Dunlop and White team up to take NMIVA qualifier

Donn Dunlop and Gabriel White emerged from a field of eight teams of Saipan’s best beach volleyball players to win the latest qualifying tournament set up by the Northern Marianas Islands Volleyball Association at the Pacific Islands Club on Sunday, and they did so without losing a match.

Dunlop and White downed the tandem of Kittinan Intharaluk and Rannel Calixterio in the finals of the one-day affair to put the finishing touches on a flawless day.

After losing to Chris Nelson and Randy Steele in the second round of play, Intharaluk and Calixterio came through the losers’ bracket to advance to the finals.

Steele and Nelson settled for third place in the event, while the duo of Steve Nguyen and Eddie Kim landed fourth.

The win is important for Dunlop and White, as the purpose of the tournament was to gain points for the NMIVA rankings for the South Pacific Mini Games in Palau this July and August.

Recently they announced the criteria for selecting members for the CNMI team for two-person outdoor competition, and Intharaluk was the front runner in the men’s pool with twice as many points than his closest competitors, Chris Nelson and Donn Dunlop, before the start of last weekend’s tournament.

Now Dunlop and White have chipped away at the lead, but until the new tallies are released from NMIVA, it remains to be seen.

The race is much closer in the women’s pool, as only two points separate Milli Saiki and Laurie Peterka in the top spots from the rest of the pack. That could change this weekend, as the PIC is hosting a women’s tournament this Sunday, Jan, 30 on the sand courts behind the water park.

NMIVA secretary Steve Nguyen said that all of the money collected from the games will help pay for part of the cost for sending a men’s and women’s team to compete in Palau, and that he was pleased with the response that the association received for the tournament.

“It was a nice showing and there were lots of great volleyball played.

Thanks to all who participated,” said Nguyen.

After this weekend’s events, NMIVA will continue their efforts to put the fun in fundraising on Sunday, Feb. 6, with another men’s tournament at the Hyatt Regency Saipan, and week later, on Sunday, Feb. 13 for the women at the PIC.

The courts at the Hyatt will roar back to action the following week, as there will be a two-day event on Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20, as well.

The cost for the events at the PIC and the Hyatt will be $7 for NMIVA members and $12 for non-members.

All of the two-player tournaments will be played in a double-elimination format, without pool play, will have a 9am registration times followed by 10am starts. Anyone intending on playing in the Mini Games should be entered, but the tournaments are open to anyone interested in partaking in the beachside events.