Branagh Beijing Bound, JO Tourney Wraps Up

#1 posting 7.6.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

OLYMPICS
Former Gopher Nicole Branagh and partner Elaine Youngs are Beijing bound. They finished second in the Moscow FIVB tournament losing to the #2 duo from China Xue Chen and Zhang Xi 21-8, 21-18. That gave Branagh and Young enough points to solidify second place on the American side. Only two pairs advance from each country. From NBC.

Former Gophers Lindsey Berg and Cassie Busse are on the preliminary Olympic volleyball roster. They find out later this month if they are headed to Beijing. The Americans will be in pool A as the schedules have been released.
On July 5th the Americans beat Turkey 3-1 and lost today (July 6th) to Italy 3-0.

JUNIOR OLYMPIC TOURNAMENT
Here are the standings for the last age classification of the JO National tournament in Dallas.

14s
OPEN
15th: Northern Lights 6-4, 14-12
NATIONAL
35th: MN Select 3-6, 10-12
AMERICAN
5th: M1 5-4, 10-9
41st: Club Falcons (Faribault) 4-6, 9-13
46th: North Juniors (Woodbury) 1-9, 4-19
47th: MN North 0-9, 1-18

15s
NATIONAL (Final)
9th: Northern Lights 10-1, 20-5
33rd: MN Select 6-4, 13-10