Virgen and Ontiveros lead four with double victories

LA PAZ, México, April 7, 2017 – Mexicans Juan Virgen and Lombardo Ontiveros won their two pool matches on Friday, the first day of actions at La Paz Beach Volleyball Tournament, the first stop of the 2017 NORCECA Circuit.

The home pair was one of four teams with double victories in the opening day of the competition joining compatriots Josué Gaxiola and Jose Rubio and Cubans Karell Peña and Daisel Quesada in Pool C and Guatemalans Andy Leonardo and Luis Garcia in Pool B.

The Rio Olympians Virgen and Ontiveros secured their pass to the quarterfinals phase with a cruising 2-0 (21-9, 21-12) win over Brian Kwasny and Dillon Lesniak of U.S. Virgin Islands cheered by more than 4,000 spectators attending the evening session.

Competing in Pool A, the top-seeded Virgen and Ontiveros of Mexico-A began their day with a 2-0 (21-16, 25-23) over Skylar del Sol and Jon Mesko of United States-B in 41 minutes.  The defensive plays by Ontiveros combined with the offense by Virgen were the decisive in the second set.

Gaxiola/Rubio defeated Nicaragua’s Dany López/Rubén Mora 2-0 (21-12, 21-18) and Reid Priddy/Stafford Slick of United States-A 2-0 (21-16, 21-13). Peña/Quesada defeated Priddy/Slick 2-0 (21-18, 21-12) and López/Mora 2-0 (21-14, 21-6).

Leonardo/Garcia began their successful day with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) win against Costa Rica’s Jonathan Guevara and Sebastián Valenciano and closed it by scoring an upset 2-0 (21-18, 18-21, 15-10) victory over Aaron Nusbaum and Ryan Vandenburg of Canada-B.

Friday’s Men Results

Pool A: ISV d TRI 2-0 (21-11, 21-19), MEX-A d USA-B 2-0 21-16, 25-23, MEX-A d ISV 2-0 (21-9, 21-12), USA-b d TRI 2-0 (21-12 21-17). Pool B: GUA d CAN-B 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 15-10), CAN-A d CRC 2-0 (21-11, 21-16), CAN-B d CAN-A 2-0 (32-30, 21-16), GUA d CRC 2-0 (21-15, 21-13). Pool C: MEX-B d NCA 2-0 (21-12, 21-18), CUB d USA-A 2-0 (21-18, 21-12), CUB d NCA 2-0 (21-14, 21-6), MEX-B d USA-A 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).