USA's Fonoimoana, Quiggle triumphant in Ocho Rios

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica, November 17, 2019 - USA’s Falyn Fonoimoana and Corinne Quiggle, won a second straight women’s gold medal when the 2019 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tournament, the tenth and final stop ended.

In the final, Fonoimoana and Quiggle, battled past Cubans Lidiannis Echeverria and Yanisleidis Sanchez 2-1 (27-25, 15-21, 15-13) in five minutes short of an hour in a rematch of the final from in Hato Mayo, which ended the same way as well.

It was a very see-saw match from the onset with USA racing out to a 14-8 lead in the opening set, only for Cuba to draw level at 14-14.

In fact the Cubans had the first chance at set point when they led 20-19 and then had two more attempts, before USA finally ended the set on their fourth attempt.

The Cubans enjoyed a much better start to the second set and behind some timely attacks and block won the set comfortably in a slight drizzle of rain as they threatened to mount a serious turn-around.by setting up an interesting deciding third set.

The third set was a replica of the first with USA racing out to a 5-1 advantage only for the Cubans to pull within a point at 14-13, before a ball into the net ended the contest in the Americans favour.

Speaking after the win which followed their triumph in Hato Mayo, Dominican Republic in the previous leg, Fonoimoana said  it was very important for them to build on their previous win.

“We are a new team and for us to continue to grow it was a perfect way to end the season.
“I am very happy to be playing with her and it has been a real blessing.

For Fonoimoana it was her fifth medal of the tour this season, to add to her two silver medals won in Mexico and Cayman Islands, as well as a bronze in Cuba, all with previous partner Nicolette Martin while it was the third medal for Quiggle who also won a silver this season with Amanda Dowdy in Mexico.

In the semifinals, USA-A defeated Nicaraguans Swan Mendoza and Lolette Rodriguez, 2-0 (21-12, 21-8) and Cuba stopped Curacao’s Angjeny Tolentino and Leandra Savonije 2-0 (21-17, 21-11).

Mendoza and Rodriguez ended with the bronze medals after beating Tolentino and Savonije 2-1 (21-16, 17-21, 15-11). Despite the loss, Curacao equaled the best ever showing of fourth by a Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) team, which was done in 2011 by Trinidad and Tobago’s Nancy Joseph and Elki Phillip.

Women Results: