Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 10, 2016 - After nearly defeating the 2015 FIVB world champions Saturday and losing to Monday to the eventual Pool B winners, Barbora Hermannova and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic finally secured a women’s group Beach Volleyball win in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games here late Monday.
Playing Ana Gallay and Georgina Klug of Argentina for the third spot in the group with the winner guaranteed at least a berth in the “lucky loser” matches at mid-night Thursday, Hermannova and Slukova posted a 2-1 (13-21, 21-19, 15-8) win in 60 minutes over the South Americans.
After the two teams split the first two sets, Hermannova and Slukova led throughout the deciding set with 3-0 and 7-3 leads. When Gallay and Klug cut the advantage to 6-8, the Czech pair posted a 7-2 run to cement the decision.
Entering Wednesday’s match, both teams had dropped decisions on iconic Copacabana to Pool B winners Elsa Baquerizo and Liliana Fernandez of Spain and reigning FIVB world champions Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas of Brazil.