COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Casey Patterson and Theo Brunner won the U.S. men’s NORCECA playoff on Wednesday afternoon in Hermosa Beach, California. Betsi Flint and Kelley Larsen took home the top position on the women’s bracket.
Winners of the first NORCECA playoff of the 2017 season earn an automatic bid to represent the U.S. at NORCECA La Paz, Mexico (April 6-10) or the Cayman Islands (April 20-24).
In the men’s bracket, Jon Mesko and Skylar Del Sol finished second in both athletes’ first appearance for a NORCECA tournament since 2012. Stafford Slick finished third with beach newcomer and indoor Olympian Reid Priddy.
Patterson and Brunner were the top seed in the tournament and played accordingly, winning each of their three matches on the day. Mesko/Del Sol earned wins against Adam Roberts/Marty Lorenz and Slick/Priddy before falling to Patterson/Brunner, 21-12, 21-18 in the final. Slick and Priddy were seeded 10th and went 3-1 with three sweeps outside of their semifinal loss to Mesko/Del Sol.
Four-seed Flint and Larsen earned their playoff finish after taking down three opponents, including No. 2 Hochevar/Day, 21-12, 21-17 in the final. The seasoned Hochevar/Day duo earned their way to the final via a three-set thriller against Amanda Dowdy/Whitney Pavlik, 21-23, 21-16, 15-8. In third, Dysktra/Pardon topped Dowdy/Pavlik 18-21, 21-11, 15-9 in their second three-set match of the day.
*Updated March 24
RESULTS
Women | Playoff #1, March 22
1. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
2. Brittany Hochevar/Emily Day
3. Lara Dykstra/Jace Pardon
Men | Playoff #1, March 22
1. Casey Patterson/Theo Brunner
2. Jon Mesko/Skylar Del Sol
3. Stafford Slick/Reid Priddy