RIO DE JANEIRO -- April Ross had an emotional 24 hours.Ross and teammate Kerri Walsh Jennings lost to Brazilians Agatha and Barbara in a midnight match, ending the American duos pursuit of beach volleyball gold. Ross hugged Jennings and tearfully apologized for the end of Jennings 12-year Olympic winning streak. Jennings also whispered sorry as they both took responsibility for the loss.Moving forward and competing for bronze less than a day later wasnt easy, but necessary. No way were they returning home without a medal. So on Wednesday night, they made sure to secure the bronze by defeating Brazils Larissa and Talita.We caught up with Ross, who won a silver medal during the 2012 London Olympics, at the P&G Family Home in Rio. She talked about her partnership with Aussie, what really happened in the semifinals and how she and Jennings got their groove back to win.What was your experience in Rio compared to London?The vibe here in Rio was completely different than in London, especially at the beach volleyball venue. It was so much more of a beach party because we were at Copacabana Beach. Everyone who came out to see us was more familiar with beach volleyball than they were in London. They had chants and specific cheers. Everyone was so into it. It felt so electric.In London, people were into it, too, to a certain extent, but they were showing up to our events in business suits. They didnt get beach volleyball like they do here in Rio. So playing was actually more fun here.Is it typical to have cheerleaders in beach volleyball or just in Brazil?Its more of a recent development. I think as the sport grows, its becoming part of it. Its so funny because someone mentioned to me yesterday about the cheerleaders after we were done competing. I saw the people dressed up just standing there, but I never saw them dancing, so I didnt know who they were.They werent the only ones cheering -- or not. The Brazilian crowd was very vocal. Did you hear all the booing?The first time we played Brazil, in the semifinals, I didnt understand they were booing. You know how at American football games, the crowd makes a ton of noise? I feel like they were trying to disrupt the communication for you. Thats what it sounded like to me.Afterward, when we were doing interviews with the media, they kept asking us about the booing. And I was like, Oh, I didnt realize. The next night when we played Brazil [for bronze], we heard that same sound and it was even louder. It fired me up, to be honest. I was just like, Youre going to boo, us? Take this! I kind of thrived off of that negative energy they were trying to give us.You didnt experience this in London?No, I dont think Ive ever been booed. Weve played in Brazil a ton. Every year that Ive played this sport, weve had a least one event in this country and have never been booed. It was the biggest match weve ever played in Brazil, versus Brazil, so that probably factored into it.I think our expectations for the fans when we came down here wasnt to be booed. But at the same time, I dont really blame them and I dont have a problem with it. They are very passionate about their teams in that sport.In the semifinal match against Brazil, you seemed upset early on. For example, Walsh Jennings high-fived your opponents, but you didnt. Can you tell us why?I wasnt upset. Definitely super focused. One tactic in beach volleyball is to take time in the middle of a set or match to regroup. So if were down or having problems, you want to give yourself a little extra time to revisit your strategy, your game plan and maybe slow down the momentum for the other team. I usually walk around the poles to give us a little more time on side switches. If the other team is walking around the poles too, it usually prevents you from slapping five.If Im near one of the other players, Ill give them high-five, for sure. Its understood in beach volleyball that you dont have to give a high-five to the other team when going under the net. So it wasnt that I was upset or anything. It was just strategy.Kerri seems like the type who would high-five a lot, too.Especially outside the court and the match -- 100 percent spread the love. Everyone we play with is amazing. But when youre on the court, its all about competing and being out there to win. If that means not giving a high-five here or there, so be it. Thats part of competing.What was your take on that match? How could it have gone differently for you?I havent had a ton of time to think about it yet. I havent watched it back. Im not sure how it could have been different. In hindsight, well be able to figure out some things, like in transitions, I should have used my angles a little bit more rather than my power when attacking. Thats one thing. Maybe I should have gone to my float serve rather than try to force my jump serve -- even though my jump serve felt on and really good. But I could have switched my strategy and made them deal with my float serve earlier in the match. That would have been good.I think we didnt have the best match. I liked our game plan and attitude going in. No doubt we were there to win that match. We never gave up. They played really well and it didnt go our way.When you embraced at the end of that semifinals match, was Kerri consoling you?Not necessarily consoling me, no. Were both really accountable and hold ourselves to high expectations. So I think the main feeling we had when we came together after the match was Im sorry that we let each other down.Rumor has it there might have been a lack of motivation from you and Kerri to compete in the bronze medal match. Is that true?Its more that we were so devastated after the semifinal. We knew we wanted that bronze immediately. You go into every match wanting to win. But there was so much behind that thought. You have to have that fire and emotional resiliency to play as hard as you can with the belief that youre going to win. It takes a lot of energy and mental strength to get to a point where you can do that, especially against the No. 1 seed in the tournament, who also got upset. We knew it was going to be a super tough match.We needed time to process the loss. It was really challenging to get over it so fast and get ready to play with the kind of emotional strength and energy needed to bring our full selves into that bronze-medal match. You can go into something with the full intent to win and thats not enough. We didnt feel like that was going to be enough for that specific match. We really, really had to work hard to get up for that last match in a way that would allow us to win.How did you do that?Talking to ourselves. Looking for sources of inspiration. We both have journals and write a lot, so we went back to find messages that have worked for us before.I think we showed up in a state that we were ready to go into the match 100 percent. We wanted to win and believed that we could do it. But then our coach, [Brazilian-born] coach Marcio Sicoli, gave us the most inspirational pep talk ever. His emotions and passion got us even more riled up and ready to go. Last night [at the semifinal] didnt even matter. Were here. Were 100 percent present, focused and ready to win. Theres no particular line that he said. It was more his sentiment and the finality of forget last night this match being our gold-medal match.What is next for you two as a pair?We have three more really big events this year. Next week, we have the FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam in California. We have the AVP Championships the next weekend in Chicago. Then we have the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals in Toronto two weeks after. In my mind, it will be a victory tour and Im really excited just to play and have fun.Kerri is playing really well, obviously, and I think its going to be hard for her to hang it up. I think shes willing to keep playing. Shes going to take some time to figure out what she wants to do. For me, Im open to continue playing with her, obviously. I have to wait and see what she wants to do. If she doesnt want to play, I have to think a lot harder about what I want to do. This is not my last Olympics.Any other post-Rio plans before returning to competition?First thing Im doing is stopping at the P&G Family Home Salon to get my hair done so that it finally starts to recover. After competing in the sand, my hair is disgusting, so I have to use the Aussie 3-Minutes Miracle Moist to rehydrate my hair. I leave tonight so I only have today left in Brazil. It crushes me that Im missing closing ceremonies, but Im looking forward to relaxing at home before the tournaments. Authentic Will Dissly Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. Authentic Tre Flowers Jersey . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. http://www.cheapseahawksjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-alex-mcgough-jersey . 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Sure, the Yellow Jackets (3-0) are just midway down in the Others Receiving Votes section of this weeks Associated Press Top 25 poll despite an impressive 38-7 victory over Vanderbilt on Saturday. And Clemson (3-0), the national runner-up to Alabama a year ago, opened as a 11-point favorite for the nationally televised Thursday night contest.But Bobby Dodd Stadium has not been too kind recently for the Tigers, who havent defeated Georgia Tech in Atlanta since 2003, or star quarterback Deshaun Watson, who sustained a knee injury playing there his freshman season.Weve got a tough task ahead with an undefeated Georgia Tech team in Atlanta, Swinney said. But were looking forward to it.Clemson is 3-0 for the third time in four years, while Georgia Tech already matched its win total from a year ago when it finished 3-9, but both teams are relatively unknown quantities.The Tigers were unimpressive in victories against unranked Auburn (19-13) and Troy (30-24) to open the season, then learned precious little about themselves in a 59-0 demolition of South Carolina State last week.Georgia Tech carved its 3-0 start out of victories against unheralded Boston College, Mercer and Vanderbilt.Watson is looking forward to taking his team to Tech again, despite rekindling the memory of the 2014 injury. He partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament early in the game, though he wasnt even hit on the play.The Tigers went on to lose 28-6, their most recent regular-season defeat.It was just one of those weird things that kind of happen, Watson said. I have flashbacks about that play. Of course, its going to pop up in my mind, but it wont be anything too serious.To a man, Clemsons players say they are not looking past Georgia Tech and toward the potential showdown with Louisville -- an approach that should be expected given the Tiigers five consecutive defeats at the hands of the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.dddddddddddd.Yet the Tigers are dont lack confidence.If we do our job and play Clemson ball, everything should take care of itself, Watson said.The contest will serve as a measuring stick for the Yellow Jackets. Through three games, the Georgia Tech offense has started to look more like its old self. The option has been effective and the drives have been long and sustained. But the question remains: How good are the Yellow Jackets really?That will be answered this week. If Georgia Tech can move the ball effectively against the Tigers, it could have something special.Weve gotten better each game, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. Well have to get way better because this is the best team weve played by a mile.Georgia Tech is averaging 397.7 yards per game, 257.3 of that on the ground. But the Clemson defense ranks eighth in the nation in total defense (250 yards per game) and gives up just 92 yards rushing.Johnson said his teams offense is better than it showed in 2015 but hasnt yet approached the high standards set in 2014. He added, I think we have the potential to get where we were in 14.That is possible if quarterback Justin Thomas continues to play as he did in the win over the Commodores. Thomas threw for 136 yards and one touchdown and rushed 11 times for 84 yards.We still have some issues, but from Game One to this point, were night-and-day a lot better, Thomas said. People are communicating more, coming off the ball better and as a whole were starting to click. Got to keep getting better each week and not have any setbacks.Thomas has been around long enough to know that Clemson will provide a reality check. This will be his third start against the Tigers -- he led Tech to the victory in 2014, but got pummeled 43-24 last year at Death Valley, rushing 14 times for 3 yards. He also threw for 159 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted once and sacked twice. That was Georgia Techs low point for the season.Its going to be a huge week, Thomas said. Weve got to dial it in. China Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China China NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo Jerseys From China ' ' '