Cuba and Canada make it to the NORCECA Finals

BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic, April 19, 2011 – Cuba and Canada booked tickets to the women’s final phase of NORCECA Confederation Beach Volleyball Continental Cup when the Cuban girls bounced back to defeat United States and Canada outclassed Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Both teams will meet for the top position of the Central Zone on Wednesday while USA and Puerto Rico now are to face Mexico and Dominican Republic respectively with the winners completing the top-four qualified teams to the final event towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Cuba bounced back to prevail 3-1 against USA after Whitney Pavlik and Jenny Kropp of USA-B opened with a 21-19, 22-20 victory over Imara Estevez and Kirenia Reyna of Cuba-A. Ion Canet and Niriam Sinal of Cuba-B then followed with a 21-13, 21-17 victory over Lisa Rutledge and Ashley Ivy (USA-A) and continued with a 21-19, 21-17 win against Pavlik/Kropp. Estevez/Reyna completed the job by edging Rutledge-Ivy 27-25, 16-21, 15-13 in one of the best matches of the day.

Canada kicked off with a 21-8, 21-11 victory of Annie Martin and Marie-Andre Lessard against Beatriz Rivera and Tatiana Encarnacion of Puerto Rico-B. Then Heather Bansley and Liz Maloney of Canada-B recorded 21-18, 21-17 and 21-17, 21-11 victories over Yarleen Santiago and Dariam Acevedo of Puerto Rico-A and Rivera/Encarnacion respectively. With the series already decided, Santiago/Acevedo prevailed by score of 27-25, 16-21, 15-13 over Martin/Lessard.

Women’s results

Cuba 3, United States 1

USA-B d. CUB-A (21-19, 22-20)

CUB-B d. USA-A (21-13, 21-19)

CUB-B d. USA-B (21-19, 21-17)

CUB-A d. USA-A (27-25, 16-21, 15-13)

Canada 3, Puerto Rico 1

CAN-A d. PUR-B (21-8, 21-11)

CAN-B d. PUR-A (21-18, 21-17)

CAN-B d. PUR-B (21-17, 21-11)

PUR-A d. CAN-A (21-17, 25-27, 15-13)