Women's Beach Volleyball 2012: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Locks for Gold

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have never lost a match in Olympic women’s beach volleyball action together.

In 2012, with one match standing in between them and their third gold medal, that hot streak isn’t halting. They’re too talented, too experienced and too close to allow their unblemished record to lose its flawlessness.

April Ross and Jen Kessy, who’ll face off against May-Treanor and Walsh in the gold medal match on Wednesday, are elite volleyball players in their own right. But in women’s beach volleyball, May-Treanor and Walsh are at the top of the food chain and everyone else is prey.

While it’s safe to say that they fully expected to be in the position that they’re in, you can’t say the same for Ross and Kessy.

The Associated Press reported that Ross talked about her and Kessy’s journey to the Olympic final. She said (via Washington Post)

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"I’ve got to let this sink in for a half-hour [...]. I can’t believe we’re in this position. We’ve worked so hard for it. You have no guarantee this is going to happen. ... We expect to win it."

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I can’t believe we’re in this position.

Ross and Kessy may expect to win, but that right there tells the story of why Ross and Kessy won’t win.

Women’s beach volleyball doesn’t boast the prestige as Olympic sports like track and field, swimming and gymnastics. And that’s the only thing keeping May-Treanor and Walsh from being widely known as two of the most dominant Olympians ever. Not only are they undefeated, but they’ve never sniffed defeat.

Ross and Kessy have lost three sets in London alone.

Like Ross said, she’s in awe of the stage that she and her partner are currently on.

I highly doubt May-Treanor and Walsh are as mystified—again, this is Round 3 for them. Everyone and their mother knew they would be competing for gold.

This match truly is David vs. Goliath, except this time, Goliath is going to spike the rock into the sand.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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