USA Volleyball Women’s Beach Teams Reach FIVB Semifinals in Dubai

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Two U.S. women's beach volleyball teams appear to be on a collision course to meet in the finals at a SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in Dubai.


Top-seeded Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, Calif.) and Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) won their lone match on Thursday, defeating Marie-Andrée Lessard and Annie Martin of Canada, 21-13, 21-14, in 39 minutes to advance to Friday's semifinal round at Jumeirah Beach Park courts.


With the victory, Walsh and Branagh will meet second-seeded Salgado sisters, Maria Clara and Carolina, of Brazil, with the winner advancing to Saturday's championship match.


While Walsh and Branagh breezed to victory on Thursday, fellow Americans and third-seeded Jen Boss (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) were also straight-set winners, defeating the Salgado sisters, 21-17, 21-18. The Brazilians won an elimination match to reach the semifinals after falling to Boss and Ross.


Boss and Ross will meet Austrian sisters Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger on Friday in the semifinals. The two teams have met once before in international play, as Boss and Ross were victorious in 2007 at the Austrian Grand Slam in Klagenfurt.


After Thursday's results, Walsh/Branagh and Boss/Ross are both a perfect 4-0 in Dubai.


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