Three U.S. beach volleyball teams have surged into the women's quarterfinal round of the Xiamen Challenge, setting up a high-stakes all-American showdown. The matchup between Julia Scoles & Lexy Denaburg and Toni Rodriguez & Kylie Kuyava-De Berg ensures the U.S. will have a team in the semifinals.
Scoles & Denaburg, ranked third in the tournament, advanced with dominant straight-set wins over competitors from Thailand and Germany. Meanwhile, Rodriguez & De Berg—the 13th seed—matched that performance, eliminating Japanese and French teams with flawless victories.
Also reaching the final eight are Savannah Simo & Abby Van Winkle, who held their nerve in a tight three-setter against fellow Americans Deahna Kraft & Xolani Hodel. Their next test comes against France’s Clemence Vieira & Aline Chamereau, who advanced past Lithuania in straight sets.
Other Quarterfinal Matchups
- Czechia: Marketa Svozilova & Marie-Sara Stochlova vs. Finland: Taru Lahti-Liukkonen & Niina Ahtiainen
- Australia: Elizabeth Alchin & Georgia Johnson vs. Germany: Lea Kunst & Melanie Paul
Germany's Kunst & Paul have been the underdog story of the tournament. Entering from Wednesday’s qualifiers, they’ve fought through close battles, including a dramatic three-set victory over Brook Bauer & Madelyne Anderson in the round of 16, where every set was decided by the narrowest of margins.
What’s Next
Quarterfinal action kicks off Saturday at 11:00 local time (03:00 UTC), with top international teams vying for a spot in the semifinals and a shot at Beach Pro Tour glory.
To read more about the tournament and the ongoing matchups, visit the official report from Volleyball World.
