Flurry of golden sets in first day of action at Costa Rica

MAL PAIS, Costa Rica, February 10, 2012 – El Salvador, Curacao, Guatemala and hosts Costa Rica all moved on to the semifinal round of the NORCECA Women’s Inter Zonal Beach Volleyball Continental Cup, the penultimate eliminatory stage of the region towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.

El Salvador play Curacao while Guatemala will be pitted against Costa Rica in the semifinals of Saturday at Mal Pais Beach, a surfers’ destiny located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

The teams of El Salvador had to play two series on Friday but won in both chances by scores of 4-0 against Cayman Islands and then Barbados with an outstanding effort from the duos of Diana Romero and Marcela Avalos and Nadia Soler and Laura Molina.

The three other semifinalists clinched their berth in the semifinals following victories in “golden sets” battles to conclude their best-of-five contests.

The team of Samira Luis and Christine Anthony of Curacao won their three matches against Panama including an exciting 16-14 golden set against Katherine Taju and Dionelys Delgado. That was also the case of the Costa Rican duo of Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro who triumphed 15-10 against Nicaragua’s Amalia Hernandez and Lolette Rodriguez. Guatemala’s Susana Alvarado and Anna Lourdes Ramirez avenged a previous loss in the series by defeating Elki Phillip and Ayana Dyette of Trinidad and Tobago by score of 15-11.

Cayman Islands and Trinidad and Tobago kept alive their chances of finishing among the top four countries, which advance to the NORCECA Finals next June in Nayarit, Mexico,Lby winning golden sets their best-of-three series of the losers’ bracket against Panama and Jamaica respectively in the double-elimination tournament.

Jennifer Bily and Cristin Alexander of Cayman Islands beat Panamanians Taju/Delgado by score of 15-13 while Trinidadians Phillip/Dyette won 15-10 over Jamaicans Cherine Richards and Cheryl Daley.

Cayman Islands play Barbados while Trinidad and Tobago clash with Nicaragua. The winners then will meet the losers of the semifinal round.

Friday's results

El Salvador 4, Cayman Islands 0

ESA-A d CAY-B 2-0 (21-4, 21-11), ESA-B d. CAY-A 2-0 (21-19, 21-17), ESA-A d. CAY-A 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-12), ESA-B d. CAY-B 2-0 (21-16, 21-7).

Nicaragua 4, Jamaica 0

NCA-B d. JAM-A 2-0 (21-13, 21-10), NCA-A d. JAM-B (21-17, 21-6), NCA-A d. JAM-A 2-0 (21-17, 21-12), NCA-B d. JAM-B 2-1 (21-12, 17-21, 15-6).

Curacao 3, Panama 2

CUR-A d. PAN-B 2-0 (21-16, 21-10), PAN-A d. CUR-B 2-0 (21-18, 21-9), CUR-A d. PAN-A 2-0 (21-10, 21-14), PAN-B d. CUR-B 2-0 (22-20, 21-16), GS: CUR-A d. PAN (16-14).

Guatemala 3, Trinidad and Tobago 2

GUA-A d. TRI-B 2-0 (21-6, 21-7), TRI-A d. GUA-B 2-0 (21-15, 21-17), TRI-A d. GUA-A 2-0 (21-17, 21-19), GUA-B d. TRI-B 2-0 (21-11, 21-13), GS: GUA-A d. TRI-A (15-11).

El Salvador 4, Barbados 0

ESA-A d. BAR-B 2-1 (21-17, 21-23, 15-11), ESA-B d. BAR-A 2-0 (21-15, 21-19), ESA-B d. BAR-B 2-0 (21-12, 21-16), ESA-A d. BAR-A 2-1 (21-16, 8-21, 15-12).

Costa Rica 3, Nicaragua 2

NCA-A d. CRC-B 2-0 (21-17, 21-19), CRC-A d. NCA-B 2-0 (21-18, 21-12), NCA-B d. CRC-B 2-1 (17-21, 23-21, 15-10), CRC-A d. NCA-A 2-0 (21-9, 21-19), GS: CRC-A d. NCA-A (15-10).

Cayman Islands 2, Panama 1

PAN-A d. CAY-B 2-0 (21-17, 21-10), CAY-A d. PAN-B 2-0 (26-24, 21-10), GS: CAY-A d. PAN (15-13).

Trinidad and Tobago 2, Jamaica 1

JAM-A d. TRI-B 2-0 (21-18, 21-6), TRI-A d. JAM-B 2-0 (21-19, 21-18), GS: TRI-A d. JAM-A (15-10)