Ross breezes into quarterfinals

Costa Mesa resident April Ross and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings cruised, 21-10, 21-16, in the round of 16 on Friday to advance to the women’s beach volleyball quarterfinals at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ross, a Newport Harbor High product and a silver medalist in 2012, and Walsh Jennings, a three-time gold medalist, topped Marta Menegatti and Laura Giombini to win their fourth match of the tournament.

Ross had 23 kills, nine digs and one ace.

The Americans will meet the winner of Saturday’s round of 16 match between Monika Brzostek and Kinga Kolosinska of Poland and Louise Bawden and Clancy Talique of Australia in the quarterfinals.

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Newport Beach residents Luca Cupido and John Mann each scored goals, but the U.S. men’s water polo team fell to Montenegro, 8-5, on Friday.

The loss dropped the Americans to 1-3 in Group B play and means they will not advance to the quarterfinals.

Cupido’s goal came with 5:34 left in the game and drew Team USA within 5-4.

Mann’s tally came with 1:11 left in the third quarter and pulled the U.S. squad within 4-3.

Team USA tied the score at 1-1 and 2-2, but never led.

Cupido, a starting driver who now has three goals in the tournament, added three steals and two blocked shots. As a senior at Newport Harbor High in 2013, Cupido was the Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Dream Team Player of the Year.

Mann, a reserve center who starred at Corona del Mar High and Cal, scored for the second straight game and has two goals in Rio.

Team USA completes Group B play on Sunday, when it meets Italy at 11:30 a.m. PDT.

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Charles Jock, a former UC Irvine All-American and NCAA champion in the 800 meters, failed to advance from round one of the men’s 800 on the first day of track and field competition at Olympic Stadium.

Jock, competing in his first Olympics, was sixth in his heat, one of seven preliminary heats on Friday. He posted a time of 1 minute, 47.06 seconds, not good enough to earn a spot in one of three semifinal heats contested on Saturday.

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Newport Beach resident Charlie Buckingham finished 15th and 10th, respectively, in the seventh and eighth men’s Laser class sailing races held Friday.

Buckingham is in 15th place overall after eight of 10 preliminary races. The final two preliminary races are Saturday.

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In badminton action on Friday, UC Irvine student Phillip Chew and Anteaters alumna Eva Lee continued to struggle.

Lee, who dropped her opening match with women’s doubles partner Paula Lynn Obanana on Thursday, fell once again Friday.

Lee and Obanana were trounced, 21-9, 21-6, by Christinna Rytter and Kamilla Juhl of Denmark to fall to 0-2 in Group B action.

On Thursday, Lee and Obanana were defeated, 21-14, 21-12, by the Korean tandem of Kyung Eun Jung and Seung Chan Shin.

The American women complete Group B play on Saturday, when they meet Yin Luo and Yu Luo of China at 3:30 p.m. PDT. Luo and Luo are 1-1 thus far. The top two teams in the four-team pool advance to the quarterfinals.

In men’s doubles Friday, Chew and partner Sattawat Pongnairat were handled, 21-12, 21-10, by V. Shem Goh and Wee Kiong Tan of Malaysa in Group B action. Chew and Pongnairat (0-2), will meet Germans Michael Fuchs and Jonannes Schoettler on Saturday at 5 a.m. PDT. Chew and Pongnairat will not advance to the quarterfinal round, which will feature the top two teams from each one of the four pools.

In mixed doubles Friday, Chew and Jamie Subandhi fell, 21-6, 21-12, to the Japanese duo of Kenta Kazuno and Ayane Kurihara.

Chew and Subandhi (0-2 in Group D), conclude their tournament on Saturday when they face Jacco Arends and Selena Piek of the Netherlands. Arends and Piek are also 0-2.

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Also on Saturday, the U.S. women’s water polo team, featuring three Newport Beach residents, will try to improve to 3-0 when it concludes Group B play against Hungary (1-1) at 9 a.m. PDT.

The Americans, including Newport Beach resident Maggie Steffens (six goals in two games), Corona del Mar High product Maddie Musselman (five goals) and former Newport Harbor High standout Kaleigh Gilchrist (two goals), can assure themselves a favorable draw in the quarterfinals with a win.

There are eight teams in the tournament, so all will advance to the quarterfinals that begin Monday.

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The U.S. men’s volleyball team, coached by former UCI head man John Speraw, for whom Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer is an assistant coach, will play France on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a Pool A contest.

Team USA (1-2), which earned its first victory by knocking off host Brazil, ranked No. 1 in the world, on Thursday, includes former UCI All-American middle blocker David Smith. Smith is the only member of the 12-man U.S. roster not to see action thus far.

France (2-1), includes former UCI All-American Kevin Tillie, who has started all three matches thus far.

A win by Team USA on Saturday would give it the inside track to become one of four teams in the six-team Pool A to advance to the quarterfinals.

The U.S. closes out pool play against winless Mexico on Monday. France meets Brazil (2-1) on Monday, while Canada (1-2) takes on Mexico on Saturday and Italy (3-0) on Monday.

— From staff reports

— From staff reports