Sweat, Batt Claim NORCECA Chiapas Title

Bill Kauffman
Associate Director, Communications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 15, 2011) – The The U.S. beach team of Brooke Sweat and Kristen Batt captured the Chiapas Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fourth leg of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, on Sunday afternoon in Puerto Arista, Chiapas, Mexico.

Sweat (Estero, Fla.) and Batt (Venice, Fla.) claimed the title by defeating Cubans Imara Estevez and Onayami Sinal 21-19, 21-18 in the gold-medal match. The American duo advanced to the championship match after a grueling 21-15, 17-21, 15-13 victory over Martha Revuelta and Vanessa Virgen of Mexico during the semifinals in front of a partisan home crowd.

Sweat and Batt went through the tournament undefeated. The tandem won both Pool A matches to advance directly to the quarterfinals, then defeated Puerto Rico in straight sets on Saturday to move onto the semifinals.

The U.S. has now won three gold medals on the 2011 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit as Brooke Hanson and Lauren Fendrick won the opening event in the Cayman Islands, while Whitney Pavlik and Jenny Kropp captured the gold medal in the third stop held in the Dominican Republic. Erin Grey and Jennifer Snyder earned the silver medal in the second stop in Guatemala.

On the men’s side, Eyal Zimet (Hawthorne, Calif.) and Russ Marchewka (Santa Ana, Calif.) lost to Mexicans Aldo Miramontes and Juan Virgen 21-11, 21-15 in the quarterfinal round to open play on Sunday. Miramontes and Virgen went on to capture their second gold medal of the 2011 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, this time on home sand. The Americans finished pool play in second place to Cuba, which captured the tournament’s bronze medal.

This event is the last tournament that grants ranking points towards the Pan American Games, which are scheduled for next October 2011 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The current stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit includes players from Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and the U.S.

Sunday’s women results

Semifinals: CUB d. CRC (21-14, 24-22), USA-1 d. MEX-1 (21-15, 17-21, 15-13). Bronze medal: MEX-1 d. CRC (21-14, 21-19). Gold Medal: USA-1 d. CUB (21-19, 21-18).

Sunday’s men results

Quarterfinals: CAN-1 d. DOM (21-19, 16-21, 15-13), PUR d. GUA (21-15, 21-13), CUB d. CRC (21-17, 21-17), MEX-1 d. USA (21-11, 21-15). Semifinals: PUR d. CAN-1 (23-25, 24-22, 15-10), MEX-1 d. CUB (21-15, 18-21, 15-11). Bronze medal: CUB d. CAN-1 (21-10, 21-8). Gold medal: MEX-1 d. PUR (26-24, 21-10).

Saturday’s women results

Pool A: USA d. TRI (21-8, 21-10). Pool B: GUA d. MEX-1 (21-10, 21-16).

Final pool positions: Pool A: USA (2-0), NCA (1-1), TRI (0-2). Pool B: GUA (2-0), MEX-1 (1-1), CAN-2 (0-2). Pool C: CUB (2-0), MEX-2 (1-1), CAN-1 (0-2). Pool D: USA-2 (2-0), CRC (1-1), PUR (0-2). Four pool winners advance directly to quarterfinals.

Round of 16: PUR d. MEX-2 (21-11, 21-18), CAN-2 d. NCA (14-21, 22-20, 16-14), MEX-1 d. TRI (21-13, 21-17), CRC d. CAN-1 (21-16, 21-12). Quarterfinals: USA-1 d. PUR (21-11, 21-8), CUB d. CAN-2 (21-16, 21-16), CRC d. GUA (21-16, 21-12), MEX-1 d. USA-2 (21-15, 18-21, 23-21).

Saturday’s men results

Pool A: MEX-1 d. GUA (21-10, 21-12). Pool B: PUR d. CRC (21-14, 18-21, 15-13). Pool C: DOM d. CAN-1 (21-18, 21-14), CAY d. MEX-2 (21-18, 15-21, 15-13). Pool D: HON d. CAN-2 (24-22, 10-21, 15-7), CUB d. USA (15-21, 21-19, 15-10).

Final pool positions: Pool A: MEX-1 (2-0), GUA (1-1), TRI (0-2). Pool B: PUR (2-0), CRC (1-1), NCA (0-2). Pool C: DOM (2-1), CAN-1 (2-1), CAY (1-2), MEX-2 (2-1). Pool D: CUB (3-0), USA (2-1), HON (1-2), CAN-2 (0-3). Winners of pools A and B advance directly to quarterfinals.

Round of 16: CRC d. CAY (21-17, 21-14), USA d. TRI (21-15, 21-15), CUB d. MEX-2 (21-12, 21-18), GUA d. HON (21-15, 23-21), CAN-1 d. NCA (18-21, 21-13, 15-9), DOM d. CAN-2 (21-19, 21-19).

Friday women’s results

Pool A
USA-1 d. NCA (21-10, 21-11)
NCA d. TRI (21-17, 19-21, 15-12)

Pool B
MEX-1 d. CAN-2 (21-16, 21-14)
GUA d. CAN-2 (24-22, 21-14)

Pool C
MEX-2 d. CAN-1 (22-20, 12-21, 16-14)
CUB d. MEX-2 (21-13, 21-13)
CUB d. CAN-1 (21-18, 21-12)

Pool D
USA-2 d. CRC (21-11, 21-15)
USA-2 d. PUR (21-19, 21-12)
CRC d. PUR (21-15, 21-18)

Friday men’s results

Pool A
GUA d. TRI (21-11, 21-17)
MEX-1 d. TRI (21-12, 21-16)

Pool B
PUR d. NCA (21-12, 21-16)
CRC d. NCA (22-20, 21-16)

Pool C
DOM d. CAY (21-12, 21-13)
CAN-1 d. MEX-2 (21-19, 21-19)
MEX-2 d. DOM (21-18, 21-16)
CAN-1 d. CAY (21-12, 16-21, 18-16)

Pool D
CUB d. HON (21-14, 21-11)
USA d. CAN-2 (21-17, 21-10)
CUB d. CAN-2 (21-12, 21-16)
USA d. HON (21-14, 21-12)

Tags: Beach, Beach Volleyball, NORCECA, NORCECA Beach Circuit