Team USA’s Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig powered their way into the Round of 16 of the women’s division at the World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge after a straight-sets victory over Ukraine on Friday night at the Nuvali Sands Courts.

Durish and Koenig, who have won three of their four Beach Pro Tour appearances, secured a 21-17, 21-19 win over Inna Makhno and Iryna Makhno to book their place in the next round of the tournament organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The Americans controlled key stretches of the match, including building a strong second-set lead before holding off a late Ukrainian rally. Despite pressure from the Makhno sisters, Team USA closed out the match with a decisive final attack from Durish.

Durish and Koenig reflect on win

Durish said the pair focused on improving their passing after a previous loss earlier in the competition. She noted that their ability to reset mentally and execute their game plan played a key role in the victory.

Koenig added that the team remains focused on taking each match step by step while adapting to the level of competition in the tournament. She emphasized their approach of staying present and avoiding distractions from past results.

The American duo has been in strong form on the Beach Pro Tour, claiming multiple gold medals in recent international events and building a 25–2 overall record heading into the Nuvali Challenge.

They will next face Ukraine’s Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil in the Round of 16, continuing a streak of consecutive matchups against Ukrainian opponents in the tournament.

Other Round of 16 qualifiers

Several other teams also advanced to the Round of 16 following victories in the knockout stage.

Canada’s Molly McBain and Ruby Sorra, Estonia’s Heleene Hollas and Liisa Remmelg, and Team USA’s Madelyne Anderson and Alaina Chacon all secured wins to move forward in the competition.

They join squads from Hungary, France, Ukraine, and the Netherlands, completing the field for the next round of the tournament hosted in Santa Rosa and supported by multiple sports and local partners.

The World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge continues as teams compete for spots in the later stages of the international beach volleyball event.