ROUNDUP

American teams to meet in beach final

— In their first Olympics, April Ross and Jennifer Kessy will play for the gold medal in an all-American beach volleyball final.

In their final Olympics together, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor are playing for something more.

“We want to seal the deal that we’re the best team that’s ever happened,” Walsh Jennings said Tuesday night after the two-time gold medalists advanced to their third consecutive Olympic final with a 22-20, 22-20 victory over China. “I want to win for us. ... This will be our last match together, so we want to go out on top.”

A few hours later, Kessy and Ross beat the top-seeded Brazilians in a persistent rain to join their fellow Californians in tonight’s gold medal game. Prince Harry is expected to attend, following prime minister David Cameron by one night to the stands at Horse Guards Parade.

“I can’t believe it. I only let myself picture it in my dreams,” Ross said. “I never really expected it. I knew that we could do it, but the competition in the final four is so big.”

Ross and Kessy rallied from a first-set loss and a fourpoint deficit in the second to beat reigning world champions Juliana and Larissa 15-21, 21-19, 15-12. The Brazilians will play in the third-place game against China’s Xue Chen and Zhang Xi, who are trying to repeat their bronze medal finish from Beijing.

Despite a medal shutout by the American men, the United States has clinched multiple beach volleyball medals for the fourth time in five Olympics since it became a recognized sport in 1996.

“This has been everyone’s goal since the beginning: to get the two U.S. teams in the final together,” Kessy said. “I can’t believe we’re going to be on that podium — either gold or silver. It hasn’t sunk in for me yet, probably because our job isn’t done.”

BASKETBALL

U.S. routs Canada

Diana Taurasi scored 15 points and the U.S. women’s team forced 26 turnovers in a 91-48 victory over Canada in the quarterfinals. The fourtime defending gold medalists have won 39 consecutive games in Olympic play and will play Australia in the next round.

Sylvia Fowles and Candace Parker had 12 points apiece for the U.S., which harassed Canada into three shot-clock violations in the first seven minutes.

VOLLEYBALL

U.S. cruises into semis

The U.S. women’s team played without captain Lindsey Berg, but still managed a 25-14, 25-21, 25-22 victory over the Dominican Republic in the tournament quarterfinals.

Berg is day to day with a left ankle injury and her status for Thursday’s match against South Korea is uncertain. Courtney Thompson started at setter in the Americans’ sixth consecutive victory at the Games.

Destinee Hooker scored 19 points for the United States, which has never won a gold in volleyball. The team took silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after falling in the final to Brazil.

SOCCER

Brazil, Mexico in finals

Brazil reached its first Olympic men’s soccer final in 24 years when it beat South Korea behind two second-half goals by Leandro Damiao.

The Brazilians will face Mexico, which beat Japan 3-1 at Wembley Stadium in the other semifinal.

WATER POLO

U.S. women win in OT

Maggie Steffens scored four goals and the U.S. women’s team topped Australia 11-9 in overtime, shaking off a potentially costly blunder by Coach Adam Krikorian to reach the Olympic final.

In a bruising match between medal contenders, Australia’s Southern Ash converted a penalty with one second left in regulation to tie it at 9-9 and force overtime.

The officials awarded the penalty after Krikorian called a timeout without his team having possession of the ball.

The U.S. will meet unbeaten Spain in Thursday’s final.

Sports, Pages 23 on 08/08/2012

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