In the stands Saturday at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach, it was clear that plenty of fans were disappointed that three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings didn’t make it out of the group stages.
Regardless, the women’s semifinal and final matches were the most competitive contests ot the event. With the new USA versus The World format, Saturday brought fans exciting matchups featuring rising stars from the U.S. and dominant international players.
Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes played a semifinal match with April Ross and Lauren Fendrick. Claes and Hughes, who starred at USC, and Ross and Fendrick had a hand in Walsh Jennings and Nicole Branagh’s exit by beating them in straight sets Thursday to kick off the tournament.
In their most recent match with Ross and Fendrick, Claes and Hughes won 2-1 at an FIBV World Tour event this month in Gstaad, Switzerland.
On Saturday, Ross and Fendrick redeemed themselves. In a three-set thriller, Ross and Fendrick earned their spot in the final, clawing their way to victory after dropping the first set.
“The most dangerous server in the world,” as the stadium announcer called Ross, overpowered her opponents, who made several mistakes.
“We played them in Gstaad and it went the other way but they really stepped their serving I think,” Claes said. “April’s an amazing server and I think that was a big factor for them.”
In the final, Ross and Fendrick went up against Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca of Brazil, who won the other semifinal match against 2016 Olympic gold medalists Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst in straight sets.
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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.
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Nick Lucena, right, blocks a spike attempt by Sam Pedlow, left, during the finals.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Nick Lucena fires a shot past Jake Gibb during a men’s quarterfinal match at the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Saturday.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Volleyball games spread out over the beach at The World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach on July 13.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Kerri Walsh Jennings makes a diving dig attempt from a spike during the Long Beach Presidents Cup in The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
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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.
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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.
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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) The Brazilians dominated Ross and Fendrick in straight sets in front of a capacity crowd that included people dressed as George Washington, Apollo Creed and Wonder Woman.
Antunes and Franca, who didn’t drop a set on their way to the title, contrasted the Americans’ power style with finesse and craftiness.
“I think that the American game, at least for a long time has been about a lot of power,” Ross said. “The international teams, I think know that about us and they play for that and so approaching them, I felt like we needed to be a little bit craftier and misdirectional with our shots and stuff. It’s just more of a strategy game against them.”
The Brazilians, who won $50,000, said their dominance in the event stemmed in part from being able to compete in front of the fans in Long Beach.
“We just tried to play the match to have fun,” Antunes said. “This place just makes us so happy. The vibe, the people, the crowds, the families. I think that’s it. There’s no real secret.”
tyler.blint-welsh@latimes.com
Follow Tyler Blint-Welsh on Twitter @tylergabriel_
