Volleyball Canada – AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico, April 15, 2018.- Canadians Aaron Nusbaum and Mike Plantinga won the men’s tournament at Aguascalientes, the first stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball circuit, beating Reid Priddy and Troy Field of the United States 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) in the gold medal match on Sunday.
 
Said Aurora, Ontario’s Nusbaum: “Our passing and setting was really crisp, and we were just keeping each other on the net in system; putting balls out efficiently. That was our advantage.”

This is Aaron Nusbaum’s first NORCECA gold medal, and the second for Mike Plantinga (with Cam Wheelan in 2016).
 
“Every game we kept getting better,” said Plantinga of Langley, BC. “We will be playing the next two NORCECA events. I am very glad for Aaron…. we are both really satisfied with the outcome.”
 
On route to the gold, Nusbaum/Plantinga won an exhausting semifinal to Mexicans Josué Gaxiola and José Angel Cárdenas 2-1 (21-17, 13-21, 29-27). With ups and downs, Priddy and Field defeated in Eric Zaun and Edwin Ratledge 2-1 (21-17, 13-21, 15-10) in their semifinal match.
 
Josué Gaxiola/José Angel Cardenas of Mexico-A won the bronze medal match over Eric Zaun/Edwin Ratledge of United States-B by 2-0 (21-17, 21-18). The home team controlled the action from the start to finish.
 
The NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit continues next weekend at La Paz, Mexico.
 
Men Final Standings : 1. Aaron Nusbaum/ Mike Plantinga (CAN-A); 2. William Reid Priddy/Troy Field (USA-A); 3. Josue Gaxiola/José Angel Cardenas (MEX-A); 4. Eric Zaun/Edwin Ratledge (USA-B); 5. Karell Peña/ Dasiel Quesada (CUB); 6. Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA); 7. Jamel Alessandre/Victor Castillo (DOM); 8. Fiodar Kazhamiaka/ Sergey Grabovsky (CAN-B) 2-0 (21-0, 21-0); 9.Carlos Escobar/David Vargas (ESA); 10. Germán Osuna/Leonel Garza (MEX-B)  2-0 (21-18, 21-16); 11. Luis García/Erick Garrido (GUA) 12. Kemoroy Percival/Rohan Jeffers (SKN); 13. Jesse Parham/Casey Santamaria (CAY); 14. Yasutaka Sanay/Franky Hernández).  
 
Women Final Standings: 1. Mackenzie Ponnet/Kimberly Smith (USA-A); 2. Maylen De La Caridad Delis/Leila Martínez (CUB); 3. Brittany Howard/Kelly Reeves (USA-B); 4. Zaira Orellana/Martha Revuelta (MEX-B; 5. Charlotte Sider/ Marie-Christine LaPointe (CAN-A); 6. Cinthya Cruz/ Claudia Ríos (MEX-A); 7. Helene Rancourt/Sarah-Jeanne Meunier-Bedard (CAN-B); 8. María José Quintero/ Stephanie Burnside (MEX-C); 9. Swan Mendoza/Lolette Rodríguez  (NCA); 10. Ileann Powery/ Marissa Harrison (CAY)  2-0 (21-19, 21-17); 11. Melanie Valenciana/Katherine Wanket (ISV); 12. Yaniris Miller/Alondra Berroa (DOM); 13. Suraya Chase/ LaTeisha Joseph (TTO); 14. Paola Alvarado/María Juárez (GUA).

Photo and report from NORCECA

Volleyball Canada
Jackie Skender
Director, Communications
613.794.7676
jskender@volleyball.ca