NANJING, China, August 17, 2014 - Only 12 women’s beach volleyball teams remain undefeated at the Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China after two days and two rounds of pool play. And one of them is Team Saint Lucia.
Dala Noel and Skye Faucher-Mondesir earned Saint Lucia's first participation in a team sport at any level of the Olympics when they won the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association championships in 2013. The pair has been competing in FIVB age group competitions over the past few months in preparation for Nanjing. Born on the same date two years apart, and aged 18 and 16 respectively, the young Capricorns have now recorded Saint Lucia's first Olympic wins.
Playing in Pool C, Dala and Skye opened with a 21-minute 2-0 (21-2, 21-12) victory over fellow debutantes Loluama Eti and Valisi Salalia of Tuvalu. That win over the Pacific Islanders was followed by a walkover, as the Saint Lucians' scheduled match against Nigeria was forfeited. The Nigerian contingent has been embroiled in controversy since the Games got underway on Saturday. Saint Lucia's participation in beach volleyball continues on Tuesday against tougher opposition, as they will come up Uruguay at the Nanjing Sports Park Complex.
In Pool A, Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara of Canada beat Brigitte Batioja and Mishelle Molina of Ecuador 2-0, (21-14, 21-14). Puerto Ricans Lina Bernier Colón and Valeria Cajigas defeated Floflo Daniel and Lotie Joe of Vanuatu, 2-0 (21-16, 21-14). Skylar Caputo and Susannah Muno of the USA were beaten by Brazil's Eduarda Lisboa and Ana Patricia Silva 0-2 (18-21, 11-21) in Pool B. In Pool D, Guatemala’s Estefanie Bethancourt and Natalia Girón fell to France’s Lezana Placette and Alexia Richard 0-2 (21-12, 21-17). In Pool E, Trinidad and Tobago’s Malika Davidson and Chelsi Ward lost to Lisa Arnholdt and Sarah Schneider of Germany by scores of 21-15, 21-7.
Undefeated countries in the competition are Austria (Pool D), Brazil (Pool B), Canada (Pool A), Chinese Taipei (Pool C), Germany (Pool E), Indonesia (Pool E), Italy (Pool A), Latvia (Pool A), Paraguay (Pool D), Russia (Pool F), Saint Lucia (Pool C) and Switzerland (Pool B).
Photo via FIVB
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