The road to Beijing continues

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It’s now less than a month until 08-08-08, so do you know where your Beijing-bound U.S. athletes are? On the court, in the pool and heading for home.

Earlier today in Yokohama, Japan, the U.S. women’s national indoor volleyball team lost its opening game in the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 to top-ranked Brazil.

The World Grand Prix Final Round is a round-robin format. Each team plays five matches in five days. The U.S. will play Japan on July 10, Cuba on July 11, Italy on July 12 and China on July 13.

The top-ranked and Beijing-bound U.S. women’s water polo team has been warming up for the Games with a four-match series against No. 2-ranked Australia.

The U.S. won the July 4 opener in Los Alamitos, 13-12. Australia came back on July 6 in La Jolla to beat the U.S., 12-11. Last night in Coronado, the Americans prevailed, 12-6. The final pre-Beijing Olympics match will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in Stanford University’s Avery Aquatics Center.

USA Softball, also headed to Beijing, on Tuesday routed the Portland All-Stars, 19-0. Pitcher Monica Abbott earned her 14th win and third no-hitter of the season, working nine complete innings and registering 15 strikeouts.

The team has seven games remaining on the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour, which concludes July 26 with a sold-out game in Irvine.

--Greg Johnson