(July 24, 2002)

USA's Busch & Schuster Advance In FIVB Qualification Tournament
American Teams Seek Sixth-Straight 2002 International Title

RHODES GREECE (July 24, 2002) Third-seeded Carrie Busch and Leanne Schuster won a playoff here Wednesday (July 24) with United States rivals sixth-seeded Danalee Bragado and Ali Wood to advance to the elimination bracket in the 45-team Qualification Tournament for this week's FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
event for women.

Busch (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) and Schuster (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) scored a 21-16 and 24-22 playoff win in 44 minutes over Bragado (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) and Wood (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) to advance to Thursday's final qualifying round searching for a fourth spot for the United States in the 32-team Main Draw.

Seeking to advance from their third FIVB Qualification Tournament this season, Busch and Schuster face 32nd-seeded Sanee Tsubakimoto and Satoko Urata of Japan in their first match Thursday. If Busch and Schuster win their first match Thursday, they will play either 15th-seeded Arcadia Berjonneau and Tatiana Riera of France or 20th-seeded Noriko Aoki and Rii Seike of Japan for a spot in the Main Draw berth.

The United States, which has captured five women's Gold Medals this season in the first five international stops, has three teams in the Main Draw. Misty May (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (Saratoga, Calif.) have won FIVB stops No. 1, 2 and 4 this season. Holly McPeak (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and
Elaine Youngs (Durango, Colo.) have captured stops No. 3 and 5.

The third USA tandem in the Main Draw is Dianne DeNecochea (San Diego, Calif.) and Barbra Fontana (Manhattan Beach, Calif.). Hampered by Fontana's back problems, the third-rated American team has posted three second-place finishes in four domestic events where they have dropped the AVP Tour finals to McPeak and Youngs, who are undefeated on USA sand with 20 match wins and four titles.

[Source: Tim Simmons, 303/678-8484; 303/678-7474 (FAX)]