Beach Volleyball is under way at Rio 

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, July 16, 2007.- The host country duo of Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca defeated the American pair of  Angie Akers and Brooke Niles to open the Women’s Beach Volleyball Tournament of the Pan American Games.

The Brazilians pleased their fans by winning 21-10, 21-16 and providing lessons for Akers and Niles in a match of Pool E.

Also in Pool E on Monday, Ivonne Soler- Laura Molina of El Salvador battled to edge Puerto Ricans Yamileska Yantin-Annia Ruiz 21-13, 14-21, 15-9.

In Pool F, the veteran Cuban duo of Dalixia Fernandez and Tamara Larrea had no difficulties to beat Heisell Guandique-Heidy Nostran of Nicaragua 21-6, 21-9, and Mercedes Mena-Karina Hernandez of Ecuador cruised to a 21-8, 21-9 victory over Nancy Joseph-Elki Phillip of Trinidad & Tobago.

In Pool G, Canadians Marie Lessard-Sara Maxwell had to fight hard to defeat Costa Ricans Ingrid Morales-Natalia Alfaro in three sets by scores of 21-23, 21-14, 15-10 and siblings Andrea and Clauda Galindo of Colombia prevailed against Maria Elena  Evangelista-Alejandra Ortiz of Argentina 15-21, 21-16, 15-10.

Finally, in Pool H, Bibiana Candelas-Mayra Garcia of Mexico triumphed 21-14, 21-14 over Maria Orellana-Lourdes Ramirez of Guatemala, and Karina Cardozo-Mariana Guerrero of Uruguay defeated Orquidea Vera-Wilmerys Munoz of Venezuela 21-15, 21-13.

The women’s beach volleyball competition consists of 16 teams each competing in round robin pool play with four teams, quarterfinals, semi finals and finals.

The quarterfinals and semi finals will be played with single elimination with July 19 quarterfinals matches of Pool E winner versus Pool H second-place finisher, Pool H winner versus Pool E second-place finisher, Pool F winner versus Pool G second-place finisher and Pool G winner versus Pool F second-place finisher. Semi finals follow on July 20 and the championship on July 21.