In the final Olympics for the beloved faces of American beach volleyball, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, the appropriately nicknamed “Golden Girls” walked away with their third straight gold medal after defeating Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16 in the gold medal match. Despite an impressive defeat of a highly-ranked Brazilian earlier in the 2012 games, Kessy and Ross are still viewed as “the other U.S. team,” second to the “Golden Girls.”

The highly-anticipated game showcased the athletic prowess of both teams. The first set began in a back-and-forth manner until May received a key kill to take the lead 15-13.  May and Walsh played mistake-free volleyball the rest of the match and won the first set much more comfortably than their first set against the Chinese in the semifinals. However, Kessy and Ross didn’t go down quietly and tied the second set at 9-9 before May and Walsh claimed the lead and never relinquished it.  Walsh, the leading blocker in the 2012 Olympics, scored the twentieth point of the second set on a block and then celebrated with May as Ross served the ball out of bounds to give the “Golden Girls” their third straight gold medal.  Ross and Kessy had insisted that it was not their intend to spoil May and Walsh’s final match, and the “Golden Girls’” nearly flawless play deprived Kessy and Ross of a chance to so.  After 11 years, a 42-1 record in sets, a flawless record of 21-0 in matches, and three gold medals, the faces of American beach volleyball can end their journey as champions. #