Pardon and Dykstra earned silver in their first outing of the year and in Dykstra’s first professional international tournament. It was also the first tournament for the year for Burik/Kolinske. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen finished fourth and Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol tied for ninth.
The weekend got off to a hot start with three of the four U.S. teams going a spotless 3-0 in pool play. The one exception was Mesko/Del Sol, who finished 1-2 following losses to USA and Canada. From the consolation bracket the pair were able to tally wins against Trinidad and Tobago, and El Salvador for ninth place.
In bracket play, all three spotless American teams put up wins in the quarterfinals. Burik and Kolinske suffered a setback loss in their semifinal to eventual winners, Karell Pena/Daisel Quesada of Cuba, 21-17, 21-16. They rallied back for bronze in a three-set victory against Canada’s Aaron Nusbaum/Ryan Vandenburg, by score of 18-21, 21-11, 15-13.
The American women faced each other in the semifinals, guaranteeing both would play for a podium spot. Newcomers Pardon/Dykstra defeated Flint/Larsen, 22-20, 18-21, 15-13. Both teams lost their final matches of the tournament – Pardon/Dykstra in three to Cuba for silver, 21-13, 18-21, 15-9, and Flint/Larsen in three to Canada for fourth place, 21-16, 22-24, 15-9.
So far in 2017, USA has two women’s medals and one men’s medal on the NORCECA Continental Tour.
| NORCECA Cayman Islands Roster | ||||||
| Athletes | Entry | |||||
| Betsi Flint | Kelley Larsen | Main Draw | ||||
| Lara Dkystra | Jace Pardon | Main Draw | ||||
| Jon Mesko | Skylar Del Sol | Main Draw | ||||
| Mark Burik | Bill Kolinske | Main Draw | ||||
| Staff | ||||||
| Mike Bohrnsen | Sports Medicine, DC, DACBSP | |||||
RESULTS
Women | Cayman Islands | April 21-23
1. Lidiannis Echeverria/Leila Martinez, CUB
2. Jace Pardon/Lara Dykstra
3. Jamie Broder/Caleigh Whitaker, CAN
4. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
Men | Cayman Islands | April 21-23
1. Karell Pena/Daisel Quesada, CUB
2. Maverick Hatch/Garrett May, CAN
3. Mark Burik/Bill Kolinske
9. Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol
Women | La Paz | April 7-9
1. Lidiannis Echeverria/Leila Martinez, CUB
2. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson, CAN
3. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
6. Brittany Hochevar/Emily Day
Men | La Paz | April 7-9
1. Karell Pena/Daisel Quesada, CUB
2. Juan Virgen/Lombardo Ontiveros, MEX
3. Josue Gaxiola/Jose Rubio, MEX
4. Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol
9. Stafford Slick/Reid Priddy
Women | Playoff #1 | March 22
1. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
2. Brittany Hochevar/Emily Day
3. Lara Dykstra/Jace Pardon
Men | Playoff #1 | March 22
1. Casey Patterson/Theo Brunner
2. Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol
3. Stafford Slick/Reid Priddy
NORCECA Continental Tour
June 23-25 NORCECA Ochos Rios, Jamaica
July 12-17 NORCECA Varadero, Cuba
Oct. 13-15 NORCECA Ochos Rios, Jamaica
Oct. 17-22 NORCECA Guadalajara, Mexico
Nov. 17-19 NORCECA Varadero, Cuba