Chase Budinger and Miles Evans are heading to the knockout round in their first Olympic Games.
The U.S. duo defeated Australians Zachery Schubert and Thomas Hodges in a “Lucky Loser” match to qualify for the men’s beach volleyball Round of 16 Saturday night, doing so under the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower.
It was a gritty win for the Americans, who thrived under the pressure during the 21-19, 21-17 victory.
The first set was a close one, with neither team building a lead of more than two points. Schubert/Hodges lead for the majority of the set, but Budinger helped the Americans claw back.
The former NBA star’s vertical leap was on full display in the first set, as the 6-foot-7 blocker deflected multiple shots at the net to give the U.S. an 18-7 lead. An Evans spike fired up the crowd and gave the Americans a 21-19 Set 1 win.
Shortly after, a 4-0 run in the second set gave Budinger/Evans a 13-10 lead, which was too much for Australia to overcome.
After finishing third in Pool F, the win gives Budinger/Evans a much-needed boost heading into knockout play.