As a three-time Olympic gold medalist, it’s safe to say that Kerri Walsh Jennings isn’t used to losing.
But for her and new teammate Nicole Branagh, 2017 has been a year filled with frustration and disappointment. The duo, who started playing together less than two months ago, lost their first three matches of the year, and have advanced to the round of 16 just once so far this season, at last week’s tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland.
This week’s World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach was another disappointment.
Walsh Jennings, one of the biggest stars and most successful players in beach volleyball history, expected to win at least a few matches in the tournament, as did Branagh. Instead, they were eliminated in pool play.
“It stinks. It’s horrible. It’s a horrible feeling,” Branagh said of their early exit.
The Manhattan Beach-based tandem dug a hole too deep to climb out of on opening day, suffering losses to April Ross and Lauren Fendrick, then to USC teammates Sara Hughes and Kelly Claes. In both matches, Walsh Jennings and Branagh were in position to win but couldn’t close.
After the loss to Ross and Fendrick, Walsh Jennings said that she and Branagh lacked a “spark” despite their consistent play.
“I don’t know any other word, but it was just a boring match,” she said. “There weren’t a lot of plays being made.”
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LONG BEACH-CA-JULY 16, 2017: Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser, center, are sprayed with champagne after winning 1st place in the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach on Sunday. (Christina House / For The Times) (Christina House / For the Times)
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Nick Lucena dives for the ball during the Men’s World Series of Beach Volleyball final on Sunday.
(Christina House / For the Times) 3/29
Nick Lucena, right, blocks a spike attempt by Sam Pedlow, left, during the finals.
(Christina House / For the Times) 4/29
Nick Lucena, right, and Phil Dalhausser, center, celebrate after Dalhausser blocks a spike attempt by Sam Pedlow (foreground).
(Christina House / For the Times) 5/29
Larissa Franca of Brazil spikes the ball past Americans Lauren Kendrick and April Ross in the women’s finals of the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 6/29
Brazilians Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca celebrate their victory over Americans April Ross and Lauren Fendrick in the women’s championship match of the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 7/29
Americans Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes, celebrate their win over Germans Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst to clinch a bronze medal in the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 8/29
American Kelly Claes and German Kira Walkenhorst battle at the net during the women’s bronze-medal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 9/29
Taylor Crabb returns the ball against the team of Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser during a men’s quarterfinal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 10/29
Nick Lucena fires a shot past Jake Gibb during a men’s quarterfinal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 11/29
Phil Dalhausser challenges a shot by Jake Gibb during a men’s quarterfinal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 12/29
Taylor Crabb and Jake Gibb react after losing a point to the team of Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser during a men’s quarterfinal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13/29
Larrisa Franca of Brazil dives for a ball against a German team during in the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach Friday. The Brazilian team won the match.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 14/29
Besti Flint of the United States wipes sand off of her hands during a World Series of Beach Volleyball match in Long Beach on Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15/29
Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States reacts after missing a dig on Friday during a World Series of Beach Volleyball match in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 16/29
Casey Patterson’s shadow shows her going up for a spike during a match Friday at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 17/29
Phil Dalhausser blocks Casey Patterson during a match Friday at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18/29
Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrates a victory over Besti Flint and Kelley Larsen during a match Friday at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 19/29
Kelley Larsen dives for a ball against Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh during a match Friday at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 20/29
April Ross dives in the sand during a dig attempt where she and partner Lauren Fendrick defeated Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 21/29
Volleyball games spread out over the beach at The World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach on July 13.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 22/29
April Ross, left, celebrates with Lauren Fendrick as they defeat Kerri Walsh Jennings, shown at right, and Nicole Branagh during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 23/29
A fan holds a cutout likeness of Kerri Walsh Jennings as he watches April Ross and Lauren Fendrick defeat Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 24/29
Former Olympic partners Kerri Walsh Jennings, left, and April Ross battle at the net as Ross and partner Lauren Fendrick defeated Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 25/29
Kerri Walsh Jennings makes a diving dig attempt from a spike during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 26/29
Volleyball fans get some shade from an umbrella while watching the action at the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball on July 13.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 27/29
Alexander Brouwer dives into the sand in an attempt to get a dig with partner Robert Meeuwsen as they play Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera at the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball on July 13.
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Fans cheer as April Ross and partner Lauren Fendrick defeat Kerri Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 29/29
Robert Meeuwsen serves the ball during a July 13 match at the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Walsh Jennings and Ross once formed the world’s top team but are now playing with different partners, and that might have been a factor in the level of play. Walsh Jennings and Ross split before this season when they couldn’t settle on a singular direction for their team.
“I think both sides were tentative and I know both sides were nervous,” Walsh Jennings said. “It was the first time we played each other and it was the first match of the tournament and that’s always weird.”
Part of that hesitancy stems from just how new the Walsh Jennings-Branagh partnership is.
Though the two played together for a few matches in 2010 while Misty May Treanor, Walsh Jennings’ partner at the time, debated if she would compete for the 2012 London Olympics, they both acknowledged that their on-court chemistry must continue to improve before they can start winning tournaments.
“You’re not gonna win if you’re three-quarters complete,” Walsh Jennings said. “We’re still working on filling in that last quarter, whatever it is. It’s not just one thing, it’s something you have to develop as a new team against good teams.”
Walsh Jennings and Branagh were able to come away with one win in the tournament. They defeated Kelley Larsen and Betsi Flint in two games on Friday morning.
Walsh Jennings said a more free-flowing approach allowed her and Branagh to take advantage of Larsen and Flint’s tentative play, and gave them some momentum ahead of next week’s FIBV World Tour event in Poland.
Walsh Jennings and Branagh have eyes set on competing at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and they stressed their commitment to each other as teammates.
Regardless of how they have performed recently, they said their more than 25 years of combined experience helps keep the results in perspective. Rather than sulk, they are focusing on the possibilities.
“I feel like we just know how much potential is in us. And that’s a really exciting thing in life,” Walsh Jennings said. “People look at us on paper; we’re 38, we each have a couple of kids, and people like to write us off. But as far as I’m concerned I feel like there’s infinite growth in me.
“I think Nicole feels the same individually, and then collectively it’s just insane when you’re aligned and you believe in yourself and believe in each other. That’s some powerful stuff.”
tyler.blint-welsh@latimes.com
Follow Tyler Blint-Welsh on Twitter @tylergabriel_
