Recap of final four matches of Chiapas Beach Volleyball Tournament
The fourth leg of the 2011 NORCECA Circuit, the Chiapas Beach Volleyball Tournament finished on Sunday, May 15.
The double gender competition invited the beach volleyball duos from all across the NORCECA regions. The fans got to witness some extreme action on the sand during the last week. The players exhibited great performances and captured the spotlight. In the
women’s section, the final four matches of the championship were played on Sunday.
The American duo of Brook Sweat and Kristen Batt climbed up the top slot in ranking and settled for gold-medal victory. They defeated Caribbean duo of Imara Estevez and Onayami Sinal from Cuba. The teams beaten in the semi-finals staged a wonderful play
in the third position match. After an incredible show of beach volleyball, the Mexican pairing of Revuelta and Virgen settled for bronze-ware.
Teams from Cuba and Costa Rica cross their ways in the first semi-final. Cuban team was comprised of Imara Estevez and Onayami Sinal, while the duo of Natalia Alfaro and Ingrid Morales represented Costa Rica. Cuban team started with solid serves and excellent
cross court shots. They promptly hit the mark and picked up a strong lead in the early few minutes. As the game progress, the Caribbean ladies brought more ferocity in their attack and totally stormed the opponents’ half with unstoppable spikes. First set
ended in Cuba’s favour as the scoreboard showed 21-14.
The following set was a head-to-head battle between the two sides. The early phase of the game was dominated by Cuban team but Costa Rican pair also struggled to bring a change in the game. They faced great resistance from the opposite side but still continued
with their efforts. The second set inched its way to the end, while Cuban team edged out Costa Ricans with a lead of two points. They posted 24-22 and claimed the semi-final match. Cuban team reserved a spot in the final showdown of the championship.
The second semi-final of the tournament featured teams from USA and Mexico. The top American tandem of Brook Sweat and Kristen Batt clashed with home duo of Revuelta and Virgen. The hosts were quite determined and had a lot of plans before the start of the
match. However, the American team proved to be too heavy for them. The U.S. players sparked on the scene and staged a classical performance in the opening set of the match. They restricted Mexicans to a low score and secured the first set of the game by sending
21-15 on board.
The Mexican team hit back strongly in the second set. They changed their approach and managed to break the rhythm of Americans. They put up a valiant effort and hit the equalizer by winning second set of the game (21-17).
Third set of the game was a ball of fury. Both sides played with best of their tactics and tried to benefit every little opportunity. Nevertheless, luck graced visitors and American booked a slot in the final showdown. They scored 15-13 victory in third
set of the game.
Before the final showdown of the tournament, the losers of semi-finals appeared in the third position match. Mexican pair came across Costa Rican team in the bronze-medal match. The home team had the final chance to prove their endeavour in the third-position
match. The tea performed better against Costa Rican side and clinched success. Finally, the home crowd got a chance to celebrate the victory of their team, as they posted 21-14 and 21-19 in two consecutive sets.
Gold-medal match - In the final encounter of the Chiapas Beach Volleyball Tournament, Brook Sweat and Kristen Batt of USA subdue the power of Cuban Imara Estevez and Onayami Sinal. They claimed the gold-medal by sending 21-19 and 21-18 on board.
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