U.S. Beach Teams Compete in Nicaragua

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 2, 2009) - The U.S. women's beach volleyball team of Saralyn Smith and Heather Lowe and the men's beach team of Kevin Lynch and Vince Zanzucchi competed over the weekend at the NORCECA Series event in Nicaragua.

Lowe (Cypress, Calif.) and Smith (Key West, Fla.) opened the tournament on Friday by defeating Ginette Rosario and Ana Fabian of Dominican Republic, 21-10, 16-21, 15-9.

However, Lowe and Smith lost two battles on Saturday, first falling to Costa Rica's Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro in 75 minutes, 16-21, 29-27, 11-15; then losing to Puerto Rico's Darian Acevedo and Yarleen Santiago, 21-15, 16-21, 12-15.

Acevedo and Santiago went on to win the women's tournament.

On the men's side, the Lynch (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Zanzucchi (Flagstaff, Ariz.), the tournament's top seeds, lost their first match on Friday to Costa Ricans Marcelo Araya and Jonathan Guevara, 15-21, 19-21. Lynch and Zanzucchi did not continue in the tournament.

More information on the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Series is available on the NORCECA web site.