USA's May/Walsh win Gold Medal at FIVB Swiss Open

by Paul Soriano USA Volleyball Manager, Public Relations & Publications

Defending champions Misty May and Kerri Walsh of the USA gained a "sweet victory" over Brazilian rivals Ana Paula Connelly and Sandra Pires Tavares on Saturday by defeating them in the final of the Women's Swiss Open, the second stop of the 2003 SWATCH-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

The Americans, last season's World Tour champions, won a close first set 23-21 before securing the gold medal with 21-15 triumph in the second set, making amends for their loss to the new Brazilian partnership in the semifinal of the Rhodes Open in Greece last weekend. May and Walsh will split $22,000 in prize money.

The bronze medal went to Brazil's Adriana Brandao Behar and Shelda Kelly Bruno Bede after they defeated American wild-cards Jennifer Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, 21-15, 21-15.

"That was a sweet victory; I think we played better than we did when we met them in Rhodes and they perhaps weren't as strong today," said the 6'2" Walsh, who also won the Speedo Most Valuable Player Award.

After an exciting and closely fought first set, the Americans' dominance at the net and superb defense allowed them to get on top the Brazilians who started to show signs of a lack of teamwork having only been together as a team for two events.

"They are a very strong serving team so you can't give up points to them," said May, holding an ice pack to an inured left shoulder that had been bothering her all week. "We came in with a game plan and I think we executed it well and followed it through.

"The pain in my shoulder is an ongoing thing, but it's not going to make me miss any tournaments," she added. "Our goal this year is to qualify for the Olympics (Athens 2004) and we'll do whatever it takes."

Sandra Pires and Ana Paula formed their partnership just two days before last week's World Tour event in Rhodes. After their semifinal victory on Saturday, Ana Paula showed concern for their lack of teamwork and admitted that it had affected the outcome of the final.

"Our teamwork was not quite what it should have been and our individual talents were not enough to win this game (the final)," said Ana Paula. "We were aware that this lack of communication could let us down soon and it did in the final. But I also take a lot of comfort from the fact that we know there is much to improve.

"When we left Greece we had no time to practice before this event and it's unlikely we'll be able to do that until we return to Brazil after the event in Norway in a couple of weeks time."

May and Walsh reached the final after defeating Adriana Behar and Shelda 25-23, 17-21, 15-12 in the semifinals on Saturday morning, while Sandra Pires and Ana Paula overcame Jordan and Davis 21-15, 26-24.

The women's 2003 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour moves to Germany next week for the Berlin Grand Slam, the first grand slam event of the season.

For more information, go to the USA Volleyball web site.