Costa Rica claim top place on NORCECA Women’s Inter Zonal

MAL PAIS, Costa Rica, February 12, 2012 – Hosts Costa Rica qualified in the first position of the NORCECA Women’s Beach Volleyball Inter Zonal Continental Cup following a 4-0 victory over El Salvador on Sunday at Playa Carmen in western Costa Rica. Guatemala edged Nicaragua in a “golden set” in the battle for third place.

All four teams are qualified to the final phase of the NORCECA Confederation against the top four teams –Cuba, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico- from the Central Zone.

That event will be held in Nayarit, Mexico from June 19 to 23 where the winner will be granted with a ticket to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Ivette Alas and Mariana Alfaro of Costa Rica “B” won their two matches both stretched to three sets. They first edged Diana Romero and Marcela Avalos of El Salvador “A” 21-23, 21-8, 15-13 and then defeated Nadia Soler and Laura Molina of El Salvador “B” 21-16, 13-21, 15-13.

In the second match of the series, Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro of Costa Rica “A” beat Soler/Molina 21-19, 21-13 and also won a fourth match to complete the television schedule by score of 21-10, 21-14 over Romero/Avalos.

In the series for the third place, Guatemala edged Nicaragua 15-9 in a “golden set” won by Susana Alvarado and Lourdes Ramírez of Guatemala “A” against a combined Nicaraguan team of Elia Torrez and Lolette Rodriguez.

Amalia Hernández and Rodríguez of Nicaragua “A” opened with a 21-15, 21-12 victory over Rut Gomez and Stefany Bolaños of Guatemala “B” and Alvarado/Ramirez tied the series by defeating Torrez/Swan Mendoza of Nicaragua “B” 21-17, 21-17.

Alvarado/Ramirez defeated Hernández/Rodríguez 21-17, 21-12 and once again the series was tied when Torrez/Mendoza beat Gomez/Bolaños 21-11, 21-15 to force the “golden set”.

“It was a very well organized event and we are leaving Costa Rica with a positive impression,” Arnaldo Sanchez, the technical director, said. “We hope they can continue hosting international events and become a regular stop in our NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit.”

Sunday's results

Costa Rica v El Salvador

CRC-B d. ESA-A 2-1 (21-23, 21-8, 15-13), CRC-A d. ESA-B 2-0 (21-19, 21-13), CRC-B d. ESA-B 2-1 (21-16, 13-21, 15-12)

Nicaragua v Guatemala

NCA-A d. GUA-B 2-0 (21-15, 21-12), GUA-A d. NCA-B 2-0 (21-17, 21-17), GUA-B d. NCA-B 2-0 (21-11, 21-15), GUA-A d. NCA-A 2-0 (21-17, 21-12). GS: GUA-A d. NCA (15-9).