Kessy, Ross to Play for Bronze Medal in Sanya

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 30, 2010) – The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team of Jen Kessy and April Ross will play in Sunday’s bronze medal match 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.) will face Brazil’s 10th-seeded Maria Clara Salgado and Carolina Salgado for the bronze medal on Sunday.

Playing in the consolation bracket since their third-round loss to Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (San Jose, Calif.) on Friday, the sixth-ranked Kessy and Ross opened play on Saturday by defeating their seventh-seeded U.S. compatriots Angie Akers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Tyra Turner (Fort Meyers Beach, Fla.), 21-10, 21-12 in 37 minutes. Akers and Turner finished the tournament in seventh place.

Kessy and Ross then made it to the semifinals by beating fifth-seeded Kristyna Kolocova and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic, 22-20, 21-11 in 42 minutes.

However, in the semifinals, Kessy and Ross went up against the second-seeded German team of Laura Ludwig and Sara Goller and fell, 21-14, 21-14 in 39 minutes.

Branagh and Walsh finished the tournament in fifth after falling to the Salgados, 21-16, 21-17 in 39 minutes.

For more information on the event, click here.

Tags: Angie Akers, April Ross, Beach, Beach Volleyball, FIVB beach, Jennifer Kessy, Kerri Walsh, Nicole Branagh, Tyra Turner