Credit: volleyball.org.au
The Australian teams have laid down the challenge to their international opponents on Day Two of the Beach Pro Futures season opener at Mollymook, recording five victories on Thursday.
It was the men on court first, with top seeds Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher first to step onto the Central Court.
Having finished first and second at the last two rounds of the Australian Beach Volleyball Tour, the number one seeds proved too strong for Victorians Patrick Tang and Jack Gregory, taking the match in just 34 minutes.
Winners on Sunday in the ABVT Final in Mollymook, Jack Pearse and Paul Burnett were expected to cruise through their opening match, however experienced campaigners Matthew Abela and Ky Landers had other thoughts, taking the first set.
The second seeds were able to regroup though, scoring two points to every one of their opponents to take their opening match.
Young guns Ben Hood and D’Artagnan Potts became the third Australian team to win their opening match, also coming back from a set down to defeat their Thai opponents.
In the women’s draw, Stefie Fejes and Jana Milutinovic kept their strong form rolling, downing American qualifiers Avery Poppinga and Madison Shields in straight sets.
The other Australian women’s team to score victory on day one was Lizzie Alchin and Jasmine Rayner.
Quarter-finalists in the national tour event last week, the duo went on to reach the final of the junior national tour on Tuesday and their experience together shone today in a two-set win over their New Zealand opponents.
Unfortunately the women’s top seeds were forced to withdraw today due to injury.
Thursday’s winners are now just one win away from a quarter-final berth, with victory on Friday taking them through to the last eight.
All is not lost for the sides that were defeated on Thursday, though, with a win on Friday earning them a place in the round of 12.
Day three action starts at 10am AEDT with the men first on court, followed by the women from 2pm AEDT.
Click here for schedule and results.
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