Antal & Menshchikov Win Thriller
Georg Antal & Evgenii Menshchikov won a thrilling three-set Gold Medal Match with Ivo Teixeira & Peter Stewart to claim the first VLY Beach Tour win of 2022.
As the sun set, and the winds calmed, the court came alive with both sets of gladiators punching hard at the scenic Dollymount Strand. The Brazil/Northern Ireland combination took the first set of this bruiser 21-19 with Stewart’s power at the net, and Teixeira’s deft touch finding holes in the impeccable defence of their opponents – Antal’s passing in particular was a sight to behold throughout the day, off-setting the impact of gusty cross winds in the earlier matches.
Menshchikov found his stride in the second set, hitting powerfully down the line and cross court avoiding the block as the second seeds won by four points. Momentum swayed back and forth in the third before Antal’s experience broke through and the winners took the marathon decider 20-18.
Teixeira & Stewart warmed up for the final with another three setter, this time with Marcin Szlarek & Julio Rico 21-18, 15-21, 15-9 whilst the winners defeated the new pairing of Stolarek & Porcacchia 21-16, 21-12.
Rico and Szlarek were then straight into another mammoth match up for third place with the first two sets reversing 24-22. In the end Janusz Stolarek service game enabled a 15-11 win. Rico had to dust himself down quickly to make centre court to referee the men’s final. Nine sets back-to-back and a tough day’s work!
Giedre & Ziedre Guobyte claimed gold in the first Women’s event of the 2022 tour.
The Lithuanian’s overcame their fourth seed club mates Eliska Cechova & Indre Simkute (4) in straight sets (21-14, 21-7) to win the all-Gardians Volleyball Club final. The sisters battled through a tough three set semi-final with Miriam Gormally & Kamila Teterycz (19-21, 21-18, 15-5). Whilst Cechova and Simkute battled through a bruising encounter with Melissa Cheviron & Simina Custura 23-21, 21-19.
Cheviron and Custura would have been looking for a final spot after a brilliant win over top seeds Mariana & Paola Rosas 21-15, 9-21, 15-12 in the Quarter Finals, but had to settle for third place in another three setter 22-20, 16-21, 15-11 versus Gormally/Teterycz.
In the Women’s 1* event Santry pairing of Dirim Dikol & Venice Aseniero claimed the top prize with a win over their club mates Maria O’Conluain & Andrea Vilaseca 21-12, 21-15, to cap an unbeaten day where they didn’t drop a set. Santry VC made up a chunk of the final stages with Heloise Montigny and Laiza Suarez also making the last four.
The closest they came to defeat was in the pool stages versus the 16 year old duo of Eimear Byrne & Jess Dowling. The Newbridge natives finished a brilliant debut third, and had a couple of match points to reach the final. The pair’s hard hitting serves were difficult to handle.
The VLY Beach Tour returns on June 18th with a trip to Bettystown, County Meath. More dates and an expanded mixed-tour programme are to be added soon.
All results are available here > www.Tournify.uk/live/vlybeachtour290522
