COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Kimberly DiCello and Kendra Vanzwieten took home their second NORCECA gold medal when the duo swept the second stop of the NORCECA Continental Tour in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico over the weekend. Three more American teams also made the podium at the event.
Kelly Reeves and Ali McColloch finished third after falling to their country mates in the semifinals, and then defeating Mexico in the third-place match. Billy Allen and Stafford Slick claimed silver, and Trevor and Taylor Crabb took bronze.
The gold marks DiCello’s fifth NORCECA win and Vanzwieten’s third. The pair didn’t drop a set until meeting Reeves and McColloch in the semifinals, which they won 21-17, 17-21, 16-14. In the title match against Canada’s Julie Gordon and Brandie Wilkerson, they again took three frames to close it, 19-21, 21-11, 15-13.
Reeves and McColloch topped Mexico’s Rios and Santoyo for bronze, with a score of 18-21, 21-12, 15-11. The third-place finish is Reeves’ second career podium appearance and sixth for McColloch.
The streak for Trevor and Taylor Crabb was snapped after the duo jumped to a 3-0 record out of pool play but following a quarterfinal win, lost to Allen and Slick in the semifinals, 19-21, 21-18, 15-11. The Crabbs previously had won two U.S. NORCECA playoffs and the opening tournament of the Continental Tour. After Allen and Slick took the matchup, they advanced to the final where they fell in three, 21-17, 19-21, 15-10, to 2015 Pan Am Games bronze medalists of Cuba Nivaldo Diaz and Sergio Gonzalez.
The silver medal finish is Slick and Allen’s second podium of the year, improving on third in Guatemala.
The Crabbs rebounded from their semi loss and swept Mexico’s Jose Luis Rubio/Josue Gaxiola 24-22, 21-16 for bronze.
RESULTS
Women | Sonora, April 1-3
1. Kendra Vanzwieten/Kimberly DiCello
2. Julie Gordon/Brandie Wilkerson CAN
3. Kelly Reeves/Ali McColloch
Men | Sonora, April 1-3
1. Nivaldo Diaz/Sergio Gonzalez CUB
2. Billy Allen/Stafford Slick
3. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
Women | Guatemala City, March 10-13
1. Ali McColloch/Kelly Reeves
2. Julie Gordon/Brandie Wilkerson CAN
3. Leila Martinez/Lianma Flores CUB
6. Kendra Vanzwieten/Kimberly DiCello
Men | Guatemala City, March 10-13
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Jose Rubio/Josue Gaxiola MEX
3. Billy Allen/Stafford Slick
Women | Playoff #2 | March 9, 2016
1. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
2. Geena Urango/Angela Bensend
3. Kelly Reeves/Allison McColloch
Men | Playoff #2 | March 9, 2016
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Ed Ratledge/Ty Loomis
3. Billy Kolinske/Ty Tramblie
Women | Playoff #1 | Feb. 17, 2016
1. Kelly Reeves/Allison McColloch
2. Kendra Vanzwieten/Kimbery DiCello
3. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
Men | Playoff #1 | Feb. 17, 2016
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Billy Allen/Stafford Slick
3. Avery Drost/Billy Kolinske
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NORCECA Continental Tour – Dates and locations subject to change
April 7-11 La Paz, Mexico
April 13-18 Tamarindo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
April 21-25 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
April 28-May 2 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
June 9-13 Ensenada, Mexico
June 30-July 4 North Bay, Canada
July 13-17 Varadero, Cuba
July 27-Aug. 1 San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Aug. 3-8 Boqueron, Puerto Rico
Aug. 25-29 Long Beach, Calif.
Sept. 29-Oct. 3 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Oct. 6-10 Chula Vista, Calif.
Oct. 13-17 Pigeon Point, St. Lucia
Nov. 17-21 San Salvador, El Salvador
Nov. 24-28 Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago