Men’s Beach Volleyball Finals: Latvia Wins the Bronze Medal in Olympics 2012
On day 13 of the Olympic Games, Latvian teammates Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins beat the Netherlands players Richard Schuil and Reinder Nummerdor by scoring two sets out of three in the men's beach volleyball bronze match.
Netherlands scored 21-19 in the first set and Schuil gave the fastest serve of the entire game, at 50 mph. At the beginning of the second set, Netherlands already had a total of 29 points and Latvia had 24. But at one point, the Latvians gained momentum and scored higher than their opponents 16-15, then 17-15 and higher and higher. The Netherland players would not back down and the two teams continued to tie up their score but eventually set 2 ended close: 21- 19 Latvia. Ending the third set, Latvia got the match point, ending with 15-11.
Latvia won two out of three and stole the bronze.
The Latvians lost in the semifinals to Team Brazil, 0-2, but beat USA in the quarterfinals, sending them packing with a 2-1 win. Schuil and Nummerdor lost to Germany with 0-2 in the semifinals. The bronze match marks the second to last beach volleyball game at the 2012 Olympics. At 4 p.m., Brazil and Germany play for the gold medal.
Nummerdor first debuted his pairing with Schuil at the 2006 FIVB World Tours and has only played with his since. Nummerdor performed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, competing in indoor volleyball, followed by beach volleyball in the 2008 Beijing Games. Schuil is a three-time Olympian for indoor volleyball, playing at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. Back in 2008, he played his first Olympic beach volleyball game and came back in London to do the same.
To get a play by play of all the action for the bronze match finals, click here.
