Scotland take control ahead of Championship Sunday in Ayr

The second day of the SCA Zonal Tour event in Ayr delivered all the excitement expected from knockout Beach Volleyball, with Scotland firmly cementing its place as the dominant nation going into Championship Sunday. As the quarterfinals wrapped up, three Scottish women’s teams and two men’s duos confirmed their spots in the semi-finals, thereby keeping home fans hopeful for multiple medals on the sand.

In the women’s draw, the host nation has taken control of the tournament with three of four semi-finalists coming from Scotland. Lynne Beattie/Mhairi Wallace were given their toughest test so far against Malta’s Tamara Kenkovski/Mikaela Galea but held firm in a tight first set before pulling away in the second to win 2-0 (24-22, 21-14). Kathryn Barbour/Alexis Crusey continued their top run with a comprehensive and powerful 2-0 victory over Monica Zammit Munro/Jana Kenkovski, also from Malta. The combination of youth and experience featuring Alexandra Clegg-McKeown/Melissa Coutts impressed again, defeating Ireland’s Fiona Lamont/Lara McNichols in straight sets. The wins mean an all-Scottish semi-final clash between Barbour/Crusey and Clegg-McKeown/Coutts is now confirmed, thus guaranteeing a Scottish presence in the women’s final. The second semi-final will see Beattie/Wallace face off against Northern Ireland’s Tara Mooney/Grace Allen, who edged past fellow Scots Samantha Fowler/Charlotte Morgan in a hard-fought three-set match.

On the men’s side, two Scottish pairs will also feature in the final four. Euan Fraser and Ben McHardy were composed and clinical in a 2-0 win over Luc Macia de las Heras/Sergi Navas of Andorra, maintaining their perfect record heading into Sunday. Ben’s brother Jamie McHardy and his partner Ross McKelvie also advanced with a confident performance against Iceland’s Emil Mar Diatlovic/Tomas Davidsson, winning 2-0. These strong results were tempered with disappointment for the other Scottish sides. Ewan Ramsay/Cole Turnbull were eliminated by a sharp and spirited Welsh duo, Conor Robins/Matthew Pollock, while Murray Paterson/Keir Paterson were outplayed by Monaco’s Ferry brothers, Pascal and Vincent, one of the most formidable pairs in the competition.
The men’s semi-finals are now set where Fraser/McHardy will take on Robins/Pollock in a Celtic clash, while McHardy/McKelvie will face the Ferry brothers from Monaco in what promises to be a high-quality contest.

With five Scottish teams still in the hunt for medals and strong visiting challengers from Northern Ireland, Monaco, and Wales, Championship Sunday in Ayr is perfectly poised for drama, excitement, and celebration. Local fans can look forward to a day of high-stakes action as the SCA Zonal Tour crowns its 2025 champions on Scottish sand. If the dreaded rain arrives, you can catch all the action live on Scottish Volleyball’s YouTube channel and social media.

Pictures courtesy of Michael McConville and Lynne Marshall / volleyballphotos.co.uk