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German Volleyball Winning Streak Ends

September 3, 2004

It looked as though the German beach volleyball teams were going to kick sand in the face of all-comers until one duo finally succumbed to defeat.

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The Olympic party ended for Stephanie Pohl and Okka RauImage: DPA

After four victories in the first four games of the opening round of the Olympic Beach Volleyball contest, Germany's beach volleyball teams tasted their first defeat when Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau were finally beaten 2-1 (21:18, 19:21, 13:15) by Bulgarian sisters Lina and Petia Janschulowa. Despite the defeat to the number eight seeds, the Hamburg duo can still reach the last sixteen. However, they must win the final match on Wednesday against the Australians Natalie Cook and Nicole Sanderson at all costs to do so.

It was a disappointing end to the German dominance of the competition which had seen all four German teams ending their weekend schedule without defeat. But for the Janschulowa sisters, it was an exhilarating victory -- their first in Olympic beach volleyball. The sisters are taking part in the games for only the second time in their careers.