Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson advanced to the quarterfinals of the Montreal Elite beach volleyball pro tour event on Friday after defeating Brazil’s Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes with a score of 21-13, 21-18. The Toronto duo, who won Olympic silver medals, maintained a perfect 3-0 record, leading in Pool A.
“We had a clear game plan and good communication between us,” Wilkerson commented. “Our defense and side out were solid, but ultimately, we had to fight. Our focus for the entire weekend is to keep battling.”
On the other hand, Lea Monkhouse from Mississauga, Ont., and Marie-Alex Belanger from Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez, Que., faced two defeats, leaving them at 0-3 in the competition.
In the men’s category, Sam Schachter from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Jonny Pickett from Wiarton, Ont., suffered a 21-13, 23-21 loss to Brazil’s Andre Loyola Stein and Renato Lima. Despite the defeat, the Canadian pair secured a spot in the playoffs with a 1-2 record.
Meanwhile, Steve Abrams from Georgetown, Ont., and Cameron Chadwick from Barrie, Ont., faced a tough 21-23, 21-18, 15-12 defeat against Americans Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh, putting them at 0-3 in the tournament.
The competition will continue at Parc Jean-Drapeau until Sunday.