Kerri Walsh Jennings Just Lost at Olympic Volleyball for the First Time

Impact

U.S. beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings isn't used to losing at the Olympics. Playing alongside former teammate Misty May-Treanor, Walsh Jennings won gold at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Games. So it came as a shock on Tuesday, when Walsh Jennings and April Ross were defeated in the semifinal by Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas of Brazil — Walsh Jennings' first time losing at Olympic beach volleyball.

Brazil beat the U.S. team by winning two straight sets 22-20 and 21-18. Walsh Jennings said her individual performance was "rocky," according to USA Today

"It's because I wasn't passing the ball," she said, USA Today reported. "I wasn't passing the ball. If you see a weakness, you go after it. My weakness was I wasn't passing the ball. ... Tonight they rose to the occasion. I certainly did not, and there's no excuse for it."

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Given Walsh Jennings' past Olympic prowess, fans were stunned and saddened to see the U.S. team lose.

The pair may not be bringing home gold, but the Olympics aren't over for Walsh Jennings and Ross. They'll battle for bronze Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST against another Brazilian duo, Larissa Franca Maestrini and Talita Rocha.