BALTIMORE, MD. - Gail Castro and Deb Richardson earned the third and final berth on the United States Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball Team by defeating Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop 15-13 here Sunday (June 9) in the United States Women's Beach Volleyball Olympic Trials.
In a 53-minute match that featured five ties and three lead changes, Castro and Richardson rallied from a 8-4 deficit to tie the score at 8-8 when Richardson rejected Shupryt-Knoop at the net.
Roque and Shupryt-Knoop scored the next three points to take an 11-8 lead. Castro and Richardson scored the next five points to take a 13-11 lead. Roque and Shupryt-Knoop pulled within one at 14-13, but Richardson's block off Roque at the net ended the match on the fifth-match point.
Castro and Richardson earned a spot in Sunday's match by downing Janice Harrer and Gayle Stammer 15-4 Saturday after losing 15-6 to Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley Friday.
Roque and Shupryt-Knoop, who had defeated Harrer and Stammer 15-9 Friday, dropped into Sunday's finale after losing a 16-14 decision to Fontana Harris and Hanley Friday in the first Olympic qualification match.
Sunday's meeting was the third this season as the beach pairs split two matches earlier in Deerfield Beach, Fla. and Puerto Rico. The match also features former partners as Castro and Roque played 43 career pro events while Richardson and Knoop played in 29 tournaments together.
Sunday's winner joins the tandems of Fontana Harris/Hanley and Holly McPeak/Nancy Reno on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team in the 18-team Olympic beach competition July 23-28 at Atlanta Beach in Clayton County, Ga.
McPeak and Reno secured the No. 1 spot on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team by finishing as the top ranked tandem from the United States on the FIVB tour.
Here are Sunday's results for the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Trials. Qualification Contender's Bracket, second-round (winners place second and earn a berth on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team; losers eliminated, place third) - Gail Castro, Carlsbad, Calif./Deb Richardson, Minneapolis, Minn. def. Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif. /Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago, 15-13.
EVIAN U. S. OPEN NEXT
The Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will resume competition June 14-16 on Dorchester Beach in Ocean City, Md. for the $100,000 Evian U. S. Open. The event is the first of four "major" events on the 1996 Evian Tour.
FINAL FOUR TOURNAMENT SUMMARY (June 7-9)
TEAM (seed) W-L
1st Barbra Fontana Harris\Linda Hanley (Wild Card) 2-0
2nd Gail Castro\Deb Richardson (3) 2-1
3rd Elaine Roque\Dennie Shupryt-Knoop (4) 1-2
4th Janice Harrer\Gayle Stammer (8) 0-2
Final Four Totals 5-5
FINAL FOUR TOURNAMENT MATCH SUMMARY
Winner's bracket, first-round - Fontana Harris/Hanley (WC) def. Castro/Richardson (3), 15-6; Roque/Shupryt-Knoop (4) def. Harrer/Stammer (8), 15-9. Winner's bracket, second-round (winners earn 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games berth) - Fontana Harris/Hanley def. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, 16- 14. Contender's bracket, first-round (losers eliminated, places fourth) - Castro/Richardson loser def. Harrer/Stammer, 15-4. Contender's bracket, second round (winners earn 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games berth) - Castro/Richardson def. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, 15-13.
Q Barbra Fontana Harris\Linda Hanley (Wild Card) DNP
Q Janice Harrer\Gayle Stammer (8) 3-0
Q Gail Castro\Deb Richardson (3) 2-0
Q Elaine Roque\Dennie Shupryt-Knoop (4) 3-1
5th Liz Masakayan\Angela Rock (2) 2-2
6th Danalee Bragado\Marla O'Hara (6) 1-2
Lisa Arce\Karolyn Kirby (1) 2-2
8th Marie Andersson\Monique Oliver (10) 2-2
Karrie Poppinga\Christine Schaefer (5) 0-2
10th Erin Deiters\Desiree Leipham (9) 0-2
Krista Blomquist\Wendy Fletcher (7) 0-2
Preliminary Totals 15-15
PRELIMINARY TOURNAMENT MATCH SUMMARY
Winner's bracket, first-round - Harrer/Stammer (8) def. Deiters/Leipham (9), 15-8; Andersson/Oliver (7) def. Blomquist/Fletcher (7), 15-13. Winners's bracket, second-round - Harrer/Stammer def. Arce/Kirby (1), 17- 16; Roque/Shupryt-Knoop (4) def. Poppinga/Schaefer (5), 15-13; Castro/Richardson (3) def. Bragado/O'Hara (6), 16-14; Masakayan/Rock (2) def. Andersson/Oliver, 15-5. Winner's bracket, third-round - Harrer/Stammer def. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, 15-12; Castro/Richardson def. Masakayan/Rock, 16-14.
Contender's bracket, first-round - Andersson/Oliver def. Deiters/Leipham, 15-9; Arce/Kirby def. Blomquist/Fletcher, 15-8. Contender's bracket, second-round - Bragado/O'Hara def. Andersson/Oliver, 15-13; Arce/Kirby def. Poppinga/Schaefer, 15-9. Contender's bracket, third-round - Roque/Shupryt-Knoop def. Bragado/O'Hara, 15-6; Masakayan/Rock def. Arce/Kirby, 15-8. Contender's bracket, fourth-round - Roque/Shupryt- Knoop def. Masakayan/Rock, 15-12.
BALTIMORE, MD. - Gail Castro and Deb Richardson advanced to the final qualification match in the United States Women's Beach Volleyball Olympic Trials after defeating Janice Harrer and Gayle Stammer here Saturday (June 8).
Castro and Richardson trailed only once in the match (0-1) as they moved from a 5-4 lead to score the final 10 matches of the game to eliminate Harrer and Stammer 15-4 at the HarborView Complex.
Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, who dropped a 16-14 decision to Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley Friday in the first Olympic qualification match, meet Castro and Richardson at 12 p.m. (EDT) Sunday to determine the third berth on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team.
Sunday's meeting will be the third this season as the beach pairs split two matches earlier this season in Deerfield Beach, Fla. and Puerto Rico. The match also features former partners as Castro and Roque played 43 career pro events while Richardson and Knoop played in 29 tournaments together.
In head-to-head meetings between the two teams, Castro and Roque won 10 of 17 matches against Richardson and Shupryt-Knoop. Castro and Roque had a 176-91 match mark together with 27 final four finishes, including an international win in Puerto Rico in 1994.
Richardson and Shupryt-Knoop, who posted a fourth in last year's international event in Hermosa Beach, Calif., had a 116-66 match mark together with 16 final four finishes.
Sunday's winner joins the tandems of Fontana Harris/Hanley and Holly McPeak/Nancy Reno on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team in the 18-team Olympic beach competition July 23-28 at Atlanta Beach in Clayton County, Ga. McPeak and Reno secured the No. 1 spot on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team by finishing as the top ranked tandem from the United States on the FIVB tour.
Here are Saturday's results for the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Trials along with remaining match schedule. Qualification Contender's Bracket, first-round (losers eliminated, place fourth) - Gail Castro, Carlsbad, Calif./Deb Richardson, Santa Barbara, Calif. def. Janice Harrer, Honolulu, Hi./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex, 15-4. Qualification Contender's Bracket, second- round (Sunday, 12 p.m.; winners place second and earn a berth on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team; losers eliminated, place third) - Roque/Shupryt-Knoop vs. Castro/Richardson.
EVIAN U. S. OPEN NEXT
The Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will resume competition June 14-16 on Dorchester Beach in Ocean City, Md. for the $100,000 Evian U. S. Open. The event is the first of four "major" events on the 1996 Evian Tour.
Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Topanga Canyon, Calif. vs. Gail Castro, Carlsbad, Calif./Deb Richardson, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Roque/Shupryt-Knoop are playing in their eighth pro event together with a 27-18 match mark together to split $17,400 with two fourths, two fifths, a seventh, a ninth and an 11th...Roque/Shupryt-Knoop have posted a 23-16 mark in seven Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour events together to split $17,400 with two fourths, two fifths, a seventh, a ninth and an 11th...Roque/Shupryt-Knoop posted fourths together in Deerfield Beach and San Diego earlier this season...Castro/Richardson are playing in their sixth pro event together with a 19-11 match mark together to split $10,375 with two fifths, a seventh and two ninths...Castro/Richardson have posted a 16-10 mark in five Evian Tour events together with fifths in both Puerto Rico and Hermosa Beach earlier this season.
Roque/Shupryt-Knoop vs. Castro/Richardson (tied, 1-1, 1996)
Deerfield Beach, Apr. 7. . . . . . . . .Roque/Shupryt-Knoop 15- 7 Puerto Rico, Apr. 28 . . . . . . . . . . .Castro/Richardson 13-15Castro/Roque held a 10-7 edge in the series with Richardson/Shupryt-Knoop with the final match July 1, 1995 in Newport, R. I....Castro/Roque won the first seven matches in the series and Richardson/Shupryt-Knoop won the last four matches, including a 10-4 timed decision in Newport.Both Evian Tour/FIVB Totals TOURN- INDIVIDUAL/TEAMMATE POINTS EARNINGS AMENTS 1 2 3 4 BEST WON LOST Gail Castro/Elaine Roque 1834 162,425 43 1 12 8 6 1st 176- 91 Deb Richardson/Dennie Knoop 1237 92,300 29 0 3 7 6 2nd 116- 66
Roque teamed with Gail Castro to win the FIVB's Puerto Rico event in 1994...Roque is 25th in career international earnings ($25,375)...Shupryt-Knoop finished fourth in her only FIVB event with Deb Richardson at the 1995 Hermosa event...she is 86th in career earnings ($1,500)...Castro teamed with Elaine Roque to win the FIVB's Puerto Rico event in 1994...Castro is 20th in career international earnings ($28,750)...Richardson has posted three final four finishes in FIVB events and is 27th in career earnings ($20,625).
Category Roque Shurpyt-Knoop Hometown Santa Monica, Calif. Chicago, Ill. College UCLA/Utah State North Central Experience 10th-Season Ninth-Season Earnings $231,642 $102,680 Event 137th 113th Match Mark 531-280 363-241 Tourney Finals 38 3 Final 4s 88 28 Event Wins 4 None Best Finish 1st 2nd, three times 1996 Aces 4 15 Category Castro Richardson Hometown Glendale, Calif. Minneapolis, Minn. College Long Beach State Alaska-Anchorage Experience 10th-Season Eighth-Season Earnings $212,381 $135,983 Event 142nd 111th Match Mark 521-290 381-237 Tourney Finals 22 7 Final 4s 64 33 Event Wins 4 None Best Finish 1st 2nd, seven times 1996 Aces 7 19Statistics include all pro events.
AWARDS - Roque has been voted twice the Evian Tour's top blocker and has won the sportwomanshp award three times...Shupryt-Knoop as won the Evian sportswomanship award three times and twice has been voted the most inspirational player...Castro won the 1993 "Silver Bullet" ace award...Richardson won the 1994 "Silver Bullet" ace award and donated her earnings to Special Olympics...Richardson was the Evian Tour's top blocker in 1994.
Castro/Roque vs. Richardson/Shupryt-Knoop (10-7) W 15- 6 at Pismo Beach '93 W 16-14 at Long Beach '93 (2-0) W 15-13 at Fort Lauderdale '94 W 15- 8 at New Orleans '94 W 15- 7 at San Diego '94 W 18-16 at Hermosa Beach '94 W 15-11 at Newport '94 L 11-15 at Santa Cruz '94 L 5-15 at Long Beach '94 W 15-12 at Las Vegas '94 (6-2) W 15-11 at Austin '95 L 16-18 at Puerto Rico '95 W 15- 6 at New Orleans '95 L 5-15 at Irving '95 L 4-10 at Newport '95 (L 13-15 at Hermosa '95FIVB) L 4-10 aty Newport '9
BALTIMORE, MD. - The tandems of Barbra Fontana Harris/Linda Hanley and Elaine Roque/Dennie Shupryt-Knoop advanced today's Olympic qualification match after winning opening final four matches here Friday at the HarborView Complex.
Fontana Harris and Hanley defeated Gail Castro and Deb Richardson 15-6 while Roque and Shupryt-Knoop scored a 15-9 win over Janice Harrer and Gayle Stammer.
The winner of the 4:30 p.m. (EDT) match between Fontana Harris/Hanley and Roque/Shupryt-Knoop will determine the No. 2 women's beach volleyball team for the United States in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
The loser still has a chance to advance in a Sunday match against the winner of the Castro/Richardson versus Harrer/Stammer match, which will be played at 10:15 a.m. Saturday.
BALTIMORE, MD. - Eighth-seeded Janice Harrer and Gayle Stammer scored another upset win here Wednesday (June 5) to advance to the final four rounds in the United States Women's Beach Volleyball Olympic Trials.
Harrer and Stammer, who upset top-seeded Lisa Arce and Karolyn Kirby 17-16 here Tuesday, downed fourth-seeded Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop 15-12 Wednesday to earn a chance to vie for a spot on the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team.
Third-seeded Gail Castro and Deb Richardson scored Wednesday's second upset win by downing second-seeded Liz Masakayan and Angela Rock 16-14 to join Harrer and Stammer in the final four along with Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley.
Fontana Harris and Hanley earned a spot in the final four by finishing as the second ranked United States team on the 1995-96 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship-Series circuit.
Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno secured the No. 1 spot on the United States Olympic Volleyball Team by finishing as the top ranked tandem from the United States on the FIVB tour.
Roque and Shupryt-Knoop earned the final spot for this weekend's Olympic qualification matches by scoring Wednesday's fourth upset in seven matches by defeating Masakayan and Rock 15-12. Masakayan and Rock eliminated Arce and Kirby 15-8 for Wednesday's third upset.
The second berth on the United States Women's Olympic Beach Volleyball Team will be determined Friday (June 7) in a 4:30 p.m. (EDT) match at the Harborview Complex in Baltimore. The third spot will be determined Sunday in a 12 p.m. match.
Here are Wednesday's results for the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Trials along with Friday's schedule. Winner's bracket, third-round - Janice Harrer, Honolulu, Hi./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex. (No. 8-seeded) def. Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago (4), 15-12; Gail Castro, Carlsbad, Calif./Deb Richardson, Santa Barbara, Calif. (3) def. Liz Masakayan, San Diego/Angela Rock, Carlsbad, Calif. (2), 16-14. Contender's bracket, second-round (losers eliminated, tie for seventh) - Danalee Bragado, Honolulu, Hi./Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif. (6) def. Marie Andersson, Hawthorne, Calif./Monique Oliver, Santa Monica, Calif. (10), 15-13; Lisa Arce, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Karolyn Kirby, Brookline, Mass. (1) def. Karrie Poppinga, Mililani, Hi./Christine Schaefer, Florence, Ky. (5), 15- 9. Contender's Bracket, third-round (losers eliminated, tie for fifth) - Roque/Shupryt-Knoop def. Bragado/Oliver, 15-6; Masakayan/Rock def. Arce/Kirby, 15-6. Contender's Bracket, fourth- round (losers eliminated, finish fourth) - Roque/Shupryt-Knoop def. Masakayan/Rock, 15-12. Qualification Winner's Bracket, first-round pairings (12 p.m. Friday) - Barbra Fontana Harris, Laguna Beach, Calif./Linda Hanley, Pacific Palisades, Calif. vs. Castro/Richardson; Harrer/Stammer vs. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop.
EVIAN U. S. OPEN NEXT
The Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will resume competition June 14-16 on Dorchester Beach in Ocean City, Md. for the $100,000 Evian U. S. Open. The event is the first of four "major" events on the 1996 Evian Tour.
BALTIMORE, MD. - Eighth-seeded Janice Harrer and Gayle Stammer scored two wins here Tuesday (June 4) in the United States Women's Beach Volleyball Olympic Trials, including a 17-16 win over top- seeded Lisa Arce and Karolyn Kirby.
Harrer and Stammer face fourth-seeded Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop at 9 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday at the HarborView Complex while sixth-seeded Gail Castro and Deb Richardson challenge second- seeded Liz Masakayan and Angela Rock.
The winners of Harrer/Stammer versus Roque/Shupryt-Knoop and Castro/Richardson vs. Masakayan/Rock matches will advance to the Olympic Trials final four Friday. The Olympic Trial's final four will determine the final two berths on the United States Women's Olympic Beach Volleyball Team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno have already secured the No. 1 spot.
The Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, Castro/Richardson and Masakayan/Rock tandems each won one match Tuesday. Roque and Shupryt-Knoop rallied from a 10-6 deficit to defeat fifth-seeded Karrie Poppinga and Christine Schaefer 15-13. In a match tied five times, Castro and Richardson trailed Bragado and Oliver 14-12 and staved off three match points before scoring the last four points to advance. Masakayan and Rock scored the first 10 points of their match enroute to a 15-5 win over 10th-seeded Marie Andersson and Monique Oliver.
The third spot in the final four will be determined later Wednesday as Arce and Kirby battle through the contender's bracket. The fourth and final spot in this weekend's Olympic qualifying matches is filled by Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley, who finished as the second ranking United States team on the 1995-96 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship-Series circuit.
The second berth on the United States Women's Olympic Beach Volleyball Team will be determined Friday (June 7) in a 4:30 p.m. (EDT) match at the Harborview Complex in Baltimore. The third spot will be determined Sunday in a 12 p.m. match. Here are Tuesday's results for the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Trials along with Wednesday's schedule. Winner's bracket, first-round - Janice Harrer, Honolulu, Hi./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex. (No. 8- seeded) def. Erin Deiters, Green Bay, Wisc./Desiree Leipham, Reardon, Wash. (9), 15-8; Marie Andersson, Hawthorne, Calif./Monique Oliver, Santa Monica, Calif. (10) def. Krista Blomquist, Branford, Conn./Wendy Fletcher, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (7), 15-13. Winners's Bracket, second-round - Harrer/Stammer def. Lisa Arce, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Karolyn Kirby, Brookline, Mass. (1), 17-16; Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago (4) def. Karrie Poppinga, Mililani, Hi./Christine Schaefer, Florence, Ky. (5), 15-13; Gail Castro, Carlsbad, Calif./Deb Richardson, Santa Barbara, Calif. (3) def. Danalee Bragado, Honolulu, Hi./Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif. (6), 16-14; Liz Masakayan, San Diego/Angela Rock, Carlsbad, Calif. (2) def. Andersson/Oliver, 15-5. Contender's Bracket, first-round (losers eliminated, tie for ninth) - Andersson/Oliver def. Deiters/Leipham, 15-9; Arce/Kirby def. Blomquist/Fletcher, 15-8. Winner's Bracket, third-round pairings (9 a.m. Wednesday) - Harrer/Stammer vs. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop; Castro/Roque vs. Masakayan/Rock. Contender's Bracket, second-round pairings (10 a.m., approximately, Wednesday, losers eliminated, tie for seventh) - Andersson/Oliver vs. Bragado/O'Hara; Kirby/Schaefer vs. Poppinga/Schaefer.
EVIAN U. S. OPEN NEXT
The Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will resume competition June 14-16 on Dorchester Beach in Ocean City, Md. for the $100,000 Evian U. S. Open. The event is the first of four "major" event on the 1996 Evian Tour.
EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. - Led by the tandem of Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley, 11 teams from the Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will vie for the remaining two spots on the 1996 United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Team June 4-9 in Baltimore, Md.
Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno have earned a spot in the 18-team 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games women's beach field by finishing as the top- rated United States tandem on the 1995-96 FIVB circuit by winning six of eight events.
The second berth on the United states Olympic Beach Volleyball Team will be determined June 7 in a 4:30 p.m. (EDT) match at the Harborview Complex in Baltimore. The third spot will be determined June 9 in a 12 p.m. match.
Fontana Harris and Hanley earned an automatic spot in the Olympic Trials Final Four June 7-9 by finishing as the second-ranked United States team on the 1995-96 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship-Series circuit.
The other 10 teams will compete June 4-5 for the other three spots in the Olympic Trials' final four. The preliminary rounds will feature a double-elimination format with two teams from the winner's bracket and one team from the loser's bracket advancing to the Final Four.
Fontana Harris and Hanley won Sunday's $50,000 Evian Hermosa Beach Open this past weekend by defeating top-seeded Karolyn Kirby and Reno 12-11 in the finals. Seeded fourth in Hermosa, Fontana Harris and Hanley also upset third-seeded Lisa Arce and McPeak in the semi-finals 14-9.
Competing together in the preliminary rounds of the Olympic Trials will be Marie Andersson/Monique Oliver, Arce/Kirby, Krista Blomquist/Wendy Fletcher, Danalee Bragado/Marla O'Hara, Gail Castro/Deb Richardson, Erin Deiters/Desiree Leipham, Janice Harrer/Gayle Stammer, Liz Masakayan/Angela Rock, Karrie Poppinga/Christine Schaefer and Elaine Roque/Dennie Shupryt-Knoop.
To qualify for the United States Olympic Beach Volleyball Trials, a player had to earn a minimum of five points while competing on the 1995-96 FIVB tour. Lori Forsythe, one of the Women's Professional Volleyball Association's founding members, will miss the trials as she is expecting her first child in July.
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