Monday, March 24 2008

Trinidad and Tobago’s Beach Volleyball pair, Nancy Joseph and Elki Phillip finished a creditable fourth, TT’s best ever showing at the opening leg of the NORCECA Circuit women’s Boca Chica Beach Volleyball Tournament yesterday. The duo finished fourth in the tournament losing in the semis to Cuba’s Ion Canet and Irian Sinal in straight sets 10-21, 16-2 to end their hopes of a gold or silver medal performance.

In pool B action earlier, The TT pair registered two wins with just one defeat to advance to the final four and stake a claim for the top spot.

They started well whipping the Guatemalans Maria Jose Orellano and Blanca Recinos 23-21, 21-14 but were humbled by Costa Rica’s Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro 11-21, 9-21. The duo rallied in their final group match, however, to book their spot in the semi-final with a hard fought 21-14, 21-17 victory over Dominican Republic I’s Ysaires Restituyo and Ingrid Carmona.

Puerto Rico’s Maria Ramos and her partner Sheila Lopez avenged their group defeat against Cuba with a golden performance in the final, beating Cuba in straight sets 21-15, 21-19.

The Puerto Ricans appeared unfazed by their 19-21, 17-21 defeat to the Cubans earlier as they played with confidence and composure to erase the memory of the loss and win the tourney.