Two tandems win Marianas Cup tune-up

The powerhouse tandems of Tyce Mister and Chris Nelson and Melissa Halaby and Melody Matson went undefeated in their respective divisions en route to winning the Fiesta on the Beach Two-Person Beach Volleyball Tournament held last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort and Spa.

The competition was organized by the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association.

Mister and Nelson outlasted the hardworking pair of Jazz Rosokow and Sydney Takahashi, ending the match with a final score of 25-22 to hoist men’s division championship trophy.

In the women’s side, Halaby and Matson posted a similar hard-earned 25-22 victory the finals against partners Heather Kennedy and Nicole LeBlanc.

NMIVA reported a successful event, saying it was a big day of fun in the sun at the Fiesta Resort and Spa. The tournament was co-sponsored by SEAFIX and Pacific Trading Co.

NMIVA said that during a recent Marianas Visitors Authority committee meeting, Fiesta Resort and Spa general manager B.K. Park expressed interest in supporting beach volleyball on Saipan.

NMIVA president Laurie Peterka recommended they join forces with Fiesta Resort for the tournament that served as a perfect tune-up for the upcoming Marianas Cup.

However, NMIVA board member Russ Quinn said that they were bothered by the condition of the old beach volleyball court, which was deteriorated and was uninviting to the tourists and so the equipment had to be renovated.

They made a call to Mark Blackburn of SEAFIX and quickly solved the problem.

“SEAFIX, the island’s premier industrial and marine machine and fabrication shop, was more than happy to design and fabricate state-of-the-art, FIVB-regulation beach volleyball posts complete with all the required hardware to properly support and tension the net,” NMIVA said.

It also said that Fiesta Resort provided a brand new volleyball net—the identical net used on the professional volleyball tour—along with new court-lines. “After much planning, preparation and hard work to set up the tournament and renovate the court, and with drinks provided for by Pacific Trading, the volleyball action got underway last Sunday with two separate men’s and women’s divisions vying for spectacular prizes offered by Fiesta Resort,” NMIVA noted.

During the tournament, Matson and Halaby were undefeated in pool play to earn the top seed, while Kennedy and LeBlanc were seeded second.

Gin Gridley and Lindsey Sosovec settled for the third seed.

In the men’s play, nine teams competed with Mister and Nelson sailing thought the competition unscathed—claiming the first seed. Rosokow and Takahashi (second), suffering only one loss to the Mister and Nelson, while teammates Quinn and Bruce Berline grabbed third.

After the pool play, the double elimination playoffs went on with Matson and Halaby holding off the pair of Linda Anastacio and Angie Mister to get into the finals.

Coming up through the losers’ bracket, Kennedy and LeBlanc defeated partners Gin Gridley and Lindsey Sosovec in the match for third place and thus joined Matson/Halaby in the finals.

Although it was a hard fought game, the Matson/Halaby tandem proved too much for Kennedy and LeBlanc.

Mister and Nelson continued their rise to the finals by defeating Jess Palacios and Jeff Elliott, then downing Rosokow and Takahashi sending them to the losers’ bracket.

The early loss of Quinn and Berline to the losers’ bracket where they eventually found themselves in a battle for third place against the duo of Takahashi and Rosokow, who was limping in the match. After a hard fought game, Rosokow/Takahashi earned the right to play a grudge match against Mister and Nelson.

First place winners received a one night’s stay at Fiesta Resort & Spa with breakfast for two (each) and $100 cash, while dinner for two and massage gift certificates (each) along with $50 cash for second, while third place took home dinner gift certificates and $30 cash.

Quinn said the tournament exceeded everyone’s expectations because the level of play was exceptional and provided them with an inside peek at the quality of competition that awaits them in the Marianas Cup.