In the Women’s Open Division 13 teams competed for there chance to take home a portion of the prize purse.  At the end of the day, Siesta Key’s own Megan Wallin and Kristen Batt reached the final winning their semi-final game over Eni Friedman and Jen Conrad.  Capri Hilgendorf and Marcella Gammara knocked off the number 1 seeded team of Raquel Beson and Kendra Jackson in the semis.  Reaching the finals, Capri and Marcella would look to avenge their earlier loss to Megan and Kristen.  From the start of the first game Kristen and Megan dominated the match and took home the title.

The Men’s Open division had 19 teams looking to grab cash.  With exciting matches throughout the day the #1 seeded Mark VanZwieten and Adrian Carambula reached the finals with a semi win over Steve VanZwieten and JD Christie.  Coming out of the other half of the bracket #3 seeded Roger Corbitt and Tyler Lesneski knocked off the #1 seeded Adolpho and Chenoweth in the quarters only the face the #4 seeded Gaston Macau and Ozzie Barreras in the semis.  Lesneski and Corbitt took the semi-final match and squared off against the #1 seeded VanZwieten and Carambula.  In an exciting match, Carambula and VanZwieten proved to be too much taking home the win.

Sunday’s competition featured juniors, juniors, and more juniors, as well as, our co-ed division.  With junior teams looking to start accumulating their Dig the Beach Junior Series Points herds of junior teams swarmed Siesta Key beach.  Teams’ ages ranged from 12 years old up to 18 and under division.  Sunday’s junior divisions turn out is a great testament to the future of not only Florida Beach Volleyball, but the sport all together.  Congratulations the winners in all their respective divisions.  Teams battled all day, fighting through pool play, and again in brackets as large as 16 teams.  Taking home titles in the Boy’s Division were Martin Murphy and Eli Rosen, Patrick Callahan and Caol Kuhney.  Winning their respective age divisions in the Girl’s Divisions were; Alex Hasner and Manuela Fernandez, Macie Tendrich and Lauren Miko, Abby Winsor and Kristen Kintz, Jessica McGregor and Aurora Newgard.

We would like to thank the Daiquiri Deck for hosting Saturday nights Corona Extra Player’s Party.  Kelly Dixon and the Country Inn and Suites  and Alexia Pepper at the Days Inn for being the Host Hotels, Jason Puckett and Ann Marie Persico, Sarasota and her Islands. 

Lastly, we would like to thank you the athletes for coming out and supporting the Dig the Beach Series.  Without you none of this would be possible.  See you in Fort Myers June 6-7, 2009.  For the latest on the Dig the Beach Series visit www.digthebeach.com.