3:58p: Just got home from work, I’ve been avoiding all updates from today’s previous games. I’m going to hide here in the blog until I get a chance to catch up on the rest of today’s games. I’m sitting down JUST in time to catch USA v. Switzerland live. We have two minutes until the match starts. Predictions: Kelly/Sara win in 3 sets. Huberli and Brunner have been great lately, haven’t lost a set yet in Paris. They finished the Olympic qualification window as Bet The Beach’s 8th best team in the world. Kelly and Sara have been up and down, but are a top 3 team in the world when they’re playing their best. They’ve only dropped one set, in the round of 16 vs. Italy’s Gottardi and Menegatti.
4:06p: Game still isn’t on yet, I’m guessing Australia/Switzerland went long? Was that a three-setter?!?!?! The suspense is killing me here.
4:10p: Here we go!
4:12p: An option kill for Cheng and an ACE and its a 2-0 start for USA.
4:14p: First MONSTER BLOCK of the match goes to Tanya Huberli on Sara Hughes and Switzerland takes the early lead.
4:15p THESE COMMERCIAL BREAKS DRIVE ME CRAZY. GET IT TOGETHER PEACOCK. WE JUST MISSED FOUR POINTS!!!!
4:16p: Second MONSTER BLOCK goes to Huberli as well, this one on Cheng, and the score 5-7 Switzerland.
4:17p: 9-7 Switzerland, but Sara Hughes is getting a touch on everything. AND HERES ANOTHER COMMERCIAL BREAK THIS IS FUCKING RIDICULOUS.
4:19p: 12-9 Switzerland at the technical timeout. Another ACE from Switzerland, one of the best serving women’s teams in the world. The ACE pushes their lead to 2 1/2 points, but again, Sara Hughes is getting good touches on everything.
4:20p: Sara Hughes sees her first serve and sides out. 12-10 SWI.
4:21p: Another ACE for Huberli, the third of the match for SWI, and its now a 3 1/2 point lead, 14-10.
4:23p: A break point for USA, Kelly guesses right on a peel dig and it’s back to 2 1/2 point lead. A second break point on a wide angle swing by Huberli and its down to a 1 1/2 point lead, now 15-14 SWI.
4:25p: We get a ridiculous rally, foot dig from Brunner, a great dig from Sara, but an even better LUDWIG OVER ON ONE KILL from Nina Brunner. 17-14 SWI.
4:28p: A shanked pass from Cheng and its 20-16 SWI, first set point for Brunner/Huberli. Missed serve, 20-17. Hughes ACE, 20-18.
4:29p: Huberli with a vicious angle swing closes out the first set for Switzerland, 21-18.
Some broadcast thoughts: Chris Marlowe is a true professional. None better at the lead PBP for a beach volleyball broadcast. Kevin Wong is excellent in the color commentary role, providing valuable insight and analysis. The production leaves something to be desired however. Commercials, cut-ins, live looks at player’s families, you end up missing half the match. Sometimes you need to keep it simple. Not great. Not even good. PRETTY FUCKING TERRIBLE ACTUALLY.
4:32p: 4-3 SWI at the first side switch. Pretty straightforward sideout set so far. Sara Hughes has been great. Like Taryn Kloth last night, its our blocker Kelly Cheng that has struggled a bit so far.
4:35p: 8-4 SWI, USA timeout. USA making some errors and Nina Brunner has been ELECTRIC. Nothing touches the sand around her, and when she gets a chance at a swing its finding sand EVERY TIME.
4:37p: A missed serve and a swing goes just wide and USA cuts the Switzerland lead to two at 6-8 at the second side switch. ANOTHER EMBARRASSING COMMERCIAL BREAK AND SOMEHOW IT’S 8-9 SWI NOW.
4:39p: 11-10 Switzerland at the technical timeout. Huberli with a sick knuckle cutty, then Cheng smokes one line to keep it at a 1 1/2 point lead. The most important 10 points for the USA women in 8 years are upcoming, HERE WE GO!!!!
4:40p: SICK DIG FROM SARA, CHENG WITH THE OPTION KILL, AND IT IS ALL TIED UP! 11-11.
4:42p: AMAZING KELLY SAVE ON AN ERRANT HUGHES PASS, SARA JUST BARELY FINDS THE BACK LINE, 12-12.
4:43p: ACE ACE! 13-12 USA. BREAK POINT, KELLY FINDS LINE, 14-12 USA.
4:45p: SWITZERLAND ACE, 14-14.
4:46p: Cheng absolutely detonates cross and its 15-14.
4:48p: I don’t think Nina Brunner makes mistakes. What a performance. 18-17 SWI on the 35 point side switch.
4:49p: An ACE for Brunner to extend their lead to two. 19-17.
4:50p: Sara dig, Kelly knuckle cutty option, 19-19. Switzerland Sideout, first match point, 20-19 SWI.
4:51p: Switzerland gets it done on the first time of asking, gets the break point, gets the 21-19 second set, gets the 2-0 match win, and the USA women are headed home.
Wow. Lots of thoughts. Here goes:
- Sara Hughes was amazing. Dug everything. Served well. Sided out every time she got the opportunity. Set Kelly well, covered, played her ass off.
- Nina Brunner was all that, and a little more. She’s freaking incredible. Passes well, sets well, can swing cross with some spice. Aggressive serve earns them a few break points, and doesn’t make mistakes.
- Kelly needed to do a bit more. Her block was late a few times, her serve didn’t put enough pressure on Switzerland. She didn’t sideout as much as she needed to, not a great game for Kelly, not a great couple of days for the USA women blockers.
- Chris Marlowe, Kevin Wong, Dain Blanton and Misty Mae are all excellent. That needs to be said before I say the following:
- The actual Peacock production is garbage. Between mid-point commercial breaks, irrelevant fan cams and graphics, I’d estimate we missed about 12 points out of 80. When you wait 4 years for a match of this magnitude, to miss any of it is unacceptable.
With both USA teams now eliminated on the women’s side, our last and final hope turns to Mel and Brandie. With a win tomorrow over Spain, Canada would face Switzerland in the semifinals on Thursday with a chance to avenge today’s loss. The final USA team standing, USA’s Miles Partain and Andy Benesh, will face Qatar tomorrow in the quarterfinals.
Special start time for Bet The Beach Live tomorrow at 2:30pm ET (11:30AM PT), leading into the night matches, the final two quarterfinals in Paris.
Chris DeTurk – August 6, 2024
Bet The Beach 
Leave a comment