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Three from three for Bawden and Clancy

 

Three from three for Bawden and Clancy

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Three from three for Bawden and Clancy
Australia’s in-form beach volleyball pair Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy won through to the Round of 16 today with an emphatic 27-25, 18-21, 16-14 victory over the Netherlands.

Australia’s in-form beach volleyball pair Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy won through to the Round of 16 today with an emphatic 27-25, 18-21, 16-14 victory over the Netherlands.

The pair’s third consecutive win has the team sitting atop Pool E with a maximum six points, ensuring a favourable draw for the knockout stages ahead.

The match was a thrilling affair with the lead in each set changing regularly as each side – Netherlands ranked 6th and Australia 7th – jostled for ascendancy in tough conditions at Copacabana Stadium.

Clancy was particularly devastating for the Aussies, troubling the Dutch pairing of Marleen Van Iersel and Madelein Meppelink with her serve and athletic presence at the net.

The wind played havoc throughout the match – at one stage Van Iersel tossed the ball up to serve only to miss it almost completely.

“The conditions were a lot different and a bit more difficult today,” Clancy said after the match.

“But I think we played them really well – we worked really hard.

“The temperature was fine, it was more the wind [that was difficult]. In these windy conditions you just need to keep the ball off the sand and hustle hard.”

The first set was a tense affair, with momentum swinging Australia’s way following a crucial challenge call on a Dutch set point.

Replays showed a Dutch fingertip glancing the ball on its way out, handing the point to Australia and squaring the ledger at 22-all.

Both sides missed further set point opportunities before Clancy and Bawden combined for a terrific two-hit play – a strategy they’ve employed with great success to date – to take the score to 25-all.

Clancy then took control, saving the next play with a diving dig before slamming home Bawden’s set-up with a powerful spike that ignited the crowd.

The 24-year-old then served a spectacular ace to wrap up the set and send the Aussie team on their way to a strong victory over a talented Dutch outfit.

While the undefeated Aussies head into the knockout stage full of confidence, they were intent to keep themselves grounded with a single game focus.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time and trying to grow our game each time we step on the court, and I think we’re doing that,” Clancy said.

Fellow Australian pair Nicole Laird and Mariafe del Solar also take to the court today in their Pool C match up against China, needing a win to keep their Olympic hopes alive.

Doug MacDougall

olympics.com.au

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