Puerto Rico upset Canada’s in Pan Am tournaments

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico, October 17, 2011 – Puerto Ricans Yarleen Sanatiago and Yamileska Yantin scored the biggest upset of the second day of action in the women’s beach volleyball tournament of the XVI Pan American Games on Monday.

Playing in their first official tournament, Santiago-Yantin defeated Canada’s Heather Bansley and Elizabeth Maloney 2-0 (21-19, 21-18) in 41 minutes to continue on top of Pool G.

In Pool G, Argentina’s Ana María Gallay and Maria Zonta of Argentina defeated El Salvador’s Dianna Romero and Marcela Avalos 2-0 (21-14, 21-15) in 31 minutes.

The Brazilian pair of Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca, world and defending champions, continued impressing in Pool F as they attempt to revalidate the crown they claimed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2007. They defeated Ecuador’s Ariana Vilela and Ketty Katherine Chila 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) in 30 minutes.

Also in Pool F, Cuba’s Niriam Sinal and Onayamis Sinal beat Ayana Dyette-Elki Phillip of Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) in 27 minutes.

In Pool E, Mexico’s Bibi Candelas and Mayra Garcia claimed their second victory in a spectacular way after overwhelming Costa Rica’s Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro 2-0 (21-8, 21-9) in just 28 minutes. Uruguay’s Lucía Guigou and Fabiana Gómez won against Valeska Hernandez and Lollete Rodríguez of Nicaragua 2-0 (21-14, 21-15) in 29 minutes.

In the next to the last match in Pool H, Colombia’s Carolina Galindo and Claudia Galindo claimed its second victoru over Chile´s Francisca Rivas and Camila Pazliveck 2-0 (21-12, 21-13) in 37 minutes.

The closing of the first day was not over until another victory in three sets as United States’ Emily Day- Heather Hughes edged Guatemala’s Maria Orellana-Lourdes Ramirez 2-1 (28-26, 20-22, 15-8) in 58 minutes, the longest match of the second day.

Women’s results:

PUR d. CAN (21-19, 21-18), ARG d. ESA (21-14, 21-5), CUB d. TRI (21-12, 21-14), BRA d. ECU (21-12, 21-11), URU d. NCA (21-12, 21-15), MEX d. CRC (21-8,21-9),  COL d. CHI (21-12, 21-13),  USA d. GUA (28-26, 20-22, 15-8).

Women’s schedule Tuesday 18

10:00 Santiago-Yantin (PUR) v Gallay-Zonta (ARG)

11:00 Morales-Alfaro (CRC) v Hernández-Rodríguez (NCA)

11:00 Galindo- Galindo (COL) v Day- Hughes (USA)

13:00 Bansley-Malony (CAN) v Romero-Ávalos (ESA)

14:00 Rivas- Pazlivek (CHI) v Orellana-Ramírez (GUA)

14:00 Silva- Franca (BRA) v Sinal-Sinal (CUB)

16:00 García-Candelas (MEX) v Guigou-Gómez (URU)

17:00 Vilela-Chila (ECU) v Dyette-Phillip (TRI)