Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes are the last Americans standing in Tepic Elite 16

It was a irritating day for nearly each USA crew in Tepic Elite 16, apart from one: Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes.

In consequence, eight American video games had been performed in Mexico on Friday (counting twice, for the sake of readability, one being the all-American match between Terese Cannon vs Sarah Sponcil and Betsi Flint vs Julia Scoles). Half would go to a few full units. On the finish of the day, solely one of many six People on the sphere was left standing, which, appropriately, was the crew that made life the simplest in its personal proper.

Cheng and Hughes have been glorious to date at Tepic, profitable three pool video games in six units in a row, and ending off Mexico’s Abril Flores and Atenas Gutierrez (21-11, 21-16) in an impeccable efficiency Friday afternoon with an anticipated win. This win despatched Cheng and Hughes goodbye to the quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon the place they anticipated the winner of Brazil’s Carol Salgado and Barbara Seixas, and France’s Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard.

The latter two may ring a bell because the duo beat Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth’s run within the La Paz quarterfinals by virtually three units. Once more, France remained in third with a match-point try blocked by Salgado at 14-13. Brazil gained from there 21-9, 18-21, 16-14 and set the second match between Salgado and Seixas and Cheng and Hughes. The primary got here within the opening spherical of the Seashore Professional Tour Finals pool recreation; Brazil gained 21-18, 20-22, 16-14, however Cheng and Hughes left Doha as the true winners with a gold medal and $150,000 on the finish of the match.

Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson will face Italy’s Marta Menegatti and Valentina Gottardi at centre.

Then all of North America will race at 1:00 pm Pacific time. The remainder of the North American groups have most likely packed their baggage and headed to California or straight to Brazil, the place they’re going to take a month-long experience at Itapema, Saquarema and Uberlandia.

Flint and Scoles misplaced in an all-American match in opposition to Sponcil and Canon to shut the pool recreation, which Sponcil and Cannon gained 15-12 within the third spherical. That is the primary match Flint and Scoles have performed collectively and did not make a remaining. Within the earlier three occasions they’ve performed, they’ve gained a silver within the Elite 16, a gold within the NORCECA Continental Championship, and completed second in AVP Miami.

Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk’s run had ended an hour in the past and one other three-set match went improper, this time with Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig profitable 21-16, 14-21, 15-11. . Bourne and Schalk completed their second occasion as a crew in thirteenth place and the primary draw 0-3. Of the 12 whole three-set video games through which an American crew took half, the People gained solely 4 (a three-set recreation involving two American groups wouldn’t depend).

Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner had a greater, if not bitter, ending in Elite 16. They gained a thriller through which they beat Dutchmen Robert Meeuwsen and Alex Brouwer in units of 16-21, 21-18, 17-15. Draw for third place within the pool. However the set and factors hole went to Brouwer and Meeuwsen, who superior to the playoffs after which eradicated Italian Enrico Rossi and Daniele Lupo.

Like Bourne and Schalk, they are going to go away Mexico with thirteenth place.

Cannon and Sponcil completed within the high 10, falling ninth to Gottardi and Menegatti. After their gold medals in La Paz, Nuss and Kloth additionally dropped to world No. 1 by three units to complete ninth. Ana Patricia Silva and Duda Lisboa from Brazil (24-22, 22-24, 15-10).

So, as they proceed their match streak by ending fifth or higher, solely Cheng and Hughes stay. As a crew, they’ve three wins in seven tournaments and completed fifth in two tournaments.

For all results and schedule of Tepic Elite 16 go to Volleyball World