Semifinalists determined at FIVB Cincinnati - Articles

As they say, “the rubber meets the road” today in elimination bracket play. After qualifying play and two days of pool play, the elimination bracket began for 24 teams per gender. The matches were rife with Olympic implications, so let’s take a look at today’s matches. First up, the women: No. 1 seed April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings passed their first challenge today over fellow Americans and No. 20 seed Lane Carico/Summer Ross 21-13, 19-21, 15-7. Carico/Ross earned the right to play Ross/Walsh Jennings by defeating their compatriots and No. 9 seed Emily Day/Jennifer Kessy. With the first round loss, Day/Kessy are unable to improve their Olympic qualification total. Ross/Jennings Walsh subsequently faced Teresa Mersmann/Isabel Schneider of Germany in the quarterfinals, a rematch of their pool A match. Ross/Walsh Jennings handled Mersmann/Schneider in straight sets, 21-15, 21-13. No. 3 Fendrick/Sweat came out of the gate winning both their matches today, first besting qualifiers and No. 31 Kim Behrens/Anni Schumacher of Germany 24-22, 21-13. In their second match, they survived a very athletic No. 7 Linline Matauatu/Pata Miller of Vanuatu 21-14, 17-21, 15-7. Fendrick/Sweat subsequently faced No. 4 Elsa Baquerizo and Liliana Fernandez of Spain under the lights. Fendrick/Sweat gave the Spaniards a spirited fight, but lost in a tight quarterfinal 12-21, 17-21 to finish 5th. Their fifth place finish is worth 150 points each; their twelth worst finish is 120 points, so they will increase the gap 30 points per player, bringing their lead over Kessy/Day from 430 points to 490 points with two Grand Slam events...

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