Wilkerson, Humana-Paredes put on defensive masterpiece in win over TK

It was going right. All of it. The Kristen Nuss defense, the Taryn Kloth blocking. The shots, the swings, the extended rallies — all going the proper direction for the USA in their ninth-place matchup of the Olympic Games, against Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. All of it added up to a 14-9 lead in the first set over the No. 4 seed.

And then Brandie went Brandie.

Happens frequently. Frequently enough that, a year ago, Wilkerson was voted by her peers as the best blocker in the world by 12 percent over the runner-up, Brazil’s Ana Patricia Silva.

Before Monday’s first-round playoff matchup with Nuss and Kloth, Wilkerson hadn’t yet found her rhythm at the net. She had just eight blocks in four matches, ranking her sixth in the Olympics.

On Monday, she found her rhythm.

It was Wilkerson’s blocking that sparked a 6-0 run for the Canadians as they retook the lead in the opening set, 15-14, an edge they wouldn’t relinquish in a 21-19 win. Three of her five eventual blocks in the 21-19, 21-18 win would come in the first set.

Her two blocks in the second couldn’t have come at a better time.

Tied 18-18, Wilkerson smothered a tight set to maintain the lead.

One point later, she snuffed another to give Canada the only match point it would need.

Who was it that buried the next and final point, too? Brandie Wilkerson, getting her hands on yet another and finishing the victory with a swing after a spectacular cover from Nuss to keep the play alive.

Three straight points for Canada. Three straight points for Wilkerson.

“Heartbroken. Very disappointed,” Kloth said. “Excited that I got this opportunity and I got to play with Kristen and that is what I am focusing on. Right now, it is hard to focus on anything other than that (disappointment) but we walked in together, and we are going to walk back out together. I am playing with my best friend, traveling the world with my best friend.

“We do all this together (tears)… I am glad there’s no video.”

Monday presented a sharp change from how these two teams typically play one another. In four previous matchups on the Beach Pro Tour, Wilkerson had just eight total blocks, far below her usual average per set. On Monday alone, she piled up five.

And while it was Wilkerson who dominated at the net, one cannot ignore the masterful defensive performance by Humana-Paredes in the backcourt. Like Wilkerson, Humana-Paredes has been voted by her…