Taryn Kloth
6-4
PARIS, France (July 27, 2024) – With the lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkling and glowing in the background, the U.S. beach team of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss, ranked No. 2 in the world, won its Olympic debut, 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) over Canada’s Heather Bansley and Sophie Bukovec.
Kloth and Nuss will next face Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Taliqua Clancy of Australia on Monday, July 29 at 1 p.m. PT (10 p.m. local).
“It was so magical,” Nuss said of playing at Eiffel Tower Stadium at sunset. “To walk into the venue and hear all the fans and hear everybody was spectacular. And then you got to see the spectacle of the light show.”
Despite the theatrics, the pair stayed focused as Kloth and Nuss used a balanced scoring attack with Nuss totaling 15 points on 14 kills and an ace, and Kloth scoring 13 points on 10 kills and three blocks. Nuss finished with 17 digs.
Kloth and Nuss admitted to some nerves before the match but said their coach Drew Hamilton calmed them down.
“Our coach, at the beginning, really tried to calm us down,” Kloth said. “He made us realize that this really is the exact game we play every day in practice. We are doing the same thing, just in a very, very cool venue.”
The U.S. duo scored the first four points on the match and later took a 7-2 lead on strong net play by Kloth that frustrated their opponents’ offense early in the match. Bansley/Bukovec mounted a rally later in the set with three points in a row to cut the lead to one point, 13-12, but a Nuss kill in the back corner thwarted the comeback. Nuss scored the set-winning point, her fourth kill of the opening set. Kloth finished the set with eight points on seven kills and a block.
Nuss reached double digits in kills with 10 in a second set that saw the U.S. jump out to a six-point lead, 11-5, as Nuss scored on a ball down the line. Her 11th kill of the match made it 14-11 and then the teams traded service errors. With the score 15-12, the U.S. finished the match on a 7-2 run. Nuss ended the match with a kill that went off the net and landed in bounds.
Athletes
Stories
PARIS: New Roster Ready for Pool Play at the Paris Games
Four pairs – two women’s, two men’s – will represent the U.S. at the beach volleyball event taking place at Eiffel Tower Stadium for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. All but one of the U.S. athletes (Kelly Cheng) are first-time Olympians. Cheng tied for ninth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with Sarah Sponcil.
U.S. Beach Teams Confirmed for Paris Olympic Games
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the athletes and staff who will comprise the U.S. Beach Volleyball Team for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Beach Update: Last Chance for U.S. Men to Qualify for Paris
This is it, the last beach for Olympic qualifying points and the final chance for Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner to overtake Miles Evans and Chase Budinger for the second U.S. men’s roster spot. We also see Betsi Flint and Julia Scoles return to international competition in 2024, and we have one Futures event on the books for the week.
Beach Update: Kloth and Nuss Make it Three Medals out of Last Four in 2024
Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss secure another gold medal on the FIVB World Tour two months out from the Paris games. Miles Evans and Chase Budinger extend their lead over Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner with two tournaments to go before the U.S. Olympic teams are finalized. One of those tournaments begins this week, as Challenge Stare Jablonki will feature the two men’s teams vying for that final spot.
Videos
Hughes/Cheng Continue Winning Ways at Paris Olympics
The U.S. beach team of Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng won their second match in a row in straight sets at the Paris Olympics with a 2-0 (21-16, 23-21) win over Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau of host France on Wednesday.
Evans/Budinger Fall to 1-1 at Paris Olympics
After opening the Paris Olympics with a win yesterday, the U.S. beach team of Miles Evans and Chase Budinger dropped to 1-1 with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) loss to Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot of the Netherlands at Eiffel Tower Stadium on Tuesday.
Partain/Benesh Earn First Olympic Win
Playing in nearly 115-degree heat on center court, the U.S. beach team of Miles Partain and Andy Benesh outlasted Mohammed Abicha and Zouheir Elgraoui of Morocco, 2-0 (21-12, 28-26) to even their record at 1-1 on Tuesday.
Kloth/Nuss Move to 2-0 in Paris with Key Win
Facing the silver medalists from the Tokyo Games, the U.S. beach team of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss stayed unbeaten in the Paris Olympics with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) victory over Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Taliqua Clancy of Australia on Monday.
Evans/Budinger Shine in Olympic Debut
Playing before a sold-out crowd on the hottest day of the Paris Olympics so far, the U.S. beach team of Miles Evans and Chase Budinger began their Olympic journey with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-11) win over Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat of host France.