Beach favorites survive scare

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh barely survived the first set Friday before rolling into the Olympic beach volleyball quarterfinals in Beijing.

In their 105th consecutive triumph, the best female beach volleyball duo in the world faced five set points before finally waking up for a 24-20, 21-10 victory over Liesbet van Breedam and Liesbeth Mouha of Belgium.

It was the first match in the knockout round, during which May-Treanor and Walsh hope to capture their second straight Olympic gold medal.

The Belgians opened a 20-17 lead in the first set, so the Americans had to win three conseuctive points just to keep the set going. They did so, but also faced two more set points at 20-21 and 21-22 -- before running off three straight to win the set and then coasting to victory in the second.

"We need to come out with fire from the first serve and that is what I took from this match," May-Treanor said.

Walsh, celebrating her 30th birthday, said she thought it was important to face a challenge at this stage of the competition.

"They are a very good team," she said. "But they woke up a sleeping bear."

The other American women's team of Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs also reached the quarterfinals by defeating Cubans Tamara Larrea and Dalixia Fernandez 21-15, 21-13.

The quarterfinals will be held Sunday.