Olympics 2012: All-American final in beach volleyball

LONDON — With or without gold, Misty May-Treanor plans to walk away from beach volleyball for good after the Olympics. A third straight championship would make the farewell perfect.

May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings will go for one last title together Wednesday night after winning all but one set during their three Olympics as a pair.

“It’s hard to see how the time’s going,” the 35-year-old May-Treanor said. “It’s like, ‘OK, the final’s already here.’ I think I’m already kind of in la-la land, focusing on tomorrow, like, ‘OK, you’ve got to get iced up, a lot of rest.’ But I’m very happy.”

They held off Beijing bronze medalists Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China 22-20, 22-20 on Tuesday, and will star in an all-American final.

The No. 2 U.S. team of April Ross and Jennifer Kessy rallied from one set down in a steady rain to stun reigning world champions Juliana and Larissa of Brazil in a three-set night semifinal. They fell to the sand and embraced.

“I’ve got to let this sink in for a half-hour,” Ross said. “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.”

Sure, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings were cheering for their fellow Americans, but they really weren’t too concerned about their opponent in the final.

“We know we have this in us,” Walsh Jennings said, “we’ve just got to go execute.

Water Polo: U.S. women top Australia in extra time, reach final

Maggie Steffens scored four goals and the U.S. outlasted Australia to win 11-9 in extra time and advance to women’s water polo final against Spain at the London Olympics.

In a bruising match between the two favorites in London, Australia’s Southern Ash converted a penalty with one second left in regulation to tie the match 9-9 and force extra time.

The officials awarded the penalty after U.S. coach Adam Krikorian called a timeout without his team having possession of the ball.

Steffens put the U.S. ahead in the first of two three-minute extra-time periods with a skip shot, and Kami Craig followed up with another goal to give the Americans the 11-9 win and another shot at their first gold medal in the event.

Soccer: Brazil to face Mexico in final; both seek first Olympic gold

One match to go for Brazil. Only Mexico stands in the way of its first Olympic soccer gold.

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