Kelly Cheng
6-2
PARIS, France (July 28, 2024) – In their first Olympic match together, the U.S. beach team of Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, ranked No. 3 in the world, started rolling late in the first set and went on to defeat Barbora Hermannova and Marie-Sara Stochlova of Czechia, 2-0 (21-16, 21-11) on Sunday.
The reigning world champions and former college national champions at USC, who came back together as a team in 2022, return to the beach against Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau of the host country, France, on Tuesday, July 30 at 6 a.m. PT (3 p.m. local).
Cheng totaled 18 points on 15 kills, two blocks and an ace. Hughes registered 12 points with 10 kills and two blocks, in addition to 16 digs.
“I wouldn’t want to do be doing it with anyone else,” said Hughes. “That chemistry, that unity, that communication, we have that and so to play on the worlds largest stage together feels good.”
The opening set featured 13 ties and was still deadlocked at 15-15 when the U.S. duo finished the set by scoring six of the last seven points. Cheng produced a kill while on the run, ended a strong rally with a shot down the line and scored again on the second ball of a great dig by Hughes to give the U.S. the first three-point lead by either team, 18-15. A Cheng block made it 19-15 and after a Czechia point, Cheng scored back-to-back points to end the set.
“We tried to overcommunicate. It’s different in that stadium the ball moves a little bit different so were were just trying to be calm, patient, and just communicating with each other every step of the way,” said Cheng. “We were a little jittery at the beginning of the first, but we settled in.”
Strong play by Cheng at the net and a cut shot by Hughes forced the Czechia team to use its timeout early at 5-2 in the second set. After a hitting error made it 6-2, Czechia scored three consecutive points to come within a point but were never able to even the score.
With a 9-8 lead, Hughes/Cheng went on a decisive 6-1 run with Hughes scoring four points in that stretch and finishing the run with an ace. Just as they did in the opening set, Hughes/Cheng ended the second set on a 6-1 run. A block and ace by Cheng made it 18-10. The match ended on a Hughes kill after an exhaustive rally. Hughes scored nine points on seven kills and a pair of aces, and Cheng added eight points on six kills, a block and an ace.
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