Olympics: Ross, partner remain perfect
April Ross and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings remained unbeaten in women’s beach volleyball to highlight local competitors at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ross, a Costa Mesa resident and Newport Harbor High product, teamed with three-time-defending gold medalist Walsh Jennings to defeat Fan Wang and Yuan Yue of China, 21-16, 21-19, on Tuesday to move to 2-0 in Pool C.
Ross, who won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London with then-partner Jennifer Kessy, had 19 kills and 12 digs against the Chinese tandem.
Walsh Jennings, who won her three gold medals alongside Newport Harbor alumna Misty May-Treanor (now retired), had 23 kills, three aces and four blocks.
The Americans will face Isabelle Forrer and Anouk Verge-Depre of Switzerland in another Pool C contest on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. PT.
Ross had 12 kills, 10 digs and one ace in a 21-14, 21-13 trouncing of Mariate Artacho del Solar and Nikki Laird of Australia on Sunday.
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The U.S. women’s water polo team opened Group A play on Tuesday with an 11-4 victory over Spain.
Newport Beach resident Maggie Steffens had two goals, while Corona del Mar High product Maddie Musselman had one goal off the bench.
Kayleigh Gilchrist, a Newport Harbor High product, did not score, but had two shots against Spain.
Team USA takes on China at 7:40 a.m. PT on Thursday.
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In men’s gymnastics, Corona del Mar High graduate Sam Mikulak and the U.S. men’s team, which qualified second on Saturday for the team finals on Monday, struggled and finished fifth.
Mikulak, the four-time national all-around champion, stepped out of bounds to incur .30 in deductions during his floor exercise routine on Monday. His 14.866 score was nearly a full point below his 15.8 that topped all qualifiers on Saturday.
Mikulak, who qualified seventh for the all-around finals, earned a score of 15.366 in the vault on Monday to highlight his performance.
Mikulak, a two-time NCAA all-around champion at Michigan, will also compete in the individual finals in the floor exercise (Sunday) and the horizontal bar (Tuesday).
The men’s individual all-around final is Wednesday.
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Newport Harbor High graduate Charlie Buckingham is in 16th place after four of six races in the men’s Laser class sailing event.
Buckingham, who learned how to sail at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, completed two races on Monday and two more on Tuesday. His top finish was a seventh-place showing in the second race on Monday, while he was 10th in race No. 3 on Tuesday.
He was 20th in his opening race on Monday and closed Tuesday by finishing 23rd in race No. 4.
He competes in two more races on Wednesday.
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Former UC Irvine All-American Kevin Tillie produced eight points, five digs and one block to help France defeat Mexico, 25-18, 25-12, 25-22, in men’s volleyball pool play on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Tillie, a member of UCI national championship teams in 2012 and 2013, had eight points and two digs in a 25-20, 25-20, 25-15 loss to Italy.
The U.S. men’s volleyball team that includes former UCI All-American middle blocker David Smith and is coached by former UCI head man John Speraw, has dropped its first two matches in pool play.
Team USA, for which Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer is an assistant coach, was swept by Canada, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23, on Sunday. The Americans then fell to Italy, 28-28, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, on Tuesday.
Fuerbringer was an indoor All-American at Stanford and went on to a successful professional beach career.
Smith did not play in either match.
The Americans meet host Brazil on Thursday.
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The U.S. men’s water polo team, including a pair of former Back Bay high school standouts, is 0-2 in Group B play, including a 10-9 setback against Spain on Monday.
Newport Harbor product Luca Cupido scored one goal on four shots against Spain, against which Corona del Mar High grad John Mann took two shots and did not score a goal. Mann was ejected from the game due to a double-flagrant-foul call.
In Team USA’s 7-5 loss to defending Olympic champion Croatia on Saturday, Cupido had one assist and one steal.
The Americans face France on Wednesday at 7:40 a.m. PT.
— From staff reports
— From staff reports