Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 10, 2016 - Elsa Baquerizo and Liliana Fernandez posted the first “major” upset in the women’s Beach Volleyball competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as the Spanish pair downed 2015 FIVB world champions Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas of Brazil to gain the second seed in this week’s elimination rounds.
With their 2-0 (21-17, 22-20) Pool B win in 47 minutes over Agatha and Barbara, Elsa and Liliana scored their second-straight win over the Brazilians with the first being June 30 in a pool play match at the Porec Major in Croatia.
Earlier Wednesday, Spain’s Adrian Gavira and Pablo Herrera scored a 2-1 (21-19, 16-21, 15-7) win in 55 minutes over Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson of the United States to capture the Pool F title in the men’s competition and secure the sixth seed in the elimination bracket.
Elsa and Liliana jumped to a 4-0 and 6-1 lead in the first set of the match and never looked back in secure the first part of their victory. The second set featured 10 ties and five lead changes with the last being at 19-18 for Elsa and Liliana. Agatha and Barbara tied the set at 19s and 20s before the Spaniards closed it out on two errors by the Brazilians.