SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 13, 2016 - El Salvador, Barbados, Guatemala and Costa Rica secured berths at the final stage of NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Cup, an Olympic qualifier, by reaching the semifinals of the Women’s Inter Zonal Phase at El Salvador.

The top four teams from Central America and the top four teams from the zones of Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean are competing for six spots to the final round to be held in Mexico next month.

Hosts El Salvador was the first to advance into the semifinal round while prevailing against Trinidad and Tobago in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory. The home girls had a tough series against the top CAZOVA-ECVA seeded.

Kathya Vasquez and Maria Fernanda Vargas claimed two wins for El Salvador to seal the series.

Barbados won a golden set to confirm their spot in the next round by edging Nicaragua.

Shari Mathews/Anicia Wood of BAR-A defeated the Nicaraguan duos of Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodriguez and Swan Mendoza/Socorro Lopez; they also took the golden set by a 15-13 score over Machado/Rodriguez.

Guatemala and Costa Rica also dominated their respective series in three matches.

Siblings Maria Jose and Maria Andrea Orellana of GUA-B won their two matches against Jamaica’s Kai Wright/Danielle Perry and Alicia Malcolm/Sahalee Wallen, while Natalia Giron and Estefanie Betancourt beat Malcolm/Wallen in three sets.

Top-seeded Costa Rica’s Karen Cope/Natalia Alfaro and Valeria Valenciano/Marcela Araya concluded the first day of actions by defeating Suriname.

Cope and Alfaro cruised past Chagnaz Frankel/Pamela Chavelli of SUR-B but had to battle against Sandrina Hunsel/Cheryl Brunings of Suriname-A. Valenciano-Araya defeated Hunsel/Brunings.

In semifinals, Costa Rica faces Barbados and Guatemala meets El Salvador. The top six countries advance to the final phase.

Results Day One Friday:

Nicaragua 3, St. Lucia 0

Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodríguez NCA-A d  Dala Noel/Jamilla Lansiquot LCA-B 2-0 (21-12, 21-14); Valeria Mendoza/Socorro Lopez NCA-B d Lisa Casimie/ Kerin Neptune LCA-A 2-0 (21-12, 21-18); Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodríguez NCA-A d  Lisa Casimie/ Kerin Neptune LCA-A 2-0 (21-13, 21-14).

Suriname 3, French St. Martin 0

Chagnaz Frankel/Pamela Chavelli SUR-B d Valerie Damaseau/Audrey Gil FSM-A 2-0 (21-11, 21-18);

Sandrina Hunsel/Cheryl Brunings SUR-A d Melodie Benhamou/Jacqueline Hodge FSM-B 2-0 (21-14, 21-14); Sandrina Hunsel/Cheryl Brunings SUR-A d Valerie Damaseau/Audrey Gil FSM-A 2-1 (21-12, 18-21, 15-7).

El Salvador 3, Cayman Islands 0

Kathya Vasquez/Ma. Fernanda Vargas ESA-A d Chante Smith-Johnson/Ileann Powery CAY-B 2-0 (21-8, 21-7); Marcela Avalos/Laura Molina ESA-B d Jessica Wolfenden/Stefania Gandolfi CAY-A  2-0 (21-16, 21-13); Marcela Avalos/Laura Molina ESA-B d Chante Smith-Johnson/Ileann Powery CAY-B 2-0 (21-10, 21-9).

Jamaica 3, U.S. Virgin Islands 1

Kai Wright/Danielle Perry JAM-A d Lisa Jedlicka/Mannika Charles ISV-B 2-0 (21-16, 21-10); Melanie Valenciana/Amber Bennet ISV-A d Alicia Malcolm/Sashalee Wallen JAM-B 2-1 (27-29, 21-16, 17-15); Kai Wright/Danielle Perry JAM-A d Valenciana/Amber Bennet ISV-A 2-0 (21-10, 21-12);

Quarterfinals

Barbados 3, Nicaragua 2

Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodríguez NCA-A d Sharon Bovell/Anthazia Mason BAR-B 2-0 (21-13, 31-12); Shari Mathews/Anicia Wood BAR-A d Swan Valeria Mendoza/Socorro Lopez NCA-B 2-0 (23-21, 21-10); Swan Valeria Mendoza/Socorro Lopez NCA-B d Sharon Bovell/Anthazia Mason BAR-B 2-0 (21-14, 23-21); Shari Mathews/Anicia Wood BAR-A d Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodríguez NCA-A 2-0 (21-15, 21-19); GOLDEN SET Shari Mathews/Anicia Wood BAR d Claudia Machado/Lolette Rodríguez NCA 15-13

El Salvador 3, Trinidad and Tobago 1

Kathya Vasquez/Ma. Fernanda Vargas ESA-A d Abby Blackman/Rheeza Grant TRI-B 2-0 (21-14, 21-15); Marcela Avalos/Laura Molina ESA-B d Ayana Dyette/Malika Davidson TRI-A 2-1 (21-17, 22-24, 15-9); Abby Blackman/Rheeza Grant TRI-B d Marcela Avalos/Laura Molina ESA-B 2-1 (11-21, 21-9, 15-0); Kathya Vasquez/Ma Fernanda Vargas ESA-A d Ayana Dyette/Malika Davidson TRI-A 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-11).

Guatemala 3, Jamaica 0

Natalia Giron/Estefanie Bethancourt GUA-A d Alicia Malcolm/Sashalee Wallen JAM-B 2-1 (19-21, 21-11, 15-9); Ma. José Orellana/Ma. Andrea Orellana GUA-B d Kai Wright/Danielle Perry JAM-A 2-0 (21-14, 22-20); Ma. José Orellana/Ma. Andrea Orellana GUA-B d Alicia Malcolm/Sashalee Wallen JAM-B 2-0 (21-12, 23-21).

Costa Rica 3, Suriname 0

Valeria Valenciano/Marcela Araya CRC-B d Sandrina Hunsel/Cheryl Brunings SUR-A 2-0 (21-13, 21-14); Karen Cope/Natalia Alfaro CRC-A d Chagnaz Frankel/Pamela Chavelli SUR-B 2-0 (21-10, 21-6); Karen Cope/Natalia Alfaro CRC-A d Sandrina Hunsel/Cheryl Brunings SUR-A 2-0 (21-7, 23-21).