Cuba, Sweden, and why pool play must go

Cuba didn’t deserve that.

Jorge Alayo and Noslen Diaz became the story of beach volleyball in these Olympic Games when they not only upset their way to a Pool D win but looked very much the part of the favorites to do so, sweeping Andy Benesh and Miles Partain, Brazil’s George Wanderley and Andre Loyola, and tacking on the expected victory over Morocco. After those three matches, Alayo led the tournament in blocks per set. Diaz, the tallest defender in the field, was tremendous, a Giannis Antetokounmpo on sand.