COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 10, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball Team of Jen Kessy and April Ross proved to be no match for Estonia on Wednesday, charting its second win at the FIVB “Road to London” Visa International Test Event at the Horse Guards Parade in London.  

Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) defeated Estonia’s Mari Graumann and Ennok Anu on Wednesday, 21-15, 21-11 in 30 minutes.

Regardless of their slow start, Kessy and Ross exhibited experienced composure as they slowly pulled away from Estonia’s pair to clinch the first set. In the second set the Americans delivered bullets that were too much for their opponents to handle, earning them a 2-0 record on the tournament.

Kessy and Ross will face 10th-seeds Kacie MacTavish and Julie Rodgrique of Canada on Thursday before round one begins.  

Lisa Rutledge (Vista, Calif.) and Brittany Hochevar (Fowler, Colo.) took a surprising hit on Wednesday, falling to Brazil’s 19th-seeded team of Liliane Maestrini and Angela Vieira, 21-18, 19-21, 15-11 in a 52-minute fight to the finish.

The U.S. welcomed the Brazilians to the sand with a 4-0 run thanks to two services aces at 80km per hour from Hochevar. Though they started out strong the Americans fire couldn’t stay lit as the Brazilians claimed the first set, 21-18. In a battle much like the first, the second set was back and forth with quick transitions and impressive defense giving both sides of the net points. The Americans reached 21 first and forced the match into a third set. With a swift momentum shift half way through the set the Brazilians took game-set-match point for the win.  Both teams will head into the final round-robin pool play match 1-1.

Rutledge and Hochevar will play Mexico’s sixth-seeded team of Candelas Bibiana and Mayra Garcia on Thursday.

Tealle Hunkus (Girard, Ohio) and Heather Lowe (Cypress, Calif.) fell to their second top-10 seeded team, Great Brittan's ninth-seeded team of Lucy Boulton and Denise Johsn Wednesday, 21-19, 21-14 in 37 minutes.

Hunkus and Lowe, now 0-2 in the exhibition tournament, will face Canada’s 16^th-seeded team of Jamie Lynn Broder and Ashley Voth on Thursday.

Round-robin pool play will continue through Thursday where the top 16 teams will advance into two days of knock-out matches on Friday and Saturday before the top four teams will compete in the semifinals and finals slated for Sunday.

COBRA SPORTS