Lane Carico and Heather Hughes win the gold medal at the NORCECA Beach Circuit

CHULA VISTA, California, October 6, 2013 –The USA-A team of Lane Carico and Heather Hughes defeated compatriots Sarah Day and Kaitlin Nielsen of USA-B, 21-12, 21-17 on Sunday to win the gold medal at the NORCECA Beach Circuit event at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.

In the bronze medal match, the Mexico-A team of Martha Revuelta and Bibiana Candelas defeated the Mexico-B squad of Itzel Santoyo and Stephanie Burnside, 21-15, 21-17.

Sunday’s victory was the second straight NORCECA title for Carico, who won on Sept. 22 in Puerto Rico with Sara Hughes. Carico and Heather Hughes went 5-0 in matches in Chula Vista and 10-0 in sets. Carico said the team got better throughout the tournament.

“I think we kept our game totally consistent at the end whereas at the beginning it was up-and-down,” Carico said.

“It definitely gives us confidence,” Hughes added. “It gives us a boost for St. Lucia where we are going next week.”

In the women’s semifinals, Carico and Hughes defeated Revuelta and Candelas, 19-21, 21-19, 15-12. Day and Nielsen beat Santoyo and Burnside, 21-15, 21-14.

The NORCECA Beach Circuit will move on to St. Lucia on Oct. 11-13.

Women

Semifinals: USA-A d MEX-A 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 15-12), USA-B d MEX-B 2-0 (21-15, 21-14). Bronze: MEX-A d MEX B 2-0 (21-15, 21-17). Gold: USA-A d USA-B 2-0 (21-12, 21-17)