Travis Mewhirter

Jorge Alayo and Noslen Diaz became the story of beach volleyball in these Olympic Games when they not only upset their way to a Pool D win but looked very much the part of the favorites to do so, sweeping Andy Benesh and Miles Partain, Brazil’s George Wanderley and Andre Loyola, and tacking on the expected victory over Morocco. After those three matches, Alayo led the tournament in blocks per set. Diaz, the tallest defender in the field, was tremendous, a Giannis Antetokounmpo on sand.

Anders Mol serves against Chase Budinger and Miles Evans/FIVB photo

It was going right. All of it. The Kristen Nuss defense, the Taryn Kloth blocking. The shots, the swings, the extended rallies — all going the proper direction for the USA in their ninth-place matchup of the Olympic Games, against Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. All of it added up to a 14-9 lead in the first set over the No. 4 seed.

Andy Benesh and Miles Partain had an unexpected and abrupt split with their coach, Mike Placek. On Saturday, they released a statement on it.

The scene for Switzerland vs. USA at the Paris Olympic Games/FIVB photo

Andy Benesh and Miles Partain picked the hill — or sword, to use their parlance — they would die on in the Paris Olympic Games.

There was only one element missing from Duda Lisboa’s resume.

Never before has the world witnessed anything like what Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig did on Saturday evening in the finals of the Paris Olympic Games.

David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig celebrate winning an Olympic gold medal/FIVB photo

It was an all-USA final as Megan Kraft attacks over teammate Terese Cannon against Taryn Kloth, left, and Kristen Nuss/Volleyball World photo