UF trio misses gold in softball
After a perfect run through pool play, the United States had to settle for silver on the softball diamond.
Team USA was shut out 2-0 by host Japan on Tuesday in the gold medal match.
Three former Florida Gators standouts — Kelsey Stewart, Aubree Munro and Michelle Moultrie — were regulars in the United States’ starting lineup during the sixgame tournament. They all started the gold medal game.
“It’s turned into a very nerve wracking and a very humbling experience when you watch players that you’ve known for such a long time” compete on the Olympic stage, UF coach Tim Walton said in a phone interview with the Miami Herald on Monday. “I’ve been hanging on every pitch.”
They weren’t the biggest names on the roster or the ones catching all the headlines. But they made their impact on the team and played valuable roles during Team USA’s run in Tokyo.
USA pitchers recorded 49 strikeouts and gave up just two runs (one earned) in the 30 innings Munro was behind the plate in the five pool play games — a run in which the United States outscored its opponents 9-2.
SURFING
Two of the sport’s most seasoned superstars took home gold medals in surfing’s Olympic debut.
Carissa Moore of the United States and Italo Ferreira of Brazil became the first Olympic surfing champions, more than a century after the sport first tried to get on the program.
The 28-year-old Moore, the darling child prodigy who could beat the boys and grew up to be the youngest world champion surfer, persevered after struggling in the early heats.
The relatively modest beach break conditions were so unlike the worldclass waves she’s used to as a veteran of the professional tour and at home in Hawaii. By the end, the methodical and well-loved surfer finally got in rhythm with the ocean in time to deliver the kind of standout performance that has defined her career.
VOLLEYBALL
The expected showdown between the top two women’s teams in the world turned out to be a one-sided affair.
The U.S. women swept defending gold medalist China 29-27, 25-22, 25-21 in a pool-play match that left the Americans at the top of Pool B and the Chinese seeking to win their first set of the tournament after two straight sweeps to open the Games.
“When we play them, it’s always a great competition,” U.S. captain Jordan Larson said. “But ultimately, I thought we controlled what we could on our side of the net.”
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman have guaranteed themselves at least one more match.
U.S. men Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena helped their chances of making the knockout round as well.
The U.S. women beat Spain 21-13, 21-16 morning for their second straight win. Dalhausser and Lucena improved to 1-1 in the round robin by beating Brazil’s Alison, the reigning gold medalist, and Alvaro Filho, 24-22, 19-21, 15-13. The Americans will meet Argentina on Thursday.