Germans Net KIA Open Women’s Bronze Medal

Germany's Laura Ludwig stretches for the Mikasa during a bronze medal win with Sara Goller Saturday morning

Brasília, Brazil, April 25, 2009 - European champions Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany avengedan earlier setback in the US$380,000 Banco do Brasil presents the KIA Open here Saturday morning to Americans Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs to capture the women’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour bronze medal.

Seeded 11th in the season opening event on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, Goller and Ludwig scored a 21-18 and 32-30 win over the second-seeded Branagh and Youngs in the 55-minute bronze medal match as the Germans medaled on the international Beach Volleyball circuit for the first-time since August 2007 in the Austrian Grand Slam in Klagenfurt.

Goller and Ludwig, who dropped a 21-19 and 21-17 decision in 39 minutes to Branagh and Youngs Thursday afternoon in the winner’s bracket quarter-finals, also scored their first-ever win over the Americans.  Branagh and Youngs had defeated the German four-straight times, including an elimination win last May in Barcelona as the Americans went on to win their only SWATCH FIVB World Tour event together.

“This is a great win for us as we defeated a quality team,’ said the 23-year old Ludwig, who placed ninth at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with Goller.  “We worked very hard in the off-season and this medal gives us a lot of satisfaction.  This was also our first medal appearance in almost two years, so we see that our game has improved.’

With five wins in seven matches at the KIA Open, Goller and Ludwig shared the $15,000 third-place prize while Branagh and Youngs split $11,000.  Branagh was also competing in her fifth-straight SWATCH FIVB World Tour “final four”, placed second with Youngs in a Russian event in Moscow with Youngs before winning a gold medal with Kerri Walsh in Dubai.  In the final 2008 events, Branagh was second and third with Tyra Turner in Thailand and China, respectively.

The KIA Open women’s gold medal match will feature top-seeded Jen Kessy and April Ross of the United States against fifth-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil.  The match will be the 74th-time on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour that the two countries have met for a gold medal with the United States holding a 43-30 edge.

Kessy and Ross, who will be competing in their fourth-straight SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medal match with title finishes at the end of last season in Thailand and China, advanced to their sixth international finale together with a 21-16 and 21-15 win in 37 minutes over Goller and Ludwig Friday afternoon before Juliana and Larissa scored a 21-16, 18-21 and 15-12 win in 55 minutes over Branagh and Youngs.

Juliana and Larissa hold a 4-2 advantage in the series with against Kessy and Ross.  In the first-ever meeting between Friday’s finalists at a 2007 FIVB stop in Russia, the Americans defeated Juliana and Larissa in the winner’s bracket quarter-finals before dropping the St. Petersburg’s gold medal match 23-21 and 21-17.

With the KIA Open being the first event on the 2009 SWATCH FIVB World Tour calendar, Juliana and Larissa will be seeking their fourth gold medal in a season-opening stop on the international circuit after winning 2005 in China, 2006 in Italy and last year in Australia where the Brazilian women claimed all three medals.

The KIA Open also features men’s play at the Esplanada dos Ministérios in Quadrante 1 as the Brazilian capital hosts its first-ever SWATCH FIVB World Tour event.   The men’s semi-finals will be played Saturday followed by the medal matches Sunday.  The KIA Open winning teams will share the $30,000 first-place prizes.

After the Brasília stop, the 2009 women’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour calendar continues with a double gender event in the China (Shanghai, April 28-May 3) before single gender events in Japan (Osaka, May 19-24) and Korea (Seoul, May 26-31).