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The U.S. junior men’s volleyball team, with two University of Hawaii players on the roster, was swept by Brazil in Sunday’s gold medal match of the U21 Pan American Cup in Gatineau, Canada.
Outside hitter Kupono Fey subbed in during Set 1 and played the rest of the match with six kills in the 25-22, 25-23, 25-17 loss. Setter Jennings Franciskovic subbed in during Set 2 and finished out the 80-minute match with eight assists.
Brazil finished 6-0, while the U.S. was 4-2, with both losses coming to Brazil. Both teams have qualified for the FIVB U21 World Championships in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sept. 11.
Baxter dominates at World Series opener
Maui’s Connor Baxter won both the long-distance and sprint events to claim the overall title of the Stand Up World Series opener Sunday in Barcelona.
Maui’s Kai Lenny finished second to Baxter in Sunday’s sprint and, combined with his seventh place in Saturday’s distance event, gave Lenny second overall. Zane Schweitzer, also from Maui, was fourth in the sprint race to finish sixth overall.
The tour moves to Sao Paulo, Brazil, Aug. 14-16.
Bourne, Hyden pick up second beach win
Hawaii’s Tri Bourne and partner John Hyden helped keep the U.S. unbeaten at the FIVB Beach World Championships with a straight-sets win over Puerto Rico on Sunday in The Hague, Netherlands.
Hyden and Bourne (Academy of the Pacific) teamed to hold off Roberto Rodriguez-Beltran and Eric Haddock 26-24, 21-19. The pair improved to 2-0 in pool play as the four American men’s teams went a combined 6-0 and the three U.S. women’s teams combined to go 4-0 heading into Monday’s third day of the event.
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