Brasher/Nuss Claim Semifinal Spot in Adelaide

ADELAIDE, Australia, November 21, 2025.- Americans Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss won their quarterfinal duel on Friday and are set to clash against Brazilians Carol Salgado/Rebecca Cavalcanti in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship’s Semifinals.

Brasher/Nuss are the only NORCECA teams alive in the event, in both women and men.

Watch the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships on VBTV

Both undefeated in the tournament, Americans and Brazilians will meet on Saturday, at 20:00 local time (9:30 UTC), in the second semifinal. Earlier, at 16:00 (5:30 UTC), Brazilians Thâmela Coradello and Victoria Lopes and Latvians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova clash for the other spot in Sunday's final. The latter eliminated Americans Molly Shaw and Kelly Cheng from the competition with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) victory.

FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships: Match schedule & Results

After winning bronze in their first World Championship appearance in Mexico two years ago, Brasher and Nuss continued moving towards claiming another medal in the event on Friday, when they earned their sixth victory in Adelaide, the fifth in straight sets. The Paris Olympians faced compatriots Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg in the quarterfinals and won 2-0 (22-20, 21-18) to get into the medal rounds.

"Playing another American team is just a fun battle," Nuss said. "Julia and Lexy played an incredible tournament and hats off to them."

A few hours earlier, Carol and Rebecca earned their spot in more dramatic fashion, as they dropped their first set in the tournament and needed all three to defeat Canadian Olympic medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-9).

The World Championship semifinal will mark the sixth encounter between Americans and Brazilians in the 2025 season. Brasher and Nuss won three of the first five, including the most recent of them, last month, at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Newport Beach Elite.

In a tight clash between youthful talent and masterful experience, 20-year-old Holting Nilsson and 19-year-old  Elmer  Andersson from Norway, celebrated a 2-0 (21-18, 22-20) victory over 39-year-old Rio 2016 Olympian Chaim Schalk and 31-year-old James Shaw of the United States in one of the men’s quarterfinals.