Matosinhos, Portugal, June 6, 2014.  The European Qualification Tournament for the 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball U17 World Championships started today early morning in Praia de Matosinhos, Portugal.  The weather forecast was correct and the event started out facing adverse weather conditions which lead to its suspension for three hours. Despite this fact, it was possible to watch some great action in Matosinhos.

The Russian team Elizaveta Zayonchkovskaya / Yulia Smirnova, the Polish team Martyna Kloda / Monika Warczyglowa, the Latvian team Tina Graudina / Linda Elizabete Gramberga and the Dutch team Nika Daalderop / Susanne Kos comfortably won their two matches each today, thus leading the current standings in their pools making their way to the next phase without issues.

The first Portuguese team to take the stage, Beatriz Lacerda / Margarida Vasques, begun its participation by defeating the Serbian team Irena Drobnjak / Tijana Basic by 2:1 (20-22, 21-15, 15-5).  The following match against Nika Daalderop / Susanne Kos from the Netherlands saw a pretty even first set with the Portuguese team ultimately losing by 20-22.  Then the Dutch team managed to comfortably win the second set by 21-12.

Beatriz Lacerda admitted afterwards:  “it was a good match, we managed to balance the first set, but we could not overcome the Dutch team.  In the second set we were too nervous and showed some anxiety and that was decisive for the final outcome.”  However this match will not stop the young national player to keep pushing:  “We are here to be the best of all, we are giving our best in all matches, we have moved on to the next phase and we will definitely go for the World Championship qualification.”

Ines Castro / Beatriz Pinheiro, the other Portuguese team, lost its two matches today - against Tina Graudina / Linda Elizabete Gramberga from Latvia by 0:2 (7-21, 7-21) and against the Greek team Paraskevi Kourtidou / Maria Klepkou by 0:2 (14-21, 13-21).

The weather forecast for Saturday looks much better and it will certainly provide a great day of beach volleyball in Praia de Matosinhos.