MARSHALL CLAIMS SILVER, FORMER SPARTAN SCHALK TAKES BRONZE AT VANCOUVER OPEN
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BEACH VOLLEYBALL
MONDAY, JULY 18, 2011
VANCOUVER OPEN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARSHALL CLAIMS SILVER, FORMER SPARTAN SCHALK TAKES BRONZE AT VANCOUVER OPEN
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trinity Western University men’s volleyball leftside Steven Marshall (Abbotsford, B.C.), and his partner Matt Zbyszewski finished second at the Vancouver Open beach volleyball tournament at Kitsalano Beach Sunday while former Spartan Chaim Schalk (Red Deer, Alta.), and his partner Martin Reader, took home bronze.
Marshall and Zbyszewski lost to Maverick Hatch and Sam Schachter in the gold medal match while Schalk and Reader knocked off Scott Hill and Evan Engle in the bronze game.
The two former teammates – Schalk and Marshall wore Spartan blue together in 2008-09 when Schalk was in his senior year and Marshall was redshirting in his first year at TWU – faced each other in the semifinal and in something of an upset, Marshall and Zbyszewski knocked off what was the top ranked team going into the tournament.
For their efforts, Marshall and Zbyszewski took home $2,000 while Reader and Schalk claimed $1,000.
For Reader and Schalk, it was the second year in the row they have finished third at the Vancouver Open. Zbyszewski won the tournament last year with partner Josh Binstock.
Both Marshall and Schalk will compete in two weeks at the Center of Gravity beach volleyball tournament July 29-31 in Kelowna, B.C. but before that, Reader and Schalk will compete in the Quebec Open Jeep July 19-24, an FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour event held in Quebec City.
Marshall last played with Trinity Western in 2009-10 when he helped the Spartans to a CIS silver medal. After taking a year off, he is planning to return to the court with the TWU this fall.
Trinity Western’s Nick Del Bianco (Surrey, B.C.), who was a member of the CIS All-Rookie team this past year, and his partner Kenton Lepp, finished in a tie for ninth place after posting a record of 3-2. Their first of two losses in the double-elimination tournament came against eventual fourth place finishers Hill and Engle.
On the women’s side, Spartans teammates Amber Brown (Three Hills, Alta.) and Jacqueline Tait (Vancouver, B.C.) finished in a tie for 17th after posting a 1-2 record.
-TW-
Last Updated: 2011-07-18
Email: Mark.Janzen@twu.ca