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OVA Athletes Take the Podium at NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour

By Ontario Volleyball, 09/16/19, 4:30PM EDT

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TORONTO, ON (September 16, 2019) - Four Ontario Volleyball athletes, including three Team Ontario alumni, emerged as medalists in the 2019 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Punta Cana on September 15, 2019.

Molly McBain (Toronto, ON) and Becky Tresham (Bradford, ON) earned the silver medals in the tournament final, coming up short against the United States' Emily Hartong and Geena Durango. For McBain, this is her first international medal; she placed second at the Canada Summer Games in 2017 with partner Lea Monkhouse. McBain also played for Phoenix Volleyball Club and Team Ontario (2014-2017) where she saw multiple victories nationally in both beach and indoor, including 16U and 18U national and provincial beach gold medals and a bronze for the indoor 16U national championships.

Tresham is no stranger to international competitions and medals, having captured numerous at various national competitions and OVA Championships and tournaments which included gold at the 24U Ontario Youth Open and 18U Women's Ontario Championship. She was invited to compete at the 2016 BeachDig Beach Volleyball College Recruiting Showcase and 2016 NVLRIZE Junior Championships Global Challenge in Florida, winning silver at both competitions.

Both McBain and Tresham are student-athletes competing in the NCAA at Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Georgia State University (Atlanta, GA), respectively. 

On the men's side, Jake MacNeil (Georgetown, ON) and Liam Kopp (St. Catharines, ON) took home the bronze medals after defeating  Brandon Joyner and Michael Boag of the United States. Both MacNeil and Kopp were on Team Ontario from 2011-2016 and now are Team Canada athletes competing on the international circuits at many International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and NORCECA competitions. MacNeil, with Gabe Burlacu, became the first Canadian team to win at the California Beach Volleyball Association Santa Barbara Men's Open in 2017. In 2010, the two claimed third place at the Ontario Summer Games.

The successes in beach volleyball continue for Canada, producing quality teams for both men and women.

 

Photos: From NORCECA Volleyball Federation