Kessy, Ross Earn Bronze Medal in China

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 31, 2010) – The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team of Jen Kessy and April Ross put bronze medals in their trick-or-treat bags on Sunday at the US$190,000 Sanya Open, part of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, in Sanya, China.

The sixth-ranked Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) defeated  Brazil’s 10th-seeded Maria Clara Salgado and Carolina Salgado, 21-19, 21-14 in 45 minutes on the day in which the United States celebrates Halloween.

The Brazilians had won two of the three meetings this year against the Americans, and started the match on a strong 6-2 start. But Kessy and Ross turned a 10-7 deficit into a 17-13 lead behind great hustle plays by Kessy. From there the teams mostly traded points before the U.S. won the first set 21-19.

In the second set, the Salgados began with a 6-4 lead before Kessy and Ross put together an 11-3 run sparked by three aces by Ross. The Americans cruised to a 21-14 victory in Set 2 in what was the Salgados’ ninth match of the tournament and Kessy and Ross’ eighth.

 “We just needed a little bit of rest,” Kessy said. “We played a lot of three-set matches. Our game is a lot of power, jumping and explosiveness. We definitely came back today and wanted to get some redemption. Just to get on the podium is moving in the direction we want to.”

Kessy and Ross had won the gold medal in the inaugural Sanya Open in 2008, and then won silver last year after getting upset by a team from Switzerland in the title match. Now they can add a bronze medal to their collection, ending a streak of eight straight SWATCH FIVB World Tour events without winning a medal.

“After losing in the third round it was good for us to come back through the consolation bracket,” Ross said. “I’m proud of us coming back and winning that third place match. It’s hard when I’m tired to jump serve well, so yesterday I wasn’t serving as well as I did today.”

For just the 19th time in the history of SWATCH FIVB World Tour, four different countries were represented in the Final Four, with the Sanya Open being the 215th career SWATCH event. The meeting between China and Germany in the gold medal match marked the first ever meeting between the two countries in a title match.

In the gold-medal match, top-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang of China, defeated Germany’s second-ranked Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig, 22-20, 22-20 in 45 minutes.

Seven U.S. teams are again registered to compete in next week’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour finale in Thailand (Phuket, Nov. 2-7).

Once again, the U.S. teams of Brooke Hanson (Woodland Hills, Calif.)/Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Calif.), Ashley Ivy (Arlington, Texas)/Lisa Rutledge (Vista, Calif.), Brittany Hochevar (Fowler, Colo.)/Jaimi Gregory (Westminster, Calif.) and Tealle Hunkus (Girard, Ohio)/Heather Lowe (Cypress, Calif.) will have to play in a country qualifier on tournament on Tuesday so one team can advance to Wednesday’s qualification round.

Kessy and Ross will begin play in Thursday’s main draw as will Kerri Walsh (San Jose, Calif.) and Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.), who finished fifth in Sanya, and Angie Akers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Tyra Turner (Fort Meyers Beach, Fla.), who finished seventh.

The FIVB’s top-seeded team, Juliana Felisberta Da Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil, are also scheduled to compete in Phuket.

Kessy and Ross are the two-time defending champions in Phuket while Akers and Turner took silver there in 2009. Turner took silver in Phuket in 2008 while playing with Branagh.

For more information on the event, click here.

Tags: Angie Akers, April Ross, Ashley Ivy, Beach, Beach Volleyball, FIVB World Tour, Jennifer Kessy, Kerri Walsh, Lauren Fendrick, Nicole Branagh, Tyra Turner