LITHUANIA and Team US set up a women’s gold medal showdown while Switzerland and Australia booked their spots in the men’s finale of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge on Sunday at the Nuvali Sands Courts in Laguna.
Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte continued their dominant run on the sand after dispatching Emi van Driel and Mila Konink of the Netherlands in straight sets, 21-18, 21-15, in the women’s semifinals for their third Beach Pro Tour Challenge final this year.
Meanwhile, Alaina Chacon and Madelyn Anderson of Team US fended off a late rally from Ukrainian pair Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil, 21-18, 21-19, to reach their first championship round as partners.
Team US and Lithuania are still going for all the marbles as of press time.
The Lithuanians are looking to clinch their first Beach Pro Tour title after falling short in both the Tlaxcala Challenge and Xiamen Challenge earlier this year, while the Americans are also eyeing their maiden gold as a pair after previously collecting multiple Futures titles with different partners last season.
Meanwhile, in the men’s Final Four, Aussies Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood split the first two sets before pulling away in the decider to defeat Julian Friedli and Jonathan Jordan of Switzerland, 21-18, 12-21, 15-7, to qualify for the gold medal match.