Men's and women's beach volleyball competition continued on Thursday at the Paris Olympics at Eiffel Tower Stadium. Below are the details from each match.
Men's Pool C: Germany def. Australia
The German pairing of Clemens Wickler/Nils Ehlers outlasted the Australian duo of Thomas Hodges/Zachery Schubert in a thrilling match to come back and grab the 2-1 win.
After starting off evenly matched in the first set, tied 11-11, Australia caught fire and closed out the set on a 10-4 run to grab the first point of the match, 21-16. The Aussies' momentum continued into the second set, taking an early three-point lead. Germany found its footing, however, going on a 9-2 tear to take a four-point lead halfway through the second set. The German team was able to weather the Australian attack and tied up the match at one set a piece, forcing a decisive third set.
In an electrifying finish, the German duo battled back through six Australian match points. Both teams were neck-and-neck until Germany pulled ahead and Ehlers scored the winning point to take the third set, 19-17.
With the win, Germany sits on top of group C while the Australians sit in third and will face off against France in a critical match.
Men's Pool A: Qatar def. Australia
Defending bronze medalists Ahmed Tijan/Cherif Younousse continue their quest for another medal after steamrolling Australia, wrapping up pool play with a perfect record.
It was straight business for the Qatari duo, who dominated the first set and held the Australians to just 14 points en route to a commanding 21-14 win. The Australians attempted to mount a comeback in the second set, staying within two points for the majority, but ultimately had no answer for Qatar. The match was sealed with a final attacking point by Younousse.
Qatar filled up the stat sheet, converting on 30/42 attacks and controlling the sand, recording nine digs compared to Australia's two. With the win, Qatar is guaranteed a spot in the knockout rounds.
Women's Pool A: Spain def. Egypt
Spain’s Liliana Fernandez/Paula Soria cruised past Doaa Elghobashy/Marwa Abdelhady of Egypt, 21-18, 21-14, in Pool A play.
Fernandez/Soria jumped out to a 5-0 start in the first set, a start that became representative of the match as a whole. Spain managed to run away with the second set despite multiple perfectly placed shots from Elghobashy/Abdelhady.
The Spaniards went 22-for-39 on the attack and were efficient enough to get through with a win.
Men's Pool D: Cuba def. Morocco
Cuba’s Jorge Alayo/Noslen Diaz did what they’ve done against every Olympic opponent thus far: dominate.
The Cubans made easy work of Mohamed Abicha/Zouheir El Graoui, defeating the Moroccans in straight sets, 21-14, 21-11, for their third Pool D victory.
Alayo/Diaz's chemistry was on full display, going on three separate four-point runs in the second set to overwhelm Morocco. With 12 digs and a 30-for-42 attack ratio, Cuba outplayed the Moroccans in every aspect.
The win grants Alayo/Diaz a guaranteed spot in the Round of 16.
Men's Pool D: USA def. Brazil
U.S. duo Miles Partain/Andy Benesh earned their spot in the men's beach volleyball Round of 16 with a three-set victory over Brazil's George/Andre Thursday at Eiffel Tower Stadium.
It was a back-and-forth match, with Partain/Benesh outlasting Brazil in a much-needed Pool D win.
Women's Pool B: Australia def. Canada
The women's beach volleyball preliminary rounds continued as the Australian duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho defeated the Canadian team of Sophie Bukovec and Heather Bansley.
Canada struggled to find its rhythm in the first set, falling 12-6, and it never found its footing. Australia won the first set 21-10.
The Canadian duo got off to a strong start in the second set, jumping out to a 5-2 advantage. But stellar serving by Australia, specifically Clancy, stretched the Canadian defense and allowed the Australians to take the lead. Clancy and Artacho, the Tokyo silver medalists, secured the set win, 21-16.
The Australians tallied nine aces throughout the match to secure the victory.
Australia improves to 2-1 in the tournament while Canada drops to 0-3.
Men's Pool A: Italy def. Sweden
The Italian duo of Paolo Nicolai/Samuele Cottafava shocked Sweden’s David Aahman/Jonatan Hellvig in a straight-sets upset on Thursday (24-22, 21-17) to reach the men’s Round of 16.
The first set could not have been closer: Only twice was there a margin greater than two points: 15-12 and 16-13, both advantages for Sweden. Aaman/Hellvig let Italy back in with a string of errors and then, on Italy’s fourth match point, another error sealed the first set for Nicolai/Cottafava.
The second set was different story. With a 10-9 Italy advantage, the underdogs rattled off four unanswered points and held as much as a six-point lead before finishing off Aaman/Hellvig.
Sweden will have to wait to see how the rest of the field shakes out to know if it will advance to the knockout stage.
Women's Pool A: Brazil def. Italy
Top-ranked Brazil coasted by Italy to wrap up Pool A play, with Ana Patricia/Duda beating Italy’s Valentina Gottardi/Marta Menegatti in straight sets, 21-17, 21-10.
The Italians didn’t pose a challenge to the Brazilians, who tactically dominated the match throughout.
Ana Patricia/Dude went a near-flawless 23-for-31 on the attack and limited Gottardi/Menegatti to just 16-for-41 in attacking scenarios.
The win clinched Ana Patricia/Duda a spot in the Round of 16, where the Brazilians will be a top seed.
Men's Pool C: Poland def. France
Poland’s Michal Bryl/Bartoz Losiak defeated France’s Remi Bassereau/Julien Lyneel in straight sets on Wednesday.
Bryl/Losiak jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the first set and built off that to a 21-15 set one win.
France bounced back in the second set, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a flurry from Bryl/Losiak, who won the second set 21-18. Poland scored 28 attack points to France's 24 and outplayed the French when it mattered most in the match.
Poland moves atop Pool C while France are essentially eliminated from knockout round contention with two losses.
Women's Pool B: USA def. China
Highly-touted U.S. beach volleyball duo Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss outdueled China’s Xue Chen/Xia Xinyi in a rain-delayed three sets at Eiffel Tower Stadium.
The win clinched Kloth/Nuss a spot in the Round of 16, where they’ll have one of the highest seeds following three straight victories.
The U.S. went 35-for-62 on the attack, while China went 30-for-70. Kloth/Nuss were able to grind out the gritty win against a veteran team and the elements, proving why they are one of the top-ranked teams in the women's tournament.