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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 27, 2008) - Teams from the United States won both the men's and women's titles at the 2008 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit in El Salvador on Sunday. Ed Ratledge (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and David Fischer (Santa Barbara, Calif.), who won the first 2008 NORCECA Series event in the Dominican Republic, took the men's gold medal in El Salvador with a 21-16, 21-14 victory over Puerto Rico's Orlando Irrizarry and Roberto Rodriguez. Ratledge and Fischer did not lose a set in the tournament, finishing with a 6-0 match record and 12-0 in sets. Erin Byrd (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and Stephanie Chapek (Bloomington, Minn.) topped the women's side with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Laura Molina and Ivonne Soler of El Salvador.

On their way to the gold medal match, Ratledge and Fischer defeated El Salvador's Geovanny Medrano-Rafael Vargas (21-17, 21-16) in the semifinals. Medrano and Vargas went on to win the bronze medal. Byrd and Chapek defeated Maria Jose Orellana and Anna Ramirez of Guatemala (21-13, 21-18) in the semifinals. The U.S. women lost only one set during the weekend and finished with a 6-0 mark. They were taken to three sets by Orellana and Ramirez in pool play.

View complete results on the NORCECA web site at www.norceca.org/endex.htm