Montelimar, Nicaragua, February 18, 2012 – Guatemala and Costa Rica are set to play for top place in the NORCECA Men’s Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Interzonal Tournament between Central America and the Caribbean, while El Salvador and Nicaragua will face off for third place at Montelimar Beach on Sunday.

In Saturday’s action, Guatemala and El Salvador engaged in a tough semifinal battle finally won by the Guatemalans with the tandem of Andy Leonardo and Erick Garrido claiming a 15-11 golden-set victory over the Salvadoran duo of Carlos Leiva and David Vargas. Costa Rica, meanwhile, blanked Nicaragua 4-0 in their best-of-five series.

The four Central American countries have already qualified for the final stage of the tournament to be held in Nayarit, Mexico, from June 19 to 23, where they will be challenging the top four qualifiers from the Central Zone – Cuba, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico – for a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Leonardo/Garrido began their day with a 21-18, 21-14 victory over Luis Morales/Carlos Escobar while Vargas/Leiva defeated Julio Recinos/Moises Reyes 21-15, 21-15. The two countries stayed level after Leonardo/Garrido prevailed against Leiva/Vargas 18-21, 21-16, 15-12 and Morales/Escobar responded with a 21-19, 21-18 win over Recinos/Reyes.

Costa Rica had an easy journey to the finals when Bryan Monge and Esteban Escobar trounced Nicaragua's top team of Gerald Umaña and Dany Lopez 21-11, 21-13 to open the series, while Marcelo Araya and Jonathan Guevara dispatched Winston Calderon and David Mayorga 21-11, 21-16. In the other two matches, Araya/Guevara beat Umaña/Lopez 21-11, 21-17 and Monge/Escobar crushed Calderon/Mayorga 21-7, 21-15.

Later in the afternoon, El Salvador defeated Panama 2-0 in the semifinals for third and fourth place, while Nicaragua’s Umaña/Lopez edged Jamaica’s Wayne Scott and Mark Lewis 2-1 with a golden-set victory (15-8).

Saturday's results

Jamaica 2, Trinidad and Tobago 1
JAM-B d. TRI-A 2-0 (22-20, 21-15), TRI-B d. JAM-A 2-0 (21-12, 21-15). GS: JAM-B d. TRI-B (16-14)
Panama 2, St. Kitts and Nevis 1
SKN-A d. PAN-B 2-0 (21-8, 21-14), PAN-A d. SKN-B 2-0 (21-19, 21-11). GS: PAN-A d. SKN-A (15-9)
Guatemala 3, El Salvador 2
GUA-A d. ESA-B 2-0 (21-18, 21-14), ESA-A d. GUA-B 2-0 (21-15, 21-15), GUA-A d. ESA-A 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 15-12), ESA-B d. GUA-B 2-0 (21-19, 21-18). GS: GUA-A d. ESA-A (15-11)
Costa Rica 4, Nicaragua 0
CRC-B d. NCA-A 2-0 (21-11, 21-13), CRC-A d. NCA-B 2-0 (21-11, 21-16), CRC-A d. NCA-A 2-0 (21-11, 21-17), CRC-B d. NCA-B 2-0 (21-7, 21-15)
El Salvador 2, Panama 0
ESA-B d. PAN-A 2-0 (22-20, 21-10), ESA-A d. PAN-B (21-10, 21-14)
Nicaragua 2, Jamaica 1
NCA-B d. JAM-A 2-0 (21-13, 22-20), JAM-B d. NCA-A 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 15-7). GS: NCA-A d. JAM-B (15-8)