Evans/Budinger Advance to Paris Round of 16 with "Lucky Loser" Win

PARIS, France (August 3, 2024) – Playing to stay alive in the Paris Olympics, the U.S. beach team of Miles Evans and Chase Budinger pulled out a 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) victory over Thomas Hodges and Zachery Schubert of Australia in the “Lucky Loser” round on Saturday.

With the win, Evans/Budinger joined teammates Miles Partain and Andy Benesh in the Round of 16. Evans/Budinger will face defending gold medalists Anders Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway on Monday, August 5 at 5 a.m. PT (2 p.m. local).

“I know we’ve got a tough team moving forward,” Evans said. “They’ve got a lot of experience, but we’ve been looking forward to this our whole lives and we are ready to play them.”

Budinger scored a match-best 17 points on 13 kills and four blocks, with Evans also reaching double digits with 11 points on 10 kills and an ace. Both teams struggled from the service line with the U.S. finishing with 10 service errors and Australia with eight.

“We had a different mindset today for this match,” Budinger said. “We kind of reflected on how we got here and it was playing the system that we created and getting back to it. Pushing the option, running the faster sets and then being more aggressive on our serves and not worrying about if we miss some.”

The teams played a very even first set with Australia taking a two-point lead, 17-15 after scoring on an overpass. The U.S. requested a challenge for a net touch, but it was unsuccessful. After the teams traded two points, Budinger took over with his strong net play. He scored to narrow the lead to one and then recorded three consecutive blocks for a 20-18 lead.

Hodges/Schubert held off one set points, but Evans passed the serve and then scored to give the U.S. duo the opening set. Budinger led the way with 10 points on seven kills and his three blocks, and Evans added seven kills.

An Evans ace gave the U.S. an early two-point lead in the second set, 6-4. Hodges/Schubert went on a 6-3 run to take a 10-9 lead before Evans/Budinger scored four points in a row. After a service error evened the set, Budinger recorded his fourth block of the match and scored on a kill. A hitting error on a crosscourt shot extended the lead to three points, 13-10.

After a Budinger kill on a second ball made it 14-11, Australia scored twice to pull back within a point, 14-13. Budinger scored on another second ball to extend the lead back to two. A hitting error and an Evans kill on a tip gave the U.S. team its biggest lead, 17-13. Hodges/Schubert narrowed the gap to two points but could get no closer.

Another Budinger second-ball kill gave the U.S. match point at 20-16 before the teams traded service errors to end the match. Budinger totaled seven points on six kills and a block, and Evans added three kills and an ace.