Canada has continued their dominant Olympic run in women’s beach volleyball and will be competing for a gold medal after an incredible comeback in the semi-final.
This comes after the Canadian duo of Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes put on another volleyball clinic in their semi-final against the Swiss team of Nina Brunner and Tanja Hueberli in three sets.
Just like Canada’s upset over the USA in the round of 16 and the quarter-final victory over Spain, this one was as tense as could be, going to a third and deciding set after the teams split the first two.
It was a come-from-behind victory for the Canadians, fending off a Switzerland match point in the second set to complete the comeback in the final set by a score of 15-12.
The emotions on the sand were palpable after the winning point.
Canada will play for gold in Olympic beach volleyball for the first time ever! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Great comeback win by Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson 🏐👏
pic.twitter.com/BvbRiBsGHp— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) August 8, 2024
Canada opened up the first set taking an early lead but struggled to fend off an aggressive Switzerland. The tide started to shift at the midway point and the Swiss eventually took a dominant lead en route to an opening set victory by a score of 21-14.
The second set was much closer as the two teams had to go the distance. With the score knotted at 20-20, Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes dug deep to find two straight points with a 22-20 second set win to force a third set.
Canada fights off a match point and force a third set in women’s beach volleyball.
Trip to the gold medal game on the line for Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson 🏐🇨🇦
pic.twitter.com/CBLWs1DRpI— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) August 8, 2024
Canada took that momentum into the final set, jumping out to an early 4-1 lead and was able to ride that all the way through, shocking Switzerland and taking the match in three sets.
Switzerland came into the semi-final having not lost a single set in the Olympics so far. Canada was able to beat them twice in this game.
This will be the first time that Canada will compete for Olympic gold in women’s beach volleyball. Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes have already made Canadian history, as they will capture Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal.
Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes will now await either Brazil or Australia for their opponent in the gold medal match tomorrow.