Navas and Rodríguez start the Juan Dolio NORCECA Tour with the right foot

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 8, 2024.- Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María Rodríguez ended the first day of competition with two victories without defeats, seeking to climb to the top of the podium for the first time this year in the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour.

Navas/Rodríguez (PUR) won their first match against Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-7, 21-5) in pool C, and their second victory was against KeturaHeymans/Simone Elizee from Suriname 2-0 (21-3, 21-3).

Five other teams also went undefeated during the day.

Americans Haley Hardward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg, who won bronze last week in Varadero, defeated Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) 2-0 (21-13, 21-8) and Laura Molina/Kianny Quesada from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) in pool B.

Haily Harward of United States

In group C, Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado (GUA) defeated KeturaHeymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) and won their second game of the day against Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).

Danna Aguilar and Paola Alvarado (Guatemala)

Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez from Mexico topped Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger from Canada 2-1 (22-24, 21-19, 15-12) in pool D and Cubans Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).

In pool A action, the Dominican duo of Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua defeated Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil from El Salvador 2-0 (21-9, 21-14), while their second victory of the day came via bye, the same as Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA), who had previously also defeated the Salvadoran duo 2-0 (21-8, 21-11).

The preliminary round concludes on Thursday, followed by the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round.

Other results of the day:

Laura Molina/Kianny Quesada (CRC) d Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15); Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) d Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-19, 21-19); Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros (CUB) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13) and Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger (CAN) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) 2 -0 (21-17, 21-7).