Brad Torsone (left) and David Fischer (right)

With Monday's win in 42 minutes, Fischer (Venice, Calif.) and Torsone (Redondo Beach, Calif.) challenge third-seeded Ramon Hernandez and Raul Papaleo of Puerto Rico in a 2 p.m. match Tuesday at the Feria Ganadera as the top two teams in Pool C of the men's competition collide with the winner almost assured of a spot in Friday's quarterfinals. Fischer and Torsone conclude pool play Thursday at 2 p.m. against 11th-seeded Sean Morrison and Nolan Tash of Trinidad and Tobago.

While the United States men in beach volleyball were winning, the country's women's team of Michelle Morse and Liz Pagano was dropping a 15-21, 21-16 and 15-9 decision to fourth-seeded Larissa Franca and Ana Richa Medeiros of Brazil in 56 minutes.

Morse (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Pagano (San Diego, Calif.) will have Tuesday off before returning to action Wednesday at 2 p.m. against 13th-seeded Laura Fernanda Herrera and Alejandra Porteiro of Uruguay, who defeated Claudia Augeni Pavisic and Maria Antoniet of Bolivia 21-17 and 21-19 in 37 minutes earlier Monday afternoon. The USA women play the Bolivian women in the final pool play match at 9 a.m. Thursday.

"I feel our ball control and experience helped us a lot tonight," said Torsone, who placed seventh with Peter Goers at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. "I think the Paraguay players were a little tight in the first set and we were able to keep the pressure on them from the start along with forcing some errors."

After tying the first set at 1-1, Gaona and Martinez saw Fischer and Torsone score 15 of the next 19 points as the United States opened a 16-5 lead enroute to the win. With Torsone serving, the United States scored six-straight points to open a 9-5 lead in the second set. Gaona and Martinez closed the gap to two at 16-14 and 17-15 before two Tosone kills and two scoring plays by Fischer ended the match.

"Once the Paraguay team settled down, they were tough," said Fischer. "They battle hard and we did not look forward to playing a third set. We have dropped several three-setters this season after winning the first set. Give them a lot of credit for coming back after we took a four point leads on several occasions (9-5, 10-6, 11-7, 12-8, 13-9 and 15-11)."

Both Fischer and Torsone look forward to Tuesday battle with the Puerto Rican. "Those are two excellent players with solid college volleyball backgrounds in the United States," said Torsone. "Papaleo was the top rookie on the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Tour and Hernandez led Penn State to a NCAA title. They can hit the volleyball."

Fischer figures Tuesday's game to be much different than Monday's opening pool play match for the United States. "The Puerto Ricans are excellent players than are well-suited for the beach game. Ball control and defense will be the key, said Fischer. "Obviously, the team that makes the least mistakes will win this one."

In the USA women's match, Morse and Pagano broke from a 4-4 tie to take the lead for good at 8-4. Larissa and Ana Richa cut the margin to 18-15 after scoring three straight points before Morse and Pagano closed out the scoring with a Brazilian hitting error and two service winners by Pagano.

Larissa and Ana Richa broke from a 2-2 in the second set to lead for the rest of the set. Leading 11-9, the Brazilians scored four-straight points on their serve to take a 16-9 lead as the USA was called for one technical error and missed on another shot. Morse and Pagano got three points back to cut the advantage to 16-12 as each team sided out to finish the set.

After a Pagano kill tied the third and deciding set 2-2, the Brazilians fought off a "strong" serve by Morse and a block at the net by Ana Richa to take the lead for good at 4-2 in the 55-minute match. The Brazilian women then built 7-3, 9-4, 12-6 and 14-7 leads enroute to their second win of the Pan American Games after defeating Pavisic and Villarroel of Bolivia 21-9 and 21-16 Sunday evening.

"We started fast and took advantage of Michelle's serving to win the first game," said Pagano, who is competing in her second Pan American Games after finishing fifth with Carrie Busch in the 1999 event at Winnipeg, Canada. "The Brazilians played much better defense in the second game."

Morse, who had four serving aces in the first set for the USA, "felt the Brazilians finished strong since they played a match Sunday. It made a difference for them at the end having played an earlier game. They are a skilled team that takes advantage of every opportunity. They were better prepared than us."

"We need to work on some things Tuesday," said Pagano. "We were very competitive in the first set Monday, but let things get away from us in the final two sets. We need to improve our ball and play better defense. We are down a match in the standings, so we have no cushion for mistakes."

"We proved in the first set that we belong here," said Morse. "Now we must prove to ourselves that we belong in the quarterfinals. We'll get in figured out and look to finish strong. We have really enjoyed ourselves, now is the time to get really serious. We had an opportunity and failed to take advantage of a good first set today. Give the Brazilians credit.for coming back and finishing strong."

In Monday's first women's match, 11th-seeded Orellana Arago and Anali Rivera Gomez of Guatemala upset sixth-see3ded Judith Arias Taylor and Yndys A. Novas Guzman of the Dominican Republic 21-19 and 21-15 in 36 minutes. Orellana and Anali Rivera are now 1-1 in Pool C play as they dropped their opening match Sunday to third-seeded Nancy Gougeon and Wanda Guenette, Canada 21-10 and 21-8.

The 2003 Pan American Games' beach volleyball competition began Saturday with a five-country men's qualifier followed by the opening pool play matches for men and women at the Feria Ganadera, a converted rodeo arena in front of the Caribbean Sea on George Washington Avenue.

Three evening matches concludes Monday's schedule as the 16 teams in the four men's pool battle for eight spots in Friday's quarterfinals at the Feria Ganadera. Thirteen women's teams are competing in pool play with eight advancing to Friday's elimination bracket.

MEDIA SERVICES - Tim Simmons (e-mail bfishinc@aol.com) is the beach Media Services Officer for USA Volleyball. Simmons is on-site for the 2003 Pan Am Games at the Ovalo de la Feria Ganadera. He can be reached at the Main Press Center (