Aussie beach volleyball duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar play with love but heartbroken

In a gripping contest, Australia’s beach volleyball duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar took a set off their world number one opponents, but could not quite get the job done to progress to the gold medal match.

Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artachoduring the women's semi-final of the beach volleyball. Picture: Lars Baron/Getty Images

THEY drew a heart in the sand on court before the beach volleyball semi-final but a mega-brave Australian duo had theirs broken.

Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar became the first team to take a set off Brazil’s rampaging world number ones Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa this tournament but they were beaten in a fabulous contest 22-20, 21-15, 15-12.

Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Taliqua Clancy will now play off for the bronze. Picture: Carl de Souza / AFP

Australia now play Switzerland for the bronze medal with Brazil hot favorites in the gold medal showdown with Canada.

The standard was at times breathtaking. The match lifted a gear in the third set and del Solar gave the tournament the point of the games when Australia were down and desperate and she dived near the baselinebron with an outstretched hand to somehow rescue a point which seemed gone.

Taliqua Clancy digs during the semi-final loss. Picture: Carl De Souza / AFP

It was that sort of brilliance that rattled the Brazilians.

The Australians shocked the world’s No 1 team by taking the first off them 22-20

It was the first set that Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa had lost in six games in the tournament but the top seeds took the second 21-15 as emotions started to soar with a string of tight calls.

The Australians showed a rousing fighting spirit and did not hit the lead in the first set until they led 21-20.

At one stage Australia trailed 8-4 but rallied to 10-all after some incredible scrambling and teamwork which the was result of the deep connection of their six year union and scrambled their way to 18-18.

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The Brazilians, who had been so composed in many of their early matches, were shaken by Australia’s relentless fight.

Clancy, who had served poorly in the quarter-final, sprayed her first serve of the game wide but generally found better groove and one of her best serves split the duo so perfectly that neither player went for it and Australia won the point.

The Brazilians were desperate and had several moments of brilliance such as when Ramos thrust out a despairing right fist at near full stretch down the line.

Originally published as Aussie beach volleyball duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar play with love but heartbroken