TOKYO (AP) — Beach volleyball’s future was on display at the Shiokaze Park venue for the Olympic debut of Americans Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil. Three of the four players in the U.S. victory over Latvia came up through an NCAA beach volleyball program that has only been around since 2012. Claes and Latvia’s Tina Graudina both went to Southern California and Sponcil played at rival UCLA. For previous generations college beach volleyball was not an option. Claes and Sponcil won the last six points of the third set to take the win over Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka.
Posted at 1:53 PM, Jul 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-26 16:53:39-04
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