Six U.S. beach volleyball teams have arrived in Maceio, Brazil to compete at the highly anticipated World University Championships. The pool play started on Tuesday, and the U.S. teams delivered mixed results. Let’s take a closer look at how they performed and what lies ahead for them in this prestigious tournament.
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Women’s Matches
On the women’s side, the U.S. team of Maddie Anderson/Lexy Denaburg, seeded third, secured an impressive victory against Japan’s No. 19 Noa Kinugasa/Suzuna Fukuda with a 2-0 win (21-15, 21-7). Anderson/Denaburg received a bye for their second match, propelling them straight into the second round on September 8.
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“It was a long wait after the trials and the flight, but once we stepped onto the court, the nerves dissipated, and it was game time,” Anderson shared. Denaburg added, “I feel amazing. I’m thrilled to be playing with Maddie again. We improved as the game progressed, but we still have some work to do. I’m excited to continue competing.”
The U.S. team of Torrey Van Winden/Xolani Hodel, seeded 15th, finished their pool play matches with a 1-1 record. They triumphed over Japan’s No. 18 Noa Kinugasa/Maya Kikuchi with a thrilling 2-1 win (18-21, 21-19, 15-13). Unfortunately, they couldn’t maintain their winning momentum and fell to Spain’s No. 2 Daniela Álvarez/Tania Moreno in a close 2-0 match (21-16, 21-19).
Hodel expressed satisfaction with their win, saying, “I’m glad we pulled out the victory, and we’re ready for the next match.” Van Winden also shared her thoughts, “The second match went much better than our first. Xolani and I found our rhythm, playing high-level volleyball. We started to understand our defense and block.”
Van Winden/Hodel will face Argentina’s No. 14 Victoria Pozzo/Carla De Brito in the first round on September 7.
The U.S. women’s team of Julia Scoles/Hailey Harward, seeded 28th, also performed commendably in their pool play matches, ending with a 1-1 record. They secured a comfortable 2-0 win (21-17, 21-15) against Portugal’s No. 5 Beatriz Pinheiro/Ines Castro. Despite a hard-fought battle against Brazil’s No. 21 Talita Calixto/Kyce Mikaele Martins, they narrowly lost in three sets (15-21, 21-18, 15-12).
“Our first match had us a bit nervous playing against a strong Portugal team,” Harward said. “However, we communicated well, kept our energy high, and performed admirably. It was our first international match, which made it even more exciting.”
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Scoles/Harward will now face Portugal’s No. 29 Ines Vasco/Matilde Mouta in the first round on September 7.
Men’s Matches
The men’s teams had their first pool play match on Tuesday and will continue their matches on September 7.
Sebastian Rodriguez/Jack Walmer, ranked No. 22, kicked off their campaign with a thrilling 2-1 victory (21-11, 17-21, 15-8) against Hungary’s No. 11 Mátyás Papp/Csanád Petik. They will now face Spain’s No. 6 Javier Huerta/Óscar Jiménez on Wednesday.
“We quickly got in the groove and felt the jet lag and fatigue fade away,” Walmer shared. “Sebas and I have been playing all summer, so we found our rhythm and kept going.”
Rodriguez added, “The competition here is incredibly strong, and getting that first win felt fantastic. I’m excited about our prospects.”
Wyatt Harrison/Charlie Siragusa, ranked No. 25, unfortunately, couldn’t secure a victory in their first pool play match and suffered a close 2-1 defeat (21-17, 18-21, 15-10) against Germany’s No. 8 Maximilian Just/Lui Wüst. They will now face Chile’s Martin Sandoval/Tomas Reyes on Wednesday.
“I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t win,” Siragusa admitted. “However, we played exceptionally well in the second set. In the third set, the challenges of our first international tournament and the unknowns got to me personally. Nonetheless, I’m proud of how we fought, and I’m ready to refocus for our next match.”
Heath Hughes/Ryan Smith, ranked No. 30, also faced defeat in their first pool play match against Czech Republic’s No. 3 Tomas Semerad/Jakub Sepka with a 2-0 loss (21-16, 21-18). They will now go up against Puerto Rico’s No. 19 William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres on Wednesday.
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“Heath and I learned a lot from our first match,” Smith commented. “We need to improve our passing, setting, and defense, but we’ll be ready to take on Puerto Rico.”
U.S. Beach Players Competing at the World University Championships
- Maddie Anderson (6-1, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
- Lexy Denaburg (6-0, Merritt Island, Fla., UCLA, Florida)
- Torrey Van Winden (6-3, Napa, Calif., Florida State, Northern California)
- Xolani Hodel (6-1, Huntington Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
- Julia Scoles (6-1, Mooresville, N.C., USC, Carolina)
- Hailey Harward (5-9, Phoenix, Ariz., USC, Arizona)
- Sebastian Rodriguez (6-5, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
- Jack Walmer (6-3, Manhattan Beach, Calif., UC Santa Barbara, Southern California)
- Wyatt Harrison (6-6, Santa Cruz, Calif., UC San Diego, Northern California)
- Charlie Siragusa (6-9, Rochester, N.Y., UC San Diego, Western Empire)
- Heath Hughes (6-7, Haines City, Fla., BYU, Florida)
- Ryan Smith (6-8, Parker, Colo., Campbellsville, Rocky Mountain)
FAQs
Q: How many U.S. beach volleyball teams are competing at the World University Championships?
A: There are six U.S. beach volleyball teams participating in the tournament.
Q: How did the U.S. women’s teams perform in their pool play matches?
A: The U.S. women’s teams delivered mixed results with a combination of victories and losses. Some teams secured impressive wins, while others faced close defeats.
Q: Who are the standout players from the U.S. contingent?
A: Maddie Anderson, Lexy Denaburg, Torrey Van Winden, Xolani Hodel, Julia Scoles, and Hailey Harward have displayed exceptional skills and determination throughout their matches.
Summary
In the World University Championships, U.S. beach volleyball teams have begun their journey in Maceio, Brazil. With a mix of triumphs and closely contested matches, the teams are determined to showcase their skills on the international stage. The women’s teams, led by standout players such as Maddie Anderson, Lexy Denaburg, Torrey Van Winden, and Xolani Hodel, performed admirably in their pool play matches. Meanwhile, Sebastian Rodriguez, Jack Walmer, Wyatt Harrison, Charlie Siragusa, Heath Hughes, and Ryan Smith are eager to make their mark in the men’s competition. As the tournament progresses, the U.S. teams will continue to strive for success, embracing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Stay tuned for more updates on their journey!
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