Men’s quarterfinalists defined in Puerto Vallarta

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico, October 19, 2011 – The eight teams to participate in the quarterfinals of the men’s beach volleyball tournament of the XVI Pan American Games, were defined on Wednesday after the conclusion of the pool play in Puerto Vallarta.

The duos of Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina and Cuba finished in first place of Pools A, B, C and D respectively. The list of the top eight teams is completed by Mexico, United States, Guatemala and Brazil.

Uruguay’s Guillermo Williman-Nicolas Zanotta defeated Nicaragua’s Gerardo Umaña-Dany Lopez 2-0 (21-11, 21-13) to win Pool A by points-ratio. Mexicans Aldo Miramontes and Juan Virgen won a sensational battle to outlast Canadians Christian Redman and Benjamin Saxton 2-0 (28-26, 23-21) to qualify in second place.

Cuba’s Karell Piña and Sergio Gonzalez booked their quarterfinals spot as Pool D winners after a 2-0 (21-16, 23-21) victory against Costa Ricans Esteban Escobar and Bryan Monge, while world champions Alison Cerutti and Emmanuel Rego of Brazil, also qualified to the next phase by defeating Dominican Republic’s Yewddys Pérez and German Recio 2-0 (21-13, 21-13).

Argentina’s Santiago Etchegaray and Pablo Suarez and Guatemala’s Erick Garrido and Andy Leonardo made it into the quarterfinals as the top two teams in Pool C. Three teams tied with 2-1 win-loss record and the places were defined by points-ratio.

Etchegaray-Suarez lost to Puerto Rico’s Roberto Rodríguez-Chistopher Underwood 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) but still qualified as the pair with best point-ratio (1.287) while Garrido-Leonardo (1.16) trounced Jamaica’s Dellan Brown and Namarie Gordon 2-0 (21-9, 21-15). The Puerto Ricans had a 1.12 balance.

Venezuela’s Igor Hernandez and Farid Mussa finished with a 3-0 mark in Pool B after their victory over El Salvador’s Jeovanny Medrano and David Vargas by score of 2-0 (21-10, 21-17). USA pair of Mark Van Zwietten and Andrew Fuller qualified as the second place team of the pool with their 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) win against Chile’s Marco and Esteban Grimalt.

Wednesday’s Men Results

Pool A: Miramontes-Virgen (MEX) d. Redman- Saxton (CAN) 2-0 (28-26, 23-21); Williman-Zanotta (URU) d. Umaña-López (NCA) 2-0 (21-11, 21-13).

Pool B: Hernández-Mussa (VEN) d. Medrano-Vargas (ESA) 2-0 (21-10, 21-17); Fuller-Van Zwietten (USA) d. Grimalt E.-Grimalt M. (CHI)  2-0 (21-15, 21-19).

Pool C: Rodríguez-Underwood (PUR) d. Etchegaray-Suárez (ARG) 2-0 (21-18, 21-19); Leonardo-Garrido (GUA) d.. Brown-Gordon (JAM) 2-0 (21-9, 21-15).

Pool D: Cerutti-Rego (BRA) d. Pérez-Recio (DOM) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13);  González-Piña (CUB) d. Escobar-Monge (CRC) 2-0 (21-16, 23-21).