Lombardo, Virgen on course for seventh win

MARACAS BAY, Trinidad, November 30, 2013 - Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen of Mexico kept on course to extend their record number of gold medals in one season when they reached the semifinals of the 11^th and final leg of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit.

Winners of a record breaking six titles so far this season, Ontiveros and Virgen, who have also sealed the 2013 men’s tour title, booked a spot in the semifinal after beating William Sanchez and Luis Castillo (DOM) 21-10, 21-18 in the first quarterfinal.

In Sunday’s semifinal, the Mexicans will meet Christian Redmann and Maverick Hatch (CAN-B), who dumped Cayman Islands leg champions Roberto Rodriguez and Eric Haddock (PUR) 21-18, 24-22 in their quarterfinal.

The other semifinal sees William Montgomery and James Drost (USA-B), who were fourth in Costa Rica a week ago versus Chaim Schalk and Benjamin Saxton (CAN-A).

Montgomery and Drost reached the final four thanks to their 13-21, 21-19, 17-15 tense win over fellow Americans, Nicolas Lucena and Theodore Brunner (USA-A), winners in Chula Vista, while Schalk and Saxton ended the hopes of hometown pair, Fabien Whitfield and Collin Bernard (TTO-B), 21-11, 21-11.

When the second day of action served off with men round-of-16 matches Sanchez and Castillo beat Bryan Monge and Zlatko Pisculich (CRC) 21-18, 21-19; Redmann and Hatch ousted Richard Campbell/Duncan Hamann (CAY) 21-13, 21-14; Montgomery and Drost, who reached the semifinals in Costa Rica, stopped Eargenell De Cuba an Mitchel Daniel (ARU); and Whitfield and Bernard rallied past Ruben Mora and Gerson Contreras (NCA) 21-13, 13-21, 15-11.    

Saturday’s men results:

Round-of-16: DOM d CRC (21-18, 21-19), CAN-B d CAY (21-13, 21-14), USA-B d ARU (23-21, 21-16), TRI-B d NCA (21-13, 13-21, 15-11), Quarterfinals: MEX d DOM (21-10, 21-18), CAN-B d PUR (21-18, 24-22), USA-B d USA-A (13-21, 21-19, 17-15), CAN-A d TRI-B (21-11, 21-1). Quarterfinal playoffs 13-18: GUA d SUR (21-11, 21-1), TRI-A d ESA (21-18, 21-19). Semifinal playoffs 13-18: GUA d BAR (21-18, 21-13), TRI-A d JAM (21-8, 21-12).