U.S. Beach Teams Capture NORCECA Gold, Silver

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800       
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 6, 2009) – The U.S. Men won their second straight NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit gold medal while the U.S. Women took silver on Sunday in Guatemala.

In the men’s competition, Americans Hans Stolfus (Solon, Iowa) and Anthony Medel (Santa Barbara, Calif.) defeated Cuba’s Sergio Gonzalez and Karell Peña in the final (21-18, 16-21, 15-8). Stolfus and Medel won $1,700 for the victory.

Stolfus and Medel reached the finals by defeating Puerto Rico’s Abdell Otero and Joseph Gil in the semifinals (21-11, 21-18).

Mike Bruning (Tucson, Ariz.) and Jason Wight (West Springfield, Va.) won the first leg of the NORCECA Beach Circuit, taking the gold medal on March 29 in the Cayman Islands.

In the women’s bracket, Saralyn Smith (Key West, Fla.) and Beth Van Fleet (Tampa, Fla.) fell to Cuba’s Nirian Sinal and Kirenia Ballar in the final, (18-21, 21-18, 12-15). Van Fleet and Smith won $1,000 for second place.

Smith and Van Fleet advanced to the final by defeating Costa Rica’s Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro (21-17, 23-21) in the semifinal.

Click here for complete results.

Tags: Beach, beach volleyball, NORCECA, NORCECA Beach Circuit