ISLE FILE
Bragado's team opens 4-0 in beach volleyball
Advertiser Staff
Danalee Bragado and Ali Wood won both of their pool play matches yesterday to improve their record to 4-0 this week as five teams from the United States compiled a 7-3 record during the opening FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Main Draw matches in Vitoria, Brazil.
The pool-play rounds in the $150,000 event conclude today with the afternoon matches determining the final four teams for tomorrow's semifinals. The medal matches are scheduled for Sunday.
After winning two matches in the 28-team Qualification Tournament Tuesday and Wednesday, Bragado, from Honolulu, and Wood upset an American rival yesterday before ending the day with a 17-21, 21-16 and 15-8 win over 25th-seeded Vanilda Leao and Monica Paludo of Brazil.
Seeded 24th in the 32-team main draw, Bragado and Wood started yesterday by scoring a 15-21, 22-20 and 15-11 win over the eighth-seeded U.S. team of Carrie Busch and Leanne Schuster.
Bragado and Wood can win their pool by defeating DeNecochea and Fontana today.Playing in their sixth event together this season and 41st overall, Bragado and Wood have now posted a 12-9 mark in 2002 to push their career mark to 114-78 with $106,332 in combined earnings.
SURFING
• Kennelly advances: Hawai'i's Keala Kennelly survived her second-round heat at the Association of Surfing Professionals' Figueria Pro in Portugal yesterday, defeating Amee Donohoe of Australia and wildcard Patricia Lopes of Portugal.
Having won the last WCT event in Tahiti four months ago, Kennelly fought off a back injury to advance to the third round.
"I hate surfing in that round," Kennelly said. "I've been having a lot of problems with my back, and my body's not doing what my brain is telling it to do. My back's been in a lot of pain, but I took an anti-inflammable before that heat and it was a lot less painful putting my body in the right position on waves."
Kate Skarratt of Australia eliminated Rochelle Ballard of Hawai'i in the third round yesterday.
In the men's competition, Brazilians Guilherme Herdy, Fabio Gouveia and Flavio Padaratz all advanced, as did American Pat O'Connell.
