-14 (0:44)
Match 12: Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (11) def. Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri Italy (22) 24-22, 21-10 (0:38)
Round 2
Match 27: Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (6) vs. Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri Italy (22)
Match 28: Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (11) vs. Mathias Berntsen/Anders Mol Norway (27, Q13)
Round 3
Match 43: Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (6) vs. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (11)
Match 44: Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri Italy (22) vs. Mathias Berntsen/Anders Mol Norway (27, Q13)
Pool G
Round 1
Match 13: Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (7) vs. Lorenz Schumann/Julius Thole Germany (26, Q12)
Match 14: Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (10) vs. Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen Germany (23, Q9)
Round 2
Match 29: Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (7) vs. Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen Germany (23, Q9)
Match 30: Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (10) vs. Lorenz Schumann/Julius Thole Germany (26, Q12)
Round 3
Match 45: Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (10) def. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (7) 21-23, 21-18, 18-16 (0:53)
Match 46: Lorenz Schumann/Julius Thole Germany (26, Q12) def. Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen Germany (23, Q9) 14-21, 21-19, 15-11 (0:50)
Pool H
Round 1
Match 15: Maciej Rudol/Jakub Szalankiewicz Poland (25, Q11) def. Ivan Djordjevic/Filip Silic Croatia (8) 21-13, 21-18 (0:35)
Match 16: Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg Brazil (9, Q1) def. Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann Australia (24, Q10) 21-18, 21-18 (0:36)
Round 2
Match 31: Ivan Djordjevic/Filip Silic Croatia (8) vs. Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann Australia (24, Q10)
Match 32: Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg Brazil (9, Q1) vs. Maciej Rudol/Jakub Szalankiewicz Poland (25, Q11)
Round 3
Match 47: Ivan Djordjevic/Filip Silic Croatia (8) vs. Gustavo “Guto” Carvalhaes/Pedro Solberg Brazil (9, Q1)
Match 48: Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann Australia (24, Q10) vs. Maciej Rudol/Jakub Szalankiewicz Poland (25, Q11)   

Women’s results
Wednesday’s pool play
Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca Brazil (1) def. Dina Becic/Sara Radanovic Croatia (32) 21-16, 21-13 (0:28)
Match 2: Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (17) def. Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig Germany (16) 21-14, 16-21, 18-16 (0:45)
Round 2
Match 17: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca Brazil (1) def. Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (17) 21-19, 16-21, 15-12 (1:43)
Match 18: Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig Germany (16) def. Dina Becic/Sara Radanovic Croatia (32) 21-6, 21-11 (1:17)
Round 3
Match 33: Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca Brazil (1) vs. Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig Germany (16)
Match 34: Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (17) vs. Dina Becic/Sara Radanovic Croatia (32)
Pool B
Round 1
Match 3: Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (2) def. Niina Ahtiainen/Ida Sinisalo Finland (31, Q13) 21-13, 21-12 (0:28)
Match 4: Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (18) def. Taru Lahti/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (15) 17-21, 21-16, 18-16 (0:52)
Round 2
Match 19: Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (18) def. Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (2) 11-21, 28-26, 15-13 (0:56)
Match 20: Taru Lahti/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (15) def. Niina Ahtiainen/Ida Sinisalo Finland (31, Q13) 21-18, 21-16 (0:38)
Round 3
Match 35: Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (2) vs. Taru Lahti/Riikka Lehtonen Finland (15)
Match 36: Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (18) vs. Niina Ahtiainen/Ida Sinisalo Finland (31, Q13)
Pool C
Round 1
Match 5: Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (3) def. Manon Nummerdor-Flier/Marleen Van Iersel Netherlands (30, Q12) 21-15, 21-17 (0:33)
Match 6: Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes United States (14) def. Lane Carico/Lauren Fendrick United States (19) 26-24, 21-8 (0:37)
Round 2
Match 21: Lane Carico/Lauren Fendrick United States (19) def. Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (3) 22-20, 21-19 (0:38)
Match 22: Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes United States (14) def. Manon Nummerdor-Flier/Marleen Van Iersel Netherlands (30, Q12) 21-9, 21-14 (0:27)
Round 3
Match 37: Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa Brazil (3) vs. Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes United States (14)
Match 38: Lane Carico/Lauren Fendrick United States (19) vs. Manon Nummerdor-Flier/Marleen Van Iersel Netherlands (30, Q12)
Pool D
Round 1
Match 7: Katharina Schutzenhofer/Stefanie Schwaiger Austria (29) def. Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat United States (4) 21-23, 21-16, 15-12 (0:47)
Match 8: Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel Netherlands (20) def. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (13) 14-21, 22-20, 15-11 (0:51)
Round 2
Match 23: Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat United States (4) vs. Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel Netherlands (20)
Match 24: Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (13) vs. Katharina Schutzenhofer/Stefanie Schwaiger Austria (29)
Round 3
Match 39: Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat United States (4) vs. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (13)
Match 40: Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel Netherlands (20) vs. Katharina Schutzenhofer/Stefanie Schwaiger Austria (29)
Pool E
Round 1
Match 9: Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (5) def. Jagoda Gruszczynska/Kinga Kolosinska Poland (28, Q9) 21-18, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 10: Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (12) def. Emily Day/Brittany Hochevar United States (21, Q1) 21-11, 21-14 (0:31)
Round 2
Match 25: Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (5) def. Emily Day/Brittany Hochevar United States (21, Q1) 21-19, 19-21, 15-10 (0:49)
Match 26: Jagoda Gruszczynska/Kinga Kolosinska Poland (28, Q9) def. Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (12) 21-19, 21-17 (0:37)
Round 3
Match 41: Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (5) vs. Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (12)
Match 42: Emily Day/Brittany Hochevar United States (21, Q1) vs. Jagoda Gruszczynska/Kinga Kolosinska Poland (28, Q9)
Pool F
Round 1
Match 11: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (6) def. Jolien Sinnema/Joy Stubbe Netherlands (27, Q7) 21-17, 21-11 (0:30)
Match 12: Taiana Lima/Elize Maia Brazil (22, Q2) def. Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini Brazil (11) 21-16, 21-15 (0:35)
Round 2
Match 27: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (6) def. Taiana Lima/Elize Maia Brazil (22, Q2) 21-15, 21-23, 15-9 (0:33)
Match 28: Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini Brazil (11) def. Jolien Sinnema/Joy Stubbe Netherlands (27, Q7) 19-21, 21-18, 17-15 (1:29)Round 3
Match 43: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (6) vs. Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini Brazil (11)
Match 44: Taiana Lima/Elize Maia Brazil (22, Q2) vs. Jolien Sinnema/Joy Stubbe Netherlands (27, Q7)
Pool G
Round 1
Match 13: Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (7) def. Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry Italy (26, Q6) 21-14, 21-11 (0:31)
Match 14: Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy Australia (10) def. Nadja Glenzke/Julia Grossner Germany (23, Q3) 21-18, 21-17 (0:37)
Round 2
Match 29: Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (7) def. Nadja Glenzke/Julia Grossner Germany (23, Q3) 21-18, 23-21 (0:40)
Match 30: Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry Italy (26, Q6) def. Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy Australia (10) 21-19, 21-16 (0:36)
Round 3
Match 45: Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (7) vs. Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy Australia (10)
Match 46: Nadja Glenzke/Julia Grossner Germany (23, Q3) vs. Marta Menegatti/Rebecca Perry Italy (26, Q6)
Pool H
Round 1
Match 15: Kristina May/Taylor Pischke Canada (25) def. Maja Rosko/Jurja Vlasic Croatia (8) 21-12, 21-7 (0:28)
Match 16: Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (9) def. Valentyna Davidova/Ievgeniia Shchypkova Ukraine (24) 22-20, 21-17 (0:38)
Round 2
Match 31: Valentyna Davidova/Ievgeniia Shchypkova Ukraine (24) def. Maja Rosko/Jurja Vlasic Croatia (8) 9-4 retired (0:09)
Match 32: Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (9) def. Kristina May/Taylor Pischke Canada (25) 19-21, 21-10, 15-11 (0:42)
Round 3
Match 47: Maja Rosko/Jurja Vlasic Croatia (8) vs. Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (9)
Match 48: Valentyna Davidova/Ievgeniia Shchypkova Ukraine (24) vs. Kristina May/Taylor Pischke Canada (25)