Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Hanson learn from the best to roll into the World Championships last 16
Lauren Fendrick (right) and Brooke Hanson beat Vivian Cunha and Taiana Lima of Brazil and will now play Spain's Liliana Fernandez and Elsa Baquerizo in the last 16.
Rome, Italy, June 16 – Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Hanson had to dig deep to win their round of 32 match on Thursday and move into the last 16 of the FIVB Swatch World Championships Rome 2011 powered by smart.
The United States pair held their nerve against Brazil’s Vivian Cunha and Taiana Lima in a tense and dramatic game to win 25-23, 22-20.
“It was neck and neck the whole way,” Fendrick said. “We had a little lead and they came back. They had the lead and we came back.
“Then right at the end it was neck and neck and we were both battling, scoring points. It was definitely a tough match and those are the ones that you need to win.”
Fendrick and Hanson feel they have benefitted from being part of a strong US training squad that features a number of Olympic and world champions.
Defending 2009 women’s champions Jennifer Kessy and April Ross are also part of the group, as well as 2008 men’s and women’s champions Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser and Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
“We get to train against these teams back in the US and we just fight and grovel and I think we make each other better,” Fendrick said.
“We are also competing against each other for spots in the Olympics, so if one US team does well it just fuels the fire for the other team to edge them out.”
