Nanjing, China, July 12, 2018 – Three pairs - Spain’s Aina Munar/Sofia Gonzalez Racero, Canada’s Erika Vermette/Dana Roskic and Russia’s Mariia Bocharova/Maria Voronina - made a perfect run in their respective pool play matches on Thursday in the FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships at the Tangshan International Beach Sports Park.
After enduring tiebreakers in the qualification round, Munar/Gonzalez displayed steady straight-set winning performances. The Spanish duo beat Peru’s Medalyn Mendoza/Lisbeth Allcca Merino 2-0 (21-8, 21-14) and Poland’s Julia Gierczynska/Patrycja Jundzill 2-0 (21-12, 21-18) to complete the sweep of Pool B.
Canadians Vermette/Roskic defeated Israel’s Noga Maor/Maya Ben Shlomo (21-10, 21-9) and USA’s Devon Newberry/Lindsey Sparks (24-22, 21-15) for an impressive sweep of their Pool D matches, while Russians Bocharova/Voronina trounced Mozambique’s Mercia Mucheza/Ana Sinaportar 2-0 (21-12, 21-16) and Germany’s Lea Sophie Kunst/Anna-Lena Grune 2-0 (21-11, 21-12) for a perfect finish in Pool F.
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FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships
Meanwhile, top-seeded Cao Shuting/Zeng Jinjin of China and third-seeded Raisa Schoon/Emi van Driel of the Netherlands finished on top of Pool A and Pool C, respectively.
The Chinese beat Kazakhstan’s Alina Rachenko/Yelizaveta Yeropkina 2-1 (19-21, 21-13, 15-9) and Argentina’s Delfina Villar/Brenda Allen Churin 2-0 (21-14, 21-12), while the Dutch routed Egypt’s Nada Hamdy Samir Mahmoud Hamdy/Nariman Yasser Elsayed Ahmed Luxor 2-0 (21-3, 21-8) and Italy’s Claudia Scampoli/Nicol Bertozzi 2-0 (21-6, 21-10).
USA’s Maya Harvey/Megan Kraft came up with solid performances to emerge as the winners of Pool D, following their victories against Australia’s Sarah Strong/Tiaan Smith 2-0 (21-9, 21-11) and Morocco’s Aziza Mallal/Maryem Rachki 2-0 (21-8, 21-13).
Switzerland’s Mara Betschart/Celine Baumann limited their New Zealand rivals Ella Akkerman/Maya Dickson to a single-digit output to win 2-0 (21-7, 21-5) before going for another 2-0 (21-12, 21-7) finish against the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Mianda Ania Dorcas/Nathalie Kutekenenyi Bidimine in Pool G.
China’s Dong Jie/Hang Ting succeeded to close their pool play campaign with a 2-1 (21-17, 19-21, 15-13) win over Thailand’s Pawarun Chanthawichai/Thatsarida Singchuea to lead Pool H. Earlier, they trounced their East Asian rivals Rina Seki/Mayu Miyoshi of Japan 2-0 (21-14, 21-6).