U.S. Beach Teams Place Fifth, Sixth in Dominican

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 21, 2011) – Two U.S. women’s beach volleyball teams competing in Dominican Republic placed fifth while the U.S. men placed sixth on Wednesday at the NORCECA Central Zone Phase of the Continental Cup in Boca Chica.

The U.S. women’s beach teams of Ashley Ivy (Arlington, Texas) and Lisa Rutledge (Vista, Calif.) (USA-A) and Whitney Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Jenny Kropp (Grand Island, Neb.) (USA-B) tied with Mexico 2-2 in their final series of matches.

The Mexico-A team of Bibiana Candelas and Mayra Garcia won a tie-breaking “golden set” 15-9. Candelas and Garcia went on to give Mexico the third place finish with a 15-9 golden set victory over Yarleen Santiago and Dariam Acevedo of Puerto Rico-A. Cuba beat Canada in the championship series.

The top four teams of the NORCECA Central Zone (both women and men) are qualified to the final continental competition where one ticket is available to the London Games.

In the men’s bracket, the U.S. teams of be Stevo VanderWerp (Grand Haven, Mich.) and Matt McKinney (Santa Ynez, Calif.) (USA-A) and Bill Strickland (Malibu, Calif.) and Aaron Wachtfogel (Redondo Beach, Calif.) (USA-B) tied with Mexico 2-2. VanderWerp and McKinney had to forfeit their matches due to an earlier injury to McKinney.

The Mexico-A team of Ulises Ontiveros and Juan Virgen won the tie-breaking golden set, 15-13.

Ontiveros and Virgen defeated Puerto Rico’s Roberto Rodriguez and Christian Underwood, 15-13 in the third-place set. Canada defeated Cuba in the championship series.

To view the women’s final bulletin, click here.

To view the men’s final bulletin, click here.

April 20 Results:
Women
Mexico 3, United States 2
Ivy/Rutledge def. Martha Revuelta/Diana Estrada, 21-17, 21-10
Canelas/Garcia def. Pavlik/Kropp, 22-20, 26-24
Pavlik/Kropp def. Revuelta/Estrada, 21-13, 21-15
Canelas/Garcia def. Ivy/Rutledge, 21-11, 21-18
Golden set: Canelas/Garcia def. Ivy/Rutledge, 15-9

Men
Mexico 3, United States 2
VanderWerp/McKinney def. Ulises and Lombardo Ontiveros, 12-21, 24-22, 15-9
Ontiveros/Ontiveros def. Strickland/Wachtfogel, 21-0, 21-0
Ontiveros/Virgen def. Strickland/Wachtfogel, 21-0, 21-0
VanderWerp/McKinney def. Ontiveros/Virgen, 21-19, 15-21, 18-16
Golden set: Ontiveros/Virgen def. VanderWerp/Van Zwieten, 15-13

Tags: Ashley Ivy, Beach, Beach Volleyball, NORCECA, NORCECA Beach Circuit