Americans Tealle Hunkus (left) and Summer Ross won the women's gold at the Aruba Beach Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, the last stop of the 2012 NORCECA Circuit

Oranjestad, Aruba, December 2, 2012 – Mexico and United States won the men's and women's gold medals respectively on Sunday at the Aruba Beach Volleyball Tournament, the final stage of the 2012 NORCECA Circuit at Druif Beach.

Mexico’s Juan Virgen and Lombardo Ontiveros captured the men’s gold medal with a convincing 21-12, 21-15 victory over USA’s Will Montgomery and James Drost.

Meanwhile, Tealle Hunkus and Summer Ross of USA-A claimed the women’s title after a straight-set victory (21-19, 21-17) over Mexico’s Bibi Candelas and Martha Revuelta.

Saint Lucia’s Julian Bisette and Joseph Clercent won the men’s bronze medal by prevailing against Dominican Republic’s Luis Adames and German Recio in three sets by scores of 22-20, 15-21, 15-13.

In the women’s bronze medal match that lasted 1 hour and 21 minutes, Costa Rica’s Ingrid Morales and Natalia Alfaro defeated Puerto Rico’s Dariam Acevedo and Tatiana Encarnación in three sets (21-16, 19-21, 23-21).

It was the second title of the year for Virgen and Ontiveros, who earlier won at home in the Toluca stage. Ross had paired with Emily Day to win the previous stage in Trinidad & Tobago.

“This is a great victory for us against a very good team from the USA,” Virgen said after the match. “And it is very good to be the winners in the first ever NORCECA tournament in Aruba.”

“It is a new stage in my life and we are preparing for the Rio Olympics,” Ontiveros said. “We are starting our preparation process for next year and took a break from it to come here. I want to thank the Mexican Federation and NORCECA for bringing us here to play this great competition.”

“I thank to God for this victory,” Ross said. “I had never been before in Aruba, but I love this place and their beautiful people.”

“Playing the last competition in Aruba was the best way to go out of the tournament,” Hunkus said. “Aruba is like paradise.”

In the men’s semifinals, Virgen/Ontiveros defeated Adames/Recio 21-17, 21-11 while Montgomery/Drost edged Bisette/Clercent in three sets (21-13, 16-21, 15-11).

In the women’s semifinals, Hunkus/Ross defeated Morales/Alfaro 21-14, 21-12 while Candelas/Revuelta prevailed in a three-setter (21-17, 14-21, 15-5) over Acevedo/Encarnación.

Men’s results of Sunday
Semifinals:
Mexico d Dominican Republic 2-0 (21-17, 21-11)
United States-A d Saint Lucia 2-1 (21-13, 16-21, 15-11)
Bronze medal: Saint Lucia d Dominican Republic 2-1 (22-20, 15-21, 15-13)
Gold medal: Mexico d United States-A 2-0 (21-12, 21-15)

Women’s results of Sunday
Semifinals: United States-A d Costa Rica 2-0 (21-14, 21-12)
Mexico d Puerto Rico-B 2-1 (21-17, 14-21, 15-5)
Bronze medal: Costa Rica d Puerto Rico-B 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 23-21)
Gold medal: United States-A d Mexico 2-0 (21-19, 21-17)

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