Nygaard and Blanton Exit Olympics Without a Victory
August 18, 2004 | Bruin Athletics
Aug. 18, 2004
Jeff Nygaard and Dain Blanton, the United States' top-seeded team in the men's Beach Volleyball competition, exited the Athens Olympics without a victory Wednesday. The pair finished the pool play with a 0-3 mark after losing 21-16, 13-21, 13-15 to Patrick Heuscher and Stefan Kobel of Switzerland Wednesday afternoon. With Blanton, the Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist with Eric Fonoimoana, and Nygaard out of the competition, the United States hopes for another Beach Volleyball medal rests with Dax Holdren and Stein Metzger, who play the world's No. 1 team of Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos Thursday (Aug. 19) at 8 p.m. For Holdren and Metzger to advance to the 16-team elimination round, they must defeat Rego and Santos or hope that Andrew Schacht and Joshua Slack of Australia defeat Iver Horrem and Bjorn Maaseide of Norway when the two teams play at 9 a.m. Thursday. Even with an Aussie win and a Holdren-Metzger defeat, the Americans still must have a better set or point ratio to advance. At the present time, Holdren and Metzger are tied with the Norwegians with 1-1 records and set ratio (3-3), but have an edge in point ratio.