Beach volleyball: Kiwis and Germans dominate

It was three-from-three for New Zealand men Kirk Pitman and Jason Lochhead and German women Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig in the national beach volleyball series tournament at Ohope Beach yesterday.

The German pair who won easily in the first two rounds at Matarangi and Wellington, were pushed in the final yesterday by American opponents Tracey Lindquist and Courtney Guerra before winning 18-21 21-15 15-11.

On the back foot after the first set, Goller started to dominate the net with powerful spiking and blocking. Her serves were particularly dominant as the German pair took control.

Three New Zealand teams made the men's semifinals and it was Tauranga's Pitman and Lochhead who went on to win the final, beating Craig Seuseu of Auckland and Brendon Heath in the final.

In a repeat of the Matarangi final, Pitman and Lochhead had too much experience in winning 21-14 21-19.

The series has two rounds remaining, at Mt Maunganui this weekend and Auckland on January 20-22.

- NZPA