Italians, Aussies clinch bronze in Nuvali beach volleyball tilt

Australia’s Stefanie Fejes and Jasmine Fleming. Photo c/o PNVF

Italian beach volleyball duo Manuel Alfieri and Alex Ranghieri, and Aussie tandem Stefanie Fejes and Jasmine Fleming beat separate foes to clinch bronze medals in in the Volleyball World Beach Volley Pro Tour Challenge at the Nuvali Sands Court by Ayala Land in Santa Rosa, Laguna, on Sunday.

World No. 48 Alfieri and Ranghieri rallied past world No. 28 Christoph Dressler and Philip Waller of Austria, 17-21, 21-18, 15-12, to secure a podium finish in the men’s division.

Fejes and Fleming, ranked No. 58th pair, recovered from a sluggish opening set to defeat No. 45 Kylie Neuschaeferova and Martina Maixnerova of Czechia, 13-21, 21-15, 15-13, in the women’s division.

The Italians combined for 41 points—highlighted by Alfieri’s 19 kills—against the Aussies’ 37 points 
Fejes led the scoring with 19 kills in Australia’s 40 total points while the Czechia had only a combined 35 total points coming from Kylie and Maixnerova.

Earlier on Sunday, crowd favorite twins Joaquin and Javier Bello of Great Britain advanced to the men’s final with a close 11-21, 21-19, 15-11 semifinal win over Italian Manuel Alfieri and Alex Ranghieri.

They faced Spain’s Alejandro Huerta and Adrian Gavira in the final set later in the day.

Huerta and Gavira beat Austrians Christoph Dressler and Philip Waller, 22-20, 18-21, 16-14, in the other semifinal.

In women’s semifinal play, Finland’s Anniina Parkkinen and Valma Prihti relied on blocking to beat Czechia’s Kylie Neuschaeferova and Martina Maixnerova, 21-19, 18-21, 15-10, to punch their way to the final against Lithuania’s Leva Dumbauskaite and Gerda Grudzinskaite.

The Lithuanians beat Australia’s Stefanie Fejes and Jasmine Fleming, 21-18, 21-18 in the semifinal.