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Big Ten Daily Olympic Recap - August 15
Aug. 15, 2008
In beach volleyball Minnesota alum Nicole Branagh coupled with Elaine Youngs downed the Cuban duo of Dalixia Fernandez and Tamara Larrea in straight sets, (21-15) and (21-13). The USA squad moves onto the quarterfinals with play resuming on Sunday. The USA women’s basketball team defeated Spain by a score of 93-55 in a preliminary matchup on Friday night. Ohio State alum Katie Smith contributed in the victory recording 2 points, dishing out one assist and pulling down one rebound in 19 minutes of play. In women’s diving, the Hoosier’s Christina Loukas and former Hawkeye diver Nancilea Underwood-Foster both advanced to the semifinal round in the 3-meter springboard. Loukas’ score of 312.60 gives her the eighth seed while Foster garners the 11th spot recording 300.15 points. Illinois women’s soccer standout Emily Zurrer played in all 120 minutes for Team Canada in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to the United States. Also recording time for Canada was Penn State alum Erin McLeod, spending 19 minutes in the goal. In softball, Venezuelan starting pitcher and former Indiana student-athlete Mariangee Bogado pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while retiring three batters. Bogado picked up the victory over the Netherlands by a score of 8-0. Pitching for the Netherlands was former Ohio State hurler Kristi Devries. Former Michigan volunteer assistant coach Michael Phelps continued his assault on the swimming and Olympic record books by setting a new world record in the 200m. individual medley. Phelps collected his sixth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics and 12th of his career. Later that day, he would advance through the semifinals of the 100m. butterfly winning his heat with a time of 50.97. Former Wolverine Peter Vanderkaay took fourth in his heat during the 1,500m. freestyle clocking a time of 14:52.11 for USA Olympic swim team. Current Michigan swimmer and Jamaica native Natasha Moodie failed to advance in the 50m. freestyle despite swimming a personal-best time of 25.95, which broke her own national record. Former Northwestern standout Matt Grevers led off the United States 4X100m. medley relay team guiding the quartet to a time of 3:32.75 and claiming their heat. Competing for the United States on the track was Michigan alum Anna Willard advancing through the prelims of the 3,000m. steeplechase with a time of 9:28.52. Less than two seconds behind Willard was former Minnesota runner Rasa Troup from Lithuania in a time of 9:30.21, just missing the cut off. Three former Michigan distance specialists advanced through the early first set of heats of the 1,500 m. run. Nick Willis of New Zealand placed 2nd in his heat and clocked a time of 3:36.01. Nate Brannen and Kevin Sullivan of Canada crossed the line 2nd and 5th in their heat in time of 3:41.45 and 3:36.05, respectively. In women’s volleyball, Team USA prevailed over the host country China by a score of 3-2. Minnesota alum Lindsey Berg contributed to the victory, seeing action in games 1 and 4. |
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