Four U.S. Beach Teams Make Cayman Quarterfinals

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 26, 2011) – Four U.S. beach volleyball teams have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Cayman Islands Beach Volleyball Tournament, the first leg of 2011 NORCECA Circuit on Seven Miles Beach in Grand Cayman.

The women’s USA-1 team of Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Brooke Hanson (Woodland Hills, Calif.) remained unbeaten on Saturday by winning their final pool play match over El Salvador’s Marcela Avalos and Diana Romero (21-7, 21-7). They followed that with a 21-12, 21-4 defeat of Beatriz Rivera and Yaileen Torres of Puerto Rico-2 in the first round.

The USA-2 women’s team of Brittany Hochevar (Fowler, Colo.) and Jen Fopma (Bellflower, Calif.) finished pool play at 2-1 with a victory Saturday over Brenda Allen and Shanicia Dyer of St. Kitts & Nevis (21-13, 21-9). In the first round, Hochevar and Fopma topped Kacie MacTavish and Julie Rodrigue of Canada-2 (22-24, 25-23, 15-10).

In Sunday’s quarterfinals, Fendrick and Hanson will play Vanessa Virgen and Cinthia Cruz of Mexico-2 while Hochevar and Fopma will face defending champions Yarleen Santiago and Dariam Acevedo of Puerto Rico-1.

On the men’s side, the USA-1 team of Will Strickland (Malibu, Calif.) and Lucas Wisniakowski (Houston, Texas) won its final pool play match over Jeovanny Medrano and David Vargas of El Salvador (21-19, 21-12). In the first round, USA-1 defeated Jamaica’s Mark Lewis and Dellan Brown (21-18, 21-14).

The USA-2 team of Jon Mesko (Traverse City, Mich.) and Paul Baxter (Columbia Heights, Minn.) won its last pool play match over Roberto Rodriguez and Christopher Underwood of Puerto Rico-2 (21-17, 21-19).  In the first round, Mesko and Baxter beat Dany Lopez and Gerald Umaña of Nicaragua (21-11, 21-14).

In Sunday’s quarterfinals, Strickland and Wisniakowski will play Mexico’s Ulises and Lombardo Ontiveros while Mesko and Baxter will face Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen of Canada-1.

The semifinals and finals will also be played on Sunday.

For complete results, visit the NORCECA web site.

To view a slide show of the tournament, click here.

Tags: Beach, Beach Volleyball, Lauren Fendrick, NORCECA, NORCECA Beach Circuit