Brazil ends Kerri Walsh Jennings' gold-medal run in straight sets in semis

Brazil beat Americans Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross in the women's beach volleyball semifinals Tuesday night, ending three-time Olympic champion Walsh Jennings' gold-medal run.

Agatha and Barbara won 22-20, 21-18 to earn a matchup in the final against Germany. The best Walsh Jennings and Ross can do is a bronze medal when they play Brazil's other women's team Wednesday.

Walsh Jennings had won three gold medals with Misty May-Treanor and had never lost an Olympic beach volleyball match. In fact, she had lost only two sets in her Olympic beach volleyball career before falling in straight sets Tuesday night at the Copacabana venue. She now has a 26-1 record and is 52-4 in sets.

Walsh Jennings also lost with the indoor volleyball team in 2000 in Sydney.

Agatha and Barbara are the defending world champions, but they were the second-seeded team in the tournament to fellow Brazilians Talita and Larissa. The No. 1 team, a pair of three-time Olympians, lost to Germany earlier Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.