Beach Pro Tour American teams found success in the first Dubai tournament – Annenberg Media

Tumble is in full swing, but that does not suggest beach front volleyball stops. The Volleyball Globe Beach Pro Tour is by no means-ending – properly right up until January, but I digress.

The principal tournaments going on ideal now are the Dubai UAE Obstacle functions. And certainly, I mentioned events plural mainly because there are two back-to-back again tournaments.

Side observe, Obstacle level tournaments of the Beach front Professional Tour (the international tour) is a feeder to the Elite 16 degree situations. Elite 16 is the maximum stage, and there is also a degree beneath Challenge referred to as Upcoming which is normally for a lot less set up players.

The initially Dubai function by now concluded as it took location from Oct 22 to Oct 25. The upcoming Elite 16 occasion will start out on November 2 in Cape City, South Africa.

American men confirmed out at the first Dubai celebration. Miles Partain and Trojan alum Andy Benesh became the initially U.S. guys to get gold at a Volleyball World Seashore Pro Tour party. At only 20 a long time old, Partain also grew to become a person of the youngest gamers to earn a Problem party.

Partain and Benesh dominated all over the complete match. They only dropped a one set which arrived in the spherical of 16 from the Swedish pair Yves Haussener and Quentin Métral. Even in that match, the 3rd established was a blowout 15-7.

Even the gold medal match was not notably shut as the People cruised to a 21-15, 21-17 win towards Ukraine’s Sergiy Popov and Eduard Reznik.

“I am extremely very pleased of our federation for accomplishing a terrific work supporting us. We, the males, have been missing a minor little bit and we are striving to discover our way back again on the map,” Benesh reported in an job interview with Volleyball Globe.

There had been three other American men’s pairs at the occasion who performed effectively. Logan Webber and Evan Cory came from qualifying to complete fourth. On the way to their fourth-location complete, they conquer fellow Americans Taylor Crabb and Paul Lotman in a tight 3-set match.

The past American workforce of Chase Budinger and Troy Area did not make it out of pool engage in.

On the women’s facet, there were being far more Us citizens there, but an American team didn’t end up at the leading of the podium.

On the other hand, Katie Horton and USC alumna Julia Scoles did finish up on the podium but just in 3rd. This was Scoles’ and Horton’s to start with worldwide celebration as a pair.

Scoles and Horton came from qualifying and battled their way to the semi-finals. They finished up falling to the eventual champions from the Czech Republic, Barbora Hermannova and Marie-Sara Stochlova.

Two other American teams also manufactured it all the way to the quarterfinals. Savannah Simo and Jessica Gaffney also misplaced to Hermannova and Stochlova. Simo and Gaffney received the second set in overtime, but then the Czechs dominated the 3rd set profitable 15-8.

Xolani Hodel and USC alum Hailey Harward experienced their run occur to an end at the hands of China’s Xia Xinyi and Lin MeiMei in a two-established match the place the American pair racked up 17 faults. Xia and Lin went on to location second.

All in all, it was a strong outing for the Individuals on equally sides of the event.

Us residents — especially Trojan Individuals — will glance to carry on their accomplishment into the second Dubai function likely on proper now which will conclude on October 30.

I would look out for Harward and Hodel to make a operate. They’ve looked extraordinary at periods but haven’t played constantly ample to end up on the podium. If they can slice back again on their errors, they can be a unsafe crew.

On the men’s side, Crabb and Lotman are nevertheless seeking to uncover their chemistry together, but if they can they can conquer any individual.

All the groups in Dubai are very gifted, and it ought to be a further exciting tournament.

The enjoy of the “week” is a jumpset executed to perfection by People in america Webber and Cory:

“Slinging the Sand” runs each individual other Friday.