Results from the first 2016 Beach NORCECA Playoff

[JB Southpaw]

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - Taylor and Trevor Crabb won the first NORCECA Playoff event on Tuesday, Feb. 16, to start U.S. participation in Continental Tour action for 2016. Kelly Reeves and Allison McColloch finished tops for the women.



Winners of the playoff will get first choice of upcoming NORCECA events in Guatemala City (March 10-14), Sonora, Mexico (March 31-April 4) and La Paz, Mexico (April 7-11). The 2016 Continental Tour consists of 17 events, two of which will come to the U.S. later this year.

As the seventh seed, Reeves and McColloch posted wins against the one, two and three seeds to take first place. In the opening round, they swept 10-seed Cecilia Agraz/Caroline Allen 21-8, 21-11. A three-set victory against No. 2 Geena Urango/Angela Bensend (21-17, 16-21, 15-11) pitted them against three-seed Amanda Dowdy/Emily Stockman. Taking the match in two (27-25, 22-20) they met top seed Kendra Vanzwieten and Kimberly DiCello in the final.

Vanzwieten and DiCello reached the finale with a second-round win against Megan Dawson/Jessica Sykora (21-13, 21-17) and against eventual third-place finishers Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen (21-18, 18-21, 15-13). The final was the second third-setter of the day for both teams and the seven-seed Reeves/McColloch pulled out the upset in the end, 21-18, 19-21, 15-13.

Flint and Larsen beat Dowdy/Stockman 21-12, 21-9 in the third-place match.

For the men, the Crabb brothers entered the playoff as the top seed and moved through the bracket accordingly. The duo swept each of their opponents and took the crown in three match victories. In the final they faced No. 2 Billy Allen and Stafford Slick who got there via wins against Tom Kohler/Michael Boag (21-15, 21-18) and Avery Drost/Billy Kolinske (21-16, 17-21, 15-12). The Crabb's bested Slick and Allen 21-19, 21-17 in the final.

For third, Drost and Kolinske edged Mark Burik/Robart Page 21-17, 21-13.





www.teamusa.org/USA-Volleyball/Features/2016/February/17/Results-from-the-first-2016-Beach-NORCECA-Playoff

[JB Southpaw]

I haven't seen Kelly Reeves play, GLM or someone else with some background???
I see she is a UCLA Sand graduate, but that seems to be it. No pro events.

[downtheline]

Saw some of the action. Great to see Reeves out there bringing some new height to the equation. I thought they played well and considering the lengthy battles they still came out on top.

Tuff early losses for UB & LH. Whit is still working herself back into shape with a tender shoulder. Nice to see ML battling out in some tuff 3 setters. This team is no joke looking leaner & more defined. Big D looks leaner and more powerful .

Crabs looked in excellent shape for the beginning of the season. Avery was out there looking ripped and playing well I thought . The bearded ones not quite at last seasons form. Paige looks bigger than ever but still needs to work those wheels into shape.

SS ran a smooth event and the weather was mid August like but will zero crowds.

[geddyleeridesagain]

Feb 17, 2016 16:57:34 GMT -5 JB Southpaw said:

I haven't seen Kelly Reeves play, GLM or someone else with some background???
I see she is a UCLA Sand graduate, but that seems to be it. No pro events.

Really, really good juniors beach player - one of the best in the country at the time. Pretty much stopped playing beach until her UCLA indoor days were over, then I think played one season of beach (with Meg Norton, IIRC). May have played a season or two of pro indoor, but looks like she might be getting more serious about beach if she's playing NORCECA events.