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B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Communications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org
@USA_Volleyball - @USAV Beach – USAV Facebook
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2012) – The U.S. women’s beach volleyball teams of Emily Day and Heather Hughes along with Summer Ross and Morgan Beck have advanced to the semifinals of the 2012 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit event at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
The USA1 team of Day (Torrance, Calif.) and Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.) will play Mexico’s Martha Revuelta and Bibi Candelas in one semifinal. The USA3 women’s team of Ross (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Beck (Coto de Caza, Calif.) will play Canada’s Jamie Broder and Kristina Valjas in the other.
The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. PT. The losers will play for the bronze medal at 11 a.m. followed by the gold medal match at noon.
Ross and Beck finished pool play undefeated on Saturday with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-11) win over compatriots Stevi Robinson and Eve Ettinger of USA5. In the quarterfinals, they took a three-set victory over the USA2 team of Michelle Moriarty and Kaitlin Sather (21-16, 16-21, 15-9).
“This is our third day ever playing together… I think we’re more concerned with learning to play together and learning to play well together,” Beck said. “Right now it’s been really fun and the outcome is great. Obviously we’re excited with wins. But it’s nice to see us gradually improve.”
Ross agreed that the team is improving with each match.
“I think we learn new things about each other’s game as we play, so it’s fun,” she said.
Day and Hughes also finished pool play undefeated, opening Saturday with a 21-13, 21-12 win over Diana Peguero and Nairobi Agramonte of Dominican Republic.
In the next round, the U.S. pair won a battle against Puerto Rico’s Yarleen Santiago and Yamileska Yantin, 2-1 (17-21, 21-18, 15-12).
The other three U.S. women’s teams competing in Chula Vista finished their tournaments on Saturday.
Moriarty and Sather finished second in Pool D behind Day and Hughes after winning their final pool play match on Saturday, 2-0 (21-19, 21-11) over compatriots Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) and Eve Ettinger (Santa Barbara, Calif.) of USA5. Moriarty and Sather were eliminated after the loss to Beck and Ross.
Robinson and Ettinger finished third in Pool D and did not advance in the winners' bracket. However, they will play in a consolation match against Costa Rica's Ivette Alas and Marianela Alfaro on Sunday.
The USA4 women’s team of Kirby Burnham (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Sara Hughes (Costa Mesa, Calif.) finished second in Pool B with a 1-1 record, but they fell to Revuelta and Candelas in the next round, 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) and were eliminated.
About the photo: Morgan Beck blocks against Puerto Rico during their match on Sept. 28. Photo courtesy of NORCECA
Saturday’s Results
Pool A: MEX d LCA 2-0 (21-7, 21-9); Pool B: CAN d GUA 2-0 (21-11, 21-11); Pool C: PUR d CRC 2-0 (21-9, 21-13); Pool D: USA1 d DOM 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), USA2 d USA5 2-0 (21-19, 21-11)
Round 1: DOM d LCA 2-0 (21-9, 21-8), CRC d GUA 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-10, CAN d TRI 2-0 (21-8, 21-7), MEX d USA4 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) Quarterfinals: USA3 d USA2 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-9), USA1 d PUR 17-21, 21-18, 15-12