IanClarkVolleyball.net-AVP Tour Y2K7 2007 NEW Season Schedule Part I

Ian Clark Volleyball

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2000 & 2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Seaside Heights,NJ 2006

PART I (1st 10 AVP 2007 events)

PART II (2nd half 8 AVP 2007 events)

PART III (last 4 AVP 2007 events)

Ian Clark's I-MAN I-News Headlines:

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AVP TOUR Y2K7-YEAR 2007

SCHEDULE

2007 Schedule Announcement

Current schedule for the AVP Tour in the year 2007
*All Confirmed Dates

Date Event Site TV

*Febuary 13th 2007 AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOYOTA CHALLENGE Times Union Cntr Albany,NY * Cable,FSNet

*April 13th-15th 2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD CROWN MIAMI OPEN Bicentenial Park Miami, FLA. * Cable,FSNet

*April 19th-22nd 2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD CROWN TEXAS OPEN Ameriquest Field Arlington,TX . * Cable,FSNet

*May 3rd-6th 2007 AVP HUNTINGTON OPEN Huntington Beach Pier Huntington Beach, CA * Cable,FSNet

*May 10th-13th 2007 AVP GLENDALE ARIZONA OPEN Westgate City Center Glendale, ARIZ. * Cable,FSNet

*May 17th-20th 2007 AVP HERMOSA BEACH OPEN Strand Hermosa Beach, CA *Cable,FSNet

*May 24th-27th 2007 AVP LOUISVILLE OPEN Festival Plaza at Waterfront Park Louisville,KY * Cable,FSNet

*May 31st-June 3rd 2007 AVP TAMPA OPEN Tampa, FLA. * Cable,FSNet

*June 7th-10th 2007 AVP ATLANTA OPEN Atlanta,GA * Cable,FSNet

*June 14th-17th 2007 AVP CHARLESTON OPEN Daniel Islnd Family Circle Tennis Center Charleston,SC * Cable,FSNet

*July 5th-8th 2007 AVP SEASIDE HEIGHTS OPEN Seaside Heights,NJ * Cable,FSNet

*July 19th-22nd 2007 AVP LONG BEACH OPEN East Shoreline Drive Long Beach, CA. **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 2nd-5th 2007 AVP McDONALDS CHICAGO OPEN North Avenue Beach Chicago, IL **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 9th-12th 2007 AVP MANHATTAN BEACH OPEN Manhattan Bch Pier Manhattan Bch ,CA **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 16th-19th 2007 AVP BOSTON OPEN Boston Boston,MA * Cable,FSNet

*Aug 23rd-26th 2007 AVP BROOKLYN OPEN Coney Island Beach Brooklyn ,NY * Cable,FSNet

*Aug 31st-Sept 2nd 2007 AVP CROCS CUP CINCINNATI Lindner Family Tennis Center Cincinnati , OH ** NBC,Live

*September 06th-08th AQUIFINA 2007 AVP Vegas Shootout Harrah's Las Vegas, NV *TAPE on NBC

*September 14th-16th 2007 AVP SAN FRANCISCO OPEN Bayside SanFrancisco,CA * Cable,FSNet

FIVB 2007 Swatch Beach Volleyball Tour Men's & Women's Schedule

AVP Professional Men's Beach Volleyball
2007 TELEVISION SCHEDULE Volleyball.org

AVP ON NBC TV !!! :>p~

TV Air Dates:

NBC

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

The AVP is proud to bring you over 10 hours of NBC broadcast coverage and over 40 hours of cable coverage of Fox Sports Net! Check out the television schedule below and be sure to watch all the AVP tournaments throughout the season. All broadcasts are listed in local time unless otherwise specified.*

Location Event Dates Network Coverage

Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 17 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

The AVP Is Back on NBC

Five Live/Tape Broadcasts During the 2007 Season Marks the Return Of Beach
Volleyball to Network Television for the fourth year in a row

The AVP is proud to bring you over 10 hours of NBC broadcast coverage and over 40 hours of cable coverage of Fox Sports Net! Check out the television schedule below and be sure to watch all the AVP tournaments throughout the season.

FOX SPORTS NET

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

*Check you local listings for Broadcast times yet to be announced actual event dates below only not necessarily brodcast dates

Location Event Dates Network Coverage

Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 17 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

AVP on TV
2007

To catch all the Men's and Women's 2007 AVP Crocs Tour action make sure to visit Fox Sports Net and check your local listings for viewing times.

New to the AVP last year was OLN televising the Men's and Women's semifinal matches. OLN has gone back to televising Hockey & Soccer in 2007 no more Volleyball.

AVP Womens News - TV Update
* OLD 2002 information below,stay tuned as to what AVP women's events will be
scheduled for broadcast on this network in 2005.

NEW YORK (Variety) - Geraldine Laybourne's Oxygen Media will cablecast five of the seven women's Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tournaments this summer. The deal is consistent with Oxygen's recently announced strategy of focusing only on high-visibility women's sports. Six weeks ago, Oxygen laid off 20 people in its sports division, reducing the number of events from 31 per year to about 12. Lydia Stephans, president and executive producer of Oxygen Sports, called the AVP tournaments "the premier women's beach volleyball competition in the world." In addition to the five Oxygen cablecasts, the AVP will get three live broadcasts on NBC.
Oxygen's five cablecasts will run on consecutive Sunday afternoons at 2, beginning June 9.

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

*Check you local listings for Broadcast times yet to be announced actual event dates below only not necessarily brodcast dates

Oxygen will no longer be carrying Volleyball in 2007.

AVP Hour on the radio

Courtesy of Hugo Rec.Sport.Volleyball

In yesterday's LA Times (May 17, 2002), a column
written by Larry Stewart, he mentiones that:

"Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith will co-host a new
weekly show, "The AVP Hour," on KMPC (1540 AM) Thursdays,
7-8 p.m., beginning next week (May 23, 2002)."

However, I listened to KMPC earlier today (Sat. May 18)
and I heard a commercial for it and "Geeter" (Chris McGee)
said that he and Sinjin will be hosting this new
weekly show. He also said that if you don't listen
you'll get sand kicked in your face! ;-) Anyway,
whoever is hosting, it's good to know that the
vball community is getting high profile ambassadors
of the game to get the word out about beach
volleyball on the radio!
Yay volleyball! I hope that we can continue this
well into the future. :-)

Hugo

Hey Hugo,Thanks for the info.Any coverage of the AVP by its Players
is welcome news.By the way Ian Clark has had his own radio show of
sorts on Live365 for over 2 years now.Take a listen to DJ
Slimknicky1 at the following link:

Listen!!! to "I-RADIO AVP" IMAN'S Broadcasting in Stereo!!!24/7

Featuring "DJ- KNICKY" playing all the hits for AVP fans!!!

Coming SOON,Player I-Views & Past Years &Current AVP Event coverage in Real Audio!

http://www.live365.com/stations/slimnicky1
I-RADIO AVP

"Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith will co-host a new
weekly show, "The AVP Hour," on KMPC (1540 AM) Thursdays,
7-8 p.m., beginning next week (May 23, 2002)."

You can listen to it live on the internet on your computer here,follow this link:

KMPC
Sporting News Radio
Los Angeles
1540
Los Angeles, CA.

Click Here

The AVP Hour

**HAVE NOT HEARD YET IF THERE ARE TO BE RADIO BROADCASTS IN 2007 STAY TUNED but for now listen to archives above.........

Dig Magazine

Click Here

First Issue: April 2003 (40-pages, around 80 volleyball photos)

Articles:
This month on tour - Ft. Lauderdale, Tempe

Locals only - where AVP players eat, drink and kick it in Fort Lauderdale and Tempe

The scene - Huntington Beach

Ten ways not to break into the AVP tour

Beach Vocabulary 101

Hot tunes

AVP 2003, Photo Profiles
Misty May - Kerri Walsh
Holly McPeak - Elaine Youngs
Jenny Johnson Jordan - Annett Davis
Carrie Busch - Leanne McSorley
Lisa Arce - Rachel Wacholder
Women's Contenders

Eric Fonoimoana - Dax Holdren
Stein Metzger - Kevin Wong
Mike Whitmarsh - Canyon Ceman
Karch Kiraly - Brent Doble
Albert Hannemann - Sean Scott
Men's Contenders

Hot Gear - Spring Wraps

Fashion Flashback

Legend Connection Ron Von Hagen - Karch Kiraly

The Clinic - Beach Facts & Myths on Hitting Big

Beach Smack with Brian Lewis

DIG
The next best thing to being at an AVP event!!
Official Magazine of the AVP Tour
Volleyball • Lifestyle • Competition
6 issues for just $18
Call toll free to subscribe:
# 1- 800-999-9718
Get a DIG t-shirt or Hat for just $6 when you subscribe for six issues.
DIG is published six times April through October around AVP events.

Articles 2006-2007 Off Season

-Catch up on your reading as to what happened after the end of last year's AVP season here.

May-Treanor dominates awards while Rogers is MVP
October 6, 2006

Todd Rogers wins MVP on men's side; May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, and Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert awarded Team of the Year honors at 2006 AVP Players' Banquet
LOS ANGELES, October 5, 2006
Misty May-Treanor and Todd Rogers took home top honors Thursday night as MVPs of the AVP 2006 season at the Players' Banquet. For the fourth consecutive year, May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh were voted 2006 Team of the Year. The honor of the men's Team of the Year was awarded to the CROCS Cup winning team of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, who teamed up for the first time this year. All of the awards presented were voted on by the athletes of the AVP.
The star of the evening was May-Treanor, who captured four titles, including the 2006 women's MVP award, Team of the Year, Best Offensive Player for the third year in a row, as well as her first award as the Best Defensive Player. May-Treanor became the first player on either the men's or women's side to win both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in one season.
May-Treanor's stats with her partner Walsh provide a resounding exclamation point to her unprecedented awards: This season, they became the winningest team in domestic women's history, finishing with 39 career titles together in U.S. tournaments and a single-season most 13 of 16 domestic titles; they ended the season with 35 straight victories; compiled an astounding 82-3 match record; have played in the finals 44 of 45 AVP events together; and will take a seven-tournament winning streak into the 2007 season. As an individual, May-Treanor finished in the top five in four different statistical categories in terms of per game averages: digs (fifth), kills (fifth), kill percentage (fourth) and hitting percentage (third).
"My husband told me to just say thank you and get off the stage," May-Treanor said. "I just want to say thank you to everyone including my partner and CROCS for all their support. I also want to thank my teammate Kerri Walsh. Sometimes I feel like I want to say I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but that isn't right. I want to say that, but I really mean the rest of my volleyball life."
"Misty May-Treanor is a doll and a pleasure, and I look forward to playing with her for years to come," Walsh said.
On the men's side, the teams of Rogers and Phil Dalhausser and Metzger and Lambert battled throughout the season for domination on the AVP Tour. A closely-contested Team of the Year award went to Metzger and Lambert. The duo played in 14 of 15 Final Fours this season, more than any other team; their 11-match winning streak at one point tied for the longest this season; won the inaugural CROCS Cup by a slim six points; and compiled a 67-15 match record.
"In the middle of the season, we just picked up and took care of business," Metzger said. "We didn't care who led the way. We just needed to find our way home."
Rogers captured two titles, including the 2006 men's MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year. Rogers and Dalhausser won eight of 16 titles, including Rogers winning both post-season events: King of the Beach (best individual player) and the Best of the Beach (best team on the beach). Rogers won nine AVP CROCS Tour titles, the most since Kent Steffes in 1998; had a 9-1 mark in AVP championship matches; his 10 finals appearances were the most of any player this year; and will take an 11-match winning streak including the last three titles into 2007.
"This whole year has been so surreal," Rogers said. "If somebody had told me this, I wouldn't have believed them. I couldn't be happier in the way this year has turned out for my career."
Dalhausser captured the award for 2006 men's Offensive Player of the Year as well as the Most Improved Player. The "Thin Beast" collected $143,375 in earnings, more than two and one half times what he made last season; led the tour in blocks for the second year in a row (432), in addition to kill percentage (.627) and hitting percentage (.481). Last year, Dalhausser won only one event his first ever win with partner Nick Lucena and finished first in blocks (405) and sixth in hitting percentage (.588).
Nicole Branagh, last year's Rookie of the Year, took home Most Improved Player on the women's side. In her first 19 pro beach events, Branagh had a best of fifth, while in her last 12 events, she was in the semifinals nine times, including two finals appearances.
"You know the beach is our office, and we are the luckiest people in the world," Branagh said.
There was a tie on the women's side for Rookie of the Year between Logan Tom and April Ross, with Brad Keenan earning the honor for the men. In Hermosa Beach, Keenan went in through the qualifier, then placed third, tying for the best finish from a qualifier in AVP history. Tom finished as high as fifth. Ross finished ninth in back-to-back tournaments her career best knocking off three top-10 teams in the process.
The 2006 AVP tour had 16 stops and has scheduled 18 for the 2007 season. This season the AVP was telecast on NBC, Fox Sports Net and FOX for the first time.
Updates on the 2007 season can be found at www.avp.com.

2006 AVP Awards Winners:

Men:

MVP: Todd Rogers
Offense: Phil Dalhausser
Defense: Todd Rogers
Improved: Phil Dalhausser
Rookie of the Year: Brad Keenan
Team of the Year: Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger

Women:

MVP: Misty May-Treanor
Offense: Misty May-Treanor
Defense: Misty May-Treanor
Improved: Nicole Branagh
Rookie of the Year: April Ross and Logan Tom
Team of the Year: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh

AVP 2007 VOLLEYBALL VIDEO:

Over the winter the AVP has join forces with MLBAM. Which stands for Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P., is a subsidiary of Major League Baseball.
Meaning AVP.com is now managed by MLBAM.

Five Tips with Kerri Walsh
October 13, 2006

What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?

All of the skills are fundamentally the same. Adjustments must be made/learned because of the changing elements. Learning to use to wind, learning to read the wind, learning to run/jump in the sand...all of these things affect a players' timing on the beach. Timing counts for a whole lot on the beach but patience is needed when making the transition because timing changes all the time depending on how hard the wind is blowing, and how deep/shallow the sand is.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
I had to learn the subtleties of the game. My timing on blocking was terrible when I made the transition from the hardwood. On the beach it is very important to be late and quick so as to not let the hitter know where you are blocking and what you are taking on the block.
The earlier you jump to block, the more it helps out the hitter. Learning to wait was difficult for me. I still jump too early way too often.
Overall, I had to improve on every skill. Like I said, the "elements" make a very simple straight forward game potentially very tricky if one does not know how to adjust. I had to work on all of my skills and still have to work on everything because the game is changing, getting better, and being able to grow with the game is huge.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference is how much responsibility each player has with regard to touches on the ball and court area to cover. Learning to take care of every ball and to "better" the ball on "off" plays is very important because there are only 2 players compared to 6 in indoor v-ball. So, I would say responsibility and timing are two of the biggest differences when comparing the two.

What is the biggest similarity?
The fundamentals of the game do not change from indoor to beach.
Communication is extremely important, ball control is a must, and being competent in every skill-bump, set, spike, serve- is necessary; actually, it's is more necessary to be competent in every skill on the beach because there are no substitutions and no where to hide.

Why did you cross over?
I was 22 at the time I decided to make the switch and it was actually just really good timing. I had been playing for 12 years on the hardwood, had just finished with the Sydney Olympics, desired a change because I did not want to play overseas and the biggest blessing was that Misty May was looking for a partner. Sign me up!! To be able to play with he best player in the world right off the bat was an unbelievable opportunity and made the decision very easy.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court.
1. Tall or Small be the best passer you can be
2. Defense wins championships
3. After you attack the ball check out where the other team is on defense....lets you know where the open court is and where they are vulnerable.
4. Hitting the ball as hard as you can is impressive but learning to have a soft and smart touch on the ball is just as good.
5. Talk to your teammates, tell each other what is open, support them and cheer them on in good and bad times. Knowing that your team has your back is a wonderful thing.

Off-Season Plans: How Up and Coming AVP Stars will spend their off-season
By Colleen Murray
October 16, 2006
For die-hard AVP fans, it's jarring to see your favorite players compete weekend after weekend and then, once September hits, lose track of these athletes. We asked some players: What are your off-season plans?

Aaron Wachtfogle
"I would like to get some more work experience and use my education a little bit. Also, a little bit of travel. I have a trip to Hawaii planned, but also doing some work in finance." -Aaron Wachtfogel
"No sure plans yet, but I'm sure I'll be going to the East Coast for the holidays, going home back to Florida. I'll probably head up to Myrtle Beach, S.C., to see all my buddies up there and just hang out. We've been pretty busy this year." -Phil Dalhausser
"I'm going to go to a training facility in Arizona again. I went last year and it's called Athletes Performance. It's an elite training facility where they work with athletes that are going through the NFL Combine. They do a bunch of baseball players. Everything is very sport-specific, and the people there are incredibly knowledgeable. And everything is so intertwined with the nutritionists and the strength coaches and the speed and the jumps. Everybody's all on the same page, so I don't have to worry about what I am eating, what am I doing, they all just take care of it for me. It's kind of living the dream. I've got a sponsor that's going to pay for it and I'm fortunate enough to have that opportunity."-Ryan Mariano

John Mayer
"I plan on maybe taking like a month off and then play as much as I can. We're looking at going to New Zealand and Australia. They have a tour over there in January. We kind of figure, considering where we're at, the more we play, the better we're gonna get, so we'll be doing reps everyday. We want to take a month off, and play for the next 11 to try and get ready. This season fired me up so much to play. I feel like I can do it, but I need to work this hard to get there. I figure in the off-season, we're gonna do some non-volleyball stuff, like some plyometrics, and stuff to get in better shape and get more athletic. We'll play wherever we can and as much as we can, eight days a week, play everyday." -John Mayer
"I think we're both going to play indoor so we're not going to be training for the beach or anything." -Keao Burdine on her and partner April Ross's plans
"Well, I'm heading over to play indoor again [in Korea], so I'll be playing indoor for 6 months, I'm going to concentrate on the weight room a lot over there, see if I can put on some weight, be a little bit scarier on the beach." -Sean Rooney
"Taking at least month off, hopefully, because we played a long season. Then, we just get back on it. Go to the gym, train, play, and try and get better for next year." -Sean Rosenthal
"I'm going to Spain. Luckily for me, the place I'm going to is an island, it's called Tenerife. I've talked to other players out here and there are players that play for the FIVB that live out there and train year-round so hopefully I'll be able to do that." -Logan Tom

Brooke Hanson
"Going on my honeymoon. I got married in December. We like Hawaii, so we'll probably go there." -Brooke Hanson

"I'm gonna work with people, a blocking specialist maybe, just do different skills and repping it. Just getting the different techniques." -Nicole Branagh

"In the off-season, I am directing the Wave Boys Volleyball Club in Del Mar, San Diego." -Matt Olson

"Taking a couple weeks off. It's going to be Jen Snyder, my partner, and my first off-season. So we're gonna train a couple days a week. We're actually thinking about traveling and trying to train in other countries." -Janelle Ruen

"Playing a lot of video games, like Halo 2. I'll probably hang out in Florida for a while." -Nick Lucena

Brent Doble has been a steady fixture in the men's top ten for the past ten years
By Matt Zuvela
October 18, 2006
Brent Doble has been a steady fixture in the men's top ten for the past ten years. He has five career titles to his name and finished ninth or better eight times in 2006. Doble is one of a few players on the AVP tour who did not come from California. In fact, Doble is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and is one of a growing number of players from the Midwest. Doble told us his thoughts on the Midwest presence on the tour and some of his favorite things to do in the off-season.
When you think of the off-season what is the first thing to come to mind?
Hanging with the kids. Spending some quality time with my family. I really enjoy being around them. The kids are at such a wonderful age. We get to do all kinds of cool stuff. I look forward to that, and it's hard in the summer to be apart from them. So I really look forward to that, and I look forward to the pace of my life and how it slows down.
And the second thing that comes to mind?
Beer. [Brent Laughs]
At what point do you start looking forward to the next season?
I don't know! I've got a renewed sense (for the game). Playing with Ryan [Mariano] has been great. We've had a pretty good year and we've beat some good teams. My body feels fantastic. So I'm excited. Usually about January 1st I get real serious about it. Last season I was injured, so I had those three or four months in the weight room and doing therapy, and I'm going to do the same thing. I'm going to get two or three days a week in the gym working out, and then come next season, I'm going to be ready to beat down some young kids.
Speaking of young kids -- and ones from the Midwest -- what do you think is in store for Hans Stolfus?
I think it's great for Midwest volleyball - guys like Jeff Nygaard from Wisconsin, me from Minnesota, Paul Baxter from Minnesota. Hans has been playing some unbelievable, really steady volleyball, and I just wish him the best of luck. He and Aaron [Wachtfogul] have been a force to be reckoned with all last season, and I just look forward to more years of competing against them.
Do you play any other sports during the off season?
I used to play basketball regularly, but then the body just wouldn't heal. It just got too beat up. Now, I'll play some four-man volleyball down in San Onofre. Lots of BBQ's, watch lots of sunsets, and hang with the kids. That's what I'm really looking forward to are BBQs on the weekends in the fall before the time changes.

8 Titles Short: Volleyball Lingo 101 (Part I)
By Hans Stolfus
October 19, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. After 12 top-ten finishes including a third in Hermosa Beach in 2006, Hans is just 8 Titles Short of being the best from the Midwest.
Join Hans Stolfus, the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year and half of the seventh best team on tour in 2006, as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
Let's get one thing straight. I love talking volley. Ask anyone I know, especially my girlfriend. It dominates my being; almost in a bad way. Regardless, it is what it is, and at the risk of becoming a bore, I'm always trying to use new verbage in my dialog. Did I single handedly create any of the words I'm about to explain? Not a chance. Do I use them incessantly? Absolutely! So much so that when the AVP asked me to have a seat courtside and contribute to the play by play in Lake Tahoe, I was compelled to break out some new volley lingo in hopes of sprucing up the live updates. Now, maybe it was the outside air temperature of 37 degrees and the fact that I could not feel my fingers or perhaps I was just delirious, but at the time of broadcast, I thought things were going over quite humorously.
And not until I was notified by the AVP of a fan's email did I realize that my style of commentary certainly isn't for everyone;
"Could you please not let Hans Stolfus do the play by play anymore. I can't understand anything he is saying." She's not anonymous but I won't use her name...
So, let's get after it. We have a lot to cover...
Why don't we kick it off with a couple of different shots:
Jumbo Shrimp - A high loopy shot perfectly placed into the opposite corner. The defender must be sitting in the angle as the shot goes over their head and most importantly, their knees must buckle as they realize they have no chance to play it. Karch Kiraly is one of the best at this shot and also defending against it, but I did see Jason Ring jumbo him in Huntington Beach, 2004 -- Not going to lie, one of the best shots I've ever seen.
Shallow Shrimp - Basically when your partner yells "HIGH LINE!" and instead of listening you roll the ball ever so slightly into the angle with just enough arc that the defender has time to actually wave their hand -- signaling for a fair catch. If the defender's knees buckle at any point while this shot is played, they are mandated to retire immediately following the match.
Cutty - More often referred to as an angle shot or simply a cutshot. Keith Dobkowski calls it the cutter -- either way; numerous players have made lengthy careers off this shot, combined with just a hint of misdirection. Casey Jennings, John Hyden, Misty May, Holly McPeak and Karch Kiraly are a few who have mastered the cutty.
Knuckle Pokey - Arguably the worst name of any shot in the game. (It actually limits our street cred) Pinky and Ring fingers close into a fist with the thumb while the first and middle fingers imitate bent bunny ears and form a mini platform between their knuckles; hard to describe to say the least but easily one of the most effective shots in the game when used correctly. The knuckle pokey can be used on offense when the set is 50/50 and the attacker just needs to rise up a few additional inches over the block; or on defense when a blocker pulls off the net and they need to play that ball that is rolling over their head onto the back line.
Cobra Kai - Ben Koski and Jeff Minc's outfits at any formal function - paying homage to Johnny and his crew from the Karate Kid; OR, the knuckle pokey on steroids, either way. It involves forming your hand like the shape of a cobra's head and contacting the ball directly with your fingertips. If not performed perfectly, you run the risk of getting called on a 'Push' by certain unknowing referees like...
Roge - Said with a French accent almost like 'Row-Che,' but the che is deeper and there is definitely an accent over the e. Coined and created by the Professor himself, 2006 MVP Todd Rogers; the shot involves skills no ordinary human could ever possibly possess. However, if you feel like trying to impersonate the master, here's his signature shot... Start off on the right side of the court; ask for a rather high, up and down set, jump higher than it looks like your body is capable of, hang in the air for around 10 seconds, wait for the blocker to return to the sand and then slap the ball sharply back to within 6 inches of the right side line -- EVERY TIME.
Yahtzee - Possibly my favorite term, wait, what am I talking about? It is my favorite term and one that I am not afraid to yell out from the stands during marquee matches when a guy like Phil absolutely crushes a ball straight down and J. Roueche taps the BOOM button over the loud speaker. First off, a Yahtzee must connect with the opposing team's sand without a touch from either defender. Second, it's not that hard hit to the corner your college coach preached about every day in practice; it's an absolute smashdown with enough velocity to create a divot. How about an example...
Vegas Line (see the video above) - This phrase is going to last a lifetime. Hell, I even heard some kid at the Jay-O Invitational tell his friends - in a really high voice - how he just hit 'Vegas Line!' I don't know about that but I do know the term was coined in Las Vegas, 2005 when Sean 'Rosie' Rosenthal decided to absolutely deliver the word of GOD on a ball - hard line. The result? The ball bounced about 80 feet straight into the air off the sand; all while Mike Lambert was also blocking line. The crowd gasped in amazement and FSN replayed it in slow motion three times to make sure what everyone just saw, actually happened. It was most definitely a Yahtzee!
Adjectives often used during the course of a match (playing or spectating) include: Sick, Sweet, Nasty, Ludicrous and of course Ridiculous -- or Ridunculous if something is super out of control. And all of those are equivalent to the word, "Good."
As for setting:
Sauce - As good as it gets. If this was a spelling bee and you needed it in a sentence, "Dear Lord. Did you see that back set from off the court? It was absolute Sauce." In the same breath, one could substitute either Butter or Nectar and do just fine. I personally prefer the plural forms of both of these; like, "Canyon only sets butters, his hands are like mint." Of course the definition of a great set is very subjective but universally a ball with zero spin and an uncanny ability to float at the apex of its arch would be considered Sauce.
Chowder (Play the Video below to see Chowder) - Not just the opposite of Sauce but quite honestly the worst thing to witness during a professional volleyball match. When a ball leaves the setter's hands and helicopters to an undesirable location on the court, all fans should simultaneously yell, "Chowder!" So ugly and grotesque that it reminds the casual observer of an old bowl of clams from New England and gets its name from the broth.
Chopsticks - Anyone who pokes at the ball with their fingertips while trying to set their partner. Not necessarily always a bad set, this term merely presents a certain kind of Szechuan style. However, when the ball doesn't leave the setter's hands in the desired manner, the phrase, "Do you honestly eat with those hands?" often follows.
And Blocking:
Dome - That short FSN commercial where John Hyden yells, "High Line!" and his partner Jeff Nygaard gets absolutely domed straight down by Phil, the "Thin Beast" Dalhausser is the best example I can think of. Dome, Domed, Domie; they're all referring to the same thing; Getting blocked so hard straight down you temporarily forget your own name. Roof is also used under the same context...
Joust - Most amateurs know this one but just in case -- when two players make contact with the ball simultaneously above the plane of the net and then proceed to battle for bragging rights. I, for one, have never won a joust; maybe it's my ridiculous physique. A joust presents the only time beach volleyball players are allowed to attack the ball with an open hand. So if you are super sneaky and see your competitor approaching the 50/50 ball with only one option in mind, pull your hands last second and they will get called for an illegal contact; unless of course, the referee is ... who probably won't see it.
How about some defense:
Lippy - Or Lip if you prefer. Basically the defender lips a ball that ordinarily would have made its way to the sand, allowing the rally to continue. It goes down merely as a dig in the stats column but there are many names (Up, Scoop) for this incredible skill mastered by the likes of Misty May, Todd Rogers, Rachel Wacholder and Casey Jennings. I personally think each term presents an ideal opportunity to place the word Sick before it, such as; "My word, that was a sick up!"
Platter - Also called the "Waiter." Both terms help make this extraordinary defensive maneuver almost self explanatory. The defender holds up one hand - similar to a waiter carrying a platter of food - and digs the ball straight up and down, giving their partner enough time to turn off the net and set the sauce. Usually executed out of pure instinct, the platter is generally not the first choice of defense. Kerri Walsh had more than one sick platter dig in the Manhattan Beach Finals and she is 6'3". I know because I have my DVR set for all things volley and the match came on at 5:00 AM Sunday morning -- so I watched it; over and over and over. It's all I got here in Minnesota.
Lingo Jason Ring and I would like to see disappear and never return:
Netty - Grown men (some of whom work out, a lot) yelling at the top of their lungs, "NETTY! NETTY! NETTY!" when they think one of the opposing players has committed a net violation. It's just embarrassing and should be replaced with, "Sir, I honestly believe with all of my heart that Mike touched the net with his nipples during the culmination of that play." And if that summons no positive results; throw your hat at the stand, lean on the net for at least ten seconds rolling your eyes and then take a seat in the sand proclaiming, "This is all a conspiracy, I'm not playing anymore until you start calling their nets!" See how that goes over for you...
Hans will return to AVP.com throughout the off-season. Make sure to stop by often as Hans gives you the inside scoop on the tour and more...

Catching Up With Bob Samuelson
What a difference a few months and some controversy can make.
Early in 1992, 6-foot-5 Bob Samuelson was a 26-year-old substitute middle blocker and opposite for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball team. Known for the enthusiasm and emotion he used to motivate the team, but not considered one of the stars, he worried that he might not make the team that would compete in the Olympic Games in Barcelona that year.
“Every day in practice I felt like I had to play well or I would be cut that day,” he said. “I always thought I was going to be cut.”
Fast forward to December 1992; Samuelson, who shaves his head due to a skin condition called alopecia, is on the cover of Volleyball Monthly Magazine and there is an article entitled “Barcelona Bob.” The term “volleybald” has become synonymous with the team that won the bronze medal in Barcelona after they shaved their heads in support of Samuelson, who was involved in a yellow-card controversy in the opening match against Japan.
Later in 1992, USA Volleyball has offered Samuelson a six-figure contract to keep him in the United States instead of playing for an Italian club team. Samuelson has signed endorsement deals with Club Sportswear and Oakley Sunglasses. An ad featuring a photo of a very serious Samuelson with the words “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is plastered around New York City to promote a match against Japan at Madison Square Garden.
Was Samuelson ready for all this notoriety?
“No. Unfortunately, no,” says Samuelson. “I wasn’t prepared to take on a lot of the responsibilities that came with being that person; the face of the team.”
These days, Samuelson lives in El Segundo, Calif., and works in sales for Verisign. He has been married for seven years to wife, Liza, and has triplet boys – Magnus, Hunter and Jackson – who are 4 and a half. If things go as he hopes, next year he will qualify to play in the main draw on the AVP Tour.
“I played some (beach) tournaments two years ago for my friend Coley Kyman,” Samuelson said. “We had a good time. Last season (playing with Andrew Vazquez), it got to be where we were just good enough to almost make it into the main draw. We’re going to spend the winter working out and getting into shape and see if I can get lucky.”
Samuelson says he is sometimes recognized at these events, and it still surprises him that people remember him. But he also admits that his “look is pretty unique.”
Like many future volleyball players, Samuelson thought he was destined to be a basketball player when he attended Pierce Junior College in Southern California in the late 1980s. His plan was to play basketball at Syracuse. But that changed when he took a volleyball class at Pierce.
“Ken Stanley was a teacher of the class. He suggested I try out for the team,” Samuelson said. “I loved the guys on the team and I loved the coach.”
A volleyball player was born. Samuelson got some national notoriety when he made the team that competed at the U.S. Olympic Festival. He was recruited by many top programs, but chose to play at Cal State Northridge because he knew a lot of the guys and also knew he’d get playing time in spite of his lack of experience.
With his time at Northridge nearing an end in 1989, Samuelson went to Pepperdine University for an open tryout for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team. Somewhat to his surprise, he was called back to attend the “invitational” tryout that was going on in San Diego.
“We played four hours a day for three days. Every time you did something, coaches were standing around writing feverishly. I was a nervous wreck,” he said.
Samuelson returned to Northridge for finals week; but his studying was interrupted by a call from Jim Coleman inviting him to join the team. Samuelson asked when he should leave.
“Coleman said, ‘We want you to dome down and start training immediately. We leave for Russia in two weeks and you have a chance to make that trip,’ ” Samuelson remembered.
Samuelson begged he professors to let him make up his exams later, but while they were excited for his opportunity, they said they would have to fail him if he missed his finals.
“I literally just quit the last week of school. I made the travel team, and two weeks later I was in Moscow,” he said.
By the time the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona rolled around, Samuelson had become a key to U.S. Head Coach Fred Sturm’s lineup. He could substitute Samuelson either for middle blocker Bryan Ivie, or for outside hitter Steve Timmons. But in the second set of the first Olympic match against Japan, Ivie injured his knee. Samuelson came in as a substitute and tried to kick-start the team with his enthusiastic and emotional play.
In the fourth set, with the U.S. team leading 7-4 (Japan was leading the match two games to one), Samuelson was issued a yellow card for loudly disputing a call. Later, with Japan ahead 14-13, Samuelson, upset with a line call, snapped at the linesman. A second yellow card was issued. Then, the scorekeeper’s table let the referees know that it was Samuelson’s second yellow card and that it should be a red card. However, a red card would mean that Japan would get a point and win the game and the match. Not wanting the match to end on a technicality, the referees waived off the second yellow card and let the teams continue to play.
“I was kind of piecing it together,” Samuelson said. “I didn’t remember getting the first yellow card. The second one was so quick... All of a sudden I see the down judge. I remember thinking “Oh no, this could be bad.
“I remember looking at the head official. I could see his mind turning. You could see him realizing the implication: ‘If I give him another yellow card, I give the match to Japan.’"
Japan’s coach tried to argue, but to no avail. Japan served for match point, but didn’t get it. The game continued and the United States ended up winning 17-16 in the days before rally scoring. Team USA also won a dramatic fifth set, 16-14, and the match. Or so it thought.
The next morning, the FIVB Control Committee met with representatives from Japan and the United States, and ruled that the U.S. victory would be overturned.
“It is impossible to feel any smaller,” Samuelson said. “I was trying to step up and accept responsibility and take ownership, but I just wanted to go away and hide.”
However, Samuelson’s teammates weren’t going to let him give up. It was Timmons, the team captain, who told Samuelson to “buck up” because the team would need him if it was to have any hope for a medal. And by the way, the team had come up with a plan… A little while later, Samuelson found himself with his electric razor in his hand and Timmons’ famous red flat-top hairdo in front of him.
It was Timmons’ idea to have the team shave their heads in support of Samuelson. But the rest of the team would not do it unless Timmons went first.
“I wasn’t sure what to do, logistically. Do I start with the ear? Then I took it to the skin right down the middle so there was no turning back,” Samuelson said. “Everyone was cracking up.”
The Americans went on to win the bronze medal, losing to Brazil in the semifinals and defeating Cuba in the third-place game. Looking back, Samuelson says, the team was not disappointed with the outcome.
“Obviously, we were shooting for the gold. In all reality, we knew we were long shots even to medal. People had us picked to finish anywhere from fifth to 10th.”
Samuelson returned to the United States a media darling. But his status as “the face of USA Volleyball” did not last long. He was having problems with his knee and not getting along with the U.S. coaching staff. In 1994, a Japanese team made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he headed for the country that had inadvertently helped him gain his fame.
He spent two happy seasons in Japan before returning to the United States in 1996.
In 1998, Samuelson went back to Northridge to finish his degree. Professors warned him that many of the classes were full and, although he was welcome to stay, he might not be admitted to the class. But Samuelson, perhaps volleyball’s most successful substitute, knew that if he had patience, he would get in the class and that he could be successful.
“Once I had some discipline in my life, it was amazing how easy it was,” Samuelson said.

Torrance High, LMU Standout Blankinship Dies at 31
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2006) -- Former beach volleyball player Kim Blankinship, considered the greatest female athlete in Torrance High School history and set for induction into the Loyola Marymount University Athletics Hall of Fame, died suddenly on Oct. 16 of an apparent heart attack.
Blankinship, who turned 31 on Oct. 14, died Monday night at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, hours after her fiancé awakened in the morning to find her unconscious in bed at their Seal Beach home, said her father, Mike Blankinship.
After starring in soccer, volleyball and track at Torrance High School, Blankinship played volleyball at Loyola Marymount from 1993-1996, leading LMU to three West Coast Conference titles and three NCAA postseason appearances.
As a junior, Blankinship was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year. That 1995 season, she also set the LMU record for single-season service aces and service ace average. Her records of 66 aces and .68 per game still stand today. In her senior campaign, Blankinship became the third athlete in LMU history to earn an All-America honor. She also earned LMU Female Athlete of the Year and WCC Co-Player of the Year honors that year.
She was scheduled to be inducted into the LMU Hall of Fame in January 2007.
Blankinship played beach volleyball for the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association in 1997. She also played in a 1999 USA Volleyball beach tournament and on the Beach Volleyball America tour in 2000.
Blankinship served as the General Manager of the Marketing Division at Student Sports, a Torrance-based media and marketing company where she worked since 2000.

Click here to read the article in th Daily Breeze.

Click here to read the article on the Student Sports web site.

Click here to go to Loyola Marymount's remembrance page.

Click here to view Kim Blankinship's profile and photo in the Beach Volleyball Database.

One Piece of Advice
By Colleen Murray
October 24, 2006
The beach is, in a word, different. From the sand to the bikinis to the two-player court, beach volleyball and indoor volleyball are two separate balls of wax. The younger players on the AVP tour clearly remember the time when they were first adjusting to the transition from indoor to beach and we asked Keao Burdine, Sean Rooney, John Mayer, Logan Tom, and Nicole Branagh to offer their advice to indoor studs looking to put away their uniform and kneepads for a bikini or board shorts in the near future.

Keao Burdine is a Southern California native but she recommended that everyone feel like a beach baby before joining the AVP.
"Get your sand legs," Burdine advised. "Train in the sand, don't even worry about working out in the gym. Just go down to the beach and work out everyday."
For Sean Rooney, he made a big name for himself indoor and became a full-time AVP player amid a lot of hype. The hype, however, did not detract him from noticing the other stellar players out there.
"I would say just to watch the best players and learn from them," Rooney said. "Come out and watch and try and pick up things from their game and try to add them to your game because there are so many good players out here. You can learn a lot just by watching."
Rooney's former Pepperdine teammate John Mayer noted the value in practice.
"Play every day, eight days a week, there's nothing that can replace pass-and-hit, and you know, doing the reps," Mayer said.
But Mayer also realized that the cliché goes, "Practice makes perfect," not "Practice makes rich." He reminded players coming to the beach of this reality, too.
"The talent levels are really good," Mayer said. "You have to earn what you get out here, and nothing's gonna come easy. But it's so fun. It's like I would pay to do this, but sometimes I get paid to do it."
Money at the beginning might be discouraging, but Logan Tom urges young players to not give up.
"Stick with it," Tom advises. "There's been a lot of times where I've been like, I don't want to play anymore. From a volleyball standpoint and from an ego standpoint, it's hard to get out here and lose. I don't like losing."
As an indoor player, Tom ensured that she would rarely lose. At Stanford, she was a four-time All-American and a two-time National Player of the Year. When Stanford won the 2001 National Championship, Tom earned MVP.
"When you've had a good career indoor and I know what I'm doing indoor, and it's easy at the beginning to say, why am I doing this? Why do I have to go through all this crap? I just want to hang up the bikini. But it passes. I'm praying it passes. But it's getting better everyday, but like I said, stick with it. It's hard, it's tough."
It paid off for Tom as she won the 2006 AVP Rookie of the Year and set a career best 5th place finish in Brooklyn.
For Nicole Branagh, her success came fast as well. She was the 2005 Rookie of the Year and in her second season, saw the Sacramento and Hoover finals and was seeded 2nd in Manhattan Beach.
Her sentiments sum up those of other young players.
"Get your sand legs. That takes some time. But don't get discouraged in the beginning because it is different than if you play indoor. Being on a hard surface and coming out here, it's different and it's hard," Branagh said.
"This is hard work, but it's so much fun. I'd say just don't get discouraged in the beginning, just hang in there, get those sand legs, and things just come together."

Adding to the Family mid-season
By Matt Zuvela
October 26, 2006
John Hyden went through one of the biggest changes of his life during the 2006 season: he became a father. However, in terms of his training and commitment to volleyball, he hardly missed a beat. John gives a lot of credit to his wife, Robin, for shouldering the majority of the baby responsibilities while John was in season, allowing him to stay focused on his game until the season was over. Now in the off-season, John is spending some much anticipated quality time with his daughter, Samantha, while also getting ready for another season with his partner, Jeff Nygaard, who is going to be a father soon as well.
John and Robin answered a few questions about being a volleyball family and discussed their unusual agreement for changing diapers.

Was it difficult for the baby to come during the middle of the season?
John: We actually planned to have her at the end of the season in September, but we messed up somewhere along the way (laughs). She came four months early. We thought it was going to be a problem, but Robin has been so great. She's not like every wife. She said 'you know what? Go sleep in the other room, you need sleep and you need to play well.' It was like every other season for me. I got my rest and everything was great. Robin's a trooper.

Robin (laughing): He was happy that we had the baby in the middle of the season.
John: Yeah! When I look back on it, it's a lot better.

Was it difficult to stay 100% focused on volleyball?
For me, no. I was really focused this year. I had picked up a new trainer and was excited about the direction I went. Robin has single-handedly taken care of the baby. She took charge, and basically said 'You need to play well, you need your sleep, and you need to stay focused.'

Has having a new member of the family changed your approach to the game at all?
Not really. I don't look at it like 'Ok, now I have a baby I have to win money.' I still like to just go out and have fun. I really like to compete, so it hasn't changed much on my focus or anything.

Have you given your partner (expecting father Jeff Nygaard) any parenting tips?
John (points to Robin): That would be her! We call her 'the Baby Whisperer.' She seems to take care of the baby pretty well, so Jeff usually goes to her for the tips.

Robin: Jeff and [Jeff's wife] Renee were with us in New Jersey seeing first hand what its like to have a new born. It was an eye opener for them. Jeff always asks John about pregnancy -- which trimester does it get easy? When do (the wives) actually become pleasant again?

Is there anything unique about being a volleyball family?
Robin: We traveled with her. She went to New Jersey and Chicago before she was six weeks old, so we're basically training her, saying 'this is what your life is going to be like, so get used to it.' And she was great -- she's a good traveler.

During Robin's pregnancy, her and John made a deal. He would clean the cat box during the nine months of her pregnancy, and she would change the first nine months of diapers. Robin explained this arrangement a little further:

Robin: I couldn't clean the kitty litter for nine months, so I told him I would change all the diapers for the first nine months.

John: That didn't work out so well.

Robin: Yeah, I started adding it up in my head. He changed the litter three times a week for nine months, and I'm changing eight diapers a day. He got two months.

Four Tips with Holly McPeak
October 27, 2006
What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?
Basic Ball Control Skills. Hitting, setting, bumping and serving all are basically the same. The difference is in the footwork where you have to get used to pushing off sand.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
Mostly Footwork and dealing with the wind. For instance, in Las Vegas a thirty mile per hour wind was sweeping North-South across the court. The wind forced us to make adjustments that we would never face indoors. Having to dive for a ball and have to adjust midair to combat the movement caused by the wind is one of the most fun and most challenging parts of the outdoor game.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference has been footwork and covering the whole court. While we do play on a shorter court than indoors, with only two of us, there is just so much more area to cover. As a defender on tour I have to cover the entire backcourt. The communication changes as my blocker must close off half the court and I am responsible for covering the other half. Throw in a floater or roll shot and there are times I am covering most of the court. This does not happen indoors. Unless both my partner and I are able to communicate perfectly, we will not win.

What is the biggest similarity?
Technique. Setting, bumping, serving and passing are all the same. You hit the ball the same way and therefore your arms, hands, and eyes are always in the same place as they would be indoors. However, the outdoor elements, wind and sand, often forces your body into positions it would not otherwise be in. The adjustment to get your hands, arms and head into the right place is the challenge that exists on the beach.

Why did you cross over?
Beach is more physical and more mentally challenging. With only two of us on a court, the unpredictable nature of the wind and pushing off sand, the game becomes more physical and therefore more mentally challenging.

Give four tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court
1. Repetition of Skills
2. Leg Strengthening
3. Competitive Drills
4. Good Technical Coaching

8 Titles Short: Working Out with Jason Ring (Part I)
By Hans Stolfus
November 3, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. After 12 top-ten finishes including a third in Hermosa Beach in 2006, Hans is just 8 Titles Short of being the best from the Midwest.
Join Hans Stolfus, the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year and half of the seventh best team on tour in 2006, as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
So, when I got to the University of Hawaii back in 1995 and walked on to the Men's Volleyball Team, I was Skinnier -- if you can believe it -- than I am today. No; for real. I didn't freshen up in the WC after meals or anything; I've just always had a ridiculously high metabolism. Regardless, that didn't stop every coach who ever saw me from swearing on their mother's grave that, with enough time, they could pack on the pounds and turn me into the next Jason Ring. Yeah, he played at Hawaii when I was there -- I mean, he actually played when I was there -- I was stoked to try and bounce balls with Mason Kuo in warm ups. And on that note, nobody won warm ups like Jay Ring (upper deck -- Stan Sheriff Center) but that's another story. Or maybe it's not... Maybe Jason Ring bounced balls like Rosie in Vegas because he possessed a certain level of upper body strength that I have only read about in Men's Health (I have included the Rosie Clip again because it is just that good).

Frankly I've tried the almighty 6-week program that guarantees nothing less than perfect pectoral muscles and unlimited success with the ladies at the local municipal pool - and I think it's all a load of crap. Okay, okay; maybe I haven't. Maybe I've done nothing more than a few push ups before I went to bed each night... you know, trying to get pumped up in order to assist my social agenda. BTW, you need muscle present in order for exercises such as push ups to create that pumped up look, FYI. Unfortunately, acquiring that kind of base muscle structure would require regular visits to this guy's place off of PCH; I'm pretty sure his name is Jim but I have yet to meet him. Either way, one thing I have been able to do in spite of all the strength coaches I have come across in the last 11 years and their endless preaching of the same concept, "Muscle Mass = Good" - is play volleyball. Weird huh? I haven't won an open or anything but I have had some success and all I have going for me in the strength department is some really tight -- yet incredibly explosive -- tendons. Not to take away from the people who actually can arm wrestle, they're able to hit the ball really hard too.
So, I thought I would get to the bottom of what I've been missing out on all these years by talking to the source himself, the guy who (I've heard through the grapevine) did nothing but shoulders two hours a day, five days a week in his down time at Pierce Junior College before he ever arrived at UH. Maybe, he knew how many beach days were available on the sands of Waikiki and he was just making sure he was ready -- why don't we find out?
Talk to me Jay; it's all for the ladies, isn't it?
Well Hans, I need to be honest here. I grew up on a farm watching guys like Hulk Hogan, Bo and Luke Duke and Magnum PI. I watched Movies like Rocky and The Predator (starring a ripped Arnold). I watched Bo Jackson run over the Boz; and you know what all these guys had in Common? Well I do... Muscles. Magnum pulled chics, but not as many as the Duke Brothers, and as for the other guys... I'm sure they did well for themselves too. So Yes, I quickly learned that Muscles helped men drive cars better, chase down bad guys, kill aliens and beat up Russians.. What can I say, I am a product of my own era.
If you were in Tahiti right now; and it was you and 50 absolutely smoking hot Tahitian beauties, how many push ups do you think you could do? Be honest...
About a thousand... No, really.
Okay, let's get more serious for a moment... You're one of the hardest hitters on tour with arguably the highest vertical jump in all of the world? How much of that is natural and what percentage would you contribute to working out in the gym?
Ok, I honestly think most of it is Genetic... I've always been a good jumper. Throughout the last 10 years my vertical jump has gone up a little every year - which I think is a result of: A) 75 percent playing all the time, and B) 25 percent weights. Plyometrics are helpful, but everyone should be careful not to overdo it. On the other hand, I've always wanted to feel like no-one else on tour has "out-worked" me off the sand. I often close my eyes in the gym and think about bitter losses. Nothing motivates me like remembering bad beats.
Would I have done better with the ladies in college if I was ripped?
Hans, you're kinda in a league all your own. I remember you lingering around the weight room showing moderate interest, but never really gettin' after it... This kind of puzzled me. Until this point in my life, I'd never seen anyone so skinny. Granted, you had a pretty live arm, but when coach Wilton was teaching you how to dive, you literally couldn't support your own body weight. I watched the doc stitch up your chin at least 3 times... no? I figured after the 3rd, you would at least do some push ups. However, in some sort of bizarro Superman kind of way, I think you being skinny might have been the exact reason you had success with the ladies...

Describe for the readers a typical day in the weight room for Jason Ring during his lifting heyday and how it differs now; during the 2006 AVP off-season.
I admit... The heyday had a different look for me. I think I was just so excited to have muscles I figured that more and more must be better right??? I would sometimes do 10-12 sets of different chest exercises, 10-15 reps each. It was a bit too much. Now I'm all about balance and core strength. Most of my time is spent on the muscles that chics don't really dig that much. However, don't think I won't sometimes do bench presses before I go to sleep just to remind myself I've still got it...
You were part of one of the most physically intimidating teams in tour history when you partnered with George Roumain in 2004. A lot of people felt that you and big George possessed the style of physical play necessary for FIVB success; and in turn would have better represented the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Are the Olympics a goal for you today? And if so, how intricate a role would physical preparation play in your decision making?
Thanks! I always think back to that season and wonder what could have happened if George and I would have tried for Athens. I like that style of play and really think it could be successful. My thought has always been that strong physical play and good ball control would be the recipe for success in the future. I always hear from other players that "shooting the ball," should be a bigger part of my game, and I agree. But don't kid yourself, when it comes down to it, I like jumping real high and hitting real hard. I would love to take a shot at the Olympic Games and if I felt like it could be a reality with my partner heading into 2008, I'm sure I would continue to work hard in the weight room as well.
Do you watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights?
I don't watch it... but, my girlfriend makes me Tivo it for her.
If you were to partner up with Hans Stolfus next season on the AVP Tour, how often would spectators get the two of us confused?
Umm... not likely.
You were voted "Most Handsome Man in Honolulu," in 1996 by both Television (K5) and Radio (Hot I-94). You don't have to answer a question here; I just wanted everyone to know.
Is that why you started doing tons of arm curls late in the season??? Making a run at the title in 1997?
I spent last season working out with Rett Larson at Velocity Sports Performance in Irvine, CA and realized for the first time how important extra strength and plyometric training is in relation to success on the AVP Tour. I didn't gain any weight or look any bigger but I felt stronger down the stretch during long tournaments and directly attribute my success to his willingness to help me do more than I ever have before. And let me be clear, I have had the opportunity to work out for years... but not until the work out was sport specific and executed in an enjoyable manner with one outcome in mind (winning), did I realize and fully appreciate its potential. My question for you is: How long have you known what I didn't learn until last summer? And what do you plan on doing differently heading into 2007 in order to keep the love of the gym alive?
Honestly... Here's what I think. The days of bodybuilding and tight buns are just no longer cool. I used to live in Hollywood and it's easy to see that the muscled up jock is kind of out of place these days. In fact, it's probably easier to be on the other side; or skinny - so you can make fun of the gym rats. Truth is, we are professional athletes. It's a good idea to be in the gym doing sit-ups, pull-ups, and everything else. You will perform better if you are stronger. You will play longer if you are stronger. Just ask the Great Karch K. He works harder than anyone for sure; but you're right in thinking that biceps and pecs are basically worthless for spiking. Young players should be working on core strength and flexibility in order to build better (overall) muscle balance and stability.
You know what; I've got a good story to close. I once played professional indoor volleyball in Vienna Austria and a huge part of my daily routine was lifting weights. While I was there, someone asked, "Which muscles are most important for Volleyball?" My immediate reply was, "The ones that look the best." Well, to say the least, things have changed a bit. I'd like to think I'm a little smarter now in the gym. Which if you break it all down is probably the most important thing to a long, successful career. But if that doesn't work, you'll find me doing preacher curls about 4 times a week... for sure.

Five Tips with Sean Scott
By Sean Scott
November 9, 2006

What skills immediately transferred over from the HardCourt to the Beach?
The fundamentals are very similar. How you make contact with the ball for bumping, setting and serving all transferred over immediately. As did my eye-hand ability.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
Because the indoor game has six players you are able to hide weaknesses and build particular strengths. You can be a big net player where you are able to put the ball down and block your opponent, however you may lack the ability to pass or set well. For me, I had to work on improving my all around game. Unlike the indoor game, I am involved in every single point on the beach. I need to be able to block, dig and set on every play. All of my skills needed improvement.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference is two-fold, the elements and the two person team. Having to play with the sand, wind and sun is obviously a huge change from indoor. And being responsible for hitting the ball at least once every time the ball crosses the net is also a huge difference.

What is the biggest similarity?
At the end of the day, it's still volleyball.

Why did you cross over?
When you finish playing College Ball and want to pursue Volleyball as a professional, you are given two choices, indoor or beach. I had been playing indoor my whole life and while I loved it, what could be better than getting paid to play on the beach. You hear about the lifestyle repeatedly and it is all true. I am at the beach nearly everyday playing and training. The sport is great and the atmosphere could not be better.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court

1. Balance -- As in every sport, make sure that your center of gravity and balance are always in check. With good balance, you will be able to jump higher, recover faster, pass smoother and hit the ball harder.
2. Pepper -- Peppering may seem like a mindless way to warm up, but it is actually a very good tool in learning how to improvise when hitting. It forces you to work on your hand-eye coordination.
3. Repetition -- To improve at any skill you need to practice it over and over again. Only at that point will be you be able to convert consistently when the game is on the line.
4. Accuracy -- As you are practicing your angles and line shots put greater emphasis on hitting you spot than on spiking the ball.
5. Enjoy Yourself -- At the end of the day this is sports. It should be fun and a stress reducer.

Hot Topics: Share Your Thoughts
November 14, 2006

The 2007 AVP schedule will feature 18 events. With the ability to set up an event in any type of venue we want to know:

What city should the AVP add to its schedule?

Should major cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Seattle, Portland, St. Louis, Dallas or San Francisco be added to the schedule?

Should the AVP return to San Diego, Belmar, Honolulu or Austin?

Email comments@avp.com to share your thoughts on what city the AVP should visit and WHY. Make sure to include your name and home town.

We have received over 500 emails on what cities the AVP should visit. We will continue to read every email and publish your thoughts throughout the next week. Check back daily to see what AVP Fans are saying...

Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan!
Brent Doble - AVP Star from Michigan

You should include Dallas. You will have all the amenities of a major market, a ton of volleyball junkies and to top it off, the awesome Texas weather (excluding that little mini tornado that came through the last time you guys were here)
Michael, Dallas

Think of the fantastic venue opportunities that exist in the Bay Area: you could take it back the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco, and what about the hills surrounding the Cal Berkeley campus? How about Lake Merrit in downtown Oakland? Can't you just hear Geeter belting out "This is the AVP, and we're live in Oak-town!... the 5 and Dime, the Biggety-Biggety-O"? "Rosie's Raiders have come back to the home-country". The possibilities are endless.
Jonathan - Oakland

Why the LOU? I for one love it for not only the volleyball, but for Paul Mitchell...yeah I am a stylist!!! Seriously, it has been a while since it has been in the STL and there are sooo many people here who enjoy volleyball too. It would be awesome to have it here and of all years with us being the World Series Champions. Having volleyball here too would only make this one of the best sports years ever for us volleyball fans. St. Louis has the best fans ever!
Amanda - Smithton, Il

Please come back to Austin. AVP made a huge difference in this city
Marcus - Austin

I might be the only one from Salt Lake City to write in, but I know I'm not the only one that feels like the AVP would benefit from being here. I hope you consider us, Jake Gibb would. Take care!
Brandon - Salt Lake City

Philadelphia! Sean Rooney is my cousin and I will get such a big crowd to root for him all his opponents will be scared
Jake - Philadelphia

I have been a huge fan of the AVP for many years now. I love every minute of it, but I am still waiting for the day that I see them live in Washington, D.C. The nation's capital deserves to host the greatest sport ever.
Charles - Washington DC

Why not come to Minneapolis, Minnesota! With over 10,000 lakes, how can you go wrong???
Kathy - Minneapolis, MN

Karch Kiraly on his Off-Season
By Matt Zuvela
November 16, 2006
Karch Kiraly wrapped up his 28th season on the beach in 2006 and proved that even at forty-five years old, he is still one of the best players on tour. Although Kiraly missed a few tournaments due to a knee injury suffered part way through the season, he and his partner Larry Witt finished in seventh place twice and took home a fifth place finish at the beginning of the year in Fort Lauderdale. Kiraly also spent some time in the broadcast booth for the televised men's and women's finals throughout the season.

When you think off-season, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
The great one-on-one workouts with my coach Mike Rangel. He and I still get together one or two times a week and we have a blast just down at the beach by ourselves. In fact, those are some of the best months of the year at the beach. We have the beach all to ourselves.

How important is having a good off-season routine in terms of staying healthy and strong for the next season?
It's crucial for me, because I'm 46, and I need to try and keep myself in the best condition possible. I figure once I stop and lose it, I'll never get it back. I've got to just keep working out.

When do you start looking forward to the next season?
Around February or March, I start getting excited about actually competing. But I really enjoy just the training and the preparation work. How can you not? You're at the beach! So I enjoy my time at the beach working out. I'll be doing a little coaching for this next season in the spring at the high school where my two boys go to school. That will be a new experience for me, too.

A lot of teams swapped up at the beginning of 2006. Should fans expect to see more of that as the Olympics approach or will teams tend to stick together.
I think a little of both. Dalhausser and Rogers, Metzger and Lambert, and Gibb and Rosenthal all feel comfortable with the realignment and how they are competing. Dalhausser and Rogers won an international event for the first time in three years on the men's side last year, and Gibb and Rosenthal just won the last FIVB event of the season in Mexico. All three of those teams are the leading contenders for those Olympic berths. For the other teams you may see some more realignment in an effort to try and find a last minute combination to try and challenge one of those three teams for one of those two berths.

8 Titles Short: Jake Gibb on his latest victory
By Hans Stolfus
November 17, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. Join Hans Stolfus as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
Saturday, October 28 -- 3:47 PM CST -- If memory serves me correct, I was in the kitchen circling the island while peeling an orange that wasn't quite ready to be peeled. You know the kind, where the outside skin doesn't seem to separate from the juicy goodness. Anyway, while I lacquered the hard wood floor with errant citric acid, my phone rang and pulled me away from trying to open a new canister of Lysol Clorox Wipes with one hand.

"Hey. You got a score for me?" (Good friend John Braunstein, a regular in the AVP Qualifier who boasts three 17ths in his career, as Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal look for their first FIVB Title)
HS: "Bro. Are you not watching this? It's 8-6 in the 3rd." I was circling the island in the kitchen because I was too nervous to sit still on possibly the most comfortable office chair in the history of time while the Acapulco finals were updated live on the internet.

JB: "No. What? Are you serious?"
HS: "I'm serious. They lost the first 19-21, crushed them in the second, 16. And now they're up 8-6 in the... no, wait. 8-7 in the 3rd. Emanuel just sided out." I actually have no idea who Jake and Rosie served or who sided out for the Brazilian's 7th point, the FIVB Website doesn't help out fans across the globe with an extensive Play by Play like Keith Dobkowski and the AVP. I was forced to merely track the score&and speculate.

JB: "I'm going to have to stay on the phone. I don't think I'm going to make it home in time to get the finish."
HS: "10-8. Dude, I seriously think they are going to do it."

JB: "What is this, their 3rd final? Two in a row? They must be playing unbelievable. Did you see their score against Fabio and Marcio in the winner's semi? 20-18 in the 3rd. Ridiculous."
HS: "11-11. We're getting down to the wire. Do you think they're serving Rosie? You ever talk to Jake about who gets served more on the FIVB tour? Ahhh... crap. 11-12, they just turned it."

JB: "4 POINTS! All they need is 4 points! They better have taken a timeout. They have to sideout here or it's over."
HS: "12-12. They sided out. We're back on track. What would you do here? 12-12 in the 3rd for an FIVB Open Win against the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalists. This is so sick. Wait, what am I talking about? You would hit the cutty. 13-12!!! They just won a real point! Holy smokes, they're going to do it!"

JB: "What?" Kind of high pitched. "Just imagine if they won this point too. They could sideout for the win." Pseudo laughing the entire time in utter astonishment. "What are you eating?"
HS: "Orange. No score change yet. So what would you hit, you still haven't answered me. It has to be your go-to shot. Regardless of the set. 14-12!!! They just won another real point! Are you kidding me?"

JB: "14-12?"
HS: "14-12! They're going to have a chance to sideout for the win!"

JB: "This is unbelievable!" Still somewhat laughing in amazement.
HS: "Do they serve Rosie?"

JB: "I don't know."
HS: "What does he do? He's got to hit it. No way he shoots a ball for the match against the Brazilians."

JB: "What if they win this point? They could win it right now with a block on Rego."
HS: "But they're still going to have a swing for the match, regardless."

JB: "And if they don't win this point right now..."
HS: "14-13. Emanuel sided out." Once again, I have no idea who they served... I'm mostly all about assumptions.

JB: "Ooohhh... 14-13. I guess, here it is. Rosie's got to hit it. Maybe they're serving Jake? Or maybe they served Rosie the whole match and now they're going to go to Jake on match point?"
HS: "All they need is one sideout!"

JB: "Either way, no way they shoot... they have to hit. They cannot shoot this ball for their first FIVB win. Are you kidding me?!"
HS: "No way he shoots this ball. How could he?"

JB: "There's no way."
HS: "Well, Jake pretty much shoots everything half speed anyway so if he gets served, then I could see him going high seam with medium pace. But if Rosie gets the ball, he better jump as high as he can and absolutely deliver the word of God! What if he went Vegas Line for the win? That would be so sick."

JB: "He's got to bring it cross court. Ricardo is like 6'10", he's not going to dive into the angle on match point. So Vegas Line is probably out of the question."
HS: "No way he blocks angle. But wasn't Lambert blocking line?"

JB: "Is this the biggest swing of their careers? Has either of them had to win a tournament on the last sideout of the match? Ever?"
HS: "I don't think they have. In Florida they crushed Stein and Lambo and I'm not sure if any of their other finals came down to the last point. So, yes, this could be the biggest point of their lives."

JB: "I think it is. This is the biggest swing either of them has ever taken up to this point in their volleyball careers. Crazy isn't it?"
HS: "So, if you were in their position, you're saying you wouldn't hit the cutty?"

JB: "No. Jake or Rosie should swing away. I would, of course, hit the cutty. Has the score not changed yet? What, did they take a timeout or something?"
HS: "Listen, I'm hitting refresh every three seconds. They must have called a timeout. Probably deciding who they are going to serve for all the marbles."

JB: "All those Brazilians have coaches right?"
HS: "With a 6'10" monster at the net, who would you go after?"

JB: "I'd go for the ace."
HS: "Of course you would. Wait, I think we're finally getting something."

JB: "They tied it up didn't they?"
HS: "15-13!!! Holy Crap! They did it!"

JB: "No way! It's over?"
HS: "Final Score."

JB: "Well, they did it. Jake and Rosie are the front runners for the Olympics."
HS: "This puts them in pole position for the FIVB going into 2007."

JB: "Unbelievable. I can't believe it."
HS: "This is a huge deal when you think about it. The fact that we (Americans) only get to play a certain number of events and each one of them next year is going to count towards Olympic Qualification."

JB: "I know. I think they've got the best shot. Hey, what do you think they did for the match?"
HS: "Rosie...Vegas Line."

JB: "Yeah. Rosie...Vegas Line. Sick. Late."
HS: "Late."

If you think any of that was even remotely fabricated, you are sorely mistaken. John and I happen to be two of the biggest beach volleyball fans on the planet, and we both happen to be pretty good friends with Jake so when you combine the two -- even if the tournament we're discussing is in Mexico -- the results can be devastating.

Don't get me wrong here, there was more at stake that afternoon in Acapulco than a good friend's first international victory. You see, Jake and Rosie had something very cool written across the chests of their extra small/small FIVB singlets, and that something happens to be the most profound acronym ever created, U.S.A. Perhaps readers of this will find that to be a tad clichéd. And hell, in today's political struggle taking place across the globe, where American fans aren't exactly gracing the stands, it's quite possible that the role as the "Ugly American" is far more popular for our athletes than one of historical representation and altruistic pride.

But that aside, anyone with a brain in their head should be able to comprehend how special it is to represent one's country on an international platform; especially when it's for the greatest athletic nation in the world, the United States of America. And to take that even one step further, Jake and Rosie not only placed U.S.A. before their own names on the scoreboard but they succeeded while doing so for only the second U.S. Men's FIVB Gold Medal since June of 2003. Pardon my verbiage, but that is just sick.

So, I guess I am making it pretty obvious how important it is for me to one day be able to represent my country. Maybe it will never be in anything as dramatic or inspiring as the Olympic Games but to have the United States hand me a jersey and say, "Go Spike One Home Son" would be... wait, they wouldn't really be sending me off to World War II would they? Well, let's just say it would be quite an honor. For teams like Jake & Rosie, Phil & Todd and Stein & Lambo, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing are far more of a reality than say, a dream too good to be true.

The problem is that only two of those teams will dawn the red, white and blue when the Chinese curtain comes calling. And the qualification process currently takes place on the aforementioned international juggernaut known as the FIVB. Makes sense huh? Why wouldn't our athletes play Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, China and Italy en route to the finals in order to determine the Two Best American Teams? No, in fact it does not make sense, but at the moment it's all we've got.

We can go on talking about a better solution all day long (like I am here) but until something changes, we are forced to accept the FIVB's present format. Would an Olympic Qualification Series here in the United States be the best solution? Perhaps. But at the moment it's similar to discussing life in college football with a playoff system instead of the BCS. Or wishful thinking...

Either way, it's very easy for a guy like me to be critical and write whatever I want about it because it doesn't directly affect me. So, in the good nature of continuing to interview my friends... I thought I would talk a little bit about the whole process with the man of the hour himself, Jake Gibb.

Jake, you know I can't start with anything else -- what are the chances you wouldn't mind filling us in on what took place during match point for your first international tournament victory?

Hans, it was a point I will probably never forget - Rosie brought the hard heat off the top of Ricardo's block and Emanuel couldn't control the touch - or was it, wait a second... Come on bud, you know that I can't just give up all the goods. Plus, I kind of like a little mystery behind it. I've got a better idea, why don't you sub Q1 with this:

Jake, were you nervous on match point at 14-13 in the third for your first international tournament victory?

And the answer would of course be, absolutely. I think if an athlete doesn't feel their nerves in that situation, they must be dead. Rosie got served and he sided out like he had all match long. He has really stepped up lately in pressure situations.

You started this AVP season with a win at the $50,000 Cuervo in Fort Lauderdale and ended it with a $32,000 FIVB win in Acapulco, Mexico... Forget the dollar figures for a second and explain which tournament victory was more gratifying and why.

Opening up the AVP Season with a win in Fort Lauderdale was incredible to say the least. But at this point, right now, I would have to say the win in Acapulco was better. We had something like 8 second place finishes after our win in Florida. We were super hungry for our second win together and to be honest (maybe even a little dramatic), I don't think I would have come home from Acapulco if we had taken another 2nd. That win relieved a lot of pressure and stress.

While only competing in 6 tournaments this past summer on the FIVB, you added an additional $106,450 in winnings. Suddenly, your 2006 season has become even more impressive. Now, combine that with the $187,050 the two of you made on the AVP this past season and we come to see that financially successful careers in the sport of professional beach volleyball can, in fact, be a reality. Simple math allows me to determine (I used a calculator) that your overall volleyball income for 2006 - minus endorsements - equaled $293,500 as a team. Did you ever think, even for one second, that you would be earning that kind of cold hard cash playing a game on the beach only a couple of years ago, when your skin tone was even whiter back in Utah?

That was a long question. No, I never thought I would be here. My wife and I had an agreement when we moved to California that if I wasn't ranked within the top 20 teams on the AVP that I would pursue a different career. I felt like becoming a "top 20 team" or more importantly, exempt from the qualifiers was a reasonable goal, but one that I would certainly have to work hard for. Hard to believe now but yes, that was my mind set as a qualifier living in Utah.

Speaking of endorsements, if I were to link on to the Speedo Website, would I be able to buy a fresh pair of boardshorts that have their very own name catered to 2005 MVP Jake Gibb? Say, like "The Big Nasty."

Good timing for this one. I am fortunate enough to have just agreed to a long term extension with Speedo and I couldn't be more stoked about it. The last thing I want is for this to sound like a shameless sponsor plug but there really is something to be said about having a support structure as loyal as Speedo. Not to mention the new beach gear they are putting out is some of the best stuff I've seen in years. Check out their website when you have a chance. No personalized boardshorts yet though, sorry...

In the athletic world today, is there any achievement greater than representing your country at the Summer Olympic Games? It's the one sporting event I can watch for two weeks straight with no interruptions, I'll say that much. And more importantly, can you picture yourself standing in the heart of National Stadium during opening ceremonies in Beijing, China, representing the stars and stripes?

For now I'm really looking forward to the start of the '07 season. Thinking ahead too far in advance gets my head all screwed up... so I am going to somewhat dodge that question.

Don't get yourself in trouble here if you don't want to talk about it but do you think that some sort of Olympic Qualification Series (possibly five tournaments with the top eight teams) here on our home soil presents a more logical path towards determining the two most deserving teams to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games?

A system like that has both positives and negatives. To start, a team that does well against other American teams isn't always going to do the best against international competition. It's a different style of game over there. On the flip side of that coin, I do like the idea of a "Qualification Series" that consists of just a few tournaments because that creates more high pressure situations. Generally, the players that can handle that kind of stress when the time comes to step up are the ones that are going to succeed. The Olympics is a one time, one shot, pressure cooker... so I think we could definitely put our best American teams out there that way.

And last but not least, I have watched the Vegas Line video a couple of times (Shocking, I know -- I only attach it to every article I write and sometimes twice) and I noticed that you kind of turn off the net and head to the service line before Sean even makes contact. Were you under the impression that basically the set was so good that it could have bounced itself? Because it was absolute butters...

First of all, why you continue to pluralize the word "butter" when referring to a nice set, I'll never know. I am actually much more impressed when Rosie hits over the block to the back line. He does that better than almost anybody and it is absolutely untouchable.

Does Misty May-Treanor cook on Thanksgiving?
By Matt Zuvela
November 20, 2006
Misty May-Treanor and her husband Matt Treanor are not strangers to being apart for long periods of time. Misty spends nearly 20 consecutive weeks on the road traveling to tournaments around the world during the summer, while Matt is a catcher for the Florida Marlins and plays about 80 away games a year. Fortunately, their off-seasons are pretty close and they will get to spend some time together this winter, whether it is at the gym training or out on a cruise in the Caribbean.
You and your husband travel almost non-stop during the spring and summer. What do you look forward to the most about being together in the winter?
It's very hard to stay in the best shape that I can because the window is so small, so we like working out together. And we're looking forward to our cruise we're going to take in the off-season! I'm so excited, and we love to get waited on. We're going to the Caribbean, so for us that is the best vacation ever. Cell phones don't work, computers are too expensive... it's great.

You've mentioned in interviews that you like to cook. Do you have Thanksgiving at your house?
You know, I leave that to my in-laws. We kind of do two Thanksgivings. We have one at a family friends' house, so we hit that early. By the time we drive out to Riverside to be with his family, we're hungry again. So we get two Thanksgivings. I leave the cooking to everybody else.
Are the Olympics always on your mind or do you ever get a true break to stop thinking about it?
Once I leave the beach, I have a general rule. Whether I'm eating dinner with my dad, or friends, or whatever -- no volleyball is spoken. I would say I start thinking about the Olympics in the off season as motivation for training.

At tournaments during the season, you are used to having long lines of fans with autograph requests. Does that die down at all during the off-season?
It does. During the off-season, I'm in Florida where we live. And it's pretty low-key. No one really knows me down there yet. It's very nice, and that's why I love living down there. There's kind of less distractions. Not that I mind, but I get my workouts done and my friends can't call and say 'Hey! What are you doing tonight?' But I appreciate all the fans and their support.

You mentioned that during the last off-season you changed your training program a little bit. Are you going to stick with it this year?
Yeah, I work out at Cris Carter's FAST program in Coral Springs, and with my trainer Eddie Winslow. I go to Body Works at Coral Springs and I do Pilates twice a week. I might do a little yoga too, because I think that would be good flexibility work. The older I get the stiffer I get, so I'm going to still maintain that. That's why I like going back to Florida because it's warm enough for me to get out on the sand and run and do what I need to. I felt like my regimen was great last year, I came in really good shape, so I'm going to continue.

When you look back on your indoor career, what stands out in your mind as especially significant?
Definitely winning the NCAA championship for the 49ers at Long Beach State with -- I would call them my family -- my teammates in 1998. I miss indoor, but it would be hard for me to play indoor because we were a family and those were my sisters. There will never be another team like that that I feel a part of. That definitely was significant. It was our last season. There were five seniors and it was very, very special for us.

If you could partner with a non-volleyball player...
By Colleen Murray
November 27, 2006
We've all heard of the multi-sport athlete. Deion Sanders pulled off professional careers in baseball and football. Michael Jordan, after arguably the best basketball career ever, tried his hand at minor league baseball. So we asked some AVP players: what athlete outside of volleyball would you choose as a partner and why?
"LeBron James. I really like him. I think he'd be able to pick up volleyball. He's really athletic." Brooke Hanson
"If I could choose any athlete playing now, from any sport, I would say Kevin Garnett. There are a couple things I really like about him. I like his loyalty. He plays for the Timberwolves and they are just getting crushed! They've been getting crushed, for I don't know, what, 10 years now? And he's had opportunities to leave and he has stuck with them. And I really admire that. His loyalty is second-to-none.
"He's a phenomenal athlete and not only is he a phenomenal athlete, he works on the things that he needs to work on. He's great at rebounds. He's great at everything he does because he will go and work on the little things. And those are two huge things to find in a partner. He's just an incredible teammate. I'd love to play with him." Ryan Mariano
"Allen Iverson. He's AI, too. Since we have the same initials, I say that I should get him out here. He's a pretty experienced athlete, so I think he could pass along the wisdom." Ashley Ivy
"I'd play with Rob Blake, the hockey player. He's like 6'5, he moves well, he's huge, he's a good athlete, he's a fun guy to be around, and he enjoys the beach lifestyle. I think hockey players are underrated as athletes." Aaron Wachtfogel
"Michael Jordan. I think he'd probably side out pretty well. He's a good athlete and he's quick. I could see him being a pretty good volleyball player." Phil Dalhausser
"I'd have to get someone to match up with Phil Dalhausser, so I'd probably get Kevin Garnett. He's about 7 feet, arms down to the ground, and if you bring him out here, he could learn the game in a month and be out here winning tournaments." Sean Rosenthal
"I wouldn't mind playing defense behind Shaq. Give it a try and see how he looks out there. It'd be pretty hard to get around that guy. I think he'd be good at blocking, lots of blocking." Matt Olson
"Michael Jordan. He's just a great athlete. He did basketball, then baseball, and then basketball again. He could play anything." Janelle Ruen
"Kevin Garnett. He's tall, lanky, really quick, even though he's 6'11, he's agile. He'd be the greatest blocker." Ty Loomis
"Amare Stoudamire. He's like 7 feet and he's athletic." Nick Lucena
"Shaquille O'Neal. He's just got such great charisma. You can tell that he really loves to play basketball, that he really loves to compete. The guy's just a monster. He's big, he's athletic, and he's a showman."Anthony Medel
"Reggie Bush because he's just sick and because he went to USC.."Hans Stolfus
"Kevin Garnett. He's so big that it would be really fun and he's incredibly athletic. To play with him would be great." Saralyn Smith

Kerri and Casey celebrate their first anniversary this weekend
By Matt Zuvela
November 28, 2006
Kerri Walsh wrapped up another fantastic season on the beach in 2006. Domestically, she and her partner Misty May-Treanor won fourteen titles. Walsh was also crowned Goddess of the Beach at this year's event in Las Vegas. Walsh is married to fellow AVP player Casey Jennings, and as their one-year anniversary approaches, she shared some of their off-season plans and also talked about defending her Olympic gold medal in 2008.

You and Casey were married on December 4, 2005. Any plans for your one year anniversary?
Casey Jenning and Kerri Walsh embrace after they both won in Seaside Heights last summer
We'll be in La Quinta, near Palm Springs, where we got married. And we're going to go to Lake Tahoe for Christmas. We've spent New Year's there for the past six years, so we'll be there from Christmas to New Year's.

Do you actually get on the slopes?
I'm really terrible and I feel like I have too much to jeopardize getting on the slopes. Casey loves it. He goes out and rips it up. I make snowmen and I have fun in the snow.

Now that the season is over, what do you guys do on a normal weekend?
Basically be with family as much as possible. We travel so much during the season, so we just like to be home. Casey's brothers live in LA and my family is not too far away up in northern California.

As the defending gold medalist, do you ever get to relax or do you always have 2008 on your mind?
Always on my mind. Right after 2004, we decided we wanted to do it again. It's a long process -- qualifying starts in 2007 -- but if we can do well next year it makes it so much easier for 2008. It takes the pressure off a little bit and we can just focus on getting better. So it's always there. Beijing is huge. The gold medal is such a motivating factor.

Based on what you've seen so far of the international competition, what kind of qualities do you think the teams will have who make it to the gold medal match?
I think they're going to be very consistent and not make a lot of unforced errors. And be very aggressive. I think those are the three key elements.

Fans get to switch from watching beach volleyball to watching indoor during the winter, how has the indoor game changed since you were a part of it?
I haven't watched it in so long. There's a lot of different rules [since I played]. The libero wasn't there, and the overhand passing on the serve is different. It's interesting. I think every year, the athletes get taller, bigger, and stronger and hopefully we'll be able to see some of those faces out on the AVP soon.

Hot Topics: Share Your Thoughts on Olympic Qualification
November 28, 2006
Qualification to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing will begin next season. Two Men's and two Women's teams will qualify for the Olympics. Qualification is determined by a team's 8 best finishes point wise on the FIVB tour between January 2007 and July 2008.
Headed into the 2007 AVP Season, several top teams have stated their desire to bring home gold including Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who hope for a repeat performance of 2004. The Men's side saw three teams in 2006 rise to the top in the fight for the two spots: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal, Todd Rogers / Phil Dalhausser and Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger. However, several teams on both the Men's and Women's sides have plans to grab one of the available Olympic spots.
The Hot Topic on the Beach is: Should Olympic Qualification for the United States Representatives take place domestically against American players to determine the two best teams or should it continue to be determined by international play on the FIVB tour?
Email comments@avp.com to share your thoughts on how qualification for the Olympics should happen. Make sure to include your name and home town.

Childhood Dreams and Beach Volleyball Part I&II
By Hans Stolfus
November 30, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. Join Hans Stolfus as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
Thanksgiving Day -- Cruising home for the roast-beast-feast... and ham and turkey and stuffing and potatoes and corn and green beans and rhubarb pie -- all covered in delectably refreshing cranberry chutney. Gorgeous. I miss home. I really do. Nothing profound about that statement. Yes, it's Iowa. Yes, it's cold. Yes, the Hawkeyes absolutely suck this year and our wonderful quarterback, Drew Tate, should never be allowed to take another snap behind center, but besides all that, its home. I guess the only problem with the annual pilgrimage to the heartland (where those Chevy commercials actually hit close to home) is the sentimentality that is drudged up by viewing my life as it was before I ever discovered who I might actually like to be. Not that it was that bad, don't get me wrong. Good wholesome family values there in Iowa, let me tell you. But opportunities to venture off the beaten path are few and far between and every time I pick up a photo from my childhood, the blond hair and puffy cheeks take me back to a time when the mere idea of writing novels for a living was nothing more than a top-secret fantasy.
At least I can say this; regardless of my location in life, I've always wanted to write the great American novel. Not to be confused with, "I believe I am a good enough writer to actually write the great American novel." Disillusioned I am not. Hell, I sometimes read and re-read the crap I put together for my blog and wonder how on earth I managed to place a present progressive immediately following a past participle in a sentence that contains three different tenses. Accident? God, I hope so. But more importantly, these grammatical lapses define a simple yet unfortunate reality -- the 'Great American Novel,' written by my hand, is probably going to be a bit of a stretch. I guess that's why it's still a dream.
And now that I think about it, isn't it kind of sad how many of us give up on our dreams as a child? It always seems to be right around the age of 13 -- give or take. There must be something about becoming a teenager that allows us to lose sight of these romantic, innocent, visions of grandeur. To be honest, I've never actually desired a residency at University Hospital or a spot on NASA's latest space shuttle Discovery, so relatively speaking; it has been quite easy to keep my dream alive.
Will my sweet dream to better Dan Brown ever really lead to financial success? Probably not, but who's counting? Is it possible that there are others also squabbling away their last few pennies for the sake of keeping that nostalgic dream alive? I mean really, how many kids hold on to their youthful aspirations even one day after their thirteenth birthday? That's got to be the real question.
Why don't we ask Jeeves...
78% of all children give up on their dreams exactly one day following their thirteenth birthday. No, just kidding, Jeeves turned out to be a total buzz kill.
Obviously the next question would be; when do kids start dreaming of a lovely life on the beach as AVP Professional Tour-ists? I wouldn't know, that's why I'm asking. Iowa doesn't produce a plethora of surf/sand grommets if you know what I'm saying...
Anyway, where do you go when you want a better answer? Friends and colleagues, that's where. I don't know why I didn't start with a Q & A, some of these answers are just fantastic...

Angie Akers -- Good friend and Notre Dame Alum.
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a pilot for Delta Airlines. (I have no idea why Delta!)
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
I think I gave up on that dream a few short years later. Then, strangely enough, I wanted to be an eye doctor, but realized I would have to deal with the eye infections and problems, not just the corrections.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
To be completely honest, I never had the dream of becoming a beach volleyball player. When I was 25 years old, working at Lehman Brothers in San Francisco, I realized that sitting at a desk in an office all day long was not for me. It wasn't necessarily beach volleyball that I wanted to do, but the sport provided an immediate avenue to get me out of the office. It just so happened that I fell in love with the game and decided to make it my full-time job/passion.

Matt Olson -- Good Friend and 2005 Teammate.
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
The only thing that was on my mind at that time in my life was to become a professional surfer. I wanted to travel around the world surfing contests and doing photo shoots for my sponsors.
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
At the age of 16, I sprouted to over 6 feet tall. Which at the time I felt was a little too much height for a professional surfer, being that my friends were all hovering around the 5'5" mark. In addition to my size, I remember a cold winter with the ocean temperature ranging from 55-60 degrees limiting me to a full suit, booties and a hood each time I surfed. At that time I made my parents very happy by joining the La Costa Canyon volleyball team and haven't looked back to this day.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
Becoming a member of the AVP Tour was a quick dream' transition for me. However, I didn't truly feel it was obtainable until my sophomore year in college when I qualified for the Huntington Beach Open with Shawn Burke. After I got into that event, I had a whole new mindset and my goals became entirely beach volleyball related.

Kerri Walsh -- World's greatest beach volleyball player ever! Her opinion is credible...
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An Olympian
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
Still chasing the dream: 2008 Olympic hopeful.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
I decided to commit to beach volleyball when I was 22. My first 6 months in the sport were terrible and not fun at all. I had a gut check half way through the season, talked it out with my mom, and decided that I would fight for my goal of becoming a professional beach volleyball player (a much better fit than having a 9-5er). Six seasons later I am living that dream.

Aaron Wachtfogel -- 2006 Teammate and proud Peanut Butter Jelly Time Member.
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was thirteen, I wanted to be a beach volleyball player. I wanted to be a beach volleyball player when I was two, I think. The age of thirteen was an interesting time for me. I still loved basketball and just so happened to be about four feet eleven inches tall. I know, hard for you to believe. During the winter I wanted to be Bobby Hurley of Duke more than anything and when summer rolled around, I wanted to be Brent Frohoff or Karch or Lewy or... well, anybody that could beat down Sinjin and Randy. I used to sit by the banner on center court all day long at the Manhattan Open, before there was "reserved seating." I reserved my seat by begging my parents to get to the beach by seven thirty everyday. Come to think of it, I probably woke up earlier for the Manhattan Open then I did for Christmas. Needless to say, you can scratch those next two questions, I have never given up on my beach volleyball dream.

John Hyden -- Two time indoor Olympian and fellow San Diego State University Alumni.
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was 13, I wanted to grow up to be 6' 9". I gave up on that dream when I became 6'5" for three years in a row. No, for real... When I was 13, I was a freshman in high school and figured out that I wasn't going to get a scholarship to college for basketball or soccer so I decided that my path was going to be volleyball. I guess from then on, I just kind of knew that all I wanted was to go to the Olympics. Hans, if you work hard you can do anything!
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
Never gave up on that dream. Even when Fred Sturm told me that the Olympic team was already pretty much set when I joined.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
I decided to pursue beach at age 29. Four years of training with Doug Beal pretty much broke down every muscle, bone and joint in my body! I thank him for helping me limp every morning when I get out of bed.

April Ross -- 2006 AVP Rookie of the Year and 26-time All American at USC. Fight on.
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Honestly, I never dreamed of becoming anything but a professional athlete. I used to hate that question when my teachers (or whoever) asked me. Usually, I'd make up something I felt was more socially acceptable like, marine biologist; but I don't think I even really knew what that was. I had yet to pick up volleyball but I was pretty good at soccer so I guess at that stage in my life, my dream was to play for the U.S. soccer team.
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
I gave up on being a pro soccer player after I started playing the awesome sport of indoor volleyball and found out that I actually had some talent. No question, I was hooked. I never thought about soccer again.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
I decided to pursue a life on the beach two years ago, (22 yrs old) after I got hurt playing indoors. On top of that, I was more than burnt out on ever playing in a gymnasium again. I had to sit out the 05 AVP season because of minor surgery, but once I dug my toes in the sand last April, I've only wanted to do one thing.

Julien Prosser -- Australian 3-time Olympic Beach Volleyball Representative, former partner of Irvine's newest police cadet, Mark Williams, and all around cool guy...
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an Aussie Rules Football star. You know a real champ type guy. You Yanks, might not be aware of the game. Best game in the world to play and watch if you don't mind getting your head knocked in occasionally and the old knee reconstructed. It's not rugby either for your ignorant readers. This game actually requires brain cells, technical skill, fitness and athleticism.
Can you remember at what age you gave up on that dream?
Everything changed when I went to Rio de Janeiro for the World Championships in 1990 as a 17 year old. The tournament was nothing but hanging out on the beach watching Brazilian girls in their hungry bum bikinis and drinking beers with Sinjin, Randy and Hovie/Dodd. It certainly beat the "fun" times my mates were having at home looking for summer jobs at the end of high school. If you would like to skip the third question, that's when I started the long journey on the beach. I was living my dream then and there.

Brooke Hansen -- Santa Barbara native formerly known as Brooke Niles before she took the plunge...
When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was 13, I wanted to be Shamu's trainer at Sea World. After seeing the show for the first time, I thought it would be the greatest job in the world. To be honest, I don't think I have actually given up on that dream quite yet... You see, my sister just recently visited Sea World and as it turned out, I got really jealous and pissed off that she didn't take me with her... I'm pretty sure that means I still want the job.
And, at what age did you decide you were going to pursue the beach volleyball dream?
As for the beach volleyball thing, I have always wanted to play beach for as long as I can remember.

And the Winner is...
December 1, 2006
Your voice has been heard and now for the results as AVP Fans voted for the 2006 AVP Awards

Most Valuable Player
Misty May-Treanor received 51.5% of the vote. Kerri Walsh finished second with 33.6% of the vote. The fans agreed with the players as both chose May-Treanor as the 2006 MVP of the AVP.
Todd Rogers received 36.7% of the vote. Phil Dalhausser finished second with 33.6% of the vote. The fans agreed with the players as both chose Rogers as the 2006 MVP of the AVP.

Best Defensive Player
Misty May-Treanor received 51.9% of the vote. Holly McPeak finished second with 33.1% of the vote. The fans agreed with the players as both chose May-Treanor as the Best Defensive Player in 2006.
Todd Rogers received 42.2% of the vote. Casey Jennings finished second with 32.4% of the vote. The fans agreed with the players as both chose Rogers as the Best Defensive Player in 2006.

Best Offensive Player
Kerri Walsh received 61.8% of the vote. May-Treanor finished second with 29.5% of the vote. The fans disagreed with the players who chose May-Treanor as the Tour's Best Offensive Player in 2006.
Matt Fuerbringer received 61% of the vote. Phil Dalhausser finished second with 26.4% of the vote. The fans disagreed with the players who chose Dalhausser as the Tour's Best Offensive Player in 2006.

Rookie of the Year
Jennifer Fopma received 43.4% of the vote. Stacy Rouwenhorst finished second with 27.1% of the vote. The fans disagreed with the player who chose Logan Tom and April Ross as Co-Rookies of the Year.
Brad Keenan received 53.3% of the vote. Mike Morrison finished second with 26.3% of the vote. The fans agreed with the players as both chose Keenan as the 2006 Rookie of the Year.

AVP MVP Todd Rogers discusses his off-season training routine
By Matt Zuvela
December 4, 2006
Todd Rogers had the best year of his career in 2006. Rogers partnered with Phil Dalhausser and together proved to be one of the best duos on tour. Together they won eight titles on the AVP Tour and became the first American team to win an international title in three years. Rogers was also named God of the Beach at this year's Las Vegas individual tournament. Rogers and Dalhausser are definitely in contention for earning a trip to the 2008 Olympics for the US, and as Rogers discusses in this week's player interview, the road to the Olympics is not an easy one.

They call you the Professor -- what do you put your brain towards during the off-season?
I try and do as much mindless stuff as I can since I have to think so much during the season (laughs). Actually, I kind of do. I like to just hang out with my kids, play soccer, play volleyball, swim, or whatever it is with them. I like to surf, so hopefully my kids will get into that too. It will give me a good excuse to take them out and get out myself. I'll exercise my brain -- I like to read -- but as far as thinking about volleyball, that won't really come until March. Well, maybe February at the earliest, when we start talking about strategy.

So you start shifting your focus from one season to the next after New Year's?
Yeah, definitely. I continue to train really hard, but I do take a little bit of a break and drink a lot of wine -- I like my wine. But come December, I'm back in the weight room and back on the track doing my sprinting and all that stuff. Kind of just trying to get a nice, good base to prepare for January and February when I start hitting.

What kind of things to you like to do on your actual break when you aren't training at all?
I like to take two vacations. One with my wife and kids, like a camping trip. And then hopefully one with my wife, even if it's just a weekend up to Napa or something simple like that. We might even come down to Manhattan Beach and have a little wine tasting with [AVP CEO] Leonard [Armato] and Holly [McPeak]. I don't have any crazy surf trips or anything like that planned, unfortunately. I don't think I could get away for an entire week. My wife might shoot me after being gone so much during the season.

The Olympics are about a year and a half away. Is that a long way down the road, or is it coming really quickly?
We've got to start thinking about it pretty heavily. You've really got to be sure you are ready for those big FIVB tournaments -- the Grand Slams and World Championships. The smaller ones it's good to do well in, but the points in the big ones are probably going to determine who gets the Olympic bids -- unfortunately, in my mind. This happened to Sean [Scott] and me in 2004. We did way better than everyone else. There was no one that was even close to us, and yet, we weren't representing the USA in Athens because in 2003, Dain [Blanton] and Jeff [Nygaard] had a really good season and Sean and I had not had as good a season -- Sean had a couple injuries that he dealt with. Stein [Metzger] and Dax [Holdren] had two great tournaments in 2003 -- big tournaments. So all of a sudden, on the strength of those two events, those guys go. And I don't begrudge them anything, they are all good guys, but nonetheless I look and it and go 'man, 2003 shouldn't have anything to do with it.' Really it should only be two or three tournaments with pressure on those tournaments, and ideally it's in the US. I don't like the FIVB having control of it.

So would you prefer seeing Olympic Trials for beach volleyball in the United States?
Absolutely. I'd love to see an Olympic Trials. One (tournament) or a series of four, it's something that would really benefit beach volleyball. And I think that the AVP, USOC, and USAV could (hopefully) come to an agreement on something like that for 2012. I don't know if I'll be in the mix for that, I'll be 38 or so, but hopefully they can get together. Really, that would bring beach volleyball to the forefront in people's minds. Four series trial within two months, hit key markets, huge on NBC, make a big deal out of it... that would really jump beach volleyball to the next level, in my opinion.

What have you improved on the most?
By Colleen Murray
December 6, 2006
Stats may tell us a lot of things, but the pros themselves usually take a different, more subjective view of the strides they've made in the past year. We asked some athletes: where have you improved the most?

"Probably my decision-making. The game has become a little slower for me; it used to be so fast. Now I think I'm making more of the right plays, before it was just instinct. I'd think, 'Oh, I'll do this because that's what I know how to do.' But now, I think I see the game a little better, and make smarter plays. I think my ball control has gotten better, and my passing has gotten a little bit better from getting reps in and doing it over and over." John Mayer

"Taking the game more seriously, I guess. Maybe I practice a little more, a little more organized practice, and I go out less. [Partner Ben Koski and I] just take the game more seriously than we used to." Jeff Minc

"You kind of have to change your lifestyle. It's kind of hard to separate it, but you get to play on the beach and you get to play volleyball, so it's worth it but it's hard to separate your friends and what you do." Ben Koski

"It's hard because I've really learned so much from Holly [McPeak], whether it's the training or the playing or having the winning mentality and just thinking that way every weekend. I think that's been a big thing for me the mentality and just the training, I needed to improve in all areas. I think I have a lot of improvement still to go but I think last year I learned a lot and hopefully it's all coming together a little bit better."Nicole Branagh

"I think my setting has gotten a lot better. For a while, it was a little down, but I think it's better other than that." Keao Burdine

"Maybe blocking. I feel like my blocking has gotten a little bit better. (Keao says, "I agree!" in the background.) I'm notoriously known for not being a great blocker. I feel like I'm not taking big strides but baby steps. I feel like I've improved a little bit." April Ross

"I think I've gotten better just moving around in the sand. I used to be a big goofball out there, I may still be a big goofball, but I'm just figuring out how to move, so it's a little bit faster out there in the sand." Sean Rooney

"Probably just learning the game. Making everything a little smaller. I've got a lot of work to do----it's not even funny how much work---but you try to chip away and hopefully get better. That's all I can control: how much work I put into something and how much time. If it goes my way, it goes my way."Logan Tom

"I think my consistency has improved the most. I think I've gotten a lot more experience. That helps the most in pressure situations from having a lot of time in the off-season, training hard, training with great teams like Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal and Karch [Kiraly] and Larry [Witt]. I've had a lot of great opportunities to train against them, and they don't train half-speed. It's all or nothing in practice. I think I will just gradually get better and better and better with the opportunity to train against them." Ryan Mariano

Nancy Mason Played with Three of the AVP's Best Blockers in 2006
By Matt Zuvela
December 7, 2006
Nancy Mason played with three different partners in 2006 and appeared in the semi-finals with each of them. Mason began the season with Jen Boss and they placed second twice and third three times. Next, Mason played with Elaine Youngs and finished second at the Manhattan Beach Open. Mason ended the season with Tyra Turner and they finished third in their first tournament together in Brooklyn.

You've had the chance to play with some of the best blockers on tour in 2006 -- Jennifer Kessy, Elaine Youngs, and Tyra Turner. How are they similar and different in terms of their abilities as blockers?
Actually, Tyra, just playing with her in a few tournaments, she's much bigger than Jen or EY. Just how much space she takes up at the net. But she's never been a full time blocker, she's been the defender. So I think her upside is huge. Obviously EY has been doing it all her career and she's at the top right now. But it's fun to play defense.

Who do you think of the newer crowd, such as Keao Burdine and April Ross, is going to be making an impact in the next couple of years?
I think April and Keao are both great players. I think what happens with the young players is they are good friends and they want to play together, and I think that's commendable, but I think there is so much to learn that sometimes they are going to be better off playing with someone with more experience, and then maybe come back together later. I think for those two in particular, maybe they can advance more quickly if they play with a more experienced player. [Mason teamed up with Ross in the FIVB season ending event in Thailand where they finished 17th]

Would you say the same about Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger?
Well, those girls are a little bit different because they are all about their chemistry. I don't know how they do it -- that they've lived together for as long as they do and they play together. But obviously that works for them. And they're not as big and dominant as Keao and April, so it's a little bit different. It's a little bit more about their chemistry.

It seems like college players are coming over to the beach quicker. What do you think their crossover from indoor brings to the game?
I think it's good and it's a good sign for the tour, and it's exciting that they want to be a part of the AVP. Obviously the lure of the indoor money overseas is hard to pass up, but that they want to be on the beach is a positive sign.

After being on the road all summer, what is the one thing you look forward to the most when you get to sit at home and do nothing?
Spending time with my boyfriend and watching football.

Who do you root for?
The Chargers and the Rams.

AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES DEBUT EVENT IN CHARLESTON
December 8, 2006
Charleston, SC (December 8, 2006) -- AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball will bring the fast-growing AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour to the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina. The AVP Charleston Open will take place this summer, June 14-17, 2007. The AVP Charleston Open will kick off with an open qualifier on Thursday, June 14 and continue with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men's and women's finals on Sunday, June 17. More than 150 of the world's top men's and women's beach volleyball professionals will compete in the tournament to be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.
A press conference was held today, Friday, Dec. 8 at 12:15 p.m. at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston featuring Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr, AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato, and pro beach volleyball stars Holly McPeak and Stein Metzger.
Charleston is the first new city announced for the 2007 AVP season and will make up one of eighteen events nationwide. The tournament is scheduled to take place at Charleston's premier outdoor facility, the Family Circle Tennis Center. AVP's Charleston debut features an integrated partnership with the Family Circle Tennis Center which will actively promote and present the event. The Family Circle Tennis Center will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality, with AVP maintaining control over all of its assets. Tickets will be available for purchase in late March on the official AVP website (www.avp.com).
"We are excited to bring the AVP Tour to Charleston," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "The AVP is proud to be included as a premier sports event in a city that is home to the Family Circle Cup and the inaugural Ginn Tribute. We are thrilled to be working with the Family Circle Tennis Center and we look forward to bringing the excitement of the Tour and beach volleyball to Charleston."
"This is a big win for Charleston. The AVP Tour brings a third major sporting event to Charleston, and will really stand out as something special in this city," said Bob Moran, Director of Sales and Business Development -- Family Circle Tennis Center. "This venture is the product of our commitment to continue to bring important events to Charleston. We're very happy that the AVP recognizes Charleston's ability to support an event of this caliber, and we look forward to another exciting year on Daniel Island."
The AVP Tour is comprised of the best men's and women's pro beach volleyball players in the U.S. and the world. Featuring more than 150 of the sport's top competitors, the Tour includes world-class athletes such as 2004 Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor as well as other Olympic medalists and professional stars like Holly McPeak, Eric Fonoimoana, Elaine Youngs, Dain Blanton and Karch Kiraly, who won the sport's first gold medal in Atlanta. The AVP's main goal is to deliver its fans the experience of an amazing athletic contest surrounded by an unforgettable beach party.

Jeff Nygaard on Fatherhood and the Superbowl
By Matt Zuvela
December 11, 2006
Jeff Nygaard is another one of the AVP's expectant fathers, as his first child is due next month. However, he has been exposed to the world of fatherhood first hand through his partner, John Hyden, who's first child was born near the beginning of last season. Nygaard will have a busy off-season as he balances life with a new baby on the way with training for 2007, and he shared some of his thoughts with us on fatherhood, staying in shape, and his pick for the Superbowl.

After watching some of the other players become fathers, do you feel like you have a better idea of how to balance the life of a dad with the life of a player?
It's more of an all encompassing thing. There are conversations I've had with a number of people who have been through it or are going through it, where they've prepped me for certain situations that were so far off my radar. Hearing those things... it's pearls of wisdom. Someone who has survived that situation. It's the unknown -- you're going into it and it's your first kid. I've heard somebody say that your first born is your every mistake. You gear up for all these things, and you're going to be so tense because it's your first one. So yeah, I'm worried about it, but at the same time I know it's going to work itself out. And then just having these guys talk me through these situations takes a lot of those fears away. It's going to be stressful, but I know I'll get through it.

Was it hard for you knowing that your partner John Hyden was due to have his first child in the middle of the season? Was that something you had talked about before you started playing together?
No, it was not a problem. We talked about it, and before we even started to partner up I asked him 'What's the situation with the kid? What's going to happen?' They had a birth coach who was going to be there whether John was there or not to help with the process. But it was a nice situation where he didn't have to worry about the whole thing. He was free to focus on volleyball to bring home some bacon.

At what point do you really start training seriously for the 2007 season?
I usually end up taking a month off from all physical activity, which ends up driving me nuts. Then I start weight training and plyometric training. The off season is where you make the biggest gains, because it's the gains that keep you strong throughout the whole season.

Is it difficult to balance training too hard and being burned out when the season starts with training too little and not being prepared when it's time to play?
I think that is situational, person by person. When I was on the national team, I got used to training four hours a day, five days, or sometimes six days a week, and traveling for three weeks of the month, eleven and a half months out of the year. Literally during the off season, I am going nuts, because we have six months to play and then six months off. And I'm still not used to that transition. I'm still not used to having that much time off to do nothing. It kills me! I hate that! I have to have something to do, and I need to be busy. Training is my stress relief more than anything else. That's what I do.

Care to make a prediction on record about the Super Bowl?
Oh yeah -- Green Bay Packers.
Over who?
Who cares?

Which AVP Pros do you watch to help improve your game?
By Colleen Murray
December 14, 2006
When there is a break in the action at any AVP event, a spectator may be served well to look around at his fellow fans. There could be rising beach volleyball stars sitting alongside, absorbing what they can from current pros. We asked some of the tour's newer players: do you watch any players on the AVP Tour and try to learn from them?
"Oh definitely, I probably started coming to events as a fan in 2001, 2002. I thought Karch [Kiraly] was at the end of his career. He is one of the best ever, so I was like, 'I gotta watch him every time I come out here.' You figure, how many more events is he gonna play? So I thought, I gotta see him every time I can. And he's a great guy to learn from. So I would always try to watch Karch.
"I love watching Todd Rogers. I'm a little guy, so I like watching the little guys. Todd does everything the right way.
"I love watching Stein [Metzger]. Stein takes the game so seriously, he's like a real professional." John Mayer
"I spent a lot of time watching Stein, and I spent a lot of time watching Karch. I think everybody has. Those are the two players that I would really like to compete like. I think Stein is an incredible defender and does a great job siding out and has a lot of energy about him.
"I think Karch is just Karch. He's just fundamentally sound and so consistent that it's ridiculous. Those are a couple of things that I wanted to try and take from them and I'll continue to learn from them as I watch them now." Ryan Mariano
"I grew up in Northern California and beach volleyball isn't really that big. Then I played indoor and I only really focused on indoor. But I always saw the magazines and Holly [McPeak] flying through the air hitting balls, so I knew like Holly and Elaine [Youngs] and Kerri [Walsh] and Misty [May-Treanor], obviously." Nicole Branagh
"I usually watch the short guys because I'm pretty short. Todd Rogers is good. It's amazing to watch him play because he's not my style but he has such good vision. He can put the ball wherever he wants. Casey Jennings mixes it up really well. I watched Albert Hannemann play a lot. He's got everything you need to side out. You could take something from everybody. I'm still learning." Aaron Wachtfogel
"I never watched beach volleyball. I tend to stay away from any sort of volleyball when I'm not playing. Just take a break. You play it so much, you're around it so much. You need a break, well, I need a break. Some people live it all the time, but I can't do that.
"But you have great players out here. You can take EY's blocking, Holly's defense, and Misty's siding out. Look at Kerri, she's an indoor player, look where she is now. You can just pick and choose." Logan Tom
"It's kind of funny, but I always watch the guys jump serve, but not a lot of girls jump serve, Carrie Dodd does a pretty good jump serve, and I've been able to play with her in practice and play against her, but the force that the guys put behind the ball, I try to imitate that, I mean, it's kind of hard to control it right now but I'm just trying to make it strong.
"I learn a lot from the girls on defense. For the women's game you have to be able to read more and move more than the guys so I'll watch the women play defense, like Holly, and Holly does a really good job and Barb Fontana." April Ross
"I'd like to have the ball control like Peter Jordan has or the jump serve like Aaron Wachtfogel." Ben Koski
"I like Aaron Wachtfogel. He's our inspiration really. He's 6'1 and he is siding out like a god. Aaron's kind of my hero." Jeff Minc

Five Tips with Jeff Nygaard
By Jeff Nygaard
December 15, 2006
What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?
On a certain level, every skill carries over from the indoor to beach. The fundamentals of each are relatively the same from one discipline to the other, but with some variances. For example, blocking indoor and beach requires you to align yourself in front of the hitter. The difference lies in the timing and the reading of the play. Indoor, you of course have to read the hit, but if you just get up big and over the net, you're doing the majority of blocking correctly. Beach also requires you to get in front of the hitter, but you have to be able to read the timing of the hit. Whether you need to wait and swat a roll shot or get over quick to seal off the hit depends upon your ability to read what the attacker is doing. Just an example of the similarities and differences.

What new skills die you have to improve on?
I had to improve my beach game. My overall knowledge of beach was very limited and I just need experience from playing time in the sand. Have you ever noticed how the more experienced players always are in the right spot. That isn't luck, that has taken them a long time to develop. Specifically, I really had to improve my setting ability. Beach sets have to have no spin which is not required for the indoor. Even though I was a good indoor setter, I need to develop beach hands with a deep dish. That took awhile.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference between indoor and beach is the overall ability of the players. Indoor, if you have a weakness, you can hide it and use one of the other 5 players on the court to either cover it or compensate. On the beach, if you cannot do one skill, you will get absolutely abused for it. For example, if you can crush any ball and get kills but cannot set a thing...you will not see one serve all day long to make you set your partner. There is no way to hide a weakness. The best rounded players are the most successful.

What is the biggest similarity?
The only real true similarity between the two is that it is still volleyball. I love playing indoor. I put 16 years into the game and it does and always will make sense to me. But beach is a challenge that I love trying to overcome. I still get to play the game I love, it's just that I have a lot less teammates to play with.

Why did you cross over?
I made the change after the 2000 Olympics. I left volleyball to come to California to try and pursue another chapter in life. While waiting for the fall quarter to begin, I started playing on the beach for fun, and that fun was what was missing for me with indoor. And once I started enjoying myself again, I devoted myself to it and have not looked back since.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on the hardcourt:
Hard work. If you are having trouble with a particular skill, keep doing it after practice until you find it. Demand that of yourself.
Be aggressive. Being tentative will teach you bad habits that you'll never end up using in matches. It will only hurt your game.
Once you enter the gym, be focused. If you are peppering at 50% because your thinking about something that happened earlier (or just not focusing), you are teaching yourself bad habits that will show up on the court. Every touch of the ball should be the best you can.
Once you leave the gym, unless you're at a volleyball meeting, leave it behind. Don't carry things around thinking about a bad play that happened. Let it go and come back the next day with a fresh out look. You cannot change what happened anyway, just learn from it.
Have fun. If you are not enjoying yourself on some level, why are you doing it?

How would Casey Jennings / Kerri Walsh fare against Sean Scott / Rachel Wacholder?
By Matt Zuvela
December 20, 2006
Casey Jennings is one of the most recognizable figures in beach volleyball. He is also married to one of the sports biggest celebrities. Jennings and his wife Kerri Walsh were married on December 4, 2005 and as their one-year anniversary has just passed, Jennings discusses his training in the off-season, how he and Kerri would do against other beach couples, and tells us the best way to watch the Super Bowl.

How did you and Kerri spend your anniversary?
We went down to La Quinta. We're going to try and do it every year. Go down on the same day, and maybe get a bunch of friends or family, whoever wants to come.

Any plans for Christmas and New Years?
We go snowboarding every year in Lake Tahoe. We go up there for ten days or two weeks. Relax and enjoy time away, just being in the mountains in the snow, with the fire chilling with some beers. We love it. We'll do it every year the rest of our lives.

Once the New Year rolls around is that when you start thinking about training?
Might be a little later this year because it's going to be another long season, so maybe the middle of January.

With the 2007 season just a few months down the road, what does your training schedule look like? How much time do you spend on the beach? And in the gym?
In the off season I spend minimal time on the sand. Jogging twice a week in the deep stuff so that when January comes its not such a shock to the body. I lift twice a week focusing on building strength in my legs, squats, cleans, straight legged Deadlifts etc. with my trainer Tommy Knox. I also do Pilates twice a week with the fabulous Lauren Rauth. I love it!

What does January look like in comparison to February and March?
In January, we start the steady climb of working out five times a week, lifting twice a week at fast twitch, Pilates twice a week, playing on the sand five days a week. The difference from January to February and March is a secret that I like to keep to myself. I can't give you all the goods!!!

In Canyon Ceman's article in DiG Magazine, Canyon reported that you and Matt Fuerbringer will most likely end your four year partnership entering 2007. What made the two of you so successful for so long?
Hard work and communication were the key elements for Fuerby and me. Dane Selznick did such a good job on building our confidence with repetition and keeping us focused on the basics.

What moment sticks out as greatest in the Casey-Fuerby run?
No one thing sticks out in mind because we endured so many things together. That is the coolest thing about playing with one guy for so long, not to mention one of my best friends. All the memories good and bad! They are all stored in the memory bank and you get share them with each other for life!!!

If the AVP were to stage a battle of the couples, how would you and Kerri do against Sean Scott and Rachel Wacholder?
What do you think? We would give them a Smishing! Yes I said Smishing! hahahaha I have to bet on Kerri and I. Who knows? Let's find out in 2007 Vegas!!!

How about Jen and Aaron Boss?
AB and Bossy? AB could take me out of my game by making me laugh. I wouldn't bet on us in that match.

Put these in order of importance on Superbowl Sunday: cold beer, big screen, TV commercials, and John Madden.
How about fifty yard line, cold beer, and then I'll go watch the highlights after I watch it live. That's what we do every year. Super Bowl Sunday we're there, for three years. We go with Gatorade.

Care to make a Superbowl prediction?
The Saints are going to win, but I would really like to see Peyton get his dues. Peyton just needs to get his defense to drink some more Gatorade!!!

Goals for 2007!
By Colleen Murray
January 2, 2007
Because being a beach volleyball player is easier on the body than indoor, it lends itself to long careers for its athletes. As a young player on the AVP, it seems like there's plenty of time to reach your long-term goals, but we asked young players about the short-term: what would you like to accomplish during the 2007 season?
"It'd be nice to kind of lock down an Olympic berth next year. If we played well enough on the international side, we could lock down an Olympic berth, so that would be good. And I'd like to win a tournament in Florida." Phil Dalhausser
"I would love to consistently finish in the top 10. I got my first ever fifth this year and I would like a few more of those, possibly a third, a finals eventually one day. I like small goals." Matt Olson
"Play more consistently." Janelle Ruen
"You always want to win a tournament, be in the top five, and make more money so I don't have to get a real job. My family and friends have those, and I don't want one." Nick Lucena
"My goal this year was to be in the top 10 teams. The hardest thing out here is to be consistent in finishes. We were flirting with the top 10. We were 8 or 9 for a while and now we finished at 14. But we've been pretty consistent so I'm pretty happy. My two partners this year, Ed Ratledge and Kevin Wong, have been really good. They've done a lot of off-season work. The ultimate goal is the Vegas Tournament. Then you've been the most consistent. Also, to make the Best of the Beach Tournament. Those are two definite goals. Another goal is to consistently get 9th place and higher. I want to give myself a chance to compete on Sunday." Ty Loomis
"I want all top 10 finishes next year." Hans Stolfus
"To make some of the post-season tournaments. This year was my first year even going to Vegas to watch but we'd like to make the tournament next year." Brad Keenan
"To improve upon my finishes from the previous year. I don't like to set lofty goals, just to keep having fun. I want to keep playing with Fred [Souza] and I want to keep improving."Anthony Medel
"It's very hard to measure your goals in terms of finishes. It's beyond your control. I like to focus on things in my control, like my skills. I want to build more muscle and strength and get more explosiveness. That's stuff you'll always want to work on in your career. Next year, I'd like to come out with a tougher serve and a better hand serve. Ideally, I'd like to be making it to Sundays. We've finished ninth but seventh plays on Sundays." Saralyn Smith

2007 Schedule to Include New Tour City: Glendale, Az
January 3, 2007
Glendale, Arizona (January 3, 2007) -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced a multi-year agreement with The Ellman Companies to bring the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour to the new Westgate City Center in Glendale, Arizona to be titled the AVP Westgate Open.
Glendale is the second new city announced for the 2007 AVP season (Charleston, S.C. was announced on Dec. 8, 2006) and will make up one of 18 events nationwide. The tournament is scheduled to take place May 10-13, 2007 on the WaterDance Plaza at the Westgate City Center, just steps away from the entrance to Jobing.com Arena and University of Phoenix Stadium.
AVP's Glendale debut features an integrated partnership with Westgate, which will actively promote and present the event. Westgate Live, the marketing, sponsorship and events arm of the Westgate development, will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality, with AVP maintaining control over all of its assets. Tickets will be available for purchase in late March on the official AVP website (www.avp.com).
At a press conference today, Ellman Companies Chairman and CEO Steve Ellman, Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, AVP General Manager Gabby Roe, and AVP Professional Beach Volleyball Stars Rachel Wacholder and Sean Scott announced the agreement.
"This week brings the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and BCS Championship Game, and the Super Bowl is only a year away," said Ellman, developer of the Westgate City Center. "We are pleased to continue to make Westgate the sporting capital of the Southwest by adding another world class event with the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour."
"We are excited to announce this new partnership enabling us to bring The Westgate Open, and all of the excitement and competition of the AVP Crocs Tour to our fans in Glendale, AZ," said Roe. "We look forward to working with the Ellman Companies and the City of Glendale to continue expanding both our local footprint in Arizona as well as the overall popularity of the sport of pro beach volleyball."
The AVP Westgate Open will kick off with an open qualifier on Thursday, May 10 and continue with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men's and women's finals on Sunday, May 13. More than 150 of the world's top men's and women's beach volleyball professionals will compete in the tournament, televised on Fox Sports Net.

Pro beach volleyball shifting play from Tempe to Glendale
4-year run in East Valley ended over money; tour's new digs are expected to add support to W. Valley's claim as regional sports
Scott Wong and Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 4, 2007 12:00 AM

The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is saying goodbye to the East Valley and hello to the West Valley, reinforcing the fast-growing region's claim as the sports capital of the Southwest.
After a four-year run at Tempe Town Lake, the AVP Crocs Tour is making a stop this spring at Westgate City Center in Glendale.
The sports and entertainment complex is just north of Jobing.com Arena and University of Phoenix Stadium, where the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was played Monday night and the BCS national title game will take center stage next Monday."We are successfully moving the entertainment pendulum and sports pendulum to the West Valley," said Westgate developer Steve Ellman, who announced the five-year deal Wednesday with Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs and AVP General Manager Gabby Roe. "This was a natural fit for this environment." advertisement
The 223-acre center hosted thousands of people for its first New Year's Eve celebration and will put on several bowl parties in the coming days.
The mother of all sporting events, the Super Bowl, will be played at Glendale's stadium in 2008. And two new Cactus League baseball facilities will be built in the West Valley over the next few years.
Meanwhile, Monday's spectacular Fiesta Bowl marked the first time the Valley tradition was played in Glendale. Tempe had hosted the game since 1971.
The three-day volleyball tournament, which will be renamed the AVP Westgate Open and will feature some of the best volleyball players in the world, will take place May 10-13. Up to six sand courts, including a 5,000-seat stadium, will be set up in Westgate's eastern parking lot. An interactive village with food, beer and sponsorship booths will sit in the complex's water fountain plaza, just steps from the entrance to the hockey arena.
Ellman and the Association of Volleyball Professionals also will team up and use proceeds from the tournament to refurbish volleyball courts at Glendale's Saguaro Ranch Park.
Although Westgate doesn't have Tempe's man-made lake, Roe said, he wasn't concerned with the prospects of having players compete in a concrete lot.
"We have done successful events next to oceans, lakes, rivers, and retail and entertainment venues like this," he said. "We loved the event in Tempe. . . . We have no bad feelings about Tempe whatsoever, but what Glendale and Westgate had to offer was too perfect for us to pass up."
Tempe had a five-year contract with the Los Angeles-based tour. It was a smoking deal for the volleyball promoter. AVP paid nothing for the site, and the city and Tempe Convention and Visitors Bureau picked up nearly $90,000 in costs for things like sand, court setup and teardown, and police, trash and other city services.
The AVP and Tempe started renegotiating that contract in June 2006, but talks ended in December after the city proposed that the AVP pick up event costs. As a result, the AVP bowed out of holding the event at the lake for the final year of the contract.
"It's an awesome event. From the time it opens up to the time it closes down three days later, it's great exposure for the city," said Travis Dray, Tempe's deputy manager of recreation services. "But at what cost? It came time that it wasn't worth it."
More than 150 of the world's top men's and women's beach volleyball pros will compete in the tournament, which will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
AVP's Sean Scott, who was part of a team that won the Tempe tournament in 2004, said competing in the shadows of Glendale's pro hockey arena and football stadium gives greater credibility to a sport that has seen its fan base grow by nearly half in two years.
"It helps legitimize the sport," said Scott, 33, who attended Wednesday's news conference with his girlfriend, Rachel Wacholder, another AVP player. "We get to play where all the big boys play."

Manhattan Beach Open: Free or not?
Council decides to explore possibility of charging all spectators, but that's just the start of the process. Proposal also needs the approval of the California Coastal Commission.
By Andrea Sudano
DAILY BREEZE
After years of complaints about lost revenue and vague threats to abandon the mostly-free Manhattan Beach Open, owners of the tournament have persuaded the City Council to at least explore the possibility of charging admission for every spectator at upcoming tournaments.
But the Association of Volleyball Professionals shouldn't celebrate a victory yet: The council's decision is just a small part of a lengthy process of Planning Commission public hearings, subcommittee meetings and an appearance before the California Coastal Commission, which has the final word on what happens on California beaches.
"I like the partnership that we have with the AVP, but I like what they've done for the sport," Councilman Mitch Ward said. "We were interested in exploring paid admission, if it would make AVP profitable in a sense."
Since 1993, the Coastal Commission has allowed the AVP to charge admission for nearly a quarter of its attendees, like corporate sponsors and courtside seats.
But AVP executives said that number is no longer enough for solvency. The Manhattan Beach Open has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars every year since 2001, with a loss of about $509,000 at last year's tournament alone, said Chief Executive Leonard Armato. Tournaments in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Huntington Beach are the biggest financial duds of all AVP stops, he added.
"The irony is that where volleyball began, or at least blossomed for sure, the events in these markets are the least profitable because of these restrictions," Armato said.
But for AVP to be able to charge more visitors for admission, the association's first stop is the City Council, which must ask the commission for an amendment to its Local Coastal Plan, a set of guidelines for coastal development and use.
Then if the commission approves the city's new plan, Manhattan Beach can work out a new number in its contract with the association.
Many beach volleyball purists, such as Dennis "Duke" Noor of Hermosa Beach, have long argued charging admission at the Manhattan Beach Open would keep away attendees or commercialize the beach.
"I think the AVP is trying to take more of an advantage of the right they already have on the beach," he said. "That beach belongs to the taxpayers and the regional citizens of the whole area."
On Tuesday when the panel voted in favor of exploring charging admission to all attendees, none of the council members expressed an inclination toward allowing AVP to charge every attendee, but many liked the idea of better controlling how much the association can charge at the city's event.
"To me, this goes back to local control," Ward said. "The Coastal Commission reviews a lot of stuff in the city of Manhattan Beach. ... Let's take that control out of the Coastal Commission by saying now we'll allow 100 percent, knowing we'll never allow that."
Councilman Jim Aldinger, himself a former coastal commissioner, lobbied heavily for some of his colleagues to work with the AVP to find a suitable number of attendees to charge admission, arguing the panel would never approve a blanket 100 percent figure.
In February, the Coastal Commission is slated to hear AVP's proposal to charge 100 percent paid admission at the Hermosa Beach tournament.
That decision could serve as a barometer for the commission's generosity if the Manhattan Beach Council opted to ask for more control over admission fees, council members said Tuesday.
In the meantime, the subcommittee will work to find an appropriate figure, and the city's Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the topic. The City Council will then have final say over whether or not to approach the Coastal Commission for a change this spring.
Armato certainly hopes it does. After all, the AVP could always pull out of the tournament completely.
"Of course, but that would be something that would be a last resort," he said. "There's no way you can continue to sustain a business that loses money every year. Clearly, we'd like to resolve this sooner rather than later. ... But we couldn't go on losing money in perpetuity."
Noor isn't worried. He believes the Manhattan Beach Open will continue to thrive with or without the AVP.
"The tradition is a tournament without grandstands, gawky announcers, blow-up dolls and minimall-like atmosphere," he said. "It was a fun tournament where the grand prize was a case of beer and maybe a burger at the local diner."

8 Titles Short: Hans Stolfus Takes the Ultimate Volley Trip (Part I&II)
By Hans Stolfus
January 4, 2007
You know how surfers are always circumnavigating the globe, creating epic films while playing their acoustic guitars aboard "The Crossing" by Quiksilver? Well, I feel like it's about time that we play a little catch up. No, for real. I know beach volleyball is not even in the same category of cool as surfing but for the love of all things holy and decorated with lights, we play a game on the beach! Who on this lonely planet doesn't think the beach is beautiful?
-- Actually, I hate being my own antagonist, but I did recently speak with someone here in Minnesota who informed me that beaches are: A. Dirty, B. Cold, and of all things, C. Sandy. True story. Sandy! Wait, she used the word cold first! What the... ? It's 18 degrees outside today in the fine entrepreneurial city of Minneapolis. Just a half step out the front door and my nose hairs immediately begin to crystallize. And the beach is COLD?! I'm not sure I've ever really needed to communicate with people who create sentences of that nature. I should have picked up my things, pretended to hear a cool new song by Stereophonics and danced my way to the door.--
Where was I? Oh, right... international volley trips for the sake of beauty and existentialism. Unfortunately, such trips would probably not include the voice over narrative from "Endless Summer 2," the Jack Johnson soundtrack from "The September Sessions," or even the film editing from "Flow, The True Story of the Surfing Revolution;" which I just happened to stumble across on YouTube. Each of those requires something known as a budget. And we all know...
I don't even need to finish that sentence.
So, without a camera, or a guitar, or a big group of dudes with wavy long hair and cataclysmic, facial sun damage... I recently partook in my very own southern hemisphere volley trip. It's going to catch on, mark my words.
First stop: The French Melanesian island of New Caledonia. Don't ask, I don't know either. It's a three hour flight from Auckland, New Zealand. And I'll be damned if its not one of the most beautiful places to volley in the known world. Matt Olson and I were lucky enough to be invited by the director of volleyball New Caledonia, Gerard Denaja, to his little unknown paradise in order to participate in their once-a-year professional beach volleyball festival. Flights, accommodation and food - paid for. Post party at Kevin Ces and Fabien Dugrip's favorite watering hole built on stilts over the Pacific Ocean (LA BODEGA) - on us. Small price to pay for remarkably inspired inspiration.
Local New Caledonian teams were joined by representatives from Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, France, Brazil and the U.S. Oddly enough however; we were labeled in the tournament brackets as E.U. The first guess that sprang to mind was 'European Union' but after further investigation, we discovered that the French pronunciation of the United States was simply, Etats Unis. Cue NBC for some music, a star and my favorite phrase growing up, "The More You Know."
Although our particular exhibition was held downtown in the city of Noumea, there was plenty of stunning tropical beauty to be soaked up. Just ask Kirk Pittman from New Zealand. -- I'll find his email address and attach it at the bottom.--
Eva (New Friend from New Caledonia)
Finals Match in New Caledonia featuring me hitting
And on that note... credit where credit is due. New Zealand's very own Jason Lochhead and the aforementioned Kirk Pittman took home the title and beat us down in the finals, 15-13 in the 3rd set. 2,000+ fans, a local band and a group of impressive "Brazilian" dancers were there to witness the culminating match of the tournament.
And... we pooled the prize money from the finals. Suckers.
Second stop: Sydney, Australia and a little piece of its own paradise known as Manly Beach. Matt returned home to his directorial coaching position at Wave Volleyball Club in San Diego and left me to compete with Australia's most notorious beach volleyball legend, 3-time Olympian Julien Prosser. For those of you who don't know, Julien was Mark William's partner in the 2004 Athens' Games; where just a couple of points could have won them bronze and a celebratory party that would have no doubt included shrimps on the barbie.
Australia is a great country. It really is. It's like California before the 36,132,147 people decided to buy up every inch of property available and then torch through it like a hybrid breed of Ecuadorian super termites. I got that from a movie, "Lucky Number Slevin." Sorry. Good movie by the way... or perhaps I was just enamored by the high definition picture on my new 40 inch Sony Bravia LCD flat screen television. Just a little unsolicited advertising. You know how it is. -- And Thank You John Hyden. -- Wait, is Sony a sponsor in 2007? I don't want to waste my shout outs.
Nine days is not nearly enough time to spend in a land as therapeutic as Oz. Either way, I found a way to make the most of it while I was there. Julien and I practiced extensively (twice) before getting behind the wheel of the greatest automobile I can honestly say I have ever been fortunate enough to rest my legs in. The "Volley Van" is like I nothing I could ever describe on paper. Four statements litter the external paint job: "Play Beach Volleyball," "Get Fit!" "Have Fun!" "Meet Friends!" No, for real. But that's not it. The appropriated website, "BEACHVOLLEYBALL.COM.AU" is printed across each side and the back! But wait, it doesn't stop there! If you don't have a computer handy, pick up your mobile and dial direct: 1300 VOLLEY! I added the exclamation point. It needed one. Don't even think for a second that we didn't attract the most bazaar stares every time we stopped for petrol. Whatever. Volley dorks -- nothing new.
Victor Anfilof
Volley-Van
* Short explanation: Victor Anfilof runs the "Sydney Beach Volleyball School" and uses the "Volley Van" to transport his beach equipment to and fro. And his clinics are worth more than just a shout out - take a trip, get some sun, listen to cricket on a.m. radio... and volley with an FIVB professional and his well trained staff. Seems like a no-brainer to me.*
Let's just say, for five hours+ each way, that van didn't even hiccup let alone skip a beat. And neither did the newly formed partnership of Stolfus/Prosser. That is, until the first set of the tournament finals against the FIVB World Tour's 12th ranked team, Andrew Schacht and Josh Slack. In order to avoid utter embarrassment, I will refrain from mentioning the score during the first set's technical timeout. What's funny is, and almost slightly ironic, the perfect placement of the song: "It's a Long Way to the Top if You Want to Rock and Roll" by the DJ.
That's basically when things started to take a turn for the better. Sure, we ended up losing the first set 13-21, but somehow we built enough momentum to carry us to the final point of the second set; a Julien Prosser kong block on Andrew Schacht that sent it to three, 26-24. The comeback didn't stop there. A couple of blocks, a couple of aces, and a whole lot of dancing led to a 3rd set 15-13 victory and a celebration that would have probably been more appropriate holding a Gold Medal on Bondi Beach in 2000. We weren't afraid to hug it out. And I'm not talking about one of those super awkward hugs that Todd and Phil fluster through each weekend - you know, where they want to hug each other but they don't want to hug each other, and then they both realize that Phil is 7'2" and Todd is 5'8", so hugging is probably not the most logical way to celebrate their 400th win because Todd will really be wrapping his arms around Phil's waist and it might not be good for their television image, so they both decide to simultaneously pump their arms up and down frantically as to take the public attention off the fact that they're not hugging.
Either way, it was an absolute honor to play with Julien. We won the only tournament we played together and I'll go to the grave with that incredible memory. Here's hoping he doesn't hang it up quite yet and I get a chance to see him on the court during another southern hemisphere volley trip that has not yet been planned.
Thanks be to Matt and Julien for participating in my 2006 Volley Trip Down Under.
And what's best is, we did all of that in time for me to fly home, see a little snow, visit the folks for Christmas, open a couple of unbelievable presents and share a few stories with the people I love. Oh, the holidays...
Happy New Year to you all! May 2007 be the best year of your lives with a trip to somewhere tropical that has beaches lined with nets!

Team Gorgeous Prepares To Make Big Splash in 2007
By Colleen Murray
January 9, 2007
When Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More are playing together, it's hard to miss. Not only are they attractive, they are usually followed around by a gaggle of adoring AVP male interns. The interns have dubbed the pair "Team Gorgeous." The women couldn't help but play along with it.
"It's flattering. I think there's a lot of beautiful girls out here. I just think that we're really personable and that's why we get called that," More said.
Their looks aren't the only things that have been getting the Nevada-Reno graduates noticed. More and Stonebarger only started playing on the AVP Tour in 2004 but already have two 5th place finishes under their belts. The two look to continue their success on the beach into 2007.
One of the big factors in their rapid progress is the fact that they work so well together on and off the court.
"We have fun. I think that's the most important thing: to keep the chemistry by having fun. We're best friends," Stonebarger said.
Their solid friendship prompted Stonebarger to move back to More's native stomping grounds, Southern California, after graduating from college. They didn't consider playing beach volleyball when they moved and actually took a year off from the sport. However, being solely spectators at AVP tournaments changed the women's minds.
"When we went to local events, we thought, 'Oh, maybe, we could start playing.' But at first, you're intimidated and embarrassed because you're not that good," More said.
After seeing the qualifiers, the women couldn't resist giving the beach a try; however, it didn't come easy. In 2004, the pair played in nine tournaments, but the highest they reached was 17th place.
"When we first started playing, it took us a while to get in beach shape," Stonebarger said.
The next year was a bit more fruitful with the partners netting one 9th place and four 13th places. The women really buckled down following the 2005 season.
"In the beginning, it was frustrating not doing that well, but we worked really hard in the off-season so we weren't really that surprised at how well we did in 2006," More said.
The rest of the tour, however, was taken by surprise. In the season's first tournament in 2006 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., More and Stonebarger earned their first fifth. They matched that high mark in Seaside Heights a few months later. The two see their finishes as a logical extension of their growth as players.
"I think team chemistry is huge. We kind of grew together. I think that experience was what we lacked," More said.
Their opposing personalities have served More and Stonebarger well on the court.
"I think we're opposite when it comes to playing. I'm like a fiery fireball kind of player. I think that balances with Michelle. She's pretty mellow," Stonebarger said.
During this off-season, More and Stonebarger are hard at work improving their game. The duo has instituted a new diet focused on increasing their energy levels to combat fatigue that set in at the end of tournaments in 2006. Both believe that better diet will lead to increased energy levels later in tournaments.
"I felt we got a little tired at the end of a long tournament and maybe made some mental mistakes we wouldn't have made had we had more energy," More said. "I can't wait to get on the court next season and finish off those close games we didn't pull out [in 2006]."
"We are going to kill our bodies and get in the best shape of our lives [for 2007]," Stonebarger said.
Although there are some interns who might find that hard to imagine, it's nearly a sure bet that as the young players continue to improve, the interns won't be the only ones watching out for them.

Eric Fonoimoana Discusses How Fatherhood Has Changed His Outlook
By Matt Zuvela
January 11, 2007
Eric Fonoimoana is one of a few players on the men's side to become fathers in the past few years. Beach volleyball requires a serious commitment, and it can be tough to make the adjustment to having a child in the midst of trying to stay in shape. However, after becoming a father, Fonoimoana is adjusting just fine.

When your son was first born, was it difficult to balance being a volleyball player and a new father at the same time?
It was extremely difficult. The number one thing was the sleep. Before Tucker, I slept nine to ten hours a day, easily, non-stop. If I was interrupted, then I'd get it on the back end and I'd go for eleven hours. It was a big change, but its amazing how your body will adjust and adapt to the situation.

Now that he's gotten older, is it easier?
Way easier. He sleeps about ten to eleven hours during the night, and two naps a day for two hours each.

When you had a child, did it change your approach to the game at all?
No, it hasn't changed it at all. It's just that afterwards (if I lose), I'm not so mad when he's around. When he's there and I happen to lose, it's really not that big of a deal as I used to make it.

How long does it take you to get out of one season and start looking forward to the next season?
I usually don't do anything until January. I'll have my partner before January, but as far as getting prepared for the new season, early January is my target date.

What would you say is a bigger part of your training during the off season: strength and conditioning or getting out on the sand and playing?
Strength and conditioning by far. For me, I want to get as big as possible and get conditioned as quickly as possible. With that said, I don't let myself go in the off season. I might gain five pounds. I'm usually cross training, surfing or playing basketball. Just trying to stay in shape, because I know when January hits my trainer is not going to take it easy on me.

Five Tips with Albert Hannemann
By Albert Hannemann
January 12, 2007

What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?
For me it was my passing and setting. I learned to stay very patient when it came to passing. The wind moves the ball around a lot so you have to make sure that you stay low and balanced. If you can't pass well then you probably can't side out well because you are making your partner work very hard to give you a hittable set. I was a setter in college so that was a pretty natural transition for me. I just had to make sure that I always got under the ball and use my legs so that I don't throw or "double" the ball. You also never have to push the ball too far from your partner so you basically have to learn how to set a ball straight up instead of the indoor "outside" set.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
The hardest skills for me to improve on were defense, blocking and how to move in the sand. I was used to having 5 other players covering the court and now it was just me and my partner covering the same area. I learned how to defend one side of the court and have my partner block the other. It was difficult in the beginning when I first got on the tour to learn what I needed to do defensively in order to help my team win each game. I learned to stay balanced and very low. I also had to learn how to dig overhead with my hands. Blocking was also tough to understand because every single play you are in a one on one situation. I had to get used to not having another blocker next to me to help block more court space. I had to trust that my defender was going to be in the area I wasn't designated to block. (i.e. If I was blocking the line hit then my defender had to be ready to dig the cross court hit. Another skill I had to improve on was how to move in the sand. Playing on the beach makes everything seem slower but the reality is that you have to move faster to get to the ball. I started doing lots of plyometrics and short sprints to teach my muscles how to move quicker on an unbalanced surface.

What is the biggest difference?
I think the biggest difference between indoor and the beach is the how the wind can make it very tough to control the ball. Sure the sand is tough to play on at first but some players never really get used to the wind. You have to be a good "wind player" to be a great beach volleyball player. When you serve into the wind you can really take another team out of their side out rhythm. Once you learn to control the ball in the wind you are ready for the next level.

What is the biggest similarity?
For me it is playing against the same guys I played against in college. I still want to beat them just as bad!

Why did you cross over?
I wanted to play volleyball for a living and I loved playing on the beach. I knew I was going to be a professional beach player when I went to my first AVP tournament when I was 10 years old. My body was always sore from playing indoor and on the beach it seemed like I could play all day without any aches or pains.

FIVE TIPS
1. Lead by example. Go after every ball and play with intensity. When I coach this is what I look for when picking captains for my teams.
2. Communicate and be positive on the court and to your teammates.
3. Work out harder than everyone else. The last person out of the gym is going to be the most respected and have the best chance to succeed.
4. Listen to your coaches. They have the experience that you don't so they can help you get to your ultimate potential as a volleyball player.
5. Work on your mental game. Think about what you can do personally to help your team win.

AVP Announces New Stop on 2007 Tour: Dallas, TX
January 17, 2007

Dallas, Texas (January 17, 2007) -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced an agreement with Hicks Sports Marketing Group to bring the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour to Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Texas to be titled the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.
Dallas is the third new city announced for the 2007 AVP season (Charleston, SC was announced on Dec. 8, 2006 and Glendale, AZ announced on Jan. 3, 2007) and will make up one of 18 events nationwide. The tournament is scheduled to take place April 19-22, 2007 in Arlington, Texas, adjacent to Ameriquest Field.
AVP's Dallas debut features an integrated partnership with Hicks Sports Marketing Group, who will actively promote and present the event. Hicks Sports Marketing Group will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality, with AVP maintaining control over all of its assets. Tickets will be available for purchase in mid February on the official AVP website (www.avp.com).
The AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open will kick off with an open qualifier on Thursday, April 19 and continue with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men's and women's finals on Sunday, April 22. More than 150 of the world's top men's and women's beach volleyball professionals will compete in the tournament, televised on Fox Sports Net.
At a press conference today, Hicks Sports Marketing Group Senior Vice President Brad Alberts, AVP CEO and Commissioner Leonard Armato, and AVP Professional Beach Volleyball Stars Holly McPeak and Jake Gibb announced the agreement.
"Hicks Sports Marketing Group is very excited to be working with the AVP in bringing professional beach volleyball back to Dallas," said Alberts. "The AVP and Hicks Sports Marketing Group are committed to top quality sports and entertainment, and volleyball fans all over Texas are going to love seeing the quality of talent the AVP brings."
"We are thrilled to announce this new partnership enabling us to bring The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour back to the great state of Texas," said Armato. "We look forward to working with Hicks Sports Marketing Group to bring the excitement and competition of the AVP Crocs Tour to our fans in Dallas and surrounding areas and continue expanding the popularity of the sport of pro beach volleyball."

About Hicks Sports Marketing Group
Formed in July 2006, Hicks Sports Marketing Group represents the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Mesquite Championship Rodeo and other Hicks-owned interests in sports, media and real estate. In its new role as a full-service marketing agency, Hicks Sports Marketing Group will now represent a broad range of sports properties throughout the country.
Hicks Sports Marketing Group delivers a wealth of expertise in many facets of the sports business: the selling and buying of advertising and sponsorships, strategic branding and marketing, athlete and client representation as well as its new venture in real estate development.

AVP hopes to return to Boulder after hiatus
Crocs sponsorship is incentive to bring tourney back in future years
By Zak Brown (Contact)
Friday, January 19, 2007
The AVP Tour is hoping this gap between pro beach volleyball stops in Boulder isn't as long as the last one.
The tour will not come to Boulder this season after two largely successful years at Boulder Reservoir. Before 2005, the AVP's last tour stop in Boulder was 1996. Boulder city officials confirmed on Wednesday that the tour won't be here this season, but they also said they would like to see the tourney return in future seasons. AVP CEO Leonard Armato said the same on Thursday.
"We love Boulder. It's a great sports city," Armato said in a telephone interview. "We just wanted to let everybody know that we lament not being able to come this year."
The AVP has another big reason it would like to be in Boulder besides the large crowds of the last two years. Niwot-based Crocs, Inc., is the title sponsor of the tour. The Boulder tour stop meant Crocs could easily see the product it sponsors. Armato said that was definitely a plus and an incentive for the tour to return.
The AVP is growing, which has forced the tour to change its schedule. The Boulder event has been the on the last weekend in August in the last two years. The tour wanted to change that date this season, partially because of requests of its broadcast partners, Armato said. The tour proposed some other dates, but the tour and Boulder representatives couldn't agree on those dates.
Armato also said the tour does not have any other dates in Colorado scheduled right now for the 2007 season.
Boulder and the AVP have one advantage in getting the tour back to Boulder. Instead of just a few months, like they had this year from August to
January, the two groups have more than a year to find a suitable weekend for the tournament. The city would like to bring the tournament back as soon as next season.
"We loved it both years and hopefully we can have participation in it again," Deputy Mayor Suzy Ageton said Wednesday.
Armato would like to see more support from local sponsors for the event. But other than that he was happy with how the return to Boulder worked out. Both sides will continue to try and work for another return in 2008.
"Overall we were delighted with the growth of the event," Armato said. "We have our connection with Crocs and we would like to have an event in their backyard."

Ashley Ivy: A Woman With a Plan
By Matt Zuvela
January 23, 2007
When Ashley Ivy packed up her car and moved to Los Angeles from Austin, Texas, she was surprisingly calm for someone who never does anything without a plan.
"I am very calculated in my moves," she said. "I like to know what's coming in the future."
For most of her life, Ivy has stuck to some sort of plan based on the variety of options that came her way. She was involved in multiple sports in high school which led to many scholarship opportunities. The best offer on the table was to play indoor volleyball at Stanford.
As a freshman, Ivy was overshadowed by the woman she had been recruited to replace: Stanford's legendary right side hitter, Kerri Walsh. Walsh was a senior at the time, and after she graduated, Ivy was next in line for her spot. Despite having some big shoes to fill, Ivy rose to the challenge and helped keep the winning tradition at Stanford alive. Stanford went on to win the national title Ivy's junior year in 2001 and she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.
In the meantime Ivy was quietly pursuing a very demanding academic schedule that put her on track to finish her undergraduate degree two quarters early. Many students, athletes or not, would have taken the extra free time to take a few electives and coast for the rest of their senior year, but not Ivy. She had already begun to pursue her master's degree at Stanford before she was even admitted to the graduate school.
After just five years at Stanford, Ivy had her bachelor's and her master's degrees in environmental science and hoped to become a science teacher and coach volleyball. As usual, Ivy had a clear plan of what she wanted to do with her life. She even had a great job offer which would have allowed her to do just that. But for the first time, something was holding Ivy back.
"I finished my masters and I had a great job offer in northern California to start teaching and coaching," she said. "But something in the back of my head was saying 'not yet.'"
Although she didn't know it at the time, it was a volleyball itch that she couldn't scratch.
Instead of taking the job, Ivy moved back to Texas to figure out her next move. She began working with Austin Junior Volleyball, a job, she says, that was right up her alley.
"I was coaching and running tournaments, and it was a full time job," said Ivy. "I was pretty content."
Ivy met a few beach volleyball players in the Austin area who invited her to come out and train, and initially it was just for fun. Even when one of her workout partners suggested they take a trip to Florida and compete in an AVP tournament, Ivy took it pretty lightheartedly.
"We turned it into a big vacation," she said.
Which is why Ivy was somewhat surprised to find herself in the main draw after playing through the qualifiers with Ella Vakhidova.
"Once we got in, we got a good draw and actually won a match," said Ivy. "We placed seventeenth, so all of a sudden my trip was paid for."
Slowly the beach volleyball bug took hold of Ivy, and the woman who never does anything without a plan was being drawn towards a sport where a sure thing doesn't exist.
"I would find myself only happy when I was playing in a beach tournament," Ivy remembers. "I said, 'I've got to try this for real.'"
That meant packing up and heading out west again, only this time Ivy was bound for the beaches of southern California. She left behind a secure job, her family and friends, and her house, which she had made into a home.
"I had a dining room set and full furniture, everything, and I left it all and just came out here with whatever was in my car," said Ivy.
Since then, Ivy has been a full-time beach volleyball player. She supplements her player's winnings with side jobs as a coach for the Southern California Volleyball Club and a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness.
It would be easy to call Ivy crazy for trying to scrape together a living as a beach volleyball player. As a Stanford graduate with a master's degree, she wouldn't have to look far to find a lucrative offer that would utilize her education. This observation isn't lost on Ivy, but she says that her degree is not being wasted. In fact, it is her degree that enables her and others like her to even consider playing on the beach.
"Having our degrees is all we have," Ivy said. "For me to take a dive into the deep end to play beach volleyball, I felt like wasn't such a huge risk."
Even if the income on the beach was steady, there are more factors that go into the decision to come to the beach than just how much money can be made. Like Ivy, most of the serious beach volleyball players live in southern California, which often requires a big move and a lifestyle adjustment.
In fact, several of the top young players on tour aren't from southern California and didn't grow up right next to the beach. Logan Tom, a teammate of Ivy's from Stanford, is from Salt Lake City. Brittany Hochevar is from the tiny town of Fowler, Co. The 2005 Rookie of the Year, Nicole Branagh, is originally from Orinda, Calif., but went to school all the way in Minnesota. So how (and why) do these women keep finding their way to the beach, especially when many more practical options exist?
"The reason people play beach volleyball is they absolutely love the game," says Ivy.
"You would think I'd be burned out by now -- I've been playing (indoor) since I was fourteen years old -- but I'm not. Every single time I go out there, I'm happy."
There are other reasons the beach is so attractive to former college stars. While many of them have to start from nearly nothing when they come out to the beach, making the switch can be a welcome change after many grueling years of playing indoor. Eventually, the indoor game can become a grind on the mind and body. By the time Ivy was finished with her indoor career at Stanford, her body was falling apart and she probably couldn't have accepted an offer she received to play professionally in Puerto Rico if she wanted to.
"I beat my body up pretty badly in college," Ivy said. "My senior year I was barely able to walk. That year, once we lost in the (NCAA) finals, it was kind of a relief to take a break."
"(Coming to the beach) was kind of like a new beginning. I remembered what it was like to play volleyball without pain."
It has been over a year since Ivy made the move to southern California, and she shows no signs of changing her mind about making a living out on the beach.
"I'm 20 months into my career, and I'm at least breaking even -- I'm not wasting my money doing this," she said. "I definitely don't feel like I'm wasting my time, because I get so much satisfaction out of it every tournament I go to."
With the success Ivy has been having as an outdoor volleyball player, she is likely to stay put for a while. Will she trade in her bikini on the beach for a lab coat in the front of a science classroom, or a spot on the sidelines as an indoor coach? Someday, maybe. In the meantime, Ivy is content to put her master plan on hold and enjoy life on the beach. And it doesn't take a degree from Stanford to understand why.

MEDIA MADNESS
By Indy Staff, January 24, 2007
“Sara de la Guerra” – the pseudonym of the author of the Weblog BlogaBarbara – has enlisted the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a First Amendment activist group, to respond to a subpoena from Santa Barbara News-Press owner Ampersand Publishing, LLC. The company reportedly subpoenaed Google to reveal the identity of the blog’s author after an anonymous threat directed at the News-Press was posted on the site on September 11, 2006. EFF wrote a letter to Judge William Schmidt, who is presiding over the News-Press hearings with the National Labor Relations Board, defending bloggers’ right to anonymity.
Organizers of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) are celebrating the 2006 Academy Award nominations, which were announced on Tuesday. Helen Mirren, Will Smith, and Forest Whitaker – all of whom will receive SBIFF awards – were nominated for their performances in The Queen, The Pursuit of Happyness, and The Last King of Scotland, respectively. Twenty-one other nominees, including Borat! star Sacha Baron Cohen and Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson, will also appear at the festival.
Despite Santa Barbara’s storied beach volleyball history, the AVP professional tour has decided not to include the sands of Santa Barbara in its 2007 schedule. Lamenting the lack of a major local sponsor, the tour is pulling the plug, at least for now, on its annual pre-Memorial Day extravaganza on West Beach. Besides being home to volleyball legends such as Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers, Santa Barbara beaches are second only to Manhattan Beach in hosting the most AVP tournaments ever, with 50 men’s and 30 women’s events held here since 1950.
The theme for the 33rd Annual Summer Solstice Celebration has been announced as “Stars.” Entries in the official poster and T-shirt design competition must be submitted to 924 Anacapa Street by January 26, and must measure no more than 30” by 40”, weigh a maximum of 30 pounds, and be ready to hang for display. Entrants must pay $15 per submission; children pay $10 per entry. No entrant may submit more than three. Entries need not reflect this year’s theme. Executive Director Claudia Bratton suggests that the winning design will be “graphic, colorful, and simple rather than too complex.”

Not All Beaches Are Created Equal
By Matt Zuvela
January 25, 2007
There are exactly two things that never change on beach volleyball courts across the world. The court is eight meters wide and sixteen meters long, and the net is 8'0" for men and 7'4" for women. Beyond that, there are dozens of variables that make each court in the world unique and present players with a variety of challenges and factors that can affect their game.
One of the unique features of beach volleyball is that it is played outdoors and exposed to all the elements. Tournaments are held in all conditions except lightning, and beach veterans Holly McPeak and Stein Metzger have seen it all.
"I've played in a complete downpour (in Santos, Brazil) where I couldn't even see my feet," said McPeak. "They were in a complete puddle."
Ideally beach volleyball is played on a hot day in the sun, but the mercury can rise too high and make the heat an enemy.
"Last year in Brazil the sand was so hot it cooked my toenail and the whole toenail came off," Metzger said.
The temperature can drop the other way, too.
"In Croatia it was 6 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit) and raining," said Metzger of an FIVB event in Zagreb in 2006.
The wind is almost always a factor on the beach and can even become part of the players' strategy depending on whether they are hitting into the wind or against it. Metzger said that his partner, Mike Lambert, benefits by having a little wind in his face.
"If we have the wind straight on, he can just hammer his serve into the wind and it's good for three or four points a game," Metzger said.
Other times the wind can be too strong and negatively affect the game.
"In Marseille, France we play in some of the windiest conditions I've ever seen," said McPeak. "It's awful. The ball blows out of your hand and you can't even serve it."
As tough as the conditions may be, players have to deal with the weather the best they can and try and stay focused on their game.
"You have to take the right approach mentally, because that's a whole different type of volleyball," McPeak said. "It's who plays it the best and who stresses out the least."
Even in ideal conditions, one of the most noticeable differences in beaches is the depth of the sand. Some courts have deep, loose sand while others are hard packed.
Hermosa Beach, California is famous for having some of the deepest sand in the world. This can be a blessing or a burden for players, depending on their experience level and what type of athlete they are.
McPeak said that deep sand favors those who train in it and players with good ball control who can move the ball around the court.
Metzger adds that it is important to stay patient on the deep sand, where it is more difficult to move around.
"As soon as you move one way and there's a good player over there and he sees you, he'll just tip it the other way," said Metzger. "You really need to hold your ground and show him only one spot."
The sand of beach courts needs to be checked out before each tournament, and AVP tournament director Matt Gage said that all sites undergo a thorough inspection before each competition begins.
"The beaches we go to are public beaches, so generally they are maintained and they are clean," Gage said. "Some sand is better than others, but generally the sand is usable for us."
Despite the preparation by the crew, whatever else is mixed in with the sand on the playing surface becomes part of the game. Players are constantly picking up debris from the court that ranges from relatively minor -- rocks, twigs, and shells -- to the potentially dangerous.
Metzger tells a story of an exhibition tournament that he played in Melbourne, Australia with Lee LeGrande where tournament officials found hypodermic needles in the sand before play began. Initially, Metzger said he wouldn't play with needles on the beach, but in the midst of protests from the promoters finally agreed to play.
"I said, 'Ok, we'll play in our shoes but we're not diving'"
While waiting for the match to begin, Metzger was standing on the court and dug his toe part way into the sand.
"I was just sitting there waiting for Lee and I kicked up another needle. I said, 'I'm not playing!'"
The promoters continued to protest, but after another rake of the sand revealed six more needles (for a total of twelve), Metzger had seen enough. Despite not playing, he and LeGrande got to keep their appearance fee and used it to make the most of their day in Australia.
"We went and had sushi and beers," Metzger said.

Manhattan Beach Open's plan for all-paid seating killed
Panel passes on 100 percent plan, but volleyball tournament could still get OK to require entrance fees for more spots.
By Andrea Sudano
STAFF WRITER
The Manhattan Beach Planning Commission has spiked a proposal to allow the owners of the Manhattan Beach Open volleyball tournament to charge every spectator an entrance fee, saying it didn't have enough information to approve the change.
"I need to have the argument fleshed out a little bit," Commissioner David Lesser said. "I wasn't clear why we needed to do this now."
To allow more paid seating at the mostly free summertime event -- the so-called Wimbledon of beach volleyball -- the city first has to amend its Local Coastal Plan, a set of guidelines for coastal development and use, which the California Coastal Commission must ultimately approve.
The City Council initiated the amendment process nearly a month ago, when the Association of Volleyball Professionals, which owns the Manhattan Beach Open, persuaded it to consider changing the plan to allow total paid admission.
The council then sent the modification to the Planning Commission, knowing full well the Coastal Commission would probably balk at 100 percent paid admission. Once the amendment process began, a more realistic paid-seating ratio could be worked out, the council agreed.
But Lesser said the Planning Commission couldn't settle on a number Wednesday, saying it seemed arbitrary to choose a ratio without more information or a dialogue with AVP.
"I'm not categorically opposed to (paid seating), but I wanted more information to make the finding," he said. "We had to do something beyond just echo and mimic what the City Council directed."
It's not match point yet, though. The association has another serve next month, when the City Council weighs in on the plan amendment.
Also next month, the Coastal Commission will decide whether AVP can charge full admission at its Hermosa Beach tournament, giving the Manhattan Beach City Council a good understanding of how much the commission is willing to bend on paid seating.
Since 1993, the commission has let the association charge about a quarter of attendees admission fees, but AVP officials now say that is not enough.
The Manhattan Beach Open has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars every year since 2001, with a loss of about $509,000 at last year's tournament alone, executives said. Levying admission fees is a way to make the public company solvent, they said.
Dave Williams, AVP's director of market development, was confident the Planning Commission's decision wouldn't derail the association's quest.
"What happened was unfortunate, but it doesn't even slow us down," he said.
But Dennis "Duke" Noor, a longtime volleyball fan and South Bay resident, believed the commission's decision was a step in the right direction and an indication the beach would stay accessible.
Both men, however, agreed on one thing: The debate over paid seating on the beach has gone on for a long time.
"They've been going around and around on it for years," Noor said. "And it needs to be resolved for the better of the coast, for our natural resources. We want to protect it for years to come."
"This is always going to be a lightning rod issue in the city," Williams said.

No Hoover beach party this year
Saturday, January 27, 2007SOLOMON CRENSHAW JR.News staff writer
Professional beach volleyball will not return to the Hoover Met this year.
Bruno Event Team President Gene Hallman said a scheduling conflict was the problem bringing the AVP Tour back to town.
The aim was to hold the event at the same time as last summer.
"This year's dates, July 12-15, will conflict with an Olympic Qualifying Grand Slam event in Berlin," Hallman said. "Obviously, all the top professionals must attend an Olympic qualifying event.
AVP officials tried to get the dates of the Berlin event changed but could not.
Bruno Event Team and Hoover hosted the AVP Hoover Open presented by Vault last July at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. It was the first of three events the AVP agreed to have in Hoover.
"We will still have two years remaining on our contract," Hallman said. "Basically, the contract is frozen in place and will begin again in 2008.
"Frankly, the silver lining is you often see Olympic sports like figure skating and pro beach volleyball rise to their greatest popularity the year of and the year after the Olympics," Hallman said.
A crowd estimated at 26,000 came out to see professional beach volleyball players including 2004 Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
The men's and women's finals were televised on Fox Sports Net.

Annett Davis and partner Jenny Johnson Jordan are the longest running duo on the beach
By Matt Zuvela
January 29, 2007
Annett Davis and her partner Jenny Johnson Jordan have the longest standing partnership on the AVP tour. They are also one of only two teams to defeat in action the 2004 gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on the AVP tour. Davis appeared in eight final fours in 2006 and took home second place twice. Off the court, Davis is a mother of two. Her children came at the same time as her partner's two children, and as a result these two players share a special connection both on and off the court.

Do your families get together at all during the off season for any trips or things like that?
Yeah, this off-season we went to the mountains together. The older kids love to play with each other, our husbands are really good friends, and of course we are too. So we just hung out.

What's the best and the worst part about taking a six month hiatus from AVP competition?
The best is that you get to rest and do absolutely nothing! (Laughs). It's wonderful. We've played like that (with little rest) since like the seventh grade, and our two pregnancies were our only time off in our lives, so it's awesome. The worst part is getting out of shape, because you have to come back. Especially after being forty pounds heavier from being pregnant.

Is it hard to get back into training after a break or are you ready to go once it is time to train?
I'm usually excited. I don't touch a volleyball after the season is over until now (the end of January), so it's definitely refreshing to come back and play again.

Do you experiment with new kinds of training or do you stick with what works?
Well, this year I'm going to have a new trainer, so I have no idea what he's going to do. So it will be all fresh and all new.

Which is your favorite off season holiday?
Definitely Christmas. It's fun for the kids, fun for us.

Dain Blanton Looks to Rebound in 2007
By Matt Zuvela
January 30, 2007
Dain Blanton has quite the beach volleyball resume. As one of the AVP's top players, Blanton has won nine titles domestically. Internationally, Blanton has won two titles and has finished in the top-ten in more than half of his foreign appearances. Blanton has represented the United States twice in the Olympics including winning the Gold Medal at the 2000 Sydney Games.
With such a stellar resume, 2006 was clearly not Blanton's finest year on tour. Blanton recorded his best finish, third place, in the opening event of the season. The third place finish and three more top-ten finishes would be a career year for most, but Blanton expects more than that. Blanton is ready to put last year behind him and get back to his winning ways.

By now, you must have your off-season routine down to a science. What kind of stuff do you focus on in your training?
The key in the off season is to take some time off, because you want to be fresh when you're coming back. And when I say fresh, I mean mentally, actually, more than physically. You don't want to wear yourself into the ground. I like to take a little bit of time off, but I still stay in shape. I've been broadcasting a little more this off-season too. The key thing right now for me is to get with the right partner to start contending to win some tournaments again. It was a dry spell last year, and I'm kind of in between in terms of getting the right partner. If I'm with the right partner who I think I can succeed with. That will be essential if I decide to play internationally.

When it comes to swapping partners in the off season, how does that work? Who calls who? Do you have a singles party?
Yeah, we draw them out of a hat!
Actually, most people have one another's phone numbers. You find out who you think you might be able to work with and then if they are interested in playing with you. For me, I'm looking for a big blocker that has a lot of beach experience and very strong at the net, confident, and wants to win. I think there are only a handful of guys out there, so I'm looking to get one of those partners and get back to contending to win some tournaments.

What is it like having to go through the year and a half process that leads up to the Olympics?
The Olympic process is tough. It's all taking place on the FIVB. There's nothing here. You could be the number one ranked team here, and it doesn't really matter. It's all how you do in international tournaments, unfortunately.
It would be nice if it were a mix of the two. You've got to travel quite a bit, and you've really got to grind it out. It's all about getting your best eight finishes. You can play in only eight, but those eight have to make you one of the top two teams in the US. It's a tough road, but I've done it twice now and like I said, if I decide to go back and try it again, I will have to be with the right partner that I think I could win with. I've always gone out with intentions of winning. Whenever I enter an event, I think I can do well in it. When I don't have that feeling, that's when I won't play anymore. I know the level that the international guys are at and I know there are a handful of guys I can play with to be successful at that level. If I'm not playing with one of them, then I won't spin my wheels.

What do you do to relax during the off season?
I love having time to golf. That's the thing with golf -- it takes so much time. I love playing basketball as well. And just chilling... hanging out with friends, because you work so hard during the season and during the off-season it is so important to have a good time and take that time off. It's a lot easier to take time off and enjoy when you're having a success in the sport that you love to play. Like I said it's been a rough year, so there's a lot of work to be done in the off-season.

Five Tips with Rachel Wacholder
By Rachel Wacholder
February 2, 2007

What skills immediately transferred over from the HardCourt to the Beach?
The fundamentals are very similar. How you make contact with the ball for bumping, setting and serving all transferred over immediately. As did my eye-hand ability.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
Because the indoor game has six players you are able to hide weaknesses and build particular strengths. You can be a big net player where you are able to put the ball down and block your opponent, however you may lack the ability to pass or set well. For me, I had to work on improving my all around game. Unlike the indoor game, I am involved in every single point on the beach. I need to be able to block, dig and set on every play. All of my skills needed improvement.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference is two-fold, the elements and the two person team. Having to play with the sand, wind and sun is obviously a huge change from indoor. And being responsible for hitting the ball at least once every time the ball crosses the net is also a huge difference.

What is the biggest similarity?
At the end of the day, it's still volleyball.

Why did you cross over?
When you finish playing College Ball and want to pursue Volleyball as a professional, you are given two choices, indoor or beach. I had been playing indoor my whole life and while I loved it, what could be better than getting paid to play on the beach. You hear about the lifestyle repeatedly and it is all true. I am at the beach nearly everyday playing and training. The sport is great and the atmosphere could not be better.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court
1. Balance -- As in every sport, make sure that your center of gravity and balance are always in check. With good balance, you will be able to jump higher, recover faster, pass smoother and hit the ball harder.
2. Pepper -- Peppering may seem like a mindless way to warm up, but it is actually a very good tool in learning how to improvise when hitting. It forces you to work on your hand-eye coordination.
3. Repetition -- To improve at any skill you need to practice it over and over again. Only at that point will be you be able to convert consistently when the game is on the line.
4. Accuracy -- As you are practicing your angles and line shots put greater emphasis on hitting you spot than on spiking the ball.
5. Enjoy Yourself -- At the end of the day this is sports. It should be fun and a stress reducer.

A Chat with Chad Turner
Courtesy Of Delgados Online
http://www.kendelgado.com/news/OTL020407.html
By Ken and Nina Delgado
Posted February 4, 2007

The high profile AVP players often get most of the attention, though there are many other talented athletes on the AVP Crocs Tour. You may not have heard much about Chad Turner lately since he missed last season due to an unfortunate ankle injury. He's fully recovered now and looking forward to the start of the 2007 AVP season. Chad played most of the 2005 season with Canyon Ceman and took a fifth place with Canyon at the AVP Boulder Open. To show you how hard the path was to a fifth place finish, they had to win matches against Matt Heath/Ryan Mariano, Sean Rosenthal/Larry Witt, Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena, and Brian Lewis/Sean Rooney.

Perhaps like us you've wondered about what goes on during the off-season for AVP pros. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to chat with Chad and for him to share a bit about his year off, what he's doing to prepare for the upcoming season, and his goals for 2007.

On The Line: How did you injure your ankle?
Chad Turner: It's been an ongoing problem from multiple ankle sprains over years of playing basketball and volleyball. When you sprain your ankle really bad sometimes you'll rip off some small pieces of bone which become floating bodies and can get caught in the joint. So I had to get those bodies removed and I had two large bone spurs removed that were pinching some nerves.

OTL: How did the recovery go? Fully recovered?
CT: I had surgery in October and I'm 100%.

OTL: How did it feel having to miss the 2006 season?
CT: It really was frustrating because I worked hard in the off-season and was ready to go. Then in February I was training with Jay Ring and I rolled my ankle and that was it. The pinching was too much to handle so I went and got X-rays and a MRI and saw doctors in Florida and in California. I tried therapy and it just wasn't getting any better so had to have surgery. My wife Tyra hurt her shoulder on the same day I rolled my ankle. She was able to play through most of the season but also needed surgery in the off-season. We decided to have our surgeries here in California which worked out great.

OTL: What is your off-season training schedule? What activities do you do?
CT: This season was different because of the surgery, so I did a lot of rehab for my ankle. I also started a periodized workout schedule that is five months long and is based on four-week cycles. Every cycle changes with different weights, cardio, sprints, plyos, etc. The program is amazing and really keeps you motivated. The program takes you right up to April and tracks your progress with charts and ongoing testing. When I'm not training I love to play golf with my dad. The one thing I miss most about Florida is the water. I was raised on the water, fishing and playing at the beach. It just isn't the same in California. When I'm in Florida I'll try to go fishing everyday.

OTL: What city do you live in and what beach do you practice at?
CT: I live in Hermosa Beach with my wife Tyra during the season and we go back to Florida in the off-season. So far I've been practicing at the HB Pier and at 2nd street with Fonoi in Hermosa.

OTL: Any particular skill/ability that you focused on improving in your training?
CT: Passing and setting you never can practice too much. At this level every pass and set is crucial. Being a blocker I try to focus on transition setting a lot. I strongly believe in being great at the basics. I also want to focus on jump serving this year. I think I can mix some things up with strong serving.

OTL: Who do you plan to play with this year?
CT: Still undecided but there are some great players out there like Casey [Jennings], Fonoi [Eric Fonoimoana], Nick [Lucena], [Dain] Blanton, [Aaron] Wachtfogel, [John] Hyden, [Ryan] Mariano to name a few who at least to my knowledge haven't decided yet on who they're playing with.

OTL: How often do you practice?
CT: As of Monday of this week [January 29] I've been training with Eric Fonoimoana. We've trained with his coach, Tim, three times this week. On volleyball practice days I go to the gym after practice and work on legs, chest, or back depending on what day it is and I always work on core. On non volleyball training days I either do a sprint workout at a track or do plyos.

OTL: What side do you play? (Left, right)
CT: I can play both sides so it really helps with choosing a partner.

OTL: What do you look for in choosing a partner?
CT: I look for someone who is aggressive. I really like aggressive volleyball. That's one thing Canyon used to always tell me "good things happen when you're aggressive". Experience is big also. Playing with someone who knows the other players and their tendencies really is an advantage. I don't really have to be buddies though, as long as we're playing well I'm fine with keeping it business only.

OTL: Do you plan to play in all the events?
CT: I plan on playing all the events including the invitationals!

OTL: What do you do for work? How do you balance work and AVP events?
CT: I have my 520 All-Lines State Adjuster license from Florida. I work for an independent adjusting firm. So basically when a Hurricane hits I'm there. It works out great because Hurricane season runs from the end of summer and into late Fall which allows me to play Volleyball for the season. In 2005 I played in Chicago and then left for New Orleans to write claims from Hurricane Katrina. Let's just say I could write a book about that experience.

OTL: Do you usually watch any matches (men or women)? If so, who and why?
CT: When I can I'm always a good boy and watch my wife [Tyra Turner] play. Usually I'm always trying to watch who I'm going to be playing next to see if I can pick up any tendencies. If I'm done playing I'll try to watch someone like [Jeff] Nygaard, [Jake] Gibb, or Furbs [Matt Fuerbringer] because their body types and game is the most like mine and I always want to try to improve my game.

OTL: Any particular tournaments you look forward to?
CT: Florida is always fun because Tyra and I will have our families and friends there. The California events are nice because there's no travel involved. I also really like the stop in Ohio at the tennis stadium [AVP Cincinnati Open]. In Ohio the facilities are great because it's a fixed stadium and is very accessible for the players and fans.

OTL: What do you most enjoy about the AVP tour?
CT: How competitive it is. It seems every year there are teams that just pop up from nowhere and have great seasons. You're getting great matches in the second round now.

OTL: What motivates you to be an AVP player?
CT: To be able to compete at the highest level of a sport is truly a blessing. Although I've been plagued with injuries the last three years I'm healthy now and I'm really excited to get after it this season.

OTL: What are your goals for this season?
CT: My main goal is to stay healthy and make it to Sunday consistently. I feel that once you're playing on Sunday anything can happen. For me the ultimate goal would be to make a final and of course win. Also, I think making it to the invitationals would be amazing.
You can contact Chad Turner at Chadrock212@aol.com.

Mason to host Crocs Cup beach volleyball championship
Cincinnati Business Courier - 10:58 AM EST Tuesday
There are no sandy shores in Cincinnati, but it's a beach volleyball destination nonetheless.
Reach Event Marketing, local promoter for the professional beach volleyball tour, and AVP Inc. said Tuesday they've signed a five-year deal to bring the season-ending Crocs Cup championship to the Tri-State.
Cincinnati will host the professional beach volleyball championship through 2011, according to a news release. This year's event is scheduled for Aug. 30-Sept. 2 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.
"After hosting the 2006 AVP Crocs Cup, it was an easy decision to secure the event for five more years," said Bob Slattery, president of Cincinnati-based Reach Event Marketing. "... We are proud to be able to bring it, with its national television coverage, to the Cincinnati region."
Tickets for the championship go on sale Feb. 14 and can be purchased online through Tickets.com or at Meijer stores in Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, Dayton and Columbus. Tickets prices range from $9 to $75.
AVP Inc. (OTCBB: AVPI) is a lifestyle sports entertainment company based in Los Angeles.

Intimidation
February 6, 2007
Qualifiers are tough work. Normally on the Thursday before the Main Draw starts, hopeful but usually fairly inexperienced teams compete for a chance to play in the main draw. For the winners, they earn an exciting but scary fate: facing one of the top teams on the tour, bright and early Friday morning.
In a sport where young players get to play the best so quickly, do the athletes ever feel intimidated by their unbelievably strong competition? Pros who have battled on Thursdays in the past few years share their thoughts.
"To a point, I was intimidated in maybe the first couple tournaments, but that changes, the more you're around and the more you meet the guys. There are players I respect a lot, and maybe I was intimidated. But now when you start to play at their level or near their level, they respect you more. It's not an intimidation thing, it's more of a mutual respect." John Mayer (Mayer and partner Brad Keenan made it out of the 2006 Hermosa Beach Open qualifier and into the main draw. The duo went on to win five main draw matches including upsetting the third seed, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, and the sixth seed, Dax Holdren and Sean Scott, on their way to a third place finsish).
"I just feel like [more experienced teams] know exactly what they're going to do, they know exactly what they need to do, and they know how to do it, and that's intimidating. They've been doing it for so long. They're so solid, and we definitely look up to them as well. It's always good to play against them." April Ross (Ross and partner Keao Burdine won three matches to get out of the 2006 Sacramento Open qualifier. Ross and Burdine won three more matches on their way to setting a career best ninth place finish).
"I don't anymore. I used to, when I was playing in the qualifier. You come in out of the qualifier and you play a team like that and you say to yourself, 'Oh boy. I read about them.' This last year making it to the final in Huntington and meeting a lot of those people on the way has really boosted confidence and taken that edge off. You get accustomed to being in a situation and it just gets easier." Ryan Mariano (Mariano played in his last qualifier at the beginning of the 2005 season. He has not looked back. Mariano recorded a second place finish in the 2006 Huntington Beach Open and seven more top-ten finishes).
"Never, anymore. I was one time, when we first played Karch (Kiraly). But we beat him, so I got over it." Nick Lucena (Lucena and former partner Phil Dalhausser defeated 2004 Team of the Year Mike Lambert and Karch Kiraly in the 2004 Hermosa Beach Open on their way to a career best 3rd place finish).
"No, not really, if you think about it like that, and you play scared, you're not going to have as much fun. Just go out there, be yourself, and compete." Sean Rooney (Sean Rooney made the main draw in his third attempt and has not looked back. Rooney ended the 2006 season with six straight top-ten finishes including two fifths).
"You're not really intimidated. You just have a certain level of respect for the older guys. I won't say intimidated, you just have a lot of respect, more than you might have for somebody else. It's hard to explain. Instead when you play a team you know you should beat, it's not like you don't respect them, but you respect guys like Todd [Rogers] and Phil [Dalhausser] more." Ben Koski (Koski played in the main draw in 11 of the 12 2006 events. Koski twice recorded a career best ninth place finish, one of which came in his hometown of Santa Barbara).
"You make dumb mistakes, because you're trying too hard, because you think that they're a better team." Jeff Minc (Minc played in the main draw in 11 of the 12 2006 events. Minc twice recorded a career best ninth place finish, one of which came in his hometown of Santa Barbara).
"I definitely think so, playing against Misty [May-Treanor] and Kerri [Walsh]. Obviously, they've been playing together forever, but I think it's fun. It's definitely fun playing against them." Keao Burdine (Burdine, who finished ninth twice with partner April Ross in 2006, faced May-Treanor and Walsh four times in 2006, losing all four).
"I'm intimidated a little bit when one of the big guys gets my number but that happens to everybody." Matt Olson (Olson marked his best career finish in 2006, fifth place, at the Chicago Open).
"I don't feel intimidated but it's hard to justify what we're doing sometimes because there's not a lot of financial return. It's hard to justify all the pressure and stress, too." Hans Stolfus (Stolfus, the 2005 Rookie of the Year, played in his last qualifier in July of 2004. Since then, Stolfus has finished in the top-ten 16 times including a third place finish in the 2006 Santa Barbara Open).
"No, I learn from (the more experienced players). I always get better and better. I like playing them." Ashley Ivy (Ivy played out of the qualifier four times in 2006 having already made the main draw in her other appearances. Ivy finished 13th twice in 2006).
"At the beginning of the year, you come in and it's like, ?We have no chance!' But now we still know that we have to play really hard to beat some teams, but it's not as intimidating." Brad Keenan (Keenan won the 2006 Rookie of the Year, highlighted by his run through the qualifier all the way to third place in Hermosa Beach).
"I don't think I ever feel intimidated but sometimes I do feel like it's out of my control, like we're out playing against Misty and Kerri and we're doing the best we can but it feels like it's out of my control." Saralyn Smith (Smith has not played in a qualifier since the 2005 Cincinnati Open, where she rallied from the qualifier to a 13th place finish. Since then Smith has finished in the top-ten three times).

San Francisco Will Be the Closing Event on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour
February 8, 2007
San Francisco, California (February 8, 2007) -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, has announced an agreement with Giants Enterprises to bring the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour to San Francisco. The event will take place Sept. 14-16, 2007 on a specially constructed 3,000 capacity Bayside Court on Pier 30/32 on the San Francisco waterfront.
San Francisco is the fourth new city announced for the 2007 AVP season (Charleston, South Carolina, announced on Dec. 8, 2006; Glendale, Arizona, announced on Jan. 3, 2007; and Dallas, Texas, announced Jan. 24, 2007) and will complete the season of 18 events nationwide.
The top professional beach volleyball athletes will be competing for the title of AVP "Best of the Beach" in the final event of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. The double-elimination invitational is an opportunity for eight of the top men's and women's teams to compete. The AVP San Francisco Best of the Beach will kick off on Friday, Sept. 14, and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals on Sunday, Sept. 16. The tournament will be televised on FOX Sports Net. Local favorites expected to compete include Stanford graduates Walsh, Fuerbringer and Lambert.
"We are excited to bring the 2007 tour season's closing event to San Francisco, home turf of some of our most popular and talented players in the sport, including Kerri Walsh, Matt Fuerbringer and Mike Lambert," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Commissioner of the AVP. "We look forward to working with highly reputable Giants Enterprises to bring the excitement and competition of the AVP Crocs Tour to our fans in the Bay Area and continue expanding the popularity of the sport of pro beach volleyball."
Walsh, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist, is one of the greatest female beach volleyball players of all time after having played professionally for only five years. Walsh, a two-time AVP MVP (2003, 2004), along with partner Misty May-Treanor, had one of the longest winning streaks in professional sports after winning 89 straight matches on the AVP Tour and international competitions between 2003 and 2004.
Fuerbringer, a four-time All-American indoor player, along with Lambert, a three-time All-American, captured the only NCAA title for Stanford with the 1997 NCAA National Championship.
"Giants Enterprises is thrilled to be working with the AVP in bringing professional beach volleyball back to the Bay Area," said Pat Gallagher, President of Giants Enterprises. "With Giants Enterprises' experience in high quality sporting event production, and the AVP's top caliber athletes and rapidly growing popularity, the alliance of the two entities forms a seamless and solid partnership," Gallagher concluded.
Giants Enterprises and the AVP have formed an integrated partnership, with Giants Enterprises actively promoting and presenting the event. Giants Enterprises will be responsible for local ticket sales, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality. Ticket details are forthcoming.

AVP scores with decision on beach volleyball ticket sales
Coastal panel's ruling on charges in Hermosa Beach could affect Manhattan decision.
By Andrea Sudano
Staff Writer
The California Coastal Commission decided Wednesday that owners of the Hermosa Beach Open can charge 90 percent of attendees admission at the annual volleyball tournament this summer, a decision that could also affect admission to the Manhattan Beach Open.
The decision squeaked by the commission on a 6-5 vote.
After long complaining tournaments were not profitable on South Bay beaches and threatening to abandon the area completely, the Association of Volleyball Professionals proposed to charge all spectators admission fees at the tournament scheduled for July 20-22.
The commission staff initially balked, though, recommending instead that the panel stick with an admission ratio of 25 percent paid, 75 percent free.
After hearing public testimony, Commissioner Larry Clark, also a Rancho Palos Verdes city councilman, immediately suggested charging three-quarters of attendees admission and letting the rest in free.
Discussion ensued, but just before the vote, Commissioner William Burke made a friendly amendment, upping the ante to a 90 percent paid-admission policy.
"Beach volleyball grew up in Southern California," Clark said.
"It's part of what makes Southern California beaches what they are today. (AVP has) told us if there aren't adjustments, they'll leave. I think that's what's going to happen here."
The commission's decision for the Hermosa Beach tournament should reverberate next week in Manhattan Beach, when its City Council decides whether to allow the AVP to pursue full paid admission this summer at its tournament, the so-called Wimbledon of beach volleyball.
Manhattan Beach City Councilman Richard Montgomery was pleased with the commission's decision Wednesday, seeing it as an indication that his city might get more local control of its beaches.
In January, Montgomery and his colleagues began the process of allowing more seating by initiating an amendment to its Local Coastal Plan, a set of guidelines for coastal use that the commission must later approve.
Knowing a decision regarding Hermosa's tournament would come Wednesday, the council intended to use the panel's ruling as a barometer for what might fly in Manhattan Beach.
Should the commission approve a similar admission level for the Manhattan Beach Open, the City Council can then set its own admission ratio -- whether that means charging 90 percent of attendees or sticking with the original 25 percent, Montgomery said.
"Our issue was local control," he said. "That's the way we look at it. It was never, 'Yippee, you can increase paid seating.'
"They just wanted control of the beach itself rather than going to the Coastal Commission."
But South Bay free beach advocates were not pleased with the commission's decision.
"It's very serious for the future of our coast, and who's to say this won't happen with surfing contests?" said Dean Francois, who traveled from the South Bay to the San Diego meeting. "The commission really had no finding to come up with this number of 90 percent."
AVP has long complained Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach tournaments were the biggest financial duds of all the tour stops, and argued charging admission to a quarter of attendees was not enough for solvency.
The Manhattan Beach Open has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars every year since 2001, with a loss of about $509,000 at last year's tournament alone, Chief Executive Leonard Armato told the Daily Breeze last month.
With AVP executives unavailable for comment, it was unclear Wednesday how admission prices will break down at the Hermosa Beach tournament.
But the original 100 percent admission ratio proposed a mix of tickets going for $20 and $40 each, depending on where the spectator sat and on which court.
andrea.sudano@dailybreeze.com
What's Next?
The Manhattan Beach City Council next week will decide whether to amend its Local Coastal Plan to allow more paid admission at the Manhattan Beach Open tournament. If the council gives the OK, the changes must be approved by the California Coastal Commission. The City Council meets Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1400 Highland Avenue.

2007 AVP Crocs Cup Cincinnati Open presented by Herbalife tickets on sale
February 15, 2007
Click here to purchase tickets for the AVP Cincinnati Open Presented by Herbalife
CINCINNATI (OH), February 12, 2007 - Reach Event Marketing, local promoters of the AVP Crocs Cup Cincinnati Open and AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced ticket sales for the season-ending, world-class AVP Crocs Tour Championship at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Tickets for this year's event, held over Labor Day weekend Aug. 30-Sept. 2, can be purchased through avp.com, and at all Meijer store locations in Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, Dayton and Columbus. Prices range from $9-$75 with special discounts and various packages available this year.
To help kick off ticket sales, a special Valentine's Day media event will be held at Slatts Pub at 4858 Cooper Road in Blue Ash, Ohio, from 4 to 7 p.m. Special guests include AVP stars Rachel Wacholder and Sean Scott, who will be in attendance to help promote the event.
The 2007 season will be Wacholder's eighth on Tour. She has won several different awards throughout her career including AVP Best Defensive Player and AVP Most Improved Player. In 2005 Wacholder won the inaugural AVP Cincinnati Open with then-partner Elaine Youngs.
Scott begins his ninth season on the AVP Tour this year. Career highlights have included Rookie of the Year honors in 1999 and Most Improved Player in 2005.
2007 AVP Crocs Cup Cincinnati Open Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 30 - Day Session (Qualifier) - 6 courts in action: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31 - Day Session (Session 1, Main Draw) - 6 courts in action: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31 - Night Session (Session 2, Main Draw) - 1 court in action: 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1 - Day Session (Session 3, Main Draw) - 5 courts in action: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1 - Night Session (Session 4, Main Draw) - 1 court in action: 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 2 - Day Session (Session 5 Main Draw) - 4 courts in action: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (men's final at approximately 2:30 p.m., women's final to follow)

Defending Champions
Women -- Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh
Men -- Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rodgers

2005 Champions
Women -- Elaine Youngs/Rachel Wacholder
Men -- Mike Lambert/John Hyden
Online Information
For updated 2007 event information including sponsorships, hospitality, tickets, schedules and general announcements throughout the year visit www.avp.com

AVP SCORES COASTAL COMMISSION VICTORY
February 15, 2007
Los Angeles, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2007) -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced that application No. 5-06-396 five-year Coastal Development Permit (CDP) was approved six/five during the Coastal Commission hearing in San Diego. The decision directly impacts the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament held in Hermosa Beach as well as future scheduling of Southern California events.
An addendum to the recommendation provides that the AVP has the right to charge for 90% of paid admission.
"We are delighted with the result from today's Coastal Commission hearing," said Leonard Armato, AVP commissioner. "We are very grateful to the Coastal Commission for providing in Hermosa Beach the opportunity for this event to sustain itself economically."
Players, fans and supporters of the AVP attended the public hearing, lending their support towards the Tour's efforts to help make the Southern California events financially feasible by enabling the tour to charge attendees for admittance. Players present at the San Diego Coastal Commission meeting included three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Karch Kiraly, Olympic Silver Medalist Mike Whitmarsh and AVP Veteran Dianne DeNecochea.
"Southern California is the home of beach volleyball and is known for having the best players in the world," said Kiraly "We are professional athletes that love to compete on the beaches where the sport was born and we are thrilled about the decision today that will allow us to continue coming back to the beaches to compete for years to come."
"The sport of beach volleyball represents our state as much as our beaches do," said Commissioner Dr. William A Burke when commented on the Permit. "The AVP has taken this sport, which is our icon of our beaches and has exposed it around the world and made it a television phenomenon. I don't think we should penalize them for that."
Since the 1960s, summer volleyball tournaments have characterized the beaches of Southern California, providing recreational and economic benefits to the entire region. The AVP Tour brings world class athletes to compete at magnificent venues along the coast. The events provide positive economic impact on each of the cities involved, encourage tourism and support local businesses.
The Tour is comprised of the best men's and women's pro beach volleyball players in the U.S. and the world. Featuring more than 150 of the sport's top competitors, the AVP Tour includes world-class athletes like 2004 Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor as well as other Olympic medalists and professional stars like Holly McPeak, Karch Kiraly and Mike Lambert. The AVP's main goal is to deliver its fans the experience of an amazing athletic contest surrounded by an unforgettable beach party.

Pro Beach Volleyball Coming To Louisville
February 20, 2007
Louisville, Ky. - Feb. 20, 2007 - AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, in conjunction with SFX Worldwide, a Blue Equity Company, and Reach Event Marketing announced today that the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour is adding Louisville as a new stop for 2007.
The AVP Louisville Open will debut on Festival Plaza at Waterfront Park over Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27. It is the first time an AVP event will take place in the Bluegrass State.
A press conference is scheduled for today at 2:30 p.m. at Waterfront Park to formally kick-off the event and will feature several key business leaders and prominent members of the Louisville community including Mayor Jerry Abramson. AVP stars Sean Rosenthal Susan Stonebarger and Michelle More will also be in attendance.
"The AVP is excited about this new partnership and we look forward to the Tour's first stop in Louisville," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "This stop marks the first time professional beach volleyball will stop in Kentucky and we are thrilled to introduce new fans to the sport of beach volleyball and the excitement of AVP events."
More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes in the world including Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will compete in the tournament which will be televised nationally on FOX Sports Net.
The AVP Louisville Open will kick-off on Thursday, May 24, and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals held on Sunday, May 27.
Tickets go on sale Friday, February 23, and can be purchased online at AVP.com.
Prices are $15 for General Admission tickets, $35 for Courtside Box Seats with special discounts for students, children and seniors, as well as discounted all-session ticket packages ($65 GA and $150 Box Seats). The Thursday qualifying round is free of charge.
AVP, Inc. joined forces with SFX Worldwide and Reach Event Marketing, two of the sports industry's most prominent event promoters, to bring world-class beach volleyball to Kentucky for the first time ever. Other key partners involved in bringing this prestigious event to the area include the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), The Greater Louisville Sports Commission, the Kentucky Sports Authority and The Louisville Waterfront Development Corporation.
"After hosting the AVP Crocs Cup Cincinnati Open the past two years, we know what a great event the Louisville Open will be," said Bob Slattery, president of Reach Event Marketing. "We are very excited to help bring professional beach volleyball to the city of Louisville and to the state of Kentucky for the first time ever."
"It is with great pride that we bring the AVP Tour to Louisville", said Jonathan Blue, Chairman and Managing Director of Blue Equity, LLC, as well as Chairman of SFX Worldwide. "Our scenic Waterfront Park and exciting 4th Street Live, with restaurants and shops, make Downtown Louisville a perfect location for an AVP Tour event."
Sponsorship packages offering significant national and regional exposure along with unique client hospitality opportunities are currently available. For updated 2007 event information including sponsorships, hospitality, tickets, schedules and general announcements throughout the year visit http://www.avp.com.
About the AVP, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.
About SFX Worldwide, a Blue Equity Company
SFX Worldwide is an international leader in sports management, media and events. SFX Tennis clients include the No.1 ranked woman, as well as Australian, French and US Open Champion, Justine Henin, US Open Champion Andy Roddick and the No. 1 ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan. SFX Media & Events properties include the US Open Tennis Championship, the French Open Tennis Championship, the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, numerous US-based ATP tournaments, the Boston Marathon, the Superstars Competition, the AVP Beach Volleyball tour, Ice Wars and Rock 'n Racquets. http://www.sfxworldwide.com.
SFX Worldwide is a Blue Equity, LLC Company. Blue Equity, LLC is an independent, private equity firm based in Louisville, Kentucky. It actively invests both growth capital and business expertise in enterprises with solid development potential. Blue Equity forms strategic partnerships with existing management teams and leverages its expertise and relationships to stabilize, strengthen and grow lasting value. Investment efforts and managerial expertise are focused on the operation of a global and diversified portfolio of business enterprises, including opportunities in media, publishing, sports and entertainment, financial services, real estate and international trade. Blue Equity is dedicated to helping businesses grow by accelerating opportunity and driving innovation to the marketplace. http://www.blueequity.com
About Reach Event Marketing
Reach Event Marketing (REM) is a full-service event marketing company that specializes in organizing, marketing and promoting regional and national events including the AVP Crocs Cup Cincinnati Open presented by Herbalife, AVP Louisville Open, Prep Classic, Skyline Crosstown Shootout Luncheon and i-wireless High School Tour. REM offers strategic marketing expertise at the grassroots level in many areas including the selling of advertising, sponsorship and hospitality packages, ticket sales management, and promotion. In addition to event marketing the company also publishes Hacks High School Sports, HomeTown Golf and Cincinnati Gentlemen magazines.

When Crocs Attack
With a battle plan based on 'thinking bigger than you are,' the maker of the world's ugliest shoe takes the footwear business by storm.
By Diane Anderson, Business 2.0 Magazine
February 16 2007: 12:55 PM EST
(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- By now, you've probably heard the unlikely story of Crocs - not the rugged-skinned reptiles but the equally strange-looking shoes that have become a global phenomenon.
It's quite a tale: Three pals from Boulder, Colo., go sailing in the Caribbean, where a foam clog one had bought in Canada inspires them to build a business around it. Despite a lack of VC funding and the derision of foot fashionistas, the multicolored Crocs - with their Swiss-cheese perforations, cushy orthotic beds, and odor-preventing material - become a global smash.
RON SNYDER: "We had everything required to take the company to the next level," says the Crocs CEO. The next level, of course, was taking over the world.
Celebrities adopt them. Young people adore them. The company goes from $1 million in revenue in 2003 to a projected $322 million this year. Crocs Inc.'s IPO in February was the richest in footwear history, and the company has a market cap of more than $1 billion.
But there's more than luck to Crocs's astonishing success. Its founders - and especially the CEO they brought in two years ago, former Flextronics executive Ron Snyder - made some shrewd and instructive business moves that proved crucial.
Shoe In: The Rise of Zappos
Crocs's founders - Lyndon "Duke" Hanson, Scott Seamans, and George Boedecker - almost blundered into their success. (Boedecker resigned this year, three days before being arrested for threatening to slit his brother-in-law's throat; a personal settlement was reached, and the charges were dismissed.)
They leased their first warehouse in Florida "specifically so we could work when we went on sailing trips there," Hanson says. "From the get-go, we mixed business with pleasure." The shoes were first sold to sailing enthusiasts but soon gained a word-of-mouth following among doctors, gardeners, waiters, and other people who have to be on their feet all day.
In fact, it was Snyder who really lit Crocs's fuse. He was kicking back after a four-year stint running Flextronics's global division, where he helped the giant contract manufacturer grow from $3 billion in annual sales to $16 billion. Then the Crocs founders, old college friends of his, asked him to do some consulting for the fledgling company.
"I thought I'd work a few hours a day," Snyder says. "I thought it would be restful." Then he saw how fast sales were accelerating on mere word-of-mouth marketing and agreed to take on the CEO role. "Ron got us to start thinking big," Hanson says. "He said, 'You can be a worldwide force.'"
Snyder saw that Crocs were cheap enough - $30 a pair - that some customers bought multiple pairs for special occasions. "We'd get requests for red around Valentine's Day and decided to make more red," he says. "Then we decided to base our business model on this - to deliver styles and colors customers want, and deliver them right away."
Instant Company, Crocs Edition
Simple as it sounds, that turned the shoe industry's distribution model on its head.
Usually retailers have to purchase their spring line of shoes, say, six months in advance and buy in bulk. With Crocs, they can reorder as few as 24 pairs and stock them on shelves in a matter of weeks. Best of all, they aren't left with unsold shoes they have to discount - so Crocs are always sold at a consistent price.
"They've surprised everybody," says Jim Duffy of Thomas Weisel Partners. "Their replenishment system is unheard-of in the retail footwear space."
It helped that in 2004, Snyder decided to buy Finproject NA - the Canadian manufacturer that made Crocs and owned the formula for the special resin, called Croslite, that gives the soles their unusual comfort and their odor resistance. Until then Crocs had basically been ordering and distributing Fin's product. Now it had control over manufacturing and timing.
Hanson calls it "the tail buying the dog"; Snyder declares it a "eureka" moment. "We had everything required to take the company to the next level," he says. "Proprietary processes, proprietary material, intellectual property, and distribution."
How Sweden's Poc is winning over skiers
The next level, of course, was nothing less than taking over the world. Snyder says the lesson he learned at Flextronics was "Think bigger than you are." So he added manufacturing plants in China, Italy, Mexico, and Romania.
Crocs's reach became vast: One in six people in Israel, for example, owns a pair. "Deciding to create a global infrastructure significantly added to our success," Snyder says.
And how. Revenue for the first half of 2006 was up 255 percent on 2005's impressive record, largely due to the rise in international sales. At first, Crocs predicted that foreign sales would make up 10 percent of the year's total; in fact, they're currently at 30 percent. Crocs now sells shoes in more than 40 countries. All told, it expects to sell 20 million pairs this year.
With celebrities from Al Pacino to Faith Hill sporting the clogs, Crocs could hardly ask for better marketing.
Yet the company isn't sitting still. This winter it plans to open its own 1,600-square-foot retail store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood. It's producing special branded Crocs for companies like Googl (Charts)e, Tyco (Charts), and - yes - Flextronics (Charts), as well as sports teams like the L.A. Lakers. Snyder is spending $4 million a year to sponsor the AVP volleyball tournament for the next three years. Seventy colleges are getting Crocs for their students in school colors, with preorders of more than half a million pairs.
Much of this strategy is aimed at preserving Crocs's grip on its most fickle following, the youth market. Take its recent deal with Walt Disney (Charts): Shoes with Mickey Mouse-shaped holes will be available by the holidays, with other Disney-themed Crocs to follow in 2007, timed to Disney movie releases. That, Snyder hopes, will help offset the copycat factor. (Crocs has filed patent infringement cases against 11 rivals.)
Favorite Gear: Craiglist's Burning Man
Snyder is keenly aware of the threat of a sudden shift in footwear fetishes. That's where his second acquisition, of Italian footwear designer Exo, comes in. Exo's initial Crocs designs were received well by buyers and retailers at its two most recent trade shows.
"People call us a one-shoe pony," Snyder says, "but we have 23 models right now and are adding another nine next spring." Plus plenty more things to put on them, thanks to the purchase of accessory maker Jibbitz (see "Instant Company, Crocs Edition," below).
Crocs may still turn out to be a footwear fad - but that's no bad thing. Remember Deckers Outdoor's brand of Ugg boots, introduced in 1995? Even after the initial mania died down, Uggs saw steady growth. Sales of the boots were $110 million in 2005 and are expected to hit $122 million this year. Not bad for a brand that fashion forgot.
Some analysts say Crocs's biggest issue is that consumers can't always find the colors and styles they want. "As problems go," Duffy says, "that's a pretty darned good one to have." And Snyder has hired a good-looking team: Peter Case, the new CFO, brought management and retail know-how from Ashworth and Guess, while John McCarvel, a vice president from Flextronics, now heads operations. "We hired up everywhere, probably hiring people we couldn't afford," Snyder says. "But you want the right people on the bus early." After all, someday he's going to need that rest.

Crocs triples annual revenue to $355 million
Shoe company's 2006 net income was $64.4 million
Niwot-based Crocs Inc. made big bucks off its brightly colored shoes last year while it also began to diversify with more traditional styles.
The company, which went public a year ago, reported 2006 revenue of $354.7 million, more than triple its 2005 sales of $108.6 million. Crocs reported 2006 net income of $64.4 million, or $1.61 per share, compared with $16.7 million, or 51 cents per share, in 2005.
In a Tuesday conference call with analysts, Chief Executive Officer Ron Snyder attributed the bigger-than-expected sales jump in large part to growth in the company's international markets, along with robust U.S. demand.
"There isn't one market that hasn't embraced the Crocs brand and performed at or above expectations," he said.
Crocs has increased production and has the capacity to churn out 4.2 million pairs per month, he said.
For the fourth quarter, Crocs reported sales of $112.9 million, up from $33.6 million in the year-ago quarter, while net income rose to $20.1 million, or 51 cents per share, from $4.1 million, or 12 cents per share.
Crocs also announced another sports licensing deal, with several NASCAR racing teams, including Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Hendrick Motorsports. The deal follows similar agreements with the National Football League and National Hockey League to create shoes in team colors and logos.
Crocs also is the title sponsor of the Crocs AVP Volleyball tour, and it has deals with Disney, Nickelodeon and DC Comics to create shoes around a host of animated characters.
The company, which grew fast with its basic, brightly colored holey sandals, today boasts almost 30 different styles and expects to end the year with about 50, including a 10-style fall line it hasn't unveiled publicly.
"We now have some shoes that look more like traditional shoes, although maybe in keeping with our multicolored products," Snyder said in an interview after the conference call.
The company's shoes incorporate its proprietary Croslite resin, but many newer styles are fashion forward and use other materials.
This fall shoppers will find a closed clog with a larger heel, he said, as well as a Crocs slipper and a child's snow boot.
Summer has traditionally been the company's busy season, and one goal with releasing seasonal items in spring and fall is to mitigate the seasonality.
With 11,000 retailers in 80 countries, more stores outside the United States are selling Crocs than inside, where there are 10,000, Snyder said.
"There's a lot of demand and support outside the U.S.," said Angelique Dab, an analyst at San Francisco-based Nollenberger Capital Partners who rates the stock "buy."
Crocs Inc.
CROX: Nasdaq
$56
+83 cents

Hermosa Beach's AVP tournament to charge admission
The California Coastal Commission granted the association a permit to charge admission to virtually all at this year's Hermosa Beach Open.
SHAWN PRICE
Register columnist
ON THE WATER
sprice@ocregister.com
Beach volleyball narrowly cleared one hurdle last week that smacked it right up to another.
What seems on one hand a logical and necessary step for the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals, might come as a slap in the face to some fans.
The AVP was granted a rare permit by the Coastal Commission on Thursday to charge admission to virtually everyone for this year's Hermosa Beach Open. The event, like other Southern California events in Manhattan Beach and Huntington Beach, historically has been free.
"Certainly it's a landmark decision," Association CEO Leonard Armato said. "It paves the way for the AVP/Crocs tour to be viable and for its future growth."
The AVP has come a long way from its roots. Beach volleyball is now an international and Olympic sport. The league is a publicly traded company, with a healthy TV contract and is reaching for its first profitable season. Despite arriving on the world stage with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the AVP was a financial and organizational train wreck for years after.
"The sport of beach volleyball represents our state as much as our beaches do," said Commissioner Dr. William A. Burke of the vote. "The AVP has taken this sport, which is our icon of our beaches and has exposed it around the world... . I don't think we should penalize them for that."
All other AVP events across the country have admission charges. Except here, where the sport was born. And there is the other potential hurdle: Selling the most entrenched fans in the country on the argument that the AVP deserves to make money just like everybody else.
"The ruling applies to the Hermosa beach event," Armato said, declaring caution. "We must be sensitive to the climate at each event, but we need to access new revenue streams. There are certain people who have a sense of entitlement. But if someone is truly an AVP fan, they can support us and pony up. It's the same model that exits in every other sport."
There has been some admission at local events for the last few years. Certain premium center court seats have carried an admission, and last summer's Santa Barbara Open was the first event that had a general admission. The crowds were still big.
"The concern of a lot of the opponents is beach access," said San Clemente's Karch Kiraly, who attended the meeting and spoke in support of the permit. "When the tournament is taking place in Hermosa Beach, it's taking up about 6 percent of the sandy beach, by Sunday is down to about 3 percent. Most of that is recreational volleyball courts anyway. Nobody parks their chair on the volleyball courts."
And Kiraly remembers the lean years better than anyone still on the tour.
"There's a great tradition of watching it for free. Change is sometimes hard. Getting to watch all of the U.S.'s best players all day is a bargain," he said.
"The vote could have easily gone the other way. It probably would have meant less California events, but none of the players wanted that to happen."

Manhattan Beach will keep most matches free at event
The city rejects a proposal to allow the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) to charge admission to all of its matches.
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
4:43 PM PST, February 21, 2007
The city of Manhattan Beach has rejected a proposal to allow the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) to charge admission to all of its matches during its tour stop.
By a 5-0 vote, the city council agreed to allow the tour to charge for 90% of the seats in its center court stadium. All the outer courts will remain free. The tour had been allowed to charge for only 25% of the stadium seats, but the vote was still considered a setback for the AVP, which was hoping that a decision by the California Coastal Commission last week regarding its Hermosa Beach event would pave the way for it to charge admission for nearly all seats at its Southern California stops.
The AVP currently has tour stops at public beaches at Hermosa, Manhattan, Huntington and Santa Barbara. The Manhattan Beach agreement still must be approved by the state commission, a process that could take up to six months, so the change will not be in effect for the tour stop in August this year.
AVP executives say they need to generate more revenue to keep the tour coming to Southern California.

Paid seating at MB volleyball events gains momentum
Association may be able to charge 90 percent of spectators at beach tournaments pending final approval.
By Andrea Sudano
STAFF WRITER
It took years of complaints of lost revenue and threats to bail out of South Bay tournaments, but the Association of Volleyball Professionals scored its second victory in a week when Manhattan Beach opted Tuesday to loosen its regulations over paid seating at beach events.
About a week after the California Coastal Commission permitted the association to charge admission to 90 percent of spectators at its Hermosa Beach tournament, the Manhattan Beach City Council followed suit and unanimously voted to amend its Local Coastal Plan -- a set of guidelines for coastal development and use -- to allow a similar set-up at its annual tournament.
But the AVP shouldn't start printing tickets just yet.
The Coastal Commission first must approve the amendment change, and then the council will reconsider exactly how many spectators the association can charge at the Manhattan Beach Open. That probably won't happen in time for this summer's tournament.
But if the Coastal Commission is as generous with Manhattan as it was with Hermosa, the council would have the power to choose a paid admission figure anywhere up to 90 percent of attendees at future AVP events, Councilwoman Joyce Fahey said.
"What I'm interested in is the City Council taking control of the beach," she said. "I don't want the Coastal Commission to tell us how to run our beach. We're the ones who need to make that decision."
Councilman Mitch Ward, who is up for re-election next month, said he would never support the full 90 percent figure for paid seating.
The council also decided that admission fees would be charged only in the tournament's grandstand and not in outside courts, as Hermosa's deal allowed.
The AVP has long complained that both South Bay tournaments are financial stinkers, with officials reporting last year's Manhattan Beach Open losses at about $509,000.
Charging admission to 25 percent of spectators was not enough to keep the company solvent, the association argued.
While a public company, the AVP has continually been reluctant to reveal financial details, instead directing the public to view its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"We are only looking to lose less money," said Dave Williams, AVP's director of market development. "We don't even see profitability. We're trying to keep this tournament in Manhattan Beach and not hemorrhage."
But council members have required the association to prove its financial status to them in private before a decision is made about how many spectators can be charged admission fees.
Tuesday's discussion brought a drove of people, including several professional players on the AVP tour, to encourage the council to work with the association or risk the company leaving town.
"It doesn't have to be that Manhattan Beach is the epicenter of (beach volleyball)," professional player Carl Henkel said. "We need to embrace that."
A handful of people spoke against the amendment, arguing admission fees exploited the coastline and discouraged people from coming to the beach.
"Cash registers and beaches just don't go together, in my opinion," Manhattan Beach resident Bill Victor said.
Regardless of what figure the council chooses, any changes will not likely go into effect until next year's tournament, Director of Community Development Richard Thompson said.
The Coastal Commission likely won't weigh in on Manhattan Beach's proposal until September, about a month after the tournament has vacated the city's sands.

Pros ready to serve up clinic
By Brad E. Ruszala
Reporter
The build up to the Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival is over as players from throughout the region make their final preparations for the biggest two-on-two action in the Marianas.
Top players from the Association of Volleyball Professionals are already on island and were welcomed back to Saipan with open arms at the home of the event-the Pacific Islands Club.
After catching lunch at the hotel, some of the top men and women entered in this weekend's competition were treated to a two-hour bike tour courtesy of Marianas Trekking where they were able to catch a glimpse of Saipan's natural beauty before making pretty plays in the tournament.
After touching down on Saipan early in the morning, Paul Baxter, Adam Roberts, Angie Akers, and Brooke Niles Hanson were ready to head out onto the roads yesterday afternoon for a tour through Marpi. It's the first time to the CNMI for all but Baxter and Akers said that she is looking forward to playing in the Cup.
“I'm pretty excited to be here. It's all new so I'm ready for a new adventure,” she said.
While Niles Hanson is one heck of a player on the court she wasn't as sure of her abilities cruising down from Suicide Cliff to the Grotto on a mountain bike. While still getting used to the humidity, the pro said that she is looking forward to playing.
“Yeah, I'm excited. I'm still wondering how it's all going to work but it should be fun,” she said.
Roberts is no stranger to playing by the ocean and the Myrtle Beach native said that the Cup should be a good warm-up for April's first AVP Tour event in South Beach.
“It's nice. It's good to be in this hot weather before we head down to Florida for our first pro event. We're excited. It should be fun,” he said.
Baxter has been to Saipan a handful of times and the Cup veteran didn't mince words when describing his experience in the Marianas.
“It's good, I love coming here every year. As long as Jon (Cramer) will have me I'll be out here,” he said.
Confident both on and off the court, Baxter made his prediction and guaranteed his tournament partner a ticket to the championship match.
“We're going to beat the Japanese as always and I'll be in the finals,” he said.
The foursome represents the top men and women from the AVP Tour but they will be joined by Hitoshi Yamamoto and Taichi Morikawa, who are returning to the Cup from Japan.
The first activities get underway this evening when the pros put on a skills clinic followed by a pair of exhibitions at the PIC. The instructional session runs from 3pm to 5pm on the San Antonio sand followed by a spirited match between the top ladies at 6pm and the top men at 7pm.
After the exhibition, the pros will be raffled off to a lucky team and competitors will head home and get a good night's sleep before the Saturday morning action at the PIC.

Pros thrill in exhibition
By Brad E. Ruszala
Reporter
The Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival kicked off with a bang Friday night as the visiting professional players hosted a two-hour skills clinic followed by a thrilling exhibition of top notch ball at the Pacific Islands Club.
Angie Akers and Brooke Niles Hanson got the night started when they defeated Japanese stars Miho Makade and Sachie Oguri 21-13 and 21-16 in the women's match, but some of the real excitement came moments after when the pros were raffled off to the tournament participants.
Kelly Butcher and Mili Saiki leapt off of the sand when they won the raffle for Akers and Niles Hanson while Nikki Shyrack and Angie Mister were equally excited to win the Japanese duo.
On the men's side, Paul Baxter teamed up with fellow AVP Tour pro Adam Roberts to play Japanese men from last year's Cup, Hitoshi Yamamoto and Taichi Morikawa. The foursome was still playing as of press time but their back and forth play captivated the crowd that surrounded the main court.
The action continues when the Cup starts this morning at 9am on the San Antonio sand with several courts open for play for the nearly 40 teams registered for the tournament as of press time.
As always the cost of admission is free and the Marianas Cup continues through tomorrow afternoon when time will tell if Baxter's guaranteed finals berth for his raffle teammate comes to pass.

Brazil Sweeps Challenge Series
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, February 25, 2007 - Led by Larissa Franca, Brazil swept the 2007 Beach Volleyball Challenge Series with the United States here Sunday on Ipanema to increase the South American country’s record to 6-4 over their American rivals
Larissa, who gained a spot in the 2007 Brazil vs. United States Challenge Series by winning last week’s Queen of the Beach competition on Ipanema, and Juliana Felisberta Silva posted a 21-15 and 21-13 win over Americans Rachel Wacholder and Kerri Walsh to complete the swept.
A week earlier on Ipanema, Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes posted a 21-15 and 23-21 to give the South American country a 5-1 edge in the men’s Brazil vs. United States Challenge Series competition. Fabio earned his spot in the Challenge Series by winning the Brazilian King of the Beach title February 11.
Larissa and Juliana’s win Sunday was the first for the Brazilian women in four matches with the Americans as the pair had dropped the 2005 Challenge Series match to Jen Kessy-Boss and Holly McPeak in two sets. Walsh and Wacholder had posted wins in the 2004 and 2006 Brazil vs. USA Challenge Series, respectively, with different partners.
Including their two Challenge Series matches, Juliana and Larissa now have a 16-12 record against the Americans in international competition since 2004. The two-time SWATCH-FIVB World Tour point’s champions, Juliana and Larissa posted a 7-1 record against teams from the United States in 2006.
The 2007 Brazil vs. United States Challenge Series was set up initially when Walsh and Rogers won the American Goddess and God titles last September in Las Vegas to earn their spots to represent the North American country with their chosen partner.
The next competition for Larissa and Juliana will be next month when the Brazilian domestic tour starts in Porto Alegre. The 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour begins the first of May in Shanghai, China, for the first qualifying event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Brazil vs. USA Challenge
Men - Brazil leads 5-1
2007 - Marcio Araujo/Fabio Magalhaes, Brazil, def. Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers, 21-15, 23-21
2006 - Nalbert Bittencourt/Luizão Correa, Brazil def. Karch Kiraly/Mike Lambert, 21-19 and 21-19
2005 - Emanuel Rego/Ricardo Santos, Brazil def. Lambert/Stein Metzger, 2-1
2004 - Dain Blanton/Jeff Nygaard, USA, def. Emanuel/Ricardo, 2-1
2003 - Jorge Ferreira Terceiro/Luiz "Guto" Dulinski, Brazil def. Eric Fonoimoana/Dax Holdren, 2-1
2002 - Jose Loiola/Ricardo, Brazil def. Metzger/Wong, 2-0

Women – United States leads 3-1
2007 - Juliana/Larissa, Brazil def. Wacholder/Walsh, 21-15, 21-13.
2006 - Rachel Wacholder/Elaine Youngs, USA def. Shaylyn Bede/Agatha Bednarczuk, 20-22, 24-22 and 15-8
2005 - Jen Kessy-Boss/Holly McPeak, USA def. Juliana Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca, 2-0
2004 - Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh, USA def. Gerusa Costa/Vanilda "Val" Santos Leao, 2-0

Here is the 2007 Brazilian domestic schedule:
March 1-4 - Porto Alegre - RS, OPEN
March 8-11, Londrina - PR, OPEN
March 22-25 - Juiz de Fora - MG , OPEN
March 29-April 4 - Santos - SP, OPEN
April 12-15 - Campo Grande - MS, OPEN
April 19-22 - Brasília - DF, OPEN
May 17-20 - Palmas - TO, CHALLENGER
June 14-17 - São Luiz - MA, CHALLENGER
August 2-5 - Teresina - PI, CHALLENGER
August 23-26 - Aracajú - SE, CHALLENGER
September 13-16 - Salvador - BA , OPEN
October 11-14 - Vila Velha - ES, OPEN
October 18-21 - Niterói - RJ, OPEN
November 8-11 - Maceió - AL, OPEN
November 15-18 - João Pessoa - PB, OPEN
November 29-December 2 - Recife - PE, OPEN

Tickets Are Now On Sale for Opening Weekend in Miami

February 26, 2007

The AVP Miami Open will take place April 13 - 15 at Bicentenial Park in Miami. More details to follow.

Click Here To Purchase Tickets
To the AVP Miami Open
April 14 & 15, 2007
April 13th is the qualifier - Admission is free

Click here to buy tickets for Louisville and Cincinnati

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Heads to Long Beach
March 1, 2007
Long Beach, Calif. - March 1, 2007 - AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, announced today that the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour is adding Long Beach as a new stop for the 2007 Tour. The event will be the debut of AVP women in Long Beach and will mark the return of the AVP men for the first time since 1985. The AVP Long Beach Open will be held on East Shoreline Drive over the weekend of July 19-22.
The event will be a homecoming for Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor, who led Long Beach State to the National Championship and an undefeated record in 1998, earning her the NCAA Player of the Year award. The last time the AVP men competed in Long Beach was in 1985 when Mike Dodd and Tim Hovland defeated Rickki Luyties and Steve Obradovich in the championship match.
A press conference is scheduled at 3:00 p.m. PT today at Marina Green to formally kick off the event. It will feature several key business leaders and prominent members of the Long Beach community, including the Mayor of Long Beach Bob Foster and as well as the Executive Director of The Sea Festival Association of Long Beach, Christopher R. Pook. The AVP MVP May-Treanor, a native of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Leonard Armato, Tour CEO and Commissioner, will also be in attendance.
"Once again, people all over the country will see our city shine as NBC broadcasts the best men's and women's beach volleyball players battling it out in one of the most beautiful and exciting waterfront venues in the world," Mayor Foster said. "The City of Long Beach is extremely pleased to host this major sporting event."
"The AVP is excited about this new partnership and we look forward to the Tour's return to Long Beach," said Armato. "The sport of beach volleyball was born on the beaches of Southern California. We are thrilled to introduce Long Beach as an additional Tour stop. The 2007 season will bring beach volleyball to even more California cities and introduce many new fans to our exciting and fast-growing sport."
More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes in the world, including Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and May-Treanor, will compete in the tournament, which will be televised nationally on NBC.
The AVP Long Beach Open will kick off on Thursday, July 19, and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals held on Sunday, July 22.
Tickets can be purchased online through http://www.avp.com.
Prices are $20 for General Admission tickets, $40 for Courtside Box Seats, with special discounts for students, children and seniors, as well as discounted all-session ticket packages. The Thursday qualifying round is free of charge.
Sponsorship packages offering significant national and regional exposure along with unique client hospitality opportunities are currently available. For updated 2007 event information, including sponsorships, hospitality, tickets, schedules and general announcements throughout the year, visit http://www.avp.com.

AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Adding LB To 2007 Tour, July 19-22
(March 1, 2007) -- AVP Crocs Professional Beach Volleyball is adding Long Beach as the newest stop on its 18-city 2007 U.S. tour during the weekend of July 19-22.
The announcement was made by LB Sea Festival Executive Director Chris Pook at a March 1 press event on LB's Marina Green attended by LB Mayor Bob Foster, Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor and (not visible in photo) Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and AVP Tour Commissioner/CEO Leonard Armato.
The AVP Long Beach Open events will be televised nationwide on NBC and will take place in stadium/volleyball facilities to be placed just off East Shoreline Drive [map below provided with City of LB release], organizers said.
Leonard Armato: For four years we've been trying to come to this beautiful city, and Chris [Pook] I know has been working on it diligently for that long period of time, so thank you Chris for...not giving up and doing everything you could to bring us here, you finally made it happen. And I know a lot of city officials worked along the way to help Chris. [Parks & Recd Director] Phil Hester, I know you worked on this. I know City Manager Jerry Miller worked on this. I know Reggie Harrison, all the city staff. [Councilwoman] Suja Lowenthal, I know you were involved as well, and the city really made this a team effort, and of course we couldn't do it without the Mayor, Bob Foster.
This city is incredibly progressive, look around you you see what happened last weekend, the Amgen [cycling] Tour of California...and now you've finally made it to the big time, you've got the AVP Crocs Tour! [applause]
...We've gone from seven events to eighteen events in major markets all over the country in the span of just a few years and we're super-proud to be here in Long Beach...
Misty May-Treanor: ...I guarantee this will be one of the bigger tournaments of the year, if not the biggest, because it's going to pull from different cities, everybody's going to want to come here to Long Beach, and I think they're going to find out what a fantastic city it is and be jealous that they don't live here like we do.
Mayor Bob Foster: ...This is going to be a world class event, we're looking forward to it. Long Beach has been a city now with big events. We've got the Grand Prix. We've got the Marathon which draws 17,000 people. We had the Olympics in 84, the Olympic Trials in 2004. We actually are in competition now for the 2016 Olympics for about ten or eleven events here in Long Beach, and the AVP will fit right in...As part of Sea Fest, this will be a just a tremendous addition to that...AVP pro beach volleyball tour is a big plus for us. It's going continue to position Long Beach and put us in an excellent destination for sports in southern California. Our mutual friends at NBC are going to love being here. This is a really fantastic city. It is a city that's reinventing itself and it's in a real rebirth and everybody seems to really enjoy being here. It's going to put a huge spotlight on our backyard...Long Beach is looking forward to this.
Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal:...We are very excited here...We in Long Beach have been building our events dossier...Look at our beach. Our beach is beautiful...It's the best backdrop...We are a great city for this. This is about vitality and energy and health in this city. Last week's Amgen [cycling] Tour proved that and when we have the volleyball players here we will continue on that trend...
General Admission to the Friday-Sunday events will be $20...with $40 charged for Courtside Box Seats and discounts for students, children and seniors. (A Thursday qualifying round will be free of charge.)
The events will be incorporated into LB's Sea Festival, which the City Council voted in 2003 to put under the direction of a privately-run Sea Festival Association headed by Mr. Pook amid promises to bring larger summertime events to LB.
AVP Tour Commissioner/CEO Leonard Armato credited Mr. Pook and multiple members of LB city management, plus Mayor Bob Foster and 2nd district Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal for their efforts in bringing the AVP pro volleyball tour to LB.
Among those attending the press event were City Manager Jerry Miller, Deputy City Manager Reggie Harrison, Parks and Rec Chief Phil Hester, Special Events Office Director Dave Ashman, LB Gas & Oil Director Chris Garner, Police Chief Anthony Batts and Assistant City Auditor Alex Cherin.

L.B. digs pro volleyball
Tour adds to L.B.'s reputation as venue for major sporting events.
By Samantha Gonzaga, Staff writer
Article Launched: 03/01/2007 10:40:24 PM PST
Misty May-Treanor, a former Long Beach State volleyball star, and AVP Chief Executive Leonard Armato announce that the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tour will be making a stop in Long Beach during the 2007 season during a press conference in Long Beach on Thursday. (Steven Georges / Press-Telegram)LONG BEACH - Olympic gold medalist and Cal State Long Beach alumna Misty May-Treanor greeted the news that AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball will make a stop in Long Beach this summer with one word: "Finally."
For one weekend in July, the city will host the professional volleyball circuit, city officials announced Thursday.
"I'm so excited to be able to come down here, and hopefully we can showcase some volleyball," said May-Treanor, who is expected to compete in the event.
She joined representatives of the tour and city officials Thursday afternoon at a news conference announcing the volleyball event would be part of the city's Sea Festival schedule.
"It's going to put a huge spotlight on our backyard," said Mayor Bob Foster.
Scheduled for July 19-22, the AVP tournament in Long Beach will be nationally televised on NBC, with about 150 professional athletes competing for titles.
Beachside volleyball courts and a stadium accommodating up to 7,500 spectators will be constructed along East Shoreline Drive for the event, said Chris Pook, executive director of the Sea Festival Association of Long Beach.
Long Beach's inclusion in the 18-city tour is the latest development
in the city's bid to build its image as a friendly venue for large athletic events.
"It's a great brand fit," said Leonard Armato, chief executive of AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. "The city of Long Beach stands for active lifestyles."
The three-year agreement with AVP - a work four years in the making - is the culmination of intense competition with other major cities gunning to be the tour's new stop, Pook said.
"This is about vitality, energy and health in this city," said 2nd District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal.
General admission tickets are $20 and courtside box seats are $40, with discounts for students, children and seniors. Thursday qualifying rounds are free.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.avp.com.

Volleyball Vacations coming to Grand Cayman

Friday, March 2, 2007
During a recent one-day stop in Grand Cayman, Volleyball Vacations founder Albert Hannemann took time out from his adult volleyball clinics to run a kids clinic for year three and four students at Montessori by the Sea.
The youngsters received professional instruction from the 14-year Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) veteran and past tour event champion.
The students also got to watch one of their teachers, Wanda Brenton, play a game with Mr Hannemann against two members of the Cayman Islands Beach Volleyball Committee.
Afterwards, Mrs Brenton said it had been a great day for the kids to discover a sport they may have not been exposed to before. “Albert is great with kids. His ability to keep them all involved and interested throughout the clinic was unbelievable. The kids and parents were talking about how much they enjoyed the clinic for days,” she enthused.
Mr Hannemann is no stranger to working with kids, he is currently Vice President of the Dig for Kids Foundation which was founded in January 2000 by his cousin, Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Fonoimoana.
The purpose of the foundation is to provide academic mentoring and athletic training to kids in disadvantaged communities. Through the foundation, more than 9500 children have been taught the basic skills of volleyball and twelve Excellence in Volleyball and Academics Scholarships have been awarded to high school seniors.
Mr Hannemann is currently working with the Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation (CIVF) on plans to return to the Cayman Islands in early 2008 with his Volleyball Vacations Company.
Volleyball Vacations will bring 100 guests to the island for a weeklong visit, during which they play volleyball and learn more about the sport from top AVP players.
Mr Hannemann said he is excited at the prospect of coming back to Grand Cayman. “This was my second trip to Cayman and the Volleyball Federation here has been extremely helpful in making this our signature annual event,” he explained. Adding that he plans to arrive, with other professional players, a few days early for the 2008 event and conduct further clinics for local kids.
The CIVF say they are very proud to be able to bring a professional level programme such as Volleyball Vacations to Grand Cayman and expect the trip to generate further interest in the sport.
For more information on Volleyball Vacations visit www.volleyballvacations.com.

Kiraly likely to announce retirement
Beach volleyball legend is expected to give it up after this season.
By SHAWN PRICE
The Orange County Register
Karch Kiraly, one of the greatest beach volleyball players in the sport's history, is expected to announce his retirement at an informal news conference in Huntington Beach on March 13. But he hasn't left the sand just yet.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist and longtime San Clemente resident is expected to play in several events during the AVP season, including the Huntington Beach Open scheduled for May, before leaving the professional ranks in September. During the news conference, he also is expected to talk about his involvement in a new grassroots beach volleyball event in Southern California.
Still a marvel of fitness and competitive fire at 46, Kiraly (pronounced keer-EYE) is a towering figure in the game. He has won more tournaments (148), more money ($3 million plus) and more professional accolades than any other player on the sand over a 29-year career.
Kiraly's first pro year on the beach was 1978. The length of his career has stretched out so long that Kiraly was already a top player when his most recent partner, Larry Witt, was in diapers.
As an indoor player, Kiraly starred as well. He was a four-time All-American at UCLA, where he led the team to three national championships. Two of the seasons, 1979 and 1982, the Bruins were undefeated. In 1992, his jersey was retired, and he was inducted into the school's hall of fame.
He won his first two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. indoor team, before returning to the beach for good, where he won the gold with then-partner Kent Steffes in the sport's Olympic debut in Atlanta in 1996. Kiraly was also the AVP's most valuable player six times.

AVP CROCS TOUR ANNOUNCES 2007 SCHEDULE
March 5, 2007

LOS ANGELES - March 5, 2007 - AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced its 2007 AVP Crocs Tour schedule. It includes an unprecedented 18 tour stops, up from 16 in 2006, and a record $4 million in prize money. The prize money, split equally between the men and women, represents a 14% increase from last year's $3.5 million.

The 2007 AVP Crocs Tour includes nine new additions - Miami, FL; Dallas, TX; Glendale, AZ; Louisville, KY; Tampa, FL; Charleston, SC; Long Beach, CA; Boston, MA; and San Francisco, CA. Tickets to all 2007 Tour events will be available at http://www.avp.com.

AVP 2007 Schedule

April 13-15 - Miami, FL
April 19-22 - Dallas, TX
May 3-6 - Huntington Beach, CA
May 10-13 - Glendale, AZ
May 17-20 - Hermosa Beach, CA
May 24-27 - Louisville, KY
May 31-Jun. 3 - Tampa, FL
June 7-10 - Atlanta, GA
June 14-17 - Charleston, SC
July 5-8 - Seaside Heights, NJ
July 19-22 - Long Beach, CA
Aug. 2-5 - Chicago, IL
Aug. 9-12 - Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug. 16-19 - Boston, MA
Aug. 23-26 - Brooklyn, NY
Aug. 30-Sept. 2 - Cincinnati, OH
Sept. 6-8 - Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 14-16 - San Francisco, CA

All events will be televised on NBC and/or FOX Sports Net (FSN).

For the first time, fans can also view all of the finals live on http://www.avp.com. A detailed broadcast schedule will be released soon.

In addition, AVP has continued its development of several promoter relationships to help bring the action of the AVP to additional cities throughout the United States. Local organizers are responsible for promoting events at the local level, including tickets, hospitality, concessions and sponsorships. Event cities with local partners announced to date include: Dallas (Hicks Sports Marketing Group), San Francisco (Giants Enterprises), Glendale (Ellman Companies), Atlanta (Atlanta Sports Council), Las Vegas (Harrah's), Charleston (Family Circle Cup), Brooklyn (Nets Basketball/Forest City Ratner Companies), Louisville (SFX Worldwide and Reach Event Marketing), Seaside Heights (Positive Impact Partners) and Cincinnati (Reach Event Marketing). AVP's strategic alliances with top local promoters allows the tour to gain a stronger presence in event markets as well as year-round local marketing and outreach for each event.

"We are pleased to announce our 2007 tour schedule, which includes our classic tour stops and several new ones this year," said Leonard Armato, CEO and tour commissioner. "Through a number of successful promoter alliances, we are able to bring the excitement of beach volleyball to more cities throughout the country than ever before, increasing the exposure of beach volleyball and reaching a larger audience. With a growing fan base, increased sponsorship and a growing Tour schedule, we are excited to commence the 2007 tour season in Miami this April."

At the Lake: AVP Tour not returning to Tahoe
Provided by the Tahoe Daily Tribune
March 6, 2007
AVP Tour players are accustomed to playing on picture-postcard days and before packed stadiums.
That didn’t happen at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa last September and, consequently, the tour won’t return to Stateline in 2007.
The Stateline venue wasn’t one of nine venues retained for the 18-stop 2007 AVP Crocs Tour schedule that was released on Monday.
“The weather wasn’t that good and the event didn’t do that well,” said Paul Reder, president of PR Entertainment Inc., which provides all of the entertainment and sports for MontBleu.
“It was a great experience to be associated with AVP, a good alignment for our brand, but we struggled with some of the midweek events. The market was too small to support the midweek events.”
Unfortunately, the AVP Tour rolled into town just as the area was receiving an early dose of winter. Cold rain, swirling winds and overnight temperatures near freezing kept spectators away from the makeshift beach behind MontBleu. Tickets were affordable, ranging from $20 to $75.
Reder, however, hasn’t given up hope on bringing back the AVP to Lake Tahoe in some form.
“We’re looking at other opportunities to align ourselves with them,” Reder said. “We’re thinking about doing some qualifying events. There might be some opportunity this summer. We’re seeing what makes sense for the community. If it was a two-day event, it would be great. It’s hard to draw people midweek.”
Before last year’s Sept. 14-16 tournament, players such as Kerri Walsh and husband Casey Jennings were excited about the Tahoe venue because the location was ideal for family and friends.
“There’s no greater place for me. This is where I learned to play beach volleyball,” said Jennings, a four-time winner on the AVP Tour. “You are gonna have a lot of people come out of the woodwork who are excited to watch it, and hopefully we’ll get some new fans out of Reno and Carson City who will come.”
They didn’t. Remaining California venues for 2007 tour include mainstays Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Huntington Beach along with new stops at Long Beach and San Francisco. Other new venues for 2007 include Miami; Dallas, Glendale, Ariz.; Louisville, Ky.; Tampa, Fla.; Charleston, S.C.; and Boston.
“Through a number of successful promoter alliances, we are able to bring the excitement of beach volleyball to more cities throughout the country than ever before, increasing the exposure of beach volleyball and reaching a larger audience,” said Leonard Armato, tour commissioner and chief executive officer.

Welcome to the new AVP.com!
New online home of AVP kicks off for 2007 season
By Mark Newman / Special to AVP.com
You have a new partner this season.
The kind of partner you can rely on to go horizontal for a dig with three inches of air to spare over Manhattan Beach sand. The kind you can rely on to be as equally motivated as you at 15-15 in the third game. The kind you can rely on for the kill when you've just floated your best set of the day and a fat purse is on the line.
Welcome to the bigger, better and badder AVP.com, which has just been relaunched expressly for a soaring fan base that is about to greet a bigger, better and badder AVP Crocs Tour. Opening Day of the 2007 season is set for April 13 with the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, so get to know your new partner in the meantime by playing with some hot technology. Order upcoming courtside tickets and a pair of those comfy gold or black AVP-logo Crocs, and get ready for more.
"We are thrilled with the new AVP.com knowing that Beach Volleyball fans across the world will experience AVP Pro Beach Volleyball like never before," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Commissioner of the AVP.
"AVP.com is the most comprehensive and most visited volleyball site on the net. The new site will offer a combination of deeper content, rich media, community functionality and a more complete statistical package that will clearly enhance the user experience and make AVP.com a daily destination for AVP fans."
The AVP Crocs Tour is coming off a year in which its fan base saw more than a 50-percent increase, and this time around it will feature two additional events (18 total), nine new cities, and a record $4 million in prize money to be split equally between the women and men. All events will be televised on NBC and FOX Sports Net, and for the first time, fans with broadband connections will be able to watch live weekend video during the season on AVP.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media is powering the new AVP.com, and the same award-winning technology that lets out-of-market baseball fans view up to six live games with MLB.com Mosaic will allow AVP fans to watch multiple games simultaneously this season.
Your new partner will be mesmerizing that way at times, and always informative, helpful 24/7 and ready to grow the overall Beach Volleyball community to more extreme heights. The many key features of the new AVP.com include:
One-stop-shop for AVP ticketing. Tickets for select events are now available. You can print your AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami tickets right there at home or at the office after you've ordered them here. "All Session Passes" are available for the Louisville and Cincinnati events. The main ticketing page offers plenty of convenience including links to all of the event details you need.
Tour event pages. Your new partner is everywhere on the court. Each AVP Crocs Tour stop has its own area complete with a Gameday Central featuring preview, live scores, stats, recap and multimedia, as well as ticketing and venue info and a history of that event. Just click any event on the master schedule page. Each of those tour pages will be a hub throughout the season and no place will have more intense AVP coverage.
Expanded player profiles. This sport has grown hotter and hotter since the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and it is going to keep growing in popularity. That is mainly because of the elite athletes who hold such a grip on fans with their raw appeal and fluid games. Study up on the tour stars like historically predominate partners Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, as well as the newer kids on the block. Player profiles will be teeming with video clips, pics, headlines, season/career stats and bio data.
Monster multimedia. Look for The Natural, the Hawaiian Curtain, The Turtle, Steino and all those Gods and Goddesses of the Beach on the main video page. It already is chock-full of clips and they will keep coming like a 26-24 dramafest opener. Take a look at the new photo galleries. Right now is a good time to do that, reliving the bods on the beach from 2006 and whetting the appetite for the tour just ahead.
Volleyball Nation. Here's one of the best reasons to have a partner: It helps you find even more friends. Start your own leagues; post messages; win prizes on the AVP E-Team; sign up for VN newsletters to get an edge on other fans; and be on the lookout for a gradual rollout of more community features that will let you generate your own content and grow networks of like-minded fans and participants. This will be the mecca for those who play Beach Volleyball and those who watch Beach Volleyball. That myspace page you've been living on for a while now? You're probably going to want to use that fun-readable page to promote your main AVP.com presence this summer.
When asked recently what she liked to focus on during training, AVP Crocs Tour member Rachel Wacholder said: "Focus on getting stronger and getting myself in the best position to maintain throughout the season, because it's a really long season. I think that's the key -- being able to make it through lots and lots of tournaments in a row."
We think of the new AVP.com site kind of the same way. It's a long season, and you're going to want a partner who's up for it, who's always there, who's got your back and is loaded with pleasant surprises for some major breakthroughs. So go ahead and get ready for that first stop in South Florida. Practice a little while. Get those tickets, and show those new video clips and pics to your friends.
Your new AVP partner is here.

Set up guideposts for beach events
Contentious debate over paid admission at the popular AVP tournaments at Hermosa and Manhattan Beach has gone on for more than a decade. It's time to settle this issue.
Daily Breeze editorial
The contentious debate over paid admission at the popular Association of Volleyball Professionals tournaments at Hermosa and Manhattan Beach has gone on for more than a decade, pitting the California Coastal Commission, local governments, volleyball promoters and those concerned with public access to the beaches.
It's time to settle this issue. No matter which side of the question one may be on, it's not sensible to continually bicker over how these annual beach events are organized. Local government officials, supporters and critics of these events need to have some clear guidelines on what is permissible and what is not.
And maybe recent Coastal Commission actions will finally accomplish that goal. Last month, commissioners voted 6-5 to allow the owners of the Hermosa Beach Open to charge 90 percent of those attending its annual tournament paid admission. Previously, the commission set a threshold of about 25 percent, but AVP officials have complained that such limits on paid seating hurt the tour's bottom line. And AVP has previously threatened to pull out of the South Bay tournaments altogether.
The prospect of losing such home-grown tournaments should force all sides to come to a consensus. Although beach cities might not be inclined to raise the threshold all the way up to 90 percent, we would hope the Coastal Commission's latest ruling would become part of a template for local governments to set rules for an array of beach events.
Certainly, local approvals for beach events will occasionally face appeals to the Coastal Commission, but the commission should not continue to micromanage the details of individual beach events. The commission should concentrate on broader criteria for beach events that recognize expectations of public access.
In other words, the commission should put in place the guardrails to guide promoters and local governments on what's acceptable. But leave the specific details of how these events are organized to local officials who are accountable to residents of beach cities.

AVP Announces Partnership With HEAT Group Enterprises
Organizations to Jointly Stage AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, April
13-15, in Miami, the Kick-Off Event of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour Season
MIAMI, March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:
AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional
beach volleyball, today announced a multi-year partnership with HEAT Group
Enterprises, a division of the HEAT Group responsible for promoting,
presenting and producing events inside and outside the AmericanAirlines
Arena, to bring professional beach volleyball back to the beaches of Miami
with the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
The AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, to be held April 13-15 at
Bicentennial Park, adjacent to AmericanAirlines Arena, marks the inaugural
event of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. The AVP last visited Miami in 1997 when
the Tour consisted of men only. Jose Loiola and Kent Steffes took home the
title that year, one of Steffes' 13 single season victories in 1997. The
2007 event will be the Miami debut for the female stars of the AVP.
As part of the new integrated partnership, HEAT Group Enterprises will
actively assist with the promotion and presentation of the 2007 event, as
well as assist in selling all local revenue for the tournament, including
tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality, with AVP maintaining
control over all of its assets. In 2008, the partnership will expand to a
full local promoter's role in connection with the AVP.
Attendees at a March 9 news conference included Mike Walker, executive
vice president, of HEAT Group Enterprises, Bruce Binkow, AVP chief
marketing officer, AVP Most Valuable Player Misty May-Treanor and HEAT
Forward Jason Kapono.
"We are very excited to work alongside HEAT Group Enterprises to bring
the excitement and competition of the AVP Crocs Tour back to our many fans
in South Florida," said Binkow. "By bringing the AVP to a great sports city
like Miami -- host of Super Bowl XLI and home of the defending NBA champion
Heat -- we will work as a team toward our ultimate goal of growing the
sport of professional beach volleyball in South Florida, and across the
country."
"Beach volleyball games are ever present along the sandy beaches of
South Florida thanks to our warm and sunny climate," said Walker. "And
therefore we think there's enormous potential for an event like the AVP
Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open to develop a large and loyal audience in our
community. We are pleased to be assisting AVP with this year's event and
looking forward to taking an expanded role in the promotion and marketing
of the 2008 Open."
The 2007 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open begins with an open qualifier
on Friday, April 13 and continues with main draw play through the weekend.
The men's and women's finals will take place on Sunday, April 15. More than
150 of the world's top men's and women's beach volleyball professionals
will compete in the tournament, televised on Sun Sports, the regional
station of Fox Sports Net.
Tickets are available for purchase on the official AVP website,
http://www.avp.com. Streaming video of the event is also available on http://www.avp.com.
About the AVP, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit
http://www.avp.com.'
About HEAT Group Enterprises
HEAT Group Enterprises is responsible for the presenting, promoting or
producing all the non-basketball events at the AmericanAirlines Arena --
South Florida's Waterfront Showplace and proud home of the 2006 NBA
Champion Miami HEAT. The state-of-the-art facility has presented concerts
of world renowned artists such as Madonna, U2, Mariah Carey, Rolling
Stones, Luis Miguel, Bruce Springstein, Paul McCartney and Shakira, and
recurring productions of family shows including the Circus, Disney on Ice,
the Wiggles and the Harlem Globetrotters. The Arena has also played host to
several live televised mega events including the 2004 and 2005 MTV Video
Music Awards and continues to showcase popular Latin productions including
Amor a la Musica, Premio Nuestro and the Latin Grammy Awards. The
AmericanAirlines Arena also has an intimate setting, the Waterfront
Theatre, a 3,000-5600 seat venue that can also be used for private
performances, dinner theatre or general session. For more information,
please visit AAArena.com.

Raising the Hawaiian Curtain
AVP star Lambert talks about life on, off court
By Matt Zuvela / AVP.com
Mike Lambert had his most successful season ever in 2006. With his partner, Stein Metzger, Lambert won five titles and reached all but one of the AVP Tour semifinals during the season. He also earned the most money of his career during 2006, which is good because he has another mouth to feed at his table. Lambert had his second child during the offseason.

Your offseason must look a little different than it used to now with two kids.
I still find time to hit the waves and go surfing or play a little guitar. Just kind of kick back but still be a family guy. I guess, actually, I feel all grown up. I work in the yard and do little projects around the house, and spend my time with our two kids.

You must have taken to being a father pretty well, because you have had two children within two years of each other.
Yeah, four at a table make a family, you know? It is cool for our daughter to have a brother and our son to have a sister. People say, "Just wait until you have kids -- it's the best" and it is totally true. It's the simple things -- just trying to make them laugh and smile -- that is the purpose of my life.

Your wife is Italian. Are you raising the children to be bilingual?
Yeah, she speaks Italian and I speak English.

The race for the Olympics officially begins this season. How will that change things for you out on the beach?
Not much. We've got a good game plan in place and we've got a good coach. I've got a good partner, and we're all on the same page with what we want to do, so we're just going to keep refining our game. This was a great offseason for us to work on the things that we want to work on.

The three American teams that have done well on the FIVB -- Jake [Gibb] and Sean [Rosenthal], Todd [Rogers] and Phil [Dalhausser], and us -- we're all right there with the best teams in the world. That's a really exciting thing for the American teams, to know that we have a legitimate shot at getting a medal. So if we keep working hard, good things will happen.
Is it difficult to stay focused on the Olympics even though they are over a year and a half away?
Stein and I haven't won an FIVB event, so that will be our goal this year, to get on the podium as much as possible and win an event. You don't want to go into the Olympics without having won an event.

What kind of things did you focus on in the offseason to stay sharp for 2007?
I'm trying to be like Karch [Kiraly] and not get out of shape. Soon as the offseason started, I'm in the gym lifting weights and getting strong. I work on my jump serve and some ball control stuff.

It's good to be the Boss
Veteran AVP Pro Jennifer Boss gets fresh start
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
"She's bossy!" AVP announcer Christopher "Geeter" McGee would sing out whenever Jennifer Boss would hit the sand in center court last summer. This season, Boss is feeling the pressure to live up to her last name. When Boss and Keao Burdine, who is spending the off-season playing in Puerto Rico, were talking about a partnership, Boss decided to take matters into her own hand.
"I just said, 'I'm gonna go to Puerto Rico,'" Boss recalled.
After the two practiced together, the partnership was solidified, starting a new phase of Boss' volleyball career.
Boss began last season playing with Nancy Mason, but became partners with Rachel Wacholder late in the year. The pair never finished below fifth place and even took second at the Best of the Beach tournament, but Wacholder decided not to continue the partnership for 2007. This left Boss searching within herself to see what the problem could be.
"You can only look at other people so much," Boss said. "I ask myself, 'Why did this happen? What do I need to change in me to be a better player?' These are the things that I can do."
A big aspect for Boss was the mental side of the game. She realized that you can only work on technique so much. As she realized that she knew what to do and how to do it, she saw the importance of practicing mentally as well.
"I've been working on my mental game a lot, doing a lot of imagery stuff, a lot of visualization, 20 to 40 minutes a day. You're picturing each skill that you're doing. You picture yourself setting good balls, for example," Boss said.
The mental preparation was necessary for the new role Boss was about to play. Boss' previous partners included Holly McPeak, Barbara Fontana, Mason and Wachholder. All of these women were older and more experienced than Boss, meaning she spent her time, basically, under their tutelage.
"They're the veterans, so you pretty much listen to what they say. This year, being the older player, I have to be the role model," Boss said.
Boss is entering her sixth year on the tour, while Burdine is entering her third. Boss is excited to step into a teaching and leadership role.
"Now I have to plan practices, it's a totally different role for me. I kinda like to be in control anyway," Boss said.
Now that Boss is developed as a player, she is taking all of what she learned from her previous partners and establishing her own playing identity.
"You change as a player, I now can be the player that I am," Boss said.
For example, Boss will be playing defense for the first time this year. With this adjustment, as well as the overall shift in getting used to a new partner, the distance has made it even more challenging for the two.
"It's hard. It's also a four-hour time difference, we talk mostly through texting and emailing," Boss said.
When Boss went out to Puerto Rico for the first time, Burdine endured a draining schedule for the practices. She would make a two-hour drive to San Juan, where she and Boss would practice in the mornings with a 20-something Puerto Rican men's team. In the evenings, Burdine would drive back two hours to practice or play with her own Puerto Rican team.
"She's being a total champ," Boss, who also used to play in Puerto Rico, said.
The partners have a connection other than their histories in the Central American country; they are both USC grads.
"It's just such a strong Trojan feel. I watched her and (Keao's former partner) April (Ross) play a bunch. I was really excited to see them out. I love the way she has an attitude on the court. It's something a lot of USC girls have and I love that about them," Boss said.
The two hope the USC connection will fuel them to do well in 2007. Boss knows what she is getting into.
"It's kinda scary at first because it's all on my shoulders," Boss said.
But if Geeter's introduction is anywhere near correct, Boss should be able to take charge and handle the pressure.
Colleen Murray is a regular AVP reporter

8 Titles Short: Buddy System
Questions about how to find the right partner
By Hans Stolfus / AVP.com
The most common e-mail from readers over the last two months has been: "How do I find the right partner?" Thank you Bill, John and Greg... your devout readership will not go unnoticed.
Anyway, what I wouldn't give for that answer.
Considering our wonderful game is played by two tremendous athletes on each side of the court, one could easily argue that, "You are only as good as your partner." Think about it. If your partner can't pass, they'll get served and you won't sideout. If your partner can't set, you'll get served and you won't sideout. If your partner can't touch above eight feet with an approach jump, it doesn't matter, you will never sideout.
Kind of an important choice to be made huh? Especially when you add in finances and livelihoods...
Oh, that just reminded me of a great conversation I had with Kevin Ces from France while competing last December in New Caledonia. The two of us happened to be polishing off a breakfast buffet before being shuttled off to compete against each other in the tournament quarterfinals.
-- On another note, I really enjoy that part of the game... the part where two competitors, only hours away from battling it out, can sit down and have a decent conversation about their individual takes on the sport. For some reason, I just don't feel like pro football players from different teams enjoy lunch together before their Sunday afternoon playoff game, call me crazy. --
Anyway, Kevin and I were discussing the differences between playing on the AVP in the U.S. and playing on the FIVB for his native country of France; and he brought up more than one great point.
1. He loves the fact that the AVP doesn't require its players to wear a sponsored jersey. I told him that I had no idea what he was talking about and asked him if he had any extra tank tops he wouldn't mind selling me...
2. He loves the number of players currently competing in the United States and subsequently how many partner options it creates.
3. He loves the idea of consistently competing on home soil. His best finish of '06 was in Marseille, France where he placed 5th.
We're going to key in on #2 for the time being; perhaps because this column is about: "How to find that one great partner," and from other countries' perspectives, we have optimum selection right here in the U.S.
-- Keep that in mind next time you go through the entry points list and vocally discharge your disgust with how there are never any players available who truly compliment your game. --
So, I've got an idea. An idea that will hopefully aid in my explanation of what goes through a beach volleyball player's mind when they are making the most important decision of the year... who to bunk up with on the road. Figuratively, of course. Our sport doesn't produce enough groupies for that sentence to have multiple meanings. My idea is to demonstrate the decision making process from two different perspectives: 1) From 2006 MVP Todd Rogers, 2) From his ex-partner, 2004/05 Most Improved Player, Sean Scott.
Why these two, you ask? Well, they each individually made two of the biggest moves over the last two years, literally. And frankly, they're just really well known. Why don't we get started and find out more...

Todd Rogers-
Todd is arguably the greatest defender to ever play the sport of beach volleyball. He's a bit of a midget in today's oversized, gargantuan game, but he makes up for it by jumping way higher than his body looks like it would ever allow.
Now, it's the end of '05 and I (Todd Rogers) have just won the last three opens with my long-term partner Sean Scott. The season has come around nicely and I have just earned a whopping $50,000 over the last four weeks. After taking into consideration that at the start of the season I was playing opens with Reid Priddy and taking 17ths (due to my conflicting UCSB coaching schedule), I would say that things have come full circle and that Sean and I are playing as well or better than anyone else on tour. So, after a long debate within my own head, I have decided to end my tenured relationship with Sean and seek out a new partnership with a semi-untested giant named Phil Dalhausser. I know, I know, I know... that sounds more than a little crazy but my goal at this stage in my career is one thing and one thing only, Olympic Gold; which, if read correctly, may make my decision sound even crazier. In my defense, I only offer you this; the international game is nothing more than a mine field full of colossal monsters; 6'7" - 6'10" ex-basketball players are now a dime a dozen on the FIVB. Granted, Sean is possibly the greatest 6'5" blocker of all time but sometimes those inches really start to add up during late stages of a tournament. So, Phil Dalhausser it is. What is he, 6'10"? That will work perfectly. He sets well, he's got great ball control, he might have one of the best jump serves on the sand if he is allowed the freedom to go back and crack it, and he reaches three and a half feet over the net each and every time he blocks... yeah, I would say that he's a gamble worth taking. I'm a little nervous going into Florida but I think things will work themselves out. And Sean is playing with my good old friend, Dax Holdren, so I plan on seeing those two when it matters most, late Sunday afternoon.

Sean Scott -
Like I said in my Todd Rogers monologue, Sean is, without a doubt in anyone's mind, the best 6'5" designated blocker to ever play the game of beach volleyball. With that being said, his decision to play defense this season behind Matt Fuerbringer's massive block is what makes his story so compelling.
Now, it's the end of '06 and I (Sean Scott) have just finished a successful, yet somewhat tumultuous season with Dax Holdren. I blocked full time, while enduring a couple of injuries to my ankle and fingers, but still managed to pull out three finals appearances. The question is, of course, what now? How do I battle with the three teams currently dominating the AVP rankings and potentially take over one of two spots on the Airbus to Beijing? Well, Phil is busy being 7'2" with no hair, Lambo is a long-armed and broad shouldered 6'6", and Jake Gibb is no less than 6'7" on a short day... there's only one answer, I've got to get a big guy and start digging balls. Who's available? Casey and Matt just ended their run so Fuerby is my first call and if all goes well, he's definitely my guy. I'll switch to the right side, dig as many balls as I can run down and transition everything in sight... this will be a breeze. And before you know it, no one will even remember that I spent the last eight years of my career stuffing angle hits like it was my job. (I guess it was kind of my job, really) Is it somewhat of a gamble? I guess you could say that, but the upside is what I am counting on... literally. I will never be on a team that is outsized during international competition ever again. And hopefully, that is the difference I have been looking for. On to 2007 ...
Todd's fate has already been determined; we know how his decision turned out. Sean Scott's, on the other hand, is still up in the air. Could they be a great team? Of course. Any time you pair two great players on the same side of the court you have the potential to create a great team, but nothing is ever for certain. The moral of the story is, of course, go big or go home. I mean, I've already stated this fact twice but I'll say it again, SEAN SCOTT IS THE BEST 6'5" BLOCKER EVER! And he is going out to get himself a blocker? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Is finding the biggest partner you can the only way to play the game anymore? Is that really the answer? For crying out loud, how many big guys are there? I'm 6'5" and I'm considered small? Perhaps that has more to do with my 135 lb weight, straight out of a hot tub, fully clothed; but who's counting? In order to better serve the volleyball playing population, I think I have a great plan; why don't we all take a deep breath (or just me), list the guys who fit the bill and talk about how high their stock has soared during this time of immediate crisis...

Phil Dalhausser - Currently redefining every aspect of the game. He gets over the net better than anybody else on tour and absolutely seals off his side of the court.

Mike Lambert - Carried Karch to wins at the age of 58. Lambo recognizes different hitter's traits on tour better than anybody and possesses the intellect at the net to transfer that information into blocks.

Jake Gibb - My own personal worst nightmare at the net. Jake is the master of misdirection with his block. My advice, close eyes and pray.

Matt Fuerbringer - Huge moves with impeccable timing. Fuerby has the quickness of a small guy combined with the size of a big man.

Jeff Nygaard - Spread blocks, seals the net, throws shots... he's got it all. And he's got the experience to be doing it successfully for a long time to come. How long is he in Turkey?

Kevin Wong - Great hand placement, throws shots and spread blocks as well as anyone on tour - even Nygaard. He takes away my line spike as well... which is more than disappointing.

Mark Williams - First true season as a full time blocker so we're all going to see. Dynamic moves into the low angle and back into the line; Mark is very effective with showing the hitter one look and then taking it away.

Fred Souza - Best jump serve on the beach when he gets it going and is able to run to the net every point. Literally a point scoring machine.

George Roumain - Huge force at the net when he can stay healthy. I've seen photos of him grabbing the hitter's ears over the net on the block. Okay, maybe I haven't... or maybe I have.

Larry Witt - Rumor has it that he doesn't want to block full time anymore but that could only be related to the Sean Scott syndrome. He blocked full time with Karch last season and was more than impressive. The key ingredient to this equation might be that there are just not enough big guys for him to try "D."

Brent Doble - I still remember that finals match in Huntington Beach with Karch, where Doble looked like the best blocker that had ever played the game. He's not 6'10" but his net skills are still more than formidable.

Brad Keenan - Huge, freakishly long arms and an uncanny ability to throw shots while also blocking the big hit. This kid has a scary future at the net.

Jeff Carlucci - Great hands, doesn't get tooled and is heavily experienced. Only a matter of time before he establishes himself with the elite.

Matt Prosser - Not too many indoor middles have been able to make an impact on tour over the years due to ball control issues but Matt has seen an enormous amount of success because of his net presence.

Ben Koski - Sick vertical, massive reach and uncanny knack for blocking balls when it matters. Also spends a lot of time at the gym working on his lats.

Austin Restor - Jumps well, sets well and blocks big. With a great partner pick up this season, Austin's potential is limitless.

AJ Mihalic - I've witnessed AJ dominate above the tape and I've also seen him channel the hard driven ball directly onto the forearms of his defender. And he's president of the "Kinda Good" team.

Ed Ratlidge - I don't know what he does or how he does it... but he somehow gets it done. And he is the mayor of Tempe. Thank God we're not going there anymore.

Chad Turner - Sat out '06, but the word is that he's back and training with ex-Olympic Gold Medalists. He's real big and has the ability to change things around at the net in a hurry.

Scott Lane - Long arms with huge hands usually equals vast presence above the tape; Scotty is no exception.

Mike Morrison - Throws the high line better than even the guys at the top. If you don't believe me, just take a look at that photo of him essentially spiking Karch's spike from Santa Barbara '06.

Scott Hill - This guy works full time and practices nights at the Santa Monica Pier so his training time frame might not fit a lot of guys out there looking, but trust me, he blocks balls; he just does.

Billy Strickland - Real tall and great ball control usually don't go hand in hand but this kid has got it. Working on completing the rest of his game but if he does, things could get interesting for him in '07/'08.

So what now, you ask? How does this list fit into my "How to find a great partner" bit? Well, I guess I'm basically succumbing to the notion that the game has grown well outside the confines of any reasonably sized box. The only hope for success seems to be: pick up one of the guys listed above and pray that you both go to the same church... or setting academy, whatever. If you don't know any of these guys, or live on the East Coast, then I would suggest getting hold of Jason Ring's plyometric guy so you can work on your hops and possibly take over at the net yourself.

My own personal response to the limited number of gigantours? Split block and absolutely spader jump serves at all costs. You've just got to go with the theory that the big guys will crumble when a certain level of pressure is applied. I have yet to see it, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. And of course, sideout like a God. Who needs more than two real points a game anyway if your team is siding out at .900? And when battling those big guys that seem to take up the line and angle all at once, just swing for the stands and hope it catches a finger on its way... but always plead for the touch even before you land.

Gregory finds new challenges
Coaching provides champion with challenges
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
After completely dominating an entire era of beach volleyball, what else is left to conquer?
For Kathy Gregory, that answer is simple: step completely out of your comfort zone, guide the future stars of the AVP indoors at the college level and shatter records along the way.
With a personal role model like former-Lakers superstar Wilt Chamberlain, it's easy to see why Gregory so quickly embraced such a feat, as Chamberlain transitioned from basketball to beach volleyball with ease. He also coached his own beach volleyball team, Wilt's Little Dippers.
"When they thought [Chamberlain] wasn't able to play, he went down to the beach and was running and also coaching our team. He was very inspirational and he always came to my college games, and so I could talk to him about anything even though he was in a different sport where he was the best," Gregory said. "Most people don't have that kind of confidence, to take a chance in something else -- so I respected him for doing that. People need to take more chances in life. We all fail sometimes, but you've got to try."
In her professional beach volleyball career, Gregory won 50 titles from 1968 to 1990, which places her sixth on the all-time list. She also has amassed 38 second-place finishes, and as a result, Gregory was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in the height of her reign as "Queen of the Beach" in 1989.
In those 23 seasons, she toured with 24 partners and won with 11 of them. Ranking on the top of her list of personal accomplishments came in 1968, when she won the Pismo Beach World Championships. In 1996, Gregory became the oldest player in the United States to win a AAA beach rating, the best a player can receive on the beach. Later that year, she won the Santa Barbara Bud Light Tournament (where Gregory leads all women with seven victories) and was named to the United States Volleyball Association's All-American list, in the same year she celebrated her 50th birthday.
The following year, Gregory received the honor of being the 12th female inducted into the USVBA's Hall of Fame. In 2003, she was named to the USVBA's All-Era team from 1949 to 1979.
"I think that what separated me from some other players is that I love the game of volleyball, so I loved to play. It was not uncommon for me to go down to the beach and play for six or seven hours," Gregory said. "When someone says I have burnout, I have to say it was something I never experienced in my career as a player or even as a coach. So I think what made me strong was my will to win, [along with my] competitiveness and passion."
And for Gregory, her personal intensity and drive reflected on her own NCAA squad, as she has spent the last 32 years as the only coach at the helm of the UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball team.
Since the program's inception, Gregory has guided the Gauchos to a record of 765-316 and was named the Big West Coach of the Year six different times during that tenure. Her other coaching awards included four AVCA West Regional Coach of the Year and 1993 AVCA National Coach of the Year honors.
Since the women's volleyball NCAA Tournament began, Santa Barbara has only been one of three select teams to make all 25 tourneys. Only Stanford and Penn State can claim the same.
"I want my girls to be accountable; I want them to have the work ethic and I want them to be mentally tough and push themselves," Gregory said. "Sometimes that's hard, but people say I'm a tough coach. But I don't think you get the best unless you demand the best of yourself and you never back down to anyone. Nothing can break you; I shouldn't be able to break you, the game shouldn't."
Since leaving the AVP tour in 1990, Gregory has helped mold a few notable AVP stars such as Brooke Niles Hanson and Brooke Rundle. Currently, Gregory says that she is working to train three of her players within the rules of the NCAA to make the transition from indoor to beach volleyball.
Gregory said that she still checks in with Hanson on a regular basis and is available to give players on the tour advice as well as encouragement or suggestions about training. When asked if she could pair with any woman currently on the tour, she named Misty May-Treanor, since Gregory won the Laguna Open and played with her mother Barbara May in the 1970s.
"I see lots of [Barbara's] personality in Misty," Gregory said. "Misty I like, because she has the combination of one of the most serious players, but also one who's fun."
At the end of the day, Gregory says she is thankful for all she has encountered as a coach and a player on the AVP tour, even though gone are the days when she could jump in her car and take the weekend off of coaching to drive south for a tournament.
"I feel very fortunate when I look at the awards that I've received, and I appreciate them, but I also I think I appreciate that it's given me the life that I have," Gregory said. "I don't know how many years I'll continue to coach and teach, but I just look at it each day and I'm happy that I'm still able to do something and more importantly, still enjoy it."

Against all odds
Off-court issues not enough to stop career
By Keith Dobkowski / AVP.com
Angela Lewis is entering her fifth year on the beach and her third season as a main draw player. After two ninths in 2005 and two more ninths 2006, she is looking to continue her climb up the leaderboard in 2007. As the season is just around the corner, Lewis is spending four days a week in the sand and hitting the gym to work on strength and cardio. However, Lewis' story is not as routine as her current workouts.
Lewis grew up in Auburn, Calif., and upon graduating high school, accepted a scholarship to Sacramento State University to play indoor volleyball. Just two months into her freshman year Lewis began to suffer from intense headaches. After several tests with both a nutritionist and a chiropractor did not find anything, Lewis began to experience severe nauseau.
"I started throwing up for about two weeks before finding out I had a brain aneurysm," said Lewis.
After an MRI located the aneurysm, Lewis was taken from Sacramento to San Francisco for further evaluation.
"They had a team of specialists that take care of strokes and aneurysms. The location of aneurysm was [such] that they couldn't get into my brain. If they cut into my brain, they would have to dig in and I would have been brain-dead. At the time, the surgery was not approved by the FDA so it was still was an experimental-type thing. They went up through my femoral artery and fed platinum coils through my arteries up into my brain and clotted it into my aneurysm. They put a silicone balloon in front of the aneurysm so the blood could not have flowed there any more. They basically stroked me. At the time there was about 50 or so people with this procedure and a similar location and severity. There were five people that had this surgery. Two died and two were paralyzed. And I was the fifth person."
After defying odds and surviving the surgery, Lewis, having only missed her freshman year of volleyball, returned to Sacramento State to continue playing and to graduate.
"I just slowly came back and actually finished college in 4 1/2 years and never redshirted or anything. I was so fired up that I was alive and I could get back and get going."
Lewis finished her playing days in the fall of her senior year. She had overcome a traumatic brain ailment and survived a miraculous surgery to return to her team and more than that, return to normalcy. However, what appeared to be the long and tough road back from a near fatal aneurysm, was really just the beginning.
"At the end of my senior year, I had a cyst rupture on my ovary. I went to the emergency room. I didn't know what was going on, but was in a lot of pain. The emergency room doctor misdiagnosed me and sent me home. About 12 hours later my mom drove me back to the hospital and they admitted me. Twenty minutes later, they had me up in surgery and split me open. They found out that the cyst had ruptured on my ovary and I was bleeding internally. I lost over half of my blood capacity and it was in my stomach. Over 300 cc's were just chillin' in my stomach. Basically about another 20 minutes and I would have died."
After having the blood drained and returning home to recover, Lewis was back in the hospital six months later.
"Six months later, because of all the blood in my stomach, scar tissue had developed and an adhesion wrapped around my intestine. I was having extreme pain and I went back to the hospital. For 24 hours we did not know what was going on. Finally we fired the first doctor and hired another. The new doctor said he would help. I said, 'Do whatever you have to do.' I looked pregnant, but it was my stomach exploding inside. They cut off almost three feet of my intestine and reattached it."
Lewis is reminded of the ordeal on a daily basis from the 10 inch long scar spreading from the bottom her sternum to below her belly button as the result of 25 staples that looked like a railroad track running vertically across her stomach.
"I didn't think I was going to play volleyball anymore. It has now been about seven years, and for the first three years since the intestine surgery, I couldn't hold any energy. I could eat and my energy would just crash. I couldn't sustain."
The daily diet Lewis needs to maintain for energy becomes tougher with the schedule of a Pro Beach Volleyball Player. Lewis has become a vegetarian, and traveling across the United States over the summer months often makes it tough to keep to this strict diet.
"It has been difficult, especially in the middle of places that only have fast food," said Lewis. "I still have problems eating certain stuff. My energy collapses pretty fast if I don't watch what I eat. Last year I really found out that oatmeal is really good in the morning. I bring oatmeal with me. I bring little baggies for every morning and eat it in the hotel or I bring it and figure out how to eat it on-site. They have stuff at the site, but eating 800 million peanut butter and jelly sandwiches gets old. I have started talking to a nutritionist about taking certain supplements. Hopefully this year eating these supplements will help.
"If I watch what I eat and if I eat little meals every couple hours, it really helps. I don't get really full and put a lot of stress on my stomach. I always have to have some kind of granola bar or something just handy just in case. However, I found after long matches I just crash."
At just 28 years old, Lewis has faced death three times and lived to tell about it. Many would have taken the safer route and bypassed playing professional volleyball. But Lewis loves the sport and understands the risks involved.
"I love volleyball and I hate not being around it. It makes me happy."

Volleyball Legend Karch Kiraly Set to Compete In 11 Events on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (March 13, 2007) --- Volleyball legend and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Karch Kiraly plans to compete in 11 events as part of his final year on the AVP Crocs Tour, it was announced today.
The winningest player in the history of professional beach volleyball, Kiraly plans to play in AVP events in Miami, Fla. (April 13-15); Dallas, Tex. (April 19-22); Huntington Beach, Calif. (May 3-6); Hermosa Beach, Calif. (May 17-20) and Louisville, Ky. (May 24-27).
In June Kiraly will play in Atlanta, Ga. (June 7-10) and Charleston, S.C. (June 14-17) before heading to Seaside Heights, N. J. for the AVP event on July 5-8.
Kiraly will close out his 2007 AVP season and his career on the professional beach volleyball circuit with three August tournaments, including events in Manhattan Beach, Calif. (August 9-12); Brooklyn, N.Y. (August 23-26) and Cincinnati, Ohio (August 30 – September 2).
Kiraly has not announced his playing partner for the 2007 season.
While Kiraly is slated to compete in 11 AVP events he is expected to be at all 18 AVP events and hopes to provide color commentary for the AVP television broadcasts throughout the season.
“As I begin my 28th season in professional beach volleyball I have reached that point where it is time for me to move on to a new phase in my career in this great sport,” Kiraly said. “This is definitely not a retirement from volleyball in any way, but rather a shift in my focus to give something back to the sport and do what I can to grow the game of volleyball in the U.S. and around the globe."
Kiraly’s beach volleyball credentials are unmatched. He has posted 148 tournament wins with 13 different partners and has won more than $3 million in prize money. He has won at least one tournament in 24 of his 27 seasons in the sport. Kiraly is the first volleyball player in Olympic history – and the only male -- to win three Gold medals, having played on the United States' Gold Medal indoor teams in 1984 and 1988, and winning the Gold Medal in beach volleyball at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games with Kent Steffes. When he was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2001, he was named the greatest men's volleyball player in the sport's first century.
“I have been fortunate to share the court with some of the greatest players in the history of beach volleyball,” Kiraly added. “I plan to approach the 2007 season just as I have approached the past 27 with a commitment to win and a dedication to the great sport of volleyball.”
In 2007 Kiraly also will join with some of the greatest players in the history of volleyball to launch the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy. Two camps will be held this summer with one at the American Sports Centers, the current training home of the U. S. Men’s National Team, in Anaheim, Calif. and a second camp held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, Va. Each five-day camp will be limited to 64 high school girls.

Volleyball legend Kiraly announces retirement
By SHAWN PRICE
The Orange County Register
Karch Kiraly put an end to speculation about an end date to his pro playing days, but not to his towering presence in the game he loves so much.
Kiraly, 46, of San Clemente, officially announced Tuesday during an informal lunchtime news conference in Huntington Beach he will retire from professional competition at the end of the AVP season in September.
Kiraly, routinely considered the greatest player the game has seen, is a three-time Olympic gold medalist who has won more contests (148), more money (over $3 million) and accolades than any other volleyball player. "I’ve been involved with beach volleyball for many, many, many, many … probably too many years," Kiraly chuckled.
"I will be playing one final year and not every single event." Despite not having a current partner his plan is to compete in 11 of 18 AVP tournaments this season, including all three Southern California events, with the presumed final event being the Cincinnati Open, Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
The Huntington Beach Open is scheduled for May 3-6. "I certainly have tons of memories and I’m really excited about competing here in Huntington Beach one more time, Hermosa Beach one more time and Manhattan Beach one more time,"
Kiraly said. He insisted, that despite leaving the competitive ranks, he would hardly be disappearing. "You don’t need to fit me for the Depends or a rocking chair yet, I’m going to be a busy guy," Kiraly said.
"I don’t think of this as a retirement in any sense. The last couple of weeks I’ve been busier than I’ve been in the last 15 or 20 years with all of these projects going on. I think of this more as a new phase."
The volleyball legend said he will use his name and his knowledge of the game to launch a massive amateur event in September called the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball. Meanwhile, he will continue to be an analyst for AVP TV broadcasts and an assistant coach for his son’s varsity high school volleyball team.
He will also help promote U.S.A. Volleyball’s junior beach series, which feeds into September’s event in Huntington Beach.
"There was just a tiny smattering of junior tournaments when I was competing in 18 and under tournaments. To have a national championship or to qualify for the world championships in different age groups is a really exciting thing."
His first pro tournament was the Santa Barbara Open in 1976. He was 15 years old. On the hard court, Kiraly was a four-time All-American at UCLA where he led the team to three national championships.
He won his first two gold medals on the U.S. indoor team and won his third with former partner Kent Steffes in beach volleyball’s Olympic debut at Atlanta in 1996. Kiraly’s most recent victory was with former partner Mike Lambert in the 2005 Huntington Beach Open.

Beach party's almost over for volleyball star Kiraly
BERNIE WILSON
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO - Karch Kiraly's seemingly endless summers on the sand are just about over.
Kiraly, the man in the pink hat who happens to be the world's most decorated volleyball player, announced Tuesday that this season will be his last on the AVP Crocs Tour.
"I've gotten enough," the 46-year-old Kiraly said by phone from Huntington Beach, where he also announced plans for a grass-roots beach volleyball tournament in September. "I got to play so much more than I ever thought I would. It's been an incredible opportunity. I'm lucky to have done it this long."
Kiraly's farewell tour comes 28 years after his first beach tournament victory, with Sinjin Smith at Santa Cruz in 1979. The same year, they helped UCLA win the NCAA indoor volleyball title.
Life really has been a beach for Kiraly. He's won a record 148 tournaments, with 13 different partners, and earned more than $3.1 million.
He and Kent Steffes won the first Olympic beach volleyball gold medal at Atlanta in 1996. That went nicely with the Olympic gold medals Kiraly won with the U.S. indoor teams in 1984 and 1988.
Kiraly plans to play in 11 of the 18 AVP Crocs tournaments, starting in Miami in mid-April.
His final three tournaments will span the country in August, starting with his last competitive appearance in California at the Manhattan Beach Open Aug. 9-12. He'll also play in the Brooklyn Open at Coney Island Aug. 23-26, followed by his finale, in Cincinnati, of all places, Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
It might seem a little odd for a Southern California beach dude to end his career in the Midwest, but Kiraly said he needs to play as many tournaments as possible in order to attract a good partner. He said he hasn't decided on a partner yet.
While Kiraly won't be playing on the pro tour after this summer, he's certainly not walking away from the game. He said he's got so many projects going on that he doesn't have time for nostalgia.
"I'm about as busy as I've ever been," he said. "I'm really not thinking of it as retirement. So there's no need to get out the rocking chair or the Depends for me. I've got a lot of stuff going on. It's a fun new phase in a lifelong love with this sport of volleyball."
He's helping coach his two sons' high school team, he will launch the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy this summer and he's working with USA Volleyball to expand a junior beach tour. He's also launching the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball on Sept. 21-23 at Huntington Beach, doing TV work and helping the top women's beach duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
"I'm enjoying the game through a different set of eyes," he said.
Kiraly is also scheduled to play in AVP tournaments in Dallas; Huntington Beach and Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Atlanta; Charleston, S.C.; and Seaside Heights, N.J.
"He still draws a huge crowd every time he plays," said Leonard Armato, the AVP's CEO and tour commissioner. "Everybody wants to see him play because he's been so good for so long. He'll be missed tremendously. I certainly hope everyone who loves the sport comes out to see him in his final season and pay respect for what he's meant.
"He can still compete with the very best players. It will be fun watching him one last time," Armato said.
Kiraly hit his peak in the early-to-mid 1990s. He had shoulder surgery after the 1996 season and struggled the following year.
"I thought that was going to be my last year," he said. "Here it is 10 years later and I still get to play. I've played so many years beyond what I thought I would get to play that I've just looked at all these years as icing on the cake."
His last win on tour was in 2005.
The most famous man in volleyball is never hard to find. Just look for the guy wearing a pink Speedo hat.
"It started as a superstition and it turned into a tradition and is now my curse," he said with a laugh. "I'm still waiting for pink to come back."
A pink hat was his lucky charm during a record-tying, 13-tournament winning streak in 1992, and it stuck.
"It was easy for my family to find me at tournaments," he said. "I was the only one with guts enough to wear hot pink."
ON THE NET
AVP Tour, http://www.avp.com
Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy, http://www.karchacademy.com

Barbra Fontana Q&A
A tour veteran talks changes, family
Compiled by AVP.com
Barbra Fontana has been playing on the beach full-time since 1991. She has won twenty titles in her career, including the 2001 Manhattan Beach Open. After taking the 2005 season off to have her second child, Fontana returned to the beach in 2006. She finished in the top 10 in all fifteen of her starts, including two fifth-place finishes.
Fontana is one of the few players on tour who has been around long enough to witness the significant growth and change in women's beach volleyball over the years. She recently shared some of her thoughts about being back on the beach and how the game is different than it once was.

Was it nice to get back on the sand in 2006?
Definitely. I really enjoyed being back on the court. It's challenging to have a baby and then come back get all the way back in shape and get the strength you need to compete out there. I'm glad I did it and I'm happy with my decision.

How has the game changed since you started playing?
For me, it's the rule changes, and I think the biggest one is the scoring system. When they went from sideout to rally scoring, it changed a lot of the dynamics of the game. And then also the size of the court being changed has changed things for me.

What was the effect of merging the men's and women's tour?
I think that was a great decision. It was something that a lot of us believed in years before it was able to happen, and it makes all the difference in the world. The AVP has done a great job of bringing a first-class event. You get to come and watch men and women. It's a nice mix.

What do you hope to see 10 years down the road for the sport?
Ten years down the road, I would like to see everybody in the main draw making a great living.

What is your focus in the offseason?
My big focus is my family. When I'm not playing I'm one hundred percent mom and wife.

Kiraly still defying the sands of time
The ageless beach volleyball legend will patrol AVP Tour events one last season before shifting his focus to the sport's development.
By Phil Collin
Staff writer
He didn't walk into the room all stooped over, he didn't call anyone "Sonny,'' and he didn't respond to any questions with "eh?''
At 46, the athletic age equivalent of a Supreme Court justice, Karch Kiraly finally said it.
One more year.
The beach volleyball legend will hit the sand for his final 11 AVP Tour events this spring and summer, including the Southern California stops of Huntington Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
His final tournament, unless he qualifies for the season-ending "Best of the Beach'' event in San Francisco, will be in Cincinnati Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
And the fierce competitor has not lost his will to scramble for every point.
"You don't need to fit me for Depends or a rocking chair yet,'' Kiraly said Tuesday at a restaurant in Huntington Beach, overlooking the sand on which he trains.
The player who has won more tournaments than anyone (148), brought home three Olympic gold medals (two indoors) and earned more than $3 million in prize money will now shift his focus to the development of the sport around the country, launching the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy and working with USA Volleyball to hold the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball that is expected to draw as many as 1,000 players in as many as 15 different divisions.
The U.S. Open will be the outdoor counterpart to the indoor nationals, and in addition to the backing of USA Volleyball, has picked up main sponsors Corona Extra and Spalding.
And Kiraly is coaching at the high school which sons Kristian and Kory attend.
"I'm so enjoying the look on a kid's face when he does something right for the first time,'' Kiraly said.
And he's so cringing when another kid mentions the time Kiraly ripped down a net in frustration at the close of a tournament in Rhode Island.
He flashes back to the lessons he learned on the beach in Santa Barbara, where he started playing at 6 years old. By 15, he was entering tournaments. By 16, reality was throwing sand in his face.
He recalled seeing Sinjin Smith, who would later join Kiraly to win 21 tournaments, for the first time in a tournament at Marine Avenue in Manhattan Beach.
Kiraly was partnered with Marco Ortega, and Smith with Mike Normand.
"His nickname was 'Stormin' Normand' ... and he was an absolute wacko on the court,'' Kiraly said. "I didn't know a whole lot about him, and unfortunately, I learned the hard way that one thing you don't say to him or call him is 'choke.' ''
After a smattering of errors from Normand, Kiraly did just that.
"And that was the beginning of the end for me,'' Kiraly said. "So he calls a timeout and says, 'What?' He's screaming across the whole beach. Mike said, 'What? Did you hear what the (expletive) punk kid called me? Choke?'
"So he goes on this tirade for about two minutes and by then I'm ready to be fitted for some Depends. He said, 'All right, I'll tell you what. If you beat us' ... and 'if we beat you, I'm going to beat the crap outta you.'
"Luckily, I didn't even know he was a Green Beret and probably killed guys with his bare hands in Vietnam or I definitely would have needed the Depends. So I called a timeout and walked down the beach and started crying and praying. I don't think we got another point.
"That's the one time I was completely discombobulated or flustered on the beach volleyball court.''
The next year, Kiraly and Ortega defeated Normand in a tournament en route to earning the sport's highest rating at the time, AAA.
And a career was born. In 1979, he joined with Smith to capture his first tournament title, the Santa Cruz Open. He has won 10 times at the sport's most prestigious event, the Manhattan Beach Open.
Kiraly became a four-year All-America pick at UCLA, helping the Bruins win three NCAA championships. He went to the U.S. national team, leading the Marv Dunphy-coached American squads to Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988. FIVB, the sport's international governing body, invented a "World's Best Player'' award in order to bestow it on Kiraly.
In 1996, in the first Olympic beach tournament, Kiraly and Kent Steffes won gold in Atlanta.
Kiraly then had a series of shoulder injuries but kept playing, and in 2004, he and Mike Lambert were the AVP's top team.
Kiraly said he will attend all 18 AVP events this summer, taking part in the television broadcasts when he is not playing. The tour opens April 13 in Miami, and he hasn't yet picked a partner for the season.
Whoever earns the spot beside him figures to have a memorable season.

Kiraly to end legendary career
Titan of sport eyes bigger goals after 2007 season
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- It's not goodbye or even farewell, but the 2007 season will be Karch Kiraly's last.
Kiraly made it official Tuesday afternoon during a media luncheon at Duke's in the shadow of the famed Huntington Beach Pier that his career will turn from player to ambassador for the sport that he helped to make famous.
"You don't need to fit me for the Depends or the rocking chair, yet. I'm going to be a busy guy and I don't think this being my last year on the AVP Pro Beach Tour as a retirement in any sense," Kiraly said. "In fact just in the last couple of weeks I've probably been busier than I have in 15 or 20 years with all of these projects that are going on. I think this as more of a new phase."
That new phase includes the launching of the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy, which will feature a pair of five-day camps for high school girls, as well as the inaugural U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball, a grass-roots tournament sanctioned by USA Volleyball to be held here Sept. 21-23.
But up front this season for Kiraly will be a string of at least 11 events as he takes one last spin on the pro tour.
"This just seems to be the time," Kiraly said. "The time is right."
Kiraly will play in the season opener April 13-15 in Miami, and will play in the regular season finale in Cincinnati, Aug. 30-Sept. 2. He'll also make his final three Southern California appearances as a touring professional: two will be in May, Huntington Beach, May 3-6, and Hermosa Beach, May 17-20, and another will be later in the summer in Manhattan Beach, Aug. 9-12.
The remaining scheduled events on Kiraly's 2007 season include Dallas, Louisville, Ky., Atlanta, Charleston, S.C., Seaside Heights, N.J. and Brooklyn, N.Y.
The final two tournaments on the AVP calendar, Las Vegas and San Francisco in September, are postseason events and participation will be based on performance, but Kiraly said that if he qualified, he would extend his season and play.
Unknown as of Tuesday was who will be his partner for the season, but Kiraly said he is in negotiations. Kiraly had been practicing with Mark Williams, who has since left to pair up with Casey Jennings.
He made it clear, though, that his presence will be felt throughout the season. Kiraly said he will attend all 18 events on the AVP schedule this year, providing color commentary on some of the television broadcasts.
"I'm sure I'll get nostalgic near the end as these tournaments wind down and it is near my last or it is my last," Kiraly said of a career that began in 1976 in his hometown of Santa Barbara, Calif. "Right now I'm too busy to be looking back."
Kiraly's resume in the sport is impeccable and his reputation is legendary.
He's notched 148 tournament victories while playing with 13 different partners and earning in excess of $3 million as he enters his 28th year as a pro. Kiraly has at least one tournament win in 24 of his previous 27 seasons, and became the first volleyball player to win three gold medals in the Olympic Games and remains the only male to do so.
As a member of the U.S. National team, Kiraly won indoor gold in both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics and again in 1996 in the inaugural beach volleyball competition in Atlanta when he teamed with Kent Steffes. Kiraly was inducted in the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2001, earning the additional honor as the greatest men's volleyball player in the sport's first century.
Through the upcoming summer Kiraly said he will conduct clinics and help to organize junior events in conjunction with USA Volleyball while also assisting the top women's team of Misty May and Kerri Walsh.
For Kiraly, retirement is merely a word as he takes another step in a remarkable career.

AVP Announces Management Changes
Posted on : Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:32:01 GMT | Author : AVP, Inc.
News Category : PressRelease
LOS ANGELES, March 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: AVPI) , a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced the appointment of William J. Chardavoyne as its Interim Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Andrew Reif, who will be stepping down to pursue a new outside opportunity, but will continue to work with the company temporarily to assist in the transition. William J. Chardavoyne joined the Company's Board of Directors in May 2006, and will remain a director.
Mr. Chardavoyne brings AVP more than 30 years of finance and management experience, most recently serving as CFO from 2000 through 2006 for Activision, a global publisher for interactive entertainment software products. He has also served as CFO for Movietown.com, a development stage Internet Company, and has held several senior financial management positions for Sony Pictures Entertainment and MTV Networks. He began his career as a CPA at Ernst & Young. Mr. Chardavoyne received a BBA in accounting from Hofstra University.
"We are very excited to have someone of Bill's caliber to fulfill the role of CFO until the company retains a full time one," said Leonard Armato, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have begun a search and hope to announce something in the near future."
"This is a unique and exciting opportunity for me. I have enjoyed my role on the Board of Directors and I am pleased to be able to come on in a consulting capacity and fulfill the company's current need for a chief financial officer," said William Chardavoyne. William Chardavoyne will become a consultant of AVP to fulfill the role of Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective March 31, 2007. Andrew Reif will resign his position as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, effective March 31, 2007 to pursue an opportunity outside the company.
"We are obviously disappointed to lose Andy who has been with the company since current management acquired the tour in 2001. He was instrumental in the rebuilding of the AVP Tour, and leaves us in a strong position as we look to continue on our growth path. I will be taking over Andy's operational role for the foreseeable future. We all wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors," concluded Leonard Armato, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Andrew Reif commented, "I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Leonard and the AVP team over the past 6 years. We have put in place a strong platform for the future growth of the AVP Tour, and I am proud to say I am leaving the company in a much stronger position than when I started. I am committed to working closely with management to ensure a smooth transition."
About AVP, Inc.
All above-mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the Company. We wish to caution you that these statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, if we receive less sponsorship and advertising revenue than anticipated, or if attendance is adversely affected by unfavorable weather. Event-related expenses, such as for the stadium, transportation and accommodations, or security might be greater than expected; or marketing or administrative costs might be increased by our hiring, not currently planned, of a particularly qualified prospect. Additional factors have been detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.
AVP, Inc.

2007 Jose Cuervo Gold Crown Offers $100,000 Bonus, Largest Purse in History of AVP Tour
'Cuervo Gold Crown Series' Includes First Three 2007 AVP Crocs Tour Events
in Miami, Dallas and Huntington Beach, Calif.

LOS ANGELES, March 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on
professional beach volleyball, today announced that Jose Cuervo Tequila
will present the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Series.
Jose Cuervo re-launched the Cuervo Gold Crown on the 2006 AVP Crocs
Tour, a series of three prestigious tournaments. Last year was the first
year of a three-year sponsorship agreement following a ten-year hiatus as
an AVP sponsor. The series' prize this season, which will encompass the
first three events of 2007, will award a $100,000 bonus beyond the prize
money won at the individual tournaments.
"Jose Cuervo has a long, deep history as a supporter of the AVP," said
Bertha Gonzalez, Commercial Director, North America, Jose Cuervo
International. "With the Cuervo Gold Crown events coinciding with the first
three AVP Tour events this year, the energy Jose Cuervo brings to the
lifestyle of pro beach volleyball makes for a perfect season kick-off."
Jose Cuervo, the "Official Spirit of the AVP Tour," will kick-off the
Cuervo Gold Crown at the first event of the 2007 AVP season, the AVP Cuervo
Gold Crown Miami Open in Miami, Fla., April 13 - 15. The second Cuervo Gold
Crown event will take place in Dallas, Tex., April 19 - 22, and the third
and final Cuervo Gold Crown event will take place Cinco de Mayo weekend in
Huntington Beach, Calif., May 3 - 6. The three Cuervo Gold Crowns will air
on FOX Sports Net. Check local listings for times.
Also returning this year will be the Cuervo Cabana, which will be
present at all 18 AVP Tour events. Fans 21 and older can take a break from
the sun and enjoy a refreshing water in the Cuervo Cabanas, while watching
the matches which will be streamed live into the tent. Other entertainment
will include a live DJ and the beautiful Cuervo girls who will pose for
photo opportunities with the volleyball fans.
Vive Cuervo, Vive Responsibly

The Rachel and Tyra Show?
Wacholder hopes new partner, focus bring top spots
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
Suddenly, it's the Rachel & Tyra Show. Rachel Wacholder couldn't be more excited about the possibilities.
After filtering through two partners on the AVP Tour last year, Wacholder will team with Tyra Turner in 2007 in what both hope will be a long and profitable tenure. If all goes according to plan, Wacholder and Turner could end being a combination that's as agreeable as bacon and eggs.
"I think it's going to take a little time, but we get better every day and I think we have a lot of potential," Wacholder said. "We communicate well and we get along well."
Wacholder, who has firmly established herself as one of the top players on the Tour, started the 2006 season with Elaine Youngs as her partner. Following a mid-season split, Wacholder paired with Jen Boss and made the final four in four of their five tournaments together.
"It's not ideal to basically jump into a tournament without having played together," Wacholder said. "But it ended up working as well as I could have hoped for. Jen and I, in AVP, did real well. We had a good time and I enjoyed it."
With Turner as her partner, Wacholder sees a huge upside over the long term. The pair will debut in Miami for the opening AVP Crocs Tour event April 13-15. Ironically, Turner will be heading back to her home state. She was formerly a standout player at the University of Central Florida.
But Wacholder cautions against expecting too much, too soon.
"I'm not expecting us to be perfect from the beginning," Wacholder said. "When you start competing, you get to know things a partner likes and doesn't like. Once we're into the actual competitions, we're going to learn a lot.
"Our goal is to build as the season progresses and get better with each event. It's just a matter of Tyra and I getting experience as a team."
Wacholder, who has won five AVP events over the past two seasons, dreams of competing in the 2008 Olympics at Beijing. Those dreams don't seem far-fetched.
"I just want to feel that I gave 100 percent, whether I make it or not," Wacholder said. "I would hate to think I gave a half-effort. I want to feel I had this opportunity and I gave it everything. Then I'll be happy with whatever happens because I'll know I couldn't have anything more."
If the chemistry kicks in for Wacholder/Turner, fans on the AVP Tour will wonder if the tandem can eventually challenge the Kerri Walsh/Misty May-Treanor dynasty. Wacholder knows what it's like to topple that unit. She accomplished the feat while paired with Youngs.
"I think it would be great for the sport to have some variety," Wacholder said. "I hope we're the team to do that. I never beat them without Elaine, and Elaine never beat them without me. So, we'll see how we each do with other people."
Wacholder, who turns 32 in June, resides in Redondo Beach, Calif.. Her boyfriend, Sean Scott, is also an AVP competitor and the couple share a love for volleyball.
"It's just a big part of our lives and we can help each other," Wacholder said. "He has actually been helping Tyra and I one day a week, kind of coaching us and trying to give us little pointers.
"We film our practices and we'll sit together and watch his practice and then my practice. I'll tell him what I think and he'll tell me what he thinks."
Wacholder is described by Wikipedia as "a model and beach volleyball player." She chuckles while emphasizing she's a volleyball player, first and foremost.
"I barely did any modeling ever," she said. "It's funny that it evens says that. I would never have called myself a model, although I did a few things when they came up. I've done well enough as a beach volleyball player to be called one. I didn't do well enough as a model to be called one. But in LA, anybody can say they are a model."
Wacholder has used the offseason and preseason to strengthen herself for the long grind ahead. She's planning on being involved with each event on the Crocs Tour as well as maintaining a hectic international schedule.
"We spend a lot of time in airplanes, airports, hotels and restaurants," she said. "It's hard, but it's also very rewarding and not something you can do forever. You just want to make the most of it while you can."
Another month of practice and a new AVP chapter begins for Wacholder and her new partner.
The Rachel and Tyra combo? Maybe they'll indeed go together like bacon with eggs.

Bruins and the beach
UCLA grads have not met in men's game since 2002
By Keith Dobkowski / AVP.com
"Special that all of us were Bruins? No. Bruins expect to be in the finals," said Jeff Nygaard of the all-UCLA Alumnus finals pairing in 2002's Hermosa Beach Open.
Those 2002 finals pitted Jeff Nygaard and Albert Hannemann against Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong. Combined, the four players won eight national championships at UCLA. Their success with the Bruins indoor has clearly translated to the beach, as Nygaard, Hannemann, Metzger and Wong have combined for 29 Open wins.
But that 2002 Hermosa finals was special. Hannemann and Nygaard defeated their fellow Bruins in three thrilling games -- 18-21, 29-27 and 27-25. For Hannemann, who is entering his 15th year on the beach, Hermosa is his lone win in 191 career starts on the AVP, which includes 61 top-10 finishes.
The 2002 Hermosa Beach Open was just the 10th start of Nygaard's career, and the victory was Nygaard's first, making him just one of three players to win a title since 1986 in one of his first 10 events.
When asked about his first win, Nygaard responded, "[It was] fun. I felt that things were at a great level of volleyball, the crowd in Hermosa was absolutely awesome, there was a buzz in the air about it, and being a part of it was a career highlight."
The AVP landscape has been filled by UCLA Bruins for years. The winningest male and female players in AVP history, Karch Kiraly and Holly McPeak, are Bruins. As are Sinjin Smith, Elaine Youngs, Jenny Johnson Jordan, Annett Davis, Randy Stoklos, Ed Ratledge and Mark Williams, to name just a few.
Even with the AVP sands full of Bruins, the 2002 Hermosa Beach finals was the first time that four UCLA alums appeared in the final match since 1993, when Karch Kiraly-Kent Steffes played Sinjin Smith-Randy Stoklos in the first three finals of the year. Kiraly-Steffes won the first two events in Hawaii and New York, while Smith-Stoklos got their revenge in the third event, in Fort Myers, Fla.
Traditionalists may argue that the 1993 matchup did not truly include four alums, as Steffes never played a game for the UCLA volleyball team, though he did graduate from UCLA in 1995. After transferring from Stanford to UCLA, Steffes was redshirted. During his redshirt season, Steffes opted out of his scholarship in order the play Pro Beach Volleyball full-time.
The AVP women have seen six matches since the 2002 Hermosa Beach finals that featured all UCLA alums. Each time, the final match featured Holly McPeak-Elaine Youngs against Jenny Johnson Jordan-Annett Davis, with McPeak and Youngs leading the series, 4-2.
As for the four men in the Hermosa Beach final in 2002, their ties to UCLA are all part of the record books. Hannemann won a national championship his freshman year (1989) with the Bruins before transferring to Hawaii.
Nygaard, one of UCLA's most storied volleyball players, ended his career as UCLA's all-time leader in aces (123) and ranked second in blocks (650), kills (1,805) and hitting percentage (.427). Nygaard led the Bruins to two national championships (1993, 1995). He earned postseason honors all four years at UCLA, including first-team recognition for three years (1993-95). He was college volleyball's top freshman in 1992 and MVP in 1994 and '95.
Metzger and Wong combined to win five national titles at UCLA. Wong, a three time All-American, won the national title in 1993 and 1995. Metzger was a three-time national champion at UCLA (1993, 1995, 1996), where he earned All-American honors for three consecutive seasons and won the 1996 NCAA MVP and William G. Morgan Award for most outstanding player.
Entering 2007, it looks like another season will pass without an all-Bruins final for both the men and women. Johnson-Jordan and Davis are the only team on either the men's or women's side to boast two UCLA players and at least one AVP title.
As for the four men from the 2002 Hermosa Beach Open finals, two have announced their intentions and two are playing major roles in the annual rumor mill.
Nygaard is set to play with Dax Holdren, a Santa Barbara City College Alumni, while Metzger is playing with Mike Lambert, a Stanford alum. Hannemann is rumored to be playing with Ratledge, which would give UCLA one men's duo on the beach. Meanwhile, Wong, whose name is at the center of the 2007 rumor mill, may play with Canyon Ceman, a Stanford man, Nick Lucena, a Florida State grad, or Ty Loomis, a University of California at Irvine alumnus.

Ageless Youngs not slowing down
2002 Tour MVP eyes Olympics, Tour dominance
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
Elaine Youngs can't envision herself building a longevity resume in beach volleyball that would match Karch Kiraly's.
Would Youngs, 37, hang in there until age 46 as Kiraly is doing in this, his farewell season on the AVP Tour?
"That's a good one," Youngs said with a chuckle. "Uh, no."
Still, there's a good chance that Youngs will be continuing to serve powerful aces as she approaches her 40th birthday. She's in great shape, hungry for another Olympic medal and looking forward to playing with newest partner Nicole Branagh, who was hampered by an ankle injury after the duo joined forces in the latter portion of the 2006 schedule.
"On the court, I don't think you could tell whether I'm 28 or 37," Youngs said. "I'm making the big push here for the next couple of years leading toward Beijing. Most likely, I'd still have one year left after that. Be done around 39."
Whenever she decides to leave the sport, Youngs will be able to reflect on a sparkling career. But this isn't the time for wistful nostalgia. Youngs is confident there are many more highlights to come as she and Branagh develop a comfort zone.
"We'll probably be the toughest serving team on Tour with two jump-servers," said the six-foot Youngs, who is preparing for the AVP Crocs Tour season-opening event in Miami April 13-15. "Nicole is tall, about [6-foot-1] or [6-foot-2]. We're both really good athletes and we're going to be a tall team. We're a team that's going to put pressure on Kerri [Walsh] and Misty [May-Treanor], I think."
While paired with Rachel Wacholder in 2005, Youngs was part of a team that ended a 50-match win streak by Walsh and May-Treanor. Youngs is hopeful that the Youngs/Branagh unit and other combos will slow the Walsh/May-Treanor victory parade in 2007 and create more drama on the Tour.
"I'd hate to see the fans being bored with women's beach volleyball because Kerri and Misty are winning all the time," Youngs said. "I really do think Nicole and I match up very well with them. We're going to be able to side-out pretty well against them, being that we're big. I think our serving puts pressure on them.
"That's what I have always felt when I played against Kerri and Misty. If I have an unbelievable serving match, then we have a good shot at winning. But if my serve isn't killing them, then I've got Nicole, who has a serve that could be."
Youngs points out that it's not just about one team beating Walsh/May-Treanor in head-to-head competition. The overall tournament field has to be such that Walsh/May-Treanor experience a fatigue factor in working their way through.
"You can't have them just walking into finals and being fresh all the time," Youngs said. "They play a limited number of matches every weekend and a limited number of points because teams aren't making them work. It's definitely a mental battle when you play them because they are so darned good and you just wonder how they make the plays that they do. You just have to put some pressure on them and hope you can keep the game tight and pull out some wins."
After gaining the Bronze Medal at the 2004 Olympics while paired with Holly McPeak, Youngs would love to grab another medal in Beijing.
"Being able to get that medal in Athens was a dream come true," she said. "I remember it like it was yesterday. I feel like I've got another run in me and I'm hungry for a Gold Medal."
Youngs led the 2006 AVP Tour in aces (1.06 per game) and ranked sixth in blocks (.87 per game), second in kill percentage (.606) and fourth in hitting percentage (.473). She was the AVP's Most Valuable Player in 2002.
When "EY" is serving, the fans always take special notice.
"I'm a consistent server," Youngs said. "I don't miss a lot. I'm able to pinpoint where I want to go. I think that just comes with years of playing. And with Nicole, who's one of the best servers on tour, it's a very important asset because we might give up a little bit defensively."
Youngs spends about nine months a year in southern California. Her offseasons take her to Durango, Colo., where she can relax in the open spaces, enjoy the mountain scenery and recharge her competitive battery.
The formula has worked so well that Youngs is still a major force on tour at 37. Maybe she won't go on as long as Kiraly, but there's plenty of quality and quantity associated with her career.
"For Karch to still be doing what he's doing at 46 is unbelievable," Youngs said. "He's amazing."
The fans of the AVP women's Tour will tell you Youngs is amazing, too.

AVP hits St. Pete, May 31-June 2
Pro beach volleyball tournament featuring Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will take place on Arena Grounds; Esurance announced as title sponsor of Event
AVP.com
LOS ANGELES, March 21, 2007 -- AVP, Inc., a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced an agreement with the St. Pete Times Forum and the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lighting to bring the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour to the Bay Area. Esurance, a direct-to-consumer auto insurance company, has been named as the title sponsor of the Tampa Bay event.
The AVP Esurance Tampa Open marks the debut of AVP professional beach volleyball in Tampa. At a press conference today, Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Pete Times Forum President Ron Campbell, AVP Representative Gabby Roe, and AVP Professional Beach Volleyball stars Phil Dalhausser and Jen Kessy-Boss announced the agreement.
The new AVP Tour stop in Tampa is one of 18 nationwide events that make up the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. The Tampa tournament will take place May 31-June 3 on the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning. As part of the new integrated partnership, the St. Pete Times Forum and the Tampa Bay Lighting will actively assist with the promotion and presentation of the Tampa AVP event, as well as assist in selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality.
"The AVP is thrilled to bring professional beach volleyball to Tampa and we look forward to working with the Tampa Bay Lightning on this endeavor," said AVP General Manager Gabby Roe. "Florida has always embraced the growing sport of professional beach volleyball and we can't wait to bring the excitement and action of the AVP Crocs Tour to fans in another part of the state."
"We are excited to welcome this tournament to the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum", said Ron Campbell, President of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Pete Times Forum. "This event is a first for Tampa, and we look forward to it as we continue to aggressively pursue bringing the best sports and entertainment events in the nation to the Bay Area", he continued.
Gary Tolman, Esurance's CEO stated, "Esurance is very proud to support the AVP in Tampa. The associates at our Tampa office look forward to watching the pros take it to the net. Because we offer our auto insurance online, supporting healthy competition that 'takes it to the net' seems rather fitting."
The AVP Esurance Tampa Open will kick off with an open qualifier on Thursday, May 31 and continue with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men's and women's finals on Sunday, June 3. More than 150 of the country's top beach volleyball players, including Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will compete in the tournament, which will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
About the AVP, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.AVP.com.
About Esurance
Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM), provides personal auto insurance direct to consumers online and through select online agents. Esurance is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance. Esurance is one of the fastest growing auto insurance companies in America. By combining the best of technology with industry know-how, Esurance is able to offer hassle-free coverage with 24/7 customer service and claims handling at competitive prices. Through Esurance's Web site, www.esurance.com, customers can get instant quotes, view comparison quotes, buy an Esurance policy, and print their proof of insurance card --all in minutes. Esurance also offers policyholders the ability to make policy changes and file claims instantly online, demonstrating its commitment to improving the entire insurance process from quote to claim.
About the Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Pete Times Forum
The St. Pete Times Forum, located in downtown Tampa in the Channelside District, is a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, with a capacity of up to 21,500. It is the home of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning hockey club and the former World Champion Tampa Bay Storm arena football team, and hosts more than 200 events annually. Such events include: concerts from top performers around the world, ice shows, circuses, rodeos, wrestling and sporting events such as basketball, soccer, boxing, tennis and many others. From NHL hockey and arena football to Kenny Chesney and the Rolling Stones, the St. Pete Times Forum has something for everyone.
Tickets for the AVP Esurance Tampa Open will go on sale Saturday, March 24 at 10am at the McDonald's Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum and all Ticketmaster Outlets. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 813.287.8844 or 727.898.2100. Day passes are available at the following prices: Limited reserved courtside seats are $44.75, general admission seating is $24.75, children under 18 and college students with identification are $13.75. Prices do not include service charges. For more information please call 813.301.2500 or visit www.stpetetimesforum.com or

'All Smoke and Mirrors'
AVP star Scott turns defensive for '07 season
By Keith Dobkowski / AVP.com
"Sean [Scott] is, without a doubt in anyone's mind, the best 6'5" designated blocker to ever play the game of beach volleyball," said Hans Stolfus in his latest 8 Titles Short piece on AVP.com. Yet fans will find Scott playing defense in 2007 behind the big block of Matt Fuerbringer.
Scott's offseason has been spent making the transition from net to backcourt. Lucky for Scott, he has had the help of two of the AVP best defensive players in making the change: Todd Rogers and Rachel Wacholder.
From 2002-05, Scott partnered with Todd Rogers. Rogers, the 2006 AVP MVP, is the three-time reigning Best Defensive Player Award winner. Together, Rogers and Scott won four titles, including the last three team events of 2005; coincidentally, the last three events of their playing partnership. In 2006, as Rogers made his way to the final of the individual God of the Beach tournament in Las Vegas, he selected Scott as his partner, and together they were victorious once again.
After making the switch to the backcourt, one of Scott's first calls was to his former partner Rogers, who humorously explained defense as, "all smoke and mirrors."
"I have actually have picked up a lot of things from Todd. Both volleyball in general and working on the defensive end. I played with him for four years. I would say the biggest thing is that he does defensively that a lot of guys don't do is he works on the basic movement patterns."
Scott points to Rogers' footwork as being different from most defenders on the Tour, and it allows him to reach balls others cannot get to.
"I will basically try to imitate him [in 2007]," said Scott.
Scott's longtime girlfriend is AVP Star Wacholder. Wacholder, winner of five titles over the past two seasons, won the 2005 Best Defensive Player award.
"I hit her up for tips all the time," said Scott. "The biggest thing she does for me -- not so much defensively, but overall -- she will call me out when I have a bad attitude or when I am not playing as well as I should be. She is my biggest fan and she is my biggest critic. And I appreciate that."
Ultimately, though, the transition to defender falls on Scott. To be successful in the backcourt, Scott says he must improve his ability to dig the hard-driven ball. For practice, Scott has turned back the clock to his indoor days by using a digging machine. The machine fires balls repeatedly at high speeds, forcing Scott to get low and pop the ball up.
Fuerbringer and Scott have also been working with Long Beach State's assistant volleyball coach, Mike D'Alessandro. D'Alessandro played on the AVP Tour from 1984-89, was a five-time USA Volleyball All-American and a three-time USA Volleyball National Champion (1979, 1993, 2000). D'Alessandro has been helping the duo with control, as well as helping Scott move from the right side to the left side.
Even with so much change for Scott in 2007, he expects good results.
"Looking at us on paper, I would say that we would get better the longer that we play together, just because we are a new team. But we both said our season will have some ups and we will have some downs because we are going to have a lot of things we are going to need to work out. But hopefully in two years we will be peaking."
As one of the tallest teams on the beach, Scott and Fuerbringer will be a hefty challenge for all opposing teams as their sideout percentage will surely rank near the top of the Tour.
"I think we are going to have to serve tough and sideout. Hopefully, we can block some balls at the net. And defensively, we are going to have to continue to learn, take baby steps. If we can get a few digs here and there, we will be able to compete with anyone," Scott said.
What remains to be seen is whether the towering duo will enter the record books with an AVP first, the double block.
"We haven't worked on it yet, but maybe I will bring it up in practice this week."

AVP Announces Three-Year Extension of Sponsorship Deal With Nature Valley Granola Bars
~ Nature Valley Granola Bars Become the 'Official Natural Energy Source of
the AVP' Through 2009 and Product Packaging to Feature AVP Athletes
LOS ANGELES, March 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on
professional beach volleyball, today announced a three-year extension to
its sponsorship agreement with Nature Valley Granola Bars, making it the
"Official Natural Energy Source of the AVP Tour" through 2009.
    Nature Valley Granola Bars has been a sponsor of the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour since 2003. The brand, which encourages a healthy, active,
outdoor lifestyle through its products, shares the AVP's commitment to
world-class athletic competition.
    "We are thrilled to extend our successful relationship with Nature
Valley," said Leonard Armato, CEO and commissioner of the AVP. "Nature
Valley has been a great partner of the AVP Tour since 2003 and through the
company's active and robust marketing and retail campaigns, they have
helped us to reach a larger audience and created even more excitement about
the events. We not only appreciate Nature Valley's involvement to date, but
enthusiastically look forward to continuing our mutually beneficial
relationship over the next three years."
    "We are excited to continue our partnership with AVP," said Robin
Karkowski-Schelar, Marketing Associate, Nature Valley Granola Bars. "Nature
Valley is committed to helping make nature enjoyable and accessible for
everyone. The AVP's unique on-beach experience aligns well with our core
consumers active lifestyle."
    Other highlights of the deal include:
    * Three year deal exclusivity as the "Official Natural Energy Source of
       the AVP" in the category of all grain, cereal and energy bars
    * AVP-themed packaging of Granola Bar Boxes to feature AVP Athletes and
       the '07 Tour scheduled to hit retails stores before July
    * Television presence, including commercial units during network and
       cable television
    * Player likeness and AVP logo usage rights in "Where's Your's" campaign
    * Promotions with retail partners
    * Sampling booth in Sponsor Village at each Tour location
    The sponsorship deal will also include integrated activation and
marketing programs that incorporates AVP imagery throughout national
outlets.
    About the AVP, Inc.
    AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit
http://www.avp.com.
    About Nature Valley Granola Bars
    Since 1975, Nature Valley Granola Bars has used wholesome ingredients
to make the best tasting granola bars around. Featuring 7 different types
of products, including cereal, Nature Valley provides snacks for people who
want to enjoy a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle. For more information,
please visit http://www.naturevalley.com.

AVP Reports Record 2006 Revenue Up 38%; 2006 Gross Profit Up 80% Year-Over-Year
~ 2006 Gross Profit Margin Grows to 32%

    LOS ANGELES, March 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on
professional beach volleyball, today announced record financial results for
its full year ended December 31, 2006. AVP generated record revenue of
$21.5 million in 2006, an increase of 38% year-over-year.
    2006 Milestones:

    * Record annual revenue of $21.5 million, a 38% increase from
       $15.6 million in 2005.
    * Gross Profit up 80% year-over-year
    * Sponsorship/advertising revenues up 37% year-over year.
    * Gross profit margin increased to 32% compared to 24% in 2005.
    * Net Loss decreased to $(0.34) million compared to $(8.96) million in
       2005.
    * Local Promoter Fees and Local Revenue increased 72% to $2.48 million,
       compared to $1.44 million in 2005.
    "As we close a very successful 2006 season, we are excited to report
substantial improvements across several financial measurements, including
record annual revenue and gross profit margins," said Leonard Armato, Chief
Executive Officer of AVP, Inc. "We accomplished a number of key objectives
this year, generating a 37% increase in advertising and sponsorship revenue
over the prior year, as well as increased attendance, tickets sales and
media coverage. We continue to grow our tour, adding new stops each season.
We held 16 events in 2006 (compared to 14 in 2005) and have 18 events
scheduled for the 2007 Crocs AVP season. We also continue to make solid
progress attracting new sponsors and advertisers and renewing and extending
our existing agreements. Recent sponsorship announcements include
agreements with McDonald's, Hilton, Schick, Nature Valley and Banana Boat."
    "In addition, throughout 2006 we continued to successfully transition
to a promoter based operating model, with 8 of our 16 events having local
promoters. This promoter-based model contributed to a 72% increase in local
promoter fees and local revenue and helped improve our 2006 gross profit
margin to 32% compared to 24% in 2005. Looking to 2007, 10 of our 18 events
will be produced using promoter arrangements, which will include deals with
pre-eminent sports promoters such as the Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
Group, Hicks Sports Marketing Group, Miami Heat Enterprises, San
Francisco's Giant Group Enterprises and Tampa Bay Lightening, to name a
few. The transition to a promoter model is reducing our expenses,
generating higher ticket sales and local revenues, and enabling us to
better extend our brand into the local communities."
    "Going forward, we remain diligently focused on managing our expenses
and achieving profitability as we continue to grow our advertising and
sponsorship base. We look forward to increasing our brand's extension
throughout the United States and anticipate conducting indoor wintertime
events in the fourth quarter of 2007 and first quarter of 2008. We were
pleased with the success of the tour in 2006 and are confident that our
focus and dedication to growth and profitability will provide us the
groundwork to achieve even greater success in 2007," Mr. Armato concluded.
    2006 Financial Results
    Total revenue for 2006 reached a record $21.5 million, a 38% increase
over total revenue of $15.6 million for 2005. During the course of the
entire year, the majority of AVP's revenues are derived from sponsorship
and advertising contracts with national and local sponsors and advertisers
along with local event revenue and ancillary revenue. AVP recognizes
sponsorship and advertising revenue as well as event costs during the tour,
as events occur. The Company's 2006 beach volleyball tournament season
began in early April and continued through late September and as a result,
the majority of AVP's revenues were recognized in the second and third
quarters of the calendar year.
    The Company's net loss, excluding deemed dividend, in 2006 was $(0.34)
million, or $(0.02) per share, compared to a net loss of $(8.96) million,
or $(1.03) per share, for 2005.
    Total event costs for 2006 were $14.7 million for sixteen events,
compared to $11.8 million in the same period last year, which included
fourteen events. The average event cost during 2006 was $0.9 million, up 9%
from $0.8 million in 2005. The cost increase is primarily attributable to
increases in the number of events from 14 to 16 and in the size and scope
of events to accommodate and entertain a larger fan base.
    Total operating expenses for 2006 were $7.4 million, a substantial
improvement from the $12.7 million reported in 2005. Total operating
expenses for 2006, excluding stock based expenses, were $7.0 million. The
company had $5.1 million in cash and cash equivalents on December 31, 2006.
    Business Outlook and Financial Guidance
    AVP will give 2007 guidance on our first quarter 2007 conference call.

    Conference Call
    AVP Inc., will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, March
29th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (1:00 pm Eastern Time) to discuss its 2006
financial results. Those wishing to participate in the live call should
dial (800) 262-2143 and give the Company name "AVP." A phone replay of the
call will be available for one week beginning approximately one hour after
the call's conclusion by dialing (800) 405-2236 and entering 11086925
followed by the "#" sign when prompted for a code. To access the live or
archived webcast of the call, go to the Investor Relations section of AVP's
website at http://www.avp.com.
    About the AVP, Inc.
    AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit
http://www.avp.com.
    All above-mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
    Some of the information in this press release may contain projections
or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future
financial performance of the Company. We wish to caution you that these
statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements, if we receive less
sponsorship and advertising revenue than anticipated, or if attendance is
adversely affected by unfavorable weather. Event-related expenses, such as
for the stadium, transportation and accommodations, or security might be
greater than expected; or marketing or administrative costs might be
increased by our hiring, not currently planned, of a particularly qualified
prospect. Additional factors have been detailed in the Company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our recent filings
on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.
                        - Financial tables to follow -
                                AVP, INC
                         CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                                                December 31,      December 31,
                                                    2006              2005

    ASSETS
    CURRENT ASSETS
      Cash and cash equivalents                  $5,052,636        $1,143,345
      Accounts receivable, net of
       allowance for doubtful accounts of
       $25,193 and $49,232                        2,653,473           484,770
      Prepaid expenses                              242,007           158,054
      Other current assets - current
       portion                                      301,477           145,768
      TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS                        8,249,593         1,931,937

    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net                     340,054           288,409

    OTHER ASSETS                                    105,373           455,192

      TOTAL ASSETS                               $8,695,020        $2,675,538

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
     (DEFICIENCY)
    CURRENT LIABILITIES
      Notes payable                                     $--          $600,071
      Accounts payable                              529,331           711,303
      Accrued expenses                            1,049,439         1,702,424
      Deferred revenue                            1,056,960           116,000
      TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                   2,635,730         3,129,798

    NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES                         190,766           150,000

      TOTAL LIABILITIES                           2,826,496         3,279,798

    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

    STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)

      Preferred stock, 2,000,000 shares
       authorized:

      Series A convertible preferred
       stock, $.001 par value, 1,000,000
       shares authorized, no shares issued and
       outstanding                                       --                --

      Series B convertible preferred
       stock, $.001 par value, 250,000
       shares authorized, 69,548 and 94,488
       shares issued and outstanding                     70                94

      Common stock, $.001 par value,
       80,000,000 shares authorized,
       19,751,838 and 11,669,931 shares
       issued and outstanding                        19,752            11,670

      Additional paid-in capital                 39,077,065        32,183,810

      Accumulated deficit                       (33,228,363)      (32,799,834)

      TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
       (DEFICIENCY)                               5,868,524          (604,260)

      TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
       EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)                       $8,695,020        $2,675,538

                                   AVP, INC
                    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

                                                   Year Ended December 31,
                                                   2006               2005

    REVENUE
        Sponsorships/Advertising (1)           $17,388,458        $12,718,471
        Other                                    4,083,622          2,862,811
        TOTAL REVENUE                           21,472,080         15,581,282

    EVENT COSTS (2)                             14,665,430         11,800,710
        GROSS PROFIT                             6,806,650          3,780,572

    OPERATING EXPENSES
        Sales and Marketing (3)                  2,959,216          2,159,603
        Administrative (4)                       4,451,576         10,528,296
        TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES                 7,410,792         12,687,899

        OPERATING LOSS                            (604,142)        (8,907,327)

    OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
        Interest expense                           (23,659)          (167,859)
        Interest income                            181,003            112,030
        Gain on warrant derivative                 111,042                 --
        TOTAL OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)               268,386            (55,829)

        LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                  (335,756)        (8,963,156)

    INCOME TAXES                                      (800)              (800)

        NET LOSS                                  (336,556)        (8,963,956)

    Deemed dividend to Series B
    Preferred Stock Shareholders                    91,973                 --

    Net Loss Available to
    Common Shareholders                          $(428,529)       $(8,963,956)

    Loss per common share:
        Basic                                       $(0.03)            $(1.03)
        Diluted                                     $(0.03)            $(1.03)

    Shares used in computing loss per
     share:
        Basic                                   16,918,490          8,681,388
        Diluted                                 16,918,490          8,681,388

    (1) Sponsorship/Advertising includes $252,842 and $0 in stock based
        contra-revenue for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005,
        respectively.

    (2) Event costs include stock based expenses of $1,000,000 and $0 for the
        years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

    (2) Sales and marketing expenses include stock based expenses of $119,942
        and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

    (3) Administrative expenses include stock based expenses of $293,190 and
        $5,640,132 for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005,
        respectively.
SOURCE AVP, Inc.

AVP.com, the Most Visited Volleyball Site on the Net, Re-Launches for the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Season
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's website, AVP.com, will offer volleyball fans across the world the most comprehensive volleyball information on the world wide web.
(PRWEB) March 29, 2007 -- AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is thrilled to announce the re-launch of AVP.com, the most comprehensive volleyball website on the net. With deeper content, live streaming video, video archives, community functionality, robust statistics, message boards, player blogs and fantasy games, AVP.com is the fan's online destination for everything volleyball.
"We are thrilled with the new AVP.com, knowing that Beach Volleyball fans across the world will experience AVP Pro Beach Volleyball like never before," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Commissioner of the AVP. "The new site will offer a combination of deeper content, rich media, community functionality and a more complete statistical package that will clearly enhance the user experience and make AVP.com a daily destination for AVP fans."
The AVP's re-launch of their website comes in conjunction with the start of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, an 18-stop professional beach volleyball tour. As the fan base of the AVP and the sport of beach volleyball continues to grow, the new AVP.com will serve as a portal to enhance the fan experience.
Key features of the new AVP.com include:
Live Streaming Video -- Fans can watch action from every AVP Crocs Tour event live on AVP.com
One-stop-shop for AVP Ticketing -- Tickets for all events will be available online and can be ordered and printed directly from the website. The main ticketing page includes links to event details for each stop on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Tour Event Pages -- Every stop on the AVP Crocs Tour has its own area complete with a Gameday Central featuring previews, live scores, stats, recaps, multimedia features, as well as ticketing and venue information.
Expanded Player Profiles -- Fans can study the statistics of Tour veterans like three-time Olympic Gold medalist Karch Kiraly, Gold medalist Misty May-Treanor, Gold medalists Kerri Walsh, and Olympic Bronze medalist Holly McPeak, in addition to Tour newcomers like 2006 AVP Rookies of the Year April Ross and Logan Tom. Player profiles will feature video clips, pictures, headlines, season/career statistics and biography data.
New Multimedia Features -- New multimedia features include a main video page updated regularly with new clips and videos and expansive photo galleries.
Volleyball Nation -- The New AVP.com will help beach volleyball fans connect with friends, start your own leagues, post messages, win prizes on the AVP E-Team, and sign-up for Volleyball Nation newsletters. Additional community features will be added that allow fans to generate their own content and grow networks of like-minded fans and participants.
The AVP Crocs Tour gets under way April 14 and 15 in Miami, Florida, at Bicentennial Park. The AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open is the first of three Cuervo Gold Crown events. The second will take place in Dallas April 19 - 22 and the final in Huntington Beach May 3 - 6, where the largest check in AVP history, $100,000, will be awarded.
For more information and tickets, log on to the brand new AVP.com today.

HB AVP Open fees won't change this year
But volleyball event's dates are moving -- to May -- and permit to add more paid seating was just for July.
By Andrea Sudano
STAFF WRITER
South Bay beach volleyball fans can count on another year of mostly free admission to the Hermosa Beach Open after all.
The tournament's owners will continue charging admission to a quarter of spectators at this year's tournament, rather than the 90 percent of fans approved last month by the California Coastal Commission, said Dave Williams, market director for the Association of Volleyball Professionals.
But the freer policy is more of a technicality than charity on the AVP's part.
The AVP has agreed to charge 25 percent of spectators admission in exchange for moving Hermosa Beach's tournament up a couple of months, said Teresa Henry, South Coast District manager for the Coastal Commission.
Traditionally a July event, this year's tournament is now scheduled for May 17-20 to accommodate a recently added tournament stop in Long Beach.
In February, when a divided Coastal Commission unexpectedly granted the AVP permission to charge 90 percent of spectators admission to Hermosa Beach tournaments for five years, that extended to the tournament scheduled for July only, Henry said.
To charge almost all spectators admission at a May event, the AVP would have to apply for an entirely new permit, and appear before the Coastal Commission again, possibly jeopardizing its new 90 percent seating ratio, Henry said.
Instead, it was agreed that the event could move to May but would stick with last year's admission ratio.
This is the latest development in an ongoing battle for the AVP to charge more spectators admission fees at its California tournaments. Association executives have long argued South Bay tournament stops were the biggest financial duds of all tournaments.
But the AVP has faced fierce opposition from local government, environmentalists, free-access advocates and the Coastal Commission -- at least until February, that is.
Hermosa Beach resident Dennis "Duke" Noor has been one of the AVP's loudest critics in recent months, and said a cheaper tournament this year is fine by him. "Hopefully, that will be a sign of the times, a sign for the future that that's the way it should be," he said of the higher ratio of free seating. "... It's good news for me."
But it likely won't last forever. The AVP has two years to activate a permit, and plans to charge 90 percent of spectators at Hermosa Beach's 2008 tournament. Also, the Manhattan Beach City Council opted last month to loosen its admission restrictions. The Coastal Commission will weigh in on that decision, then the council will settle on an admission ratio, likely in time for next year's tournament.
The paid seating includes a mix of ticket prices from $20 to $40, depending on where the spectator sits.

AVP Media Day kicks off '07 season
18 tour stops and new online home highlight new season
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The AVP Crocs Tour was looking for a splash and got it with the AVP's annual media day Thursday afternoon.
Lounging poolside at the Beverly Hilton, AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato and company delivered the message that the tour is ready to embark again with the 2007 version featuring a junket of 18 U.S. stops.
"Starting with new cities like Boston and venturing into the heart of America in Cincinnati to familiar sites like Las Vegas and the Southern California events, we think this year's tour will be exciting," Armato said.
Joining Armato on the dais were Ron Snyder, Crocs chief executive, Matt Hart, president and COO of Hilton Hotels and Bob Bowman, president and chief executive, MLB Advanced Media.
With an increase in prize money from $3.5 to $4 million for the upcoming season that is split evenly between the men's and women's teams, Crocs renewed its support of the AVP Tour. Snyder was also quick to recognize an opportunity when he saw a barefoot Phil Dalhausser take the stage. Snyder brought him a pair of Crocs.
"The reason we're the title sponsor is we want to sell more shoes," Snyder said. "While that may seem to be the only reason, what we want to do is build our brand. This is the fastest growing sports property right now. As we help grow the tour we can help grow the sport in other countries."
That growth will also be given a broader platform this season and the increased exposure is what brought Bowman to town. With the Internet muscle of MLBAM, which produces MLB.com, Bowman has partnered with the tour to re-launch AVP.com.
The site has been given a new look and with that will come live streaming video from as many as four courts per event.
"This is a great and exciting sport," Bowman said. "There are only six exciting sports and this, along with baseball, is one of them."
Bowman helped build MLB.com into one of the most visited sports sites on the Internet. That is due in part to the popularity of the national pastime, but also through a multiple tier of media products. The hope for 2007 is to do the same for professional beach volleyball.
"These athletes are phenomenal," Bowman said. "In the digital world, what makes the difference is authenticity and that is what we want to bring to AVP.com."
But Thursday's affair was far from corporate boardroom dull. The quick introductory speeches gave way to player introductions by emcee and AVP announcer Chris "Geeter" McGee and a brief fashion show, featuring this season's on-court player apparel.
Most of the top players were present for the event, including legend Karch Kiraly, who was making his final appearance at a media day as a player on the AVP Tour. Kiraly announced that his new partner for 2007 will be Kevin Wong, a fellow UCLA Bruin.
Kiraly was quick to point out where his sentiments will lie this weekend.
"We're pulling for UCLA. No. 100 this weekend," Kiraly said, referring to the men's basketball team that has a berth in the NCAA Final Four and will play Florida on Saturday. A championship Monday night would be the school's 100th, an NCAA record.
While earning All-America honors all four years at the school, Kiraly also helped to contribute three titles as UCLA won volleyball championships in 1979, 1981 and 1982.
Kiraly is not the only player that will be sharing the sand with a new partner this season. On the men's side, the new teams are: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams; Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott; Dax Holden and Jeff Nygaard; Eric Fonoimoana and Chad Turner; and Dain Blanton and Scotty Lane.
The new women's teams are: Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner; Jennifer Boss and Keao Burdine; Nancy Mason and April Ross; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana; and Tatiana Minello and Carrie Dodd.
Holly McPeak will essentially be breaking in a new partner. She and Logan Tom teamed up in two events last year, and while McPeak knows there will be a period of adjustment, she is excited about the season.
"She is a phenomenal athlete," McPeak said of Tom. "We're aiming for the top."
Misty May-Treanor, the two-time reigning women's MVP, will be looking to eclipse McPeak's record of 68 victories on tour. After leading the tour in victories in three of the last four years, May-Treanor also realizes that she and partner Kerri Walsh will be targets for the competition but mostly her excitement was directed toward the upcoming season.
"Beach volleyball in Boston," May-Treanor said. "It's great that these cities want to see us play."
It's a national story that was kicked off in pure L.A. style.

May-Treanor, Walsh fix what's not broken
The Golden Girls, irked that they might have plateaued, turn to a new coach as another AVP beach volleyball season approaches.
By Phil Collin
Staff writer
Is this even fair?
The team that wins every single tournament, the one that wins the Olympic gold medal, the one with two two-time MVPs, has some perception of doubt so it turns to volleyball's greatest player for advice?
It seems like overkill for Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh to solicit tips from Karch Kiraly, but when the goal is utter dominance, well, May-Treanor and Walsh have a pretty good idea how to attain it.
Once again the Golden Girls will be the focal point when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour begins in two weeks in Miami. But never before has the laid-back sport of beach volleyball been more serious.
The AVP has a grind of 18 tournaments in which the players will chase more than $4 million in prize money. But 2007 also represents a key year for qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This means a nice, tidy commute to Europe as many as four times from June through October.
Naturally, it's expected that May-Treanor and Walsh, who captured 16 tournament titles a year ago, will be on top at the end. Yet even that is not considered momentum to them when their own expectations are as high or higher than anyone else could dream up.
So the dominant team fired its coach, Dane Selznick.
"We were with Dane for so long, and we liked Dane, but it was just time to try something new,'' May-Treanor said Thursday at the AVP launch party.
"It's like anything when you've been together for a while, and we were kind of ... I wouldn't say plateauing, but you have to find things because we don't want to break up, we don't want to go our separate ways, so what's the other thing we can do and try to spice up our game?''
That brought a startled "Um, excuse me, the best team in the world considered splitting?'' into the conversation.
"No, no, no,'' May-Treanor said. "We never brought it up. We never thought about that, but we were both frustrated with the plateau we were stuck on and it's like what do you do? And the only thing was to try to ask somebody else, 'What can you see in our game that could be different? What can we try?' So that was our solution.''
Kiraly coached, coaxed and mentored May-Treanor and Walsh, then arranged for former Pepperdine, U.S. national team and beach standout Troy Tanner to ease into the equation as the duo's new coach.
"Dane got us to the level where we were, and maybe there was someone else that maybe has different insight that can maybe get us to the next level and then the next level,'' May-Treanor said. "You're always changing it up and moving.''
Their challenge domestically will come from a cast of rearranged teams, for the most part. Elaine Youngs will continue with Nicole Branagh after they teamed up last year at midseason. Rachel Wacholder is now playing with Tyra Turner, Holly McPeak with Logan Tom and '05 Rookie of the Year April Ross is joining Nancy Mason.
The top three teams on the men's side return intact, with Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger (five wins in '06), and Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers (eight wins) being the early favorites to capture the two U.S. Olympic team spots.
Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb, who opened last season with a win in Fort Lauderdale and closed it with a win in Acapulco, Mexico, remain a threat.
The longtime team of Casey Jennings and Matt Fuerbringer has parted, with Jennings turning to former UCLA standout Mark Williams and the 6-foot-7 Fuerbringer hooking up with 6-5 Sean Scott as the beach's new twin towers.
The tour is a common opponent. In addition to criss-crossing the U.S., there are four FIVB tournaments in a five-week span in June and July. Last year, Lambert and Metzger had 19 consecutive weeks of action. This year they face a 21-week run.
"Once that season hits, you come home Monday, take care of your body on Tuesday, go to the gym, see your therapist or your (masseur) or your chiropractor, Wednesday you practice and Thursday you travel. ... It's a grind,'' Lambert said. "You have to get out there and it's so competitive you always have to find that fire.''

Mariano trains with the best
Ryan Mariano uses fitness to build on 2006
By Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com
This offseason, there is no rest for many AVP athletes. While some players spent it playing indoor volleyball overseas, others stayed closer to home, braving the beach fog every morning to train. Ryan Mariano, who just came off of his best season ever, has big goals for the 2007 season. He hopes to be more of a consistent Sunday player with partner Larry Witt and win that first big paycheck. To help him achieve these goals, he decided to stick with the offseason regimen he began the year before. He spent six weeks training at Athlete's Performance in Tempe, Ariz., with some of the most dynamic young athletes in the world.
Mariano describes his training this off-season as "completely off the charts -- best training I have ever had." Timing it to coincide with the NFL Combine training program, Mariano arrived at the Tempe facility to find 70 first-day projected NFL draft picks getting themselves ready for the biggest try-out of their lives. Training with an array of athletes from quarterback Jamarcus Russell from LSU, the projected top pick in April's draft, to Major League Baseball players Jason Schmidt, Brian Roberts and Kevin Youkilis, elevated Mariano's game physically and mentally.
Mariano credits some of his off-season training success to his company of future and pro athletes in the weight room. He was amazed by the amount they could lift, how fast they were, and their intense plyometric training.
"It really pushed me to work out harder because you are working out next to Jamarcus Russell, who is most likely going to be the No. 1 draft pick. You watch him throwing weight around and you can't wait to start working out. It was a full-time job. From eight in the morning to five at night, I was at this facility. Two-a-day work outs, eating and training with these superstars -- it was unreal, top-of-the-line experience."
Outside the weight room, Mariano enjoyed watching Jamarcus Russell throw the football.
"The field in Arizona was exactly 100 yards, no end zone. Jamarcus was playing catch and the guys were actually relaying the ball back to him. It looked like someone was hitting a golf ball. It was unbelievable to watch him."
The other athletes reciprocated Mariano's admiration.
"They all admired my job as a volleyball player. One commented, 'You get to go to the beach everyday. That is your job. Your office is on the sand.'"
Three-time MLB all-star pitcher Jason Schmidt has attended the Manhattan Beach Open and was amazed by George Roumain and Misty May. He could not understand how "that large of a human being as George can jump that much and survive."
For Mariano, "It was neat to talk to superstar athletes about how amazed they were by the AVP athletes because we do the same thing with them. It is like a mutual admiration."
Of course, no conversation about the AVP would be complete without reference to the beautiful girls that attend the events. Many of the football guys wanted to know about the girls.
One commented, "In your job, you must come around a lot of chicks. They are all over the place around the beach."
Mariano enjoyed spending his downtime talking to other athletes about anything and everything.
"Not only were they killer athletes, they were super nice people. It was an unbelievable experience."
While many of the athletes Mariano trained with will be enjoying their last few Sunday's with their families and friends before the NFL Draft or the 162-game baseball season, Mariano will be out in the sand with partner Larry Witt battling to get to Sunday play. His hard work and offseason dedication should leave him very confident to compete in many more given Sundays.

Beach volleyball coming to L.B.
May-Treanor and Davis will play in July 19-22 event.
By Kirby Lee, Special to the Press-Telegram
Article Launched: 03/30/2007 04:08:24 AM PDT
BEVERLY HILLS - It will be a homecoming for St. Anthony High graduate Annett Davis when the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour makes a stop in Long Beach in July. For Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Famer Misty May-Treanor, it will be just like home.
Davis and May-Treanor expressed their enthusiasm at a Tour Launch part party at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday night where Long Beach was announced among nine new cities for the record 18-tournament schedule.
The Long Beach event on July 19-22 will be among the most sentimental events for May-Treanor, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and wife of Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor. The couple splits time between residences in Long Beach and Florida.
May-Treanor, the co-most valuable player on Long Beach State's undefeated 1998 NCAA championship team, had closely followed former Long Beach mayor Beverly O'Neill's efforts to bring the AVP to Long Beach over the years.
"It finally happened," said May-Treanor, 29. "Long Beach State has always been a dynasty in volleyball but this is really going to put Long Beach on the map for beach volleyball."
One of the biggest challenges of May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh could come from Davis and Jenny
Johnson-Jordan, who ended May-Treanor and Walsh's record 89-match win streak in 2004.
For Davis and Jordan, former UCLA teammates who have played on the beach together since 1997, the accomplishment was particularly satisfying after both giving birth to children in 2001. They also sat out the 2005 season because of pregnancy of their second children.
"When both had our second kids and cut back on our play, we both said that we weren't finished yet," said Davis, 33.

Fuerbringer swaps partners
By MATT SZABO
Estancia High graduate Matt Fuerbringer has made quite a career of playing beach volleyball.
Fuerbringer, 33, who now lives in Redondo Beach, ended last year ranked fourth in the AVP with partner Casey Jennings. It was the first time in their four seasons together that they had finished lower than third.
But they decided to move on in the offseason and the 6-foot-7 Fuerbringer will now pair with Sean Scott, when the season opens April 13-16 with the Miami Open.
At Thursday's AVP Tour launch party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Fuerbringer said deciding to part with Jennings was strictly a business move.
"I think we ended on a good note," Fuerbringer said. "He's still one of my good friends. It's like the first girlfriend. We accomplished a lot of stuff. We had our first tournament win together, we won four tournaments, only three teams won last year and we were one of them. We were a great team."
But both players longed to be ranked No. 1 and decided to move on. Fuerbringer said he is excited about pairing with Scott. Like Fuerbringer, Scott usually has played blocker, which Fuerbringer said will add a measure of versatility to their partnership.
"If I'm blocking and we're not scoring points, I can send him up there with full confidence," Fuerbringer said. "It just gives us another look, another option. If things are going great, you don't need it, but if you start to struggle it helps to have another option to change it up."
Fuerbringer, a four-time All-American at Stanford and a member of the school's 1997 National Championship team, won the Seaside Heights Open last July for his only 2006 AVP Tour victory. Coincidentally, he and Jennings beat Scott and his former teammate Dax Holdren in a close championship match, 16-21, 21-12, 17-15.
FUERBRINGER IN TOUCH
Fuerbringer remains in touch with his Estancia ties, even if he was more known for basketball in those days. He said he still talks regularly to former basketball coach Tim O'Brien, who coached Fuerbringer on the Eagles' 1990-91 CIF Division III state championship team.
O'Brien now coaches at Northwood High in Irvine, where his son, Chris, was a senior who averaged a team-high 19.6 points per game last season for the Timberwolves.
"I went to watch a game," Fuerbringer said. "[Chris] was a baby when I was a sophomore in high school. It put me in my place with how old I'm getting."
ROSS REMEMBERS WHEN
For Newport Harbor High graduate April Ross, last year was a season of adjustment.
Ross, who helped Newport Harbor High to back-to-back CIF Division I state championships, went on to help USC to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2002 and '03. In 2003, she was the NCAA Player of the Year.
But Ross, 24, is now on the AVP Tour. And, even though she earned Rookie of the Year honors last year and had two ninth-place finishes with teammate Keo Burdine, she said it was a very tough adjustment from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball.
"I'd say it was harder than I thought it would be," said the 6-1 Ross, who will team with tour veteran Nancy Mason this year. "I was really frustrated when I first came out, and I felt like I couldn't do anything. It took me about half the season to actually feel comfortable in the sand, and I'm still getting more and more comfortable."
But Ross credited Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn for first getting her into beach volleyball. The Sailors still have a beach court on campus, and Ross recalled Glenn making the team work out on the sand.
"Of course, I hated it then, but I think it benefited me in the long run," said Ross, who resides in Diamond Bar. "Having Dan Glenn as a coach was really crucial for me and the success I've achieved so far. He made sure I was an all-around player."
LAMBERT HAS EXPERIENCE
Mike Lambert, by contrast, is already at the top of the game. The Costa Mesa resident who grew up in Hawaii was part of the AVP Team of the Year last year with Stein Metzger, and won five different events.
Lambert, who teamed with legendary partner Karch Kiraly in 2004 and was named AVP Most Valuable Player, said sticking with Metzger this year was an easy choice.
"It's nice when you can play with the same partner a few years in a row," said Lambert, 32. "This offseason we got to work on a bunch of different stuff, that'll hopefully make us better and more dynamic. It's really important to be on the same page and nail the game plan down."
He said he's looking forward to the FIVB World Championships, to be held in Switzerland on July 25-29. The event is worth triple points for qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.
"If you can get a medal in the World Championships, with triple points, you're putting yourself in a great position to qualify and be one of the two teams representing the U.S. in the Olympics," Lambert said. "Come talk to us at the end of July, and we'll be smiling or we'll be pouting."
NICE TIMING LAMBERT
Lambert had a son, Jack, who was born last October, coinciding nicely with the end of the volleyball season.
But during the season he has little time to do much of anything but play volleyball. He said this was shown after the AVP Chicago Open last July, which he and Metzger won. They then had a quick turnaround to an FIVB event in France.
"Last year, we played in the final in Chicago, and then showered at the site with a hose and a bar of soap," Lambert said. "Then, I threw on my running shoes, jumped in a cab and I'm eating potato chips, because it was the only food I could get before my 12-hour flight to Europe. As soon as you get off the plane in Europe, you're jet-lagged, but you've got to practice and play the next day. It's just doing things on the fly."
GIBB EYES STRONG START
Jake Gibb, a Costa Mesa resident, hopes to get over the hump this year with partner Sean Rosenthal.
Last season, Gibb and Rosenthal won the season-opening event in Fort Lauderdale and went to five other championship matches. But they finished second each time, three of the losses coming to Lambert and Metzger.
However, they rebounded to win the season-ending FIVB event in Acapulco, Mexico.
"Taking second, that's tough to swallow, but there are also 24 other positions," said Gibb, 31. "You can take a 25th. We were putting ourselves in a position to win the event. That's all you can ask to do, get yourself there and close out the deal. We just had a little trouble with the closing out."
MARK THOSE CALENDARS
The AVP comes to Huntington Beach May 3-6 and will make its first stop in Long Beach July 19-22.

Rogers a mental giant
The AVP MVP gets by on his brains
By Robert Falkoff
Todd Rogers isn't the tallest player on the AVP Crocs Tour. He isn't the quickest or the strongest, either.
So why is Rogers the reigning Most Valuable Player? Chalk one up for the cerebral approach of the Tour's consummate thinking man.
"I think it's an apt description that I'm a thinking man out on the volleyball court," Rogers said. "It's kind of how I was always taught when I first started playing the game. My coaches always said: 'Hey, you can go a lot further if you think it through.'"
Anticipation over sheer athleticism â€” it's a concept that Rogers has fully embraced.
"Fortunately, this isn't just a straight athletic game," said the 33-year-old Rogers, who has won three consecutive Best Defensive Player awards. "There's a component of intelligence and thinking about what you are doing. For me, I have a special talent where I can watch someone play and pick up on what they do well, what they do poorly or what they want to do during the game.
"In order to compete, I have to get the opponent out of their comfort zone. I'm not Mike Lambert or Phil Dalhausser, or one of these big guys who can just bring the noise every time and get away with it because of being big and strong."
The cerebral approach has indeed been a golden approach for Rogers, who teamed with Dalhausser to win eight AVP events in 2006. It's a tough act to follow, but the Rogers-Dalhausser combo will give its best shot, beginning with the season-opening event April 13-15 in Miami.
"It was a tremendous year for Phil and me as a team and for me personally," Rogers said. "We want to keep getting better as a team and as individuals. But at the same time, you have to temper the thinking a bit because we recognize that there are some very good teams out there. We'll have to play at least as good if not better to win our fair share of the tournaments this year."
When Rogers reflects on the highlights from the 2006 Tour, three tournaments come to mind. Rogers claimed the God of the Beach title in Las Vegas, celebrated victory at the tradition-rich Manhattan Beach event and got over the hump with a win in his hometown of Santa Barbara.
"I had four second-place finishes there over the last several years, so there was a lot of frustration involved in playing at home in Santa Barbara," Rogers said. "To finally win there was really gratifying. My daughter (Hannah) and wife (Melissa) came running out and gave me a big hug. It was a really special moment for me.
"Winning the God of the Beach title in Vegas shows you are a top player and Manhattan Beach is the granddaddy of them all. Certainly, I was happy to get my name up on the pier."
As they continue to build chemistry, Rogers and Dalhausser have the 2008 Beijing Olympics in mind. They could set themselves up nicely if they achieve the ambitious goal of qualifying this year.
"We'd like to take the path that Kerri (Walsh) and Misty (May-Treanor) had for the last Olympics," Rogers said. "They qualified in 2003 and then in 2004 they could kind of pick and choose which FIVB tournaments they wanted to play in. They were able to set their own course on honing their skills at the international level while limiting travel and focusing on peaking for the Olympics. Hopefully, Phil and I can be in that boat as well. But it's going to be very difficult because the level of play for the men going for the Olympics is exceptionally high."
Rogers expects there will be an added level of excitement on the Tour this year at the 11 events that Karch Kiraly will participate in as he makes his farewell appearances. Kiraly has announced this will be his last year on the Tour.
"I would imagine a lot of beach volleyball fans over the years will try to make sure they hit at least one tournament in their area," Rogers said. "I know he has touched a lot of lives. I'm sure a lot of people he played before when he was in his 20s probably have grown kids now and they'll want to go. Karch probably hears all the time from current young adults who say 'Hey, I saw you play when I was 5 years old.'"
Whether Rogers can repeat as MVP remains to be seen. But it's almost certain that nobody will out-think him.
"A lot of it stems from the fact that I love to coach," Rogers said. "I've been coaching in some form or fashion since I graduated from high school. When you watch that much volleyball, you pick up on things. I know that has been a big factor in the success that I've been able to have."

AVP Enters Into Agreement to Be Acquired by Affiliates of Shamrock Holdings
LOS ANGELES, April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: AVPI) ("AVP"), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on
professional beach volleyball, announced today that it has entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with AVP Holdings,
Inc. and AVP Acquisition Corp., affiliates of Shamrock Holdings
("Shamrock"). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, AVP Acquisition
Corp. will be merged with and into AVP, with AVP continuing as the
surviving corporation. Upon consummation of the merger, each outstanding
share of AVP common stock will be cancelled and converted into the right to
receive $1.23, and AVP will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP
Holdings, Inc. The total value of the transaction is approximately $36.9
million. The Company's senior management team will retain their current
positions in the surviving corporation and are expected to receive options
to purchase common stock of AVP Holdings, Inc. Immediately prior to the
merger, Leonard Armato, the chairman and chief executive officer of AVP,
will contribute to AVP Holdings, Inc. all of the shares of AVP common stock
that he owns and an additional amount of cash, in exchange for shares of
capital stock of AVP Holdings, Inc.
    The transaction, which is expected to close in the summer of 2007, is
subject to certain customary terms and conditions, including stockholder
approval, but is not subject to any financing condition. Upon completion of
this transaction, AVP will become a privately held company and its common
stock will no longer be traded on the OTC Bulletin Board.
    AVP entered into the Merger Agreement based on the unanimous
recommendation by a special committee comprised of independent directors of
AVP's board and the unanimous consent of its full board of directors.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, AVP has 45 days from April 5 to solicit
offers from other interested buyers.
    "We see this agreement as the right step in the evolution of the
Company," said Leonard Armato, who will continue as AVP's Chief Executive
Officer. "This transaction with Shamrock allows us to streamline our
business operation and focus AVP's precious resources on building the
business rather than public company compliance and raising capital. We are
at an inflection point in the evolution of the company and Shamrock
provides direct access to capital that will accelerate the opportunity for
AVP to grow and enable us to take the tour to the next level."
    "The Shamrock Capital Growth Fund II looks for exceptional
opportunities among domestic media, entertainment and communications
companies," stated Robert F. Perille, a Managing Director with Shamrock.
"Lifestyle-based sports entertainment is seeing unprecedented growth due to
the unique interactive experience it provides attendees, sponsors and
licensees. Leonard Armato, the AVP team and the AVP athletes have created a
unique brand and following in the marketplace. We look forward to
facilitating continued growth in beach volleyball with AVP."
    Jefferies & Co. acted as financial advisor to the special committee of
AVP's board of directors in connection with the transaction and provided an
opinion to the special committee and the board of directors of AVP that the
transaction consideration is fair to AVP stockholders from a financial
point of view.
    About Shamrock Holdings
    Shamrock Holdings, Inc., founded in 1978 by Roy E. Disney and Stanley
P. Gold, today manages approximately $2.0 billion of alternative assets on
behalf of institutional investors through five separate funds. Shamrock has
invested over $550 million in media, entertainment and communications
businesses in the United States and is currently investing through the
Shamrock Capital Growth Fund II, a $311 million private equity fund focused
on media, entertainment and communications investments.
    About AVP, Inc.
    AVP/Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP/Crocs Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball.
    All above-mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
    Some of the information in this press release may contain projections
or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future
financial performance of the Company. We wish to caution you that these
statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements, if we receive less
sponsorship and advertising revenue than anticipated, or if attendance is
adversely affected by unfavorable weather. Event-related expenses, such as
for the stadium, transportation and accommodations, or security might be
greater than expected; or marketing or administrative costs might be
increased by our hiring, not currently planned, of a particularly qualified
prospect. Additional factors have been detailed in the Company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our recent filings
on Forms 10-KSB and 10-QSB.

Rogers optimistic about upcoming season
By Kristyn Peterson // usolympicteam.com // April 5, 2007
Visit USA Volleyball
Last year, Todd Rogers garnered the AVP’s most valuable player award, making him the best player in pro-beach volleyball. In addition, he’s also won the best defensive player award three years in a row. With the AVP season beginning mid-April, the 33-year-old hopes to repeat his performance and grow in the upcoming year. In addition, he hopes to better his chances of competing at the Beijing Olympic Games with teammate Phil Dalhausser.
Rogers recently took a few minutes to speak with usolympicteam.com about the upcoming season, his family and playing with Dalhausser.

Q1: What are you looking forward to in the upcoming season?
What am I looking forward to in the upcoming season? Well, let’s see. Trying to do maybe a little bit better in the international circuits. We were either really good or really bad. Being a little bit more consistent and staying up in the top in all the tournaments rather than out of the six tournaments we played in we got a first, a second and a third, and then we got a ninth, a thirteenth and a seventeenth. So we were kind of either hit or miss. Looking towards that consistency.
Just playing volleyball on the beach is something to look forward to in my opinion, as well. It’s a pretty fun sport to play. You are out on the beach in your bathing suit jumping around on the sand, so it’s pretty cool in and of itself. Just playing another season and seeing how we stack up, basically.

Q2: Have you set any specific goals for yourselves?
It’s funny you mention that. We are actually going over our goals as we speak right now. Phil just emailed me his goals. We did this last year where we just email each other back and forth our goals for the year. And we do it in three specific categories. One that we should definitely reach, shouldn’t be a problem. Two that would be tough, shouldn’t be out of the imagination and three that’s going to be really, really hard to do, that would be an amazing year kind of thing. We have set a bunch of goals. Staying in the top three or better domestically, the top five or better internationally, which goes along with looking forward to doing better on the international circuit, as well as just a bunch of other personal goals.

Q3: Where would you guys like to be in terms of development when the 2008 Olympic Games roll around?
I would say we would want to be at our peak. For me that means staying in great shape, not getting injured as I get a little bit older. I think Phil should just continue to get better with his experience and seeing all the other teams out there that we will be competing against. That will just continue to improve.
Certainly we want to be peaking. I guess we want to be the best possible place we can be. Hopefully if we are good enough this year we can qualify for the Olympics. And then therefore totally 2008 would be a focus on the Olympics. Everything, weightlifting, ply metrics, volleyball, can be focused on peaking during that month of August. That would be optimal.

Q4: You mentioned Phil’s development a little bit. You haven’t been playing together very long. What does he bring that other players you’ve played with haven’t brought to the partnership?
He just brings physical capabilities that, in my opinion, no one else in the world possesses. He’s 6’9”. He jumps very well. He moves very well for a guy his size. His hand-eye coordination is exceptional. He’s a great setter as well as a great passer. Then you just take in to account that he is 6’9” and jumps well, he can get over the net really well. His ability to take things that I tell him and learn from them very, very quickly and put them into implementation--it’s pretty amazing how quickly he’s done so at a relatively speaking younger age. He’s 26 last year, just turned 27 this year.
His growth has just been amazing. I told him last year that I thought he was at 50 percent, 60 percent of his potential. By the end of the year, I would rank that up more in the 75-80 percentile of what I think he can reach. So he still has a ways to go whereas most of the other guys that we are competing against, I think most of them have reached their potential, or close to.

Q5: You mentioned his height. How else does his style of play differ from other players you played with in the past?
We’ll I’ve never played with anyone that big. Sean Scott was always a “smaller blocker” a small 6’5”, When Dax and I played together we were always smaller, 6’3” and 6’2” so neither of us was a dominating blocker. When I played with Dax it was the old school court, the bigger court which was more jump serve and ball control. Once it changed, I needed to move on, as did he. With Sean, even now, he’s become kind of a small, small blocker--technically very good. With Phil being 6’9” and jumping well, it’s what you need in this game, and the difference is obvious, other than him being a lot younger than those guys and inexperienced. The difference is four inches, and I don’t know, he touches almost 12 feet indoor, so probably almost a foot higher in jump touch.

Q6: How do your personality and Phil’s personality match up?
We are both very mellow guys. I’m more intense than he is, particularly when we get on the court. I know he wants to win very badly and he get’s pissed at himself. Both of us tend to blame ourselves more than the other person, which I think is pretty critical for our relationship to go forward. If I give him a bad pass, he gives me a bad set and then I make an error, I’m blaming myself ‘Gosh, I gave you a bad pass, which led to you making not as good of a set as you could, I need to keep that ball in play.’ Whereas he is saying, ‘Yeah, but I have to give you a good set. I have to better the ball.’ So that dynamic makes it a lot easier to play with one another, because you aren’t blaming the other guy, which I think destroys a lot of relationships on the court, because it’s kind of like a marriage. So that dynamic, I think is our number one attribute.
And obviously he respects me being an older player. So that kind of older-younger player mentality also helps us.

Q7: What role does your family play in your career?
As far as my actual career, not a huge role. I mean my wife certainly plays a major role in the fact that she’s a single mom for a lot of the summer. She’s pretty much every single weekend a single mom. And then when I go internationally, weeks at a time, in the past even months at a time, which is difficult on her. So in that role, she’s been fantastic. I know it’s very frustrating for her to be a single parent for those long stretches of time and get very little of a break. In that perspective, she obviously plays a role.
It’s really great that my kids are almost six and eight and they can understand where I’m going, what I’m doing, what I’m trying to accomplish. They can look on a globe and go ‘Oh, daddy’s in Austria,’ or ‘daddy’s in Chicago.’ And point on the globe and know where it is. There was a period around 5-years-old for both my kids that they really struggled. They didn’t understand why I had to travel. Sharing that with then is really fun.
So I guess in those regards that’s something that my family shares in, and it’s fun for me to share with them.

Q8: If you weren’t playing volleyball, what would you be doing?
You know, I have a real inclination to coach. I coached at UCSB for six years, from ’99-2005. Even before that, while I was in college, I was a club coach for indoor volleyball, as well as a high school and junior high coach.
So, I’ve pretty much been a coach ever since I graduated high school, which was in ’91. This is the first time I haven’t coached a specific team, although my wife and I are helping out with a local high school. And, in a way, I’m coaching Phil. Certainly, last year, I did a lot of that just because he was so raw and inexperienced in a lot of phases of the game. So, that’s what I would definitely see myself doing. Some kind of coaching.

Q9: What’s a normal day like for you?
Pretty crowded, to be honest with you, even though I have a pretty mellow job, I don’t have a 9-5er, but with the kids, I try to help out as much as I can. I get them up, get them dressed, kind of get them breakfast, and get them going. My wife usually takes my daughter to school. My son doesn’t start school until about 10:30 a.m. So I stay with him, we usually hang out for a couple hours, which is cool. As soon as I do that I’m usually going down to the beach or the weight room or the track, trying to squeeze in all of that sometimes in one day. Also deep tissue massage. And then also being on the phone, making phone calls to sponsors, potential sponsors, trying to set up practices, those kind of things. Then I get back home around 2:30 p.m. If I can I try to pick up my kids from school. They get out at 2:30 p.m. and then, my son has baseball practice once a day a week. Like I said, we are helping out with the local high school, so that’s usually almost every day, Monday through Friday. We have three dogs. We try to get them out, go for walks or runs with the dogs. Just try to fit all that stuff here and there. My day is looking pretty busy. And I tend to cook more than my wife. A lot more than my wife, actually, so I tend to plan the dinners and whatnot.

Q10: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Probably the best single advice I’ve ever received was in a class in college. I believe it was called sports management. It was from the baseball coach at UCSB. I don’t know why he decided to tell everyone this and he must have gotten it from someone else, or maybe it was from personal experience. But he said ‘Everything can be going fantastic for you, and everything can be going hunky-dory, but if you aren’t happy at home you will never be happy in life.’ And I’ve found that to be exceptionally true. When I miss my kids, or if I’m fighting with my wife, or my kids are being (difficult) or whatever, then I could have great sponsors, and I could be winning tournaments and everything could be going hunky-dory, but things just don’t… they’re a little bit sour. That probably doesn’t really have anything to do with volleyball. It has more to do with life, but I would say it’s absolutely, 100 percent true.

Q11: Who are some of your role models?
Growing up as a little kid I used to idolize Magic Johnson. I just loved the way he was unselfish and a team player. He could do everything: score, he could pass, he could rebound, and just had such a great smile, and a team player so to speak.
From a volleyball perspective, once I got into volleyball in high school, Karch Kiraly was always one of my idols. Just the way he played the game, with such intensity. He wasn’t necessarily a dynamic player, but I always thought some of that, from some guys, not all guys, was a little fake.

A new season for Wong
The former Punahou star will open the AVP competition with a new partner
By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com
Some jobs are just better than others.
Scott Wong has one of the best.
Professional beach volleyball player.
The 28-year-old heads into the AVP season with a new partner -- former University of Hawaii player Hans Stolfus -- new life in his hitting shoulder (after rehabbing from labrum surgery) and a new training regimen.
Wong's office may be the beach, but the Association of Volleyball Professionals circuit is serious business. There are still 'B's' of the sport, but where in the old days it was Babes and Beer, now it's Big Bucks.
"Maybe hanging out and drinking beer is what guys did back then, but that's the old image," said Wong, a prep standout at Punahou and three-time All-American at Pepperdine. "Now guys work really hard and are as professional as any sport out there. You go in and treat it like a job.
"I love every aspect of my job. It's awesome. I have a good time doing it, but I take it seriously."
In doing so, Wong has altered his lifestyle, helped in part by Tactical Strength & Conditioning, a sports performance business based in Honolulu.
"They've been a tremendous tool in getting me healthy and keeping me on the right track to be in the best shape I can be," said Wong, who has been with TSC since December. "They've been a huge help in the offseason, not only rehabbing (shoulder), but in pre-habbing to prepare my body to go through the extreme elements, the playing in 100-degree weather four days in a row."
As with other endurance sports, beach volleyball players need a nutritional balance, a diet that will help build muscle without adding fat. Healthy, but not extreme.
Wong says he doesn't keep track of calories, but focuses on the timing of his food, knowing when to replenish the expended energy. It's helped him maintain the 210 to 215 pounds on his 6-foot-5 frame.
Nutrition has become even more important for the 30-year-old Stolfus, the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year. He's had trouble keeping weight on -- he's 6-5 and 180.
"What I eat, I expend," he said. "About four years ago, I stopped eating fast food and bad carbs. My diet is high in protein, which has been tricky since I'm lactose intolerant.
"I'm trying to make my pH (balance) more alkaline base than acid base."
While many beach tandems match smaller players (good passers) with taller players (good blockers and hitters), Wong and Stolfus are taking another approach. They're close in height and will split blocking duties.
"I think that will save on expending energy by one player," Stolfus said. "We'll both take serves, we'll both be blocking. I think in the later stages of a tournament we'll have the most energy. It's a long day out there."
Hawaii alum Hans Stolfus, above, will team with Punahou grad Scott Wong.
There's been many a long day during the offseason training. Wong said his typical workout includes 3 to 3 1/2 hours during the morning on the beach, working on various aspects of the game, with specific drills for defense (digging and blocking) and offense (serving and hitting).
Afternoons might include a workout on the track or at the TSC gym.
The pair will see how the work pays off beginning this weekend when they compete in a tournament in the Dominican Republic. They're using it as a warm-up for the AVP season opener next week, the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
Wong's older brother Kevin will start the season in Miami, partnered with Karch Karalyi. This is the farewell tour for the 46-year-old Kiralyi, a three-time Olympic gold medalist (indoor and beach) who has earned more than $3 million on the sand.
"I can't wait," Kevin Wong, 34, said. "We've been working hard here. To win on tour, it's half skills, half conditioning. You have to have both or you can't get to the top."

AVP to sell to Shamrock Holdings subsidiary for $36.9M
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - 7:09 AM PDT Friday, April 6, 2007
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AVP Inc. has agreed to be sold to AVP Acquisition Corp., a subsidiary of Burbank's Shamrock Holdings, for about $36.9 million, or $1.23 a share, the company said Thursday.
Once the merger closes, the Los Angeles-based sports entertainment company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP Holdings Inc. The deal, which will take AVP private, is expected to close in the summer of 2007.
AVP's senior management team will retain their current positions, AVP said in a release, and are expected to receive options to buy AVP Holdings Inc. common stock.
Los Angeles-based AVP Inc. (OTCBB: AVPI) is a sports entertainment company that produces, markets and distributes professional beach volleyball events worldwide.

Beijing beckons former Punahou stars
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
It is spring 2007 and, for Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, beach volleyball and Beijing 2008 are in the air.
The 2006 AVP Crocs Tour Team of the Year is 16 months from the 2008 Olympics, and in the midst of qualifying. The domestic season starts this week in Miami and their first international event will be in June. The two American teams with the best eight international finishes between this May and next July will play on the beach in Beijing at the 2008 Games.
Lambert and Metzger, both Punahou graduates, have been to the Games before. They want to go back.
Metzger, 34, finished fifth on the beach at Athens with Dax Holdren. The three-time UCLA All-American has been the top-ranked player on the AVP tour the past two seasons, also earning Team of the Year honors with Jake Gibb in 2005.
The 6-foot-3 former setter can play with anyone and, apparently, win with everyone. Since capturing three NCAA championships, he has collected $658,000 on the beach, with 11 AVP titles and two overseas.
"It is his competitive fire," Lambert said. "He can just turn it on and become a competitive animal and want to win more than the other guy. He's been that way since I first met him in JV and varsity and Junior Olympics. He always found a way to win."
Lambert, 32 and probably the most imposing blocker on the AVP Tour, is the more mild-mannered mauler. The three-time Stanford All-American is 6-6 and has two previous Olympic appearances indoors (1996 and 2000).
"Mike is so physical and explosive he can take over games by himself," Metzger said. "That's something any defender is drawn to. You just have to sideout and do the job on your side and you have a guy who can come out of nowhere and demolish teams."
Lots has changed. Metzger swears when Lambert was Punahou's ballboy (the year after he transferred) "he could walk under the net without bending — he was that tiny."
And, until last year, the two Buffanblu alums only dreamed of playing together on the beach. Both believed a partnership would prosper, but their timing, and a series of great partners, kept getting in the way.
When Kevin Wong — another Punahou graduate — dropped Metzger, he hooked up with Holdren out of desperation. The match worked out astonishingly well. Then, in 2004, volleyball legend Karch Kiraly asked Lambert to be his partner. They were Team of the Year, with Lambert the tour's Best Offensive Player.
In 2005, Metzger had a window of opportunity to change partners, but Kiraly asked Lambert back for his 26th season on the beach. "You don't say no to Karch," Metzger said.
But at that year's King of the Beach event — the only week where players switch partners each match — Lambert and Metzger finally had a chance to play together again. They were convinced it could work and the deal was sealed when Kiraly advised Lambert to "find a younger partner."
Metzger made the difficult decision to drop Gibb and finally pursue the dream of going for the gold with his former ballboy. "I figured if I didn't do it now it would never happen," Metzger said. "So we made the decision to finally get together and go after a medal."
After a slow start, last year blossomed into a five-win season. They reached all but one semifinal, led the money list and established themselves, along with Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, and Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, as legitimate medal threats. The U.S. men were shut out in Athens.
Lambert and Metzger are so serious this year they will play 21 straight weeks, mixing domestic events with seven European stops in places as varied as Berlin, Klagenfurt (Austria), Paris and Stavanger (Norway). World Championships are in Gstaad (Switzerland) in June.
"A lot will be determined this summer," Lambert said. "We need to do well, have good results at the World Championships and Grand Slams. You could even, potentially, lock in your berth as one of the two teams that go (to the Olympics) this summer.
"We're trying to peak in July. At the same time, the AVP season is important to us too — to defend and do well and win."
The life might sound exotic, but the grind — on the sand and across the world — is debilitating. Lambert and Metzger spent the past five months working with trainers and therapists.
There will be times the next six months that they spend more time with each other than their families (Lambert and his wife had their second child in the offseason). More than anything, that might be why this team works — as Metzger knew it would, even with the laid-back, guitar-strumming Lambert as his polar-opposite partner.
"In beach volleyball, you travel so much with your partner it's nice to have that chemistry and have fun," Lambert said. "You do a lot of waiting in airports, have meals together. If you don't enjoy it, the season would seem so long. With Stein, even if there was no tour we'd still be hanging out and surfing or whatever. It makes it easier, on top of the fact we're a good team on paper."
They have been a good team everywhere else, too. What they covet most now is an opportunity to play on the beach in Beijing.
OLYMPIC NOTES
Former Rainbow Wahine Karin Lundqvist is also on a quest to play on the beach at the Olympics — for Sweden. Her partner of choice is former Hawai'i All-American Angelica Ljungquist, the 1996 National Player of the Year. Lundqvist's original partner, Sara Uddstahl, was injured last year. Lundqvist and Uddstahl were 47th in the final 2006 Beach Volleyball World Rankings. For the past three months Lundqvist has been training in Brazil, with Brazilian coach Wesely Pinheiro, while Ljungquist plays professionally indoors in Japan. Lundqvist has been invited to play in a Brazilian tournament next week. She and Ljungquist will meet back in Sweden the beginning of next month to train for two weeks before their first tournament, in Singapore.
The U.S. Olympic Committee has re-appointed Punahou graduate Chris Duplanty to his position as Liaison from the Board of Directors to the U.S. Olympic Assembly. Duplanty was a three-time water polo Olympian (1988, 1992, 1996). He lives in Newport Beach, Calif.

Americans men Stolfus and Wong won the gold
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 8, 2007.- American men’s pair of Scott Wong and Hans Stolfus won the gold medal of the Boca Chica Tournament, the first leg of the 2007 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, with a 21-19, 21-10 victory over Marcelo Araya and Jonathan Guevara of Costa Rica.
Cuban Yunieski Ramirez and Yoendris Kindelán won the bronze medal in defeating Jorge Bolanos and Jose Gonzalez of Guatemala by 21-9, 21-14.
“The first set shows how good the Costa Ricans are,” said Stolfus after the match. “It was a tough battle, but we were able to put together a good streak in the second set.”
And Wong added: “We lacked consistency in the first set, but the we were able to focus and that was the difference.”
The USA team made to the finals with victories over Dominican Republic III (Edward Rogers-Alejandro Flores) 21-13, 21-11 and Cuba 21-8, 21-16. Costa Rica reached the gold medal match with triumphs over El Salvador (Geovanny Medrano-David Vargas) 21-19, 21-18 and Guatemala 21-14, 21-15.
Men’s results on Sunday:
Quarterfinals: CUB d. PUR II (21-14, 21-19); USA d. DOM III (21-13, 21-11); GUA d. PUR I (21-13, 21-9); Semi finals: USA d. CUB (21-8, 21-16); CRC d. GUA (21-14, 21-15). Bronze: CUB d. GUA (21-9, 21-14). Gold: USA d. CRC (21-19, 21-10).

Volleyball Legend Karch Kiraly Signs Season Sponsorship with Herbalife
Elaine Youngs Continues for Third Season
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly has signed with Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF), a global direct selling nutrition company, for a season sponsorship as the company becomes his official nutrition and energy drink sponsor. Top-ranked Elaine Youngs will continue her sponsorship for the third year.
The players will be featured in various promotions for Herbalife and its Liftoff™ brand, which is the Official Energy Drink of the AVP Volleyball Tour through 2007. Additionally, Herbalife is the Official Health and Wellness Partner as well as the Official Nutritional Advisor of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour.
Kiraly, who is often called volleyball’s “winningest” athlete, is a three-time Olympic gold medallist whose career has defined the sport of beach volleyball. He has compiled 148 career open wins and won Olympic gold medals in both indoor and beach volleyball. He will partner with Kevin Wong for the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour season.
Former Olympic bronze medallist Elaine (EY) Youngs, who ranks fourth among U.S. women in international victories, has been representing Herbalife since the 2005 season. This season, EY will compete with Nicole Branagh.
The AVP Crocs Tour kicks off April 13-15 in Miami, Fla. and culminates with the AVP Cincinnati Open Presented by Herbalife, August 31 – September 2, where the Crocs Cup champions will be crowned. Two subsequent specialty events will be held in Las Vegas and San Francisco rounding out the Tour’s 18 events for the 2007 season. The AVP Crocs Tour is a national touring series that features more than 150 of the nation’s top male and female professional beach volleyball players. Herbalife will have a presence at all AVP Crocs Tour events with guaranteed rotational signage and static center court banners. Herbalife will also receive commercial units during AVP broadcasts on NBC and Fox Sports Net. Additionally, Herbalife independent distributors will sample several of the company’s brands at all events.
About Herbalife
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) is a global network marketing company that sells weight-management, nutritional supplements and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in 64 countries through a network of more than 1.5 million independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation (http://www.herbalifefamilyfoundation.org) and its Casa Herbalife program to bring good nutrition to children. Please visit Herbalife Investor Relations (http://ir.herbalife.com) for additional financial information.

Banana Boat Signs as the Official Suncare of the AVP
Agreement Creates New King of the Court Tournament and Integrates Banana
Boat Throughout the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour
LOS ANGELES, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on
professional beach volleyball, today announced it has made Banana Boat the
Official Suncare of the 2007 AVP Tour.
    Vice President of Marketing for Banana Boat Suncare, Jean Fufidio,
stated, "We are very pleased to be sponsoring the 2007 AVP Tour featuring
top volleyball athletes playing outdoors. Volleyball is an exciting and
growing sport, enjoyed by thousands of consumers. Banana Boat is a perfect
partner with volleyball because of its Sport product with patented
AvoTriplex technology that provides powerful, long-lasting UVA and UVB
protection that doesn't quit."
    Banana Boat and the AVP will create the amateur "King of the Court"
volleyball tournament, a contest open to the public and held at nine Tour
events. Promoted via radio and on-site advertising, the tournament will
allow teams of two players the chance to compete for an all expenses paid
trip to Las Vegas (Sept. 7-9) for the "King of the Court" Finals. The
finals consist of nine teams who will compete for "King of the Court"
title.
    "The AVP is synonymous with the sun and the sand, which is precisely
why it's such a unique, fun sport," said Leonard Armato, CEO and
commissioner of the AVP. "Therefore, it only seems natural that the best
sunscreen on the beach -- Banana Boat -- would partner with the AVP to
heighten the already fan-friendly experience any AVP event provides. We are
extremely excited to announce this partnership with Banana Boat as the
Official Suncare of the 2007 AVP Tour."
    About the AVP, Inc.
    AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit
http://www.avp.com.
    About Banana Boat(R)
    Banana Boat is a registered trademark of Sun Pharmaceuticals Corp. a
subsidiary of Playtex Products, Inc. (NYSE: PYX). Banana Boat Sun Care
helps consumers worldwide safely enjoy the sun by creating and selling a
wide variety of skin care products including sunscreen for adults, children
and babies, sunless tanning lotions for a tan without the sun year round,
after-sun products to moisturize and soothe the skin, lip balms, and other
related products. Banana Boat high SPF sun protection products are
recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.
    About Playtex Products, Inc.
    Playtex Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of a
diversified portfolio of Feminine Care, Skin Care and Infant Care products,
including Playtex tampons, Banana Boat, Wet Ones, Playtex gloves, Playtex
infant feeding products, and Diaper Genie.

Febuary13th 2007 AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL
TOYOTA CHALLENGE Times Union Cntr Albany,NY

                   Times Union Center

AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL
February 13th, 2007 @ 6:30PM

COME SEE THE KINGS & QUEENS OF THE BEACH...WHEN OUR US OLYMPIC MEDALISTS BRING THEIR TALENTS TO ALBANY!

Watch as America's Best Pro Beach Volleyball Players Compete for Prize Money & the "Best of the Beach" right here in Albany, NY!

This is the 1st Indoor Pro Beach Volleyball Event - EVER! Come see over 204 tons of beach sand, catch flying t-shirts & MORE!

Come in your swim suit, Hawaiian shirts, shorts and other crazy beach wardrobe...and you might be selected for great prize giveaways!

This Event will replicate the authentic beach party atmosphere featured at outdoor AVP Tour Events (i.e. Beach Volleyball Court, Top Players, EMCEE, DJ, Video Board, Sponsor Village, etc.) and will also include beach cabanas on the arena floor & hot tubs 'n' barbeques on the concourse!

There will be participation from top ranked AVP men’s and women’s Players (including 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist Elaine Youngs, 2005 AVP Best Defensive Player and Most Improved Player Rachel Wacholder, 2005 AVP MVP Jake Gibb, 2003 AVP Best Defensive Player Casey Jennings, 2005 AVP Most Improved Player Sean Scott, etc.).

Ticket Prices: $25.00, $20.00 & $15.00.

Students ONLY $10.00.

TICKETS ON SALE at the Times Union Center Box Office, select Price Chopper Outlets, or charge by phone at 1-800-30-EVENT.

Event Dates
2007 AVP Tour Schedule
Date Event Prize Site Tickets Info
2007 AVP Schedule
April 13 - 15--Miami, FL
April 19 - 22--Dallas, TX
May 3 - 6--Huntington Beach, CA
May 10 - 13--Glendale, AZ
May 17 - 20--Hermosa Beach, CA
May 24 - 27--Louisville, KY
May 31-Jun 3--Tampa, FL
June 14 - 17--Charleston, SC
July 5 - 8--Seaside Heights, NJ
July 19 - 22--Long Beach, CA
Aug 2 - 5--Chicago, IL
Aug 9 - 12--Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug 16 - 19--Boston, MA
Aug 23 - 26--Brooklyn, NY
Aug 30-Sept 2--Cincinnati OH
Sept 6 - 8--Las Vegas, NV
Sept 14 - 16--San Francisco, CA

AVP Announces the Premiere of Indoor Beach Volleyball in Albany, NY
January 19, 2007

Click Here To Purchase Tickets

When: Tuesday, February 13th @ 6:30pm (will end around 10pm)

Where: Times Union Center, Albany, NY

Ticket Prices: $10 - $25
(Save $2 per ticket when purchasing for a group of 20 or more. Call (518) 487-2281 to purchase Group Tickets)

AVP Pros: Kerri Walsh, Todd Rogers, Rachel Wacholder, Jake Gibb, Casey Jennings, Jenny Johnson Jordan, Sean Scott and Elaine Youngs

Format: "God & Goddess of the Beach"

Albany, NEW YORK (January 19, 2007) -- AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced a partnership with Times Union Center and Siena College that will bring the sport of beach volleyball indoors to the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.
"We are pleased to be partnering with AVP and Siena College to bring such an exciting event to the Capital Region," said Bob Belber, General Manager of Times Union Center. "To bring beach volleyball indoors to Albany in the wintertime, along with the star power in players such as Kerri Walsh and Todd Rogers, is a unique and exciting opportunity for everyone in the area to enjoy."
The tournament is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Feb 13 and will feature famed AVP stars Walsh, Rogers, Casey Jennings, Jake Gibb, Elaine Youngs as well as others. Tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan 20 at 10:00 a.m. and are priced at $25, $20 and $15 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets will be available at AVP.com, the center box office, select Price Chopper stores, charge by phone at 1-800-30-event or at www.timesunion.com.
"This is an exciting event to have in the Capital Region," said John D'Argenio, Siena College Athletic Director. "The AVP is bringing gold medalist caliber play to the area, and some of the best professionals the sport has to offer. Having someone the caliber of Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh in the playing group raises the profile of this event significantly and we're all looking forward to some great summer fun in the middle of winter."
"We are thrilled to announce this new partnership enabling us to bring the pro beach volleyball indoors in Albany, NY, for the first time," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "And this opportunity to bring some summer to Albany in February is a great step forward for the sport."

COME SEE THE KINGS & QUEENS OF THE BEACH...WHEN OUR US OLYMPIC MEDALISTS BRING THEIR TALENTS TO ALBANY!
Watch as America's Best Pro Beach Volleyball Players Compete for Prize Money & the "Best of the Beach" right here in Albany, NY!
This is the 1st Indoor Pro Beach Volleyball Event - EVER! Come see over 204 tons of beach sand, catch flying t-shirts & MORE!
Come in your swim suit, Hawaiian shirts, shorts and other crazy beach wardrobe...and you might be selected for great prize giveaways!
This Event will replicate the authentic beach party atmosphere featured at outdoor AVP Tour Events (i.e. Beach Volleyball Court, Top Players, EMCEE, DJ, Video Board, Sponsor Village, etc.) and will also include beach cabanas on the arena floor & hot tubs 'n' barbeques on the concourse!
There will be participation from top ranked AVP men’s and women’s Players (including 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist Elaine Youngs, 2005 AVP Best Defensive Player and Most Improved Player Rachel Wacholder, 2005 AVP MVP Jake Gibb, 2003 AVP Best Defensive Player Casey Jennings, 2005 AVP Most Improved Player Sean Scott, etc.).
Ticket Prices: $25.00, $20.00 & $15.00.
Students ONLY $10.00.
TICKETS ON SALE at the Times Union Center Box Office, select Price Chopper Outlets, or charge by phone at 1-800-30-EVENT.
This is a CENTER STAGE setup

AVP bringing beach volleyball indoors for Albany event
1/25/2007, 3:10 p.m. ET
The Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Beach volleyball is moving from the sea shores to the indoors for a mid-February event featuring 200 tons of sand and Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh, the head of the U.S. professional tour said Thursday.
"I want you to be freezing in Albany and we'll come rolling into town and bring you a little slice of beach volleyball and take you back to what it's like in the idyllic months in the summer," said Leonard Armato, chief executive and commissioner of the Los Angeles-based Association of Volleyball Professionals.
Armato said the Feb. 13 Toyota Challenge at the Times Union Center in downtown Albany will include such AVP stars as Walsh, Todd Rogers, Casey Jennings, Jake Gibb and Elaine Youngs. Walsh and partner Misty May-Treanor won the beach volleyball gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, while Youngs and Holly McPeak took the bronze.
The Albany event will be played using a "gods and goddesses of the beach" format, in which players are paired up with different partners for each match.
Arena officials said it will take more than 30 dump truck loads of sand to replicate one of the AVP's seaside tournaments. Armato said the event, the first of its kind since he acquired the AVP seven years ago, is an opportunity to expose more people to pro beach volleyball.
"If people want to wear their summer gear under their winter coats, that's fine too, because we're going to turn the heat up," he said.
The AVP's 2007 schedule of 18 tournaments will be released in February.

Albany arena being turned into indoor beach for AVP event
ALBANY, N.Y. Not everyone can get away to a sunny beach this time of year.
So the folks who run professional beach volleyball in the United States are bringing the beach to Albany.
Crews are dumping 200 tons of sand inside the Times Union Center for tomorrow night's A-V-P Toyota Challenge.
Some of the biggest names in the sport are scheduled to play in tomorrow's two-on-two matches, including 2004 Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh.
Leonard Armato -- president of the Los Angeles-based A-V-P -- says the Albany tournament is his organization's first indoor event. He says the A-V-P tour is bring a slice of summer to Albany in mid-February as part of the effort to expose more people to the sport of pro beach volleyball.
The A-V-P's 2007 schedule of 18 tournaments starts in April and runs into September.
On the Net:
http://www.avp.com

Webcast Video:
Click Here
Watch the AVP Live on AVP.com
Tuesday, February 13 @ 6:30pm (et)
Escape the Winter Blues and Catch some AVP Action this Tuesday, February 13 at 6:30pm (ET) Live from Albany, NY on AVP.com.
Catch the Top AVP Pros including Kerri Walsh, Elaine Youngs, Rachel Wacholder, Todd Rogers and Jake Gibb as they play in a "Gods and Goddesses of the Beach" format LIVE on AVP.com.

Men's AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge
February 13, 2007 Albany, New York
Finish Player Seed
Todd Rogers 1
Jake Gibb 2
Casey Jennings 3
Sean Scott 4

Men's AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge
February 13, 2007 Albany, New York

Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Jake Gibb (2) / Sean Scott (4) def. Casey Jennings (3) / Todd Rogers (1) 15-13 (0:14)
Match 2: Casey Jennings (3) / Sean Scott (4) def. Jake Gibb (2) / Todd Rogers (1) 15-11 (0:13)
Match 3: Jake Gibb (2) / Casey Jennings (3) def. Todd Rogers (1) / Sean Scott (4) 15-10 (0:12)

Finals
Match 4: Jake Gibb (2) / Todd Rogers (1) def. Casey Jennings (3) / Sean Scott (4) 21-16 (0:20)

Men's AVP 2007 Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge Champion:

   Jake Gibb

Women's AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge
February 13, 2007 Albany, New York
Finish Player Seed
Kerri Walsh 1
Rachel Wacholder 2
Elaine Youngs 3
Jenny Johnson Jordan 4

Women's AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge
February 13, 2007 Albany, New York

Pool A
Round 1
Match 1: Kerri Walsh (1) / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Jenny Johnson Jordan (4) / Rachel Wacholder (2) 15-10 (0:14)
Match 2: Jenny Johnson Jordan (4) / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Rachel Wacholder (2) / Elaine Youngs (3) 15-13 (0:13)
Match 3: Jenny Johnson Jordan (4) / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Rachel Wacholder (2) / Kerri Walsh (1) 15-13 (0:10)

Finals
Match 4: Rachel Wacholder (2) / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Jenny Johnson Jordan (4) / Elaine Youngs (3) 21-9 (0:20)

Women's AVP 2007 Pro Beach Volleyball Toyota Challenge Champion:

Kerri Walsh

Photos:

Rachel Wacholder goes line over Kerri Walsh AVP BeachVolley at the Times Union Center Albany,NY

Articles 2007:

Where beach meets snow
Pros play volleyball in February on sand of Times Union Center
By DAVID FILKINS, Staff writer
First published: Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The big screen on the roof of Times Union Center said it all. Thirteen degrees. That's how cold it was Tuesday night when fans, bundled up in insulated coats, wool hats and winter boots, ambled into the arena for the most ironic of sporting events.
It's mid-February, and in these parts that means it's cold. Really cold. There are no beaches here, no sand, no boardwalk and no surfboards. Sunblock won't be in demand for months, and the nearest ocean is almost three hours away. Basketball is the spectator sport of choice right now, because it's played indoors, where you don't need animal fur or a bonfire to keep from getting frostbitten.
Sometimes, though, the rules don't apply. We go crazy. We get cabin fever. We do wacky things. We play beach volleyball in the middle of winter.
The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour came to downtown Albany on Tuesday, as eight of the world's best players put on an exhibition before a crowd of 2,700. It was the first time in the tour's 24-year history a match was played inside. Good thing, considering the frigid temperature and threat of a massive snowstorm.
"I had no idea what it was going to be like," 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh said after winning an early match. "It feels like February. My game feels as ugly as the weather."
Walsh didn't look so ugly. She and the other three female players wore their usual bikinis; the four male players wore board shorts. They played on a regulation-size area, with the nets at their normal height -- 8 feet for men, 7 /2 feet for women. But make no mistake, this wasn't beach volleyball. The "beach" was a pile of sand surrounded by railroad ties. From the outside it looked like a giant sandbox. Plastic palm trees and strategically-placed folding chairs completed the cheesy ambience.
didn't seem to mind. They roared after every diving save or thunderous spike.
It's not often this sort of event occurs in Albany, especially during the winter. Some fans couldn't contain themselves. Canajoharie resident Mike Houghton, the girls' volleyball coach at Duanesburg High, climbed over the wall minutes before the first match, ran onto the playing surface, and asked Walsh to sign one of the two balls he had tucked under his arms. A security guard sent him back to his seat, but didn't arrest him, and Houghton returned to the stands wearing shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and a wicker hat that had two wooden figures playing volleyball attached to the top.
What made the event enjoyable for Houghton and many others was how laid-back it was. Players signed autographs during the exhibition, took turns doing commentary for television stations, and swatted T-shirts and miniature volleyballs into the crowd. There were no hushed moments as in golf or tennis; no intense, screaming players and no timeouts. It was cool. It was fun. It was California.
After losing the first match of the night, former AVP Tour champion Sean Scott grabbed the microphone and, with a smile on his face, explained why he lost: "I got stuck in the snow," he joked.
Sounds about right.

Indoor beach volleyball event a hit with players, fans
ALBANY, N.Y. An all-too-brief slice of summer was plunked down right in the middle of Albany on a night when the thermometer was taking a dive.
The A-V-P pro beach volleyball tour held its first-ever indoor event last night at the Times Union Center. About 25-hundred fans -- some of them in Hawaiian shirts, shorts and flip-flops -- turned out on a 13-degree night to watch eight of the A-V-P's top players spike, bump and dig on the 380 tons of sand brought in for the exhibition tournament.
Kerri Walsh -- the 2004 Olympic gold medal winner in women's beach volleyball -- led a lineup of four women, while her husband Casey Jennings was among the four competitors in the men's bracket.
Walsh says she and partner Misty May-Treanor are shooting for their second gold medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.
The A-V-P's 2007 season of 18 tournaments opens in April and runs through September.
On the Net: http://www.avp.com

Storm strands beach volleyball players
Exhibition match in Albany ends as snowstorm begins
ALBANY, Feb. 14
By The Associated Press
A group of professional beach volleyball players is getting a taste of winter after bringing a slice of summer to downtown Albany.
Six of eight AVP players who competed Tuesday night, plus some of the event's support staff, got stuck in Albany after their flights were canceled Wednesday because of the snowstorm.
Olympic gold medal winner Kerri Walsh is among the players who's spending an extra night in New York's state capital.
She says a couple of the other players managed to catch their flights out of Albany Wednesday morning after playing in Tuesday night's exhibition tournament at Albany's Times Union Center. The Los Angeles-based AVP's first-ever indoor event ended just a couple hours before the storm hit the area.
Walsh said the rest of the players, including her husband Casey Jennings, plan to drive to Boston Thursday to catch flights home.
Walsh says the blast of winter didn't sour the players on Albany, saying they had a "great time."

How does Rachel Wacholder spend Valentine's Day?
By Matt Zuvela
February 14, 2007
Rachel Wacholder proved that she is without question one of the best players on tour after winning five events over the past two seasons. Wacholder started the 2006 season playing with Elaine Youngs, and after a mid-season break-up, Wacholder partnered with Jen Boss. Boss and Wacholder made the final four in four of their five tournaments together. Wacholder also held the upper hand in matches against Youngs, winning all four matches against her former partner.
As the start of the 2007 season approaches, don't be surprised to see Wacholder right back at the top giving May-Treanor and Walsh a run for their money. Current rumors state that Wacholder and Boss will not play together in 2007, but rather play with new partners.
Wacholder played last night in the Toyota Challenge in Albany, NY. She partnered with Kerri Walsh in the final match and defeated Elaine Youngs and Jenny Johnson Jordan.

Valentine's Day: Special occasion, or Hallmark holiday?
It's my parent's anniversary, so it's a special day for our family. For me, though, a card is nice.

What do you like to do in the off-season to relax?
I like to see my family. My sister has twins that are eleven months old - a boy and a girl - and then she has a three year old little girl that I'm just in love with. Seeing them, to me, is the greatest thing ever.

By now, you must be training full time. What do you like to focus on during your training?
Focus on getting stronger and getting myself in the best position to maintain throughout the season, because it's a really long season. I think that's the key -- being able to make it through lots and lots of tournaments in a row.

What kind of things do you think will change for players in terms of how they train and their approach to the game as the Olympics get closer?
You really need to commit to someone -- a partner. You need to work together and set goals. It's a two year process.

Based on what you've seen overseas, what kind of team do you think will be in the gold medal match of the Olympics?
I think it's really competitive over there. A lot of it is being good teammates and knowing that there are so many good teams and anything can happen at any point. You have to stick together and work through the bad times. You have to be aggressive and confident and I think just constantly adjust to change your game. People over there have an entourage filming everything you do and breaking it down.

April 13th-April 15th 2007 $200,000 AVP Quervo Gold Crown

Miami OPEN Bicentennial Park Miami,Fla.

Bicentennial Park is located on beautiful Biscayne Bay, seven blocks north of Bayfront Park. Bicentennial Park is a 30-acre, open park with an event capacity of 45,000 (based on event infrastructure). Given the wide-open space, there are several different event set-ups that take place: everything from a singular stage to multiple stages to a carnival atmosphere. Some examples of event set-ups, that have taken place at Bicentennial Park, are the Lollapalooza music festival and the grand chapiteau of Cirque Du Soleil.

AVP Tour Event Coverage

Event Facts
Event Start Date:Fridayday, April 13th, 2007
Prize Money:$200,000
Payout Breakdown:Mens and Womens
1) $20,000.00 2) $14,000.00 3) $8,450.00 3) $8,450.00 5) $5,000.00 5)$5,000.00
7) $3,500.00 7) $3,500.00 9) $2,200.00 9) $2,200.00 9) $2,200.00 9) $2,200.00
13) $1,400.00 13) $1,400.00 13) $1.400.00 13) $1,400.00 17) $550.00 17) $550.00
17) $550.00 17) $550.00 17) $550.00 17) $550.00 17) $550.00 17) $550.00
25) $100.00 25) $100.00 25) $100.00 25) $100.00 25) $100.00 25) $100.00
25) $100.00 25) $100.00

Starting Time:8:00 am Friday ;8:00 am Saturday; 9:00 am Sunday
4/13-15 AVP Miami Open - The first stop on the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour.
Fri. 8am. Sat. 8am Sun. 9:00am Championship Match Sun.Approx. 4pm.

Hotel Info:

BISCAYNE BAY MARRIOTT HOTEL (approx. 2 miles)
1633 N BAYSHORE DR
MIAMI, FL 33132
(305) 374-3900
www.marriott.com

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT (less than one mile)
200 SE 2 AVE
MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 374-3000
www.miamicourtyard.com

DOUBLETREE GRAND HOTEL (approx. 2 miles)
1717 N BAYSHORE DR
MIAMI, FL 33132
(305) 372-0313
www.doubletree.com

FOUR AMBASSADORS SUITES HOTEL (approx. 2 miles)
801 BRICKELL BAY DR
MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 371-6500
www.fourambassadors.cc

HOLIDAY INN PORT OF MIAMI-DOWNTOWN (walking distance)
340 BISCAYNE BLVD.
MIAMI, FL 33132
(305) 371-4400
www.hiportofmiami.com

HOTEL INTER-CONTINENTAL MIAMI (walking distance)
100 CHOPIN PLAZA
MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 577-1000
www.interconti.com

HYATT REGENCY MIAMI (less than one mile)
400 SE 2 AVE
MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 358-1234
www.hyatt.com

MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL (approx. 2 miles)
500 BRICKELL KEY DR
MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 913-8288
www.mandarinoriental.com

RADISSON HOTEL MIAMI (less than 2 miles)
1601 BISCAYNE BLVD
MIAMI, FL 33132
(305) 374-0000
www.radisson-miami.com

                                                                                                          RIANDE CONTINENTAL BAYSIDE (walking distance)
                                                                                                                                     146 BISCAYNE BLVD
                                                                                                                                        MIAMI, FL 33132
                                                                                                                                       (305) 358-4555
                                                                                                                         www.riandecontinentalbayside.com

                                                                                                           RIVER PARK HOTEL & SUITES (less than one mile)
                                                                                                                                         100 SE 4 ST
                                                                                                                                        MIAMI, FL 33131
                                                                                                                                       (305) 374-5100

www.riverparkhotelandsuites.com

Webcams:

Biscayne Bay Webcam

2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD CROWN SERIES
MIAMI OPEN

Schedule of Events

Register for 2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD SERIES
*Registration requires a credit card and the fee is $50.

EVENT REGISTRATION PROCEDURE AND DEADLINES: All players ranked in the Top 16 prior to an event will need to register by noon the Monday of the week preceding the Event (i.e., approximately 1-1/2 weeks before the start of the event). All other players will have until noon Monday the week of an event to register. The only valid method of entry for AVP events is online. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED WITH PAYMENT (VISA/MC/AMEX/DISCOVER) along with an accurate address, phone number, email address, and playing partner's name. Phone and facsimile entries will not be accepted

2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD SERIES Miami OPEN
Schedule of Events
AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
Bicentennial Park, April 13 - April 15, 2007
Buy Tickets

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Tickets Are Now On Sale for Opening Weekend in Miami

February 26, 2007

The AVP Miami Open will take place April 13 - 15 at Bicentenial Park in Miami. More details to follow.

Click Here To Purchase Tickets
To the AVP Miami Open
April 14 & 15, 2007
April 13th is the qualifier - Admission is free

Click here to buy tickets for Louisville and Cincinnati

What:
AVP 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
Where:
Bicentennial Park
1075 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132 USA
See a street map to this venue.
When:

Friday April 13th --
Qualifier
Gates Open 8am - 6pm

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.
Competition start time 9:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.

Tickets:

Click Here to Purchase Tickets
General Admission - $15
Courtside Seating - $35
Student/Youth General Admission - $10
Group Ticket Discounts Available
Children Under 5 are Free

Television Coverage
Check Back Soon For TV Times
Catch all the Men's and Women's 2006 AVP Finals action on FSN.
Click here to find AVP broadcast times on your local FSN provider.

Location Event Dates Network Coverage

Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 17 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

AVP Miami Open History
2005 Champions: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs. Stein Metzger and Jake Gibb defeated Jeff Nygaard and Dax Holdren.
Fort Lauderdale Facts: Opening Day will take place in Fort Lauderdale for the fourth consecutive year. Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh are the three time defending champions having only dropped one game in their Fort Lauderdale playing history. The Men have only had one repeat winner in Fort Lauderdale history as John Hanley / John Stevenson won the first two Fort Lauderdale Opens in 1984 and 1985. Linda Hanley / Nina Matthies won the inagural Women's Fort Lauderdale Open in 1986.

Maps and Parking:
See a street map to this venue.

AVP Site address:
Bicentennial Park
1075 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132 USA

Parking Locations:

Volunteer:
Sign up to volunteer at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open. From ballshaggers to scorekeepers to tent personnel, we need them all! All volunteers receive an AVP t-shirt and visor. We accept volunteers of ages 12 and up (or 8 and up with a parent)! Parents, we would love to have you too!

Download Registration Form to Sign Up!
• Miami Volunteer Form
[Microsoft Word Document]

Youth Clinics:

Hilton AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18. Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.

Download Registration Form to Sign Up!
• Miami Youth Clinic Form
[Microsoft Word Document]

Event Information:

Main Draw
•  24 Teams, 8 Courts
•  18 automatic entries, 2 wildcards

Qualifier
•  40 Men's and Women's teams
•  4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
•  MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 4/15
•  WOMEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 4/15

* Event Registration Coming Soon!

Tickets For All Events
AVP BEACH CLUB

Join the most unforgettable beach party and sit courtside as the nation's hottest pro beach superstars battle for number one!
An entire weekend packed with hot volleyball action, food and fun--all for only $100

Member Benefits
Become an exclusive member of the AVP Beach Club and receive:
-best seats on the beach, Saturday and Sunday
-superb hospitality in the AVP Beach Club
-food and beverage
-limited edition commemorative t-shirt
-laminated credential for exclusive access
-rights to purchase valet parking
-priority for renewal
-and much, much, more!!!
Membership is only $100
Space is limited so Sign Up Online Now or Call AVP Beach Club Hotline (310) 426-7171

Event Dates
2007 AVP Tour Schedule
Date Event Prize Site Tickets Info
2007 AVP Schedule
April 13 - 15--Miami, FL
April 19 - 22--Dallas, TX
May 3 - 6--Huntington Beach, CA
May 10 - 13--Glendale, AZ
May 17 - 20--Hermosa Beach, CA
May 24 - 27--Louisville, KY
May 31-Jun 3--Tampa, FL
June 14 - 17--Charleston, SC
July 5 - 8--Seaside Heights, NJ
July 19 - 22--Long Beach, CA
Aug 2 - 5--Chicago, IL
Aug 9 - 12--Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug 16 - 19--Boston, MA
Aug 23 - 26--Brooklyn, NY
Aug 30-Sept 2--Cincinnati OH
Sept 6 - 8--Las Vegas, NV
Sept 14 - 16--San Francisco, CA

How To Get There :

Directions

From the North:
I-95 South to Exit 2D (you will exit from the left lane)
Take N.E 2nd Avenue exit - EXIT 2B
Take N.E. 2nd to N.E. 10th Street
Turn Left onto N.E. 10th Street
Turn Right on Biscayne Boulevard
The entrance is on the left at N.E. 9th Street

From Eastbound on SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway):
At the end of the Freeway, continue East onto I-395
Take N.E 2nd Avenue exit - EXIT 2B
Take N.E. 2nd to N.E. 10th Street
Turn Left onto N.E. 10th Street
Turn Right on Biscayne Boulevard
The entrance is on the left at N.E. 9th Street

From the South:
I-95 North to Exit 2D
Take N.E 2nd Avenue exit - EXIT 2B
Take N.E. 2nd to N.E. 10th Street
Turn Left onto N.E. 10th Street
Turn Right on Biscayne Boulevard
The entrance is on the left at N.E. 9th Street

From Westbound MacArthur Cswy (I-395):
Exit Biscayne Boulevard
Turn left onto Biscayne Blvd. and continue for 2/10 of a mile
The entrance is on the left at N.E. 9th Street.

Sponsor Activities

Be a part of the Bud Light Party Zone. Look for Bud Light onsite to find out more information.

The Aquafina Purity Patrol is coming to the beach with tons of fun activities in the sun. Compete in the the Aquafina Obstacle Course, Aquafina/ Wilson Speed Serve/ and "Return to Aquafina" hitting challenges. See how you stand up against AVP Pros and your friends and win cool prizes.

Visit Xbox at the beach and challenge your friends in the latest and greatest Xbox Game titles. You can be King and sit in Xbox's "King of the Court" seats, the hottest seats on stadium court all weekend long or for the Men's and Women's finals. You'll be front row in your Xbox visor, t-shirt, tattoo and much more watching the pro beach stars battle for number one.

Stop by on Saturday for samples and give-aways. On Sunday, come by for $10 Cut-a-thon and get your hair cut and styled by one of Paul Mitchell's talented stylists. Profits go to Eric Fonoimoana's "Dig For Kids" Foundation. You'll walk around the beach looking fantastic, and for a good cause.

Look for the Gatorade at all AVP events!

Wilson the official volleyball of the AVP!

Event Links:

2007 AVP Tour Event Coverage

(Format: Double Elimination)

*IAN CLARK WILLNOT BE PLAYING THIS YEAR'S 2007 AVP MIAMI OPEN DUE TO PRIOR COMMITMENTS

*IAN CLARK'S RESULTS FROM THE PAST 2004 FT.LAUDERDALE OPEN

13th - Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield $1,050

2004 AVP Pro Beach Tour
Date Tournament Partner Seed Finish Winnings
4/2-4 Fort Lauderdale Open Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield 16thSeed Finish 13th Winnings $525 (ea)
Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield    d. Matt Heath/Adam Roberts 21-18, 16-21, 18-16 (50)
Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield    l. Canyon Ceman/Mike Whitmarsh 21-19, 15-21, 11-15 (47)
Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield    d. Scott Hill/Dan Mintz 21-16, 21-12 (38)
Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield    l. Brent Doble/Jose Loiola 17-21, 13-21 (42)

Season Stats Matches Won-Lost: 2-2 Points Scored-Allowed: 174-180

-With (2 wins/2 losses) Ian Clark/Eli Fairfield finish 13th at the 2004 AVP Paul Mitchell Ft Lauderdale Open

(AVP MIAMI REGISTRATION HAS STARTED)

AVP Miami Player Info
Pertinent information for prospective players
AVP CUERVO GOLD CROWN MIAMI OPEN
Bicentennial Park
1075 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132

4/13 Friday Qualifier
8:00 a.m. to approx. 6:00 p.m.
8 Courts/40 team cap/gender

4/14 Saturday Main Draw
8 Courts
Men and Women Main Draw Competition 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
24 Team Draw

4/15 Sunday Main Draw
8 Courts
Men and Women Main Draw Competition 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.

Registration Information

AVP WILL DO ITS BEST TO ACCOMMODATE ALL TEAMS THAT SIGN UP FOR THE QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT WILL NEED TO BE CAPPED DUE TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF COURTS, TEAMS WILL BE GRANTED ENTRY INTO THE QUALIFIER BASED ON THEIR AVP ENTRY POINT RANKING.

DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SIZE OF THE QUALIFIER WILL BE LIMITED, ALL REGISTRATION IS PENDING UNTIL THE WEEK OF THE TOURNAMENT. WE CANNOT PREDICT THE NUMBER OF TEAMS THAT WILL REGISTER; THEREFORE WE CANNOT PREDICT WHAT THE POINTS REQUIREMENT WILL BE TO GUARANTEE A SPOT IN THE QUALIFIER.

As a result, until the final qualification bracket is released the week of the Tournament (no later than Wednesday at 5:00pm PST) all entries into the tournament are pending. All teams who are not able to compete due to draw limitations will have their entry fees refunded.

The only valid method of entry for AVP events is online at www.avp.com. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED WITH PAYMENT (VISA/MC/AMEX/DISCOVER) along with an accurate address, phone number, email address, and playing partner's name. Any player who does not have access to a computer or the internet may register in person at the AVP offices. Phone and facsimile entries will not be accepted.

NO ENTRY FEES SHALL BE REFUNDED IN THE EVENT OF A WITHDRAWAL, APPROVED OR OTHERWISE.

For venues outside of Southern California, Qualifier Check-In will be now take place the night before the qualifier.

Registration Deadlines

All players ranked in the Top 16 prior to an event will need to register by midnight the Monday of the week preceding the Event (i.e., approximately 1-1/2 weeks before the start of the event). All other players will have until noon Monday the week of an event to register. For events that occur on consecutive weeks, players ranked in the Top 16 will have until noon Monday the week of an event to register. All entries and fees are due by these registration deadlines. Any changes to these deadlines will be sent via email to players or posted online. Late entries will NOT be accepted. ENTRIES BY PHONE OR FACSIMILE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. It is the player's responsibility to check the player section of the AVP website to check for changes in registration deadline.

In the event that AVP allows a late registration in its sole discretion, a fee will be levied for late registration and will increase with each offense. The late fee for the first offense will be $100 and will double upon each subsequent occurrence. AVP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO NOT ACCEPT A LATE REGISTRATION.

AVP Tour Event Top 16 Deadline Qualifier Deadline
Miami 4/9/2007 4/9/2007
Dallas 4/16/2007 4/16/2007
Huntington Beach 4/23/2007 4/30/2007
Glendale 5/7/2007 5/7/2007
Hermosa Beach 5/14/2007 5/14/2007
Louisville 5/21/2007 5/21/2007
Tampa 5/28/2007 5/28/2007
Atlanta 6/4/2007 6/4/2007
Charleston 6/11/2007 6/11/2007
Seaside Heights 6/25/2007 7/2/2007
Long Beach 7/9/2007 7/16/2007
Chicago 7/23/2007 7/30/2007
Manhattan Beach 8/6/2007 8/6/2007
Boston 8/13/2007 8/13/2007
Brooklyn 8/20/2007 8/20/2007
Cincinnati 8/27/2007 8/27/2007

Miami Qualifier Check-in

Thursday, 4/12 6:30-8:00pm
Hilton Miami Airport, The Club Mystique Room
5101 Blue Lagoon
Miami, FL 33126

ALL players must check in at this time. Players must bring a form of identification (e.g., Driver's License). If you do not check at registration, you will forfeit your first game. Competition play will start at 8:00 AM. If you have any questions, please e-mail AVP at playerinfo@avp.com.

ALL players who qualify for the main draw MUST sign the AVP Player Agreement. Players who do not sign the agreement prior to start of the main draw will be unable to participate and will be ineligible for future AVP competition.

APPAREL GUIDELINES: All qualifier participants must be in matching apparel. Specifically, all playing partners are required to wear the same color swimwear. This means the same color shorts for the men and the same color suits for the women. The apparel can be different in design and can be from any manufacturer but MUST be the same color. Please remember in the case of patterned swimwear, all colors in the pattern must match your partner. Players who DO NOT adhere to this guideline WILL FORFEIT their match.

Registration for the AVP Miami Open begins on Thursday, April 5, at 3:00 p.m. ET
Entry Points for the AVP Miami Open

2007 Men's $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13th-April 15th, 2006

Men's Qualifier Entries:

Albert Hannemann, Torrance, Calif. / Ed Ratledge, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Jeff Carlucci, Huntington Beach, Calif. / Adam Roberts, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Mike DiPierro, Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ran Kumgisky, Santa Monica, Calif.
Mike Morrison, San Diego / Ty Tramblie, Newport Beach, Calif.
Ben Koski, Santa Barbara, Calif. / Jeff Minc, Santa Barbara, Calif.
David Fischer, Venice, Calif. / Scott Hill, Los Angeles
Billy Allen, Fallbrook, Calif. / AJ Mihalic, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
John Moran, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Brad Torsone, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Kevin Dake, Oceanside, Calif. / Lucas Wisniakowski, El Segundo, Calif.
Jon Mesko, Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Leonardo Moraes, San Diego
Chad Mowrey, Hermosa Beach, Calif. / Kimo Tuyay, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Jim Nichols, Encinitas, Calif. / Jon Stalls, San Marcos, Calif.
Chris Harger, Thousand Oaks, Calif. / Justin Phipps, Dunedin, Fla.
Russ Marchewka, Costa Mesa, Calif. / Fernando Sabla, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Dana Camacho, Pacific Palisades, Calif. / Pete DiVenere, Pawleys Island, S.C.
Jim Van Zwieten, Pompano Beach, Fla. / Steve Van Zwieten, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Everett Matthews, Burbank, Calif. / Ivan Mercer, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Matt Ogin, Turnersville, N.J. / Todd Strassberger, Sewell, N.J.
Erik Gomez, Pasadena, Texas / John Michelau, San Diego
Gaston Macau, Miami, FL/ Rony Seikaly, Miami, FL
David DiPierro, Pompano Beach, Fla. / Matt Heagy, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Ihor Akinshyn, Mahwah, N.J. / Tim McNichol, New York City
Danko Iordanov, Lakewood, Calif. / Monty Tucker, Cerritos, Calif.
Yariv Lerner, Venice, Calif. / Rob McNaughton, Santa Monica, Calif.
Shane Nelson, Chandler, Ariz. / Vince Zanzucchi, Chandler, Ariz.
Matt Davis, Burke, Va. / Jon Mackey, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Craig Cromwell, Chesterton, Ind. / Wayne Holly, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Jeff Murrell, Santa Barbara, Calif. / Soeren Schneider, Fullerton, Calif.
William Chenoweth, Orlando / Guy Hamilton, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Nate Hagstrom, Fountain Valley, Calif. / Ed Lunnen, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Keawe Adolpho, Coconut Creek, Fla. / Mark Van Zwieten, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Tim Church, Springfield, Mass. / Ryan Cronin, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Joe Cash, St. Petersburg, Fla. / Matt Osburn, San Diego
Jake Blair, San Diego / Erik Laverdiere, Warwick, R.I.
Bobby Jones, Beverly Hills, Calif. / Andrew Mack, Las Vegas
Drew Brand, Torrance, Calif. / Jesse Rambis, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Michael Bleech, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Vince Fierro, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Jack Delehanty, Fall River, Mass. / Phil St. Pierre, Feeding Hills, Mass.
Tony Epie, Miami / Ben Parker, Centerville, Ohio
Tim Ryan, Studio City, Calif. / Travis Schoonover, Moorpark, Calif.
Tyler Lesneski / Jeff Soler, Ozona, Fla.
David Holewinski, Clearwater, Fla. / Jon Sundquist, Safety Harbor, Fla.
Scott Provencher, Fort Myers, Fla. / Garrett Rasmussen, Fort Myers, Fla.
Kevin Craig, Deerfield Beach / Eric Wurts, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Joel Keates / Jay Reynolds, Fullerton, Calif.
Oguz Degirmenci, Durham, N.C. / Matthew Hunter, Dunedin, Fla.
Craig Demott, Miami Beach, Fla. / Dameon Holmquist, Miami Beach, Fla.
Teddy Cook, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. / Andreas Olesen
Jerod Davis, Deerfield Beach, Fla. / Andre Melo, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Donny Bass, Fort Myers, Fla. / Eric Leeseberg, Bonita Springs, Fla.

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Tim Church / Ryan Cronin (Q32) def. Joe Cash / Matt Osburn (Q33) 20-22, 21-19, 15-9 (1:04)
Match 3: Kevin Craig / Eric Wurts (Q48) def. Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q17) 14-21, 21-18, 15-7 (1:02)
Match 4: Jim Van Zwieten / Steve Van Zwieten (Q16) def. Teddy Cook / Andreas Olesen (Q49) 21-13, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 6: Tyler Lesneski / Jeff Soler (Q41) def. Yariv Lerner / Rob McNaughton (Q24) 21-18, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 7: Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q40) def. Shane Nelson / Vince Zanzucchi (Q25) 17-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:07)
Match 10: Jeff Murrell / Soeren Schneider (Q28) def. Michael Bleech / Vince Fierro (Q37) 21-11, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 11: David DiPierro / Matt Heagy (Q21) def. Oguz Degirmenci / Matthew Hunter (Q44) 21-11, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 14: Craig Demott / Dameon Holmquist (Q45) def. Gaston Macau / Rony Seikaly (Q20) 21-8, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 15: William Chenoweth / Guy Hamilton (Q29) def. Drew Brand / Jesse Rambis (Q36) 21-16, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 18: Nate Hagstrom / Ed Lunnen (Q30) def. Bobby Jones / Andrew Mack (Q35) 21-7, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 19: Jerod Davis / Andre Melo (Q46) def. Erik Gomez / John Michelau (Q19) 22-20, 21-15 (0:45)
Match 22: Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q22) def. Scott Provencher / Garrett Rasmussen (Q43) 21-16, 21-14 (0:47)
Match 23: Jack Delehanty / Phil St. Pierre (Q38) def. Craig Cromwell / Wayne Holly (Q27) 21-15, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 26: Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q26) def. Tony Epie / Ben Parker (Q39) 21-23, 21-14, 15-12 (1:01)
Match 27: Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q23) def. David Holewinski / Jon Sundquist (Q42) 21-11, 21-9 (0:47)
Match 30: Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q18) def. Donny Bass / Eric Leeseberg (Q47) 18-21, 24-22, 15-6 (1:05)
Match 31: Keawe Adolpho / Mark Van Zwieten (Q31) def. Jake Blair / Erik Laverdiere (Q34) 21-14, 21-12 (0:38)

Round 2
Match 33: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) def. Tim Church / Ryan Cronin (Q32) 21-11, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 34: Jim Van Zwieten / Steve Van Zwieten (Q16) def. Kevin Craig / Eric Wurts (Q48) 21-13, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 35: Tyler Lesneski / Jeff Soler (Q41) def. Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q9) 21-18, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 36: John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q8) def. Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q40) 21-15, 21-23, 15-13 (1:16)
Match 37: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (Q5) def. Jeff Murrell / Soeren Schneider (Q28) 22-20, 21-17 (0:52)
Match 38: Jim Nichols / Jon Stalls (Q12) def. David DiPierro / Matt Heagy (Q21) 21-15, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 39: Chris Harger / Justin Phipps (Q13) def. Craig Demott / Dameon Holmquist (Q45) 21-10, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 40: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23, Q4) def. William Chenoweth / Guy Hamilton (Q29) 21-14, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 41: Mike DiPierro / Ran Kumgisky (21, Q3) def. Nate Hagstrom / Ed Lunnen (Q30) 21-13, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 42: Jerod Davis / Andre Melo (Q46) def. Russ Marchewka / Fernando Sabla (Q14) 21-15, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 43: Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q11) def. Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q22) 21-19, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 44: David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q6) def. Jack Delehanty / Phil St. Pierre (Q38) 21-12, 21-18 (0:44)
Match 45: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (24, Q7) def. Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q26) 21-17, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 46: Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q23) def. Jon Mesko / Leonardo Moraes (Q10) 21-12, 19-21, 15-13 (0:50)
Match 47: Dana Camacho / Pete DiVenere (Q15) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q18) 21-12, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 48: Keawe Adolpho / Mark Van Zwieten (Q31) def. Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q2) 21-15, 21-16 (0:45)

Round 3
Match 49: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) def. Jim Van Zwieten / Steve Van Zwieten (Q16) 21-17, 21-12 (0:30)
Match 50: John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q8) def. Tyler Lesneski / Jeff Soler (Q41) 19-21, 21-18, 15-11 (1:14)
Match 51: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (Q5) def. Jim Nichols / Jon Stalls (Q12) 22-20, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 52: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23, Q4) def. Chris Harger / Justin Phipps (Q13) 21-18, 22-20 (0:48)
Match 53: Mike DiPierro / Ran Kumgisky (21, Q3) def. Jerod Davis / Andre Melo (Q46) 21-18, 21-12 (0:43)
Match 54: David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q6) def. Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q11) 21-13, 21-10 (0:37)
Match 55: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (24, Q7) def. Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q23) 18-21, 21-18, 16-14 (1:01)
Match 56: Keawe Adolpho / Mark Van Zwieten (Q31) def. Dana Camacho / Pete DiVenere (Q15) 21-18, 18-21, 15-8 (1:04)

Round 4
Match 57: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) def. John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q8) 21-19, 21-17 (0:51)
Match 58: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23, Q4) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (Q5) 22-20, 21-18 (0:52)
Match 59: Mike DiPierro / Ran Kumgisky (21, Q3) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q6) 21-17, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 60: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (24, Q7) def. Keawe Adolpho / Mark Van Zwieten (Q31) 18-21, 25-23, 15-11 (0:54)

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007 Seedings

Seed    Player                  Points            Partner                   Points            Total
1       1 Mike Lambert          1303             1 Stein Metzger            1303             2606
2       3 Phil Dalhausser        1264             3 Todd Rogers              1264             2528
3       5 Jake Gibb                 1013             5 Sean Rosenthal           1013             2026
4       8 Sean Scott                 880               9 Matt Fuerbringer        864               1744
5       7 Dax Holdren             932               11 Jeff Nygaard              802               1734
6       13 Anthony Medel      700               13 Fred Souza                 700               1400
7       11 John Hyden            802               41 George Roumain       326               1128
8       9 Casey Jennings        864               Mark Williams               248               1112
9       24 Kevin Wong           488               25 Karch Kiraly              484               972
10      21 Ryan Mariano       490               26 Larry Witt                 480               970
11      21 Scott Wong           490               27 Hans Stolfus             474               964
12      18 Canyon Ceman     558               31 Paul Baxter                404               962
13      18 Matt Olson           558               31 Jason Ring                 404               962
14      20 Eric Fonoimoana 500               29 Chad Turner               443               943
15      21 Brent Doble          490               30 Ty Loomis                  436               926
16      15 Nick Lucena          682               Will Strickland             175               857
17      17 Adam Jewell          636               Jose Loiola                    195               831
18      33 Brad Keenan          402               33 John Mayer             402               804
19      27 Aaron Wachtfogel 474               Austin Rester               272               746
20      35 Albert Hannemann 384               42 Ed Ratledge            324               708
21      37 Jeff Carlucci           350               37 Adam Roberts         350               700
23      39 Dain Blanton          342               Scott Lane                    280               622

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Featured Players:

Men's Main Draw Entries:
Mike Lambert, Costa Mesa, Calif. / Stein Metzger, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (1)
Phil Dalhausser, Santa Barbara, Calif. / Todd Rogers, Solvang, Calif. (2)

Jake Gibb, Costa Mesa, Calif. / Sean Rosenthal, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (3)
Matt Fuerbringer, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Sean Scott, Redondo Beach, Calif. (4)
Dax Holdren, Goleta, Calif. / Jeff Nygaard, Long Beach, Calif. (5)
Anthony Medel, Costa Mesa, Calif. / Fred Souza, Venice, Calif. (6)
Casey Jennings, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Mark Williams, Pasadena, Calif. (7)
John Hyden, Sherman Oaks, Calif. / George Roumain, Calabasas, Calif. (8)
Hans Stolfus, San Diego / Scott Wong, Venice, Calif. (9)
Karch Kiraly, San Clemente, Calif. / Kevin Wong, Honolulu (10)
Ryan Mariano, Lake Forest, Calif. / Larry Witt, Santa Ynez, Calif. (11)
Paul Baxter, Venice, Calif. / Canyon Ceman, Los Angeles (12)
Matt Olson, Cardiff, Calif. / Jason Ring, Venice, Calif. (13)
Brent Doble, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. / Ty Loomis, Newport Beach, Calif. (14)
Nick Lucena, Davie, Fla. / Will Strickland, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (15)
Brad Keenan, Santa Ana, Calif. / John Mayer, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (16)
Austin Rester, Venice, Calif. / Aaron Wachtfogel, Hermosa Beach, Calif. (17)
Dain Blanton, Santa Monica, Calif. / Scott Lane, Redondo Beach, Calif. (TBD)
Eric Fonoimoana, Hermosa Beach, Calif. / Chad Turner, Fort Myers Beach, Fla. (TBD)
Adam Jewell, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Jose Loiola, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (TBD)

*Ian Clark will not be attending the Miami event due to a prior comittment

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 1
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 2
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 5
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 6
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 7
John Hyden George Roumain 8
Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 9
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 10
Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 11
Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 12
Matt Olson Jason Ring 13
Eric Fonoimoana Chad Turner 14
Brent Doble Ty Loomis 15
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 16
Brad Keenan John Mayer 17
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 18
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 19
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge Q1
Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q2
Mike DiPierro Ran Kumgisky Q3
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q4
Ben Koski Jeff Minc Q5
David Fischer Scott Hill Q6
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q7
John Moran Brad Torsone Q8
Kevin Dake Lucas Wisniakowski Q9
Jon Mesko Leonardo Moraes Q10
Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q11
Jim Nichols Jon Stalls Q12
Chris Harger Justin Phipps Q13
Russ Marchewka Fernando Sabla Q14
Dana Camacho Pete DiVenere Q15
Jim Van Zwieten Steve Van Zwieten Q16
Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q17
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q18
Erik Gomez John Michelau Q19
Gaston Macau Rony Seikaly Q20
David DiPierro Matt Heagy Q21
Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q22
Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q23
Yariv Lerner Rob McNaughton Q24
Shane Nelson Vince Zanzucchi Q25
Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q26
Craig Cromwell Wayne Holly Q27
Jeff Murrell Soeren Schneider Q28
William Chenoweth Guy Hamilton Q29
Nate Hagstrom Ed Lunnen Q30
Keawe Adolpho Mark Van Zwieten Q31
Tim Church Ryan Cronin Q32
Joe Cash Matt Osburn Q33
Jake Blair Erik Laverdiere Q34
Bobby Jones Andrew Mack Q35
Drew Brand Jesse Rambis Q36
Michael Bleech Vince Fierro Q37
Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q38
Tony Epie Ben Parker Q39
Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q40
Tyler Lesneski Jeff Soler Q41
David Holewinski Jon Sundquist Q42
Scott Provencher Garrett Rasmussen Q43
Oguz Degirmenci Matthew Hunter Q44
Craig Demott Dameon Holmquist Q45
Jerod Davis Andre Melo Q46
Donny Bass Eric Leeseberg Q47
Kevin Craig Eric Wurts Q48
Teddy Cook Andreas Olesen Q49
Dain Blanton Scott Lane

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Brad Keenan / John Mayer (17) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (16) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13
Match 2: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (9) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (24, Q7) 21-18, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 3: Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (12) def. Mike DiPierro / Ran Kumgisky (21, Q3) 18-21, 21-16, 19-17 (1:07)
Match 4: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (13) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) 21-19, 16-21, 15-9 (1:03)
Match 5: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) def. Eric Fonoimoana / Chad Turner (14) 21-18, 21-13 (0:50)
Match 6: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Dain Blanton / Scott Lane (22) 21-15, 24-22 (0:54)
Match 7: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23, Q4) 27-25, 21-16
Match 8: Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (18) 21-17, 15-21, 15-13 (1:10)

Round 2
Match 9: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) def. Brad Keenan / John Mayer (17) 21-17, 21-10 (0:38)
Match 10: John Hyden / George Roumain (8) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (9) 21-14, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 11: Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (12) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-17, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 12: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (13) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 21-14, 26-24 (0:55)
Match 13: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) 21-16, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 14: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (6) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) 19-21, 21-19, 19-17 (1:05)
Match 15: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (7) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 22-20, 17-21, 17-15 (1:07)
Match 16: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) 24-22, 21-19 (0:58)

Round 3
Match 17: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) def. John Hyden / George Roumain (8) 21-19, 17-21, 15-12 (1:12)
Match 18: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (13) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (12) 21-17, 21-14 (0:44)
Match 19: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (6) 19-21, 21-14, 15-10 (1:04)
Match 20: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (7) 21-16, 21-23, 15-12 (1:11)

Round 4
Match 21: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (13) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) 24-22, 21-18 (0:53)
Match 22: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-11, 33-31 (1:07)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (16) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) 21-17, 25-23 (0:47)
Match 24: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (24, Q7) 21-11, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 25: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Mike DiPierro / Ran Kumgisky (21, Q3) 21-17, 21-17 (0:46)
Match 26: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) 22-24, 21-19, 15-10 (1:07)
Match 27: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Eric Fonoimoana / Chad Turner (14) 21-19, 17-21, 15-13 (1:12)
Match 28: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Dain Blanton / Scott Lane (22) 21-11, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 29: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (9) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23, Q4) 21-13, 23-21 (0:45)
Match 30: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (18) def. Brad Keenan / John Mayer (17) 21-17, 21-18 (0:49)

Round 2
Match 31: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (16) 21-16, 20-22, 15-12 (1:02)
Match 32: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (20, Q1) 21-14, 21-14 (0:44)
Match 33: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 17-21, 21-18, 15-12 (1:17)
Match 34: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (18) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (9) 14-21, 21-17, 15-9 (1:16)

Round 3
Match 35: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (12) 21-15, 20-22, 15-12 (1:12)
Match 36: John Hyden / George Roumain (8) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) 21-18, 21-17 (0:46)
Match 37: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (7) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-23, 21-15, 17-15 (1:12)
Match 38: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (6) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (18) 18-21, 21-13, 15-11 (1:05)

Round 4
Match 39: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. John Hyden / George Roumain (8) 14-21, 21-17, 15-13 (1:10)
Match 40: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (7) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (6) 21-18, 21-17 (0:50)

Round 5
Match 41: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 21-13, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 42: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (7) 21-15, 16-21, 15-10 (1:10)

Semifinals
Match 43: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (13) 21-18, 21-15 (0:50)
Match 44: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) 21-14, 21-19 (0:48)

Finals
Match 45: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-14, 21-18 (0:59)

2007 Men's Miami Open Champions >> Phil Dalhausser /Todd Rogers

. Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers

Men's $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 2 $20,000.00 360
2 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3 $15,000.00 324
3 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 1 $9,500.00 270
3 Matt Olson Jason Ring 13 $9,500.00 270
5 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 7 $6,000.00 216
5 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 10 $6,000.00 216
7 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 6 $4,650.00 180
7 John Hyden George Roumain 8 $4,650.00 180
9 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 5 $2,875.00 144
9 Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 11 $2,875.00 144
9 Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 12 $2,875.00 144
9 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 18 $2,875.00 144
13 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4 $1,700.00 108
13 Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 9 $1,700.00 108
13 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 16 $1,700.00 108
13 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 20, Q1 $1,700.00 108
17 Eric Fonoimoana Chad Turner 14 $800.00 72
17 Brent Doble Ty Loomis 15 $800.00 72
17 Brad Keenan John Mayer 17 $800.00 72
17 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 19 $800.00 72
17 Mike DiPierro Ran Kumgisky 21, Q3 $800.00 72
17 Dain Blanton Scott Lane 22 $800.00 72
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 23, Q4 $800.00 72
17 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 24, Q7 $800.00 72
25 Ben Koski Jeff Minc Q5 $.00 36
25 David Fischer Scott Hill Q6 $.00 36
25 John Moran Brad Torsone Q8 $.00 36
25 Keawe Adolpho Mark Van Zwieten Q31 $.00 36
29 Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q11 $.00 18
29 Jim Nichols Jon Stalls Q12 $.00 18
29 Chris Harger Justin Phipps Q13 $.00 18
29 Dana Camacho Pete DiVenere Q15 $.00 18
29 Jim Van Zwieten Steve Van Zwieten Q16 $.00 18
29 Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q23 $.00 18
29 Tyler Lesneski Jeff Soler Q41 $.00 18
29 Jerod Davis Andre Melo Q46 $.00 18
37 Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q2 $.00 12
37 Kevin Dake Lucas Wisniakowski Q9 $.00 12
37 Jon Mesko Leonardo Moraes Q10 $.00 12
37 Russ Marchewka Fernando Sabla Q14 $.00 12
37 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q18 $.00 12
37 David DiPierro Matt Heagy Q21 $.00 12
37 Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q22 $.00 12
37 Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q26 $.00 12
37 Jeff Murrell Soeren Schneider Q28 $.00 12
37 William Chenoweth Guy Hamilton Q29 $.00 12
37 Nate Hagstrom Ed Lunnen Q30 $.00 12
37 Tim Church Ryan Cronin Q32 $.00 12
37 Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q38 $.00 12
37 Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q40 $.00 12
37 Craig Demott Dameon Holmquist Q45 $.00 12
37 Kevin Craig Eric Wurts Q48 $.00 12
53 Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q17 $.00 8
53 Erik Gomez John Michelau Q19 $.00 8
53 Gaston Macau Rony Seikaly Q20 $.00 8
53 Yariv Lerner Rob McNaughton Q24 $.00 8
53 Shane Nelson Vince Zanzucchi Q25 $.00 8
53 Craig Cromwell Wayne Holly Q27 $.00 8
53 Joe Cash Matt Osburn Q33 $.00 8
53 Jake Blair Erik Laverdiere Q34 $.00 8
53 Bobby Jones Andrew Mack Q35 $.00 8
53 Drew Brand Jesse Rambis Q36 $.00 8
53 Michael Bleech Vince Fierro Q37 $.00 8
53 Tony Epie Ben Parker Q39 $.00 8
53 David Holewinski Jon Sundquist Q42 $.00 8
53 Scott Provencher Garrett Rasmussen Q43 $.00 8
53 Oguz Degirmenci Matthew Hunter Q44 $.00 8
53 Donny Bass Eric Leeseberg Q47 $.00 8
53 Teddy Cook Andreas Olesen Q49 $.00 8

2007 Women's $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13th-April 15th, 2007

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Women's Qualifier Entries:
Claire Robertson, Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. / Julie Romias, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Cinta Preston, Spring Valley, Calif. / Beth Van Fleet, San Diego
Tara Kuk, Clearwater, Fla. / Kim Whitney, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Courtney Guerra, Santa Barbara, Calif. / Chrissie Zartman, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Jill Changaris, Port Hueneme, Calif. / Sara Dukes, Danville, Calif.
Lisa Marshall, Venice, Calif. / Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif.
Suzana Manole, San Diego / Lauren Mills, San Diego
Dana Schilling, Huntington Beach, Calif. / Alicia Zamparelli, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Angie Hall, San Diego / Laura Ratto, San Diego
Leilani Kamahoahoa, El Segundo, Calif. / Federica Tonon, Waialua, Hawaii
Iwona Lodzik, Prospect Heights, Ill. / Kristin Ursillo, San Diego
Capri Hilgendorf, West Palm Beach, Fla. / Alexandra Sevillano, Gulfport, Fla.
Nicki Fusco, Hermosa Beach, Calif. / Gina Kirstein, Wilmington, N.C.
Karen Hoyt, St. Pete Beach, Fla. / Kirstin Olsen, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Johanna Schatz, Topanga, Calif. / Vladia Vignato, Santa Monica, Calif.
Bonnie Levin, Miami / Meghan Wallin, Siesta Key, Fla.
Nicole Midwin, San Jose, Calif. / Colleen Smith, San Diego
Wendy Lockhart, St. Pete Beach, Fla. / Teri Van D-yke, Coconut Creek, Fla. (sorry, banned word)
Mara Drazina, Hermosa Beach, Calif. / Andrea Peterson, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Raquel Beson, Hermosa Beach, Calif. / Amy Castro
Chara Harris, Sarasota, Fla. / Brooke Langston, Sarasota, Fla.
Julie Caldwell, Huntington Beach, Calif. / Jennifer Lombardi, Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Jennifer Corral, Westlake Village, Calif. / Elena Salvador, Ventura, Calif.
Kendra Jackson, Coral Springs, Fla. / Ro LaHara, Royal Oak, Mich.
April Oberhelman, Woonsocket, R.I. / Becca Smith, Somerset, Mass.
Vicky St. Pierre, Feeding Hills, Mass. / Anne Vaughan, San Diego
Victoria Prince, Honolulu / Jessica Veris, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Katie Carter, Brentwood, Tenn. / Michelle Cook, Mount Juliet, Tenn.
Kristy Hartley, Bonita Springs, Fla. / Brooke Youngquist, Estero, Fla.
Jennifer Bily, Atlanta / Wanda Brenton, George Town, Cayman Islands

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Nicole Midwin / Colleen Smith (Q17) def. Bonnie Levin / Meghan Wallin (Q16) 21-18, 14-21, 15-4 (0:50)
Match 3: Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q9) def. April Oberhelman / Becca Smith (Q24) 21-7, 21-7 (0:30)
Match 4: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) def. Vicky St. Pierre / Anne Vaughan (Q25) 21-4, 21-10 (0:29)
Match 5: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) def. Kristy Hartley / Brooke Youngquist (Q28) 21-13, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 6: Capri Hilgendorf / Alexandra Sevillano (Q12) def. Julie Caldwell / Jennifer Lombardi (Q21) 21-13, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 7: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q13) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q20) 23-21, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 8: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (Q4) def. Jennifer Bily / Wanda Brenton (Q29) 21-16, 21-9 (0:40)
Match 10: Raquel Beson / Amy Castro (Q19) def. Karen Hoyt / Kirstin Olsen (Q14) 21-16, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 11: Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q11) def. Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q22) 21-12, 21-9 (0:35)
Match 12: Lisa Marshall / Marla O'Hara (Q6) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q27) 21-16, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 13: Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q7) def. Victoria Prince / Jessica Veris (Q26) 21-18, 21-18 (0:44)
Match 14: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Federica Tonon (Q10) def. Kendra Jackson / Ro LaHara (Q23) 21-18, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 15: Johanna Schatz / Vladia Vignato (Q15) def. Wendy Lockhart / Teri Van Dyke (Q18) 18-21, 21-19, 15-10 (1:03)

Round 2
Match 17: Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (20, Q1) def. Nicole Midwin / Colleen Smith (Q17) 21-14, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 18: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) def. Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q9) 21-15, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 19: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) def. Capri Hilgendorf / Alexandra Sevillano (Q12) 21-7, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 20: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (Q4) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q13) 21-12, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 21: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q3) def. Raquel Beson / Amy Castro (Q19) 21-11, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 22: Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q11) def. Lisa Marshall / Marla O'Hara (Q6) 21-7, 19-21, 15-7 (0:48)
Match 23: Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q7) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Federica Tonon (Q10) 21-14, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 24: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q2) def. Johanna Schatz / Vladia Vignato (Q15) 21-15, 23-25, 15-10 (1:04)

Round 3
Match 25: Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (20, Q1) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) 21-15, 21-18 (0:45)
Match 26: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) def. Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (Q4) 21-15, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 27: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q3) def. Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q11) 21-17, 21-13 (0:34)
Match 28: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q2) def. Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q7) 21-15, 21-23, 15-13 (0:59)

Women's Main Draw Entries:

Misty May-Treanor, Coral Springs, Fla. / Kerri Walsh, Redondo Beach, Calif. (1)
Nicole Branagh, Torrance, Calif. / Elaine Youngs, Durango, Colo. (2)
Annett Davis, Valencia, Calif. / Jenny Johnson Jordan, Tarzana, Calif. (3)
Tyra Turner, Fort Myers Beach, Fla. / Rachel Wacholder, Redondo Beach, Calif. (4)
Dianne DeNecochea, San Diego / Barbra Fontana, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (5)
Holly McPeak, Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Logan Tom, Long Beach, Calif. (6)
Carrie Dodd, El Segundo, Calif. / Tatiana Minello, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (7)
Jenny Pavley, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Sarah Straton, Redondo Beach, Calif. (8)
Michelle More, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Suzanne Stonebarger, Redondo Beach, Calif. (9)
Jennifer Fopma, Bellflower, Calif. / Stacy Rouwenhorst, Cypress, Calif. (10)
Jennifer Boss, San Clemente, Calif. / April Ross, Diamond Bar, Calif. (11)
Angie Akers, Redondo Beach, Calif. / Brooke Hanson, Ventura, Calif. (12)
Alicia Polzin, San Diego / Paula Roca, Redondo Beach, Calif. (13)
Heidi Ilustre, Honolulu / Diane Pascua, Carlsbad, Calif. (14)
Katie Lindquist, Huntington Beach, Calif. / Tracy Lindquist, Fountain Valley, Calif. (15)
Janelle Ruen, Newport Beach, Calif. / Jennifer Snyder, Long Beach, Calif. (16)
Angela Lewis, Lafayette, La. / Priscilla Lima, Lafayette, La. (17)
Lauren Fendrick, Carlsbad, Calif. / Brittany Hochevar, Long Beach, Calif. (18)
Ashley Ivy, Austin, Texas / Heather Lowe, Redondo Beach, Calif. (19)
Jenelle Koester, San Diego / Saralyn Smith, Huntington Beach, Calif. (20)

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 4
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 5
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 7
Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 8
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 9
Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 10
Jennifer Boss April Ross 11
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 12
Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 13
Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 14
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 15
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 16
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 17
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 18
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 19
Claire Robertson Julie Romias Q1
Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q2
Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q3
Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman Q4
Jill Changaris Sara Dukes Q5
Lisa Marshall Marla O'Hara Q6
Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q7
Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q8
Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q9
Leilani Kamahoahoa Federica Tonon Q10
Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q11
Capri Hilgendorf Alexandra Sevillano Q12
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q13
Karen Hoyt Kirstin Olsen Q14
Johanna Schatz Vladia Vignato Q15
Bonnie Levin Meghan Wallin Q16
Nicole Midwin Colleen Smith Q17
Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q18
Raquel Beson Amy Castro Q19
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q20
Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q21
Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q22
Kendra Jackson Ro LaHara Q23
April Oberhelman Becca Smith Q24
Vicky St. Pierre Anne Vaughan Q25
Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q26
Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q27
Kristy Hartley Brooke Youngquist Q28
Jennifer Bily Wanda Brenton Q29
Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (17) 21-16, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 2: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (9) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) 16-21, 21-19, 15-9 (1:02)
Match 3: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (21) 21-16, 18-21, 15-8 (0:44)
Match 4: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (13) def. Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (20, Q1) 21-18, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 5: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) 22-20, 22-20 (0:44)
Match 6: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q3) 21-12, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 7: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q2) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) 21-19, 26-24 (0:42)
Match 8: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (18) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 21-15, 21-16 (0:42)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) 21-15, 24-26, 15-10 (0:50)
Match 10: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (8) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (9) 21-18, 21-11 (0:37)
Match 11: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) 26-24, 19-21, 15-12 (1:08)
Match 12: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (4) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (13) 21-16, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 13: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) 21-12, 21-14 (0:34)
Match 14: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 21-19, 21-14 (0:56)
Match 15: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q2) 21-15, 21-6 (0:34)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (18) 21-17, 21-19 (0:42)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (8) 21-17, 21-18 (0:34)
Match 18: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (4) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 16-21, 21-16, 19-17 (0:58)
Match 19: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 20-22, 21-18, 15-10 (1:07)
Match 20: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 21-16, 21-16 (0:37)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (4) 21-15, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 22: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 21-17, 17-21, 15-12 (1:03)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (18) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (17) 20-22, 21-15, 15-7 (0:56)
Match 24: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q2) 21-14, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 25: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (21) 21-9, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 26: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) def. Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (20, Q1) 21-13, 21-23, 15-13 (1:13)
Match 27: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (13) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) 21-15, 15-21, 15-10 (0:53)
Match 28: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q3) 21-23, 21-14, 15-10 (1:05)
Match 29: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (9) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) 21-16, 24-22 (1:04)
Match 30: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) 22-20, 15-21, 15-7 (0:54)

Round 2
Match 31: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (18) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q5) 21-18, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 32: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 25-23, 22-20 (0:48)
Match 33: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (13) 21-19, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 34: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (9) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 17-21, 21-13, 15-13 (1:04)

Round 3
Match 35: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (18) 25-23, 21-19
Match 36: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (8) 14-21, 21-17, 15-11 (0:49)
Match 37: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 23-25, 24-22, 15-6 (1:05)
Match 38: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (9) 21-13, 21-12 (0:32)

Round 4
Match 39: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (14) 21-16, 21-18 (0:40)
Match 40: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 21-13, 23-21 (0:46)

Round 5
Match 41: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 21-11, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 42: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (4) 19-21, 21-15, 15-12 (1:04)

Semifinals
Match 43: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) 21-19, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 44: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (5) 21-14, 21-19 (0:43)

Finals
Match 45: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (11) 21-19, 21-15 (0:56)

2007 Women's Miami Open Tournament Champions >> Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs

Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs

Women's $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $20,000.00 360
2 Jennifer Boss April Ross 11 $15,000.00 324
3 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $9,500.00 270
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 5 $9,500.00 270
5 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 4 $6,000.00 216
5 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 12 $6,000.00 216
7 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3 $4,650.00 180
7 Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 14 $4,650.00 180
9 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 7 $2,875.00 144
9 Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 8 $2,875.00 144
9 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 9 $2,875.00 144
9 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 18 $2,875.00 144
13 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6 $1,700.00 108
13 Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 13 $1,700.00 108
13 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 15 $1,700.00 108
13 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 24, Q5 $1,700.00 108
17 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 10 $800.00 72
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 16 $800.00 72
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 17 $800.00 72
17 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 19 $800.00 72
17 Claire Robertson Julie Romias 20, Q1 $800.00 72
17 Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith 21 $800.00 72
17 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney 22, Q3 $800.00 72
17 Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet 23, Q2 $800.00 72
25 Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman Q4 $.00 36
25 Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q7 $.00 36
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q8 $.00 36
25 Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q11 $.00 36
29 Lisa Marshall Marla O'Hara Q6 $.00 18
29 Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q9 $.00 18
29 Leilani Kamahoahoa Federica Tonon Q10 $.00 18
29 Capri Hilgendorf Alexandra Sevillano Q12 $.00 18
29 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q13 $.00 18
29 Johanna Schatz Vladia Vignato Q15 $.00 18
29 Nicole Midwin Colleen Smith Q17 $.00 18
29 Raquel Beson Amy Castro Q19 $.00 18
37 Karen Hoyt Kirstin Olsen Q14 $.00 12
37 Bonnie Levin Meghan Wallin Q16 $.00 12
37 Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q18 $.00 12
37 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q20 $.00 12
37 Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q21 $.00 12
37 Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q22 $.00 12
37 Kendra Jackson Ro LaHara Q23 $.00 12
37 April Oberhelman Becca Smith Q24 $.00 12
37 Vicky St. Pierre Anne Vaughan Q25 $.00 12
37 Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q26 $.00 12
37 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q27 $.00 12
37 Kristy Hartley Brooke Youngquist Q28 $.00 12
37 Jennifer Bily Wanda Brenton Q29 $.00 12

AVP on DVD
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!!!

.

-Buy (1) Veriuni Nutritional Supplement below and get (1) FREE DVD of the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Quervo Miami,Florida Open
April 13th - April 15th, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

FOX SPORTS NET

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
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Photos:

$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Women's Volleyball Qualifier My Photos

Cinta PrestonBethVanfleet07MiamiQualiFri

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$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Men's and Women's Volleyball Qualifier My Photos

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$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

Men's and Women's Volleyball Main Draw My Photos

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$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
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$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007

volleyshots-John G.

Beach Volleyball galleries

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$200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open
April 13-15, 2007
Miami Herald Staff Photos

Articles 2007:

Countdown to Miami: AVP Quick Hits
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOS ANGELES -- The Crocs AVP Tour is set for another year, an 18-event season that will feature $4 million in prize money.
It will be Karch Kiraly' last season on the Tour, while Misty May-Treanor is poised to become the women's career individual titlist by eclipsing Holly McPeak's mark of 72 victories.
Those are just a couple of this year's story lines and it all begins April 13 in Miami.
The favorites: Granting May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh favorite status is akin to seeding Florida No. 1 in the NCAA tournament, but the fact remains the pair is tops as the season opens. Things are a bit more crowded on the men's side, as last year's top team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger will be pushed by Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers and by Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
The contenders: Looking to make things interesting on the women's side of the draw this season in the chase of May-Treanor/Walsh is a quartet of teams. Those are: Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh; Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner; Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis; and Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana. The men's duo of Jeff Nygaard and Dax Holdren is poised for a push into the top class as well.
The dark horses: McPeak is hoping to hold off May for the most individual wins by a woman on tour, and she'll team with Logan Tom as they gear toward returning to the podium. Other women's teams that will be hoping to make a move this season are April Ross and Nancy Mason; Jennifer Boss and Keao Burdine; and Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello. On the men's side, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott; Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong; Casey Jennings and Mark Williams; Larry Witt and Ryan Mariano; and George Roumain and John Hyden all want to move up the ladder.
Taking a step forward: Anthony Medel and Fred Souza hooked up halfway through 2006 and looked poised to continue their progress this season, while last year's top male rookie Brad Keenan and teammate John Mayer are also ready to make noise.
Best serves, Women: Youngs and Branagh. Men: Souza, Lambert, Hans Stolfus, Aaron Wachtfogul, Medel and Mariano
Best passers, Women: McPeak. Men: Kiraly and Rogers.
Best defenders, Women: May, Mason, McPeak and Wacholder. Men: Rogers and Jennings; Holdren and Metzger.
Best blockers, Men: Dalhausser, Lambert, Nygaard and Fuerbringer. Women: Walsh and Youngs
Best cutter, Women: May. Men: Rogers
Best pokey: Metzger
Best fingertip saving dig: Brooke Hanson
Best roll shot: Kiraly
Top sideout threats, Men: Fuerbringer/Scott and Gibb/Rosenthal. Women: May/Walsh, Branagh/Youngs
Best nicknames, Women: Turtle, May; Six Feet of Sunshine, Walsh; and Team Gorgeous, Michelle More/Suzanne Stonebarger. Men: The Thin Beast, Dalhausser; The Big Nasty, Gibb; Superman, Rosenthal; The Professor, Rogers; The Hawaiian Curtain, Lambert; and The Kid, Jennings
Oh, doctor: Roumain (broken finger) Tom (abdominal tear) and Brent Doble (shoulder surgery) are all looking to beat injuries from last year and return to form in 2007.
They said it: "I don't think I've ever competed on the AVP Tour or any domestic tour that has had 18 U.S. events. Right there, that is a huge sign that we're growing. Cities want us and that is exciting to go into a city where AVP puts on a great show and it is fun to be a part of that." --- McPeak
Three burning questions:
Will May-Treanor and Walsh post a perfect season? The quick answer would be no given the difficulty of not suffering a defeat over 18 events, but their numbers indicate it's possible. The pair won their first four events last season, six of the first seven and 13 of 15 overall. Walsh and May-Treanor also placed first and second, respectively, at the Las Vegas Gods and Goddesses tournament. They get their first shot in the city that has seen perfection before. The Miami Dolphins are the NFL's last perfect team, a 17-0 mark in 1972.
Is a period of parity set for the men's side? The Dalhausser/Rogers duo won eight times last year, while Lambert/Metzger notched five victories with 14 Final Four berths out of a possible 15. The teams of Gibb/Rosenthal and Fuerbringer/Jennings both earned a victory. While those wins were mostly clustered among the few, the spoils could be spread among the many this season.
Can Karch do it again? There will likely be no greater favorite than Kiraly as he takes one last spin around the AVP Tour, participating in 11 events. He last tasted victory in 2005, but he's healthy and motivated, and with four Southern California tournaments on the calendar Kiraly looks to go out in style with teammate Kevin Wong.
Mark your calendar: April 13-15, season opener in Miami; May 10-13 in Glendale, Ariz., May-Treanor could be in line to break record; August 9-12, Kiraly's final appearance in Manhattan Beach Open; Aug. 16-19, AVP visits Boston; Aug. 30-Sept. 2, regular season finale in Cincinnati; Sept. 6-8, Gods and Goddesses in Las Vegas; Sept. 14-16, Best of Beach in San Francisco.
Fearless prediction: Kiraly notches career win No. 149.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Keith Dobkowski contributed to this report.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's Opening Day takes place Saturday April 14 in Miami, Florida. Buy Tickets Today!
The 2007 AVP Crocs Tour launches its season with the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open April 14 and 15. See three-time gold medal winner Karch Kiraly's final stop in South Florida. Tickets available at AVP.com
Miami, Flordia (PRWEB) April 10, 2007 -- The first serve of the 2007 AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour will take place Saturday April 14, 2007 at Bicentennial Park in Miami and continue through Sunday April 15, 2007. Tickets are available at AVP.com/Miami.
The opening stop in Miami is the first of three AVP Cuervo Gold Crown events. The second will take place in Dallas April 19 - 22, and the final in Huntington Beach May 3 - 6, where the largest check in AVP history, $100,000 will be awarded. In total the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour makes 18 stops across the United States featuring 150 of the top Pro Beach Volleyball players in the world.
Heading the list of the 150 athletes are the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. This duo has dominated the beach since their team debut in 2003. In 2006, May-Treanor and Walsh won 13 of 15 team tournaments including the season opener in Ft. Lauderdale, the lone Florida stop on the 2006 tour.
In 2007, May-Treanor and Walsh will look to continue their run from the previous four seasons where the duo has won the opening event of the tour. All four previous opening events took place in South Florida, where May-Treanor and Walsh have dominated having not lost a match and only dropping three games along the way.
Several formidable teams stand in May-Treanor and Walsh's way, and hope to the put an end to the run. Second-seed Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, winners of eight championships together, were Olympians in 2000. 2004 Bronze Medalist Elaine Youngs will play Nicole Branagh. Seven-time winner Rachel Wacholder will partner with Tyra Turner. And career titles leader and 2004 Olympic Bronze medal winner Holly McPeak will team with two-time Olympian Logan Tom.
The story on the men's side is the final hurrah for Karch Kiraly. Kiraly, winner of 148 titles and three gold medals, announced that 2007 will be his last on AVP Crocs Tour. Kiraly has been the face of Beach Volleyball for three decades, taking to the sand a final time with his fluorescent Pink Speedo Hat. Miami will be the last time for Volleyball fans in Florida to say thank you to the greatest who ever played. Much like the retirements of Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Cal Ripken, and John Elway, fans will get the opportunity to say goodbye in person to a legend.
While Kiraly, who is partnering with former Olympian Kevin Wong, is in search of his 149 career title, several talented teams stand in his way. Top-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger won five titles and the Crocs Cup in 2006. Second-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser won eight team titles. And third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal look to repeat their opening performance last season with a victory.
On Friday, former NBA star and the first ever draft pick of the Miami Heat, Rony Seikaly, will try to qualify for the AVP Miami Open. Admission is free to see Seikaly compete to play the best beach volleyball pros in the world.
Do not miss a serve, dig or spike this weekend in Miami. Buy your tickets today at AVP.com/Miami!

May-Treanor already eyeing shot at gold in Beijing
TIM REYNOLDS
Associated Press
MIAMI - She's considered the most dominant player in beach volleyball, perhaps the best to ever compete on the sand.
And Misty May-Treanor still wants more.
It's not enough that she swept every big award on the AVP Tour last season. Team of the year (with another star, Kerri Walsh) for the fourth straight year. Best offensive player for the third consecutive time. She was league MVP for the second season in a row, and even took home best defensive player honors.
A new beach season opens this weekend in Miami. But a bigger goal serves as May-Treanor's as her primary motivation - she wants to win another Olympic gold medal at Beijing next year.
The calendar says 2007. May-Treanor doesn't deny her eyes are already seeing 2008.
"As soon as the last ball dropped last year, Kerri and I started getting real focused on being ready for '08," May-Treanor said. "Obviously, we've got to think about '07 first. The AVP is actually going to prepare us because a lot of the best U.S. teams are on this tour and we'll be competing against them every weekend."
The AVP format is for two-player teams, with men's and women's divisions, and the Miami tournament is the first of 18 on this year's docket. May-Treanor and Walsh will be huge favorites to open the season with a win, which isn't surprising since they prevailed in 13 of the 15 AVP events they played in 2006.
The 29-year-old May-Treanor is getting a home-field advantage of sorts: She and husband Matt Treanor, a catcher for the Florida Marlins, make their home in Coral Springs, Fla., about a 45-minute drive north from downtown Miami.
"I like it down here because of things like all the colors and the ethnicity," May-Treanor said. "It's just a much different vibe."
The Miami event will be held next to the AmericanAirlines Arena, home of the NBA champion Miami Heat, and at least two basketball players - one current, one former - will be among the thousands of fans expected by tournament officials.
"I'm a huge fan," said Heat forward Jason Kapono. "I tried to play volleyball. I'm not very good. But it's exciting that it's coming here. I'll be out there. I'm a supporter and a fan."
So, too, is former Heat center Rony Seikaly, who last played in the NBA during the 1998-99 season. Seikaly has entered Friday's qualifying tournament, trying to earn a spot in the men's main draw, and his mere presence gives the field a name that will resonate with the common sports fan.
Meanwhile, May-Treanor may not exactly be a household name among all sports fans. Among anyone who knows volleyball, though, the 5-foot-10 powerhouse is a huge star.
As a setter, she led Long Beach State to the 1998 NCAA championship - with an undefeated record. She was a three-time NCAA first-team All-American, and many thought she was the future on-court leader of the U.S. women's indoor volleyball program.
But she turned to the beach, and the results can't be questioned. She was the fastest American woman ever to win $1 million on the sand, yet acknowledges that the indoor game is still something she holds dear.
"I miss it. I really do miss it," May-Treanor said. "It was just a much different game. When I play beach volleyball, I'm touching the ball every rally. Indoor, as a setter, you're involved in every play but it's kind of a cat-and-mouse game. You're the quarterback, running the team. Outdoor, you're involved in every situation."
And for now, beach volleyball is the right situation.
The AVP is offering $4 million in prize money this year, up $500,000 from a year ago, and is splitting it equally among men's and women's teams. The money is growing because the tour has seen a huge spike in popularity in recent years - with the success of May-Treanor and Walsh perhaps the biggest reason.
"We're definitely on an up-curve because we keep having to add more tournaments throughout the year," May-Treanor said. "People want it. People want it to come to their cities. It's a nice problem to have. It definitely is growing and it will continue to grow."

Former Heat star Seikaly attempts pro beach volleyball
Macau pairs with childhood idol
By Sharon Robb
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 12 2007
Miami-born Gaston Macau followed the basketball career of Rony Seikaly even before he was the Miami Heat's first draft pick in 1988.
Seikaly came to Syracuse with no organized basketball experience and left as an All-American. The first-round pick and 1990 NBA Most Improved Player Award winner played with the Heat, Golden State, Orlando and New Jersey Nets.
He was traded by the Heat in November 1994.
"I grew up watching him play basketball and always looked up to him," Macau said.
Macau, one of the state's best beach volleyball players, will literally be looking up to him Friday at Bicentennial Park.
The two are playing together in the qualifier for this weekend's AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, the season opener for the pro beach volleyball tour. They are seeded 20th among a field of 50 men's teams featuring several players from Broward and Palm Beach counties. Other top locals trying to qualify are brothers David and Mike DiPierro of Pompano Beach, playing with different partners from California, and Jimmy, Steve and Mark Van Zwieten, also from Pompano Beach and former full-time AVP player Eric Wurts of Fort Lauderdale.
The top four men's and women's teams make it out of the qualifier for Saturday's main draw.
Macau, 32, a former Rutgers standout is a 6-foot-1 scrappy defensive player with a great jump serve. Seikaly, 41, is 6-11 1/2 and is a formidable blocker and intimidating at the net.
Still, the two have yet to play a game together. Seikaly has been training on his own. Macau, a regular at local tournaments in South Florida and AVP qualifier several times in past seasons, said he is in the best shape he has been in three years.
"Can you believe it?" Macau said. "To be able to play with a star that I looked up to as a kid is an opportunity I know I will never have again. I am very excited.
"I am looking to have fun but at the same time I like to compete. Once I get over the whole thing of meeting him and having fun, I want to win."
Seikaly is the tallest player Macau has partnered with.
"By far the tallest ... by about five inches," Macau said. "He is 6-11, it can't be all that bad. I'm just going to try and stay on the court with him.
"I kind of wished I had known a little earlier we were going to be playing together and had set some time aside to practice together. He's been busy with work and didn't have the opportunity. I think we make a pretty good team. I think we can do well."
It is the first of 18 stops on the AVP Crocs Tour that features nine new cities, including Miami and Tampa. After four years, the Fort Lauderdale event was moved to Miami. Truckloads of sand have been brought in to construct eight courts on the grassy park surface.
The Cuervo Gold Crown Series is a competition within a competition. Miami is the first of three AVP events in the series. The others are Arlington, Texas, and Huntington Beach, Calif. Teams are awarded points based on their finishes. The winners receive $100,000 in bonus money.
The area's only full-time AVP players, George Roumain and Nick Lucena, are in the main draw.
Roumain, an Olympian and 2004 AVP Rookie of the Year, played high school at St. Thomas Aquinas and Douglas and grew up in Parkland. Lucena grew up in Davie and played at Western and Florida State. Both live in California, the nation's hotbed for beach volleyball.
The top women's seed is Misty-May Treanor, who splits her time between Coral Springs and California, and Kerri Walsh, the winningest women's team in the sport.

NBA star Seikaly takes a shot
Former hoops pro to compete in Miami
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Rony Seikaly, a starting center for nearly all of his 11-year NBA career, will be the tallest player on the beach this weekend. Just don't expect him to show off his vertical leap.
"I may jump downward," joked Seikaly, who retired from the NBA in 1999 due to a chronic right foot injury. "I have a lot of wear and tear from 18 years of playing basketball."
During his pro basketball career, Seikaly was listed at 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds. Those numbers have changed a bit over the years.
"I may have shrunk an inch since then," Seikaly said with a laugh. "I am about [6-foot-10] or [6-foot-11] and 260 pounds now."
Seikaly, a native of Lebanon who played high school volleyball in Greece, got a call just a few days ago inviting him to compete in the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park. Seikaly said he has not played since his days at American Community High in Athens, and he has never played on the beach.
"I told them, 'Sure, I love volleyball. I'll play,'" Seikaly said. "But it's just for fun for me. I haven't trained for it. Had I had four or five weeks to train and get a feel for the sand, I would have more of a competitive feel for the game."
Instead, Seikaly said he will rely on his teammate, Gaston Macau, a 6-foot-1 Miami native, to make him look good when qualifying begins on Friday.
"I'm hoping [Macau] can cover my mistakes," Seikaly said.
Macau, 32, is starting his 11th year as a pro, so he certainly can help Seikaly with ins and (side) outs of the game. But Macau has never had a top-four U.S. finish, and his career earnings are only $9,500, which is the kind of cash you could have found in Seikaly's shirt pocket during his days in the NBA.
Then again, Seikaly, 41, says his appearance this weekend is all about stress relief. He works in the real estate business these days and jogs once or twice a week, trying not to anger his barking foot in the process. He lives in Miami most of the year and has season tickets to the Heat games.
"I paid for those tickets, too," Seikaly pointed out. "They weren't free."
Maybe they should be. After all, Seikaly was the first draft pick in the Heat's history, taken 9th overall in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft process.
After an excellent career at Syracuse University in which he was second-team All-American as a senior, Seikaly joined the expansion Heat, where he played for six seasons. He was the NBA's Most Improved Player in 1990 and set Heat single-game records for blocks (8), rebounds (34) and free throws made (16).
Seikaly also set a Heat single-season record for rebounds and had 26 performances in which he had at least 20 boards and 20 points in the same game.
"I am proud that I was the Heat's first draft pick, that I was there since their infancy," Seikaly said. "To see them win the NBA title last season with Shaq and D-Wade was great."
Seikaly finished his NBA career playing with Golden State, Orlando and New Jersey and also spent some time competing in Spain for Barcelona. But he said his fondest memories are from his days with the Heat.
"I loved the whole ride," said Seikaly, who averaged 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds for his NBA career. "When I first got to the States, there really weren't many foreign players in the league. Maybe [center] Rik Smits, who is from Holland and one or two other guys.
"I was one of the first guys, and I wasn't some player who was sitting on a warm bench. I started every single game. Now every team seems to have 2 or 3 international players."
Don't look for Seikaly to start a trend of retired basketball players taking up volleyball.
"I don't mind doing this because I love volleyball," Seikaly said. "But this is not super competitive for me."

Sister Act: The Lindquists
Despite lack of size, siblings up for Tour challenge
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Katie Lindquist, who teams with her sister Tracy to form one of the top beach volleyball duos in the world, made a startling admission Tuesday night.
"I don't see us ever winning an AVP tournament," Katie said. "Winning would be the ultimate -- the peak of our careers. But it's not why we play. We play for fun. If we saw winning as our main goal, we would have to split up."
Breaking up, both sisters say, is not in their plans. Instead, they will fly from California to Miami late Thursday night to take part in the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park.
The sisters, seeded 16th, will play the 17th-seeded pair of Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder on Saturday morning.
Like most of the women on the tour, Ruen (5-foot-10) and Snyder (6-foot-2) tower above the Lindquist sisters, who are both 5-foot-6. The sisters are the shortest team on the beach and the only one which chooses not to block at the net.
"I don't think we have an option," Katie said. "The smart move would be to pair up with a big blocker. But we want to play together."
If the Lindquist sisters can knock off Ruen and Snyder, their task will get much tougher. Their second-round match would be against Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who won Olympic Gold medal in 2004 and have been the world's top-ranked duo for four years in a row (2003-2006).
May-Treanor, 5-foot-10, is a great defender and knows the game exceptionally well, according to Katie. Walsh, all 6-foot-3 of her, is "huge" up front.
"Neither has a weakness as far as I can tell," Katie said. "Whatever they think is their weakness is probably better than anyone else's game. Plus, both are really nice girls. They are great for the sport."
So are the Lindquist sisters, who have been playing together on the AVP Tour for the past seven years. Born and raised in California, they were taught the game by their father, Dave, a former player at Southern Cal and a coach at Westminster High in Los Angeles.
Both girls starred at Ocean View High. Katie went on to the University of San Diego, and Tracy won a national championship as a star setter for Southern Cal in 2003.
Although they have never won an AVP tournament, the sisters teamed up to claim the Tel Aviv Open in Israel. In addition, Tracy also teamed with UCLA grad Chrissie Zartman to win the World University Games' first-ever beach volleyball championship in 2002. And Tracy also won two pro tournaments in New Zealand with Claire Robertson and Ashley Ivy, respectively.
But despite her successes with other players, Tracy said she will continue to pair up with her sister.
"We have a good thing going," Tracy said, referring to a pair of 5th-place finishes the past couple of years. "I've thought about [splitting up] in the past, but not anymore. It would be too stressful."
Tracy said she agreed with her sister that winning an AVP tournament together is unlikely -- "the other girls at the top are too big and too strong" -- but her perspective is a bit different.
Katie is a full-time kindergarten teacher at Faylane Elementary in Garden Grove, Calif. Tracy, meanwhile, teaches part-time as a substitute.
"For me, the AVP is about more than just fun," Tracy said. "I still have a dream of winning in the AVP. But Katie has a full-time job, so her perspective may be different."
One thing that cannot be argued is their modest earnings. Katie said she earned just $15,000 playing volleyball last season, and added that she and her sister have to pay their own expenses when they travel.
"We get a lot of one-star hotels," Katie said. "But we have a blast. All the girls hit harder than us, but we try to place the ball in certain spots, have better ball control."
Asked what fans can look forward to in Miami, Tracy said to be ready for excitement.
"The atmosphere is great," she said. "The finals are always packed with fans."
Added Katie: "Once I played beach, I could never go back to the indoor game. It's so much more challenging. Not only do you have more court to cover, you also get to play all the positions. It's a blast."
Win or lose.

Gold medalist May-Treanor watches husband play for Marlins
Associated Press
MIAMI - Despite a busy schedule, Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor was able to watch her husband Matt Treanor play baseball for the Florida Marlins on Wednesday.
May-Treanor, 29, won the gold medal for beach volleyball at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and is in Miami for the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, April 13-15.
"This is the most I get to see him this season," May-Treanor said. "I would like to come more often because I love the weather and love the diversity. With my schedule it becomes very tough, but I'm glad we have a tournament in Miami."
Treanor will not be able to watch his wife play in Miami because the Marlins head to Atlanta on Thursday for a three-game series with the Braves.
"It would be better if I could see her play, but just being able to see her is a bonus," Treanor said. "A lot of the guys get to go home every day to see their wives. Sometimes I feel cheated that I don't get to go home and see my wife especially if things aren't going well here."
Treanor, 31, has been married to the former Misty May since November 2004 after meeting at the Sports Medicine Institute in Orange, Calif. earlier that year. The two have a house in Coral Springs, Fla., but with their busy schedules they are unable to see each other on a consistent basis.
"When you come off a win, you want to see your significant other because they are your best friend and you want to hang out," said May-Treanor, who talks to her husband up to five times a day. "A lot of times we don't have that luxury so we do make a lot of phone calls."
Treanor, who traveled to Thailand last year to watch his wife play, would like to be there this weekend in the AVP's first event of the 2007 schedule.
"It's terrible to be away from her, but we have gotten used to it," Treanor, who believes trust and communication are the biggest factors in their relationship.

A Gorgeous result?
The No. 9 team hopes to outplay its seed
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
The members of Team Gorgeous had a rather unattractive start to their friendship.
Suzanne Stonebarger, 26, and Michelle "Meech" More, 25, the AVP's ninth-ranked women's team, first met on the campus of the University of Nevada at Reno. Stonebarger, a college freshman, served as the host for More, who at the time was a high school senior making a recruiting trip.
"I highlighted her hair that weekend," Stonebarger said, recalling how the fast friends bonded. "I don't know how that happened except that I used to do other girls' hair, too."
The dye job was free -- and it was worth even less than that, according to More.
"It was so bad that I had to go to a hair salon as soon as I got back home," said More, who is from Torrance, Calif. "She put blonde streaks all over the place. I looked like a skunk."
Somehow More's hair survived the trauma, so much so, in fact, that she and Stonebarger earned the "Team Gorgeous" nickname.
The women, who will team up again this weekend at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park, first played together as pros in 2004.
Similar to the hair experiment, it wasn't a pretty sight.
"It was a humbling experience," Stonebarger said. "We didn't know anything about beach volleyball. We tried to have fun. But it's hard to have fun when you aren't very good at what you are doing."
During their rookie season, the duo failed to qualify for the main draw at most of the tournaments they entered.
Despite the losses, the women maintained a great attitude, which impressed the crew and the AVP interns that also work on the tour. The fact that Stonebarger, who is 5-foot-9, and More, who is 6-foot-1, also looked good didn't hurt at all.
"I think the crew started calling us Team Gorgeous as a joke," More said. "We were always really friendly with them because they work so hard and don't ever get recognized. After that, the interns started calling us gorgeous, too."
Added Stonebarger, "We might have sucked that first year, but they loved us. But we don't take the nickname seriously."
During their matches, More said another nickname would be more appropriate.
"We call ourselves "Team Torn Up," More said with a laugh. "When we are playing, we are sweating, we have sand all over our bodies and our hair is a mess."
The women clean up well, however.
"We're both real girly-girly," More said. "We were in the AVP calendar last year and don't mind modeling as long as it is connected to our sport. We like to promote fitness and being in shape."
Their fitness might be a shock to anyone who has seen them devour a meal, More said.
"We both love to eat," she said. "My favorite is Mexican food. I can eat it three times a day -- chips, salsa, burritos, tacos -- it's all good."
But even though the women like their food and love to have a good time, don't misunderstand: they are very serious about beach volleyball.
"When we were rookies," Stonebarger said, "we were always eliminated early and we would go party. But now we wait until Sunday night to party."
Both women say their goal this weekend is to finish higher than their team's No. 9 seeding.
"Realistically," Stonebarger said, "we would love to get to the semifinals."
That would be, both agree, gorgeous.

Miami to kick off tour season
Misty and Karch top storylines for coming season
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
The curtain goes up on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour on Friday in Miami with Misty May-Treanor and Karch Kiraly providing much of the drama.
Can May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh start their season with a flourish, moving May-Treanor one step closer to the all-time women's record of 72 victories? Can Kiraly, at 46, turn back the clock in the first of the 11 events he will play in his farewell season?
For those fans who make their way to Bicentennial Park for the $200,000 Miami Open, the answers to those questions and the overall competition at the start of a new season should make for an intriguing weekend.
May-Treanor is just three victories away from Holly McPeak's record of 72 wins. May-Treanor could move a step closer to that mark and also set the tone for another dominating year if she and Walsh pick up where they left off last season. But May-Treanor isn't expecting victories to come easily in '07.
"I think it is going to be difficult this year," May-Treanor said. "Everybody is gunning for us."
May-Treanor and Walsh have the No. 1 seed in the main draw but could face a serious challenge from the second-seeded team of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. Youngs and Branagh are the elite power servers on the Tour and Youngs recently expressed confidence that their game should match up well against May-Treanor and Walsh.
The Annett Davis/Jenny Johnson duo drew the No. 3 seed and the new combo of Tyra Turner/Rachel Wacholder is seeded fourth. Wacholder experienced victory over May-Treanor/Walsh when previously teamed with Youngs.
McPeak is paired with Logan Tom as the No. 6 seed and anticipates spirited competition in the '07 premiere. In addition to all the teams hoping for a big start on the AVP Tour, McPeak notes that the ramifications for 2008 Olympic Games qualification will also factor into this year's competition level.
"Everybody is going to be pushing each other to try and get those two Olympic spots," McPeak said.
The start of Kiraly's farewell tour will add a dose of rich nostalgia to the south Florida weekend. The winner of 148 tournaments and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, Kiraly figures to be the sentimental favorite wherever he goes.
Kiraly, who will team with Kevin Wong as the No. 10 seed, looks at the top three seeds in Miami as especially formidable challenges. Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger are seeded No. 1 with Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the No. 2 slot and Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal seeded third.
"Certainly, Todd and Phil had the best season last year, so they have to be favorites going in this year," Kiraly said. "Stein and Mike had a great season, too. Jake and Sean were surprising in only winning the first tournament and not winning again, but they've had some good success on foreign soil. All three of those teams are really strong and also are vying for the Olympic berths on the men's side. So, it should be an interesting year."
Rogers and Dalhausser won eight AVP events in 2006 and Rogers is cautious about not letting expectations get out of control this season.
"The major thing for Phil and me is having a realistic perspective," Rogers said.
Following this weekend's tournament, the AVP Crocs Tour moves on to Dallas for a four-day event beginning April 19.

Enjoying the riches: AVP Tour gets lucrative
The growth of the Crocs AVP Tour means its star volleyball players no longer need to hold down part-time jobs to support their athletic careers.
BY MANNY NAVARRO
mnavarro@MiamiHerald.com

Audio | AVP player Kerri Walsh
Audio | AVP player Jake Gibb
Audio | AVP player Phil "The Thin Beast" Dalhausser
Audio | AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato
IF YOU GO

• What: The AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
• When, where: Today-Sunday. Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd, Miami.
• Schedule: Today -- Qualifying, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday -- Main draw, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday -- Main draw, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; men's final, 2:30 p.m.; women's final, 4 p.m.
• Who: More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes will compete in the event, which has kicked off the AVP Tour and has been held in Fort Lauderdale the past four seasons. Among the featured stars: the Olympic gold medal-winning team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and the legendary Karch Kiraly, who will be retiring after this season.
• Tickets: $10 students/youth; $20 general admission; $40 courtside seating.
Before he became known as The Thin Beast, Phil Dalhausser was just Phil, the 6-9 skinny guy who painted houses in the offseason and chased a dream.
The same could be said for Jake Gibb, whose family lived off the money his wife earned from two jobs while he trained to become a full-time professional beach volleyball player.
Today, Dalhausser and Gibb play for the top men's two-man teams in the country and don't need to depend on odd jobs or family to survive. They are enjoying the riches of the growing Crocs AVP Tour, which begins its new season this weekend with the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park.
The event, which will take place near AmericanAirlines Arena, will feature three-time Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly and the 2004 Olympic women's gold-medal winning tandem of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Even former Heat center Rony Seikaly will play in Friday's qualifying round, hoping to reach Saturday's main draw.
But for Gibb and Dalhausser, whose teams could face each other in Sunday's final, their new lives are a testament to the growth of the tour.
''The sport is really growing, thanks to people like Karch and Misty and Kerri -- especially after they won gold,'' said Gibb, 31, who teamed with Sean Rosenthal to win last year's AVP Tour-opening event in Fort Lauderdale.
``Right now, I'm one of the lucky ones because the top 10, 12 teams can do this for a living, thanks to good sponsors. But I hope [our sport] gets to the point where our 32nd team is making a living and does not have to have a second job.''
It is getting there. While some players on the tour on the bottom part of the money list still work odd jobs as bartenders or waiters to make ends meet, many top players can afford to focus on volleyball full-time because the sport's popularity is growing and sponsorship is up.
RAPID RISE
According to Scarsborough Sports Marketing, the tour increased its fan base more than 53 percent in the past two years -- the fastest of any sport in the country. This year, the tour has $4 million in prize money, up $500,000 from 2006 and more than $3 million more since 2001, when Leonard Armato became commissioner.
''In the past five years, we've grown dramatically,'' Armato said. ``. . . We've gone from eight to 10 events to 18 events in major markets. We went from regional TV to nine events on NBC.
``I think the sport has an opportunity to grow and become incredibly popular over time because it combines two great things everybody wants right now. It has athletes that compete fiercely in a sport everybody has played before and then it has [an] infectious lifestyle, this beach party that involves competition. And that's what people want today, a full entertainment experience.''
WELCOME CHANGE
This weekend's event is one of the richest all season and the first of three AVP events in the Cuervo Gold Crown series -- the others are Dallas and Huntington Beach, Calif. Winners will receive roughly $100,000 in bonus money.
A decade ago, the AVP was crumbling under financial strain.
''That's probably the most money for a single event since like the early 1990s,'' said Dalhausser, 27, who was named the world's top blocker last season after winning a league-leading eight events with teammate and 2006 MVP Todd Rogers. ``Everyone is going to be ready to go all out.''

AVP Miami Open a real family affair
By Sharon Robb
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 13 2007
MIAMI · Brothers Jim, Steve and Mark Van Zwieten of Pompano Beach will play in today's qualifier for the $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park.
Jim Van Zwieten, 29, and his wife, Franci, are expecting their first child in early May.
LocalLinks
"She is on her own if she goes into labor early," Steve said.
It will be the fifth time Jim and Steve Van Zwieten, 22, play together in an AVP qualifier. Seeded 16th, they play No. 45 seeds Andreas Olesen and Teddy Cook of Fort Lauderdale in their first match.
Mark Van Zwieten, 19, will play with Keawe Adolpho, 20, of Coconut Creek. The two are seeded No. 31. Brothers Mike and David DiPierro of Pompano Beach are playing with different partners from California.
Fortunately for the players' families, all longtime friends, the players are in different brackets and will not play against each other unless they qualify for Saturday's main draw. The top four men's and women's teams in the qualifier advance.
"That's what we're planning on, to play each other in the main draw," Steve Van Zwieten said.
Other locals competing in today's qualifier:
PlayerCityDana Camacho Lauderdale- by-the-SeaGaston Macau Miami BeachRony Seikaly MiamiWayne Holly Fort Lauderdale Tyler Lesneski West Palm BeachCraig Demott Miami BeachJerod Davis Deerfield BeachAndre Melo Deerfield BeachKevin Craig Deerfield BeachEric Wurts Fort LauderdaleTeddy Cook Fort LauderdaleCapri Hilgendorf West Palm BeachBonnie Levin MiamiTeri Van Dyke Coconut Creek Kendra Jackson Coral Springs

Former Heat standout Seikaly tries beach volleyball
The Associated Press
MIAMI
Former NBA center Rony Seikaly tried a new sport - briefly.
Seikaly and teammate Gaston Macau were eliminated in the first round of qualifying for a pro beach volleyball event Friday. The duo lost 21-9, 21-18 to Craig Demott and Dameon Holmquist - meaning the longtime Miami Heat center won't be in the men's draw for the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open this weekend.
Seikaly said he last played volleyball 27 years ago in high school, and never on sand.
"I'm in shape, but this is different," Seikaly said. "The sand makes a difference."
Seikaly, the first draft pick in Heat history, still lives in Miami. He blocked two kill attempts by Demott early in the match and easily pounding several winners to the sand - but he also struggled at times, even whiffing on one spike attempt.
Still, Seikaly earned raves.
"I've honestly never seen a guy pick up the game so fast," Macau said. "He is a talent, very athletic."
The tournament begins in earnest on Saturday, with beach volleyball headliners like Karch Kiraly and the women's team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in the field.
"I'm happy," Seikaly said. "I wish I would have played a few more times before we got in to the tournament. But I had a good time."

Gibb eyes more than title
AVP star wants mainstream attention for sport
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
Growing up in Bountiful, Utah, Jake Gibb thought volleyball was a "girls' sport.''
He was wrong, of course. He said he found out relatively late -- he took up the sport at age 21 -- that volleyball is hard-hitting and fast-paced game for men and women.
And now that he is an outstanding pro beach volleyball player, Gibb can't understand why more Americans haven't made the same discovery.
"It's an incredible sport," said Gibb, who will compete this weekend in the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park. "It's growing, and I hope even more people find out how exciting and athletic the game is."
Asked why his sport is not featured regularly on ESPN's SportsCenter, Gibb used sarcasm to make a point.
"SportsCenter has really important things to show like darts, scrabble, ping pong," Gibb said at Thursday night's AVP party inside Miami Beach's Victor Hotel.
Turning serious, Gibb added: "I don't know, man. I think we should be on there."
If they were, more sports fans would know that Gibb and Sean Rosenthal won last year's South Florida AVP stop and are teaming up again this year to bid for a repeat.
But it's not just ESPN that seems asleep at the wheel. Newspapers don't give beach volleyball the coverage allowed for other sports.
"There is no reason why it shouldn't be covered more," Rosenthal said. "It's an Olympic sport. Plus, it's great for TV. There are half-naked guys and girls out there. We have great athletes on the tour, and they should be recognized more than they are."
Gibb, who is 6-foot-7, is one of the only players on the AVP tour who did not play college volleyball.
"I loved basketball as a kid," said Gibb, who was a shooting guard/small forward. "That was my passion. But once I realized I wasn't going to play D-1 basketball, I said, hey, let me try something else. So I started playing volleyball in my backyard, and I fell in love with it."
Gibb proved to be a natural. He won his first AVP title in 2004, taking the Austin Open with Adam Jewell.
After that, Gibb started to dominate. Playing with three different partners, he has made it to 16 finals in the past 3 years, winning six. He is the only player to finish ranked in the top five in each of the past three seasons, and he was the AVP's Most Valuable Player in 2005.
Last year, he teamed up with Rosenthal, winning the tour stop in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., and making five other finals. Now they are back in South Florida.
"We're excited," said Gibb, the youngest of 11 children, including twin brother Coleman. "It's always good coming in knowing you can win. Sometimes you have places where you say, 'I can never play well here.' But we both play well here."
Rosenthal, who is 6-foot-4 and a native of Redondo Beach, Calif., said he is enjoying his partnership with Gibb, 31.
"Jake is so versatile," said Rosenthal, 26. "He makes us a good defensive team because of how well he blocks. He is also a great server. There really isn't anything he doesn't do well."

Miami herd thinned in qualies
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- The local pair had the crowd behind them but a dash out of the first round and into the weekend proved too tough a distance.
Mark Van Sweiten and Keawe Adolpho nearly sprinted out of the qualifying round of the Cuervo Gold Miami Open on Friday afternoon but fell a step short, falling 18-21, 25-23, 15-11, to Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic in the last match of the day.
Van Sweiten and Adolpho drew up the story line and nearly delivered by adding a significant rooting interest for the main weekend draw but still discovered a fair measure of themselves as players on the big stage.
"I definitely think we accomplished something," Adolpho said. "It was our first time playing together in a qualifier, and for us, being two short guys from Florida, it was a big tournament for us."
All four qualifiers into the weekend came out of Friday's top 10 seeds.
The top-seeded team of Albert Hennemann and Ed Ratledge advanced without losing a game. Also advancing were Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie as well as the team of Mike DiPierro and Ran Kumgisky.
In the top of the bracket, Hennemann and Ratledge advanced easily, opening with a 21-11, 21-14 victory over Tim Church and Ryan Cronin. After dispatching Jim and Steve Van Zweiten, Mark's brothers, in the third round, Hennemann and Ratledge defeated John Moran and Brad Torsone, 21-19, 21-17, to earn a berth in the main draw.
"Qualifiers are never fun," Hennemann said. "Late Monday I was informed that we'd been pushed into the qualifier and I was not happy with that decision, but we knew we had to take care of business and get out of the qualifier."
Morrison and Tramblie also did not lose a game Friday. They followed their second-round victory over William Chenoweth and Guy Hamilton with a pair of hard-fought wins, a 21-18, 22-20 edge over Chris Harger and Justin Phipps and a 22-20, 21-18 victory over Ben Koski and Jeff Minc.
"Every single game in this qualifier you want to win and at the end," Morrison said. "(Tramblie) had a couple of digs, and I had a couple of blocks and that was the difference at the end, a couple of blocks and a couple of digs."
Morrison said that he and his partner will be looking to make some noise on the weekend.
"In these draws of 24 teams it is a lot harder than the big 32-team draws at the beaches because they're only taking four teams out of 50 so it's very difficult," Morrison said. "We're just stoked; we're happy. We want to do better than a 17th."
In the early going Adolpho and Van Zwieten built some momentum by upsetting the second-seeded duo of Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts.
Following a first-round win over Jake Blair and Erik Laverdiere, 21-14, 21-12 that took 38 minutes, Adolpho and Van Zwieten used an aggressive serve to upend Carlucci and Roberts, a team that never quite appeared in sync Friday afternoon.
"We just know each other really well and we've been playing well together lately," Van Zwieten said of Adolpho. "I think we also had some momentum after playing earlier in the day. It was their first game."
Adolpho and Van Zwieten then defeated Dana Camacho and Pete DiVenere, 21-18, 18-21, 15-8 to get to the one of qualifying finals.
In another second-round upset, the unseeded team of Tyler Lesneski and Jeff Soler took out Kevin Dake and Lucas Wisniakowski, the No. 9 seed in the men's qualifying tournament. Dake and Wisniakowski received a first-round bye but Lesneski and Soler followed up their opening round victory over Yariv Lerner and Rob McNaughton with a 21-18, 21-16 win in the second round to advance.
The 10th seeded team of Jon Mesko and Leonardo Moraes squandered a bye into the second round by dropping their match to Danko Iordanov and Monte Tucker, 21-12, 19-21, 15-13. Iordanov and Tucker advanced to play Allen and Mihalic in the third round but would go no further.
All four of Friday's qualifying teams are required to play an extra day while the top pros automatically advance to the weekend. Some players see it as a plus.
"To be honest, it is great for our momentum," Hennemann said. "There two ways to look at it. Either you get upset or you get fired up about it and you play well and take it right into tomorrow so I think it is a big advantage for us in the first tournament when no other team has played yet and we have three matches under our belt."

Seikaly goes from hardwood to sand
Former NBA star loses in beach volleyball debut
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
MIAMI -- For his first volleyball match in nearly three decades -- and his first ever on sand -- former NBA star Rony Seikaly wasn't bad at all.
Seikaly, 41, teamed Friday with 11-year veteran Gaston Macau in the AVP Miami Open. The newly formed duo lost, 21-8, 21-18, to Craig Demott and Dameon Holmquist in the first round of qualifying.
Despite the loss, Seikaly earned rave reviews.
"I've honestly never seen a guy pick up the game so fast," Macau said. "He is a talent, very athletic."
Seikaly said he last played volleyball 27 years ago on hard courts at American Community High School in Athens, Greece.
"The sand makes this a different aerobic exercise," said Seikaly, who is 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds. "I'm in shape, but this is definitely different."
Seikaly looked good early, blocking the first two shots that came his way. He struggled at times with his timing, whiffing on a spike attempt and mis-hitting some other balls. But he also crushed some winners.
"It was weird," Holmquist said. "One play he would put the ball down, and the next time the ball was up in the air."
Part of the problem was that Seikaly and Macau had only one practice together before Friday's match.
"It was tough in the beginning," Macau said, referring to the lopsided score of the first set. "We had never played together before, and he hadn't played in a while. If we played one more match after this, he'd be that much better."
That "one more match" almost happened as Seikaly and Macau each put down spikes to bring their team to within 19-18 in the second set. Macau's spike was set up by a diving dig by Seikaly in what was perhaps the best point of the match.
But after a Seikaly block went out of bounds to make it 20-18, Demott hit a winner deep in the right corner to earn the victory.
"If we had lost this match," Holmquist said with a smile, "we would have never heard the end of it. But Rony did a great job. With a little bit of coaching, he could be a really good player."
Rony got some quality coaching on Friday by two of the top women's players in the world, Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More, otherwise known as "Team Gorgeous."
At one point, Stonebarger urged Macau to be more vocal, saying: "You need to be the leader, you need to talk more."
Seikaly, who said all along he was playing for fun, joked: "Just don't talk to me while I'm serving."
Macau said his strategy with Seiklay was just to "get the ball over the net and play defense."
Holmquist, playing against the tallest player he has ever faced and the tallest in this weekend's tournament, also had a plan.
"With Rony's height, you either have to hit really high or hit around him," Holmquist said. "I think what worked best was to hit around him."
That plan ruined Seikaly's debut. Seikaly, though, did not sound too disappointed.
"I'm happy," he said. "I wish we had played a few more times before we got into the tournament. But I had a good time."
Walter Villa is a contributor to AVP.com.

Olympic medalist Kiraly to play AVP Louisville Open
Business First of Louisville - April 13, 2007
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Olympic gold-medal winner Karch Kiraly will compete in the AVP Louisville Open on Memorial Day weekend, May 24 to 27.
The AVP Louisville Open is a stop on the AVP Crocs Tour, a national professional beach volleyball tour. The Louisville event will take place on Festival Plaza at Waterfront Park.
This will be Kiraly's last season as a player on the tour. He won Olympic gold medals in 1984, 1988 and 1996, and was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2001.
The AVP Louisville Open is being produced by SFX Worldwide, a sports marketing company owned by Louisville-based private equity firm Blue Equity LLC, and Cincinnati-based event promoter Reach Event Marketing, in connection with AVP Inc., a Los Angeles-based company that produces and markets professional beach volleyball events.
Tickets can be purchased online through www.mustseeavp.com or www.tickets.com, or by phone at (800) 280-2330. General admission tickets are $15, and courtside box seats are $35 (with discounts for students, children and seniors). The May 24 qualifying round is free.

The sand to heat up on Saturday
Locals, legends dot the docket on Saturday
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
For first-timers at an AVP event, there's an abundance of games, activities and tents giving away goodies. There is a lot to process, even for natives of a city known to bustle. In looking at the games on tap for Saturday, locals and legends hope to be the main attraction on Saturday.
Season-long storylines:
Miami marks the beginning of the last season for the legendary Karch Kiraly. The 46-year-old has earned a staggering 144 victories and is playing this year with former partner Kevin Wong. The two begin their tournament against qualifiers Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie.
Misty May-Treanor, a Florida resident, is honing in on surpassing Holly McPeak's career record for titles. May-Treanor is 11 titles away from McPeak's 53-win record. May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh start the tournament on Saturday against the winner of the Janelle Ruen/Jennifer Snyder vs. Katie Lindquist/Tracy Lindquist game.
Opening event streak
Jake Gibb has won the last two opening events. Gibb took the 2005 Fort Lauderdale Open with Stein Metzger and the 2006 Fort Lauderdale Open with current partner Sean Rosenthal. Gibb is looking to make the Miami Open his third opening victory in a row. The two will start off the weekend against the winner of the match between Eric Fonoimoana/Chad Turner and Adam Jewell/Jose Loiola.
Floridians
Another draw to Miami is the Florida husband and wife pair, Chad and Tyra Turner. The Fort Myers Beach, Fla., couple is playing in its first AVP event at the same time since 2005. The next year, an ankle injury sidelined the 6-foot-6 University of South Florida product. Upon his return, Chad is partnered with Olympic gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana.
Formerly Tyra Harper, the 6-foot-1 University of Central Florida alum will be playing for the first time with Rachel Wacholder.
Two other Central Florida Golden Knights will be seeing some home-state action as well. Former partners Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser are starting off at opposite ends of the bracket in Miami. The 16th-seeded team of Lucena and Will Strickland will face Brad Keenan and John Mayer on Saturday morning, while second-seeded Dalhausser and Todd Rogers start off their weekend in a second-round match-up against the winner of the Brent Doble/Ty Loomis and Austin Rester/Aaron Wachtfogel face-off.
Newbies
Of the top eight women's teams, only two -- Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh and Annett Davis/Jenny Johnson Jordan -- began the 2006 season as partners. The Miami tournament will show what the other teams look like with some over-the-summer practice under their belts.
Including the qualifiers, of the 69 men's teams, 48 are new partnerships. The top three seeds -- Mike Lambert/Stein Metzger, Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers and Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal -- are returning partnerships, however.
Match to watch for: Holly McPeak/Logan Tom vs. Jennifer Boss/April Ross.
Although the players couldn't decide who the better rookie was, April Ross and Logan Tom, the co-Rookies of the Year may be able to decide it on the court in the second round.
Jennifer Boss was originally slated to play with Ross's former partner Keao Burdine. With Burdine not yet back from Puerto Rico, Boss is playing with Burdine's former partner April Ross. All three women are University of Southern California graduates.
McPeak and Tom finished the year out together last year and hope to start off strong. If Boss and Ross can get past qualifiers and Florida natives Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney in the first round, Boss and Tom can battle it out to shake any notion of a sophomore slump.

The women pare down their ranks
Locals made a mark on qualifying day
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
With a full day of play and struggle for the right to compete against the big dogs, qualifiers earning a spot in the main draw always feel relieved and happy to make it. But qualifying in Miami was extra special for Florida natives Kim Whitney and Tara Kuk. The two played in four events together and made the main draw in all of them, but Miami marked the first time the two, as partners, earned their way into the main draw in their home state.
"This is awesome being a Florida team," Kuk said.
The two live in Clearwater, but the cooler temperatures of that Gulf Coast city, about five hours from Miami, did not give them the weather-worn advantage that one might expect.
"It's been rainy and cool. So we've had a day or two like this, but everyone has had none. There were times where I was like, I might throw up," Kuk said of the humidity.
"The heat was definitely a factor," Whitney said. "You just got to feel the heaviness in your breathing and stay calm and focused," Whitney said.
Whitney and Kuk, the highest-ranking all-Florida team in the qualifier, defeated 11th-seeded qualifier Iwona Lodzik and Kristin Ursillo in two games (21-17, 21-13) to earn their way to Saturday play.
Do they feel any pressure matching up against main draw, 11th-seeded team Jennifer Boss and April Ross?
"No, that's why we work so hard, that's why we train so hard, to make it to the main draw," Kuk said.
Preston and Van Fleet played in the last four AVP events together last year and earned two 17th-place finishes and two 25th-place finishes.
Van Fleet's victory has a tinge of the same sweetness as Kuk and Whitney's. Van Fleet's hometown is Tampa, Fla. In order to compete in the main draw, Van Fleet had to square off against her former partner Suzana Manole. Van Fleet and Manole played in 15 events together and placed as high as 17th. The two scored seven 17th-place finishes together.
But Van Fleet had the home state energy on her side. In the final women's match of the day, she and Preston won in three games (21-15, 21-23, 15-13) against Manole and Mills.
Preston and Van Fleet's hard-earned victory landed them in a match-up against 10th-seeded Jennifer Fopma and Stacy Rouwenhorst.
Top-seeded qualifiers Claire Robertson and Julie Romais made it to the main draw by defeating ninth-seeded Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli in two games (21-15, 21-18).
In their five AVP events together last year, Robertson and Romais notched three 17th-place finishes. Roberson and Romais will face Alicia Polzin and Paula Roca in the first round.
In the final women's qualifier seventh-seeded Suzana Manole/Lauren Mills went up against second-seeded Cinta Preston/Beth Van Fleet .
Despite being Friday the 13th, today seemed like it could be a lucky day for fourth-seeded qualifiers Courtney Guerra and Chrissie Zartman. April 13 is Guerra's birthday and the birthday of Zartman's mother, former beach volleyball player Sharkie Zartman's, as well.
But Sarah Dukes and Jill Changaris had their own occasion to commemorate. Miami marked the first tournament that the two Northern California natives played in together. Although they practice in cool Santa Barbara, Calif., temperatures, the two adjusted and defeated Zartman and Guerra in two games (21-12, 21-15).
"It's a little hot and humid out here, but I didn't think it affected us too badly," Dukes said.
This is the second qualification for Dukes, and immediately after the victory over Guerra and Zartman, Dukes headed to tell her family the good news.
"My family is really supportive, they are trying to follow along online at home," Dukes said.
Changaris attributed part of their strong performance to training in the off-season.
Dukes and Changaris will face ninth-seeded "Team Gorgeous" Michelle More/Suzanne Stonebarger in their first-round match.
Of the teams that prevailed to Saturday play, Dukes and Changaris were the only ones who had to play three games. The top four seeds automatically advanced to the second round.
After a tough day in the heat, how do the qualifiers try to prepare for the big-time action?
Sara Dukes knows what she is going to do.
"I just wanna go home, have a good dinner, go to bed early and come out fired up."

AVP, Speedo heat up South Beach
New beach-inspired line unveiled on Friday night
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Miami's South Beach got a little bit hotter Thursday night when Speedo and the AVP kicked off their first party of the weekend to begin the official 2007 beach volleyball season.
The festivities at Hotel Victor in South Beach, an intimate boutique-style location, set the stage for Speedo to debut its new line of AVP-inspired beach and active wear in front of over 350 fans, supporters, players and media members.
"Speedo is working with AVP for this new AVP line inspired by the style of the AVP combined with Speedo's expertise on the technical aspect of merchandising for sports," said Laisee Rinteel, Speedo's athlete coordinator and beach volleyball manager. "So the combination came up with this new line and it will be sold in stores across the country, on SpeedoUSA.com, on AVP.com and obviously in the merchandise booths on site this year."
Speedo brought in its seven sponsored athletes to gain some of their input and feedback when creating the line, and the 30 looks were received with such enthusiasm last night that players are ready to sport their new looks on the courts of Miami this weekend.
The party began earlier in the night and gave everyone in attendance the first real chance to get excited for the 2007 season. Around 10 p.m., models picked by Ocean Drive strutted their stuff to provide the highlight of the night.
The different looks of Speedo and the AVP this year will feature sweatshirts, zip-ups, bikinis and volley shorts. Wilson volleyballs will also be sold in the official Speedo merchandise tent on site, along with Banana Boat sunscreen, AVP bags and hats, and as in 2006, Crocs is the title sponsor and the official footwear of the tour.
So fans of the AVP now have the chance to wear the same line and articles of clothing as Kerri Walsh, Todd Rogers or Jake Gibb do when they're in action on the sand.
Look no further than www.avp.com or the next AVP event in your hometown.

Minority growth strong in AVP
Tour hopes to become more diverse as popularity grows
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
While a great majority of the players on the AVP Tour are white, minorities are making significant contributions to the beach game.
Among the minorities playing in this weekend's ATV Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park are Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana, who teamed up in 2000 to win Olympic gold.
Fonoimoana, 37, and his cousin, Albert Hannenmann, 36, are Samoans who are doing their part to bring volleyball to the inner city by creating Dig For Kids, a non-profit organization based in Carson, Calif. The program - which is free to the kids - stresses academics along with volleyball.
Hannenmann is confident his foundation - which works with fourth- and fifth-graders - will significantly help increase the number of minority kids who play beach volleyball.
"It's going to change," he said. "You are going to see it. We have been doing this for seven years now. So you've got to think a lot of those kids are now turning 16 and 17 years old. We're going to continue to do this, and you are going to see a lot of kids, especially from Carson.
"We have a lot of the kids on the high school team who are playing beach in all the amatuer tournaments. It's so cool to see."
Hannenmann and Fonoimoan are not the only pioneers in the game. Blanton, 35, who led Pepperdine to a national title in 1992. In 1997, became the first black player to win a major beach volleyball event, taking the AVP Hermosa Grand Slam.
Then there are the Wong brothers, who are Chinese-American. Kevin, 34, is playing this weekend with legendary Karch Kiraly. Before that, Kevin's claims to fame were nailing a perfect score on the math portion of his SAT test and also being named to People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People list in 2000.
He also won two national titles while at UCLA, and placed fifth in the 2000 Olympics while paired with Rob Heidger.
Scott, 28, a three-time All-American at Pepperdine University, played for the U.S. in the 2001 World University Games. Scott gives back to the game by serving as an assistant at Pepperdine and also coaching at Oaks Christian High School.
Kiraly, who serves as one of the league's top spokesmen because of his star status and thoughtful perspective, said he doesn't think it is vital for his sport to find an equivalent to golf's Tiger Woods or tennis' Serena Williams.
"I don't see it is super important because I don't think of people in terms of their race," Kiraly said. "Dain Blanton is an incredible player. who just happens to have darker skin than many of the rest of us.
"Havng said that, we'd love to have more of the great athletes that we know exist in the inner city be a part of our tour. That's why we do our free clinics. But this game just hasn't caught the public's attention like the NBA, the NFL and Major League Baseball."
On the women's side of the tour, there are also star players who just happen to be minorities, including Logan Tom, Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Tom, who has Chinese ancestry, was a four-time All-American at Stanford and was twice named the National Player of the Year. She was also the MVP of the NCAA Final four in 2001, when Stanford won a national championship. In 2000, at age 19, she was on the U.S. national indoor team that finished fourth in the Olympics.
Davis and Jordan, both 33, teamed up to pull one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history, knocking off Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh last year, ending their 89-match winning streak. Davis and Jordan also teamed up to finish fifth in the 2000 Olympics.
Davis, who has two children, is married to Byron, a 12-time All-American swimmer. Davis' father is Cleveland Buckner, a former NBA standout who played in the historic game in which Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record with 100 points.
Jordan, who also has two children, is married to Kevin, a former UCLA wide receiver. Jordan's father, Rafer Johnson, won a decathlon gold medal in the 1960 Olympics.
"They have been a great team," Kiraly said of the tour's top black players. "Again, I don't think of them in terms of skin color. They are just absolutely awesome role models for young women in terms of being really nice people, great wives and great mothers.
"They took a year off twice now, four years apart to have kids. Great competitors and just the two sweetest people you will ever meet."
Still, though, Kiraly would like to see more minorities in the women's game.
"It has always baffled me why there aren't more women's minorities in the beach game," he said. "In the men's game, to get players, we have to compete with the NBA offering $15 million contracts. That doesn't exist out here. And there are no inner-city beach volleyball courts. But there are parks with a basket in every city in the country. So there are just many more opportunities to play basketball.
"But on the women's side, in the college game, every race and ethnicity is really well represented. There are tremendous athletes out there, and it baffles me how few of them have the nerve to come out here and give beach volleyball a try.
"There are about 4,500 full scholarships for women to play college volleyball in this country versus about 90 for the men. And even with all those thousands of scholarships given out to the women, we have more men than women at every qualifier on our tour.
"I don't know if they think they can't play beach volleyball or are intimidate or scared to look silly for a while. So the sport is very diverse for the girls in juniors, high school and college - just not on the beach."

Mayer/Keenan learn valuable lessons
Young duo bonds with champions in offseason
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
In their second-round match in Miami, the faces that John Mayer and Brad Keenan saw across the net looked very familiar. After defeating Nick Lucena and Will Strickland (18-21, 21-17, 15-13) in the first round, Mayer and Keenan earned a match against Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, with whom Mayer and Keenan traveled to Hawaii to play in the off-season. The faces may have been familiar but the scene for the face-off in Florida was a little more comforting than that in Hawaii.
"The place that we played most of the time was in a cage. It was like a big cage with two courts and like a baby court," Mayer said. "It's called the Outrigger Canoe Club. It's where Stein and Lambert grew up playing. It's like they had some sort of voodoo going on."
The court may have been neutral in Florida, but the Crocs Cup champions' "voodoo" carried over from Hawaii. Lambert, celebrated his 33rd birthday on Saturday, and Metzger took the match in two games, 21-17 and 21-10. Although Mayer and Keenan couldn't defeat their practice partners, it didn't take away from their fond memories of the Aloha State.
"We just had the ultimate trip, we played volleyball, and then, after, we ate," Mayer said. "We were in Hawaii, you know?"
Their Hawaiian vacation epitomizes what Keenan and Mayer are bringing to the beach. Their youthful energy -- Keenan is 25 and Mayer is 24 -- merged with a strong work ethic has helped the Pepperdine grads rise from qualifiers to main draw staples in only a season.
In Hawaii, Mayer and Keenan also seized the opportunity to learn from Metzger and Lambert. During their two weeks there, Mayer and Keenan filmed themselves playing for the first time, so they could see what they needed to work on.
"We just filmed every day and the first week, we were just terrible," Mayer said. "We were like, 'Wow, we suck at volleyball. What are we doing?'"
Luckily for Keenan and Mayer, there were other players on the tape: Metzger and Lambert.
"We watched Stein and Lambo and we were like, 'Oh, that's how we do it.' Then we started to make those adjustments, after that we watched film every night," Mayer said.
Some of the major adjustments made involved improving ball control and increasing the amount of setting and passing.
At the end of last season, Brad Keenan foresaw passing as being an issue to work on.
"I wish I knew how to pass (when I first started)," Keenan said then. "I went through college in the middle so I never really knew."
Keenan and Mayer started training together in January, but Keenan spent time before that on his own.
"I started in November, doing plyos and lifting and stuff in the gym," Keenan said. Mayer and Keenan did well even without Keenan's passing skills last year. Like most young teams, the pair started off in the qualifiers. They made the main draw for the first time in Santa Barbara, only their third event together. Two events later, the former Waves stunned Hermosa Beach. They came through the qualifier, made it through Saturday, and took home a third-place finish, tying a record for highest finish for a qualifier. After that, Mayer and Keenan no longer had to worry about playing a day early. With all their success, Mayer and Keenan are working on staying at the top of their game.
"We want to be in that top 10," Keenan said.
The pair have earned the respect of the teams in those spots right now; so much so, the players voted Keenan, who was third in aces, eighth in blocks and sixth in kill percentage, as the 2006 Rookie of the Year.
With so much accomplished already, what do else do Keenan and Mayer want?
"Better finishes, it's pretty simple," Mayer said.

Gold Crown Open main draw begins
Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong win first-round match
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong found their names in the contender's bracket while Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh continued their winning ways as play in the main draw advanced at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Open on Saturday.
Kiraly and Wong, a pair of UCLA Bruins, advanced out of their first round match Saturday morning with a 27-25, 21-16 victory.
Matched against Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, a team that survived Friday's qualifying round, Kiraly and Wong endured a marathon in the first game. The two hadn't paired together before but some adjustments in the second game produced a victory.
Kiraly and Wong moved on to play Casey Jennings and Mike Williams, the seventh-seeded team which earned a bye into Saturday's second round, but dropped a three-game match, 22-20, 17-21, 17-15, to fall into the contender's bracket. Kiraly and Wong had match point at 14-13 in Game 3 but were unable to hold.
May-Treanor and Walsh faced a pair of backcourt specialists in their first match Saturday, the sister pairing of Katie and Tracy Lindquist. Walsh and May-Treanor opened their season with a victory but it proved a bit tougher than expected.
After dropping the first game 15-21, the Lindquists extended the top women's team by gutting out a 26-24 overtime victory in Game 2. It was the second time the pair has taken a game from Walsh/May-Treanor in their respective careers.
But the magic wasn't there for the upset as Walsh and May-Treanor produced a 15-10 victory in the third game to advance to Saturday's third round to play Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton, who were 21-18, 21-11 winners over Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger.
May-Treanor and Walsh found their rhythm in the next round, upending Pavley and Straton, 21-17, 21-18 in 34 minutes, to advance to the quarterfinals. There they were scheduled to face Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, the fourth seed and 16-21, 21-16, 21-17 winners over Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson.
Another men's seeded team to advance was the No. 2 pairing of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, who put together a tight 24-22, 21-19 match over Brent Doble and Ty Loomis that required 58 minutes to complete. Dalhausser and Rogers moved on to play Jennings and Williams in the third round.
Men's teams to advance into the third round of the winner's bracket included Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger for a matchup with John Hyden and George Roumain; and Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal with a matchup against Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
Bounced out of the women's winner's bracket and over to the contender's bracket were Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. They faced the quickly emerging duo of Jennifer Boss and April Ross, who posted a 21-19, 21-14 victory to advance into the third round and face Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello won their first match of the day to set up a third round showdown with the second-seeded team of Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
Brad Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, a Friday qualifier, dropped their first match of the day in three games. Matt Olson and Jason Ring prevailed, 21-19, 16-21, 15-9, in a match that ran three minutes past the hour mark. Olson and Ring faced Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman in the third round.
The two other Friday qualifiers, Mike DiPierro and Ran Kumgisky; and Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic, also lost their first matches Saturday to move over to the contender's bracket.
Early winners in the women's contender's bracket were Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes, Alicia Polzin and Paula Roca, Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, More and Stonebarger, and Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar.
Winners on the men's side of the contender's bracket were Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard, and Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Primed for a big season
Duo aiming for Tour title after contending in 2006
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
With a little bit of beachside relaxation paired with some intense off-season training, the reigning 2006 AVP Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, are poised with renewed stamina to take their 2007 season deep into each championship round like they did last year.
That stamina was apparent in the pair's first official match of 2007 in the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, when they took on the No. 15 combination of No. Ty Loomis and Brent Doble this afternoon.
"We do a lot of stuff with a coach on the track, we do 400-yard sprints, which are hard, bleachers and just this circuit on which you never really catch your breath," Rogers said. "You're always really tired, so it's good that you can go jump when you're really tired."
In the first set of the match, Loomis and Doble took an early lead at 4-3, until the teams flipped back and forth for control of the board for the next two sets. Dalhausser and Rogers kept pace and control of the match with their own game of cat and mouse, never letting the lead get to them.
In the end, the No. 2 seed with eight 2006 AVP Crocs titles to its name pulled out on top of Loomis and Doble 24-22 and 21-19.
"We had a great season last year and it's gonna be tough to do the same thing because there's even more competition in my opinion," Rogers said. "We just battled out there in our first game, so there's just no gimmies out here."
In 2007, Dalhausser and Rogers also enjoy the privilege of being in the small minority, about 30 percent, of teams who have been together for at least one year. Including the qualifiers and the main draw contenders in Miami, 48 teams are pairing up for the first time.
"It gives you a little bit of an advantage, the longer you play [together]," Rogers said. "You know each other and you know what makes each other tick, their sets, where they're gonna block where they're gonna do stuff - different plays that a lot of people who didn't play together are not sure [of]. But then again you also have to keep up a good even keel upon one another, because you kind of get on each other's nerves more, definitely the longer you play together."
According to Rogers, the key to keeping an even keel and maintaining a second-year partnership also has to do with off-season training.
"I actually told him, 'Look, I'm not gonna even touch a ball with you. If you wanna hang around and go surfing, I'd love to go surfing with you,'" Rogers said. "It's a totally different atmosphere. It's totally mellow, just chillin' out in the ocean."
And surf they did.
Both men have the advantage of living in beach areas, as Rogers is a native of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Dalhausser is a local boy to the Florida scene as a product of Central Florida University.
For those familiar with the West Coast, Santa Barbara is not typically a huge surf location unless you are a local. The Channel Islands, which stretch down south as far as Ventura, Calif., tend to block the swell and provide an easy environment, ideal for beginners.
"I think I went surfing with him three times in January. And then I took him to this secret spot up the coast, because I'm from Santa Barbara and it was awesome," Rogers said. "It was just he and I and it was a really good day. But he got into surfing a couple of years ago and he's got a couple of friends who go in Florida. So now he's got his board and his wetsuit and he loves it. He's getting better and it's just relaxing, and fun."
At 6-foot-9 Phil Dalhausser is hands down the best candidate for the tallest man on a board.
As far as the volleyball courts are concerned, however, Dalhausser is no novice. And with a partner like Todd Rogers, a repeat of their success has the potential to unfold once again in the 2007 season.
That is, if Dalhausser can keep Rogers on the sandy courts and away from a surfboard until the off-season.
"It's good though living in Santa Barbara because in the summer there's not much waves," Rogers said. "So when I'm off, I have more time to surf, the surf's coming in it kind of works real well. If there's surf all the time, I could be in trouble. It would be tough to keep my game from suffering."

Taut matches dot the day of play
PB and J crew went face-to-face on Saturday
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- Aaron Wachtfogel and Hans Stolfus got together for a little PB and J time Saturday afternoon.
The pair teamed up for the entire 2006 season and climbed to seventh on tour, enjoying third- and fifth-place finishes early in the year, but generating some buzz at the Hermosa Open.
Entered as the eighth seed, Stolfus and Wachtfogel marched through the winner's bracket and into a Saturday afternoon match against the top seed and winner of the previous three events, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
Friends of Stolfus and Wachtfogel at the event came armed with a megaphone, stereo and T-shirts that read, "Peanut Butter Jelly Time Crew," named after a song made popular by the TV show The Family Guy. As Stolfus and Wachtfogul warmed up, their supporters started singing the "Peanut Butter Jelly Time" song.
The pair dropped the first game 21-17 but rallied past match point in the second game for a 30-28 victory, much to the delight of their singing fans. They ultimately won a sudden death third game, 19-17, and a nickname was born. Peanut Butter Jelly stuck for the rest of the season
Stolfus and Wachtfogel parted ways in the offseason and found themselves on opposite sides of the net Saturday. Austin Rester is now paired with Wachtfogel while Stolfus has teamed with Scott Wong.
The two teams split the first two games Saturday while Wachtfogel and Rester pulled out a 15-9 victory in Game 3 to take the match. Stolfus and Wong finished 13th for the tournament but Wachtfogel and Rester moved on to play Anthony Medel and Fred Souza in another elimination match.
Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert also saw some familiar faces in their third-round match Saturday, when they met the duo of John Hyden and George Roumain.
Lambert, Hyden and Roumain were all members of the 2000 U.S. Olympic indoor team. Hyden also teamed with Lambert to win the Cincinnati Open in 2005.
No favors were given, though, as the match extended to three games, eating up nearly an hour and a quarter. After Lambert and Metzger took the first game, 21-19, Roumain and Hyden stormed back to take Game 2, 21-17, behind Roumain's strong net play.
Lambert and Metzger won the third game, 15-12, to get a pass into Sunday's quarterfinal, while Hyden and Roumain slid over to the contender's bracket and a matchup against Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt.
Lambert and Metzger will face Matt Olson and Jason Ring on Sunday.
"We had a pretty easy first game and, in our second one, it wasn't our prettiest match but we found a way to win against a team that is playing well and managed to advance," Lambert said.
Holly McPeak teamed with relatively new partner Logan Tom on Saturday.
The pair played together in two matches last season but Tom suffered an abdominal tear and McPeak was forced to finish the season with Dianne DeNecochea.
Their first match Saturday drew the new twosome of Jennifer Boss and April Ross, a pair that began practicing together in just the last couple of weeks. Early adjustments for Boss and Ross were quickly set aside as the two found their common ground.
A 21-12 first game win for the pair rolled into a 21-16 second game and a match victory to send McPeak and Tom into the contender's bracket.
"We kind of got our jitters out and came out and got after it in our second game," Ross said. "We definitely had respect for our opponent in Logan and Holly but we knew we just had to play our game and get into our rhythm."
In other top matches, Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman defeated the fifth-seeded team of Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard in the second round, 21-18, 16-21, 15-9, sending Holdren and Nygaard into the contender's bracket.
Another second-round upset saw Olson and Ring upending the No. 4 seed, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, 21-19, 16-21, 15-9. That generated sufficient momentum to vault them into a Sunday quarter-final match against Lambert and Metzger.
It also dropped Fuerbringer and Scott into the contender's bracket, where they survived a match against Eric Fonoimoana and Chad Turner, 21-19, 17-21, 15-13, to earn and subsequently drop a match with Holdren and Nygaard.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Keith Dobkowski contributed to this report.

Dalhausser, Rogers have streak alive
Top seeds on both sides ready for final day
By Monique Moyal and Mike Scarr
MIAMI -- And then there were eight times two as both the men's and women's sides moved to the final day of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open on Sunday.
Partnered with Sean Rosenthal for the No. 3 seed, Jake Gibb is vying for his third straight AVP opener title this weekend. On Sunday morning, they face second-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers.
Dalhausser and Rogers won the last regular season AVP event in Cincinnati in 2006 and washed it down with the postseason Lake Tahoe, Calif. title. The two will look to carry that streak into 2007.
But six other teams would like to end both streaks at two.
One team standing in the way of their run to the top is the top-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, last year's Crocs Cup winners.
The road for No. 13 Matt Olson and Jason Ring, who have already upset two teams in their journey, next runs through the combination of Lambert and Metzger in tomorrow's opening match.
In the contender's bracket John Hyden and George Roumain knocked off No. 11 Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt to keep their hopes alive. In order to top their eighth seed, the duo needs to do the same against the winningest player on the AVP when they face off against No. 10 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong.
After dropping to the contender's bracket, No. 7 Casey Jennings and Mark Williams pushed past No. 5 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard. They will face sixth-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza tomorrow.
The women's side of the draw is taking shape as expected as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh started off the season in the same fashion they've begun the last four -- with a win.
They bolted through Saturday's main draw, pausing once to drop a game to Katie and Tracy Lindquist in their first match of the day, and advanced to Sunday from their perch as the No. 1 seed. After dropping Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton in 34 minutes in their second match of the day, they found time to regroup.
In their first match Sunday, May-Treanor will face the duo of Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, the fourth seed in the tournament. Turner and Wacholder also played through the winner's bracket without a loss but realize they have a tough opponent on the horizon.
"We have to keep the pressure on them and not make a lot of errors," Wacholder said. "We know that they're the best in the world and are going to make some spectacular plays and we're fine with it. We just have to stay in our game and accept that they'll do great things and not beat ourselves."
Wacholder is looking for her partner to have an impact.
"Tyra is such a big, athletic girl, just her size and blocking I think can affect their game," Wacholder said. "I think her presence and her serving can help us a lot."
In the bottom half of the women's winner's bracket, Jennifer Boss and April Ross will face Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. Boss and Ross played one extra game Saturday while Branagh and Youngs enjoyed a bye as the No. 2 seed but Ross felt that was an advantage.
"We're just going to go in and focus on our side of the net," Ross said. "That's what we did today and we know that if we do that we can do really well."
Other Sunday matches on the women's side include Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson against Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana against Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the contender's bracket.
Play starts at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday with the men's final a 2:30 p.m. and the women's final at 4:00 p.m.

Goliaths on a collision course
Rogers/Dalhausser, Lambert/Metzger win through
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- Not all educational television is found on PBS, or The History Channel or even Discovery.
Phil Dalhausser is a big fan of classic volleyball reels on cable and saw the very pearls of wisdom bestowed by the likes of Randy Stoklos and Sinjin Smith and Karch Kiraly on display before his eyes.
None of those three were on the court with Dalhausser in Saturday afternoon's main draw of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, though Kiraly was making news of his own on some outer courts.
But with partner Todd Rogers, a veteran who has rightly been called The Professor for his knowledge of the game, Dalhausser was able to play student and earn a spot into a quarterfinal match against Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal on Sunday.
"We just tightened up and didn't give in," Dalhausser said. "Basically Todd started out great in the last game to win the match."
Rogers and Dalhausser prevailed, 21-16, 21-23, 15-12, in a match that saw them squander match point in the second game. Dalhausser said neither player executed particularly well in either of their matches Sunday, but their win over Casey Jennings and Mark Williams was all about guts.
"In those shows, Karch would say when they were down 13-9 it was tough to win points off of them. They sided out every ball and chipped away and soon it would be 14-13 and that is the same type of deal today with Todd," Dalhausser said. "He is the veteran. He knew that stuff wasn't going our way but he figured it out. He's crafty, he's got great ball control and he plays great defense."
In the other quarterfinal match Sunday, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger will face Matt Olson and Jason Ring. Lambert and Metzger cruised through an easy first match Saturday, dispatching Brad Keenan and John Mayer, 21-17, 21-10, but ran into a tough opponent in their third-round match.
Facing George Roumain and John Hyden, Lambert and Metzger were stretched to a third game before winning, 21-19, 17-21, 15-12.
Lambert said that he thinks he and Metzger are better this year but will take some time to adjust.
"It is the first tourney of the year, so everyone is getting fired up," Lambert said. "People are getting ready for the season, and it's a long season, but once you get here and see everything, it is kind of like the first day of school. It was fun to get out there."
Kiraly and Wong found their names in the contender's bracket while Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh continued their winning ways.
Matched against Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, a team that survived Friday's qualifying round, Kiraly and Wong endured a marathon in the first game. The two hadn't paired together before, but some adjustments in the second game produced a victory.
Kiraly and Wong moved on to play Jennings and Williams, the seventh-seeded team, but dropped a three-game match, 22-20, 17-21, 17-15, to fall into the contender's bracket. Kiraly and Wong had match point at 14-13 in Game 3 but were unable to hold.
They methodically worked their way through the contender's bracket, though, winning four matches to set up a date with Hyden and Roumain on Sunday.
May-Treanor and Walsh faced a pair of backcourt specialists in their first match Saturday, the sister pairing of Katie and Tracy Lindquist. Walsh and May-Treanor opened their season with a victory but it proved a bit tougher than expected.
After dropping the first game 15-21, the Lindquists extended the top women's team by gutting out a 26-24 overtime victory in Game 2. It was the second time the pair has taken a game from Walsh/May-Treanor in their respective careers.
But the magic wasn't there for the upset, as Walsh and May-Treanor produced a 15-10 victory in the third game. May-Treanor and Walsh then upended Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton, 21-17, 21-18, to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder.
"It was a great day. It wasn't as good as I think it could have been but we battled through," Wacholder said. "It was good for us to deal with as a team, just the pressure and working through stuff."
April Ross and Jennifer Boss advanced to the women's quarterfinals where they will face Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
Other Sunday matches on the women's side include Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson against Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana against Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the contender's bracket.
In addition to Kiraly/Wong against Hyden/Roumain, the other men's contender's bracket match will pit Jennings and Williams against Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
A casualty on Saturday was the team of Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. After getting dropped from the winner's bracket in the morning, they lost a contender's bracket match to Ilustre and Pascua and were eliminated.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Kiraly, Wong play to Sunday
New pairing goes 4-1 despite most prep
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly disputed a referee's call in Saturday's AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, which caught the attention of a fan.
"Hey, ref," the fan yelled. "Give the call to Karch. He wrote the rules back when you were a fetus."
It was not only funny; it demonstrated the respect fans have for Kiraly, 46, a three-time Olympic champ and the most famous name in beach volleyball. True, the ref did not reverse his call, but Kiraly didn't really need the help.
Kiraly and new teammate Kevin Wong -- playing their first tournament together -- went 4-1 on the day and advanced to the semifinals of the Contenders Bracket. They will need to win five matches on Sunday to earn the championship at Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami.
Kiraly said he was pleased with his team's performance, especially considering that he didn't get to practice much with Wong before the tournament. Kiraly leads the tournament with 73 digs and Wong is first with 24 blocks.
"Kevin lives in Hawaii in the offseason," said Kiraly, who is based in California and playing his last year on the tour. "He flew to the mainland less than two weeks ago. We probably got in four practices. So considering all that, I am happy with how we played."
Kiraly and Wong, seeded 10th, opened the double-elimination main draw by beating 23rd-seeded Mike Morrison and Ty Tramble, 27-25, 21-15.
But in the second round, they lost to seventh-seeded Casey "The Kid" Jennings and Mark Williams, 22-20, 17-21, 17-15. Jennings is married to Olympic gold medalist and top women's seed Kerri Walsh. Williams, a native of Australia, trained with Kiraly for three months this summer before forming a new partnership with Jennings.
"We kind of let Williams and Casey Jennings off the hook a little bit," Kiraly said. "We really should have beaten them. That made our work harder today."
No worries, though. Kiraly-Wong rallied by knocking out 24th-seeded A.J. Mihalic and Billy Allen, 21-11, 21-18, and then eliminated 16th-seeded Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 21-16, 20-22, 15-12.
In their final match of the day, Kiraly and Wong sent another team packing -- 12th-seeded Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman, 21-15, 20-22, 15-12. The loss in such a close struggle was tough to take for Ceman and Baxter.
"Obviously, I am not happy about the match," Baxter said. "I think we should have won. We had some chances that we just didn't make. As far as them winning it all, they are going to have to play pretty darn good."
Kiraly realizes that. He and Wong will play Sunday at 8 a.m. against eighth-seeded John "The H Bomb" Hyden -- a two-time Olympian -- and George Roumain, the 2004 AVP Rookie of the Year.
If Kiraly and Wong beat them, they could get a rematch with Jennings-Williams before crossing over to the winner's bracket.
"There are a lot of really, really good teams left," Kiraly said. "The top teams are still mostly undefeated in the winner's bracket. But we feel good. Kevin was awesome today. He was a stud, blocking everything."
Asked how he will prepare for Sunday, Kiraly said he had a plan.
"My sister is picking up food, and we are just going to eat outside by the pool at our hotel and go right to bed," Kiraly said. "I am exhausted. We got a great workout today."

Several squads surprise on Saturday
PB and J Time partners face each other
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
April Ross got a big surprise right before the season started, and it wasn't a pleasant one.
"My [off-season] was really good until about a week ago," Ross said on March 29. "Nancy [Mason] just figured out that she had an injury that she had to take care of. She had an MRI and didn't see it before, so now she has to fix it. I'm trying to find someone to play with in these first two tournaments."
Luckily for Ross, Mason's former partner, Jennifer Boss, faced a similar situation. Boss thought she would be starting the season with Keao Burdine, but Burdine, playing professionally in Puerto Rico, hadn't returned from her season in time for the AVP tour stop in Miami. Ross and Boss found each other, got some practice in and came in to Miami as the 11th seed and ready to play.
After a smooth match against Floridian qualifiers Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney (21-12, 21-16) in the first round, Boss and Ross -- the 2006 co-Rookie of the Year -- earned a matchup with Logan Tom -- the other 2006 co-Rookie of the Year -- and partner Holly McPeak, the all-time winningest woman on the beach. But facing off against credentials like those didn't intimidate the new partners. Boss and Ross took the match in two games (21-19, 21-14).
Ross and Boss' success landed them in a college-rivalry matchup with UCLA grads Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan. The former Bruins handed the former Trojans their first game loss of the day, but Ross and Boss battled back, taking the next two games, 21-18, 15-10.
Ross and Boss hope to continue their winning streak against second-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh on Sunday morning.
Also on the women's side, 12th-seeded Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson handed a surprising defeat to fifth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbara Fontana (26-24, 19-21, 15-12) in the second round. When Akers and Hanson kicked off their third round battle with fourth-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, it looked as if the upset streak might continue. Akers and Hanson won the first game, 21-16. Turner and Wacholder stormed back, however, and took the next two games (21-16, 19-17) to advance in the Winners Bracket.
Akers and Hanson defeated Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima in the Contenders Bracket and will play Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua tomorrow.
Former partners Cemen and Olson square off: With 70 percent of the teams on the men's side playing together for the first time, former partners were bound to play against each other. But for Canyon Ceman and Matt Olson, who together notched a fifth-place finish in Chicago last year, a Winners Bracket matchup seemed unlikely. Both men would need two straight victories -- including one upset apiece -- with their new partners.
Neither team breezed through its first-round match. Twelfth-seeded Ceman and partner Paul Baxter dropped their first game to qualifiers Mike DiPierro and Ran Kumgisky, but won two straight (21-16, 19-17) to move on and play fifth-seeded Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard.
Olson and Jason Ring, the 13th seeded squad, also needed three games to defeat their first-round opponents, qualifiers Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge (21-19, 16-21, 15-9). Next up for Olson and Ring were fourth-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. The underdogs were again victorious, defeating the higher-seeded opponents in a two-game sweep to set up the former-partner showdown.
The parallel journeys had to end when Olson and Ceman faced each other. The lower-seeded Olson and Ring came away with their second-straight upset (21-17, 21-14). They will continue play on Sunday in the Winners Bracket against Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger. The winner will advance to the semifinals.
In another former partner matchup, ninth-seeded Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong were pitted against Stolfus's former partner and the other half of last year's Peanut Butter Jelly Time craze, Aaron Wachtfogel, and his new teammate Austin Rester.
Wachtfogel and Rester fell in the next round to sixth-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza and earned a ninth-place finish for the day.

Kiraly survives match and thrives on tour
By MANNY NAVARRO
mnavarro@MiamiHerald.com
Andrew Uloza / For the Miami Herald
Karch Kiraly, three-time Olympic gold medalist, plays during the professional beach volleyball AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open on Saturday, April 14, 2007.
AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open results
For the past 28 years, he has kissed his wife Janna good-bye in the morning and headed for work with a pair of trunks and sandals on and a bottle of sunscreen in his hand.
Karch Kiraly has made the beach his office longer than anyone else in his sport. And along the way, he's won more tournaments (148), more Olympic gold medals (3) and made more money ($3 million in career earnings) than anybody in volleyball.
So, why in the world at age 46 is he still playing in pro events like this weekend's AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park against players half his age? Aside from trying to win some more, Kiraly said he's trying to prove athletes can age gracefully and still win without cheating or using performance enhancing drugs.
''I'm not necessarily in the camp where you retire at the top -- I want to push the envelope,'' Kiraly said.
``I'm certainly not the same player I was 10 years ago, I'm not jumping as high. I'm not able to hit those, radical, straight-down shots like I used to . . . but I'm all right with that. I don't want to take human growth hormones or do all the other steroids that are out there. I want people to see an athlete can age reasonably gracefully and not resort to cheating to do it.''
On Saturday, on the first day of the main draw, the only time Kiraly showed he was still human was when he ducked out of the South Florida heat for some shade and water. He and his signature pink hat -- the same one he began wearing during a record 13-tournament winning streak in 1992 with then teammate Kent Steffes -- went through more than three gallons of water, either drinking or dousing himself with it, in each of his five matches.
At the end of his the day, Kiraly and new teammate Kevin Wong, the 10th seeded men's team, staved off elimination by beating Paul Baxter and Kenyan Ceman 21-15, 20-22, 15-12 for the fourth victory in a 11-hours worth of sweat and grit.
Win or lose today, Kiraly will stick around today to watch what has now become the biggest attraction on the tour -- the top women's team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who won gold in the last Olympics and made news Saturday when they actually dropped a set to Katie and Tracy Lindquist in the second round.
The four-time defending women's champs are expected to play in today's women's final, which follows the men's final at 2:30 p.m. Kiraly isn't expected to get to the men's final or past the current crop of top men's teams. But that doesn't mean the fire is gone -- or his love for hecklers and rowdy fans.
''I'd love to win another one,'' Kiraly said. ``and push that record for oldest champ back a few more years.''
It's been nearly two years since Kiraly last won an event, when he and former teammate Mike Lambert won at Huntington Beach, Calif., in July 2005. After this weekend, he'll play in 10 more AVP events, hoping to push the record for oldest player to win a tournament from 44 to 46.
And while three shoulder surgeries and knee trouble last year have slowed him down considerably, that doesn't mean his friends aren't rooting to see one last victory from him.
''He is one in a million,'' Walsh said. ``I don't think they'll ever be another Karch Kiraly.''
Many players, including Jake Gibb say they too are enthralled by the Kiraly phenomenon, often going to watch him play between their own matches.
''I look at him as a volleyball god,'' Gibb said. ``What he still does to this day at 45 -- he's still balling.
``I'll go over and watch his match when I don't have a match going just to get my final glimpses of him to learn one final thing we should all learn from the guy we should all be learning from.''
Kiraly said he has learned a lot as his body has begun to grow older. He admits his famed 41-inch vertical is long gone and said he hasn't bothered to check what it is now out of fear it will depress him. But with time, he says, he's learned how to win with smarts.
''It was natural for Michael Jordan to get old, and I admired him aging, becoming a little less explosive, but still being a great player,'' Kiraly said.
``I don't mind it if people say Karch isn't the same player. But can I still win? There is something to be said when you struggle to win when your incapacitated.''
Kiraly showed that three seasons ago when when at age 43 he and Mike Lambert teammed up to with the AVP tour title -- even with Kiraly playing the final stretch of the season with a separated shoulder and unable to leap up for spikes or blocks.
'I never would have thought six years later, six years after being were saying `Karch is done,' to be back on top,'' Kiraly said. ``I'm proud of that accomplishment. To win a tournament with no shoulder and everybody knowing it in the stadium, including my opponents is amazing and that's nothing to be embarrassed about.''
``To be honest, all of this has been icing on the cake. It could have easily been over 10 years ago. That's why it is really not that hard to know that this is my final year when I got 10 extra years I wasn't at all sure I would be able to get.''
The only thing Kiraly gets embarrassed about is flaunting his victories. His three gold medals -- two won with the U.S. team indoors in 1984 and 1988 -- are tucked away in a drawer in his home along with the three national championship rings he won at UCLA.
The game has changed plenty since Kiraly played in the first professional U.S. event on Huntington Beach with his high school coach in 1978. When he started playing, beach volleyball was a defensive game and players were not allowed to cross the net with their hands. In the time since, bigger players have entered, blocks, spikes and jump serves have thrilled fans, the court has shrunk by 20 percent and men and women are finally playing together on the same tour.
''Other than that,'' Kiraly joked. ``Nothing has really changed. It's the same game.''
After his pro career is over, Kiraly said he wants to spend more time with his two boys, 16-year-old Krisitian and 15-year-old Kory, who recently picked up the sport and began playing it in high school.
In addition to coaching his kids, Kiraly will launch his own volleyball academy, which will feature a pair of five-day camps for high school girls as well a grassroots tournament for amateurs in Huntington.
As for the AVP Tour, he said he hopes it will continue to expand. He hopes the next step is to include more international players, who currently play in Europe, and the growth of a feeder tour. He said he'd also like to see the sport highlighted on ESPN's SportsCenter, something that rarely happens right now.
While he says the AVP has not spoken with him about having an official role with the tour once he retires, he says if a job were to arise he would seriously consider it.
''I wanted to remembered as a guy who played at a really high level for a long time and really cared about what he was doing,'' Kiraly said. ``And loved what he was doing.''

Roumain reaches fourth round
By Sharon Robb
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 15 2007
George Roumain of Calabasas, Calif., is the only player with local connections remaining in today's $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Open at Bicentennial Park in Miami.
The former St. Thomas Aquinas and Douglas player and his new partner John Hyden of Sherman Oaks, Calif. will play volleyball legend Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong in today's fourth round of the contender's bracket at 8 a.m.
LocalLinks
Roumain and Hyden, the No. 8 seeds, gave top seeds Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger their toughest match Saturday before losing 21-19, 17-21, 15-12 in 1 hour and 12 minutes.
Former Western High player Nick Lucena of Davie and Will Strickland lost their second-round contender's bracket game to Kiraly and Wong 21-16, 20-22, 15-12 and split $1,700.
The only local qualifier -- Mike DiPierro of Pompano Beach -- and Ran Kumgisky of Santa Monica, Calif., lost to No. 12 seeds Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman 18-21, 21-16, 19-17 in 1:07 in their first round and Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt 21-17, 21-17 in their final match. They split $800.
The top-seeded women's team of Misty May-Treanor of Coral Springs and Kerri Walsh also advanced and will face No. 4 seed Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder today.

Locals advance
VOLLEYBALL: May now in fourth round, as is Ross, Gibb and Lambert in AVP opener.
MIAMI — Newport Harbor High graduates Misty May-Treanor and April Ross both advanced to the winner's bracket fourth round of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open on Saturday.
Costa Mesa residents Mike Lambert and Jake Gibb are also in today's championship fourth round of the AVP Tour-opening event.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the 2006 AVP women's Team of the Year and No. 1 seed, defeated No. 16 seed Katie and Tracy Lindquist, 21-15, 24-26, 15-10 in their first match of the day. They then topped No. 8 seed Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton, 21-17, 21-17.
May-Treanor and Walsh will face No. 4-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder today to try to advance to the semifinals.
Ross and teammate Jennifer Boss, seeded No. 11, topped Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, 21-12, 21-16. Ross and Boss then upset Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, the No. 6 seed, 21-18 and 21-14 in the second round.
They will play second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in another winner's bracket fourth-round match.
Lambert is again teamed with Stein Metzger. The men's No.1-seeded team, also the 2006 AVP men's Team of the Year, swept No. 17 Brad Keenan and John Mayer, 21-17, 21-10 and squeaked by No. 8 seed John Hyden and George Roumain, 21-19, 17-21, 15-12. Lambert and Metzger will play No. 13 seed Matt Olson and Jason Ring today.
Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, the No. 3 seed, got by 19th-seeded Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola, 21-16, 21-16, in their first match Saturday. They then came from behind for a win over No. 6 Anthony Medel of Costa Mesa and Fred Souza, 19-21, 21-14, 15-10. Gibb and Rosenthal play No. 2-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers today.
Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, the No. 4 seed, were beaten by No. 13 seed Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 21-14, 26-24, in the winner's bracket second round. They are out of the tournament, splitting $1,700 and finishing 13th after then losing a contender's bracket match to No. 5 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nyguard, 17-21, 21-18, 15-12.
Ty Tramblie of Newport Beach and partner Mike Morrison finished in 17th place after losing a contender's bracket first-round match. Ty Loomis of Newport Beach, the No. 15 seed along with Brent Doble, also finish 17th, splitting $800. Janelle Ruen of Newport Beach, the No. 17 seed along with Jennifer Snyder, also finished 17th.

Jordan's strength
AVP pro counts loved ones as biggest fans
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
MIAMI - Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis were eliminated Sunday from the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open at Bicentennial Park. But Davis said she can deal with the loss for two main reasons:
Son Mya, 5, and daughter Victoria, 1.
"I'm over (the loss)" Davis said, minutes after Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea advanced to the contender's final with a 21-13, 23-21 win. "It's great to know I can call home (to Valencia, Calif.) and get love and support from my husband, my kids and my entire family. Plus, there is another tournament next week."
Jordan, the more emotional and vocal of the two long-time teammates, agrees with Davis.
"There is more to life than volleyball," said Jordan, who has a daughter Jaylen, 5, and a son Kory, 1. "I love volleyball, but family is the most important thing for me."
And what a family it is. Jordan's father, Rafer Johnson, was an Olympic decathlon star. He won a silver medal at the 1956 Games in Melbourne and a gold at the 1960 Games in Rome.
Jordan, 33, has a younger brother, Josh, who was a Pac-10 champion in the javelin. And her husband, Kevin Jordan, was a wide receiver for UCLA and played three years in the NFL.
Davis also comes from an athletic family. Her father, Cleveland Buckner, was a 6-9 center who came off the bench and tried to guard legendary 7-footer Wilt Chamberlain on the night he set the NBA's single-game scoring record with 100 points.
"In the end, my dad was guarding him," Davis said. "The guy who was guarding Wilt most of the game fouled out. My dad said the hoop was big for everyone that night because he averaged, I think, 11 points for the season, and that night he scored 35. So it was a huge night for him as well."
Her husband is also a former star athlete. Byron Davis was a 12-time All-American swimmer at UCLA, specializing in the butterfly. In 1996, he came within three-tenths of a second of becoming the first black swimmer to make a U.S. Olympic team.
While Byron Davis came up just short of Olympic glory, his wife and Jordan made the 2000 Games in Sydney.
They finished fifth, which both rank as their career highlight - which is saying something since they also ended the record 89-match win streak of Olympic champs Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
"Beating Kerri and Misty was great because no U.S. team had beaten them until that point," Davis said. "It was great to show that they are human, and it can happen. We definitely felt, especially at that time (2004), that out of all the teams out there, that we should beat them. We are a physical team, and I think we matched up well with them."
Still, though, the Olympic experience was No. 1.
"As great as it was, I don't look at beating Kerri and Misty as our top accomplishment," Davis said. "I think how we had to go to make the 2000 Olympics - that whole road - was probably our greatest feat.
"We had never played beach volleyball before. Here we were, two girls who didn't play beach growing up, and there we were in the Olympics."
They had indeed come a long way since growing up in Southern California as rivals at different high schools and club teams.
"We didn't like each other back then," Davis said with a laugh.
That all changed when they both showed up at UCLA as freshmen on volleyball scholarships. Neither knew the other was being recruited by the Bruins - this was pre-Internet - until the first day of practice.
"By our sophomore years," Davis said, "we chose each other as roommates, and we have been together ever since. Our husbands are best friends, and we are godparents to each other's children. I can't even imagine playing with another partner."
Just as the teenage Davis would have never imagined having a decades-long friendship with her then-rival Jordan, the two never pictured themselves playing on the beach.
"It's probably cultural," Davis said when asked why more black women don't play the beach game. "I know, for me, I hated the sand. That was one thing I had to get used to. I used to wipe off the sand as soon as I got it on me.
"Plus, growing up, you would never see me hanging out at the beach. Why would I lay out on the beach for? Water? We don't like to get our hair wet. But I have gotten used to all that, rolling around on the sand and stuff."
Davis said she sees great support on the tour for herself and Jordan.
"When we go to different cities, I see African Americans and other people of color cheering for us," Davis said. "So I hope we are having an impact. We like to show that there are other options for women besides basketball and track."

Superpower falls in semis
Superpower team loses in semifinal
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh tasted something they don't very often -- defeat -- and it came at a point even more rare: in a semi-final.
The combo of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh powered their way to a relatively easy, 21-19, 21-19 victory over the top seed at the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open on Sunday and earned a berth in the finals against Jennifer Boss and April Ross.
It was only second time in 46 AVP matches that the pair of Walsh and May-Treanor has not reached the final. The last time was the Manhattan Beach Open in 2004.
With a tornado watch in effect, the winds blew hard throughout the match and it seemed to power Branagh and Youngs as well. Play was never halted and Branagh had a kill shot to the back line for match point in Game 1 and then Walsh hit long on the ensuing point as she and May-Treanor went one down.
Branagh and Youngs then led much of the second game but May-Treanor and Walsh fought back and led by two late in the game as Walsh powered a shot past Branagh for a 17-15 advantage.
May-Treanor could not return serve to give Branagh and Youngs match point, 18-20, but her kill in the corner on the next point to side out kept it close at 19-20. Walsh then served but committed a net violation on the block. Game and match went to Branagh and Youngs.
Ross and Boss were 21-14, 21-19 winners over Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana to advance to the final.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Notes: Wong accepts role
Happy to play second fiddle to Kiraly
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- Every team sport has that less than glamorous role, and Kevin Wong says he will learn to like his.
"You don't think so much -- you're just the big idiot, the big goon," the self-effacing Wong said about his main job as blocker with new partner Karch Kiraly. "You're more like the Shaquille O'Neal, who just gets out there and bangs and doesn't make the finesse shots."
Not that intelligence is a factor. Wong, a former All-America from UCLA, scored a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT. But playing with Kiraly requires an element of specialization, and Wong said they blended their talents quickly this weekend's event, their first tournament together.
"It's always been two kinda big guys that hit their jump serve hard," the 2000 Olympian of his previous partners. "Karch is a defensive guy so it makes me go up to the net every time. It's just about getting used to that whole mentality and working hard."
Wong gave most of the credit to their strong showing to Kiraly.
"He makes his partners play really well," Wong said. "He puts the ball right on your hands, right where you expect it to be and you really just rely on and depend on his ball control."
Trends: Kiraly finished fifth here this weekend, the same slot he placed in the season opener last year in Fort Lauderdale. He also took a strikingly similar route.
In 2006, seeded fourth and paired with Larry Witt, Kiraly won his first match but lost the second and was dropped into the contender's bracket. From there, he and Witt reeled off four straight wins before dropping a match to Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana.
This year, Kiraly and Wong won their first match as the 10th seed but dropped their second. Again in the contender's bracket, Kiraly won four matches as he and Wong survived three games in three of them, but they were eliminated by the team of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 13-21, 16-21.
"I think we kind of hit the wall a little bit. I don't know if that was mentally or physically," Wong said. "We're a strong passing team but that is what kind of led to our downfall a little bit. But Rosie and Gibb were serving really tough."
Wishful thinking: During the second game of their match Sunday, Mike Lambert shouted to Matt Olson and Jason Ring: "No more lucky breaks, you guys! They're all coming our way."
Lambert and partner Stein Metzger were down a game and were looking at a 15-17 deficit at the time but Olson and Ring held on and pulled out an 18-21 game two victory.
Lucky 13: Olson and Ring were seeded 13th in the tournament and enjoyed some upsets along the way. The lowest seed to advance to the semis since 2005, Olson and Ring took out the No. 4 seed of Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, and then Lambert and Metzger to advance out of the winner's bracket.
But they lost the semifinal to Gibb and Rosenthal, 21-18, 21-15, to finish third.
Home cooking: Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh suffered a rare semifinal loss Sunday, only the second time in 46 AVP matches together when they haven't at least reached the final.
But May-Treanor, who lives in Florida during the offseason with husband and Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor, still enjoyed playing near home.
"If we could have the whole tour in Florida, I'd love it," May-Treanor said. "It's nice, maybe I could catch more games when my husband was playing. I love Florida and I'm very excited because later we're coming to Tampa."
Cut shots: The top three teams of last year's AVP standings all advanced to the final four in Miami: Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers, Gibb/Rosenthal and Metzger/Lambert. ... Jennifer Boss and April Ross, a 10 seed that played in the final, are the lowest seed to reach the semifinals since Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis at Huntington Beach in 2002. ... May-Treanor had their 39-match winning streak snapped.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour moves to Dallas, where qualifying begins for the four-day event Thursday, April 19. After a week break, the tour will stage its first event in California with the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open, May 3-6.

Dalhausser, Rogers extend streak
Down Gibb, Rosenthal in Miami final
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
MIAMI -- By the end of the men's championship match, someone would be looking at a three-peat. Jake Gibb and partner Sean Rosenthal wanted to continue Gibb's two-year winning streak in AVP openers, but Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won the last two events of last season. The third time would not be a charm for one of them.
By midway through the first game, it was anyone's guess as to whose streak would end. Although Gibb and Rosie led through the first part of the game, Rogers and Dalhausser would not go away. The teams swapped points until Rogers and Dalhausser caught up and tied it at 10.
After their 10th point, Dalhausser's serve trickled over the net, turned the tide and kicked off a 9-3 run. The University of Central Florida product and Rogers took the game, 21-14.
The second game looked a lot like the first. Gibb and Rosenthal again snagged a quick lead. But after Dalhausser and Rogers took a 4-3 lead, the two teams went point-for-point on the next 13 plays. An unbelievable rally, featuring digs by both Rogers and Dalhausser, left Dalhausser with a sandy bald head but ended the string of alternating points. Dalhausser and Rogers pulled away, and even a 5-2 run by Rosenthal and Gibb at the end of the second game wasn't enough to stop Rogers and Dalhausser from winning their third straight tournament.
Road to the championship: The finals offered an opportunity of a rematch for Gibb/Rosenthal. The No. 3 seed faced Dalhausser/Rogers in the fourth round but saw Dalhausser and Rogers cruised through the first game Sunda,21-11. The second game was a different story. Gibb and Rosenthal eventually fell to the contender's bracket after a marathon match with Dalhausser and Rogers ended at 33-31.
To get to the semifinals, Gibb and Rosenthal had to oust the winningest player of all time, Karch Kiraly, and his partner Kevin Wong.
Dalhausser, the reigning best Offensive Player of the AVP and Rogers, the reigning Best Defensive Player, had a relatively smooth trip to the semifinals. They swept Brent Doble and Ty Loomis, dropped the second game to Casey Jennings and Mark Williams but came back and won the third. They then scored a victory over Gibb and Rosenthal.
Semifinals : In the semifinals, Dalhausser and Rogers faced the No. 1 seeded duo of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert. Dalhausser and Rogers pulled out to an early 10-4 lead and never looked back, winning, 21-15. In the second game, Metzger and Lambert turned the tables. The Crocs Cup champions stayed ahead early by as many as three, but after an amazing dig by Rogers and a Dalhausser block tied the game at 9, Lambert and Metzger never regained the lead.
Gibb and Rosenthal faced No. 13 Matt Olson and Jason Ring, the Cinderella team on the men's side, for a chance to advance to the finals. Gibb and Rosenthal never trailed, but they also never never led by more than three points until the final point and won, 21-17. Last year's Tempe Open champions never let Olson and Ring in the second game and led by as much as nine in the match. Gibb and Rosenthal advanced to the finals on a 21-14 score.
Dalhausser and Rogers look to make it four in a row in Dallas next weekend.

Miami's Ultimate Guy and Girl crowned
National final held in Las Vegas in Sept.
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
MIAMI - Vegas, baby, Vegas!
Veronica Trollerud and Paul Christopher are going to Sin City - all expenses paid - after winning the Cuervo Ultimate Girl and Guy contest Sunday at Bicentennial Park. The contest was held in conjunction with the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
The same contest will be held at each of the next 15 AVP tournaments at cities throughout the United States. In the end, the 32 winners plus two more who will be determined online - go to www.avp.com/cuervo to enter - will be invited to Las Vegas for the pro beach volleyball tournament that will be held Sept. 6-8 at Caesar's Palace.
The Cuervo Ultimate Girl and Guy final will also be held that weekend in Vegas, and the winners will get a spread in Cosmo (male) and Maxim (female). All winners are determined by fans texting from their cell phones.
Scott Geisler, the director of marketing for Cuervo, said that this is the first year his company has held the contest.
"The AVP came to us with this idea for the contest because it sort of fits the Cuervo brand image," Geisler said. "It's really about connecting the two brands - AVP and Cuervo.
"We're sending the message out about having fun, on the beach, the lifestyle; Cuervo fits that scenario really well. We just want everyone to be sensible when they are out partying - be responsible."
Cuervo said the contest is lighthearted.
"It's all tongue in cheek," Geisler said. "If you are a guy or a girl - we are not doing pets - and if you like to have fun on the beach, then come on out. You have to be good looking - sure. But you also need to have some sense of what the volleyball lifestyle is all about."
Trollerud, a 5-foot-6, 115-pounder and a Miami resident, certainly fits that requirement. She is an athletic-looking 25-year-old blonde from Norway who also has Colombian ancestry on her mother's side.
"I've been to Vegas before," said Trollerud, who is a model, owns an event agency and is studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine. "But I can't wait to go back. I am really looking forward to going again."
Christopher, 30, is a 5-10, 170-pound personal trainer from Deerfield Beach, Fl. When asked to do some simple push-ups during the stage portion of Sunday's contest, he impressed the crowd by using only one hand and twisting his body around.
"I showed some creativity with my 'core stability push-ups'," said Christopher, who beat a much larger guy to win the contest. "I didn't think I had a chance in heck in winning. My opponent was quite the Adonis. But David has beaten Goliath!"

Branagh, Youngs take title
Rare final without May-Treanor, Walsh
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
MIAMI -- There is a first time for everything, and for Nicole Branagh, who partnered with Elaine Youngs, that first was a win.
It was the initial AVP title for Branagh and 36th for Youngs, a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Jennifer Boss and April Ross on Sunday at the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, an achievement worth $20,000 to the winners.
"It is incredible," Branagh said. "I can't say enough about my partner, though. E.Y. served incredibly today to make my job easier."
A steady rain fell throughout the final and grew heavy in the second game as part of a storm system that brought high winds and a tornado watch to the area. Play was never halted.
In the men's final, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser continued their dominance with a win over Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. The pair won eight times last season.
The shock of the tournament came in the semifinals, though, where Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were unseated by Youngs and Branagh in a relatively easy, 21-19, 21-19 victory.
It was only second time in 46 AVP matches that the pair of Walsh and May-Treanor has not reached the final. The last time was the Manhattan Beach Open in 2004.
"It feels like it's been that long," Walsh said. "It feels that heavy right now."
The weather and stout winds seemed to power Branagh and Youngs all day.
Playing from behind for much of the first game of the women's final, Youngs and Branagh finally caught Boss and Ross at 15 after four unanswered points. Spirited rallies at one point featured four straight kills, two from each team. After tying the game at 15, a Branagh winner and a Branagh block built a 17-15 advantage.
A block by Boss evened the score at 17 but Branagh and Youngs reached match point on consecutive kills, first by Branagh and then by Youngs. Ross/Boss pulled within a point but Branagh put away the game-winner with a kill to go one up in the match.
Youngs' experience began to show in the second game and she and Branagh began to exert their control.
Ross and Boss caught them at 12 with a Boss kill and took a 14-13 lead with another kill by Boss. But Branagh and Youngs then ran off seven straight points with a Branagh putaway and then a block for match point at 20-14.
After a Ross kill, Branagh put away match point to claim the title.
"EY was the difference," Ross said. "She's won 35 tournaments."
It was the latest of wins for Branagh and Youngs on the day.
In Game 1 of their semifinal match with May-Treanor and Walsh, Branagh had a kill shot to the back line for match point in Game 1 and then Walsh hit long on the ensuing point as she and May-Treanor went one down.
Branagh and Youngs then led much of the second game but May-Treanor and Walsh fought back and led by two late in the game as Walsh powered a shot past Branagh for a 17-15 advantage.
May-Treanor could not return serve to give Branagh and Youngs a match point at 18-20, but her kill in the corner on the next point to side out kept it close at 19-20. Walsh then served but committed a net violation on the block. Game and match went to Branagh and Youngs. Both of Youngs' titles were against May-Treanor and Walsh last season.
"I think they served pretty tough and used the wind to their advantage, but no, it was me," Walsh said. "I wasn't really too sharp there and when you make a mistake you want to fix it right away, and that's not how it happens."
May-Treanor came into the season opener with the Holly McPeak's record of 72 individual titles within reach. Sitting on 69, May-Treanor was in a good position to break the mark early in the year, especially since she and Walsh have opened each of the last four seasons with at least four victories.
Now they're looking to regroup.
"It's the first event, and we have a long way to go and we get to play next weekend," Walsh said. "I kind of got in my own way and I didn't want to make a mistake and you can't play like that. Michael Jordan always wants the ball. He would shoot himself out of a slump and that's what I've got to do."
Youngs has no doubt they'll emerge from the defeat hungry.
"I've got to win a lot more to have their number," Youngs said. "I've probably got the most second place finishes against them. What it boils down to is taking care of our side of the net. I expect them to be ticked off in Dallas."
To reach the other side of the final Ross and Boss used a two-game, 21-14, 21-19, victory over Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana.
May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to the semi-final with a 21-15, 21-15 victory over Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. After falling to the contender's bracket with their early morning loss to Boss and Ross, Branagh and Youngs turned out a 21-11, 21-16 victory over Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson to reach the semis and ultimately a berth in the finals.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

May-Treanor nears McPeak's record
Semifinal loss in Miami keeps her at 69
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
MIAMI -- At 69 all-time beach volleyball titles, Misty May-Treanor is only four away from surpassing Holly McPeak's record of 72.
And one tournament into the 2007 season with a third-place finish under her belt, May-Treanor says that is the last thing on her mind right now.
"You know if I never make it, it's like the last thought going through my head," said May-Treanor. "You know you just wanna see people doing well across the board and when Kerri and I are done playing and some of the older players are done playing, you want the younger players to keep the sport alive."
Her egalitarian approach to the young season has a lot to do with the shakeups and upsets across the brackets in the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open in Miami, Fla., last weekend -- Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh's win to send May-Treanor and Walsh packing in the semifinals. (21-19, 21-19).
On the other side of the bracket, No. 11 April Ross and Jennifer Boss shrugged off the higher-seeded competition as the only undefeated team on the women's side until the finals. In Miami, they finished second at the hands of Youngs and Branagh 21-19 and 21-15 in their first championship round together -- the first time a team seeded lower than 10th made it to the finals since 2001.
And the former USC Trojans were not a planned pair for the 2007 season, but thanks to injuries and international play, Boss and Ross seemed to have found quite the winning competition early in the season. And it probably doesn't hurt that they trained against May-Treanor and Walsh before this tournament.
"We practiced against Jen and April, and I think they're a great team," said May-Treanor. "I mean I don't know what's going to happen in tournaments to come, because I know they're waiting for different players to come back, but I think they're a very good team and they're getting better."
On Saturday, Boss and Ross sent Youngs and Branagh to the contender's bracket, but as chance would have it, the two faced off hungry for either vengeance or respect in the final round. Vengeance turned out to be the name of the game as Youngs / Branagh, Boss / Ross and May-Treanor / Walsh were the only three women's teams to lose one match.
Even before a premature dropoff for the No. 1 seed, Youngs shares May-Treanor's selfless vision of the tour this year, as epitomized by the final results in Miami.
"I equate [Misty] to Karch in the women's game she's just got the whole package," Youngs said. "And I think it's great, I mean Holly's held [the record] for a long time and it's an amazing feat given her height and everything else. And I think it's great for beach volleyball, giving it a lot of attention and she's gonna top that a whole lot longer. It's a great achievement and â€¦ I just have a ton of respect."
While May-Treanor is not thinking too hard about her own individual record on the AVP Crocs Tour, she is focusing on the long-term goal of entering the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Part of her training for the rest of the AVP season and the Olympic Trials took place in the off-season, when she and Walsh signed on a new coach to help with their rhythm.
"That's our biggest goal, and these are little steps along the way just to get better and improve upon, but you know, obviously we want another gold medal," May-Treanor said.
Even though May-Treanor is not thinking about her win total in the front of her mind, there's someone else who is. Youngs promises to be working hard all season long to hold her off for a little bit longer, as she did in the semi-finals on Sunday.
"I think in general we're gonna be there every weekend -- I expect to be challenging all of the teams," Youngs said. "But Kerri and Misty are gonna have their work cut out for them this year -- it's not going to be enough for them to walk through people. â€¦ But yeah, of course, I'd like her to hold off, but it's inevitable."
If May-Treanor and Walsh continue to play the way they have been, only missing one championship round since the 2004 Manhattan Beach Open, there is no reason why she should not reach 73 titles well before her 30th birthday in July.
Youngs and Branagh, however, will be there challenging that run.
"It's finally our time!" she screamed to a group of her cheering fans after gaining entry into the semifinal round on Sunday morning.

Lambert, Metzger tie for 3rd in beach volleyball event
Advertiser Staff
Punahou School alums Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger lost in the semifinals of the $200,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open today.
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, seeded second, ousted the top-seeded duo of Lambert and Metzger, 21-14, 21-19. Lambert and Metzger earned $9,500 for finishing in a tie for third.
Dalhausser and Rogers beat third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 21-14, 21-18, for the championship and the $20,000 winners' prize. Gibb and Rosenthal beat Matt Olson and former Rainbow Jason Ring, 21-18, 21-15, to reach the final.

May-Treanor, Walsh look for revenge
Kiraly makes final competitive trip to Texas
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
As hard as it may be to believe, the last time an AVP event was in Dallas, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were just gleams in the AVP's eye. Plenty has changed since 1998, and May-Treanor and Walsh have now firmly established themselves as the top team on tour.
May-Treanor and Walsh now have a score to settle as they head to Texas. The two fell to eventual champions Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the Miami Open semifinal Sunday. This loss marked the first time since 2004 that the Olympians didn't make it to the last game.
May-Treanor and Walsh are notorious for playing with a vengeance after not making -- or losing -- a final game. Women's teams should be on the lookout for May-Treanor and Walsh to come back swinging.
Another source of competition that will garner attention is the combination of April Ross and Jennifer Boss. Ross and Boss are a makeshift partnership of sorts. Ross's original partner, Nancy Mason, suffered an injury, and Boss's original partner, Keao Burdine, is finishing out her season in Puerto Rico. If Burdine and Mason do return, will Boss and Ross go back to their original game plans, even after their successful performance together?
The top three teams on tour -- Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert, Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser and Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal -- proved why belonged at the top and why they, unlike the majority of the teams on tour, chose to keep their teams intact.
All four top-seeded teams made semifinals for only the 11th time since 2001, with Dalhausser and Rogers eventually taking the title. Look for Rogers to try and use his experience to make him the wiser in Dallas. When the event last came around in 1998, Rogers lost in the finals.
On the men's side, expect the new teams to try to make up for their lack of familiarity with their partners on the court as soon as possible to end the domination of returning partnerships.
Karch Kiraly will be a face to watch in Dallas. He and partner Kevin Wong recorded a 5th place finish in Miami, the first open of his last season playing on the AVP tour.
Kiraly scored back-to-back wins in Dallas and hopes to add another in his last competitive trip to the Texas city.

Ross bested in women's final
VOLLEYBALL: Newport Harbor product, partner settle for second in AVP opener. May-Treanor, Walsh fall in semifinals.
MIAMI — A Newport Harbor High product reached the women's final of the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open — the opener of the 2007 Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour on Sunday — but it might not be the one most people expected.
Former Sailors' star April Ross, the AVP Rookie of the Year last season when she finished no higher than ninth place, teamed with Jennifer Boss to reach the title match, before falling, 21-19, 21-15, to Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
Branagh and Youngs defeated Newport Harbor product Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 21-19, 21-19, in the semifinals earlier Sunday.
The semifinal loss broke a seven-tournament AVP winning streak for May-Treanor and Walsh, who won 36 straight matches to end the 2006 beach volleyball campaign. May-Treanor and Walsh, who have been named AVP Team of the Year the last four seasons, won 13 of 15 AVP tournaments last season.
Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb teamed with Sean Rosenthal to reach the men's final. But they lost, 21-14, 21-19, to Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, who shared the $20,000 first prize.
Costa Mesa resident Mike Lambert, who along with Stein Metzger was the No. 1 seeded team, lost to Dalhausser and Rogers, 21-14, 21-19, in the semifinals earlier Sunday. They shared $9.500.
Ross, who played with Keo Burdine last season, nearly equaled her AVP career earnings by collecting her half of the $15,000 runner-up purse. The 6-foot-1 Ross, 24, who earned national player of the year honors at Newport Harbor and USC, made $7,787.50 on the beach last season.
Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer and partner Sean Scott shared 13th place ($1,700), in the men's event, in which former Newport Harbor setter Ty Tramblie teamed with Mike Morrison to share 17th ($800).
The tour continues with the Dallas Open, another Cuervo Gold Crown event, Thursday through Sunday at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Branagh-Youngs duo take Miami Open
AVP: Tandem wins rare crown as No. 1 team ousted.
Article Launched: 04/15/2007 11:19:01 PM PDT
MIAMI - There is a first time for everything, and for Nicole Branagh, who partnered with Elaine Youngs, that first was a win.
It was the initial AVP title for Branagh and 36th for Youngs, a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Jennifer Boss and April Ross on Sunday at the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, an achievement worth $20,000 to the winners.
"It is incredible," Branagh said. "I can't say enough about my partner, though. E.Y. served incredibly today to make my job easier."
A steady rain fell throughout the final and grew heavy in the second game as part of a storm system that brought high winds and a tornado watch to the area. Play was never halted.
In the men's final, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser continued their dominance with a win over Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. The pair won eight times last season.
The shock of the tournament came in the semifinals, though, where Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were unseated by Youngs and Branagh in a relatively easy, 21-19, 21-19 victory.
It was only second time in 46 AVP matches that the pair of Walsh and May-Treanor has not reached the final. The last time was the Manhattan Beach Open in 2004.
"It feels like it's been that long," Walsh
said. "It feels that heavy right now."
May-Treanor came into the season opener with the Holly McPeak's record of 72 individual titles within reach.
- Courtesy AVP.com

Youngs, Branagh take women's Cuervo crown
By Sharon Robb
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 16 2007
After knocking off top-seeds Misty May-Treanor of Coral Springs and Kerri Walsh, the second-seeded team of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh went on to win their first title as a team Sunday at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown season-opener at windy Bicentennial Park in Miami.
Youngs and Branagh upended May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinal 21-19, 21-19 and defeated No. 11 seeds Jennifer Boss and April Ross in the final 21-19, 21-15.
LocalLinks
The win is Branagh's first in her pro career.
"I knew that we were going to be good, but I didn't know it would come this quickly," Youngs said. "We have a lot to live up to for the rest of the season."
In 46 AVP tournaments, May-Treanor and Walsh had missed only one final, their last loss coming in a semifinal in 2004.
In the men's final, University of Central Florida alum Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers defeated Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal 21-14, 21-18.
Former St. Thomas and Douglas player George Roumain and John Hyden got knocked out by Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong 14-21, 21-17, 15-13.

Volleyball: No. 2 seeds take Miami title
Click-2-Listen
By Andy Kent
Special to The Palm Beach Post
Monday, April 16, 2007
MIAMI — With winds swirling and rain coming down at Bicentennial Park, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers took a while to find their rhythm Sunday in the finale of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
Once they did, the No. 2 seeds couldn't be stopped on their way to a 21-14, 21-18 win over No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
"They started off hot or you could say we started off cold, whichever way you want to look at it, in the first and second game because we were down 3-0 both times," said Rogers. "We steadied out, we didn't charge back but we didn't give up a bunch of points and then found our rhythm."
On the women's side, Nicole Branagh teamed with Elaine Youngs to capture her first tour victory.
They beat top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in the semifinals, then disposed of No. 11 Jennifer Boss and April Moss 21-19, 21-15 in the final.
By defeating May-Traynor and Walsh, 21-19, 21-19, Branagh and Youngs, the No. 2 seeds, prevented them from reaching the finals for the first time since 2004.

April 19th-22nd, 2007 Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington,TX

Arlington Texas Rangers Ballpark

AVP Tour Event Coverage

Arlington Stadium Facts and Figures

Tenant: Texas Rangers
Capacity: 10,500 (original), 43,521 (final)
Surface: Grass
Cost: $1.9 Million, $19 Million (expansions)
Opened: April 21, 1972 (MLB)
Closed: October 3, 1993
Demolished: 1993
Dimensions: 330-L, 400-C, 330-R (original and final)
Architect: Unknown
Location: Center of parking lot of Six Flags bound by Stadium Drive, Randol Mill Rd., Pennant Rd., & I-30.

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

1901 Road to Six Flags
Arlington, TX 76011

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is located about 30 minutes west of Dallas on Interstate 30.

Click Here For Map

Directions:

FROM DALLAS
Alternative 1: I-30 west to Six Flags Drive exit. Continue on Six Flags Drive to Randol Mill Road, turn right and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 2: Highway 183 west to Highway 360 south. Exit Randol Mill Road, turn right (west) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 3: I-30 west to Ballpark Way exit. Go south (right) and proceed to parking lots.

FROM DFW AIRPORT
Alternative 1: Hwy. 360 south to Brown Blvd. exit. Go right (west) to Stadium Drive. Turn left (south) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 2: Hwy. 360 south to Lamar Blvd. exit. Go right (west) to Ballpark Way. Turn left (south) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 3: Hwy. 360 south to Division Street exit. Go right (west) to Stadium Drive. Turn right (north) on Stadium Drive and proceed to parking lots.

FROM FORT WORTH
Alternative 1: I-30 east to Nolan Ryan Expressway exit. Go south and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 2: I-30 east to Collins Street exit. Go south on Collins to Road to Six Flags. Turn left (east) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 3: I-30 east to Cooper street exit. Go south to Randol Mill Road. Turn left (east) and proceed to parking lots.

FROM IRVING AND MIDCITIES
Alternative 1: Hwy. 183 to FM 157 south. Continue on FM 157 (Collins Street) to Road to Six Flags. Turn left (east) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 2: Hwy. 183 to FM 157 south. Continue to FM 157(Collins Street) to Randol Mill Road. Turn left (east) and proceed to parking lots.

FROM SOUTH ARLINGTON
Alternative 1: Hwy. 360 north to Division Street. Go left (west) on Division to Stadium Drive. Turn right (north) and proceed to parking lots.

Alternative 2: Hwy. 360 north to Randol Mill Road exit. Turn left (west) on Randol Mill and proceed to parking lots.

Past History Of The AVP's Last Event In Dallas,Texas:

June 05th-06th,1999 $75,000 AVP Sunkist Tournament of Champions at West End(Dallas, TX)
West End

13th- Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark $ 1,025

Friederischson and Boldt played very well and sent Boulliane and Clark
home after they had survived a Bye in the first round.
Frederichson/Boldt def Boulliane/Clark 15-7

In the Finals for the 3rd time this season: (The Rubber Match)
Kiraly/Johnson vs Fonoimoana/Blanton.Karch ties Sinjin Smith's All-Time tournament win record!
Kiraly and Johnson defeated Fonoimoana & Blanton 15-4, in a hot final..Karch is now only one victory from tying Sinjin Smith's career victory mark of 139. Congrats Karch!

Men's $75,000 AVP/Sunkist Tournament of Champions
June 5-6, 1999 Dallas, Texas
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings
1 Adam Johnson Karch Kiraly 1 $18,000.00
2 Dain Blanton Eric Fonoimoana 3 $10,000.00
3 Jose Loiola Emanuel Rego 2 $6,000.00
3 Brian Lewis Mike Whitmarsh 4 $6,000.00
5 Nick Hannemann Henry Russell 5 $3,500.00
5 Brent Frohoff Ricci Luyties 6 $3,500.00
5 Brent Doble Lee LeGrande 7 $3,500.00
5 Eduardo Bacil Carlos Loss 8 $3,500.00
9 Rifat Agi Steve Simpson   $2,000.00
9 Richard Boldt Scott Friederichsen   $2,000.00
9 Canyon Ceman Adam Jewell   $2,000.00
9 Dax Holdren Todd Rogers   $2,000.00
13 Bartosz Bachorski Janusz Bulkowski   $1,026.00
13 Bill Boullianne Ian Clark   $1,026.00
13 Paul Boyd John Hribar   $1,026.00
13 Dan Castillo Leland Quinn   $1,026.00
13 Peter Goers Aaron Smith   $1,026.00
13 Mark Kerins Kevin Martin   $1,026.00
13 Mark Paaluhi Wayne Seligson   $1,026.00
13 Sean Scott Matt Unger   $1,026.00
21 Daniel Cardenas Jim Nichols   $400.00
21 Ran Kumgisky Tom Slauterbeck   $400.00
21 Masui Allen Alika Williams   $400.00
21 John Anselmo Jason Pursley   $400.00
21 Paul Baxter Nathan Heidger   $400.00
21 Jeff Bellandi Curtis Rollins   $400.00
21 Scott Davenport Collin Smith   $400.00
21 Pepe Delahoz Brad Torsone   $400.00
21 David Fischer Brian MacDonald   $400.00
21 Jerry Graham Chris Makos   $400.00
21 Albert Hannemann Bryan Ivie   $400.00
21 Gaston Macau Dan Ortega   $400.00

Kiraly/Johnson 1st at Dallas

AVP on DVD
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Note*: Liquid Nutrition can now be shipped to many different countries,shipping and handling fees apply,see drop down list when ordering.

Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

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Event Dates
2007 AVP Tour Schedule
Date Event Prize Site Tickets Info
2007 AVP Schedule
April 13 - 15--Miami, FL
April 19 - 22--Dallas, TX
May 3 - 6--Huntington Beach, CA
May 10 - 13--Glendale, AZ
May 17 - 20--Hermosa Beach, CA
May 24 - 27--Louisville, KY
May 31-Jun 3--Tampa, FL
June 14 - 17--Charleston, SC
July 5 - 8--Seaside Heights, NJ
July 19 - 22--Long Beach, CA
Aug 2 - 5--Chicago, IL
Aug 9 - 12--Manhattan Beach, CA
Aug 16 - 19--Boston, MA
Aug 23 - 26--Brooklyn, NY
Aug 30-Sept 2--Cincinnati OH
Sept 6 - 8--Las Vegas, NV
Sept 14 - 16--San Francisco, CA

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open

April 19-22, 2007

Event Information

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 7 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 wildcards

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 4:00 p.m. on Saturday 4/21
• WOMEN: 12:15 p.m. on Sunday 4/22

Youth Clinics
Hilton AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18. Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Download Registration Form to Sign Up!
• Dallas Youth Clinic Form
[Microsoft Word Document]

Tickets:

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Friday, April 20, 2007
8:00 a.m.

Saturday, April 21, 2007
10:00 a.m.

Sunday, April 22, 2007
8:30 a.m.

Ticket Prices
Sections Price
Courtside General Admission $35.00
Grandstand General Admission $15.00
* Must be 18 years of age or younger and present valid school ID

Print Tickets at Home
Print your AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas tickets at home after you make your purchase from avp.com!
Find out how >

GA Group Tickets
Coming soon.

Schedule:

Thursday, April 19, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, April 20, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 21, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Competition start time 10:00 a.m.
Men's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:30 a.m.
Women's Finals 12:15 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 3:15 p.m.

Men's Entries:

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q1
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q2
David Fischer Scott Hill Q3
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q4
Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q5
Vincent Robbins Jason Wight Q6
Leonardo Moraes Jim Nichols Q7
Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q8
Chris Harger Jesse Webster Q9
Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q10
Russ Marchewka Fernando Sabla Q11
Erik Gomez Lucas Wisniakowski Q12
Seth Burnham Tony Pray Q13
Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q14
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q15
Pete DiVenere Justin Phipps Q16
Joaquin Acosta Gaston Macau Q17
Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q18
Guy Hamilton Andrew Vazquez Q19
Yariv Lerner Rob McNaughton Q20
Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q21
Shane Nelson Brian Post Q22
Matt McKinney Jeff Murrell Q23
Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith Q24
Nate Hagstrom Tim May Q25
Mike Desjardins Paul McDonald Q26
Drew Hamilton Travis Regner Q27
Skyler Davis Derek Zimmerman Q28
Bivin Sadler Andy Shean Q29
Chad Borton Richard Rainwater Q30
LV Hanson Lance Kobza Q31
Richard Crouse Dan Stubinski Q32
Will Johnson Kyle Patton Q33
Steven Buesing Steve Ramey Q34
Greg Arentz Jaime Calata Q35
Tom Chapman Kyle Kennedy Q36
Tom Lovelace Randy Meador Q37
Derek Bond Steve Sheppard Q38
Daniel Lindsey Dewain Martin Q39
Jay Novacek Curtis Pitts Q40
Caine Cambron Thomas Oley Q41
Carlos Andrade Jerry McCoy Q42
Dain Blanton Canyon Ceman
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers
Brent Doble Ty Loomis
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard
John Hyden George Roumain
Casey Jennings Mark Williams
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola
Brad Keenan John Mayer
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger
Jason Lee Chad Turner
Nick Lucena Will Strickland
Ryan Mariano Larry Witt
Anthony Medel Fred Souza
Matt Olson Jason Ring
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel
Hans Stolfus Scott Wong

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Will Johnson / Kyle Patton (Q33) def. Richard Crouse / Dan Stubinski (Q32) 21-18, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 6: Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q24) def. Caine Cambron / Thomas Oley (Q41) 21-17, 21-9 (0:37)
Match 7: Nate Hagstrom / Tim May (Q25) def. Jay Novacek / Curtis Pitts (Q40) 21-7, 21-6 (0:33)
Match 10: Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (Q28) def. Tom Lovelace / Randy Meador (Q37) 21-12, 22-20 (0:44)
Match 15: Bivin Sadler / Andy Shean (Q29) def. Tom Chapman / Kyle Kennedy (Q36) 21-16, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 18: Greg Arentz / Jaime Calata (Q35) def. Chad Borton / Richard Rainwater (Q30) 21-11, 21-18 (0:38)
Match 23: Drew Hamilton / Travis Regner (Q27) def. Derek Bond / Steve Sheppard (Q38) 17-21, 21-18, 15-12 (1:01)
Match 26: Mike Desjardins / Paul McDonald (Q26) def. Daniel Lindsey / Dewain Martin (Q39) 19-21, 21-13, 15-6 (0:54)
Match 27: Matt McKinney / Jeff Murrell (Q23) def. Carlos Andrade / Jerry McCoy (Q42) 21-8, 21-4 (0:32)
Match 31: LV Hanson / Lance Kobza (Q31) def. Steven Buesing / Steve Ramey (Q34) 21-15, 21-14 (0:43)

Round 2
Match 33: Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q1) def. Will Johnson / Kyle Patton (Q33) 21-12, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 34: Joaquin Acosta / Gaston Macau (Q17) def. Pete DiVenere / Justin Phipps (Q16) 22-20, 21-15 (0:45)
Match 35: Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q24) def. Chris Harger / Jesse Webster (Q9) 21-11, 21-13 (0:45)
Match 36: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q8) def. Nate Hagstrom / Tim May (Q25) 21-10, 21-13 (0:34)
Match 37: Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (Q28) def. Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (Q5) 15-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:57)
Match 38: Erik Gomez / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q12) def. Brandon Lamb / Vince Zanzucchi (Q21) 22-24, 28-26, 15-7 (1:10)
Match 39: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q13) def. Yariv Lerner / Rob McNaughton (Q20) 21-19, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 40: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q4) def. Bivin Sadler / Andy Shean (Q29) 21-13, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 41: David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q3) def. Greg Arentz / Jaime Calata (Q35) 21-17, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 42: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q14) def. Guy Hamilton / Andrew Vazquez (Q19) 21-15, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 43: Russ Marchewka / Fernando Sabla (Q11) def. Shane Nelson / Brian Post (Q22) 21-14, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 44: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (Q6) def. Drew Hamilton / Travis Regner (Q27) 27-25, 21-11 (0:47)
Match 45: Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q7) def. Mike Desjardins / Paul McDonald (Q26) 21-16, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 46: Matt McKinney / Jeff Murrell (Q23) def. Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q10) 12-21, 21-18, 15-13 (0:58)
Match 47: Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q18) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q15) 21-19, 21-17 (0:51)
Match 48: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (Q2) def. LV Hanson / Lance Kobza (Q31) 21-12, 16-21, 15-7 (1:01)

Round 3
Match 49: Joaquin Acosta / Gaston Macau (Q17) def. Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q1) 26-24, 19-21, 15-13 (1:25)
Match 50: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) def. Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q24) 21-16, 21-17 (0:49)
Match 51: Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) def. Erik Gomez / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q12) 21-19, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 52: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q13) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q4) 21-16, 21-17 (0:48)
Match 53: David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) def. Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q14) 13-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:55)
Match 54: Russ Marchewka / Fernando Sabla (Q11) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (Q6) 21-14, 24-22 (0:51)
Match 55: Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q7) def. Matt McKinney / Jeff Murrell (Q23) 21-12, 22-20 (0:51)
Match 56: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q18) 21-12, 21-15 (0:48)

Round 4
Match 57: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) def. Joaquin Acosta / Gaston Macau (Q17) 21-14, 21-12 (0:41)
Match 58: Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q13) 21-17, 21-19 (0:46)
Match 59: David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) def. Russ Marchewka / Fernando Sabla (Q11) 19-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:02)
Match 60: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q7) 21-19, 21-18 (0:47)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Dain Blanton / Canyon Ceman (16) 21-16, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 2: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) 21-17, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 3: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) 21-11, 21-11 (0:43)
Match 4: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (20) 16-21, 21-11, 15-13 (1:02)
Match 5: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) def. Jason Lee / Chad Turner (19) 21-19, 17-21, 15-12 (1:05)
Match 6: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) 21-14, 21-12 (0:44)
Match 7: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) 21-15, 21-11 (0:40)
Match 8: Brad Keenan / John Mayer (18) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) 17-21, 26-24, 20-18 (1:24)

Round 2
Match 9: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) 15-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:07)
Match 10: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. John Hyden / George Roumain (8) 21-16, 21-16 (0:50)
Match 11: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 22-20, 24-26, 15-12 (1:27)
Match 12: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) 17-21, 21-16, 15-9 (1:00)
Match 13: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-17, 18-21, 15-11 (1:17)
Match 14: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-16, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 15: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 23-21, 21-18 (0:53)
Match 16: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Brad Keenan / John Mayer (18) 23-21, 21-19 (0:54)

Round 3
Match 17: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) 21-14, 17-21, 15-11 (1:04)
Match 18: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) 24-22, 21-17 (0:59)
Match 19: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) 21-18, 23-21 (0:54)
Match 20: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 22-20, 21-15 (0:52)

Round 4
Match 57: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) def. Joaquin Acosta / Gaston Macau (Q17) 21-14, 21-12 (0:41)
Match 58: Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q13) 21-17, 21-19 (0:46)
Match 59: David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) def. Russ Marchewka / Fernando Sabla (Q11) 19-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:02)
Match 60: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q7) 21-19, 21-18 (0:47)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Dain Blanton / Canyon Ceman (16) 21-16, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 2: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) 21-17, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 3: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) 21-11, 21-11 (0:43)
Match 4: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (20) 16-21, 21-11, 15-13 (1:02)
Match 5: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) def. Jason Lee / Chad Turner (19) 21-19, 17-21, 15-12 (1:05)
Match 6: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) 21-14, 21-12 (0:44)
Match 7: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) 21-15, 21-11 (0:40)
Match 8: Brad Keenan / John Mayer (18) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) 17-21, 26-24, 20-18 (1:24)

Round 2
Match 9: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) 15-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:07)
Match 10: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. John Hyden / George Roumain (8) 21-16, 21-16 (0:50)
Match 11: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 22-20, 24-26, 15-12 (1:27)
Match 12: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) 17-21, 21-16, 15-9 (1:00)
Match 13: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-17, 18-21, 15-11 (1:17)
Match 14: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-16, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 15: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 23-21, 21-18 (0:53)
Match 16: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Brad Keenan / John Mayer (18) 23-21, 21-19 (0:54)

Round 3
Match 17: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) 21-14, 17-21, 15-11 (1:04)
Match 18: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) 24-22, 21-17 (0:59)
Match 19: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) 21-18, 23-21 (0:54)
Match 20: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 22-20, 21-15 (0:52)

Round 4
Match 21: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) 19-21, 21-19, 17-15 (1:19)
Match 22: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 24-26, 21-12, 15-13 (1:18)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Dain Blanton / Canyon Ceman (16) def. Brad Keenan / John Mayer (18) 20-22, 21-15, 19-17 (1:01)
Match 24: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (24, Q28) 21-18, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 25: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) 20-22, 21-14, 15-7 (0:59)
Match 26: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (20) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-12, 18-21, 15-7 (0:55)
Match 27: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) def. Jason Lee / Chad Turner (19) 21-19, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 28: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (22, Q3) 18-21, 21-13, 15-10 (0:53)
Match 29: John Hyden / George Roumain (8) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (23, Q8) 21-16, 21-16 (0:53)
Match 30: Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (1) 21-10, 21-18 (0:45)

Round 2
Match 31: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Dain Blanton / Canyon Ceman (16) 21-16, 21-11 (0:49)
Match 32: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (20) 21-13, 21-17 (0:37)
Match 33: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-18, 3-2 retired (0:32)
Match 34: Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) def. John Hyden / George Roumain (8) 14-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:16)

Round 3
Match 35: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 18-21, 21-19, 16-14 (1:18)
Match 36: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) 23-21, 21-18 (0:48)
Match 37: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 21-15, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 38: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (15) 25-23, 24-22 (1:02)

Round 4
Match 39: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) 21-14, 21-16 (0:51)
Match 40: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (13) 17-21, 21-19, 18-16 (1:09)

Round 5
Match 41: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 15-21, 21-10, 16-14 (1:02)
Match 42: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (17) 21-12, 21-14 (0:40)

Semifinals
Match 43: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 14-21, 23-21, 15-12 (1:16)
Match 44: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (11) 26-28, 21-18, 15-12 (1:14)

Finals
Match 45: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-14, 21-16 (0:55)

Men's Results:

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 2 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 11 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 17 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 12 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 13 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Matt Olson Jason Ring 9 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 10 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Brent Doble Ty Loomis 15 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 5 $1,700.00 108.0
13 John Hyden George Roumain 8 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Dain Blanton Canyon Ceman 16 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 20 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 1 $800.00 72.0
17 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Brad Keenan John Mayer 18 $800.00 72.0
17 Jason Lee Chad Turner 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 21, Q2 $800.00 72.0
17 David Fischer Scott Hill 22, Q3 $800.00 72.0
17 Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet 23, Q8 $800.00 72.0
17 Skyler Davis Derek Zimmerman 24, Q28 $800.00 72.0
25 Leonardo Moraes Jim Nichols Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Russ Marchewka Fernando Sabla Q11 $.00 36.0
25 Seth Burnham Tony Pray Q13 $.00 36.0
25 Joaquin Acosta Gaston Macau Q17 $.00 36.0
29 Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q1 $.00 18.0
29 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q4 $.00 18.0
29 Vincent Robbins Jason Wight Q6 $.00 18.0
29 Erik Gomez Lucas Wisniakowski Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q18 $.00 18.0
29 Matt McKinney Jeff Murrell Q23 $.00 18.0
29 Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith Q24 $.00 18.0
37 Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q5 $.00 12.0
37 Chris Harger Jesse Webster Q9 $.00 12.0
37 Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q10 $.00 12.0
37 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q15 $.00 12.0
37 Pete DiVenere Justin Phipps Q16 $.00 12.0
37 Guy Hamilton Andrew Vazquez Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Yariv Lerner Rob McNaughton Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Shane Nelson Brian Post Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Nate Hagstrom Tim May Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Mike Desjardins Paul McDonald Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Drew Hamilton Travis Regner Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Bivin Sadler Andy Shean Q29 $.00 12.0
37 LV Hanson Lance Kobza Q31 $.00 12.0
37 Will Johnson Kyle Patton Q33 $.00 12.0
37 Greg Arentz Jaime Calata Q35 $.00 12.0
53 Chad Borton Richard Rainwater Q30 $.00 8.0
53 Richard Crouse Dan Stubinski Q32 $.00 8.0
53 Steven Buesing Steve Ramey Q34 $.00 8.0
53 Tom Chapman Kyle Kennedy Q36 $.00 8.0
53 Tom Lovelace Randy Meador Q37 $.00 8.0
53 Derek Bond Steve Sheppard Q38 $.00 8.0
53 Daniel Lindsey Dewain Martin Q39 $.00 8.0
53 Jay Novacek Curtis Pitts Q40 $.00 8.0
53 Caine Cambron Thomas Oley Q41 $.00 8.0
53 Carlos Andrade Jerry McCoy Q42 $.00 8.0

2007 Men's Quervo Gold Crown Dallas Open Champions >>Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers

. Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers

Women's Entries:

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 5 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 7 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 14 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Jennifer Boss April Ross 8 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 13 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 15 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 16 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 9 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 10 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 11 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 21 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 12 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 18, Q4 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Jaimie Lee 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Claire Robertson Julie Romias 22, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein 23, Q14 $800.00 72.0
17 Angie Hall Laura Ratto 24, Q10 $800.00 72.0
25 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q2 $.00 36.0
25 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q6 $.00 36.0
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q8 $.00 36.0
29 Jenelle Koester Catie Mintz Q3 $.00 18.0
29 Lisa Marshall Marla O'Hara Q7 $.00 18.0
29 Stephanie Chapek Chrissie Zartman Q9 $.00 18.0
29 Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Bonnie Levin Alexandra Sevillano Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Leilani Kamahoahoa Federica Tonon Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q15 $.00 18.0
29 Jennifer Lombardi Laurel Riechmann Q17 $.00 18.0
37 Nicole Midwin Colleen Smith Q16 $.00 12.0
37 Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Jane Gibb Kirstin Olsen Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Kyra Lancon Ashley Regner Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Erika Figueiredo Rebekah Johnson Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Mia Chamblee Montana Curtis Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Laura Jones Amber Spencer Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Regan Hood Daniela Romero Q28 $.00 12.0
37 Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Marci Brinkman Rebecca Duty Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Leslie Lasiter Gena Rhodes Q31 $.00 12.0

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Jennifer Lombardi / Laurel Riechmann (Q17) def. Nicole Midwin / Colleen Smith (Q16) 21-13, 21-9 (0:33)
Match 3: Stephanie Chapek / Chrissie Zartman (Q9) def. Erika Figueiredo / Rebekah Johnson (Q24) 21-12, 21-13 (0:32)
Match 4: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) def. Victoria Prince / Jessica Veris (Q25) 21-15, 21-11 (0:35)
Match 5: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q5) def. Regan Hood / Daniela Romero (Q28) 21-18, 21-14 (0:35)
Match 6: Bonnie Levin / Alexandra Sevillano (Q12) def. Heather Alley / Heidi Munneke (Q21) 12-21, 21-11, 15-7 (0:49)
Match 7: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Federica Tonon (Q13) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q20) 21-11, 19-21, 18-16 (0:59)
Match 8: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (Q4) def. Yolanda Munoz / Joanna Rathbun (Q29) 21-7, 21-14 (0:34)
Match 9: Jenelle Koester / Catie Mintz (Q3) def. Marci Brinkman / Rebecca Duty (Q30) 21-8, 21-12 (0:29)
Match 10: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q14) def. Jane Gibb / Kirstin Olsen (Q19) 21-11, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 11: Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q11) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q22) 21-12, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 12: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q6) def. Laura Jones / Amber Spencer (Q27) 21-17, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 13: Lisa Marshall / Marla O'Hara (Q7) def. Mia Chamblee / Montana Curtis (Q26) 21-16, 17-21, 15-11 (0:58)
Match 14: Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q10) def. Kyra Lancon / Ashley Regner (Q23) 21-18, 13-21, 15-12 (0:57)
Match 15: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q15) def. Wendy Lockhart / Teri Van Dyke (Q18) 19-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 16: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (Q2) def. Leslie Lasiter / Gena Rhodes (Q31) 21-11, 21-7 (0:39)

Round 2
Match 17: Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (Q1) def. Jennifer Lombardi / Laurel Riechmann (Q17) 21-11, 21-14 (0:34)
Match 18: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) def. Stephanie Chapek / Chrissie Zartman (Q9) 22-20, 22-20 (0:37)
Match 19: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q5) def. Bonnie Levin / Alexandra Sevillano (Q12) 21-11, 18-21, 15-11 (0:49)
Match 20: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (Q4) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Federica Tonon (Q13) 21-7, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 21: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q14) def. Jenelle Koester / Catie Mintz (Q3) 22-20, 15-21, 15-10 (1:01)
Match 22: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q6) def. Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q11) 21-10, 21-10 (0:32)
Match 23: Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q10) def. Lisa Marshall / Marla O'Hara (Q7) 21-18, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 24: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (Q2) def. Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q15) 21-9, 21-14 (0:30)

Round 3
Match 25: Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (22, Q1) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q8) 21-15, 21-18 (0:43)
Match 26: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (18, Q4) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q5) 21-16, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 27: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (23, Q14) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q6) 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 (0:55)
Match 28: Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (24, Q10) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (Q2) 12-21, 21-18, 15-13 (0:54)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (16) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 21-18, 21-18 (0:49)
Match 2: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) def. Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (24, Q10) 21-10, 22-20 (0:36)
Match 3: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (21) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 20-22, 22-20, 21-19 (1:10)
Match 4: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (13) def. Keao Burdine / Jaimie Lee (20) 21-9, 25-23 (0:35)
Match 5: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (14) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (19) 21-18, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 6: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (11) def. Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (22, Q1) 21-17, 21-23, 17-15 (1:10)
Match 7: Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (23, Q14) 21-13, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 8: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (18, Q4) 21-16, 21-14 (0:41)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (16) 21-12, 21-11 (0:32)
Match 10: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (8) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) 26-24, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 11: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (21) 21-18, 21-18 (0:43)
Match 12: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (13) 21-10, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 13: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (14) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 21-18, 17-21, 15-10 (0:55)
Match 14: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (11) 21-18, 21-19 (0:49)
Match 15: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) 21-12, 19-21, 15-6 (0:51)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 21-18, 21-14 (0:49)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (8) 21-18, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 18: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) 21-17, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 19: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (14) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 21-18, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 20: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 21-17, 21-13 (0:36)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-16, 21-18 (0:47)
Match 22: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (14) 21-13, 19-21, 15-12 (1:02)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 21-17, 21-19 (0:37)
Match 24: Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) def. Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (24, Q10) 21-16, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 25: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (11) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 23-21, 23-21 (0:53)
Match 26: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Keao Burdine / Jaimie Lee (20) 34-32, 21-12 (1:00)
Match 27: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (13) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (19) 21-11, 21-18 (0:34)
Match 28: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (21) def. Claire Robertson / Julie Romias (22, Q1) 21-18, 16-21, 18-16 (1:00)
Match 29: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (23, Q14) 21-19, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 30: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (16) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (18, Q4) 21-13, 21-15 (0:40)

Round 2
Match 31: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (10) 15-21, 21-16, 15-8 (0:46)
Match 32: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (11) 21-19, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 33: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (13) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (21) 17-21, 21-17, 15-11 (1:00)
Match 34: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (16) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) 21-16, 21-19 (0:43)

Round 3
Match 35: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 17-21, 21-16, 15-13 (0:57)
Match 36: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (8) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 14-21, 24-22, 15-10 (1:10)
Match 37: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (13) 21-17, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 38: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (16) 20-22, 21-13, 15-12 (0:56)

Round 4
Match 39: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (8) 21-18, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 40: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 21-8, 21-14 (0:34)

Round 5
Match 41: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (14) 21-18, 19-21, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 42: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 23-21, 14-21, 15-8 (0:57)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (5) 21-16, 23-21 (0:41)
Match 44: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-17, 21-18 (0:48)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 21-14, 21-19 (0:55)

Women's Results:

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open
April 19-22, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 5 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 7 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 14 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Jennifer Boss April Ross 8 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 13 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 15 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 16 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 9 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 10 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 11 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 21 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 12 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 18, Q4 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Jaimie Lee 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Claire Robertson Julie Romias 22, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein 23, Q14 $800.00 72.0
17 Angie Hall Laura Ratto 24, Q10 $800.00 72.0
25 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q2 $.00 36.0
25 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q6 $.00 36.0
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q8 $.00 36.0
29 Jenelle Koester Catie Mintz Q3 $.00 18.0
29 Lisa Marshall Marla O'Hara Q7 $.00 18.0
29 Stephanie Chapek Chrissie Zartman Q9 $.00 18.0
29 Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Bonnie Levin Alexandra Sevillano Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Leilani Kamahoahoa Federica Tonon Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q15 $.00 18.0
29 Jennifer Lombardi Laurel Riechmann Q17 $.00 18.0
37 Nicole Midwin Colleen Smith Q16 $.00 12.0
37 Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Jane Gibb Kirstin Olsen Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Kyra Lancon Ashley Regner Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Erika Figueiredo Rebekah Johnson Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Mia Chamblee Montana Curtis Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Laura Jones Amber Spencer Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Regan Hood Daniela Romero Q28 $.00 12.0
37 Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Marci Brinkman Rebecca Duty Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Leslie Lasiter Gena Rhodes Q31 $.00 12.0

2007 Women's Quervo Gold Crown Dallas Open Champions >>Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh

Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

May-Treanor, Walsh look for revenge
Kiraly makes final competitive trip to Texas
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
As hard as it may be to believe, the last time an AVP event was in Dallas, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were just gleams in the AVP's eye. Plenty has changed since 1998, and May-Treanor and Walsh have now firmly established themselves as the top team on tour.
May-Treanor and Walsh now have a score to settle as they head to Texas. The two fell to eventual champions Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the Miami Open semifinal Sunday. This loss marked the first time since 2004 that the Olympians didn't make it to the last game.
May-Treanor and Walsh are notorious for playing with a vengeance after not making -- or losing -- a final game. Women's teams should be on the lookout for May-Treanor and Walsh to come back swinging.
Another source of competition that will garner attention is the combination of April Ross and Jennifer Boss. Ross and Boss are a makeshift partnership of sorts. Ross's original partner, Nancy Mason, suffered an injury, and Boss's original partner, Keao Burdine, is finishing out her season in Puerto Rico. If Burdine and Mason do return, will Boss and Ross go back to their original game plans, even after their successful performance together?
The top three teams on tour -- Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert, Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser and Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal -- proved why belonged at the top and why they, unlike the majority of the teams on tour, chose to keep their teams intact.
All four top-seeded teams made semifinals for only the 11th time since 2001, with Dalhausser and Rogers eventually taking the title. Look for Rogers to try and use his experience to make him the wiser in Dallas. When the event last came around in 1998, Rogers lost in the finals.
On the men's side, expect the new teams to try to make up for their lack of familiarity with their partners on the court as soon as possible to end the domination of returning partnerships.
Karch Kiraly will be a face to watch in Dallas. He and partner Kevin Wong recorded a 5th place finish in Miami, the first open of his last season playing on the AVP tour.
Kiraly scored back-to-back wins in Dallas and hopes to add another in his last competitive trip to the Texas city.

The AVP Crocs Tour to stop in Arlington
04/16/2007 4:34 PM ET
Temporary beach will be set up adjacent to stadium
By Mike Scarr / MLB.com
From strikeout to side-out, two sports will share the spotlight at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington this weekend.
The AVP Crocs Tour will travel to Arlington to play the Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open, which starts Thursday with qualifying rounds. A co-partnership between the Hicks Sports Marketing Group and AVP, the Dallas Open is designed to cross-promote two sports while also building a fan base.
"They're using their expertise and infrastructure to do something more than just baseball and hockey in a big way," said AVP general manager of events and partnerships, Gabby Roe. "We want to utilize what they bring to the table combined with the entity and property and the brand of AVP, and that is a pretty lethal combination."
It will basically be an inside/outside affair with the Rangers competing on the field as the A's visit for a three-game weekend series. Friday and Saturday will both be under the lights at 7:05 p.m. CT while Sunday's game will be at 2:05 p.m.
The tour will set up outside, occupying a space adjacent to the stadium that will be transformed into a temporary beach area -- 3,150,000 pounds of sand worth. Action will take place on seven courts during the four-day event with the main draw beginning Friday at 8:00 a.m. CT.
It is the combination of beach and baseball that intrigued the Hicks Group, owners of both the Rangers and the NHL Dallas Stars. In conjunction with Steiner and Associates, the Hicks Group is also moving forward with Glorypark, a mixed-use real estate development that will feature both residential and commercial properties in an area near the Ballpark that is currently used for parking.
"Part of our long-term vision is a number of events and the AVP fits into that plan," said Hicks Sports Marketing Group senior vice president Brad Alberts, who contacted the tour about a year ago to explore the idea. "(The AVP) is a cool, summertime type of event and one, among others, that we'd like to bring to the area."
The baseball part is easy; the Rangers have their field. But volleyball needs courts, specifically sand in the outdoor beach variety. While it's a natural occurrence at venues like Huntington Beach, Arlington is hundreds of miles from the Gulf.
Roe said transporting the sand, both in and then out of the venue, is always a unique process with cost only being part of the equation. He compared it to snow: No two flakes are identical. While the man-made courts are invariably shallower than the natural ones, setting up in an otherwise non-beach area has its advantages.
"Given the flow of traffic at sporting events it is somewhat easier at a venue like this than it is at real beaches or parks that aren't really made for spectator sporting events," Roe said. "With parking and infrastructure and things of that nature this is actually easier than Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach that aren't actually designed to have thousands upon thousands of people heading to one spot for over a weekend."
It's also about growth.
The Hicks Group is looking to draw people to its new development and add lifestyle to the area. The tour is trying to reach out to fans wherever it can. It's relatively easy to attract fans in Southern California, where the game is played on beaches up and down the coast. But the AVP is an 18-stop tour that will travel to cities like Atlanta, Ga., and Louisville, Ky., in addition to Arlington so taking the game to the fans is part of the mission.
"If we were restricted to only going to places where we have existing beaches we would be under-servicing our fan base," Roe said. "While the television broadcasts go everywhere across the country and around the world it is nice to allow our fans to see us in person without forcing to have to be on a beach to do it."
Neither Roe nor Alberts believes there will be any logistical conflicts as play outside the stadium should be completed at least an hour before first pitch of each Rangers game. What they do see is a partnership, one that could extend beyond the initial three-year contract.
"Hicks Sports Marketing Group is excited to bring beach volleyball back to the north Texas area," Alberts said. "We feel that it is real important longterm."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Austin's city limits
Rester back in Dallas to impress the home folks
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Jumping into a car with only $800 to his name and preparing to head more than 1,000 miles west towards Manhattan Beach, Calif., 23-year old Austin Rester's journey as a professional beach volleyball player began in 2005. And he only started playing seriously five years prior to that.
Nearly two years later, the Grapevine, Texas, native is returning to his home state hoping to promote the sport in an area unfamiliar with beach volleyball.
"There's absolutely no men's volleyball anywhere in Texas," said Rester. "For the most part, Texas has very little volleyball notoriety except for their women's and girls' programs. It would be great if this event gave it some exposure, it'd be awesome."
Just because there are limited opportunities to play volleyball in Texas, do not assume that the stands will be empty this weekend.
Many locals will be in attendance to catch a glimpse of their hometown hero and to welcome the return of professional beach volleyball, as 2007 marks the first year that the AVP has returned to the Dallas area since 1998.
And for Rester's friends and family, the weekend will be their first chance to see him play in Texas since his career's taken off. Rester and partner Aaron Wachtfogel should be an exciting pair to watch in Dallas this weekend, as they are sure to have a significant following of local support cheering on every point.
Rester attributes much of his recent success to a balance of hard work and luck since he decided to make the switch from playing basketball to volleyball after he graduated from high school in 2000. Rester transferred and played at the University of Hawaii in the spring of 2004 -- until money became an issue.
"In 2003-2004, I played one season [at Hawaii] and decided money was an issue and I couldn't afford to play there anymore. So I actually decided to finish up with school, because I knew that I wanted to play beach," said Rester. "Indoor is a little hard on my body, more or less, and so I didn't need to be in Hawaii. I just took my time, finished my schooling and then went to L.A."
And on his personal deadline, Rester moved out west with hopes of turning his talents into a career.
"I graduated from Texas Tech in December of '05 with Journalism and Spanish (concentrations) and decided that when I graduated on March 14, no matter what happened, no matter what the situation, I was moving out to L.A. to pursue playing beach volleyball," said Rester.
Since then, he has overcome an ankle injury and having to constantly switch partners to earn a bid into the main draw in only one season.
During the 2005 tour, Rester cycled through five partners before finding a match in Wachtfogel this year -- a partner with whom he sees a successful future throughout 2007.
"It's just kind of the nature of the game, you get guys with more points and more experience, and if you have the opportunity you kind of just move on," said Rester. "But once you get with a guy that's got good experience, a great skill set and a lot of points and you guys gel together, then you kind of lock it in. And the chips fell as they did, Aaron and I ended up playing and training together and I definitely think that Aaron and I have a future of playing together for the whole season."
Even though Rester had to take a break from training in the offseason to undergo surgery on his ankle, he and Wachtfogel propelled past their No. 18 seed with a ninth-place finish in the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open last weekend.
Rester reveals his optimistic side and his hunger for the sport.
"You get to scout, watch tendencies and see things that you can find when you play, and when you're playing in the future, you learn from their tendencies and their habits," said Rester. "So it's good. I watch guys that block like Phil Dalhausser, Matt Fuerbringer, Sean Scott and those guys who are good technical blockers. But mostly I just pick it up with other people and learn as I go."
After his ninth-place finish in the first tournament of the season, tying his career best, it seems that Rester's $800 may be the beginnings of a very wise investment.

Take me out to the beach
Volleyball heads to the ballpark in Texas
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
The AVP Crocs Tour visits Texas this week, and it promises to be no lone star appearance.
For starters, the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open is the first of a three-year deal between the AVP and Hicks Sports Marketing Group. But also, at least on the women's side, there are indicators that this season may not merely be a rerun of the last.
The tour kicked off last weekend in Miami, and although the top team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh appeared well on its way to opening the season as has become their custom -- with a title -- they stood on the sidelines as Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh uncorked the champagne.
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser won the men's draw.
May-Treanor and Walsh didn't even reach the final, something they've experienced only twice in 46 matches as a pair. The last time was 2004 in Manhattan Beach, and Walsh laid the blame on herself.
"It came down to siding out and I didn't side out," Walsh said afterward. "If you're not siding out, you've got to score some points and earn them back. It's just one of those days. We're learning, and I'm learning."
The tournament is being held adjacent to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington with qualifying rounds contested Thursday leading into the weekend's main draw. Play will commence at 8 a.m. CT on Thursday and Friday, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Inside the stadium, there will be baseball as the Rangers will host the Oakland A's in a three-game series, beginning Friday at 7:05 p.m. CT. Saturday's game will also be at 7:05 while Sunday will be at 2:05 p.m. CT.
But outside it will be all about volleyball and with Youngs and Branagh facing the new duo of Jennifer Boss and April Ross in last week's women's final, some are seeing a possible trend developing for this season.
"I think any given weekend, it can be any team. It really can. It's a crap shoot," said Carrie Dodd, who played college ball and was All-America her senior year at Texas. "You always think Misty and Kerri in the finals, you know, great team. But EY and Nicole, they're a great serving team and they're a great blocking team which makes it difficult to side out.
"The women's side is getting so much stronger as the years go on. It really can be anybody's time to get to the finals and prove that they belong there and they can win. There are a lot of good, strong teams."
On the men's side, there was little surprise to the outcome in Miami as Rogers and Dalhausser claimed this season's first title. The pair won eight times on tour in 2006, and Rogers was named MVP, though many believe it could have gone to his partner.
Dalhausser wasn't happy with his play in their previous matches over the weekend. After spending time at a promotional event earlier in the week, Dalhausser said he came out flat and gave credit to his partner as they advanced out of the winner's bracket.
The man they call "The Thin Beast" was dominant in Sunday's final victory over Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, which supported Rogers' preseason assessment of the 6-foot-9 man.
"As long as he stays healthy, he should be a multiple MVP," Rogers said.
Dalhausser and Rogers look to continue their streak but the teams of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, Casey Jennings and Mark Williams and Gibb and Rosenthal are ready to challenge.
Local color: Dodd hails from Wisconsin and lives in California but considers the state of Texas her second home.
She has a number of friends from her days with the Longhorns that were highlighted by a second-place NCAA finish in 1995. Playing in the Dallas area also allows Dodd to visit her sister Nikki, a member of Texas' championship team in 1988, and an 18-month-old nephew Austin.
Dodd got her first taste of beach volleyball as a ball girl at events in Bradford Beach in Wisconsin, and then, while playing at a local bar in Austin. She's pleased the tour is visiting the area for the first time since 1999.
"I love it. I'm extremely happy that the AVP is going back to Dallas. Believe it or not, there is volleyball in Texas," Dodd said. "I know that everybody thinks it's just in California but Texas has UT and there are young girls in club programs that are absolutely incredible."
Dodd and new partner Tatiana Minello finished ninth in Miami, but with just a week of practice under their belts entering last weekend, Dodd said they should only get better.
"We have some good ball control and good setting," Dodd said. "Tatia is incredibly quick on defense. It is just a matter of getting on the court more, how you mesh and how you move on the court. It takes time."
By the numbers: May-Treanor is three shy of Holly McPeak's record of 72 wins. â€¦ Karch Kiraly has won three times in Dallas with three different partners: Kent Steffes (1994) Scott Ayakatubby (1995) and Adam Johnson (1999). Kiraly finished fifth last week with new partner, Kevin Wong. â€¦ Rogers won the 1998 Dallas Open with Dax Holdren. â€¦ Dalhausser, Lambert and Wong lead the tour with 32 blocks. â€¦ Fred Souza has 14 aces while Kiraly has 94 digs. â€¦ Dianne DeNecochea and Youngs lead the women with 16 aces apiece. DeNecochea has 21 blocks.
Format: The Dallas Open will have a 32-team qualifier, both men's and women's, and a 24-team main draw on seven courts.
Set your clocks: The men's final will be Saturday, April 21, at 4:00 p.m. CT, and the women's final will be Sunday, April 22, at 12:15 p.m. CT.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Professional Beach Volleyball Player Hopes for Olympics
April 19th, 2007 @ 6:58am
Ashley Hayes Reporting
Click Here for video
We're used to seeing Utahns excel in winter sports like skiing and ice skating. But beach volleyball?
A man from Bountiful is chasing his Olympic dream by competing on the professional beach volleyball tour. He started playing when he joined an intramural team at the University of Utah.
Growing up as the youngest child in a family of 11 and living in landlocked Bountiful, Utah, it seems unlikely little Jake Gibb would find himself at the top of this beach game.
His sister, Laralai, said, "We thought he was a good golfer. We thought maybe golfing. And then summer he would do this volleyball stuff that nobody watches."
Maybe not in Utah. But people around the world are watching him now. And while no one predicted volleyball, everyone who knows Gibb will tell you he was going places.
His sister-in-law, Joy Givv, said, "I remember meeting him when he was 12, and he was a little full of himself."
Laralai described him as, "Just very fun. Very confident. We always thought he was too confident."
Gibb's non-defeatist attitude served him well.
"I guess I started when I wanted to play D-1 basketball, but I couldn't get on a team. So I started playing volleyball at that time, and I just grew passionate about it," he explained.
Gibb's love of volleyball set him up to find his other passion -- a fellow volleyball player, and now his wife and number one fan.
Joy Gibb said, "Without Jane there is no Jake, and that's all there is to it. She sacrificed tremendously."
Jake's wife Jane said, "I'm really, really proud of him. He works so hard. He doesn't have a coach to push him. He's just very self-disciplined."
"You know, I didn't play any college volleyball," Jake said. "All-Americans, Olympians, and here comes this little kid out of Bountiful, Utah. It's fun to compete against them."
He hates to lose, even when it might be in his best interest.
"He is so ultra-competitive it's very hard to just come out and play for fun," his family said. "So we'll win once in a while, but not very often."
The MVP from Bountiful is only a few bumps, spikes, and sets away from making his Olympic dreams.
Gibb is off to a good start. He came in second in the first match over the weekend. He plays again this weekend. You can catch Gibb playing on the AVP tour later this summer on KSL.

Gibb and Rosenthal seek next step
Pair hopes familiarity will help them win more titles
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
Partner-switching isn't exactly a rarity on the AVP tour, but this year is slightly extreme. A staggering 70 percent of the teams in Miami were new partnerships. With so many new teams on the AVP tour, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are doing all that they can to make sure they know each other better than their opponents know each other. For Gibb and "Rosie," that means training, practicing, working out, and even golfing together.
"Yeah, we spend way too much time together," Gibb said.
"I'm a little sick of him by now," Rosenthal joked.
Other teams are probably getting just as tired of Rosenthal and Gibb. The two have played in 15 AVP events together and showed up in eight semifinals. Gibb and Rosenthal have never finished lower than ninth.
This off-season, the pair focused on turning those semifinal appearances into wins. They won the first event last year in Fort Lauderdale, which was their first team event, and then didn't end up in the winner's circle after that.
"We've gotten to a lot of finals, and hopefully we can put it all together, come the end of the tournament. We play well throughout the tournament. Then we get to the final and either we don't show up to play our best or we don't play that well in the final. Not knocking the other team that eventually beat us, but I know that we can play better," Rosenthal said.
The Miami Open offered more of the same for Rosenthal and Gibb. The pair made it to the finals but took a second at the hands of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
While second-place isn't chump change, Rosenthal and Gibb recognize their potential. The 6'8 Gibb is fairly new to the beach volleyball. He didn't play volleyball in college, starting at age 21. By the time Rosenthal was 21, the Redondo Beach, Calif., native had already earned a 5th place finish on the AVP tour. Now at the ripe old age of 26, Rosenthal is trying to channel his raw talent into a finished product with Gibb by his side.
"Maybe we'll help out team chemistry with all the training in the off-season, the gym, the endurance. We train. We're a young team. He's young to the sport, I'm young overall, not saying [Jake is] old. Just now we're both another year experienced," Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal is hoping this experience will translate into maturity and stronger performances.
"We'd like to win some more finals, be consistent throughout the whole year. We're a little up and down. We were in a final and then would get a seventh or a fifth. We want to be really consistent all year, and hopefully close out," Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal and Gibb's training is important not only for their chances at getting the big yellow check on Sundays, but also critical in their opportunity to work toward the gold in Beijing in 2008.
"We're all competing for two spots, as of last year, we played well on that tour and hope to continue that, we'd love to represent the USA in '08 in Beijing," Rosenthal said. Rosenthal played well enough to earn 2006 FIVB Rookie of the Year. He tries not to let the Olympics dangling bother him.
"There's very, very few people in the world who can say they had a chance to qualify to compete in the Olympics. And we get to say that, and hopefully we'll do our job and get to play," Rosenthal said.
As far as the AVP is concerned, Rosenthal and Gibb are no longer content with getting their chance to play or being the team that knows each other best; they want to be the only team to end the weekend on a win.

Building a beach at a ballpark
Rangers park sits beside AVP Tour site
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
From strikeout to side-out, two sports will share the spotlight at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington this weekend.
The AVP Crocs Tour will travel to Arlington to play the Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open, which starts Thursday with qualifying rounds. A co-partnership between the Hicks Sports Marketing Group and AVP, the Dallas Open is designed to cross-promote two sports while also building a fan base.
"They're using their expertise and infrastructure to do something more than just baseball and hockey in a big way," said AVP general manager of events and partnerships, Gabby Roe. "We want to utilize what they bring to the table combined with the entity and property and the brand of AVP, and that is a pretty lethal combination."
It will basically be an inside/outside affair with the Rangers competing on the field as the A's visit for a three-game weekend series. Friday and Saturday will both be under the lights at 7:05 p.m. CT while Sunday's game will be at 2:05 p.m.
The tour will set up outside, occupying a space adjacent to the stadium that will be transformed into a temporary beach area -- 3,150,000 pounds of sand worth. Action will take place on seven courts during the four-day event with the main draw beginning Friday at 8:00 a.m. CT.
It is the combination of beach and baseball that intrigued the Hicks Group, owners of both the Rangers and the NHL Dallas Stars. In conjunction with Steiner and Associates, the Hicks Group is also moving forward with Glorypark, a mixed-use real estate development that will feature both residential and commercial properties in an area near the Ballpark that is currently used for parking.
"Part of our long-term vision is a number of events and the AVP fits into that plan," said Hicks Sports Marketing Group senior vice president Brad Alberts, who contacted the tour about a year ago to explore the idea. "(The AVP) is a cool, summertime type of event and one, among others, that we'd like to bring to the area."
The baseball part is easy; the Rangers have their field. But volleyball needs courts, specifically sand in the outdoor beach variety. While it's a natural occurrence at venues like Huntington Beach, Arlington is hundreds of miles from the Gulf.
Roe said transporting the sand, both in and then out of the venue, is always a unique process with cost only being part of the equation. He compared it to snow: No two flakes are identical. While the man-made courts are invariably shallower than the natural ones, setting up in an otherwise non-beach area has its advantages.
"Given the flow of traffic at sporting events it is somewhat easier at a venue like this than it is at real beaches or parks that aren't really made for spectator sporting events," Roe said. "With parking and infrastructure and things of that nature this is actually easier than Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach that aren't actually designed to have thousands upon thousands of people heading to one spot for over a weekend."
It's also about growth.
The Hicks Group is looking to draw people to its new development and add lifestyle to the area. The tour is trying to reach out to fans wherever it can. It's relatively easy to attract fans in Southern California, where the game is played on beaches up and down the coast. But the AVP is an 18-stop tour that will travel to cities like Atlanta, Ga., and Louisville, Ky., in addition to Arlington so taking the game to the fans is part of the mission.
"If we were restricted to only going to places where we have existing beaches we would be under-servicing our fan base," Roe said. "While the television broadcasts go everywhere across the country and around the world it is nice to allow our fans to see us in person without forcing to have to be on a beach to do it."
Neither Roe nor Alberts believes there will be any logistical conflicts as play outside the stadium should be completed at least an hour before first pitch of each Rangers game. What they do see is a partnership, one that could extend beyond the initial three-year contract.
"Hicks Sports Marketing Group is excited to bring beach volleyball back to the north Texas area," Alberts said. "We feel that it is real important longterm."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Dallas Qualifying Round opens
72 teams vying for spot in Main Draw
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
The top-seeded qualifier teams of Jeff Carlucci/Adam Roberts and Claire Robertson/Julie Romias were off and running Thursday morning as 42 men's teams and 31 women's teams attempted to punch their tickets to the main draw of the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.
Besides Carlucci and Roberts, other men's teams expected to produce strong showings included Mike Morrison/Ty Tramblie, David Fischer/Scott Hill, Billy Allen/AJ Mihalic and Dane Jensen/Mike Placek.
On the women's side, teams to watch in addition to Robertson/Romias included Tara Kuk/Kim Whitney, Jenelle Koester/Catie Mintz, Jill Changaris/Sara Dukes and Angela McHenry/Lisa Rutledge.
Four teams from each gender advance to the main draw. The Dallas Open, which is being played on the complex of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington -- home of the Texas Rangers -- had no significant upsets in the early portion of the qualifier.
The early action gave local fans of the Dallas Cowboys an opportunity to cheer for a former Cowboys hero. Jay Novacek, a tight end who was part of the Cowboys' glory run in the 1990s, competed in the qualifier with partner Curtis Pitts. Novacek and Pitts lost, 21-7, 21-6, to the unit of Nate Hagstrom and Tim May. Novacek and Pitts went in seeded 40th among the 42 teams.

Novacek falls early in qualifier
Former NFL TE no match for volleyballers
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- As a five-time Pro Bowler in the National Football League, Jay Novacek understood the importance of a thorough training camp.
The former Dallas Cowboy tight end just wishes he had gone through a real training camp instead of a 30-minute cram course before trying his luck Thursday morning in the qualifier round of the Dallas Open.
Paired with Curtis Pitts, Novacek quickly learned the challenges of competing against those experienced athletes who play beach volleyball with a high degree of skill. Nate Hagstrom and Tim May put it on Pitts and Novacek 21-7, 21-6, prompting the 44-year-old Novacek to marvel at the athleticism on the AVP Tour.
"These guys are really good and I knew it was going to be that way," Novacek said. "I wish we would have had about two weeks to get ready."
The Novacek-Pitts team was the 40th seed among 42 teams.
"I'm surprised we were seeded that high," Novacek said with a chuckle. "As I look back on it, I think I did pretty decent considering the time spent in preparing for this. The last time I played volleyball was seven years ago when I was on vacation in Cancun."
Novacek certainly has the athletic pedigree. Besides contributing to the dynamic Dallas offense in the 1990s and playing on three Super Bowl championship teams, Novacek was a former collegiate decathlon champion at the University of Wyoming.
But after getting some pointers from his "coaches" -- the Team Gorgeous unit of Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More -- Novacek and his partner failed to keep pace with the Hagstrom-May attack. There were some Novacek-Pitts highlights, but not nearly enough of them.
"I had a great time, which is really what it was all about," Novacek said. "You really gain an appreciation for how tough it is to play volleyball at that level. The people who do this for a living are just unbelievable."
Novacek left his mark on the football world before retiring in 1995. Once a favorite target of quarterback Troy Aikman, Novacek made defenses wary of his presence by running precise routes in the middle of the field. That made things easier for running back Emmitt Smith and wideout Michael Irvin.
"I'm very fortunate to be able to get out there and play volleyball," Novacek said. "My body is in pretty good condition after a long NFL career. My back was a little sore this morning, but it loosened up as we got going."
Novacek owns the Upper84 Ranch, a private hunting grounds, in Brady, Neb., which covers 3,500 acres. That ranch has taken up much of his time since he hung up his cleats. He and his family recently moved back to the Fort Worth area.
Novacek didn't tell any of his former Cowboys teammates about the AVP appearance.
"I was playing at 8 a.m., and most of them are lucky to get up that early," Novacek said.
Novacek believes that, whether it's football, volleyball or another sport, the movement of the hips can tell a lot about the success of a player. Novacek moved his hips well enough to catch 422 passes for 4,620 yards and 30 touchdowns in 11 seasons.
Relaxing in the AVP media tent after Thursday's competition, Novacek said the memories of the Super Bowl years in Dallas never fade. The old Cowboys still convene from time to time.
"There has always been something that got us back together," Novacek said, "Troy's induction into the Hall of Fame, Michael's induction this year.
"I hope he invites me. If he doesn't, I'll crash the party anyway. I'm going."
The old Cowboys seem to be going everywhere and doing everything. If it's not Novacek making a guest appearance in an AVP qualifier, it's Smith showing his moves on Dancing with the Stars.
If it's a choice between volleyball and dancing as an after-football activity, Novacek will stick with volleyball every time.
"I'm a lot better at this," Novacek said, "than the cha-cha-cha."

Karch on all things volleyball
A Q&A with a man in his fourth decade on tour
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
It is almost impossible to ponder what the AVP will be like next year without Charles Frederick Kiraly, because the man they call "Karch" has been the face of pro beach volleyball since the inception of the tour.
"It's pretty scary," said Kiraly, 46, who is retiring at the end of this season. "The AVP's first-ever professional event was in 1978, and I played in it (he did not accept prize money at the time so he could keep his amateur status). And it's pretty scary to think that here I am still playing almost 30 years later."
It has been especially scary for his opponents, who have seen him win a record 148 AVP tournaments -- not to mention three Olympic gold medals, three national championships at UCLA, a state prep championship at Santa Barbara and two world Player of the Year awards.
Kiraly, who is of Hungarian descent and was born in Jackson, Mich., recently sat for a 45-minute interview in which he discussed everything from his favorite hecklers to where he keeps his gold medals. Here are the highlights of that interview:

WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT THIS WOULD BE YOUR LAST YEAR?
"There has to be an end at some point. I went through some aches and pains last year. I injured my knee. I worked hard to get back healthy. But I don't want to get too much wear and tear on my body."

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR?
"I'd love to win one more time at least. I want to try to push the record for oldest player to win a title up a couple of years (he already holds the mark with a win at age 44). I broke my own record four or five times, which I guess means I am getting really old. Beyond that, I want to get a chance to thank the fans who have supported me and the tour all these years."

HOW HAS THE GAME CHANGED?
"When I first started playing beach volleyball in 1978, the guys just stood back on defense. There was no blocking. You weren't allowed to break the vertical plane of the net. You had to stay on your side of the net. Then the rules changed about six years later. Then jump-serving came in to the game.
"Six years ago, they shrunk the court by 20 percent. They changed the scoring system from scoring only on your serve to scoring on every point. The serve can now hit the net. Bigger players are coming in to the game as a result of the shrunken court. The men's and women's tours are now together. The tour was really only fully unified in 2001. Equal prize money has come into play.
"Other than all that, it is the exact same game!"

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE TOUR 10 OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW?
"For one thing, I think you will see more international players on the tour. As the prize money on this tour grows, I would expect players in Europe to try to make a dent here. I am also hoping to see the growth of a feeder tour that would give more opportunities for players to get their feet wet -- or their feet sandy -- and learn the game of beach volleyball."

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A ROLE IN ADVISING THE LEAGUE? IF NOT, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND?
"I have always had a good relationship with the AVP. Maybe if the AVP were interested at some point in having me play some sort of official role in the league, I guess I would have to seriously consider that.
"But I have started a volleyball academy that will start this year. I am doing some more coaching. I will be doing television work on the tour. So even when I am not playing, I will be at all the events. So there is plenty on my plate right now."

WHAT ARE YOUR PROUDEST MEMORIES AS A PLAYER?
"I am very proud of my season in 1992, when Kent Steffes and I won 13 tournaments in a row, tying the all-time record, which Kerri (Walsh) and Misty (May-Treanor) have since broken. "

ANY CHANCE YOU WILL CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT RETIRING?
"Not that I am aware of. I don't like to do the "retire, I'm back, retire, I'm back" kind of thing.

WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR GOLD MEDALS?
"They are stuck away in a drawer. If you were to walk in to our house, you would find very little evidence of my career because I don't want it to be a shrine to my accomplishments. I want it to be a home to our family.
"The only time I really bring 'em out is when I visit schools or other groups. I enjoy sharing them with people and allowing them to see how heavy they feel. That is the only time I really bring them out, so people can enjoy touching or holding them. People love to take pictures with my gold medals."

HOW DID THE NEON PINK HAT TRADITION START?
"That season in which Kent and I won 13 in a row, early in that run, I had four different colors of hats, one of which was pink. I just got on a roll with the pink hat. So what started out as a superstition grew into a tradition and an easy way for my family to find me at tournaments because I am the only one with cojones big enough to wear a pink hat.
"I have gotten a lot of heckles because of that hat. But luckily, I am married, and I don't have to worry about people challenging my manhood.
"Now the hat has gone form superstition to tradition to almost curse. Now I can't not wear it. I have to finish out one more year with the pink hat."

DID YOU REALLY GET HECKLED BECAUSE OF YOUR HAT?
"Oh, yeah. One of the best heckles I ever heard was a few years ago from one of my opponents, who was just having fun with me. He said. 'Hey, Karch, the '80s called, and they want your pink hat back.'"

ANY OTHER FAVORITE HECKLES?
"We used to play indoors in New York in Madison Square Garden. And there were a couple of guys who sat right behind our players bench, and they used to think it was really stupid of me to wear a watch during a match. So they kept saying, 'Hey Karch, what time is it? What time is it now?'
"And I yelled, 'It's time for you to think up a new question!'"

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT YOU SPORTS FANS MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?
"How much we have to hydrate out here in this kind of heat and humidity. I think the most I have ever taken down in one day of fluids is five gallons -- a gallon per match. If we didn't replace our fluids, we would probably keel over and die. I remember a player who didn't do as good a job at that and went down to Brazil for a tournament weighing 220 and came back at 202. He lost 10 percent of his body weight from the heat and humidity. It is brutal.
"As hard as it is in the NBA or other sports, we do it for an hour or an hour-and-a-half, and then we rest for a little while, and then we do it again. You might have to do that 5 times.
"We play at the world's most beautiful beaches but in the world's most challenging conditions. It is not like you play one match and you go back to air conditioning. We do it all day long."

DO YOUR SONS, KRISTIAN, 16, AND KORY, 15, WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS?
"I almost went overboard in making sure I didn't push them into volleyball, that it was their decision to play. I just didn't want them to have to have a certain reputation to live up to.
"But they have chosen to play in the last year or two. They have gotten a lot more serious about it. They are playing indoors for their high school team (St. Margaret's in San Clemente, Calif.), and I am co-coaching the team.
"It is really neat to see them flourishing and learning the game. But if they didn't want to play, that would be just fine with me.
"They have to find their own way, find the things they really enjoy, the things that will allow them to find fulfillment in life and the things that will allow them to make a positive contribution in life."

DO THEY REMIND YOU OF YOURSELF AT THAT AGE?
"It does remind me of what it was like when I was 15, and I couldn't get enough of volleyball, playing it in every spare moment.
"I feel really fortunate to have grown up in a time before video games. We would just go out and play baseball or other sports with the neighborhood kids. Pickup games are a long lost art. Everything today seems to have to be organized. Whatever happened to getting together with the kids and figuring out a game, making up a new game?
"Kids need unorganized free play. Figure out how to agree on the rules. Problem solved. Play for the fun of it.
"I think that is why I am still playing and still loving the game. I didn't get into volleyball because of fame. There was no fame, no prize money, no television. I just got into it because I loved doing it, I was pretty good at it, and I kept getting better. A lot of that was in the summer with my buddies away from the coach."

Upsets abound in women's qualifier
Two double-digit seeds advance to main draw
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
DALLAS -- Coming on the heels of an AVP Crocs Tour stop in Miami, Fla., filled with many surprises and firsts, the women's qualifying round of the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open continued right where Miami left off.
The biggest event that transpired on the women's side was the unexpected qualification of No. 10-seeded Angie Hall and Laura Ratto, their first ever appearance in a main draw, individually or as partners -- this coming after last weekend, when the pair was given the 24th qualifier seed and finished 10th in the qualies.
Their road to the main draw wasn't an easy one. Hall and Ratto battled it out against second-seeded Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney.
Kuk and Whitney's first set seemed to indicate that their second seed would translate into a main draw appearance, winning that game 21-12. But the tides turned in favor of the underdog midway between the second set. Hall and Ratto went on to win each of the last two sets, 21-18 and 15-13.
Immediately after earning their first bid into the main draw, the San Diego locals were greeted with a tackle from neighbors and fifth-seeded Angela McHenry and Lisa Rutledge.
At first, Hall and Ratto could not put into words their excitement for making their first main draw.
But then Hall managed to say, "We've been working so hard together for like a year and a half, and it just feels so good to finally get what we've been working for."
A similar outcome for No. 14 Nicki Fusco and Gina Kirstein occurred simultaneously with Hall and Ratto's upset.
The pair knocked off sixth-seeded Krystal Jackson and Tiffany Rodriguez despite losing the first set, 21-15. Jackson and Rodriguez changed the pace and took the match, 21-18 and 15-12.
McHenry and Rutledge could not manage to find the same luck as their fellow San Diegans, falling in two sets, 21-16 and 21-16, to No. 4 Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes.
But Dukes gave credit all around the table for the degree of competition she found in this weekend's qualifiers.
"The qualifier is never easy, no matter how you get through it, it's never easy," Dukes said. "It's always tough, so you kind of just gotta grit your teeth and claw your way through it."
Top-seeded Claire Roberts and Julie Romias, however, came through qualifiers smoothly, never dropping a set. The duo pushed past No. 8 Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli who, like Roberts and Romias, won their first two matches in two sets.
With scores of 21-15 and 21-18, Robertson and Romias secured entry into the main draw once again in 2007.

Tramblie battles injury, moves on
The No. 2-seeded team finds a way to play Friday
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ty Tramblie could have thrown up the white flag when he suffered a sprained left ankle early in Thursday's qualifier at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.
But there was no surrender in Tramblie or partner Mike Morrison as they made sure that at least one of the top two seeds on the men's side advanced to the main draw. With the injured ankle heavily taped, Tramblie moved around gingerly following each point. But when the ball was in the air, he ignored the pain and reacted swiftly and decisively.
Tramblie and Morrison, the No. 2 seed, got past Leonardo Moraes and Jim Nichols, 21-12, 21-15, to advance to the main draw. Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts, who went in as the No. 1 seed, were upset by No. 17 seed Joaquin Acosta and Gaston Macau.
Tramblie and Morrison were pushed to a third game by Everett Matthews and Ivan Mercer early on, and that's when Tramblie suffered the sprained ankle.
"I wanted to win so bad that nothing else really mattered," Tramblie said. "I was kind of cramping because I was favoring my ankle. I was thinking, 'We've got to get this over with.'
"Going home and not qualifying? There was no choice there. I had to go as hard as I could. You spend a lot of money to come out here."
Tramblie said he expected to be ready to go for main draw play on Friday.
"I'll wrap it, ice it and it will be fine," he said.
While Morrison and Tramblie were living up to their high seed, the No. 3-seeded unit of David Fischer and Scott Hill also punched one of the four tickets to the main draw.
Fischer and Hill defeated Russ Marchewka and Fernando Sabla, 19-21, 21-16 and 15-12, to qualify for play on Friday.
"We pulled together," Hill said. "We started to pick up on what Sabla was doing and where he was looking to go. Our defense really helped us."
The opportunity to play double elimination on Friday has Hill excited about the prospects.
"With no single elimination, the pressure is kind of off in our eyes," Hill said. "It will be fun."
The Hill-Fischer team has become used to playing a lot of the qualifiers with a high seed.
"A lot of people say there is pressure because you don't want to get beat by a lower seed," Hill said, "but our outlook is just that we have a job to do and we need to get it done. I don't think it really puts pressure on us at all."
The No. 8-seeded team of Jon Mesko and Eyal Zimet got to the main draw by defeating Acosta and Macau 21-14, 21-12. It marked the first time the Mesko-Zimet duo has played together.
"I thought we started a little slow, but we came on and had a good day," Zimet said. "I like this hard-packed surface and I think it plays to our advantage. It's going to be great to play again. We can't wait to play against the big guys tomorrow."
The biggest surprise qualifier was the unit of Skyler Davis and Derek Zimmerman, which came in as the No. 28 seed. Davis and Zimmerman took out Seth Burnham and Tony Pray to reach the main draw.
With only four of the 42 men's teams making it to the main draw, Tramblie looked at the day as a nervous experience.
"We've got to get out of these qualifiers," Tramblie said. "We're close."
And they did.

Zimet, Wong to square off in beach volleyball
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
Former Rainbow Eyal Zimet will meet former Buffanblu Kevin Wong in the opening round of the $200,000 Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open on Friday. The second AVP Crocs Tour event of the year is being played adjacent to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, with 3,150,000 pounds of sand brought in to create the seven courts.
Zimet and partner Jon Mesko won three matches today to advance out of qualifying. Wong and partner Karch Kiraly are seeded 10th. The top-seeded team is made up of Punahou graduates Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert. Punahou and UH graduate Sean Scott is seeded fourth and Wong's brother, Scott, and partner Hans Stolfus, a former UH player, are 12th.
Former Dallas Cowboy Jay Novacek lost in the first round of qualifying, as did former Rainbow Wahine All-American Victoria Prince. UH alumna Heidi Ilustre is seeded 11th in the women's draw. Former 'Bow Kimo Tuyay fell in the second round of qualifying.

Top seeds ready for rebound
No. 1's hope to get back at No. 2's in Dallas
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
The main draw of the AVP Dallas Open begins Friday, and storylines abound. Will Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser continue their run of three straight wins or will Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert (or another team) knock them off? Will Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh regain their place atop the women's field, or will the parity we saw last week in Miami continue? Here's a look at those topics and the rest of what to expect on Friday in Dallas.

Streaky Finish
After claiming their third-straight AVP Crocs Title, carrying over from the 2006 season, second-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will look to make it four in a row when they face the winner of a match between No. 15 Brent Doble/Ty Loomis and No. 18 Brad Keenan/John Mayer at approximately 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal will look to put a stop to that streak, as Rogers and Dalhausser ended Gibb's own streak of two consecutive inaugural AVP Crocs Tour titles last weekend.

Back at One
On the women's side, the biggest shock in Miami was the elimination of No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in the semifinals to second-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh who went on to win the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
With only their second absence from the championship round since joining the Tour in 2003, May-Treanor and Walsh will be back for revenge in Dallas this weekend.
With a first-round bye, the top-seeded duo faces the winner of No. 17 Katie Lindquist and Tracy Lindquist, and No. 16 Alicia Polzin and Paula Roca, who will play each other in the first match of the day at 8 a.m.
The Lindquist sisters, should they emerge victoriously and play May-Treanor and Walsh, will be hungry for revenge. Despite their loss to the pair, the sisters were able to take one set from Walsh and May-Treanor in Miami last weekend. The second match is tentatively scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
Similar to the tale of May-Treanor and Walsh, No. 1 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger dropped down to the Contender's Bracket on the men's side last weekend, when they fell early on to No. 13 Matt Olson and Jason Ring. From the other side of the bracket, the first-seeded pair could not surpass Gibb and Rosenthal and walked away from Miami with a third-place finish.
Lambert and Metzger will look to get back on top this weekend when they take on the winner of No. 17 Albert Hannemann/Ed Ratledge and No. 16 Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman, who are set to open Friday's play for the men at 8 a.m.

New Beginnings
Another key match to watch for this weekend will begin at about 10 a.m., when eighth-seeded Jennifer Boss and April Ross take on the winner of the match against No. 24 Angie Hall/Laura Ratto and No. 9 Jenny Pavley/Sarah Straton.
Hall and Ratto's upset of the second-seeded qualifying team sent the pair to their first ever main draw match. The two will rely on their adrenaline to attempt an even bigger upset on Friday.
Watching the Boss/Ross match from the sidelines will be Keao Burdine, like Boss a fellow USC Trojan who, at the conclusion of last season, was set to pair up with Boss again in 2007. Burdine's decision to play in Puerto Rico during the off-season, though, caused her to miss the first tournament of 2007 and lose her partner to a fellow USC alum. Boss had to decide between the two and went in favor of Ross this weekend, after the pair's appearance in the finals last weekend.

End of the Road
Karch Kiraly will continue his goodbye tour this weekend in Dallas. Friday, partnered with Kevin Wong, the 10-seeded pair will try to better their fifth-place showing last weekend to give Kiraly another shot at a title before he says goodbye. The duo will face off against No. 23 Jon Mesko and Eyal Zimet at 9:45 Friday morning.

Local Flavor
No. 14 Austin Rester and his partner Aaron Wachtfogel should bring significant fan support from Dallas this weekend, as Rester is an alumnus of Texas Tech, and was raised in Grapevine, Texas, 15 miles outside of Dallas.
With a little help from Wachtfogel, Rester tied his personal best ninth-place finish in Miami and will look to top that tomorrow morning. Should the pair win their first match, they will take on Gibb and Rosenthal at about 9:45 a.m.
Another familiar face is that of Ashley Ivy, whose hometown, Arlington, is the site of this weekend's tourney. Partnered with Heather Lowe, the two will try to outplay their No. 21 seed against No. 12 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson at 8 a.m. tomorrow.
Last weekend, ninth-seeded Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello fell to the eventual Miami champions Youngs and Branagh to earn a seventh-place finish. This weekend, they have considerable incentive to challenge that finish, as Dodd is an alumnus of the University of Texas and will have local support cheering her on.

Priorities in order, Lee returns to tour
Lee makes return to tour in home state
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
While the AVP hasn't seen Texas in seven years, it has only been one year since Texas resident Jaimie Lee played with the AVP. Lee's hiatus, however, had nothing to do with the absence of the tour in the Lone Star State.
"I had a baby," Lee said simply.
While Lee may not live the life of a typical beach volleyball player, in light of her years off and her Austin, Texas, residency, neither of these factors should indicate that she is anything less than dedicated to the sport. To the contrary, she shows her commitment to the sand by how hard she has to try to keep beach in her life.
Maybe her commitment to beach volleyball is bolstered by the fact that the sport is in her family. Her husband, Brian Hosfeld, is the winningest volleyball coach in Baylor history. Lee and Hosfeld welcomed their second child in August and Lee didn't waste any time getting back on the beach.
"I started training as soon as the doctor said it was O.K.," Lee said.
For Lee, this meant getting back out as early as September. Even while she was pregnant, Lee swam to keep herself in shape.
"I had always planned to come back," Lee said.
It wouldn't be the first time that Lee made a transition back to competition. Lee didn't start the tour right after undergrad or an indoor career. After her graduation from Notre Dame, Lee went to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and graduated in 2001 with her Master's in Sports Management, working as an assistant volleyball coach and a part-time lecturer.
When she finally did hit the AVP, Lee made a splash. She played the first half of the season with Danalee Bragado and the second half with Kelly Kuebler. Lee and Bragado took home ninth place in Lee's second tournament. Bragado, a Notre Dame grad won Rookie of the Year honors.
But even after such success, Lee took the 2004 season off to have her first child.
What makes training hard, along with recovering from pregnancy, is not being in Manhattan Beach, Calif., or Redondo Beach, Calif., like most of the AVP players during the off-season. While players who live in these beach towns have the luxury of practicing against AVP pros, Lee has to rely on the players she can find near her.
"Typically, we don't have the access to players, all the good players to train with, and we have limited courts. But there's enough people in Austin, just enough to get by," Lee said. "The volleyball community is pretty small, and in Austin, not a lot of people play beach. So we all kind of pool together."
But Lee didn't find her partner in Austin. Keao Burdine had a strong freshman season with April Ross last year. The two notched a pair of ninth-place finishes but parted ways. Burdine spent the off-season playing in Puerto Rico and had been slated to play with Jennifer Boss when she returned. Burdine's season ran long in Puerto Rico and Boss paired with Ross for the Miami Open and took lost in the final. Burdine was left without a partner, which is when Lee stepped in.
"It was kind of dumb luck, because she had just come back from Puerto Rico, and I didn't have a partner. I wasn't actually gonna play in this event. I was gonna wait and start in Huntington. But it was so close to home. And I really wanted to play and she was available," Lee said.
The spur-of-the-moment nature of the partnership left the two with little time to practice. With their opening game on Friday, Lee and Burdine found 30 minutes to hit the beach on Thursday. Not surprisingly, it took the two, who came in as the 20th seed, a little time to get comfortable with each other on the court.
In their first game, Lee and Burdine played Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre. The first set's result didn't bode well for the new partners. Lee and Burdine fell 21-9.
"I think the first game was a little bit of jitters, and we had hardly ever stepped on the court together. To get that out of the way, it was kind of unfortunate that it took us so long to get rolling but by game two, it was a lot better," Lee said.
Lee and Burdine hung in tight during the whole game and forced overtime. Despite their effort, Lee and Burdine eventually fell to 13th-seeded Ilustre and Pascua.
"I think that we both feel a little bit better after that second game," Lee said.
The loss set them up in a match with No. 3 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, a tough opponent for the first round of the contender's bracket. Davis and Johnson Jordan have been playing together since college, and Burdine and Lee's half-day's worth of familiarity couldn't compete. Burdine and Lee again forced their opponents to take it to extra points, but Burdine and Lee eventually lost the first game, 34-32, and the second, 21-12.
While Lee may not have had the advantage of competitive time on the tour in the past year, she had her home-state advantage. While her family couldn't make the three-hour drive from Austin, she had other hometown fans pulling for her.
"There's enough people from Austin that I heard some people yelling," Lee said.
Lee hopes the cheers follow her all the way to Huntington as her second comeback season gets underway.

Texan starts fast but fails to advance
Austin Rester had a solid showing near home
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There's nothing like a home-field advantage. With at least three teams from the men's and women's main draws hailing from Texas, everyone was able to enjoy the taste of home cooking.
Despite the 9 a.m. start time, one tent was filled beyond capacity with local onlookers supporting an early men's match between No. 14 Austin Rester and Aaron Wachtfogel.
And thanks to the added crowd support, the two pulled out a come-from-behind win to send No. 19 Jason Lee and Chad Turner to the Contender's Bracket, 21-19, 17-21, 15-12.
"It's funny because, apparently, my family is not very volleyball-savvy. Most of the time they don't really know when to cheer," said Rester, a native of Grapevine, Texas. "It was a rough match because they didn't really have much to cheer for in the first match."
In the first set, the score remained tight, but one small key to Wachtfogel and Rester's ability to stay on top throughout the game was their boisterous communication.
Lee and Turner did not seem to be on the same page as frequently as their opponents did. And this is only Rester and Wachtfogel's second official tournament as a team.
The biggest comeback, however, came in the third set, with Rester/Wachtfogel trailing 1-4 early on. Things started to turn around after two nasty back-to-back aces by Rester.
He continued his heroics in front of the home crowd, after a long rally complete with both teams crawling in the sand, with a block that Lee/Turner could not answer, taking the score to 8-5.
Rester and Wachtfogel never looked back after a slew of "Alright, Austin!" chants and later screams, led by his father.
The added pressure of performing in front of his family may have been a factor, but towards the end of the match, Rester did not display any such signs.
"I don't want to come out here and collapse in front of all of them," said Rester. "I don't expect to come out and win every match that we want to, but I don't want to come out and just not show up. I want to show them that I have been working hard for something."
His extended family and friends were able to see what exactly he has been working on in the off-season in the tournament's second round of the day.
Later in the afternoon, with two tents filled over capacity, the hometown favorites continued against third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal with a fiercely-battled match more with a championship feel.
"I think we match up pretty well, I played them twice last year, and we didn't fare so well, but I have a different partner and I'm a different player now," said Rester. "But they're good and we should give them a run for their money."
In the second set, Rester went up for a huge block which he successfully landed, but on the way down, his right knee connected with the pole and resulted in a temporary pause for medical assistance. Although he has his left ankle taped as a result of surgery earlier in the off-season, it was no factor in this injury.
Five minutes later, Rester got up and walked around the sand, limping, but still managed to connect for a kill to put his team two points away from a second-set win over Rosenthal and Gibb.
That would be the only victory for the two, who came dangerously close to throwing Rosenthal and Gibb into the Contender's Bracket, as they finished 21-17, 18-21 and 15-11 before heading to the other side of the brackets.
"It was a battle â€¦ and they're a great team, they're a good young team," said Rosenthal. "We just expect to play our game and do or best and hopefully that's enough. They're a good team you know, I wish them the best to battle back."
Rosenthal/Gibb will continue on in the Winner's Bracket to face second-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser in a rematch of last weekend's AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open.
And the local men's crowd had its cheering prematurely come to an end this afternoon, when Rester and Wachtfogel squared off against No. 20 Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola but fell, 21-12, 18-21, 15-7.

The chalk advances for the women
Few upsets in the first day of women's play
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- For the women, it wasn't easy being a winner. The winner's bracket had to play three consecutive games to set up the quarterfinals, while contenders only had to play one match on top of a game they lost that sent them there. The winners, however, weren't complaining.
In the first day of action, the winner's bracket quarterfinal match-ups were set. No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are set to play No. 5 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, while the Cinderella team for the weekend, No. 14 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima will battle the Miami Open champions, second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
While the men's finals are Saturday, the women's final set for Sunday gives teams the luxury of playing less games per day. For the women's side, Saturday should be mostly contender's brackets games.
Unlike the men on Friday, a higher-seeding nearly guaranteed a win for women. The exceptions to this rule were a sight to be seen, though.
No. 12 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson vs. No. 21 Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe
In the first game against Akers and Hanson, it took Ivy a while to get the hometown vibe. She and Lowe dropped the first game against Akers, Lowe's former partner, and Hanson, 22-20. Ivy and Lowe rallied, however. The partners, who took home 17th last week in Miami, pulled off a 22-20 victory against the 12th-seeders.
Neither team showed any sign of being ready for the contender's bracket. The match went all the way to 21-19, and Lowe and Ivy, the Arlington product, came out victorious, earning them the only upset victory of the first round.
No. 14 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima vs. No. 3 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan
With the set-up of the women's bracket, the top eight teams automatically advance to the second round. Their first game is in the second round of the winner's bracket. For third-seeded Davis and Johnson Jordan, their first match-up was against Lewis and Lima, a team fresh off a win against Jennifer Ruen and Janelle Snyder.
The center court match-up took Davis, Johnson Jordan and many of the fans by surprise. Lewis and Lima won game one, 21-18. Davis and Johnson Jordan did not seem fazed, however, and stormed back to take game two, 21-17. The last game, however, was all about the alliterative pair. Lewis and Lima notched a convincing 15-10 victory to continue on to the winner's bracket.
This is the second consecutive week in the contenders' bracket for the Johnson Jordan and Davis. Last week, eventual second-place finishers Jennifer Boss and April Ross bumped them onto the right side of the bracket board. Johnson Jordan and Davis took home a seventh-place finish in Miami.
They play Saturday at 10 a.m. CT against No. 11 Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More.
The Lewis-Lima streak didn't stop there. Lewis and Lima swept No. 6 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in two games, 21-18, 21-19.
The Lewis and Lima victory guarantees the women at least a fifth-place finish, which, thus far, is the highest for both of them. Lima has scored a ninth five times, while Lewis has seen that finish four times.
Mixed success for the Texans:
Carrie Dodd, a University of Texas alum, is the highest women's seed in Dallas with a Texan connection. The No. 7 pair of Dodd and Tatiana Minello played a 12:30 match against Jennifer Fopma and Stacy Rouwenhorst. Although the match went to three games, Dodd and Minello played convincingly in the games they took (21-12, 19-21, 15-6).
Dodd and Minello, who are playing together for the first time, ran into a road block in their attempt to earn Dodd some Longhorn success, when they faced last week's champs, Youngs and Branagh. The Miami Open winners were too much for Dodd and Minello. EY and Branagh won in two, 21-17, 21-13.
The aforementioned Ivy and Lowe had the same mixed results. Ivy and Lowe hit their stride in their upset victory over Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, but their good fortune for the day stopped there. In the second round, Ivy and Lowe ran into the Tyra and Rachel show, the No. 5 combination of Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. Turner and Wacholder won both games 21-18.
Ivy and Lowe rebounded and won their contenders' bracket game against No. 22 Claire Robertson and Julie Romais, 21-18, 16-21, 18-16. Ivy and Lowe will play No. 13 Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CT.
Ivy won't be the only time that Pascua and Ilustre will have messed with Texas this weekend. Their opening match came against Keao Burdine and Jaimie Lee, who, like Ivy, resides in Austin. Lee and Burdine, who only practiced once as partners before their first match, fell hard in their first set, 21-9. In game two, however, the pair clearly regained their footing. It was clear that they were learning each other more as the game went on. The pair improved but still fell 22-20 to Ilustre and Pascua.
Lee and Burdine dropped their next match in the contender's bracket to Johnson Jordan and Davis,(34-32, 21-12).
No matter the outcome, Lee was happy to see the AVP in Texas.
"I'm excited for the tour to be here. I'll be even more excited when it comes to Austin," Lee said.

Shocking exit of Metzger, Lambert
No. 1 men's team ousted after just two matches
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- So much for the No. 1 seed on the men's side.
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger went in with a lot of hoopla but had what amounted to a bad day at the office and were ousted from the Dallas Open on Friday with a contender's bracket loss to Brent Doble and Ty Loomis.
Lambert and Metzger went down, 21-18, 21-10, after earlier falling in the winner's bracket to Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, 21-14, 17-21, 15-11.
"We just weren't on our game all day," Metzger said. "We just kept trying to push and push, but neither one of us felt real good today."
Metzger said it was a combination of the No. 1 seed running into two teams that played well while the Metzger-Lambert unit was in a sluggish mode.
"With both teams that we played against, you have to hand it to them," Metzger said. "They took advantage and served well. They put us in some bad situations. When it came down to the end, both teams made a couple of real good plays and finished tough."
The upset of Metzger-Lambert illustrated the competitiveness on the men's tour the last several years.
"You really can't have any letdowns," Metzger said. "You can't just walk out there and expect to win."
The Metzger-Lambert unit had lost to Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the semifinals of the Miami Open. Metzger and Lambert hope to rebound and capture their first title of the season next week in Huntington Beach.
"You try to fight through it mentally to get yourself going, because physically you don't feel quite right," Metzger said. "We travel all the time. Sometimes, you don't sleep well or get the food you are used to having. Today was one of those days when we couldn't get anything rolling."
Hannemann and Ratledge used the victory over Metzger/Lambert as a springboard to a big day, which boosted them into Saturday's semifinals. Hannemann and Ratledge broke away from Matt Olson and Jason Ring in the middle of the third game to win, 21-14, 17-21, 15-11, and advance to Saturday's action.
"We got Matt in some trouble," Hannemann said. "When he would swing, Ed would block him and when he would shoot, I would dig him. He got in a bad rhythm there, so we figured, just stay after him."
Hannemann and Ratledge will match up against Sean Scott and Matt Fuerbringer in the semifinals. Scott and Fuerbringer advanced through the winner's bracket to claim their semifinal spot.
"Sean Scott is one of my ex-partners," Hannemann said. "I know him very well. I think we have a very good chance to win. It's the first time Sean has played defense and the first time he has played the right side. So, they have a lot to work out. They'll be as fired up as we are."
Local favorite Austin Rester and partner Aaron Wachtfogel were sent to the contender's bracket by Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal and left the tournament after falling to Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola. Rester, an alumnus of Texas Tech who grew up in a Dallas suburb, had a big show of support in the early matches.
It was business as usual for Rogers and Dalhausser as they attempt to win their fourth consecutive title, dating back to last year. By breezing into the semifinals, Rogers and Dalhausser appeared poised to add another championship to their resume. Rogers and Dalhausser got past Fred Souza and Anthony Medel in the quarterfinals.
"We're playing all right," Dalhausser said. "I felt like I played terrible in the last match, but we pulled it out."
Dalhausser expressed surprise at the early ouster of Metzger and Lambert.
"That's mind-boggling," he said. "Something isn't right with them. They are too good of a team to be going uno, dos."
Karch Kiraly's second event in his farewell season ended after a long and spirited battle back through the contender's bracket. Kiraly and Kevin Wong were ever so close to moving on to Saturday play, but fell 16-14 to Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong in the decisive third game.
At 46, Kiraly wouldn't recommend the long route that he and his partner took before an appreciative and supportive in crowd in Texas. Over the next couple of days, he expects to feel the aches and pains of playing so many matches on a non-beach surface. But the effort nearly paid off.
"We were right in it," Kiraly said. "We lost a couple of close ones today. It's always frustrating when that happens. We got to match point in that last one, but those guys made a couple of good plays."
Other teams remaining in contention for the title include Gibb and Rosenthal; Casey Jennings and Mark Williams; Will Strickland and Nick Lucena; Doble and Loomis and Larry Witt and Ryan Mariano.

Men's final to cap Saturday
Can anyone knock of Rogers and Dalhausser?
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
With the first day of main draw action in the books, the men are ready to pair their eight to one on Saturday. The women's draw will be filled with Contender's Bracket matches in anticipation of their final on Sunday.
The biggest match of the day will undoubtedly be the men's final, which will be televised Fox Sports Net at 4:00. The biggest surprise of the day is the team that definitely won't be there. No. 1 seed Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert got bumped from competition in two consecutive losses. First, the Crocs Cup champions fell to No. 17 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge (15-21, 21-19, 15-12) and then lost to Ty Loomis and Brent Doble in the Contender's Bracket (21-10, 21-18).
Although watching the Hawaiian powerhouses of Metzger and Lambert won't be an option, a must-see on Saturday is the rematch of last week's men's final, No. 3 Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal against No. 2 Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers. In the two matches in Miami, Dalhausser and Rogers swept Gibb and Rosie in all four games. If Gibb and Rosenthal have devised a way to stop "The Professor" and "The Thin Beast," they will be sure to show it on Saturday morning to solidify a spot in the Final Four.
On the other side of the winner's bracket semis, Hannemann and Ratledge take on Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Fuerbringer and Scott took a quick trip to the contenders' bracket last week and are looking to avenge that with a high finish in Dallas. Hannemann and Ratledge, who had to qualify in Miami, are looking to solidify their spot in the main draw.
Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong found themselves on the happier side of two upsets on Friday in order to earn their way into Saturday play. No. 12 Stolfus/Wong defeated No. 5 Dax Holdren/Jeff Nygaard, who have yet to win their first game of a tournament in 2007, in three games (22-20, 24-26, 15-12). Although Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott kicked Wong and Stolfus into the contenders' bracket in the next round, the new partners were able to bounce back.
Stolfus and Wong then had to square off against an interesting tenth-seed. Not only did Stolfus and Wong's opposing team feature the winningest player of all time, Karch Kiraly, it also featured Scott's older brother, Kevin. After losing the first game, 18-21, Stolfus and Wong battled back, winning the second 21-19 and withstanding a late rally by Kiraly and the elder Wong to win the third, 16-14. Wong and Stolfus will play Saturday at 10 am CDT.
Women:
Of the 12 women's games on Saturday, 10 will be played in the Contender's Bracket. With the set-up of the brackets, four women's teams await the winners of the first four women's matches of the day.
For instance, if Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan can defeat Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger in the Saturday's opening round of contenders' games, the UCLA grads set up a rematch against the USC alums, April Ross and Jennifer Boss, who sent Johnson Jordan and Davis into the Contender's Bracket last week.
Another potential rivalry match is Carrie Dodd, a University of Texas alum, and Tatiana Minello, against Ashley Ivy, Arlington native, and Heather Lowe. If Ivy and Lowe can pull out a win against Diane Ilustre and Heidi Pascua, Ivy and Dodd might get to lock Longhorns.
In the winner's bracket, No. 14 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima will try to continue their run of upsets against last week's champs, No. 2 Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, while No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will play No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana.

Tournament Capsule: Friday
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
Saturday figures to be another exciting day as the Dallas Open moves closer to crowning its champions.
On the men's side, the No. 1 seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger are out. But the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds all played to form.
At No. 2, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers looked like they are on a mission to keep their three-tournament winning streak (dating back to last year) alive. The No. 3 seeded Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal team and the No. 4-seeded Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott team will have something to say about that.
Five teams which were seeded below No. 10 are still in the running. The list includes Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt (11); Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong (12); Nick Lucena and Will Strickland (13), Brent Doble and Ty Loomis (15) and Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge (17).
The big upsets on Friday had Hannemann-Ratledge and Doble-Loomis scoring victories over Lambert-Metzger to knock the No. 1 seed out of the tournament.
In women's play, top seed Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor and No. 2 seed Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh could be on a collision course. Neither unit faltered on Friday.
Youngs and Branagh are looking to keep it going after winning the Miami Open last week. Walsh and May-Treanor are motivated to atone for last week's ouster in the semifinals.
The men's championship will be decided Saturday at 4:30 CT and the women's title will be played on Sunday.

Locals move on in Dallas
VOLLEYBALL: Gibb and Fuerbringer advance in men's winner's bracket, as does May-Treanor in AVP Dallas Open Friday.
DALLAS — Newport Harbor High product Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh have advanced to the winner's bracket fourth round of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.
On the men's side, Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Estancia High graduate Matt Fuerbringer also advanced to the winner's bracket fourth round Friday.
No. 1-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh, who fell in the semifinals last weekend at the Miami Open, defeated No. 8-seeded April Ross — another Sailors alumna — and partner Jennifer Boss, 21-18, 21-16, in the third round. May-Treanor and Walsh, the four-time defending AVP Team of the Year, advance to play No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana with a semifinal spot on the line.
Ross and Boss, who advanced to the championship match in Miami, will play a contender's bracket match against either No. 3-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson-Jordan or No. 11 Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger.
Gibb, the No. 3 seed with partner Sean Rosenthal, advanced on Friday with a 21-18, 23-21 win over No. 11-seeded Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt. Gibb and Rosenthal, who finished second in Miami, will play No. 2 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers today, with the winner to the semifinals.
Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, the No. 4 seed, face No. 17 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge today. That team upset No. 1-seeded Costa Mesa resident Mike Lambert and partner Stein Metzger, 15-21, 21-19, 15-12, in their very first winner's bracket match.
Lambert and Metzger, who had advanced to the Miami semifinals, also lost their first contender's bracket match in Dallas to No. 15-seeded Newport Beach resident Ty Loomis and Brent Doble, 21-10, 21-18. They finish tied for 17th and split $800.
Loomis and Doble are still alive in the contender's bracket and play Mariano and Witt.
Newport Harbor High product Ty Tramblie and partner Mike Morrison also finished tied for 17th after losing a contender's bracket match to No. 6-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, 20-22, 21-14, 15-7. They also split $800.
Gibb's wife, Jane, and her partner Kirstin Olsen finished tied for 37th after falling in a qualifier's bracket match to Nicki Fusco and Gina Kirstein, 21-11, 21-15.
Former UC Irvine volleyball players Kelly Wing, who was an All-American, and Whitney Pavlik also finished tied for 37th after losing in the qualifier's bracket to Iwona Lodzik and Kristin Ursillo, 21-12, 21-17.
The men's tournament concludes today, with the women's final scheduled for Sunday.

Fan favorite Hannemann is back
Credits hiring a nutritionist and dedicated teammate
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
After fighting through the qualifiers in the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open last weekend, No. 17 Albert Hannemann and his partner Ed Ratledge have come a long way.
They had something to prove and their fifth place result this weekend ties Ratledge's best finish which came back in Tempe, Ariz., nearly one year ago with Ty Loomis.
"We just took [the qualifying seed in Miami] to heart and wanted to make sure that it was clear that we'll never do that again," said Hannemann. "So you know, we had a lot of fire last week, but we ran out of gas. And then this week, we were fresh and we've been playing with a little chip on our shoulders."
Quite possibly the biggest opportunity for the 17th-seeded team came when they were still in the Winner's Bracket and challenging third-ranked Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal for a spot in the semi-finals.
Things began smoothly with a fairly quick 21-19 first set finish against last weekend's second-place team, but the pace slowly changed in the second set. The scores knotted all the way through the set, until 19-19 when Rosenthal/Gibb were able to sneak in two more points and tie the match with a second score of 21-19.
Hannemann/Ratledge trailed for much of the game, until a mid-set tie. With the score at 12-12 and a trip to the semis within reach, Gibb and Rosenthal were able to capitalize on their match point opportunity, whereas Hannemann and Ratledge missed three chances to do so and fell into the Contender's Bracket 15-17.
"We just need to keep playing the same way and we need to finish [future teams] off," said Hannemann. "We just gave Sean and Fuerby a big gift there and we played really aggressive at the end, so we learned our lesson. And now we're gonna keep learning from our lessons."
The pair was unable to find the same success and aggression in their first attempt from the Contender's Bracket, when they fell to only the second higher ranked team of the weekend, 21-12 and 21-14 to No. 11 Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt.
This weekend's road to the semifinals regains some old ground for Hannemann, who has not come this close since partnering with Jeff Nygaard in 2002. That was also the year the pair won an AVP Open title in Hermosa Beach against Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong.
Part of the reason for Hannemann's return to a winning groove is his established partnership with Ratledge throughout the entire 2007 season. Last year Al-B paired with Scott Wong, Aaron Boss, Jeff Carlucci, Mark Williams and Scott Lane to name a few. The best finish he and any of his partners could muster were two ninth-place finishes.
Also, 2007 marks the first year Hannemann, 36, signed on a nutritionist to help better his diet and overall health.
"I've got a good partner that's committed to the year; I haven't had a partner that was ready to commit for the year for three or four years," said Hannemann. "I've just been hungry and I'm healthy and I get a lot of energy from the crowd."
Among the many to welcome Hannemann's return to the top, were the Dallas fans themselves. Although both men hail from Southern California, Hannemann and Ratledge had one of the largest followings on tour.
"I think they've been waiting for me to come back into the top groups and I think it's fun to play for them," said Hannemann. "I'm a pretty emotional player so I think that they feed off of my emotion too."
Part of that, Hannemann attributes to the number of friends he has accumulated in his 15 years of play. He said he has an advantage because instead of living in and out of hotels like many players on the AVP Crocs Tour, he can live like he does at home with local friends.
"I'm eating good and they're taking care of me," said Hannemann. "So it's better than hotels. I love that and I try to do that when I'm on the road. Every stop I have a house and that's usually where I stay, it just feels more like at home."
Part of his routine on the road includes nightly protein shakes and movie rentals, while in the morning he says thank you to his host families with breakfast.
And Hannemann has one idea as to why he fell into the Contender's Bracket before making it to the semifinals this weekend.
"But, I don't know, maybe my eggs weren't so good today," he said.
Runny eggs or not, Hannemann is back. And his fans agree, as he still received a standing ovation at the end of his match despite his loss.

Dodd alive, top two move through
Carrie Dodd is taking advantage of rare chance
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
There are few women competing on Sunday to whom this weekend means more than Carrie Dodd. After being bumped into the Contender's Bracket on Friday by No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, the University of Texas graduate, with partner Tatiana Minello, battled her way through that bracket on Saturday to earn the chance to play another day. Playing in the Lone Star State couldn't mean more to her.
"It's heaven. I get so jealous when California people have all their families there. I only get that in Dallas," Dodd said.
Although she hails from Wisconsin, the Longhorn has a sister who leaves near Dallas and made the trip to root for Dodd, even bringing Dodd's nearly 2-year-old nephew. Dodd used the energy she got from her family and the chemistry she's found with her new partnership with Minello to push through their two matches in the Contender's Bracket.
After defeating No. 13 Diane Ilustre and Heidi Pascua in the 9th-place matchup (17-21, 21-17, 15-11), Dodd and Minello moved on to play the No. 6 combination of indoor Olympian Logan Tom and beach Olympian Holly McPeak. Minello and Dodd refused to be intimidated by the competition. The 7th seed fired on all cylinders, taking the first set by the biggest margin of the main draw, 21-8.
"I think we served well. We knew that if we were on the bad side, we had to have good ball control," Dodd said.
Dodd and Minello continued their dominance, in a closer second game but one with the same outcome: a victory, 21-14, for Dodd and Minello. Dodd has been awed by her new partnership with Tati.
"We've only been playing together for two weeks. She's such an easy person to play with," Dodd said. "She teaches me things. I'm lucky."
Dodd hopes her luck continues on Sunday morning when she and Tati take on No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana. If Dodd and Minello can pull off a win, it would follow along the same lines as the string of upsets from Saturday.
Upsets:
While underdog wins for the women were few and far between on Friday, the men must have rubbed off on their female counterparts before Saturday's games. For starters, no. 15 Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar sent No. 10 Jennifer Fopma and Stacey Rouwenhorst home in three games (15-21, 21-16, 15-8), in one of the first games of the day on Saturday.
At about the same time, No. 16 Alicia Polzin and Paula Roca started off struggling against No. 10 Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton. However, Roca and Polzin battled back against Straton and Pavley, Roca's former partner, to pull off the come-from-behind, upset victory, 21-16, 21-19.
Neither team could continue its improbable run, and both took ninth place. Fendrick/Hochevar lost to No. 5 Tyra Turner/Rachel Wacholder and Polzin/Roca dropped its last game to McPeak/Tom.
The next round also offered a lower-seed win. Although No. 8 Jennifer Boss and April Ross dropped their first game, 14-21, against No. 3 Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, last week's runner-up was determined to keep the Saturday upsets going. Boss and Ross won the next in overtime, 24-22, and the third, 15-10. Boss and Ross's run ended there, as they lost in the seventh place game to Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
Texas heartbreak:
Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe looked poised to be another one of the many upsets on the day. They came out swinging, winning their first game, 21-17, amid screaming fans of Ivy, an Arlington. But Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre noted their mistakes in the first game -- namely, ball control -- and quickly fixed them. Pascua and Ilustre entered the second game just as fired up as their opponents, despite Ivy's big following.
"We had to cheer ourselves on," Pascua said.
They cheered themselves on to a 21-17 victory to force a third game. The final set was all Ilustre and Pascua. They didn't let the hometown fans, or Lowe and Ivy's own enthusiasm, faze them on their way to a 15-11 victory.
"Both of them are big, fired-up girls, so we just had to be our own fans," said Ilustre.
Ilustre/Pascua's fan power wasn't enough to overcome Texas alum Dodd and Minello in the next round and the No. 13 seed went home with a ninth-place finish.
The big dogs move on:
Since the winner's bracket stayed busy yesterday, Saturday was much more relaxed for the top-seeds. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh played only once, a 2:50 p.m. match-up against No. 4 DeNecochea and Fontana. The top-seed continued their unbeaten streak and took the match in two games, 21-16, 21-18.
Branagh/Youngs only played once, as well. At noon, they took on the streaking 14th seed, Lewis and Lima. The Miami Open champions took the first game (21-13) but lost their first game of the tournament to the 14th-seeders, 19-21. Branagh and Youngs recovered, however, and squeaked out a 15-12 win.
Now there are six teams left for the women, and they will all be hungry for a championship appearance. Play for the women's side begins tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.

Beastly Dalhausser takes another
Rogers, Dalhausser count four straight titles
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Todd Rogers-Phil Dalhausser victory tour continues to relentlessly march westward across America.
Miami last week. Dallas this week. It begs the question whether anybody can take down Rogers and Dalhausser when the AVP Tour rolls into Huntington Beach the weekend of May 3-6.
Saving their best for last, Rogers and Dalhausser never trailed against Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb in the championship match of the Dallas Open, dispatching the No. 3 seed, 21-14, 21-16, to make it 2-for-2 on the AVP Tour this season. Rogers and Dalhausser have won four consecutive team events overall dating back to last year and 17 straight matches.
"I was seeing everything really well, and Phil was blocking everything really well," Rogers said.
The result was double-barreled excellence.
It was 10-10 in the first game when Rogers and Dalhausser rang up three straight points, including a couple of Dalhausser aces. They held Rosenthal and Gibb at arm's length the rest of the way, and Dalhausser ended Game 1 with an exclamation point by soaring for one of his eight blocks.
"Rosy started the game off almost unstoppable, so we had to go to Jake and see what he had," Dalhausser said.
Rogers and Dalhausser then jumped out 3-0 in Game 2. The third point was a Rogers serve directly between Rosenthal and Gibb and neither man went for it. Rosenthal and Gibb got as close as 11-10 and trailed 15-13 when Dalhausser and Rogers rang up four straight and cruised the rest of the way.
After winning eight tournament events last year, Rogers had warned before the season about setting the bar too high. But now that the Rogers-Dalhausser team has jumped out 2-for-2, it looks like the unit has a great chance to better last year's victory total.
"We did goals together and we tier them to three levels," Rogers said. "Level 3 is to utterly dominate. We're well on our way toward Level 3 right now, but we've got a long way to go to get there."
Added Dalhausser, "It's too early to talk about domination. If you look ahead, you're thinking about what's in the future, instead of what's right in front of you."
Earlier in the day, Dalhausser and Rogers had been pushed to three games by Rosenthal and Gibb en route to a championship showdown. But when the television spotlight came on for the championship match, Dalhausser and Rogers made sure that spotlight belonged to them. The winners split $20,000 while the losers split $15,000.
It was the same song, second verse, after Dalhausser and Rogers beat Rosenthal and Gibb in the championship match last week in Miami.
"I think they just played better, game after game and match after match," Rosenthal said. "We have to figure out a way to beat them. It's more than a monkey on our back. It's something a lot bigger than that.
"It's very frustrating, because we're undefeated against the AVP, except for them."
Dalhausser and Rogers have a career record of 10-1 in championship matches on the AVP. They are 13-2 against Gibb and Rosenthal.
It marked the fifth time in the last six AVP team events that the championship match was a sweep.
Dalhausser drew most of the oohs and aahs from the crowd in the championship match. He had 12 kills, four digs and two aces to go with the eight blocks. The 6-foot-10 "Thin Beast" can give any opponent nightmares.
"He's like Kerri (Walsh) is on the women's tour right now," Rosenthal said. "He's so big and really good."
Rosenthal and Gibb vow to keep searching for ways to get past their championship match nemesis.
"We have to figure something out," Rosenthal said.
Dalhausser and Rogers just want to keep the momentum going in Huntington Beach on the first weekend of May. Three wins in three tries in three different time zones sounds like a plan for the hottest men's team on tour.

Kiraly enjoying his last ride
Cites chemistry with Wong helping duo prep
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- He's gone from the Dallas Open but not forgotten. Karch Kiraly didn't quite make it to the final day of competition in Texas, but now it's back to California, where Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong will have the opportunity to play on a natural beach surface at Huntington Beach on the weekend of May 3-6.
"I'm having a great time playing with Kevin," said the 46-year-old Kiraly, who is in his farewell season on the AVP Tour. "He and I fit really well together. We have some nice chemistry. He's a great volleyball player, a great blocker and setter. We complement each other well, so I'm looking forward to having some strong tournaments."
Kiraly was happy that he had one last opportunity to visit Dallas on the Tour.
"We used to come here quite often," Kiraly said. "There were a lot of good volleyball fans out here."
While working his way through the contender's bracket on Friday, Kiraly took a pounding on the artificial courts.
"I'm looking forward to getting back to the beach," Kiraly said.
Key to the city: Kiraly was saluted on Saturday as Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck presented Kiraly with a key to the city.
"We're pleased to have you here," Cluck said. "I'm standing next to a legend."
Kiraly addressed the crowd at the main stadium after jokingly asking Cluck about the privileges that the key to the city might offer.
"Does this mean I can get in a Cowboys game?" Kiraly wondered.
The Dallas Cowboys are building a new stadium in Arlington a short distance from where the Dallas Open is being held.
Cluck assured Kiraly after the ceremony that he's welcome to take in a Cowboys game when the new stadium in Arlington is completed.
AVP in Dallas: This week's tournament marks the 10th time the AVP has scheduled a men's event in Dallas and the second time for women.
The 1996 tournament had to be cancelled because of high winds. It was one of just four events in which the competition was not completed. The others were Pensacola in 1992 and 1993 and Indianapolis in 1997.
The previous eight Dallas events played to conclusion had eight different partners emerge as winners. Kiraly was in on three of those victories. The last Dallas men's champs prior to Saturday were Adam Johnson and Kiraly in 1999.
Nancy Reno and Angela Rock won the only other Dallas women's event in 1994.
Odds and ends: The Dallas Open marks the 450th men's event in AVP history. ... Celebrating birthdays during the Dallas Open are Andy Shean and Federica Tonon. Shean turned 30 on Thursday and Tonon turns 29 on Sunday. ... Matt Fuerbringer (6-7) and Sean Scott (6-5) were bidding to become the second-tallest team to win. The tallest unit was Adam Jewell (6-6) and Jake Gibb (6-7). Canyon Ceman (6-5) and Mike Whitemarish (6-7) equaled the combined height of Fuerbringer and Scott.

Tournament Capsule: Saturday
Can Youngs and Branagh duplicate top men?
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser lived up to their end of the bargain. Now it's up to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh to see if they can go 2-for-2
on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
Rogers and Dalhausser wrapped up their second title in two weeks on Saturday and Youngs and Branagh will try to equal that feat on Sunday as the Dallas Open crowns its women's champion. But lurking in their path are top seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who want to atone for a semifinal ouster last week in Miami.
The May-Treanor/Walsh and Youngs/Branagh units rolled through the winner's bracket on Saturday. Others with an opportunity on Sunday are No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea/Barbra Fontana, No. 5 Tyra Turner/Rachel Wacholder, No. 7 Carrie Dodd/Tatiana Minello and No. 14 Angela Lewis/Priscilla Lima.
The women's final is scheduled to begin around 1:30 ET.

Gibb takes second again in AVP tourney
VOLLEYBALL: Costa Mesa resident and teammate Rosenthal can't stop top seed, while May-Treanor moves on.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and his teammate Sean Rosenthal had to settle for runner-up status once again going up against the red-hot team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open Saturday.
Rogers and Dalhausser, the No. 2 seed, won the Miami Open last week and this week they collected the Dallas Open crown after a 21-14, 21-16 win Saturday over the third-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal.
Earlier in the day, Gibb and Rosenthal nearly defeated Rogers and Dalhausser, but lost, 24-26, 21-12, 15-13, in the fourth round of the winner's bracket.
Gibb and Rosenthal split $15,000 for finishing in second place. The winners took home $20,000.
Rogers and Dalhausser never trailed in the championship match. It was 10-10 in the first game when Rogers and Dalhausser scored three straight points to regain command.
Rogers and Dalhausser have four consecutive team events overall dating back to last year. They have a 17-match winning streak and they are 13-2 against Gibb and Rosenthal.
Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer and his partner Sean Scott, the No. 4 seed, finished tied for third. The duo split $9,500
Gibb's team defeated Fuerbringer's in a tight semifinal, 14-21, 23-21, 15-12.
The Dallas Open's top seed, Costa Mesa resident Mike Lambert and teammate Stein Metzger, lost in their first winner's bracket match on Friday, 15-21, 21-10, 15-12.
On the women's side, Misty May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor High product, played just one match Saturday.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the top seed, defeated No. 4-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-16, 21-18.
May-Treanor and Walsh, the four-time defending AVP Team of the Year, will face Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, the No. 2 seed in a semifinal today.
April Ross, also a Newport Harbor product, nearly got out of the contender's bracket with her teammate Jennifer Boss. The No. 8-seeded team, which finished second at the Miami Open last week, upset third-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 14-21, 34-22, 15-10 in the third round of the contender's bracket. But, Ross and Boss the lost to fifth-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, 21-18, 21-19.
Ross and Boss finished tied for seventh and split $4,650.
Ross, along with the rest of the volleyball players from the Newport-Mesa area, will return close to home May 3-6, when the AVP Tour comes to Huntington Beach.

Lewis and Lima make Cinderella run
Duo's fifth place finish is one of weekend's surprises
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
For many of the men's teams, the 2007 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open turned out to be a surreal run to the top.
One women's team, No. 14 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima, shared those same feelings as the lowest seeded pair to enter the quarterfinals.
The duo was one of the major surprises this weekend and a team to look out for in the future, and amazingly enough, did not practice together in the off-season.
"Believe it or not, we never practiced together," said Lima. "We wished we could, but actually I didn't play with her in the last five tournaments last year, so we haven't played together since maybe October - and I haven't seen her since the last AVP [tournament] last year."
Lima took a break from her partnership with Lewis after Birmingham last year and teamed up with Paula Roca. The best the new pair finished in 2006 was in ninth place - tying her best finish with Lewis.
This weekend however, something clicked, as Lewis and Lima put together their best tournament yet - a fifth-place finish that almost became a bid to the semifinals when they lost to No. 5 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder.
The first set was fairly uneventful, as the two teams exchanged points until a tie at 15-15. From there, Turner/Wacholder maintained the small margin necessary to win 21-18.
The second set nearly resembled the first, complete with 10 knotted scores. Again, at 15-15, the teams locked scores two more times until Lewis and Lima pulled in front 21-19.
And to no surprise, the third set kept pace with the first two. Wacholder and Turner were at match point two times, 14-12 and 14-13, but Lima and Lewis were not ready to go home. Not until 15-13, did Turner and Wacholder secure their move into the semifinals, where they fell to No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
"Every time we get in, we just say we have nothing to lose," said Lima. "We have all those big players with big names and experience and I'm like, 'Angela, we just gotta keep having fun and let's play our little game and make everybody frustrated.'"
One key to Lima and Lewis's strength as a partnership is the long-lasting friendship the two have developed over the past two years. An integral part of their work-outs and preparation is staying loose and having a good time together.
Lima said that they have to dance in the parking lot before every match to pump themselves up.
"The best thing is Angela is one of my best friends, on and off the court. And we're so much alike, we love to dance, we love to talk, we love to laugh, and we love to play volleyball," said Lima. "So we actually have fun. Why (are) you gonna be all serious if you're doing something that you love? You don't have to be all stressed about it."
"We try to listen to some booty music and we start moving around and then we mix up our sports drinks and do a regular warm up, but we make sure we do a little shaky before that," she continued, with a chuckle.
But there is a serious side to Priscilla Lima, the player and the person. Not only is the 27-year-old trying to make it as an international player, but the Rio de Janeiro native is also taking a lot on her plate as a full-time college student.
After finishing her first undergraduate degree as general studies major and four year student athlete at Louisiana-Lafayette, she is back for a second bachelor's, taking 15 units while traveling on the AVP Crocs Tour.
"I like education, I really do, and I like learning; it's only helping my performance, my game and knowledge within the sport," said Lima. "That's why I wanna finish Kinesiology and maybe later on, then I'll take my time doing my master's but I just wanted to finish real quick."
As an international student, there are considerable tuition bills to pay for a second undergrad career.
But Lima has it all figured out.
"I actually play professional beach volleyball to pay for school; as an international student I pay $10,000 a year and my family doesn't have a lot of money to help," said Lima. "So my way of helping is by paying my own bills and not asking them for money, so my check is actually going to my tuition right now."
At least if the whole school thing doesn't work out, Lima has quite the promising career as a professional beach volleyball player. Others agree, as opponents and fans alike congratulated her on a phenomenal tournament this weekend.

Tran and Cox are Ultimate winners
Duo wins trip to Las Vegas
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas - If what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, what happens in Dallas certainly is on display for all to see.
Following the success of last weekend's inaugural competition, AVP sponsor Jose Cuervo continued the second leg of its search for the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy.
With eight candidates, three men and five women, neck-and-neck in the runnings, Dallas beach volleyball fans texted their vote for who will represent the city in Las Vegas when the AVP Crocs Tour travels to Sin City on Sept. 6-8.
Some of the more tasteful routines in the contest, winners Ricky Tran, 30, and Courtney Cox - yes like the actress - 21, both have two things in common. First of all, they have not been to Vegas as legal adults, and secondly, they both knew how to work their love of sports to win over the crowd.
When asked what his ideal date would consist of, Tran replied, "I'd pick her up on a bird and we'd fly off and we'd have reservations at some restaurant at a beach, drink a lot of Jose Cuervo and watch a lot of volleyball."
Cox separated herself from the pack when she revealed how a guy could win her over - and guys, pick up lines do not work.
Instead, she would prefer to watch her favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox.
"People used to say to me, 'How are your Friends?' and it took me a couple of years to figure it out," Cox said.
By the end of the season, 34 winners will head to the AVP Las Vegas Gods & Goddesses of the Beach at Caesar's Palace.
"I hope it's going to be a good time," said Tran. "I'm just gonna go with the flow and go with the punches, so whatever happens, happens."
The stakes are the same as last weekend, as each male and female representative from all of the tour stops will compete for a spread in Maxim and Cosmo, in addition to a one year modeling contract with Vision.
Stay tuned all season long to see who will represent each city. Prepare yourself Huntington Beach, you're up next.

AVP Tour heads to Huntington Beach
Dalhausser and Rogers is the team to beat
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
The AVP will make its first trip to a real beach in 2006 when the tour travels to Huntington Beach. The Southern California events are notoriously more intense with most of the players hailing from the area, meaning more fans rooting for a specific player, rather than the sport in general.
Maybe the biggest fan favorite of all will be the greatest player of all time, Karch Kiraly. This will be Kiraly's last stop in Huntington Beach. Kiraly, who is retiring at the end of the 2007 season, scored the last of his 144 Open wins in Huntington. He won the big check in 2005 with Mike Lambert, who will find himself in an unusual place next week.
After Lambert and partner Stein Metzger's two-and-done showing in Dallas, the Crocs Cup champions have lost their No. 1 seeding. The Hawaii natives haven't seen anything lower than a top seed in a regular season tournament since Atlanta last year. Since becoming partners in the beginning of 2006, Lambert and Metzger have never been lower than no. 2.
The top seeds will be Dallas Open champions Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, looking to win their fifth tournament in a row and establish their longest winning streak as a team. Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, who have taken two straight second places to Dalhausser and Rogers, are trying to stop the streak and score their first Open win of the year. Their rivalry should intensify in California with Rosie's Raiders around. Rosenthal's cheering section should be right behind him at the first California event of the year.
Another team with the crowd behind them should be Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. Turner, a Florida native, pulled off a fifth-place finish in her home state in the first Open of the year. The two made it to the Final Four last week, but fell to Walsh and May-Treanor in the semifinals. It is now Wacholder's turn for a homecoming. Wacholder, an Orange County native, will try to continue her and Turner's steady improvement and put themselves in a final.
Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lewis should take a nice jump in seeding after this week's 14th seed finished in the final four. There were only seven upsets this weekend on the women's side and Lewis and Lima orchestrated two of them.
May-Treanor and Walsh won last year's Huntington Beach Open and will be the team to beat in this year's. After losses, the women play with a vengeance. In Dallas, they didn't drop a single game. On the heels of this momentum, the gold medalists will be important to watch in Huntington Beach.

Ross' beach efforts pay off
Rookie of Year has moved up in rankings
By Colleen Murray / AVP.com
Once she had her heels dug in, April Ross had an easy decision to make this offseason. Unlike in seasons past, Ross chose to dedicate all her energy to beach volleyball and forgo playing indoor volleyball.
"It is too hard on my mind and my body. I needed a break," Ross said.
That break and her offseason training bode well for the 2006 AVP Rookie of the Year. In her first event, the 24-year-old made it to the finals with Jennifer Boss. Ross is the third-youngest woman to make it to the last game of the weekend. Ross' quick rise is a tribute to her beach commitment in the offseason, her working out the kinks and her learning from the veterans.
Ross spent her offseason training with one of the best on the beach, Nancy Mason. Mason has been in five finals and taught Ross, a University of Southern California product, the nuances of the sport that only come with time. Practices, Ross said, were more about structure. Last year, Ross and partner Keao Burdine were both fairly new to the beach. Without a coach, they didn't know what to practice or how to practice it.
"Last year, it was like, let's hit a little bit and let's pass a little bit. It didn't really translate to us getting better. And this year, we had strategy," Ross said.
With Mason, Ross learned to hit the ball in the same spot every time, for example, and the reason to practice this technique. A year ago, Ross would practice like she would practice for indoor events, but her training with Mason has taught her the beach volleyball mentality.
"I learned why you approach this way instead of that way and what the ot her team is going to think you're doing by your approach," Ross said.
Although this practice prepared Ross for the season, little could prepare her for her shock a few weeks before the season started. Mason discovered that she had an injury that would require her to sit out for a few events. Ross, left without a partner, found Jennifer Boss. Last-minute partners or not, the two have thrived. Ross has been capitalizing on all her knowledge and making it work for her and Boss.
"Everything is so much more complex than I ever thought it was. Learning to use that complexity to your advantage, that's the biggest thing," Ross said.
Boss and Ross came in Miami as an 11th seed and pulled off a string of upsets to land themselves in the final, Ross's first. In Dallas, the two jumped to the eighth seed and came off with a seventh-place finish. Both are higher than Ross ever placed last year.
In her first season, Ross and Burdine took home two ninth-place finishes, and competitors saw their potential. At the end of the season, the players voted Ross 2006 Rookie of the Year.
"It was really surprising," Ross said of the award. "There's added pressure but you'll always have that award. It's a really cool honor.
Her youth has gotten her noticed, but Ross hopes her sharp playing and smart choices keep her in the limelight and the top 10 finishes. She realizes that she has limited time to capitalize on the learning opportunities around her.
"These older women that have played for so long aren't going to be around much longer, so if I'm going to play with someone and learn from someone I have to do it now," Ross said.

Top women back where they belong
May-Treanor, Walsh gain revenge in Big D
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are tough enough under normal circumstances. When they're using revenge to fuel their motivation, the rest of the AVP Tour on the women's side is advised to take cover.
Stung by last week's semifinal loss in Miami, May-Treanor and Walsh blew into Texas on a mission to show they are still the standard by which to be measured on the AVP Tour.
Mission accomplished. May-Treanor and Walsh had all the answers Sunday in charging past Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 21-14, 21-19, to win the Dallas Open. Whatever Branagh and Youngs did, May-Treanor and Walsh did better. The No. 1 seed was out to show that last week was an aberration, and the championship match crowd that watched May-Treanor and Walsh play ultra-sharp volleyball will vouch for the fact that they know how to rebound with a flourish.
"I think we were a lot more patient this weekend," Walsh said. "We passed well and did all the fundamentals. Even if we got down or the other team scored a run of points, we stayed steady."
That was certainly the case in Game 2 of the championship match. After controlling Game 1 throughout and jumping ahead 16-11 in Game 2, May-Treanor and Walsh saw Branagh and Youngs ring up five in a row to tie the score. But May-Treanor scored down the line to stop the run. Leading 20-19 moments later, May-Treanor delivered a kill to seal the title.
Walsh did not feel she was on top of her game in Miami when Branagh and Youngs stole the show. But the Dallas Open had a distinctly different script.
"They were serving me (in Miami) and I know that physically I'm capable," Walsh said. "But mentally, I was a little tentative and a little insecure. When it's mental, there's no excuse for that. This weekend was a whole new story. We learned."
May-Treanor and Walsh had six aces in the championship match, while Branagh and Young, who have the two highest per-game averages for aces, had only two.
"We were aggressive and kept them on their heels," May-Treanor said.
It was a pleasant weekend in the Metroplex for May-Treanor and Walsh all the way around. They threw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers-Oakland A's game on Friday night and then took more bows while brushing aside the AVP field on Saturday and Sunday.
May-Treanor and Walsh haven't gone consecutive tournaments on the AVP tour without a victory since 2004 when they finished third in Manhattan Beach and then second in Hermosa Beach.
When the AVP Tour resumes in Huntington Beach the weekend of May 3-6, Youngs and Branagh will switch to revenge mode, and May-Treanor and Walsh will be looking to use the Dallas Open as a springboard.
"Our team rhythm both on offense and defense was on today," Walsh said. "This game is so much about rhythm and timing. Misty played unbelievable defense."
Branagh played with a heavily taped right ankle after suffering a sprain on Saturday.
"I wasn't jumping my highest, but I was doing the best I can," she said.
With each of Sunday's championship competitors now having one victory through the opening two weeks of the Tour, Youngs thinks a special rivalry might be brewing.
"It has only been two events, but I think it's in the making," Youngs said. "It's the future of beach volleyball on the women's side. You've got four big girls, because I consider Misty to be a big girl. She can hit the ball and, at 5-10, she jumps well."
Branagh figures her ankle will be 100 percent at Huntington Beach. But the question is whether May-Treanor and Walsh can be stopped by Youngs/Branagh or anybody else now that May-Treanor and Walsh have hit their stride on the 2007 Tour.
"Now, we're on another mission," May-Treanor said. "We need to win the next one."

Notebook: Raising competition
May-Treanor one step closer to McPeak's record
By Robert Falkoff and Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Two weeks into the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, Misty May-Treanor can feel the competition tightening up.
"We have to be playing at our best," May-Treanor said.
May-Treanor points to the unit of Angela Lewis/Priscilla Lima as an example of a team that could be poised to burst into prominence. Lewis/Lima finished the Dallas Open in a tie for fifth place after entering as the No. 14 seed.
"This is a great event for them," May-Treanor said. "There are new teams that are up-and-coming and making great strides."
Lewis and Lima split $6,000 for their strong showing. May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh earned $20,000 and runner-up Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs took home $15,000.
Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana and Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder tied for third to earn $9,500 per team. Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello tied Lewis/Lima for a $6,000 share.
Closing in: With Sunday's victory, May-Treanor is just two wins shy of tying current record holder Holly McPeak, who has 72 wins.
The earliest May-Treanor could set the record now would be the weekend of May 17-20 at Hermosa Beach.
May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh would have to score wins at Huntington Beach and Glendale, Ariz., over the next two tournaments to set up that possibility.
Just in case: Priscilla Lima used a knee brace in the Dallas Open, but it didn't seem to hinder her mobility.
"It's preventative," Lima said. "I sprained my ankle in January, and then coming back and training, I kind of started compensating on my left leg. So I got a little fluid on my knee and a little pressure. Sometimes it feels really weak and sometimes it feels really tight."
Odds and ends: Matt Fuerbringer continued to fill the emcee role on Sunday. Fuerbringer had performed those duties on Saturday at the men's Final, along with Albert Hannemann. Regular emcee Chris McGee and Holly McPeak were involved with play-by-play for the live broadcast on AVP.com. â€¦ The Dallas Stars' ice girls showed up for the women's Final. â€¦ After being knocked out of the Contender's Bracket with a 13th-place finish on Saturday, George Roumain had to be carried off his court due to extreme dehydration.

May-Treanor collects title
ARLINGTON, Texas — Newport Harbor High product Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh defeated Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 21-14, 21-19, in the final Sunday to win the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open at the Ballpark in Arlington.
The win avenged a 21-19, 21-19 loss to Branagh-Youngs in the semifinals of the season-opening Miami Open last week. Branagh and Youngs went on to win that event.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who won the final seven events of the 2006 AVP season, have not gone consecutive weeks without winning an AVP tour event since 2004.
The top-seeded duo, the AVP Team of the Year the last four seasons, split the $20,000 first prize.
The tour's next event is the Huntington Beach Open, May 3-6.

Cousins stay true to roots
Two AVPers' program impacts Carson, Calif.
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
Cousins Eric Fonoimoana and Albert Hannemann have earned gold medals, but nothing gives them the sense of satisfaction they get from helping inner-city kids in low-income Carson, Calif.
In 2000, Fonoimoana got the idea to start Dig For Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization that is free to kids and stresses academics along with beach volleyball.
"I am a huge sports fan," Fonoimoana said, "and I realized that other sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA all have foundations. The AVP didn't have one, so instead of waiting, I started it myself."
Fonoimoana said that more than 1,500 kids have participated in the program since 2000.
"These are kids who have nothing," said Hannemann, who was seeded 17th and yet finished fifth with teammate Ed Ratledge this past weekend in Dallas. "We give them shoes, volleyballs and T-shirts. But more than anything, we give them a positive influence and let them know that maybe someday they can be the next Olympians."
Fonoimoana, 37, has already accomplished that goal, winning Olympic gold in 2000 along with beach volleyball partner Dain Blanton.
"When Eric won the gold medal, it really opened up a lot of doors as far as getting sponsors to help our foundation," said Hannemann, 36. "The City of Carson has supported us, and we also have sponsors such as the AVP, Michael Wigley Galleries, the Amateur Athletic Foundation, Oakley Sunglasses, Wilson Sporting Goods and Paul Mitchell Hair Salons."
Kerri Walsh, who teams with Misty May-Treanor to form the No. 1 women's beach volleyball team in the world, has also sponsored Dig For Kids. She recently donated $4,000 to start the Excellence in Volleyball and Academics scholarship fund. Every year, the fund will help four Carson High seniors pay for college.
Fonoimoana said he has also dipped into his pocket to fund Dig For Kids. But more than money, he has given his time -- about 20 hours per week during the AVP offseason -- to secure sponsorships or work with the kids.
"Over 80 percent of the players on the AVP Tour are college educated," Fonoimoana said. "I think the kids in our program should look up to us, first and foremost, because we are educated, and secondly because we are athletes. That is why I tell the kids all the time."
Hannemann said Dig For Kids has already changed how a number of kids in Carson perceive their futures.
"When we first started our program, most of the kids we talked to did not think they would ever go to college," he said. "Now when we ask that question, every single kid knows he has to go to college to better their chance in life."
Dig For Kids is designed for fourth- and fifth-graders.
"That is the ideal age for us to reach the kids, motivate them academically and teach them volleyball at the same time," Hannemann said.
Every year, Fonoimoana and Hannemann visit six elementary schools in Carson and talk to teachers and principals, who then recommend children for inclusion in the 10-week program.
"We do the program twice a year -- right after our AVP season in the fall (September through November) and before our season in the spring (February through April)," Hannemann said. "We work for them once a week for three hours each time out. The first two hours are academics, and the last hour is volleyball."
Hannemann said that high school volleyball players participate in the program as tutors and mentors.
"There are so many kids who want to do this," Hannemann said. "It's the only after-school program in the area that has been sustained for more than two years. We're really proud of it.
"I grew up poor in Los Angeles, and I hung out a lot in Carson as a teenager. I wish there had been a program like this for me," Hannemann added.
Even so, both men have prospered in the game. Fonoimoana has earned close to $1 million playing beach volleyball. Hannemann won a gold medal at the U.S. Olympic Festival and a national championship at UCLA. He was an academic All-American and has been a professional model.
Both are committed to being two of the sport's goodwill ambassadors.
"It's really the only way the sport is going to grow," Hannemann said. "After every match, win or lose, you will see Eric and I talking to kids, signing autographs."
Fonoimoana, who is retiring as a player after this season, said that taking the foundation national is the next step. But that will depend on more help from the AVP.
"We've talked, and they have been receptive," Fonoimona said. "Now it's in their court. I hope they follow through."

Smith heads clinics at AVP stops
Sinjin teaches the finer points of beach
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Before the legend of Karch Kiraly began in 1978, there was Sinjin Smith in 1977.
And for many volleyball fans in attendance at the AVP Crocs Tour this year, they, too, can actively take part in that legend.
Every Saturday and Sunday at 17 of the 18 AVP stops, the Crocs Court will feature clinics for adults and kids alike taught by none other than Smith, who holds 139 beach volleyball titles, second only to Kiraly's 148.
"Collectively Crocs decided that we wanted to do something interactive for the fans on site, and we thought, 'What better way than to bring out one of the best players of all-time to do clinics for kids of all ages to come out and learn from the best?'" said Tim Gray of Crocs.
The Sinjin Smith clinics began as a side note to the Croc's Tent during the 2006 tour and were such a hit, that they're back on tour for a second run.
Smith said that, depending on the turnout, each clinic is tailored to suit the skills of the participants. The majority of the girls who showed up for the Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open last weekend were competing in a local indoor tournament, so Smith was able to demonstrate the transition of skills from indoor to beach play.
"It depends on the group -- these girls had a background in the game, so they knew how to pass and set. So I wanted to teach them the basics of playing a two-person game," said Smith. "In other words, where they line up, where they pass the ball, where they set the ball -- basic strategies for playing the two person game. It's the same stuff that I would tell any of the pros out there."
Two local participants, Hannah Ritchie, 15, and Maria Lira, 16, of the Colleyville Heritage High School freshman red team were among the indoor volleyball players who benefited from Smith's clinics and Queen of the Court contest.
"He actually taught us how to hit and how to relax our fingers. Yeah, you can tell the difference [from what we were doing before the clinic]," Ritchie said.
Not only does Smith have an impressive beach volleyball rÃ©sumÃ© for teaching skills, but he also has extensive clinic experience. Smith and his former partner, Randy Stoklos, host a website promoting their work off the tour, Beachvolleyballcamps.com.
From June to August, Smith and Stoklos teach kids from San Diego to Oxnard, Calif., everything they need to know about beach volleyball.
"I enjoy this kind of thing. I like to teach the kids because I know that if they learn the skills at a young age and if they enjoy the game, they'll be better players when they get older," said Smith. "As a kid, they learn things so quickly that, if they enjoy the game, once they physically develop, it's much easier for them."
The advantage of attending Smith's free clinics on the AVP Crocs Tour, however, is special because many professional beach volleyball players drop in on his instruction.
"We've had Ryan Mariano stop by from time to time and has helped out, and a few of the women have also been able to come by and just kind of give some pointers here and there," said Gray.
Added Smith, "They'll put in their two cents' worth. The players are very loose and open and they'll deal with the crowd when they see things going on."
For your next chance to practice on the beach and learn from the greats, stop by the Crocs Court on Saturday or Sunday when the AVP tour rolls into Huntington Beach, Calif., next weekend.
"[Smith is] one of the best players of all time -- he has a real passion for teaching and he's really good with the kids," said Gray. "He's absolutely a pleasure to work with."

AVP reality show breeds new stars
College players break into beach game on CSTV
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
In 2006, the AVP brought beach volleyball to top college players with the CSTV/AVP Beach Volleyball Clinic Challenge. Two of the participants, Victoria Prince and Jessica Veris, from the 2006 Clinic played in the first two qualifiers of the AVP season.
The CSTV/AVP Challenge was a reality-TV type of elimination show, where 16 of the nation's best female collegiate athletes were given a chance to try their hands at the transition from indoor to beach volleyball for three days in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
"I think [the CSTV experience] got girls interested in the sport. Three or four of the girls from that event are out here playing in the qualifier and that's really what we want," AVP veteran Holly McPeak said. "We want it to be a feeder system, and I think through that CSTV/AVP Beach Volleyball Clinic Challenge, players were able to learn the sport, be introduced to some people so they weren't total strangers and I think that really helps."
McPeak and other AVP notables helped with the training, running different clinics and workshops for the girls. Her role now with the recent college grads in the qualifiers is more of a sideline mentorship.
When the group wound down to eight girls, the players had to choose partners among those left from the original 16. Three professional coaches watched and evaluated the final teams and flew who they thought was the best to Reno for competition. From there the winning team earned a wild card draw in the qualifiers at the 2006 Huntington Beach Open.
"I watch [Veris and Prince] from the sideline and I want to see what their progress is," McPeak said. "I'll definitely tell them areas where I think that they can improve so they can get out of the qualifier and that's important. And I like to help the young players get started and get going in the right direction."
Veris, who played for the University of Washington and grew up in Manhattan Beach, and Prince, who grew up in Washington and transferred to the University of Hawaii, were given the 26th seed in the qualifier at the Miami Open and fell in two sets to No. 7 qualifier seed Suzana Manole and Lauren Mills in the first professional match of their careers.
As the duo has already learned, physical size and talent alone are not enough to make the transition from indoor to beach volleyball. This is evidenced by the longevity of careers throughout the AVP. Of the top eight seeded women's main draw teams, none are under 25. With exception of Kerry Walsh who powered through in three months, the transition to beach volleyball typically takes about three years.
"I was definitely nervous a little bit in the beginning, but it's just a game," Veris said. "It's a total lifestyle experience and totally excited for the [next AVP events] to come. It's definitely different than indoors and I love it. There's a lot more strategy and switching it up so you have to think a lot more."
Against Manole and Mills in Miami, Veris and Price showed a great deal of promise in just their first tournament. It was a fight to move on to the second round of the qualifier bracket as Manole and Mills came out on top, 21-18, 21-18.
One week later, the pair found itself with the 25th qualifying seed in Dallas but still saw the same result as the previous weekend. Veris and Prince dropped two sets to eighth-ranked Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli, 21-15, 21-11.
"I think there are better things to come after this, but I got my first [AVP tournament] under my belt," Veris said. "Vic and I, I think did really well for our first time and we can only get better."
Last weekend, CSTV again gave college players some exposure for continuing their volleyball careers with the Collegiate Championships held in San Diego. The event featured eight of the top programs in the country including Stanford, Nebraska, Texas, Penn State, Minnesota, Florida and USD.
Clips will be available online at CSTV.com, and the entire program will be released in late April with McPeak providing color commentary as she did in 2006.
Perhaps if it weren't for the opportunity CSTV and the AVP gave to college players across the country, future stars might never have had the chance to even compete at the professional level.
"It's really it's a very hard sport to get into. I'm from Washington and being in the sand is something that you do since you're 10 years old, if you're from California," Prince said. "In Hawaii people played, but really not as much as you would think and when my coach got the call from the AVP, I thought it must be a sign that this is what I'm supposed to do. If they wouldn't have called, I'm not so sure that I'd be doing this, so that's a really good thing that they're doing for the college athletes because you really don't know how to get involved, you're really not sure how to put your foot in the door."

Pro volleyball player returns home May 10
Association of Volleyball Professional player and Independence High School graduate Jennifer Snyder will be in town for the AVP Westgate Open May 10 to 13 at the Westgate City Center, 91st and Glendale avenues.
By George Witkowski
With apologies to Thomas Wolfe about not being able to go home, Glendale native and volleyball professional Jennifer Snyder can count the days before arriving here.
Snyder, a 1994 graduate of Independence High School, will be playing in the Association of Volleyball Professionals Westgate Open May 10 to 13 at Westgate City Center, just steps from Jobing.com Arena. She was a First Team All big west in 1996 and 1997 at Long Beach State and was a member of Long Beach State's Final Four team in 1997. After graduating with a communications degree from Long Beach, she played professional in Switzerland for one season.
The 6-foot-2 Snyder has amassed nearly eight thousand in winnings and her highest finish has been third place (five times).
Snyder, 30, played club and high school volleyball for Leaven Eubank at Independence and he has been a big influence to this day, she said.
“He saw me playing as a big gangly person and asked me to play club volleyball and kind of held my hand along the way,” she said. “He got me volleyballs to start with and he's been kind of my right hand guy.”
Snyder has been on the pro circuit for two years and played in Tempe last year with her teammate Janelle Ruen. Snyder and Ruen were 47th qualifier seed early last year and halfway through the season they were seeded 16th.
Getting interested in volleyball was never a problem, she said.
“I always loved it,” Snyder said. “I used to play basketball, but I blew out my knee, and while I was in rehab, the basketball coach wasn't very accommodating.”
Life on the road is always a new experience, especially when she was a rookie, but Snyder is a little more familiar with each city and crowd.
“Traveling is tough, but it is also fun getting to see new places,” she said. “Last year was a struggle most of the time. Chicago is fun and Louisville is also fun and the people make it what it is.”
Snyder said when people ask for advice about getting into volleyball, she is able to answer their questions in a newsletter question and answer column.
“Most people are pretty accommodating and I write a Q& A column for Quad City Volleyball,” she said.
Although Snyder is living in Costa Mesa, Calif., she is looking forward to seeing the family, friends and places while in Glendale, but finding quiet time is the key element.
“I try and relax while traveling and I like to go for walks and read a book,” she said. “We (are on the) go all the time and to be still is nice. My family is in Glendale and I'm excited.”
Whether it is volleyball or any other sport, most athletes are prone to avoid saying they have seen it or know it all, and Snyder is no exception.
“You never know enough and there's always something you can learn about it,” she said.
In her second year with the AVP tour, Snyder is hoping for a successful visit to Glendale, both professionally and personally.
For more information about the AVP Westgate Open, visit www.avp.com.

Cuervo laying out a hot promotion
Ultimate Beach Girl, Guy to appear in Maxim
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
So you believe you're the ultimate?
Well, you've got your shot to prove it as Jose Cuervo is providing just that opportunity in the Ultimate Beach Girl & Guy contest.
"It is about the beach and the lifestyle and fun and sort of the whole Cuervo experience. It all goes so well with beach volleyball," said Jose Cuervo marketing director Scott Geisler. "Ultimate Beach Girl & Guy is a way to celebrate that."
Combining a bit of the runway with the nature of sport, the season-long promotion on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour will culminate at the AVP Las Vegas Gods & Goddesses of the Beach at Caesar's Palace, Sept. 6-8. There, one woman and one man will be crowned as the Ultimate Beach Girl and Ultimate Beach Guy and awarded a one-year modeling contract and the opportunity to appear in Maxim and Cosmopolitan magazines.
"It connects the lifestyle with the sport," Geisler said, emphasizing the aspect of drinking responsibly. "It's celebrating summer, it's celebrating fun and sort of just taking it easy."
The contest is as simple to enter as it is to log on, provided you've got what it takes.
You can enter online at avp.com with a deadline set for July 22. One can also enter on-site until Sept. 2 at designated kiosks at the Cuervo Cabana at select AVP events. A current photo is required for online entries while an original essay of no more than 250 characters is required for all submissions.
Online entries will be narrowed to 60 semifinalists to be determined by submission date. There will be 20 semifinalists (10 male and 10 female) for entries received between April 12 and May 7. Another 20 will be selected from submissions between May 8 and June 13 and the remaining 20 will be chosen from those online entries received between June 14 and July 22.
Semifinalists will be awarded points determined by the originality of their photo, written expression and the overall adherence to the theme. Their entries will then be posted on avp.com for peer voting, Aug. 1-10, from which two finalists will be selected to compete for the grand prize.
On the road to Vegas, Cuervo will also conduct a total of 12 individual contests at AVP tour stops to help determine the 24 finalists that will join the two online finalists for the right to head to Sin City. Each finalist is awarded a three-day, two-night stay in Las Vegas, and four winners have already stamped their tickets.
For the event contests, six walk-off winners each for men and women will be determined in a catwalk competition selected by crowd applause. The event winners are then determined via text messaging with spectators able to use their own phones or those provided on-site by Cuervo.
Paul Christopher, 30, and 25-year-old Veronica Trollerud won at the season-opening event in Miami, while Ricky Tran, also 30, and the 21-year-old, I-have-friends-but-not-Friends, Courtney Cox took home the honors in Dallas.
The contest continues next weekend in Southern California, when the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open takes to the sand from May 3-6. This one has a twist.
California residents are eligible to participate in the contest but are not allowed to win any prizes and will simply gain the honor for their local event. The other three California events will be Hermosa Beach, May 18-20; Long Beach, July 19-22; and Manhattan Beach, Aug. 9-12.
The next tournament with full eligibility will be the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open, May 10-13, near Phoenix.
While the pros on tour have the physical assets required for such a contest, volleyball is not a prerequisite. In fact, even playing the sport is not a necessity and neither is a purchase of any Cuervo product to enter the Ultimate Beach Girl & Guy contest. The company sees it as a natural extension of its AVP sponsorship.
"There is a need for us as a business to spread the awareness as much as possible," Geisler said of his company, which also sponsors the Cuervo Gold triple crown series. "So being the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy and being on the beach, drinking margaritas and watching volleyball, it all fits."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

FIJI Water Hits the Sand as the 'Official Water of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Crocs Tour'
FIJI Water Announces Sponsorship Deal With the AVP and Offers Consumers a
Chance to Play Against Volleyball Stars in Fiji
LOS ANGELES, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- FIJI(R) Water, a major premium
bottled water brand in the United States, today announced it will be the
"Official Water of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Crocs Tour" for the 2007
season. Featuring more than 150 of the top American male and female
competitors in the sport, the beach volleyball tour will hit 18 cities in
13 U.S. states, which kicked off April 12 in Miami, Florida and runs
through September 16 in San Francisco, Calif. Both FIJI Water and the AVP
promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle and together they will bring
summer excitement and pure hydration from a natural artesian source to
millions of volleyball fans and beachgoers across the country.
    FIJI Water will be providing the athletes with what they need most --
hydration. Drawn from an artesian aquifer deep below the Earth's surface on
the Fijian island of Viti Levu, FIJI Water contains naturally-occurring
minerals including electrolytes that are critical for hydration and muscle
health. In celebration of the athletes' strength and talent, FIJI Water has
taken their involvement with the AVP one step further by partnering with
two players, Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More. Only three years into
the AVP, Stonebarger and More, are the youngest team ranked in the top ten
and are expected to break into the top five this season.
    FIJI Water is sponsoring a national sweepstakes this summer that allows
individuals a chance to win a trip to the Islands of Fiji and play in, or
watch, a special AVP exhibition match with professional players, including
Stonebarger and More. Additional prizes include tickets to local AVP tour
events and/or AVP-FIJI Water branded merchandise. Consumers can enter at
retail locations or online at http://www.fijiwater.com from July to September.
    "FIJI Water is very excited to partner with the AVP," said John
Cochran, President, FIJI Water. "It's the perfect drink to be consumed by
healthy athletes, like the competing volleyball players, who want to be at
the top of their game. This year's AVP tour will bring huge crowds of
players and fans to the beach, providing an ideal environment for FIJI
Water to keep everyone hydrated during the intense matches while delivering
important health benefits from our unique and natural source."
    "We are thrilled to have FIJI Water on board as the official water of
the AVP," said Leonard Armato, CEO and commissioner of the AVP. "FIJI Water
will be a great addition to the tour and we are looking forward to reaching
out to volleyball fans from coast-to-coast through the company's
contributions and exciting marketing and retail campaigns."
    FIJI Water is a natural source of electrolytes, such as calcium,
magnesium and bicarbonate -- all of which are vital for good health.
Electrolytes help regulate important physiological functions and are
important for hydration, as well as muscle and nerve health. Electrolytes
can be lost when the body sweats or becomes dehydrated, especially during
exercise and warm seasons, and FIJI Water can help naturally replenish
these missing electrolytes.
    About FIJI Water
    FIJI(R) Water, a natural artesian water bottled at the source in Viti
Levu (Fiji islands), is the second largest imported bottled water brand in
the United States. A product of one of the last virgin ecosystems on the
planet, natural pressure forces FIJI Water out of its aquifer deep below
the earth's surface and into iconic square bottles through a sealed
delivery system free of human contact.
    FIJI Water is available in four convenient sizes to suit any lifestyle.
The 330 ml (11.16 oz) or Lil'FIJI, 500 ml (16.91 oz), 1 L (33.81 oz) and
1.5 L (50.72 oz) bottles are available in single serve and/or multi-packs
at leading retail locations, and are also served at premiere hotels,
restaurants and gourmet shops. FIJI Water is also available for home
delivery in the continental United States at http://www.fijiwater.com. FIJI
Water received the United States Secretary of State's 2004 Award for
Corporate Excellence. It is the fastest-growing super-premium bottled water
and has been top-rated in taste tests among bottled waters by Cook's
Illustrated Buying Guide, Men's Health and others.
    About the AVP, Inc.
    AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports
entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution
of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the
industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of
the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to
stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes
successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens,
Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women
in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit
http://www.avp.com.

Photos:

AVP Tour Talk–Dallas pics

From: amjones

Friday
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/alanmjones/2007DallasAVPFriday

Saturday
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/alanmjones/2007DallasAVPSaturday

May 3rd-6th 2007 AVP Quervo Gold Crown SERIES HUNTINGTON OPEN
HuntingtonBeach,CA $200,000

Event Facts
Event Start Date:Thursday, May.3rd, 2007
Prize Money:$200,000.00

Webcams:

WaveWatch

Huntington Beach Webcam

Event Links: Scott Davenport
Photo By Lynn Chu

- Ian Clark played the 2002 & 2004 Huntington Beach Open with Scott Davenport and the 2003 event with Chip McCaw.
- This year Ian Clark will not be playing the 2007 Huntington Beach Open due to prior commitments.

AVP Tour Event Coverage

(Format: Double Elimination)

* Ian Clark's Year 2004 Results

13th - Ian Clark/Scott Davenport $1050.00

Match Results:

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 7: Jim Nichols / Matt Olson (13) def. Ian Clark / Scott Davenport (20) 22-20, 25-23 (0:45)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 34: Ian Clark / Scott Davenport (20) def. Nick Hannemann / Mark Paaluhi (29, Q14) 21-12, 21-15 (0:39)
Round 2
Match 42: Ian Clark / Scott Davenport (20) def. Chip McCaw / Alika Williams (19) 19-21, 21-15, 15-8 (0:54)
Round 3
Match 48: Casey Jennings / Matt Fuerbringer (6) def. Ian Clark / Scott Davenport (20) 14-21, 21-10, 15-9 (0:58)

-With a match record of (2) wins & (2) losses Ian Clark/Scott Davenport finish 13th at the 2004 Nissan Huntington Beach Open

AVP Quervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open
Huntington Beach Pier
May 3rd-6th 2007
One of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's favorite hot spots is Huntington Beach, Calif. scheduled for a May 3rd-6th stop on the 2007 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Series. With Jim Menges and Greg Lee notching the first men's title in 1975, the site has seen an AVP event every year since 1999 and in 2003 hosted Misty May, who grew up in nearby Costa Mesa, Calif., and partner Kerri Walsh's sixth victory on the tour.

Where to play in the area:
AVPNext sanctioned California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) offers weekend tournaments throughout Southern California. Check out www.cbva.com for more information.
Both sides of the pier (AAA or better on the south side).
Juniors have a great opportunity to play as well with the Jr. Spikers simmer beach volleyball program. Contact the City of Huntington Beach for more information.

Top local players to watch:
Men: Brian Lewis, Evan Hook, Scott Lane, Jamie Johansen, Vince Fierro
Women: Misty May, Tracy and Katie Lindquist

Local Legend
Man: Brian Lewis coming off an impressive 2003 season with partner Scott Ayakutubby
Woman: Cammy Ciarelli played 82 tournaments in her career, taking home 14 titles and over $160,000 in prize money.

AVP Huntington Beach Open History:

2004-2006 Champions

Women:
Kerri Walsh and Misty May: May and Walsh continued their impressive streak by posting the following numbers. 12 -- The number of consecutive tournaments won on the AVP Tour. 15 -- The number of consecutive tournament victories (AVP and FIVB). 58 -- The number of overall games that May & Walsh have won (the last 28 matches have been sweeps). 60 -- The number of matches won on the AVP Tour (with no losses). 86 -- The streak of consecutive matches won on both tours.

Men:
George Roumain and Jason Ring: The Men continued their unpredictability as the first four tournaments of 2004 produced four different winners. Since the start of the 2003 season 10 different teams have been victorious in the past 13 tournaments. Roumain had experienced tremendous success in the indoor volleyball arena; to wit, he was named to Volleyball magazine's All-Century Team. A newcomer to the beach game, Roumain played in just his eighth tournament in "Surf City USA." Partnered with Ring for the fourth time, the duo advanced to the Final Four after winning their first five matches as none came easy. Four of the contests required three games and in all but one the third game took more than the standard 15 points to end it.

2005 Champions: Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs defeated Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Mike Lambert and Karch Kiraly defeated Larry Witt and Sean Rosenthal.

2005 AVP Championship Series: Huntington Beach was the third of five AVP Championship Series Events. The Women's finals pitted Elaine Youngs / Rachel Wacholder against Misty May-Trainer / Kerri Walsh for the fourth consecutive event, including the previous two AVP Championship Events. Wacholder / Youngs swept May-Treanor / Walsh, who had not been swept in a finals since July 5, 2003. 2004 MVP Mike Lambert and Beach Volleyball Legend Karch Kiraly reformed their playing partnership in Huntington. The duo did not drop a match on their run to the championship.

Huntington Beach Facts: The first Men's Huntington Beach Open took place in 1975 and was won by Jim Menges / Greg Lee. The Men returned to Huntington Beach in 1999 where Adam Johnson / Karch Kiraly would win. Kiraly is the Men's all-time win leader with three Huntington Beach Titles. The Women's first Huntington Beach Open took place in 1989 and was won by Patty Dodd / Jackie Silva. Dodd went on to win the next two Huntington Beach Opens teaming with Silva and then Karolyn Kirby. Holly McPeak is the all-time leader in Huntington Beach Victories with four. 2005 Champions Kiraly and Rachel Wacholder both grew up in Orange County.

2006-Rachel Wacholder, winner of the 2005 AVP Huntington Beach Open, grew up in Orange County. As a prep, Wacholder was named Ms. California, the state's top high school volleyball award

2007 AVP Quervo Gold Crown SERIES
HUNTINGTON OPEN

Schedule of Events

Tickets

Huntington Beach Reserved Section Tickets - Buy Now

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open 30 minutes prior to event start time.

Friday, May 4, 2007
9:30 a.m
.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
9:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 6, 2007
9:45 a.m.

Ticket Prices
Sections Price
General Admission $20.00
Courtside Seating $40.00
Student/Youth * $10.00
* Must be 18 years of age or younger and present valid school ID

Print Tickets at Home
Print your AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open tickets at home after you make your purchase from avp.com!
Find out how >

GA Group Tickets
Coming soon.
Group Ticket prices
GA Group Pricing (15-49 tickets)   $17.00
GA Group Pricing (50-99 tickets)   $15.00
GA Group Pricing (100 or more)    $12.00

How To Get There
South side of the pier
Main Street at Pacific Coast Hwy.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Beach access at 103 PCH

Map

405 freeway to Beach Blvd. exit. Take Beach Blvd. west to the end (Pacific Coast Highway). Turn right on PCH and go all the way to the pier. There is ample parking on each side of the pier

What:
AVP 2007 Quervo Gold Crown Series Huntington Beach Open

Where:
South Side of the Pier
285 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach

When:
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Free Admission
Friday, May 4, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 5, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 6, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:15 a.m.
Competition start time 9:45 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 30 minutes following the completion of men's finals (Approx 4:00 p.m.)
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.

Event Information:
Main Draw
• 32 Teams, 13 Courts
• 22 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 68 Men's and Women's teams
• 8 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 5/6
• WOMEN: 30 minutes after men's finals (approx 4:00 p.m.) on Sunday 5/6

* Click here to register now!

Youth Clinics
Hilton AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18. Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Download Registration Form to Sign Up!
• Huntington Beach Youth Clinic Form
[Microsoft Word Document]

Video Subscription:
Watch LIVE action by
subscribing to avp.comTV!

The 2007 men's and women's AVP Crocs Tour live and archived action is available for you now. All you need to do is sign up and start watching!

Purchase package now!

Television:

AVP 2007 TV Schedule
Schedule

Location Event Dates Network Coverage
Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 18 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

-Catch all the Men's and Women's 2007 AVP Finals action on FSN.
Click here to find AVP broadcast times on your local FSN provider.

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

MSN TV WEB SEARCH
http://tv.msn.com/tv/

Beach Volleyball: Listings Search Results

2 airings of Beach Volleyball matching "volleyball" on series name:

Date & Time Episode Name Channel Record

From Dallas. FSNNY 72
1:00pmFRI 4/27 AVP Crocs Tour: Women's Final

From Dallas. FSNNY 72
11:00amSAT 4/28 AVP Crocs Tour: Men's Final

Yahoo TV Search :
05/23/07

NorthEast Regional

Listings Search Results Yahoo TV
Searched next 14 days for "volleyball"

Sort: By Relevance | Chronologically

-FSNNY IS CHANNEL #72 here locally on Optimum Cablevision

-WNYW IS CHANNEL #5 New York,NY 10021

-WTXF IS CHANNEL #29 Philadelphia,PA 19106

Following the 2007 AVP Beach Volleyball Tour on your TV here as everywhere can be a hassle as it is in the NorthEast
so I am just posting these local listings to help out those of you in my immediate vicinity.

Fox Sports - TV Listings
http://msn.foxsports.com/tv/schedule

Yahoo TV
Television:
http://tv.yahoo.com/

Next Event:
AVP 2007 Huntington Beach Open
Huntington Beach , May 3rd - 6th

Click above to check your local listings as channels,dates and times
will differ in your area

IanClarkVolleyball

Featured Players:

Men:
Dax Holdren & Jeff Nygaard
Sean Scott & Matt Fuerbringer
John Hyden&George Roumain
Mike Lambert & Stein Metzger
Karch Kiraly & Kevin Wong
Larry Witt & Ryan Mariano
Scott Wong & Hans Stolfus
Paul Baxter & Canyon Ceman
Jake Gibb & Sean Rosenthal
Jason Ring & Matt Olson

Women:
Holly McPeak & Logan Tom
Nicole Branagh & Elaine Youngs
Jen Kessey Boss & April Ross
Nancy Mason
Kerri Walsh & Misty May
Tyra Turner & Rachel Wacholder
Barbara Fontana & Dianne DeNecochea

Fan Info and Promotions:

Sportmart/Wilson
Head to the Sportmart in Fountain Valley where the first 30 people to buy an Official AVP/Wilson game ball will get a pair of VIP tickets to the Huntington Beach Open. The next 100 people to purchase any AVP/Wilson product will get a cool prize from Wilson. Promotion takes place Saturday August 6th.

KROQ 106.7 FM
Make sure to stop by the Bud Light Beach Shack and hang with KROQ all weekend where they'll be doing all kinds of giveaways

Party With The Pros

Sponsor Activitys:

Nissan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be sure to stop by the Nissan display and sign up to win "Crew Club Cab" seats to sit courtside during the Men's and Women's finals. Test drive the Nissan Road Rally remote control cars and race against your friends and AVP athletes. Don't forget to pick up a safety kit and other special give-away items - you can even get henna tattoos!

Bud Light
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be a part of the Bud Light Party Zone. Look for Bud Light onsite to find out more information.

Aquafina
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Aquafina Purity Patrol is coming to the beach with tons of fun activities in the sun. Compete in the the Aquafina Obstacle Course, Aquafina/ Wilson Speed Serve/ and "Return to Aquafina" hitting challenges. See how you stand up against AVP Pros and your friends and win cool prizes.

Xbox
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit Xbox at the beach and challenge your friends in the latest and greatest Xbox Game titles. You can be King and sit in Xbox's "King of the Court" seats, the hottest seats on stadium court all weekend long or for the Men's and Women's finals. You'll be front row in your Xbox visor, t-shirt, tattoo and much more watching the pro beach stars battle for number one.

Paul Mitchell
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop by on Saturday for samples and give-aways. On Sunday, come by for $10 Cut-a-thon and get your hair cut and styled by one of Paul Mitchell's talented stylists. Profits go to Eric Fonoimoana's "Dig For Kids" Foundation. You'll walk around the beach looking fantastic, and for a good cause.

ChapStick
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take a break from the heat in one of ChapStick's four Fan Lounges equipped with a moisture tent, multiple beach chairs, games, tubes of ChapStick LipMoisturizer and other fun give-aways. Don't miss your opportunity with Misty May who will be making appearances throughout the weekend for autograph signings and photo opportunities.

Wrigleys
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long Lasting Flavor, Extra's Got It! Stop By the Wrigley Booth for a free sample of Wrigley's Extra gum

Nature Valley Granola Bars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whether you're out on the court or watching from up in the stands, Nature Valley Granola Bars are a natural source of energy. Make sure to stop by the Nature Valley tent to pick up a free sample. Nature Valley - The Energy Bar Nature Intended.

Dig Magazine

The next best thing to being at an AVP event!!
Official Magazine of the AVP Tour
Volleyball • Lifestyle • Competition
6 issues for just $18
Call toll free to subscribe:
1 800-999-9718
Or go to digvb.com
to subscribe
Get a DIG t-shirt for just $6 when you subscribe for six issues.
DIG is published six times April through October around AVP events.

Men's Seeding:

Seed Name Points Ranking Qualifying Status
$200,000 2007 AVP Quervo Gold Crown HUNTINGTON BEACH OPEN - MEN'S ENTRIES
May 3rd-6th, 2007 at The Pier, Huntington Beach, Calif.,
Men's Main Draw Entries:
2007 AVP Teams at Huntington Beach

===============================
Huntington Beach Teams - 2007

Men's Entry List:

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open
May 3-6, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Ben Koski Jeff Minc Q1
David Fischer Scott Hill Q2
Scott Davenport Pepe Delahoz Q3
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q4
John Moran Brad Torsone Q5
Chris Magill Russ Marchewka Q6
Kyle Denitz Arri Jeschke Q7
Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q8
Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q9
Kevin Dake Jeremie Simkins Q10
Reuben Danley Lucas Wisniakowski Q11
Vincent Robbins Jason Wight Q12
Leonardo Moraes Jim Nichols Q13
Seth Burnham Tony Pray Q14
Chris Harger Jesse Webster Q15
Danko Iordanov Justin Phipps Q16
Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q17
Chris Guigliano Peter Jordan Q18
Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q19
Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q20
Art Barron Mike Szymanski Q21
Matt Heagy Jon Thompson Q22
Shawn Essert Jack Quinn Q23
Skyler Davis Derek Zimmerman Q24
Joshua Cannon Kevin Gregan Q25
Erik Gomez John Michelau Q26
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q27
Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith Q28
Guy Hamilton Andrew Vazquez Q29
Jeremy Beck Dru Gerhard Q30
Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q31
Shane Nelson Brian Post Q32
Michael Rupp Fernando Sabla Q33
Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q34
Lucas Black Hawk Hatcher Q35
Jeff Murrell Soeren Schneider Q36
Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk Q37
John Braunstein Ryan Cronin Q38
Clint Coe Nate Hagstrom Q39
Alan Dawber Matt Osburn Q40
Jon Barnes Richard Krutop Q41
Rob McNaughton Joe Woo Q42
Beau Daniels James Ka Q43
Jeffrey DeWit Brandon Porter Q44
Shane Cervantes Dan Terry Q45
John Anselmo Yariv Lerner Q46
Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q47
Sean Allstot Braidy Halverson Q48
Michael Bleech Vince Fierro Q49
Drew Brand Peter Tourigny Q50
Kanani Leite-Ah Yo Cody Loggins Q51
Cory Chandler Nate Michael Q52
Steve Hubbard Paul McDonald Q53
Michael Doucette Sean Mackin Q54
Brandon Kuntz Benjamin Shamrokh Q55
Sam Haghighi Dane Pearson Q56
Alex Padilla David Pryor Q57
Juan Cabeza James Wright Q58
Teddy Liles Ryan Stuntz Q59
Karl Owens Colin Wellman Q60
Jamie Johansen Corey Kleven Q61
Edward Keller Phil Silva Q62
Chad Wick Jake Wilson Q63
Griffin Cogorno Brad Powell Q64
Kevin Beukema Andrew Mack Q65
Jaren Barredo Dan Gilbert Q66
Geoffrey Berz Sam Brown Q67
Alex Dale John Lewis Q68
Sean Callahan Nicholas Ellis Q69
Sergio Bores Jason Harris Q70
Jeff Myers Mark Smith Q71
John Caravella Luis Gonzalez Q72
Brent Keller Jasen Larsen Q73
Dragon Ognjanovic Michael Risley Q74
BJ Fell John Pecora Q75
Richard Boldt Kelly Caldwell Q76
Michael Johnson Chris Littleman Q77
Dhiraj Coates Andrew Fuller Q78
Scott Behrbaum Jeremy Irey Q79
Richard Parris Naseri Tumanuvao Q80
Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman
Dain Blanton Jason Lee
Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers
Brent Doble Ty Loomis
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge
Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard
John Hyden Brad Keenan
Casey Jennings Mark Williams
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong
Ran Kumgisky Chip McCaw
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger
Nick Lucena Will Strickland
Ryan Mariano Larry Witt
John Mayer Matt Prosser
Anthony Medel Fred Souza
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie
Matt Olson Jason Ring
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel
Hans Stolfus Scott Wong

Men's Matches:

Men's $200,000 AVP Quervo Gold CrownHuntington Beach Open
May 3rd-6th, 2007

$200,000 2007 Huntington Beach Open Qualifier Results

Qualifier Bracket

Round 1
Match 2: Griffin Cogorno / Brad Powell (Q64) def. Kevin Beukema / Andrew Mack (Q65) 21-14, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 7: Michael Bleech / Vince Fierro (Q49) def. Richard Parris / Naseri Tumanuvao (Q80) 21-17, 19-21, 15-6 (0:53)
Match 10: Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (Q56) def. Brent Keller / Jasen Larsen (Q73) 21-10, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 15: Alex Padilla / David Pryor (Q57) def. John Caravella / Luis Gonzalez (Q72) 21-15, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 18: Karl Owens / Colin Wellman (Q60) def. Sean Callahan / Nicholas Ellis (Q69) 21-12, 21-11 (0:35)
Match 23: Steve Hubbard / Paul McDonald (Q53) def. Richard Boldt / Kelly Caldwell (Q76) 21-10, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 26: Michael Johnson / Chris Littleman (Q77) def. Cory Chandler / Nate Michael (Q52) 21-16, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 31: Jamie Johansen / Corey Kleven (Q61) def. Alex Dale / John Lewis (Q68) 21-13, 21-10 (0:32)
Match 34: Edward Keller / Phil Silva (Q62) def. Geoffrey Berz / Sam Brown (Q67) 21-15, 21-18 (0:34)
Match 39: Kanani Leite-Ah Yo / Cody Loggins (Q51) def. Dhiraj Coates / Andrew Fuller (Q78) 21-17, 12-21, 16-14 (0:55)
Match 42: Michael Doucette / Sean Mackin (Q54) def. BJ Fell / John Pecora (Q75) 21-16, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 47: Teddy Liles / Ryan Stuntz (Q59) def. Sergio Bores / Jason Harris (Q70) 21-12, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 50: Juan Cabeza / James Wright (Q58) def. Jeff Myers / Mark Smith (Q71) 21-0, 21-19 (0:22)
Match 55: Brandon Kuntz / Benjamin Shamrokh (Q55) def. Dragan Ognjanovic / Michael Risley (Q74) 21-7, 21-14 (0:30)
Match 58: Drew Brand / Peter Tourigny (Q50) def. Scott Behrbaum / Jeremy Irey (Q79) 21-16, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 63: Chad Wick / Jake Wilson (Q63) def. Jaren Barredo / Dan Gilbert (Q66) 21-11, 21-13 (0:37)

Round 2
Match 65: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) def. Griffin Cogorno / Brad Powell (Q64) 21-9, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 66: Michael Rupp / Fernando Sabla (Q33) def. Shane Nelson / Brian Post (Q32) 21-13, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 67: Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q17) def. Sean Allstot / Braidy Halverson (Q48) 21-19, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 68: Danko Iordanov / Justin Phipps (Q16) def. Michael Bleech / Vince Fierro (Q49) 21-16, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 69: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q9) def. Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (Q56) 21-16, 21-12 (0:41)
Match 70: Jon Barnes / Richard Krutop (Q41) def. Skyler Davis / Derek Zimmerman (Q24) by Forfeit
Match 71: Joshua Cannon / Kevin Gregan (Q25) def. Alan Dawber / Matt Osburn (Q40) 26-24, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 72: Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) def. Alex Padilla / David Pryor (Q57) 21-10, 21-8 (0:33)
Match 73: John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q5) def. Karl Owens / Colin Wellman (Q60) 21-16, 21-18
Match 74: Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q28) def. Cody Cowell / Mark Kirunchyk (Q37) 21-19, 11-21, 15-13 (1:02)
Match 75: Art Barron / Mike Szymanski (Q21) def. Jeffrey DeWit / Brandon Porter (Q44) 21-18, 23-21 (0:41)
Match 76: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) def. Steve Hubbard / Paul McDonald (Q53) 21-16, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 77: Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q13) def. Michael Johnson / Chris Littleman (Q77) 21-17, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 78: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q20) def. Shane Cervantes / Dan Terry (Q45) 21-18, 21-23, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 79: Jeff Murrell / Soeren Schneider (Q36) def. Guy Hamilton / Andrew Vazquez (Q29) 21-18, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 80: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) def. Jamie Johansen / Corey Kleven (Q61) 21-10, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 81: Scott Davenport / Pepe Delahoz (Q3) def. Edward Keller / Phil Silva (Q62) 21-14, 21-15 (0:28)
Match 82: Lucas Black / Hawk Hatcher (Q35) def. Jeremy Beck / Dru Gerhard (Q30) 28-26, 23-21 (0:50)
Match 83: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q19) def. John Anselmo / Yariv Lerner (Q46) 21-11, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 84: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (32, Q14) def. Kanani Leite-Ah Yo / Cody Loggins (Q51) 21-9, 17-21, 15-8 (0:56)
Match 85: Reuben Danley / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q11) def. Michael Doucette / Sean Mackin (Q54) 21-14, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 86: Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q43) def. Matt Heagy / Jon Thompson (Q22) 21-19, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 87: John Braunstein / Ryan Cronin (Q38) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q27) by Forfeit
Match 88: Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (30, Q6) def. Teddy Liles / Ryan Stuntz (Q59) 21-14, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 89: Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q7) def. Juan Cabeza / James Wright (Q58) 21-13, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 90: Clint Coe / Nate Hagstrom (Q39) def. Erik Gomez / John Michelau (Q26) 21-9, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 91: Shawn Essert / Jack Quinn (Q23) def. Rob McNaughton / Joe Woo (Q42) 21-17, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 92: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q10) def. Brandon Kuntz / Benjamin Shamrokh (Q55) 19-21, 21-16, 15-10 (0:59)
Match 93: Chris Harger / Jesse Webster (Q15) def. Drew Brand / Peter Tourigny (Q50) 21-14, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 94: Chris Guigliano / Peter Jordan (Q18) def. Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q47) 22-20, 20-22, 15-8 (1:09)
Match 95: Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q34) def. Brandon Lamb / Vince Zanzucchi (Q31) 21-12, 22-20 (0:40)
Match 96: David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) def. Chad Wick / Jake Wilson (Q63) 21-14, 21-12 (0:39)

Round 3
Match 97: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) def. Michael Rupp / Fernando Sabla (Q33) 21-12, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 98: Danko Iordanov / Justin Phipps (Q16) def. Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q17) 21-14, 19-21, 15-11 (0:57)
Match 99: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q9) def. Jon Barnes / Richard Krutop (Q41) 21-15, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 100: Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) def. Joshua Cannon / Kevin Gregan (Q25) 21-12, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 101: John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q5) def. Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q28) 21-11, 21-13 (0:47)
Match 102: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) def. Art Barron / Mike Szymanski (Q21) 21-14, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 103: Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q13) def. Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q20) 21-17, 19-21, 15-10 (1:03)
Match 104: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) def. Jeff Murrell / Soeren Schneider (Q36) 22-20, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 105: Lucas Black / Hawk Hatcher (Q35) def. Scott Davenport / Pepe Delahoz (Q3) 15-21, 21-18, 16-14 (1:12)
Match 106: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (32, Q14) def. Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q19) 21-14, 16-21, 15-11 (0:59)
Match 107: Reuben Danley / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q11) def. Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q43) 18-21, 22-20, 15-13 (0:50)
Match 108: Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (30, Q6) def. John Braunstein / Ryan Cronin (Q38) 21-12, 30-32, 15-11 (1:15)
Match 109: Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q7) def. Clint Coe / Nate Hagstrom (Q39) 21-18, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 110: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q10) def. Shawn Essert / Jack Quinn (Q23) 21-18, 21-19 (0:48)
Match 111: Chris Guigliano / Peter Jordan (Q18) def. Chris Harger / Jesse Webster (Q15) 18-21, 21-18, 16-14 (1:08)
Match 112: David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) def. Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q34) 18-21, 21-12, 15-8 (0:59)

Round 4
Match 113: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) def. Danko Iordanov / Justin Phipps (Q16) 21-16, 21-14 (0:28)
Match 114: Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q9) 23-21, 23-25, 15-10 (1:05)
Match 115: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) def. John Moran / Brad Torsone (Q5) 21-17, 21-19 (0:51)
Match 116: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) def. Leonardo Moraes / Jim Nichols (Q13) 21-17, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 117: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (32, Q14) def. Lucas Black / Hawk Hatcher (Q35) 21-16, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 118: Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (30, Q6) def. Reuben Danley / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q11) 21-15, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 119: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q10) def. Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q7) 21-15, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 120: David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) def. Chris Guigliano / Peter Jordan (Q18) 21-17, 21-8 (0:37)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (32, Q14) 21-12, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 2: Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (16) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) 21-18, 26-28, 15-11 (1:22)
Match 3: Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (24) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (9) 21-16, 12-21, 15-11 (1:05)
Match 4: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) 21-16, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 5: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q10) 21-15, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 6: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (21) 21-19, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 7: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (20) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (13) 21-19, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 8: Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 21-19, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 9: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (30, Q6) 21-8, 21-14 (0:40)
Match 10: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 18-21, 23-21, 15-11 (1:08)
Match 11: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) def. Ran Kumgisky / Chip McCaw (22) 17-21, 25-23, 15-7 (1:06)
Match 12: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) 21-12, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 13: David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (7) 24-22, 21-16 (0:48)
Match 14: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23) 21-14, 19-21, 15-9 (0:58)
Match 15: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (15) def. Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (18) 21-18, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 16: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:54)

Round 2
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (16) 21-13, 19-21, 15-9 (1:02)
Match 18: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (24) 21-13, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 19: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 21-19, 22-24, 15-7 (0:54)
Match 20: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (20) def. Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) 29-27, 21-16 (0:53)
Match 21: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) 21-18, 19-21, 15-7 (1:10)
Match 22: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 19-21, 21-19, 17-15 (1:18)
Match 23: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) 21-18, 21-8 (0:36)
Match 24: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (15) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) 21-10, 21-17 (0:34)

Round 3
Match 25: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) 21-10, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 26: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (20) 21-15, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 27: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) 21-12, 21-11 (0:38)
Match 28: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (15) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 21-17, 21-19 (0:49)

Round 4
Match 29: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) 21-11, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 30: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (15) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-19, 21-15 (0:42)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (32, Q14) 21-16, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 32: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (9) 18-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:56)
Match 33: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (21) def. Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q10) 21-17, 21-18 (0:43)
Match 34: Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (13) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 21-15, 21-15 (0:46)
Match 35: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) def. Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (30, Q6) 21-9, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 36: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) def. Ran Kumgisky / Chip McCaw (22) 17-21, 21-17, 15-10 (0:58)
Match 37: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (7) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23) 21-13, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 38: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (18) 21-17, 16-21, 15-9 (0:50)

Round 2
Match 39: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (31, Q12) 30-28, 21-18 (1:05)
Match 40: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (26, Q2) 16-21, 21-13, 15-9 (0:54)
Match 41: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (21) 22-20, 21-14 (0:49)
Match 42: Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (13) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (19) 21-19, 16-21, 15-12 (1:10)
Match 43: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) def. Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (29, Q8) 21-17, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 44: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (27, Q4) 21-19, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 45: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (7) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (24) 17-21, 21-13, 15-11 (0:58)
Match 46: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (16) 21-19, 21-18 (0:51)

Round 3
Match 47: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (25, Q1) 19-21, 21-18, 15-13 (1:08)
Match 48: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (13) 21-16, 9-21, 15-10 (1:05)
Match 49: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 21-12, 21-18 (0:42)
Match 50: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (7) 21-18, 21-17 (0:45)

Round 4
Match 51: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (20) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) 15-21, 23-21, 15-9 (1:05)
Match 52: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 21-14, 21-14 (0:46)
Match 53: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 21-17, 17-21, 18-16 (1:11)
Match 54: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) 17-21, 21-18, 15-13 (1:17)

Round 5
Match 55: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (20) 21-17, 21-18 (0:45)
Match 56: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 21-17, 21-18 (0:48)

Round 6
Match 57: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (8) 21-17, 21-17 (0:49)
Match 58: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) 21-18, 18-21, 15-11 (1:03)

Semifinals
Match 59: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) 23-21, 17-21, 15-12 (1:10)
Match 60: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (15) 21-18, 21-14 (0:43)

Finals
Match 61: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-17, 21-18 (0:56)

Huntington Beach Volleyball - Past Champions (eight events)

1975   Greg Lee/Jim Menges
1999   Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly
2000   Canyon Ceman/Brian Lewis
2001   Scott Ayakatubby/Eduardo Bacil
2002 Eric Fonoimoana/Dax Holdren
2003 Karch Kiraly/Brent Doble
2004   Jason Ring/George Roumain
2005   Karch Kiraly/Mike Lambert
2006   Phil Dallhauser/Todd Rogers
2007 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger

Men's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open
May 3-6, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 2 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $9,500.00 270.0
3 John Hyden Brad Keenan 15 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 8 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 12 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 10 $4,600.00 180.0
7 John Mayer Matt Prosser 20 $4,600.00 180.0
9 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 5 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 11 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 17 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Matt Olson Jason Ring 7 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 13 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 14 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Ben Koski Jeff Minc 25, Q1 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Brent Doble Ty Loomis 16 $700.00 72.0
17 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 19 $700.00 72.0
17 Dain Blanton Jason Lee 21 $700.00 72.0
17 Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane 24 $700.00 72.0
17 David Fischer Scott Hill 26, Q2 $700.00 72.0
17 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 27, Q4 $700.00 72.0
17 Dane Jensen Mike Placek 29, Q8 $700.00 72.0
17 Vincent Robbins Jason Wight 31, Q12 $700.00 72.0
25 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4 $350.00 36.0
25 Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 9 $350.00 36.0
25 Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts 18 $350.00 36.0
25 Ran Kumgisky Chip McCaw 22 $350.00 36.0
25 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 23 $350.00 36.0
25 Kevin Dake Jeremie Simkins 28, Q10 $350.00 36.0
25 Chris Magill Russ Marchewka 30, Q6 $350.00 36.0
25 Seth Burnham Tony Pray 32, Q14 $350.00 36.0
33 John Moran Brad Torsone Q5 $.00 18.0
33 Kyle Denitz Arri Jeschke Q7 $.00 18.0
33 Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q9 $.00 18.0
33 Reuben Danley Lucas Wisniakowski Q11 $.00 18.0
33 Leonardo Moraes Jim Nichols Q13 $.00 18.0
33 Danko Iordanov Justin Phipps Q16 $.00 18.0
33 Chris Guigliano Peter Jordan Q18 $.00 18.0
33 Lucas Black Hawk Hatcher Q35 $.00 18.0
41 Scott Davenport Pepe Delahoz Q3 $.00 12.0
41 Chris Harger Jesse Webster Q15 $.00 12.0
41 Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q17 $.00 12.0
41 Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q19 $.00 12.0
41 Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q20 $.00 12.0
41 Art Barron Mike Szymanski Q21 $.00 12.0
41 Shawn Essert Jack Quinn Q23 $.00 12.0
41 Joshua Cannon Kevin Gregan Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith Q28 $.00 12.0
41 Michael Rupp Fernando Sabla Q33 $.00 12.0
41 Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q34 $.00 12.0
41 Jeff Murrell Soeren Schneider Q36 $.00 12.0
41 John Braunstein Ryan Cronin Q38 $.00 12.0
41 Clint Coe Nate Hagstrom Q39 $.00 12.0
41 Jon Barnes Richard Krutop Q41 $.00 12.0
41 Beau Daniels James Ka Q43 $.00 12.0
57 Matt Heagy Jon Thompson Q22 $.00 8.0
57 Skyler Davis Derek Zimmerman Q24 $.00 8.0
57 Erik Gomez John Michelau Q26 $.00 8.0
57 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q27 $.00 8.0
57 Guy Hamilton Andrew Vazquez Q29 $.00 8.0
57 Jeremy Beck Dru Gerhard Q30 $.00 8.0
57 Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q31 $.00 8.0
57 Shane Nelson Brian Post Q32 $.00 8.0
57 Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk Q37 $.00 8.0
57 Alan Dawber Matt Osburn Q40 $.00 8.0
57 Rob McNaughton Joe Woo Q42 $.00 8.0
57 Jeffrey DeWit Brandon Porter Q44 $.00 8.0
57 Shane Cervantes Dan Terry Q45 $.00 8.0
57 John Anselmo Yariv Lerner Q46 $.00 8.0
57 Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q47 $.00 8.0
57 Sean Allstot Braidy Halverson Q48 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Bleech Vince Fierro Q49 $.00 8.0
57 Drew Brand Peter Tourigny Q50 $.00 8.0
57 Kanani Leite-Ah Yo Cody Loggins Q51 $.00 8.0
57 Steve Hubbard Paul McDonald Q53 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Doucette Sean Mackin Q54 $.00 8.0
57 Brandon Kuntz Benjamin Shamrokh Q55 $.00 8.0
57 Sam Haghighi Dane Pearson Q56 $.00 8.0
57 Alex Padilla David Pryor Q57 $.00 8.0
57 Juan Cabeza James Wright Q58 $.00 8.0
57 Teddy Liles Ryan Stuntz Q59 $.00 8.0
57 Karl Owens Colin Wellman Q60 $.00 8.0
57 Jamie Johansen Corey Kleven Q61 $.00 8.0
57 Edward Keller Phil Silva Q62 $.00 8.0
57 Chad Wick Jake Wilson Q63 $.00 8.0
57 Griffin Cogorno Brad Powell Q64 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Johnson Chris Littleman Q77 $.00 8.0
89 Cory Chandler Nate Michael Q52 $.00 4.0
89 Kevin Beukema Andrew Mack Q65 $.00 4.0
89 Jaren Barredo Dan Gilbert Q66 $.00 4.0
89 Geoffrey Berz Sam Brown Q67 $.00 4.0
89 Alex Dale John Lewis Q68 $.00 4.0
89 Sean Callahan Nicholas Ellis Q69 $.00 4.0
89 Sergio Bores Jason Harris Q70 $.00 4.0
89 Jeff Myers Mark Smith Q71 $.00 4.0
89 John Caravella Luis Gonzalez Q72 $.00 4.0
89 Brent Keller Jasen Larsen Q73 $.00 4.0
89 Dragan Ognjanovic Michael Risley Q74 $.00 4.0
89 BJ Fell John Pecora Q75 $.00 4.0
89 Richard Boldt Kelly Caldwell Q76 $.00 4.0
89 Dhiraj Coates Andrew Fuller Q78 $.00 4.0
89 Scott Behrbaum Jeremy Irey Q79 $.00 4.0
89 Richard Parris Naseri Tumanuvao Q80 $.00 4.0

2007 Huntington Beach Open Tournament Champions >>Mike Lambert/Stein Metzger

Mike Lambert Stein Metzger

Women's Entry List:

Women's $100,000 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open
May 3-6, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q1
Lauren Chun Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson Q2
Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge Q3
Angela Knopf Ella Vakhidova Q4
Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q5
Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman Q6
Jenny Kropp Julie Romias Q7
Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q8
Catie Mintz Stacy Nicks Q9
Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q10
Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q11
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q12
Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa Q13
Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q14
Meri-de Boyer Jennifer Walker Q15
Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q16
Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q17
Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters Q18
Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek Q19
Jeannette Hecker Valinda Roche Q20
Jean Mathews Nicole Midwin Q21
Anne McArthur Andrea Peterson Q22
Jessie Cooper Stacy Keibler Q23
Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q24
Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q25
Jill Chlebeck Josie Youngblood Q26
Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q27
Shayna Breed Anna Parmely Q28
Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q29
Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q30
Shelly Malone Hilde Schjerven Q31
Maggie Philgence Veronica Sanchez Q32
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q33
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q34
Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson Q35
Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q36
Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q37
Tina Fowler Shannon Sneed Q38
Renee Cleary Valerie Pryor Q39
Sherine Ebadi Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q40
Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb Q41
Montana Curtis Juliana Evens Q42
Meghan Leathem Cheyenne Price Q43
Natalie Melcher Ashley Ogle Q44
Jen DeVore Tarin Keith Q45
Caitlin Ledoux Jocelyn Neely Q46
Lynne Brinkman Carol Hamilton Q47
Terri Del Conte Julie Knytych Q48
Melanie Fleig Kiwi Winkler Q49
Susan Postnikoff Kimberly Vicknair Q50
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson
Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee
Jennifer Boss April Ross
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs
Keao Burdine Claire Robertson
Jill Changaris Sara Dukes
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar
Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst
Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe
Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh
Holly McPeak Logan Tom
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger
Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton
Alicia Polzin Paula Roca
Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder

2007 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Series

$200,000 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open,
Huntington Beach, Calif. · May 3rd-6th, 2007

Women's Matches:

Women's $200,000 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open
May 3rd-6th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) def. Maggie Philgence / Veronica Sanchez (Q32) 21-17, 21-19 (0:37)
Match 3: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q17) def. Terri Del Conte / Julie Knytych (Q48) 22-20, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 4: Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q16) def. Melanie Fleig / Kiwi Winkler (Q49) 16-21, 21-18, 13-15 retired (0:58)
Match 6: Johanna Lehman / Vladia Vignato (Q24) def. Keegan Featherstone / Jane Gibb (Q41) 21-16, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 7: Wendy Lockhart / Teri Van Dyke (Q25) def. Sherine Ebadi / Amy Hvitfeldtsen (Q40) 18-21, 21-19, 18-16 (0:55)
Match 10: Shayna Breed / Anna Parmely (Q28) def. Victoria Prince / Jessica Veris (Q37) 21-16, 17-21, 15-12 (1:04)
Match 11: Jean Mathews / Nicole Midwin (Q21) def. Natalie Melcher / Ashley Ogle (Q44) 21-16, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 14: Jeannette Hecker / Valinda Roche (Q20) def. Jen DeVore / Tarin Keith (Q45) 21-13, 21-11 (0:35)
Match 15: Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q36) def. Heather Alley / Heidi Munneke (Q29) 21-13, 23-25, 15-9 (1:02)
Match 18: Jill Dorsey / Sara Fredrickson (Q35) def. Julie Caldwell / Jennifer Lombardi (Q30) 21-15, 21-12 (0:34)
Match 19: Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (Q19) def. Caitlin Ledoux / Jocelyn Neely (Q46) 21-14, 21-10 (0:35)
Match 22: Anne McArthur / Andrea Peterson (Q22) def. Meghan Leathem / Cheyenne Price (Q43) 21-14, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 23: Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q27) def. Tina Fowler / Shannon Sneed (Q38) 21-17, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 26: Renee Cleary / Valerie Pryor (Q39) def. Jill Chlebeck / Josie Youngblood (Q26) 9-21, 21-16, 15-10 (0:51)
Match 27: Montana Curtis / Juliana Evens (Q42) def. Jessie Cooper / Stacy Keibler (Q23) 21-7, 21-11 (0:32)
Match 29: Meri-de Boyer / Jennifer Walker (Q15) def. Susan Postnikoff / Kimberly Vicknair (Q50) 21-11, 21-9
Match 30: Laurel Riechmann / Kristi Winters (Q18) def. Lynne Brinkman / Carol Hamilton (Q47) 21-19, 12-21, 15-7 (1:08)
Match 31: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q34) def. Shelly Malone / Hilde Schjerven (Q31) 21-12, 21-14 (0:33)

Round 2
Match 33: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q1) 21-16, 16-21, 15-10 (0:49)
Match 34: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q17) def. Iwona Lodzik / Kristin Ursillo (Q16) 21-17, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 35: Johanna Lehman / Vladia Vignato (Q24) def. Catie Mintz / Stacy Nicks (Q9) 13-21, 21-18, 16-14 (0:57)
Match 36: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (30, Q8) def. Wendy Lockhart / Teri Van Dyke (Q25) 21-10, 21-13
Match 37: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q5) def. Shayna Breed / Anna Parmely (Q28) 21-18, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 38: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (26, Q12) def. Jean Mathews / Nicole Midwin (Q21) 21-17, 21-8 (0:37)
Match 39: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q13) def. Jeannette Hecker / Valinda Roche (Q20) 21-16, 21-16
Match 40: Angela Knopf / Ella Vakhidova (Q4) def. Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q36) 21-15, 21-16 (0:36)
Match 41: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (28, Q3) def. Jill Dorsey / Sara Fredrickson (Q35) 23-21, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 42: Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (Q19) def. Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q14) 21-17, 21-10
Match 43: Anne McArthur / Andrea Peterson (Q22) def. Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q11) 18-21, 21-14, 15-13 (0:54)
Match 44: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (25, Q6) def. Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q27) 21-11, 23-21 (0:40)
Match 45: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (29, Q7) def. Renee Cleary / Valerie Pryor (Q39) 21-18, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 46: Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q10) def. Montana Curtis / Juliana Evens (Q42) 21-11, 21-7 (0:30)
Match 47: Laurel Riechmann / Kristi Winters (Q18) def. Meri-de Boyer / Jennifer Walker (Q15) 21-16, 25-23 (0:36)
Match 48: Lauren Chun / Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson (27, Q2) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q34) 21-13, 21-17 (0:48)

Round 3
Match 49: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) def. Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q17) 26-28, 21-16, 15-9 (0:54)
Match 50: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (30, Q8) def. Johanna Lehman / Vladia Vignato (Q24) 21-10, 21-11
Match 51: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (26, Q12) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q5) 21-19, 16-21, 15-13 (0:59)
Match 52: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q13) def. Angela Knopf / Ella Vakhidova (Q4) 21-15, 16-21, 15-12 (0:55)
Match 53: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (28, Q3) def. Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (Q19) 21-19, 22-20 (0:48)
Match 54: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (25, Q6) def. Anne McArthur / Andrea Peterson (Q22) 21-15, 21-11 (0:31)
Match 55: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (29, Q7) def. Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q10) 25-23, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 56: Lauren Chun / Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson (27, Q2) def. Laurel Riechmann / Kristi Winters (Q18) 21-15, 21-12 (0:36)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) 21-14, 21-12 (0:34)
Match 2: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (17) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (16) 21-10, 21-14 (0:44)
Match 3: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (24) 21-14, 21-17 (0:36)
Match 4: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (8) def. Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (25, Q6) 21-8, 21-11 (0:37)
Match 5: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (28, Q3) 21-12, 21-10 (0:40)
Match 6: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (12) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21) 17-21, 24-22, 15-5 (0:55)
Match 7: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (13) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (20) 22-20, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 8: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (29, Q7) 21-14, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 9: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (30, Q8) 21-16, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 10: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (14) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) 21-13, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 11: Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) def. Keao Burdine / Claire Robertson (22) 22-24, 21-14, 15-9 (0:53)
Match 12: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Lauren Chun / Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson (27, Q2) 21-11, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 13: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (26, Q12) 21-19, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 14: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (10) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (23) 24-22, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 15: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:56)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q13) 21-13, 21-12 (0:36)

Round 2
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (17) 21-11, 21-17 (0:37)
Match 18: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (8) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) 21-15, 21-9 (0:44)
Match 19: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (12) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) 26-24, 21-14 (0:49)
Match 20: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (13) 21-15, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 21: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (14) 15-21, 21-16, 15-13 (0:53)
Match 22: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) 21-18, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 23: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (10) 21-16, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 24: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) 19-21, 21-15, 15-7 (0:50)

Round 3
Match 25: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (8) 21-13, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 26: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (12) 21-14, 22-20 (0:44)
Match 27: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 9-21, 26-24, 15-11 (0:59)
Match 28: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 21-19, 21-16 (0:45)

Round 4
Match 29: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-13, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 30: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 17-21, 24-22, 15-12 (1:04)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (16) 21-18, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 32: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (24) def. Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (25, Q6) 21-10, 21-11 (0:31)
Match 33: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (28, Q3) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21) 21-18, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 34: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (29, Q7) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (20) 20-22, 24-22, 15-10 (1:02)
Match 35: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (30, Q8) 21-18, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 36: Keao Burdine / Claire Robertson (22) def. Lauren Chun / Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson (27, Q2) 20-22, 21-12, 15-8 (0:49)
Match 37: Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (23) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (26, Q12) 21-18, 21-17 (0:36)
Match 38: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q13) 21-10, 13-21, 15-11 (0:51)

Round 2
Match 39: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (32, Q33) 21-14, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 40: Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (10) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (24) 21-14, 21-16 (0:31)
Match 41: Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (28, Q3) 21-18, 13-21, 15-9 (0:49)
Match 42: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (14) def. Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (29, Q7) 21-19, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 43: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (13) 21-16, 21-18 (0:40)
Match 44: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) def. Keao Burdine / Claire Robertson (22) 21-16, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 45: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (23) 21-13, 25-27, 15-8 (1:05)
Match 46: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (17) 21-13, 17-21, 15-11 (0:57)

Round 3
Match 47: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (10) 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 (0:51)
Match 48: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (14) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) 21-14, 21-14 (0:31)
Match 49: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (19) 14-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:50)
Match 50: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (15) 21-16, 21-14 (0:41)

Round 4
Match 51: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (12) 21-15, 13-21, 15-9 (0:55)
Match 52: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (8) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (14) 21-19, 21-18 (0:44)
Match 53: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) 21-18, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 54: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (9) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9 (1:04)

Round 5
Match 55: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (8) 21-19, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 56: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (7) 21-16, 21-17 (0:38)

Round 6
Match 57: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (18) 23-21, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 58: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontna (4) 21-17, 22-20 (0:48)

Semifinals
Match 59: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 21-8, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 60: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 21-14, 21-16 (0:43)

Finals
Match 61: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) vs. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2)

Women's $200,000 AVP Huntington Beach Open
May 3rd-6th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Jennifer Boss April Ross 6 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 18 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 7 $4,600.00 180.0
7 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 8 $4,600.00 180.0
9 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 5 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 9 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 12 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 14 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 10 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 11 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 15 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 19 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 13 $700.00 72.0
17 Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 17 $700.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Claire Robertson 22 $700.00 72.0
17 Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith 23 $700.00 72.0
17 Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet 24 $700.00 72.0
17 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge 28, Q3 $700.00 72.0
17 Jenny Kropp Julie Romias 29, Q7 $700.00 72.0
17 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing 32, Q33 $700.00 72.0
25 Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee 16 $350.00 36.0
25 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 20 $350.00 36.0
25 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 21 $350.00 36.0
25 Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman 25, Q6 $350.00 36.0
25 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein 26, Q12 $350.00 36.0
25 Lauren Chun Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson 27, Q2 $350.00 36.0
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli 30, Q8 $350.00 36.0
25 Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa 31, Q13 $350.00 36.0
33 Angela Knopf Ella Vakhidova Q4 $.00 18.0
33 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q5 $.00 18.0
33 Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q10 $.00 18.0
33 Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q17 $.00 18.0
33 Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters Q18 $.00 18.0
33 Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek Q19 $.00 18.0
33 Anne McArthur Andrea Peterson Q22 $.00 18.0
33 Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q24 $.00 18.0
41 Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q1 $.00 12.0
41 Catie Mintz Stacy Nicks Q9 $.00 12.0
41 Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q11 $.00 12.0
41 Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q14 $.00 12.0
41 Meri-de Boyer Jennifer Walker Q15 $.00 12.0
41 Iwona Lodzik Kristin Ursillo Q16 $.00 12.0
41 Jeannette Hecker Valinda Roche Q20 $.00 12.0
41 Jean Mathews Nicole Midwin Q21 $.00 12.0
41 Wendy Lockhart Teri Van Dyke Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q27 $.00 12.0
41 Shayna Breed Anna Parmely Q28 $.00 12.0
41 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q34 $.00 12.0
41 Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson Q35 $.00 12.0
41 Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q36 $.00 12.0
41 Renee Cleary Valerie Pryor Q39 $.00 12.0
41 Montana Curtis Juliana Evens Q42 $.00 12.0
57 Jessie Cooper Stacy Keibler Q23 $.00 8.0
57 Jill Chlebeck Josie Youngblood Q26 $.00 8.0
57 Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q29 $.00 8.0
57 Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q30 $.00 8.0
57 Shelly Malone Hilde Schjerven Q31 $.00 8.0
57 Maggie Philgence Veronica Sanchez Q32 $.00 8.0
57 Victoria Prince Jessica Veris Q37 $.00 8.0
57 Tina Fowler Shannon Sneed Q38 $.00 8.0
57 Sherine Ebadi Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q40 $.00 8.0
57 Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb Q41 $.00 8.0
57 Meghan Leathem Cheyenne Price Q43 $.00 8.0
57 Natalie Melcher Ashley Ogle Q44 $.00 8.0
57 Jen DeVore Tarin Keith Q45 $.00 8.0
57 Caitlin Ledoux Jocelyn Neely Q46 $.00 8.0
57 Lynne Brinkman Carol Hamilton Q47 $.00 8.0
57 Terri Del Conte Julie Knytych Q48 $.00 8.0
57 Melanie Fleig Kiwi Winkler Q49 $.00 8.0
57 Susan Postnikoff Kimberly Vicknair Q50 $.00 8.0

2007 AVP Huntington Beach Tournament Champions >>Misty May/Kerri Walsh

Misty May Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

Rogers feels team hasn't peaked
AVP's top duo looks for improvement
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
As Todd Rogers sees it, he and partner Phil Dalhausser haven't yet peaked.
Recent performances may suggest otherwise as the pair have won the first two events on this year's AVP calendar, but Rogers strives to peak for the bigger midsummer tournaments. That tactic will be particularly important this year which will also include qualifying events for next summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.
Still, Rogers and Dalhausser, a team that reeled off eight tournament victories last season, is 2-0 in 2007 and they're doing what any good team has to do.
"Take a look at our scores; we're squeaking by," Rogers said. "With the exception of the finals, which in both we played very good volleyball, we're winning by scores like 26-24 and 21-19."We're not obliterating teams a la Kerri (Walsh) and Misty (May-Treanor) but we're winning the close ones, which is huge and that is why we are where we're at because we've managed to pull off the close ones."
Rogers can feel pretty good about the early success that he and Dalhausser have enjoyed this season, though. He was a two-time All-America at UC Santa Barbara, where he refined the value of setting goals. With their early victories, Rogers and Dalhausser have eclipsed the first goal and have placed the second goal of matching last season's tally within reach.
The third goal of utterly dominating and winning 18-25 tournaments in the 2007 campaign (including those on both the AVP and FIVB circuits) is unrealistic, Rogers admits, but it nonetheless helps to maintain the team's focus over the long season. Rogers said the mental grind can be as tough as the physical aspect of the sport and marvels at those that maintain their edge.
"I've found it harder and harder to keep winning and winning," Rogers said. "It makes it all that more impressive when teams like Misty and Kerri and back in the day, Karch (Kiraly) and Kent (Steffes) or (Sinjin) Smith/ (Randy) Stoklos, when they were winning so many tournaments. It is impressive that they can keep their focus for that long."
Rogers said that to maintain their own focus, he and Dalhausser need to put more energy into the early rounds and mimic the play they've exhibited in their two final matches.
"We have to play a little bit better, have a little bit better warm up," Rogers said. "Maybe not take that team quite as lightly and we'll end up with a big difference in scores by as many as three or four points. We can be in a more comfortable position instead of scrambling and get that last point. That has to be our focus."
Omens: The teams of Walsh and May-Treanor, and Dalhausser and Rogers both won last week and also are the respective defending champions at Huntington Beach.
Long season: Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger suffered the early season shock when they dropped two straight matches in Dallas. The No. 1 seed lost their opening match to Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge and then fell to Brent Doble and Ty Loomis in the contender's bracket
Lambert said he feels that he and Metzger have better communication this season, though, and are buoyed by the fact the bulk of the schedule still remains.
"Last year we didn't win a tournament for five tournaments but we had some good finishes," Lambert said. "Hopefully we get to a final sooner this year."
Cut shots: The first two tournaments have seen low seeds advance. Matt Olson and Jason Ring (13) finished third in Miami while Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt (11) placed third in Dallas. On the women's side, Jennifer Boss and April Ross (11) lost in the final in Miami â€¦ Ryan Mariano led the Dallas Open with 12 aces in 16 games while Mark Williams led the men with 14 blocks in 12 games. On the women's side, Tatiana Minello and Walsh each had 12 aces and Dianne DeNecochea led with 19 blocks.
Up next: The tour makes its first stop in California with the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open, May 3-6. Qualifying rounds for the 32-teams men's and women's draws will be Thursday with both men's and women's finals to be contested Sunday afternoon.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

AVP Pros Compete for Largest Purse in Pro Beach Volleyball History This Weekend in Huntington Beach
The 2007 AVP Crocs Tour completes the Cuervo Gold Crown Series where a $100,000 payout will be made to the winning team of the series on May 6, 2007 in Huntington Beach, CA.
(PRWEB) May 1, 2007 -- The largest check in AVP Crocs Tour Pro Beach Volleyball history will be awarded this weekend at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open. In addition to the $200,000 purse in Huntington, a bonus check of $100,000 will be paid to the winning male and female team of the three event Cuervo Gold Crown Series. Catch all the action as tickets are available now at AVP.com/huntington.
The three event Cuervo Gold Crown Series included stops in Miami, Florida and Dallas, Texas before reaching Huntington Beach over Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Miami was the opening event of the 2007 AVP Croc Tour season. The opening event was a shocker as the number one team in the world of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh took third place. Miami was the first time the duo did not play in the finals since 2004. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who defeated May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinals, went on to capture the Miami Open title.
May-Treanor and Walsh got their revenge the following weekend in Dallas as they defeated Youngs and Branagh in the finals to capture their first title of the season. Entering Huntington Beach, Youngs and Branagh (684) hold a slight lead in total points over May-Treanor and Walsh (630).
On the men's side, Miami and Dallas saw similar results. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, winners of eight events in 2006, defeated Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb in the final of both events. Dalhausser and Rogers (720) hold a points lead over Rosenthal and Gibb (648) entering Huntington Beach.
While these four teams are clearly in the driver seat towards the $100,000 payday, the depth of the tour is sure to complicate the matter. Youngs and Branagh will not only have to get past May-Treanor and Walsh, but must survive challenges from dominant teams such as April Ross and Jen Boss, Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, and Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
The Men's side is equally as loaded as AVP legend Karch Kiraly looks to capture his 149 career title at the same site where he won number 148 with new partner Kevin Wong. Other top teams include Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, Larry Witt and Ryan Mariano, Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, and Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott who all hope to derail Dalhausser and Rogers in their quest for the $100,000.
The 2007 AVP Crocs Tour makes 18 stops across the United States featuring 150 of the top Pro Beach Volleyball players in the world. With Olympic Gold Medalists, NCAA All-American's and National Champions, fans are sure to have an excellent time in Huntington Beach, May 3 - 6, 2007.
Do not miss a serve, dig or spike this weekend in Huntington Beach. Buy your tickets today at AVP.com!

Council to vote on volleyball tourney seating
Tournament seeks extra paid seats and alcohol with dinner at its Manhattan Beach location.
By Andrea Woodhouse Sudano
STAFF WRITER
While Manhattan Beach Open fans can still count on mostly free seating at this year's volleyball tournament, they could be in store for fewer seats if tournament owners get the nod to pitch more private tents on the beach.
The Manhattan Beach City Council is set today to approve an agreement with the Association of Volleyball Professionals for the summer tournament that includes more tents at the expense of 400 stadium seats, a beach-side fundraising dinner where alcohol will be served, and an extra day for cleanup.
Under the association's wish list for the tournament, slated for Aug. 10-12, the seating layout will allow for more exclusive cabanas generally sold to corporations, reducing stadium seats from 3,200 to 2,800, and leaving 700 seats up for grabs at $40 apiece.
Tournament owners also have asked to hold the annual Dinner of Champions, billed as the event's kickoff, on the stadium center court instead of in local hotels like previous years, said Dave Williams, the association's market director.
Now in its third year, the exclusive dinner honors champion players and will donate all proceeds from the $125-a-head event to the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, Williams said.
The clincher, though, is that alcohol will be served with dinner.
Attendees will be capped at two drinks each, and the AVP will not charge for the alcohol, the association said.
Manhattan Beach staffers have recommended the council approve the spirited dinner so long as Los Angeles County officials sign off first, but that could prove difficult.
The county does not allow alcohol on South Bay beaches because of safety, parking and congestion concerns, said David Sommers, a spokesman for county Supervisor Don Knabe, who represents the South Bay.
Exemptions are almost never issued, and the county has not received a formal request from the association asking for permission, he added.
But Williams was hopeful that the event could go on as planned.
"We had over 200 people come to this event last year," he said. "I'd hate for this thing to be killed because people are worried about the alcohol."
Even Dean Francois, one of the loudest critics of the association, wasn't put off by booze on the beach, so long as the company wasn't profiting from it.
But he was concerned about the association's request for an extra day to clean up after the event.
"I don't know why they need that now if they didn't need it last year," the Redondo Beach resident said. "Fine, clean up. But we still need to ensure there's public access to the beach."
City staff members do not support the extra cleanup time, citing parking restraints and effects on neighbors.
The council will weigh these choices tonight, making AVP officials familiar faces in the Manhattan Beach City Council chambers this year.
The association has taken a beating from the South Bay in recent months, as it has battled to charge admission fees to all spectators at its Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach tournaments, which have generally been limited to 25 percent paid seating.
The requests were met with loud public outcry, but officials were surprisingly receptive to the idea: The California Coastal Commission in February approved 90 percent paid seating for the Hermosa Beach tournament, and the Manhattan Beach City Council voted to consider increasing the admission policy at its 2008 tournament.
The Hermosa Beach Open is scheduled for May 18-20, and only 25 percent of attendees will have to pay to get in.

$100K at stake on the sand
Cuervo Triple Crown comes down to this weekend
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
The AVP Crocs Tour is heading back West this weekend, marking the first tournament of the 2007 season in Southern California.
That would be the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open, the final event in the Jose Cuervo triple crown series, which opens Thursday. At stake is a $100,000 bonus for each of the men's and women's teams that claim the top spot in the Cuervo standings.
"The added incentive of the Cuervo bonus will certainly make that a plus, because it can set you up for a pretty good year," said Todd Rogers, who, along with Phil Dalhausser, comes to town as the defending champion. "After that we'll be playing some smaller tournaments, when the prize money is not as much."
The Gold Crown events were sprinkled throughout the season in previous years but the plan this season was to kick off the campaign with the first three tournaments.
"We grouped them all at the front of the year, culminating in the Cinco de Mayo (weekend) which we call 'Cuervo de Mayo' to give it a bigger impact," said Jose Cuervo director of marketing Scott Geisler, adding the company will get continued exposure during the year with the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy contest.
Rogers and Dalhausser have won the first two tournaments this season, besting Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal on both occasions: two weeks ago in Dallas and the season's inaugural event in Miami.
With a first- or a second-place finish this weekend, Rogers and Dalhausser will win the bonus, but Gibb and Rosenthal are solidly in the hunt. If they win and Rogers and Dalhausser finish no better than third, Gibb and Rosenthal would take the extra cash.
The situation is equally close on the women's side of the draw.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh tossed aside the disappointment of Miami, where they were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual champions Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh.
If May-Treanor and Walsh can pull out a win this weekend in Huntington Beach, where they are defending champs, and Youngs and Branagh place no higher than third, they will win the Cuervo bonus.
Youngs and Branagh can clinch the triple crown, though, by winning the tournament outright or placing second.
While May-Treanor and Walsh got back on track in Dallas, the No. 1-seeded men's duo of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert dropped two straight matches to open the proceedings and finished in a tie for 17th in Texas.
Rogers said he was shocked at their result but would not view that as a trend and expects them to hit the Huntington sand with something to prove.
"I think it was an aberration. I don't see it happening again, not that it can't," Rogers said. "I see every team having a bad weekend. I think, not only did they have a bad weekend, but I also think the teams had some career games."
Play will start at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, 9:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 9:45 on Sunday. All times are Pacific.
By the numbers: The first Huntington Beach Open was held in 1975 with Jim Menges and Greg Lee as titlists. The women held there first tournament there in 1989 as Patty Dodd and Jackie Silva took the crown. ... May-Treanor is two shy of Holly McPeak's record of 72 individual victories. ... McPeak has the most Huntington titles with four.
Multimedia: Both finals will stream live on avp.comTV. FSN Prime Ticket will have a delayed broadcast on Sunday, May 6, at 8:00 p.m. PT. FSN will then repeat the women's final Tuesday, May 8 and the men's final Saturday, May 12.
Format: The Huntington Beach Open will have a 68-team qualifier, both men's and women's, with eight teams advancing to the 32-team main draw. Action will take place south of the Huntington Beach Pier on 13 courts.
Set your clocks: The men's final will be Sunday, May 6, at 2:30 p.m. PT with the women's final to commence 30 minutes after the men's, approximately 4:00 p.m. PT.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Manhattan Beach City Council doesn't buy AVP requests
Volleyball tournament managers are blocked in most attempts to draw in more money.
By Andrea Woodhouse Sudano
STAFF WRITER
The Manhattan Beach City Council has denied several requests from the managers of its annual beach volleyball tournament, spiking much of the company's plans to boost revenue and prestige at the summer event.
Council members Tuesday turned down the Association of Volleyball Professionals' pitch to lose 400 seats in exchange for more pricey private tents, an extra day for cleanup and better billing on the Manhattan Beach Open.
During the Aug. 10-12 event, the AVP must follow the seating plan used two years ago that allowed private tents for corporate sponsors only on the stadium's four corners, the council decided.
A similar plan was approved for last year's tournament, but the AVP instead lined the northern side of the stadium with cabanas atop the bleachers, blocking the view of the action from the pier, staffers said.
The council on Tuesday nixed tents on the stadium's northern side and required a view from the pier. It also turned down a compromise of placing tents on the stadium's west side.
"My problem is not the tents," Councilwoman Portia Cohen said. "But I visualize a VIP enclosure of the event. That's what it seems to be."
Offering a bird's-eye view of the action, along with shade and refreshments, the cabanas are a perk to draw corporate sponsors and revenue, which AVP has long insisted it loses at South Bay tournaments.
"The suites are another way to raise some money for the AVP," Tour Director Matt Gage said. "We're trying to look for ways to close that gap."
The association had also hoped to gain some name recognition by calling the tournament "The AVP Manhattan Beach Open," but the council quashed that idea.
Instead, the event must be called the not-so-euphonious "The Manhattan Beach Open sponsored by the AVP."
The council did give the AVP a break when it permitted the company to hold a nighttime fundraising dinner inside the stadium, so long as it dumped a plan to serve alcohol.
But Los Angeles County, which owns and operates the city's beach, has final say over what happens on the sand, and there will be no dinner, said Dusty Crane, spokeswoman for the county's Department of Beaches and Harbors.
"We don't allow any private parties that are catered," she said. "Anything on the sand is our function."
Many of the dozen or so residents who spoke Tuesday took a position that the AVP had come in at the last minute with special requests, and the council's tone toward the association was largely disapproving.
Some balked at Crane's revelation that the AVP hadn't asked the county for permission to serve alcohol at its fundraising dinner; city staffers apparently thought it had.
Some officials were upset that the association last year built the stadium as it pleased, rather than following city-approved plans.
Council members also chided the company for apparently nixing private meetings the council had set up to discuss the AVP's supposed insolvency and brainstorm ideas that could generate revenue for the city and the company.
"We're here to help you," Mayor Nick Tell said. "We understand your issues. We want to work with you."

Gibb ready for HB
BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Costa Mesa resident, who has finished second twice in a row, is among several locals in AVP tournament.
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and his volleyball partner, Sean Rosenthal, are trying to prevent a couple of disappointing tournament finishes from morphing into a full-blown streak.
Gibb and Rosenthal have finished as tournament runners-up to Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser twice this season during the Assn. Of Volleyball Professionals Cuervo Gold Crown Series.
Gibb and Rosenthal will be competing in the Huntington Beach Open, which begins Thursday with qualifiers. It's the last tournament of the Cuervo series, and the stakes are higher than usual.
Each winner in the series will get a $100,000 bonus in addition to the tournament purse, and it's Gibb and Rosenthal's last chance to earn the largest winners' check in AVP history.
Rogers and Dalhausser won the Dallas Open 21-14, 21-16 and Miami Open last month.
Gibb scoffed at the notion that Rogers and Dalhausser could be kryptonite to his team. "We've almost had them," Gibb said. "Any team can surprise another team. It's not like they're untouchable."
In an effort to glean what he can from 47-year-old volleyball legend Karch Kiraly before his retirement tour ends, Gibb has been attending Kiraly's matches.
"He's a guy you find yourself emulating. You watch everything he does and try to incorporate it in your game," Gibb said. "If you want to learn how to do something right, you learn it from him. We would all like to see him play forever, but I don't think his body is going to let him."
Despite not playing well, Gibb and Rosenthal have still been making it to the final round of competition. Gibb saw some promise since the pair is still in the running for the Cuervo bonus, but remained displeased.
"This year we have yet to play our best volleyball," Gibb said. "We don't have any business to be doing what we are doing. We have to play a lot better, a lot better, if we're going to win an event this weekend."
Mike Lambert of Costa Mesa, and Matt Fuerbringer, an Estancia High product, will also play this weekend.
Newport Harbor graduate Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will be competing after defeating Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs at the Dallas Open, 21-14, 21-19. May-Treanor and Walsh, the four-time AVP Team of the Year, lost to Branagh and Youngs in the final round in Miami.
April Ross, who also went to Newport Harbor, is in the tournament too.

Dig for Kids and AVP Cares reach out
Charitable foundations organize nationwide book drive
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
With the closing of the 2007 AVP Crocs season, Eric Fonoimoana -- like Karch Kiraly -- plans to retire from beach volleyball.
But until that date, he still has a lot of unfinished business.
Especially with the growth of his and cousin Albert Hannemann's non-profit organization, Dig for Kids, which landed a partner in AVP Cares to kick off a national book drive at every stop on the AVP Crocs Tour for the duration of the season.
Beginning in Huntington Beach this weekend, Dig for Kids and AVP Cares will be accepting books to donate from elementary schools to high schools across the country through the Adopt-a-School program.
Fans can leave their unused books at tents in their local AVP markets. Whoever donates the most books will win an autographed ball signed by the players on tour. The second place donor will also receive an autographed ball, just without the personal touch.
If fans wish to remain anonymous, they can donate a book on behalf of their favorite player.
"I like that (fans can choose their favorite player), it'll be fun to see who's in the running," said Hannemann.
One of Dig for Kid's biggest supporters outside of Hannemann and Fonoimoana is Kerri Walsh. She has already donated $4,000 to start the Excellence in Volleyball and Academics scholarship fund which was awarded last week. The prize will be presented at the AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open which runs from May 17-20.
In the past, Dig for Kids has mainly been focused in the Los Angeles County. Hannemann said that the book drive going national will not take any attention away from the L.A. area, the original focus of the organization.
Since its establishment in 2000, Dig for Kids has already accepted 90,000 books which have helped to build classroom libraries for over 18,000 students in Southern California schools.
"Carson is where we focus and there's so much we need to do," said Hannemann. "We're really working on that with literary and reading circles. The program (in the future) is going to franchise out across the country. Our biggest goal when we started was to help as many kids as we can across the country."
When he retires at the end of the season, Fonoimoana will continue to work on making Dig for Kids nationally recognized, and his cousin will help out during the off-season.
Dig for Kids is a non-profit organization which focuses on improving literacy rates among inner-city students and helping them get into colleges.
"It's kind of a cool collaboration with AVP Cares; they really want to be known for something," said Hannemann. "To support us and be the official charity is cool. With marketing we'll get the word out. The book drive is going to be huge."

Qualifying begins at Huntington Beach
130 teams competing for spots in main draw
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Play has hit the coast as the first AVP tournament is under way here with the qualifying round that began Thursday morning.
A total of 80 men's teams and 50 women's teams are competing on 13 courts for the right to advance to Friday's main draw. Eight teams on both the men's and women's draws will move on to fill out the weekend's 32-team field.
Stacey Keibler added some celebrity flair to the early proceedings. The actress and former WCW wrestler teamed with Jessie Cooper but lost 21-7, 21-11 to the duo of Montana Curtis and Juliana Evens.
Keibler, who paired with professional Tony Dovolani in a 2006 edition of Dancing with the Stars and finished third, enjoyed a surge in the second game Thursday when she and Cooper fought back from a 17-4 deficit to 20-11 but their rally at match point fell short. Curtis and Evens advanced to play Suzana Manole and Lauren Mills.
The lowest seeded team in the men's qualifier to win a match early Thursday was the pair of Michael Johnson and Chris Littleman. The No. 77 seed dispatched the 52nd seeded team of Cory Chandler and Nate Michael, 21-16, 21-13, in a crisp 37 minutes. But Johnson and Littleman lost in the second round to Leonardo Moraes and Jim Nichols, 21-17, 21-16, to be eliminated.
Play will continue for three rounds Thursday, concluding about 6:00 p.m. PT.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

New partners hope to find success
The men especially see a shakeup in the middle
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- With eight men's and eight women's teams making the transition from the qualifiers to the main draw starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, here's a look at the featured match-ups in the main draw.

New partnerships
After the upsets were plentiful in Dallas two weekends ago, players this weekend are trying to mix things up in order to get back into a winning groove.
For the men, No. 18 John Mayer and Brad Keenan went their separate ways after their 17th-place finish in Dallas. This weekend Mayer takes the No. 20 seed into his new partnership with Matt Prosser, and the duo will take on 13th-ranked Canyon Ceman who also is reunited with the first partner he played with in 2007, Paul Baxter.
Ceman's partner in Dallas, Dain Blanton will pair with Jason Lee for the No. 21 seed and will face 12th-ranked Nick Lucena and Will Strickland. Lucena/Strickland moved up in the rankings after the duo's seventh-place finish in the Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open.
Keenan moves up from his and Mayer's 18th seed, as he pairs with John Hyden for the No. 15 seed this weekend. Hyden and Keenan will face off against No. 18 Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts, who entered the main draw together via the qualifiers in Dallas.
On the women's side, the brackets are not as shaken up, but several partner changes can also be found.
With No. 6 Jen Boss and April Ross continuing their winning ways, Keao Burdine, Ross' former partner, is still on the hunt for an equally beneficial partnership. This weekend, she takes the No. 22 seed into the main draw doubled up with Claire Robertson. Burdine and Robertson will see 11th-seeded Jennifer Fopma and Stacy Rouwenhorst Friday at 2 p.m..
Robertson enters the main draw this weekend without the stress of having to push through the qualifiers. In previous events, she had partnered with Julie Romias. Romias advanced through qualifiers with Jenny Kropp to earn the main draw's 29th seed.
Burdine's partner in Dallas, Jaimie Lee enters Huntington with the No. 16 seed and will pair with Mimi Amaral to face 17th-seeded Alicia Plozin and Paula Roca first thing Friday morning.
Show me the money
As the series of three Jose Cuervo triple crown tournaments comes to a conclusion with play this weekend, four teams are vying for that whopping $100,000 check.
Since No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser and third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have appeared in both finals, Dalhausser and Rogers need to complete the hat trick with their third straight victory in 2007. The pair could also take second and secure the check.
However, if Gibb and Rosenthal take the Cuervo Gold Crown Hunginton Beach Open title and Rogers/Dalhausser finish in third place, the $100,000 belong to Gibb and Rosenthal.
For the women, since Miami's shocker saw No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh absent from the finals, the duo needs to take first place this weekend and repay second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs the favor bestowed upon them in Miami. If Branagh/Youngs finish in second or better, they are the owners of $100,000.

New perch
After missing the finals for two straight weeks, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger have a new seed, second. They will try to regain ground they lost this year, beginning with their first match against No. 31 Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight fresh out of the qualifiers.

Surprises sneak through in qualifier
Local high schooler among those to advance
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- In Dallas, the men mixed up the main draw bracket with upsets across the boards. Beginning on Thursday in Huntington Beach, the women in the qualifiers picked right up where the men left off.
In the second round, No. 33 Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing sent home the top qualifying seed, Erin Byrd and Paige Davis. Pavlik and Wing's success continued on, as they again pulled off an upset over 17th-seeded Gabriella Roney and Lenka Urbanova to earn a bid into the main draw.
Pavlik and Wing will now try their luck from the main draw when they face No. 1 Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor beginning at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Pavlik and Wing may have beginners' luck going for them, as this is only the pair's second tournament playing together.
"The last two matches, we had to go to three [sets], so it was a fight to get in," said Wing.
Added Pavlik, "It was very hard but it's worth it. I'm still shaking, I'm so excited."
Also in the second round of the qualifiers, No. 19 Jennifer Bowman and Stephanie Chapek defeated the 14th qualifier seed, Marla O'Hara and Colleen Smith.
Making history in 2007, No. 27 Kirstin Olsen, with newfound partner Hedder Ilustre, was able to move past the opening round in the last two tournaments, but she experienced the same misfortune as in Dallas when she ran into a top team that eventually qualified into the main draw. This weekend it was sixth-seeded Courtney Guerra and Chrissie Zartman.
Guerra and Zartman will take the 25th and highest seed of all eight qualifying teams into the main draw and will square off against No. 24 Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet first thing in the morning.
As for the other six qualifying teams to move on into Friday play, three teams bettered their higher-ranked opponents in the final round of the qualifiers.
One team, No. 13 Alexandra Jupiter and Leilani Kamahoahoa pushed past fourth-seeded Angela Knopf and Ella Vakhidora to continue playing tomorrow.
What's an even bigger shock is that Jupiter, originally from Paris, France, is only 17 years old. She currently studies at Redondo High in California and is appearing in the main draw for the second time of her career.
When asked her thoughts on sending a higher-ranked team packing, she replied, "That's awesome. I don't think they were playing their best game, but my partner got hurt in the middle of the second game -- so, I meanm we were kind of shaky there too. It was really tough, really exciting."
Jupiter and Kamahoahoa will take the No. 31 seed into the qualifiers and will face off against 18th-seeded Katie and Tracy Lindquist.
Julie Romias is once again back into the main draw via the qualifiers, but this time she did it without her usual partner, Claire Robertson. Tomorrow, she and Jenny Kropp will take the No. 29 seed into their match against 20th-seeded Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes, who qualified in Dallas to finish in 17th place.
No team has the luxury of a first-round main draw bye this weekend, as all 32 women's teams will play for a shot at the finals beginning Friday morning.

Player with pedigree advances
Hawk Hatcher advances to Friday
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- What began as the foundation of legend, ended quietly as unfinished business.
But rest assured that Hawk Hatcher will get another shot at putting his name in the books on the volleyball circuit.
The 15-year-old joined with Lucas Black on Thursday and advanced all the way to the final round of play during qualifying at the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open, the third installment that will culminate with a $100,000 bonus to the men's and women's teams that hold the edge in Gold Crown points come the conclusion of play Sunday.
But Hatcher didn't dare to dream of actually winning a title against the sport's top pros; he just wanted to be one of the eight men's teams that advanced to the weekend.
"That last match I didn't seem to have it. I was kind of tired and I don't think I wanted it bad enough," Hatcher said. "I really wanted to get to Friday and I'm really disappointed."
In the last match of the day, Black and Hatcher, seeded 35th among men's qualifiers, dropped a tight, 21-16, 21-19, fourth rounder to the 14th-seeded team of Seth Burnham and Tony Bray.
And Burnham and Bray's reward for ousting the sophomore from Mira Costa High School and his partner is the No. 1 seeded team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. The match will be first up when play opens Friday at 12:30 a.m. EDT.
A total of 80 men's teams joined 50 women's teams and competed on 13 courts Thursday. Burnham and Pray were the lowest seeded team from the men's qualifier to advance on a day that also saw the No. 1 seed of Ben Koski and Jeff Minc gain entrance to the weekend without dropping a game.
Also advancing were David Fischer and Scott Hill (2); Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic (4); Chris Magill and Russ Marchewka (6); Dave Jenson and Mike Placek (8); Kevin Dake and Jeremie Simkins (10); and Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight (12).
The lowest seeded team in the men's qualifier to win a match early Thursday was the pair of Michael Johnson and Chris Littleman. The No. 77 seed dispatched the 52nd seeded team of Cory Chandler and Nate Michael, 21-16, 21-13, in a crisp 37 minutes. But Johnson and Littleman lost in the second round to Leonardo Moraes and Jim Nichols, 21-17, 21-16, to be eliminated.
Koski and Minc will face the No. 8 overall seed of Fred Souza and Anthony Medel on Friday. Both expressed relief after using their top spot in the qualifying round as a spring board to the weekend.
"The hardest part is the expectation to win, that is almost harder than being the underdog," Minc said of being No. 1. "You have to overcome the expectation to win."
Both players said a key factor was better communication.
"We played pretty smooth throughout the whole day and that helped boost the confidence, just getting over the nerves is the biggest thing," Koski said. "You never know who is going to have the match of their lives."
Koski and Minc did not drop a game Thursday and finished each of their three matches in less than 40 minutes. Confidence is high for the weekend for both players.
"I want to win some more games; I want to get to Saturday," Minc said. "That is our first goal, and after that we'll see how far we go. We've been working a lot, so conditioning is not a problem. It's just game experience. Playing in a tournament, the pressure is much more intense."
Pressure didn't seem to faze Hatcher throughout the day, but he felt the intensity. The cousin of 15-year NHL defenseman, Derian Hatcher, the young Hawk, who prefers to not use his given name of Devon, displayed a similar toughness.
He's played a variety of sports in his young career, but he and his father and coach Bruce, have focused his attention on the beach. Hatcher will soon head to tryouts with USA Volleyball, where he has been invited to camp for the 19-and-under and the 21-and-under international beach squads.
Hatcher will also attempt to qualify in Hermosa Beach in two weeks and the two summer AVP events: Long Beach and Manhattan Beach.
But his first AVP tournament will be a memorable one, and he'll use that experience in the coming weeks.
"I just need to be in a little better shape; I was kind of wearing down," Hatcher said. "Just stay focused and not let the crowd get into my head because it is a totally different atmosphere."
and one that Hatcher is ready to embrace.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

New coach, new game for women's best
Walsh felt old relationship had staled
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Is it possible for the best to get better?
Kerri Walsh believes it is, so she and partner Misty May-Treanor switched coaches this past offseason to improve what is arguably the best women's twosome on the AVP Crocs Tour.
"I think the frustration with Misty and me is we know there is so much more in us, and Dane Selznick is such an unbelievable coach and was great for us, but we felt that we had grown kind of stale," Walsh said of opting for Troy Tanner this year. "We stopped progressing and we stopped growing, all three of us together. With the level of competition rising, you can't afford to do that."
The pair won 13 of 15 AVP events last season. Across a total of 97 tournaments since joining forces, including international events, Beach Volleyball America and the AVP, Walsh and May-Treanor have prevailed in 64.
But a berth in the Olympics looms with qualifying taking place this summer for next year's games in Beijing. The pair won the gold medal in Athens in 2004 and has set a return trip to the Olympics as their No. 1 priority this season.
Walsh sees the coaching swap as not just a way for a new beginning but an avenue toward eliminating what she calls bad habits.
"I hit the ball in an undesirable location, it puts a lot of stress on my shoulder and I've had shoulder problems since high school. [Tanner] is focusing on my footwork, my arm swing. It all seems so simple but ultimately it is going to be so huge. I already feel like I'm hitting the ball harder and I'm seeing the court better," Walsh said of the coach referred to them by Karch Kiraly.
"There are some growing pains and that is frustrating but I think we're looking at the big picture. He's changing our game and making it so much more efficient. Not to say that we're going to play well all the time, but we are hitting our stride and we are improving on a daily basis."
The new approach may also have paid dividends. After finishing third in Miami, Walsh and May-Treanor won in Dallas and will take the sand Friday as the defending champions.
"That is where it all started for Misty and me -- we started training in Huntington," Walsh said. "It is a special spot for us."
Q rating: Stacey Keibler added some celebrity flair to the early proceedings. The actress and former WCW wrestler teamed with Jessie Cooper but lost, 21-7, 21-11, to the duo of Montana Curtis and Juliana Evens.
Keibler, who paired with professional dancer Tony Dovolani in a 2006 edition of Dancing with the Stars and finished third, enjoyed a surge in the second game Thursday when she and Cooper fought back from a 17-4 deficit to 20-11, but their rally at match point fell short.
It was a new experience for Keibler, who last spent time on the volleyball court in gym class.
"This was definitely harder than (competing on "Dancing with the Stars"), because I danced as a child. I had the foundation from when I was young. So even though it had been years, it kind of came back to me and I was able to pick it up," Keibler said. "This, I had never done before. It was definitely a challenge, but I'm always up for a challenge. This is completely different than the wrestling. Wrestling's just not good for your body."
Paperwork: The duo of Melanie Fleig and Kiwi Winkler won their first-round match, 21-16, 18-21, 15-13, on Thursday but found themselves to be ineligible and were forced to retire.
The match carried a bit of impact, too, as the No. 49 seed in the women's qualifier bracket had upended the No. 16 seed of Iwona Lodzik and Kristin Ursillo.
Following the match, though, it became apparent that Fleig and Winkler, who are both from Germany, did not meet tour residency requirements.
Respect the competition: Ben Koski and partner Jeff Minc carried their No. 1 seeding from the men's qualifying round into the weekend without dropping a game Thursday. But Koski and Minc did not look ahead.
"You have to think about having to play every game, and no game is going to be an easy game," Koski said. "You can't think that a team is going to let up and that every team is going to be tough."
Up next: Play in the main draw will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Friday.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Lindquist team goes way back
Beach volleyball: Sisters on home sand at Hunt. Beach event.
By Joe Stevens, Staff writer
Article Launched: 05/03/2007 11:06:04 PM PDT
The Lindquist sisters are ranked 10th on the AVP tour, and are teamed up in the Huntington Beach tourney this weeekend. Tracy and Kate have already enjoyed a lengthy partnership on the tour and plan to play together for some time to come. (Photo courtesy Holly Stein/AVP)Quick! Name a women's beach volleyball player.
The Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor or Kerri Walsh probably come to mind, but after that, casual fans might struggle to name others.
Lack of name recognition is something that Katie Lindquist sees as a problem in beach volleyball. She and her sister, Tracy, are ranked 10th on the tour, but they, and most of their competitors, live in obscurity. So when the Lindquist sisters have a homecoming this weekend in the AVP's stop in Huntington Beach, they likely will blend into the spectators when they're not playing.
"Everyone knows Misty May and Kerri Walsh," Katie said. "... I think if the AVP is going to grow, there has to be recognition beyond those two."
The Lindquist sisters have been ranked around 10th for the past four years, despite "suffering" from typical genes that make both of their heights 5-foot-6. That height is the smallest for a team on the tour.
Katie, 29, has been a teacher for the past six years and is teaching kindergarten at Faylane Elementary in Garden Grove. Tracy, 26, is a substitute teacher and is trying to secure a full-time job for next year, teaching elementary school math.
Their father, Dave,is a teacher at Westminster High, and their older sister, Tricia, is a teacher at Edison High.
"I think I've always known from middle school that I wanted to be a teacher and professional volleyball player," Tracy said.
Playing in Huntington Beach is usually one of the most enjoyable stops on tour for the sisters because more friends and family attend than at other stops. Tracy expects that to be the case again, but is a bit worried about it because of the new $20 charge the tour has at Huntington this weekend.
Counting the travel costs of staying on the tour, Katie said she and her sister barely break even each year and they're happy with that. They plan on continuing their partnership as long as they can.
AVP
Huntington Beach Open
Today-Sunday:
at H.B. Pier, 9 a.m.
"It's not weird or different playing with my sister because we've played so long together," Katie said. "It would be weird not playing with her."
"I think beach volleyball is a sport where people can play a long time, if you look at Karch Kiraly and Elaine Youngs," Tracy said, "as long as you stay healthy and don't have babies."
Joe Stevens can be reached at joe.stevens@presstelegram.com.

Huntington Beach win might come with a bonus
Youngs and Branagh are in driver's seat to pick up extra $100,000 for points through first three tournaments, but May-Treanor and Walsh still have a chance.
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 4, 2007
It doesn't happen often, but Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will be underdogs when the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's Huntington Beach Open starts today.
Maybe not to win the title — the 2004 Olympic gold medalists are the favorites to win just about every time they step on the sand. But they are on the outside looking in at the largest check ever presented at an AVP tournament, the $100,000 bonus given to the team with the most points through the first three tournaments.
Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh have reached the finals in the first two events and lead the standings with 684 points. Should they advance to the final this week, they would win the Cuervo Gold Triple Crown series no matter whether they win the tournament.
May-Treanor and Walsh have 630 points and can win the bonus only if they win the tournament and Youngs and Branagh finish third or lower.
"It's nice to be in this position, considering Misty and Kerri ran away with everything last year," Youngs said. "It's nice to be able to compete and have it on our radar."
Last year, May-Treanor and Walsh won all three Cuervo Series events, earning a $50,000 bonus for each victory plus a $50,000 prize as series champions. This year, they got behind when they lost to Youngs and Branagh, 21-19, 21-19, in the season opener at Miami.
"We have our work cut out for us, no doubt about it," Walsh said. "That's a huge number. It could be a big payday, but ultimately it's about winning the tournament. The bonus is one of those secondary things that you think about after it's over."
Considering that first-place money for the tournament is $20,000, not thinking about the bonus is much more difficult than it sounds.
"You really try to put it in the back of your mind, but when friends, family and the media want to talk about it, it's hard," Youngs said. "That kind of money is hard to ignore."
On the men's side, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser have won the first two events and are in the driver's seat for the $100,000 bonus with 720 points. A trip to the final this weekend would clinch it.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have the best shot at catching the leaders. They were second in each of the first two events and have 648 points. They'd need to win the tournament and have Rogers and Dalhausser finish third or lower.
In the early to mid-1990s, several tournaments paid $100,000 to the winning men's teams, but the check this week would top those because it will include the bonus.
peter.yoon@latimes.com

Kiraly limber, motivated for weekend
Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong won their first match
By Ben Platt / Special to AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - It's 30 minutes before his first match of the day and Karch Kiraly is doing his usual ritual, standing in the trainer's tent and slowly stretching his 46-year-old back in slow circles for 12 minutes.
Moments later, the volleyball legend and his partner, fellow UCLA alum, Kevin Wong, go through their warm-up routine, hitting the ball to each other in preparation for their match with Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie.
For Kiraly the Jose Cuervo Huntington Beach Open is the ultimate home-field advantage.
"It's the tournament now closest to where I live now in South Orange County," said Kiraly. "So we consider it half our home beach, we train up here a lot. We used to have a tournament at Seal Beach, but this is our Orange County stop now."
This is Kiraly's last year on the AVP tour, which means the Huntington Beach tournament also has significant memories for him because it was the site of his last tournament victory two years ago with then partner Mike Lambert.
"[Huntington], that's the last win that I was able to notch -- hopefully get back in the winner's circle this year," said Kiraly. "That was a special one getting back together with Mike after breaking up earlier that year, I told him he should probably play with somebody else because I just didn't feel that good offensively, didn't feel like I was holding up my end of the deal with our team and we got back together and had a string of incredible victories, and everyone of them was really close late in the third game. And I have great memories of that."
Kiraly and Wong have developed a chemistry and playing style that have worked well. Both players have strong court awareness and use their intelligence and experience to carefully place the volleyball in the right spot, just out of reach of their opponents.
"We really enjoy playing together, I love playing with Kevin," said Kiraly. "Our games really complement each other, and we really have a good time out there."
"I think watching Karch's career, I think he and anyone has good chemistry," said Wong. "He just makes it really easy to play, and I'm just trying to be a sponge out here and soak up as much as I can from him."
In their first match of the day Kiraly and Wong played tough against Morrison and Tramblie, countering their power game with strong anticipation and Wong's powerful blocking ability, constantly stuffing Morrison's spikes back for easy points and winning the match, 21-14, 19-21 and 15-9.
"They are really tough to play against," said Wong of Tramblie and Morrison. "They really work hard, they hustle and they're locals down here, so it was a really good, fun match."
Kiraly and Wong are also proud of their UCLA heritage, both having won national championships in different decades under legendary coach Al Scates.
"There are a lot of great Bruins out here," said Kiraly, "Stein Metzger, Sinjin Smith, Randy Stoklos from the past and plenty of great former Bruins to compete with now. There's a great Al Scates tradition out on the beach too."
As for this tournament, Kiraly uses the success that Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser have had this season as motivation to pull off an upset.
"Todd and Phil are clearly the favorites the way they've been playing the first two tournaments and everyone else is trying to catch up to them," said Kiraly. "That's the challenge -- they've laid down the gauntlet and the rest of us have to rise to the occasion."
If anyone can do it, leave it to the old master to pull one more rabbit out his hat.
Later in the day Kiraly and Wong would move into the quarter finals when they defeated Scott Hill and David Fischer 21-18, 21-8.

Sponsors spur AVP's growth
AVP's growth linked to sponsorship
By Ben Platt / Special to AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- When you enter the pier area at Huntington Beach, it looks like a carnival with tents and play areas and, yes, there is a volleyball tournament going on.
Entering its eighth season on the AVP tour the Jose Cuervo Huntington Beach Open has grown into a popular stop among the players and the sponsors, who are just as important to the sports growth and stability as the men and women who play the game.
"This has become a staple of the AVP tour," said Gabby Roe, general manager of events and partnerships for AVP. "Especially since the new management team brought the men and women together five years ago. It's been on our tour since then and it's great. I think it's one of the great representations of what the Southern California lifestyle is all about.
"They like to call themselves surf city here, but I think beach volleyball city has had a bit of a leg up on them for the past four or five years. This has grown from a stop on the tour to one of the marquee stops on the tour."
In doing so, the AVP has courted a great number of sponsors who are represented with signage in the playing area and in the clothing the players wear, but also in the various booths and tents throughout the tournament area. Title sponsors, from Crocs and Jose Cuervo, to Wilson Sports, Paul Mitchell Salons, Bud Light, Nautica and Xbox, supply samples and other ways to show off their products to the thousands of volleyball fans who will be attending the tournament over the weekend.
"The seamless integration of brands into the AVP tour is something the sport has always been about," said Roe. "This sport was born on the backs of brands and we continue to have something that is needed from a business standpoint. That's who paying the prize money to the players, but even more than that, it's really authentic to what the sport's all about.
"Sponsors having interactivity side by side with the competition has always been something that we do. The fans come to see the best athletes in the world playing in the best uniforms in the world, but they've also come to expect interaction with the brands, like the Crocs Court where you can learn how to play beach volleyball or the X-Box booth, where you can try out the new 360 games. It's a real integration of sports and entertainment and the brands that support it."
According to Roe, the sponsorship is the key to beach volleyball's survival as a spectator sport.
"Many other properties are able to have 162 games like baseball does, or they're able to have multi-billion dollar television rights deals like they have in the NFL," said Roe. "For us it's sponsorship involvement. That is the backbone of this sport. The athletes, management and sponsors all understand that. This sport delivers to both the fans and the brands that support it."
One thing is certain, the relationship between AVP and its sponsors has led to a huge growth in the popularity of the sport for the past five years.
"Just five years ago we had seven events, now we have eighteen," said Roe. "Prize money for the players was $750,000, now it's over $4 million dollars. Our online exposure with AVP.com has grown tremendously, our television exposure has grown tremendously, so if we remain on the path we're on, the next five years are going to be incredible."

McPeak has high praise for Tom
Team makes it through Friday without a loss
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Holly McPeak has seen her share of players during her years on the professional volleyball circuit.
With a career that began in 1987, McPeak can claim Misty May-Treanor, Elaine Youngs, Nancy Reno, Karolyn Kirby, Jennifer Boss and Nicole Branagh as partners. There are many others.
But she has high praise for her current courtmate, Logan Tom.
"I've played with everybody, and in my opinion, she is going to be the best player in the world," McPeak said. "I know that is something she expects because she has played indoors and she was one of the best players in the world, but her skills are exceptional."
The two played a pair of tournaments last season but are essentially beginning fresh this season. Tom suffered an abdominal tear last year and then spent the winter playing international ball in Spain.
Tom returned a mere eight days before this year's season opener in Miami, where the team placed 13th. They improved to a seventh-place finish in Dallas, and Tom sees the progress that will lead to better things.
She's not quite ready to be called best player in the world, though.
"Obviously it feels good. It is nice when your partner has confidence in you but I don't think of it that way," Tom said. "For me, I have to look at it that there is so much to improve on that it is hard to look at the positives and not get down on yourself. Every day there is a list of things to improve on. I guess for me it is a good and bad thing. I have to put all my hours in and give my sweat and tears."
McPeak and Tom won both of their matches Friday, the first time this season they haven't been relegated to the contender's bracket in the first day of the main draw. McPeak said it is a matter of gaining confidence with each other's style and sticking to their roles.
"Volleyball is a game of rhythm and momentum and moving well together as a team and we were not doing that," McPeak said. "She came back late from Spain and we didn't have a lot of time to prepare. She was in the indoor rhythm and I was in the beach rhythm and together we were not doing well."
But she sees skills that will carry the four-time All America at Stanford beyond her AVP Rookie of the Year award last season.
"She can play behind the blocker; she can play as a blocker. She bombs her jump serve, she serves well. She is very offensive. She doesn't have any weaknesses," McPeak said. "The only thing she lacks is experience and time in the sand, but once she gets that, watch out."
No love: Fans of every sport love the underdog, and volleyball is no different. In the third game of a first-round match Friday, the crowd was firmly behind the Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight duo. And why not? The Thursday qualifiers were giving the No. 2 seeded team of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert all they could handle.
After a series of points went against them and the cheers got louder, Lambert drilled a winner down the line and there was barely a response. He turned to take the ball for his serve and sarcastically turned to the crowd for some enthusiasm but was greeted with a smattering of applause.
Robbins and Wight ultimately prevailed.
Name change: This city is well known for one sport, and, despite a running dispute with Santa Cruz, Calif., Huntington Beach holds firm to its nick name of Surf City, U.S.A. But with the AVP in town, some players have another idea.
"It is Surf City, U.S.A., but when we're in town it is Volleyball City, U.S.A. People love it and people come from all over (Los Angeles) to watch it," Kerri Walsh said. "Huntington is a great beach, a great California beach, people are volleyball savvy and it is the perfect spot for an AVP event."
Tough loss: Dave Jensen and Mike Placek locked into the game of the day in the opener of their second-round match against John Mayer and Matt Prosser.
After trading set points, Placek and Jensen seemed to have the game in hand at 27-26, but Placek hit long as Mayer and Prosser sided out. After dropping a point, it was Jensen's turn to hit long, and they lost 29-27. Jensen and Placek then lost the second game, 21-16, to fall into the contender's bracket and will face Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge on Saturday.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Status quo in the women's draw
Few upsets recorded on first day of main draw
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- It was largely a day for the status quo in the women's draw Friday as higher seeds advanced and upsets were fewWith winds blowing onshore and taking center stage on nearly every court, both title teams from the first two events of the 2007 AVP season advanced comfortably and set the stage for a possible showdown in Sunday's final.
From the top of the winner's bracket, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh progressed easily to Saturday without dropping a game while Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh also moved on from the No. 2 slot, but dropped the first game in their second-round match.
Those two teams are battling for more than just a title and a first-place check with $100,000 on the table as a bonus for winning the Cuervo Gold Crown series. The Huntington Beach Open completes the trifecta, following Miami and Dallas on the promotional calendar.
Youngs and Branagh can claim the cash prize with a win or a second-place finish while May-Treanor and Walsh need to win the tournament outright and have Youngs and Branagh finish no better than third.
The money is a plus, but winning carries the day Youngs said.
"I'm more concerned about the ankle, the summer and Olympic qualifying," Youngs said. "We're looking forward to every weekend and we want to win tournaments."
The ankle that worries Youngs belongs to her partner as Branagh suffered the injury two weeks ago in Dallas. The swelling took a week to subside and remains taped. Branagh played the final matches in that tournament but hasn't jumped on the ankle until this weekend.
"She's a warrior," Youngs said.
Also taking the easy route to Saturday and remaining in the winner's bracket on the women's side were Holly McPeak and Logan Tom; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana; Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder; Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima; Jennifer Boss and April Ross; and Carrie Dodd and Tati Minello.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh cruised through their first match, defeating Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing, 21-14, 21-12. It didn't get much tougher for the defending champs as they downed Alicia Polzin and Paula Roca in the second round.
McPeak and Tom also had an easy day and accomplished a first as a team: winning their first two matches of a tournament. The pair that played for the first time together in Miami downed Courtney Guerra and Chrissie Zartman, 21-8, 21-11, in the first round and then defeated Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton, 21-15, 21-9, in their second match of the day.
"We had two matches today and we played well in both matches," McPeak said. "It was windy and it wasn't easy to play. We did a good job. I think it was a good start for us and we got some confidence and I think we will play well."
McPeak and Tom will play May-Treanor and Walsh to open play in the women's winner's bracket Saturday.
"We had a good rhythm today, which is nice especially going into a tough match with Misty and Kerri tomorrow," Tom said. "We are playing against ourselves right now. We have to take care of the plays that we can take care of right now. We are good enough players and good enough athletes so that we'll be fine."
Lewis and Lima, the 12th seed, were extended in their first match of the day, splitting their first two games with the Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder (20), 17-21, 24-22, but prevailed in the third, 15-5 to advance and then dropped the No. 5 seed of Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan to the contender's bracket. Lima and Lewis will face DeNecochea and Fontana on Saturday.
Turner and Wacholder first got past Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli in their opening match and then defeated Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. They'll match up against Jennifer Boss and April Ross on Saturday.
"We just made too many errors. We do some good things and then make too many bonehead errors on aggressive plays," Wacholder said. "We have a tough match and we're going to have to be better than we've been. But we beat this team in the last tournament so I think we have to stick to our game plan and be aggressive."
Youngs and Branagh will draw Dodd and Minello in their first match Saturday and Youngs is looking forward to similar conditions.
"I like playing in wind, it is good for our serving and I feel pretty good in the wind," Youngs said. "What it's going to come down to is which team serves better on the bad side. You've seen it in every match. The team that is doing better with the wind at their back is the team that wins."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Two teams eye $100K as first day ends
Rogers/Dalhausser and Gibb/Rosenthal on collision course
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Now that the second round of main draw play has come to a close, eight teams have already been sent home.
But for the men, five of the eight qualifying teams are still around for the second round of the Contender's Bracket. Of those five, three went on to the second round of the Winner's Bracket before tasting their first defeat of the weekend.
And much of Friday's unpredictable play can be attributed to the wind. By the end of the day, nearly half of the men's teams still playing were forced to put on t-shirts to stay warm.
"I think that [because of the wind,] the play has changed and things really evened out," said Hans Stolfus, who paired with Scott Wong for the No. 11 seed, was able to sneak past sixth-ranked Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard 19-21, 21-19 and 17-15. "There [are] some teams that have had some poor finishes that would never get those finishes in another tournament."
The lowest seed to make it past the first round of the Winner's Bracket was No. 31 Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight, who defeated second-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger 16-21, 21-18 and 15-9, and later fell to No. 15 John Hyden and his new partner Brad Keenan 21-18, 21-14. Robbins and Wight, as well as Lambert and Metzger, are still in it as they must succumb to double elimination before being sent home.
And so, absent for the third-straight week from the Winner's Bracket is Metzger and Lambert, who at the beginning of this tournament already dropped out of the top seed they held for the first two tour events.
Another shocker for the day saw the No. 4 seed, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, drop two quick sets to qualifying seed, No. 29 Dane Jensen and Mike Placek 21-19 and 21-19. The pair suffered the same result in the Contender's Bracket to take 25th place, dropping a 21-15, 21-15 match to No. 13 Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman. Fuerbringer last finished in 25th during the 2000 season, while Scott has not done so since 1998.
Finishing in that same spot, ninth-seeded Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt fall in two straight matches to 24th-seeded Tyler Hildenbrand/Scott Lane and qualifying seed No. 25 Ben Koski/Jeff Minc. The last time Witt hit the 25th mark came back in 1999, and Mariano has not finished that low since the 2003 season.
Yet for the qualifying seeds, they are walking on air.
"We just had confidence going into the match," said Placek. "We ran a really tough match when we were qualifying, but we were playing solid. We worked hard for this and it's time to see it pay off."
As for the usual suspects, they're still in the hunt for a spot in finals play on Sunday.
No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers sent home one of the few qualifying seeds in the first round, defeating 32nd-ranked Seth Burnham and Tony Pray 21-12 and 21-16.
"We weren't on top of our game like we should have been," said Pray. "Usually we're really aggressive and our jump serves are our main offense. We didn't get a lot of points off them and I got one ace maybe, and Seth didn't get any. We usually get a lot of aces."
In the second round of the Winner's Bracket, it looked as if Rogers and Dalhausser caught that same bug as they nearly dropped a three-set match to eight-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza. The top-seeded pair, however, was able to pull it together and maintain enough composure to send their opponents to the Contender's Bracket and continue their quest for the Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown $100,000 bonus, 21-13, 19-21 and 15-9.
Dalhausser and Rogers aren't the only ones hungry for $100,000.
No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal cruised past 30th-seeded Chris Magill and Russ Marchewka in the first round of the Winner's Bracket 21-8, 21-14. It was not until the second round, like Dalhausser and Rogers, that they ran into a little bit of trouble.
But like their top-seeded counterparts, Gibb and Rosenthal sent No. 19 Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola to the Contender's Bracket 21-18, 19-21 and 15-7.
"It is in our minds a little bit, just because we do have a shot at winning it," said Rosenthal of the $100,000 bonus. "But we're just playing our game. Maybe come Sunday it'll be on our minds a little more."
And as for the king of beach volleyball and in recent years, of Huntington Beach, No. 10 Karch Kiraly and his partner Scott Wong steadily won both of their Winner's Bracket matches today. In the second round they sent qualifying seed, 26th-ranked David Fischer and Scott Hill -- who knocked off No. 7 Matt Olson and Jason Ring in the first round -- to the Contender's Bracket, 21-18, 21-8.
In Huntington Beach, Kiraly has racked up three wins since 1999 -- the most of any player currently on tour. The last time he took a Huntington title was in 2005 with partner Mike Lambert.

Marquee matchups await on Saturday
Dalhausser and Rogers continue march for three
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Judging from both Thursday's qualifiers and Friday's main draw action, the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open title is literally up for grabs.
Running undefeated on the men's side of the Winner's Bracket, two-time defending champions of the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Opens and top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will try to make it three to start off the season perfectly, when they face No. 8 Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
This short weekend has already taught us not to count out the underdog, though.
No. 12 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland -- who sent fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams to the Contender's Bracket -- will square off against No. 20 John Mayer and Matt Prosser in the third round of the Winner's Bracket.
On the contending side and still in pursuit of their first title of 2007, second-ranked Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger will look to turn the tables around and finish higher than their 17th-place mark two weekends ago in Dallas. In order to do so, the pair will have to send home No. 16 Brent Doble and Ty Loomis who came within reach of toppling Dalhausser and Rogers in the second round of the Winner's Bracket.
The dark horse candidate of the weekend, however, is the qualifying 29th-seeded pair of Dane Jensen and Mike Placek, who put away No. 4 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott in two sets to open up their Friday play. They will face the dark horse candidate from the Cuervo Gold Crown Dallas Open, No. 12 Albert Hannemann -- who just celebrated his 37th birthday -- and Ed Ratledge in the Contender's Bracket.
Despite a strong wind on the Pacific Coast, many women are able to continue to play their game. First-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh need to rack up as many wins as possible in order to be the recipients of the Jose Cuervo bonus check. A battle for a piece of history will begin Saturday at 2:30 p.m. EDT, when May-Treanor and Walsh take on eighth-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom.
McPeak currently possesses the title as the all-time winningest female on the beach with 72 victories. Should May-Treanor move on to the finals again this weekend, she will be only one win shy of sharing that record with McPeak.
Two other women's squads who were able to play their own game in spite of the wind will also face off in the third round of the Winner's Bracket on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT. Sixth-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross will take on No. 3 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder for entry into the quarterfinals.
Wind or no wind, No. 12 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima played the same game they played in Dallas. The duo will continue to search for another Cinderella story, when they take on fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
Check your watch: The top half of the Contender's Bracket matches are set to begin at 12:30 p.m. EDT tomorrow, with the other half of the second round Contender's Bracket matchups following one hour later.
As for the Winner's Bracket, half of the men and women left are slated to being at 2:30 p.m. EDT, followed by the other half of the third round Winner's Bracket hopefuls will square off at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Huntington Beach is a fan paradise
Patrons visit event tents and mingle with players
By Ben Platt / Special to AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- On the second day of the main draw the crowd at the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open more than doubled from Friday. Volleyball fans filled all the venues and ventured around the various tents to sample products and services provided by the numerous sponsors of the event.
One of the most popular was the Jose Cuervo tent where patrons could watch video highlights of various AVP stars in a very comfortable environment and test their vertical leaping ability for prizes. The biggest draws at the tent are the very beautiful Cuervo models who posed for photos with the different visitors to the tent. After posing with one of the models, a few happy fellows from out of town graciously talked about the tournament.
"I lived here three years ago and just wanted to come back and watch. This is the place to be," said Mike who now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. "It's awesome - it's the best place I want to be."
"I usually catch this tournament in Vegas, but I like the vibe much better in Huntington Beach than Vegas," said Randy Krudow, who is also from Salt Lake City. "It's a lot more open, a lot more beach vibe to it and a lot more courts -- the competition is just as good or better than the other tour stops."
"What's really cool is you get to intermingle with the players and get to talk with them," adds Mike. "When I lived out here you'd see them working out here in Huntington Beach all the time, coming down here, playing pickup games. So it was always cool to come down here and watch them play. It was fun knowing you can relate with the players."
Adds Randy, "Yesterday we were peppering with Stein Metzger and Matt Lambert and we were saying 'so you won your first match', and they were like 'yeah, man,' so it's cool being next to them. There's no VIP area, everyone's out here and it's just like players on the beach."
Down at court three a rowdy band of gents dressed up as pirates are having a merry old time. It seems the group calls themselves 'Prosser's Pirates' for Matt Prosser. The boys are locals and are really enjoying the tournament.
"All the other tournaments can walk the plank!" yells out one of the pirates and is greeted with the natural pirate response AAAARRRGHHHHH!
"We're all locals from Long Beach and we live 20 minutes down the freeway. This is just a cool place to be," responds another pirate, which is greeted with another AAAARRRGGGHHHH!
It's fun to go by a near full arena two, which is the showcase spot for the name players, but the real action was at the smaller courts where fans really feel a part of the action.
"We have a lot of surf tournaments out here, but beach volleyball has really caught on," said Christine, another Huntington Beach local who is attending her first AVP tournament. "I've never seen the pier look better and everyone looks like they're having a lot of fun out here."
"I've lived out here for a year but have I haven't spent much time at the beach," said Elana, an Oregon transplant. "Just taking in all of this is amazing. I will never go back to Oregon again. It rains too much there and with stuff like this going on, who would ever want to leave?"

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Johnson family sports a tradition of excellence
By Ben Platt / Special to AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Rafer Johnson walks through entrance of the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open like any other parent of one of the competitors. Toting two portable chairs, he checks the competition board to see where his daughter is playing. "Where is court one?" asks Johnson to an official walking by. The young lady points him in the right direction; he thanks her and heads over.
Very few people take notice of the still athletic-looking 71-year-old wearing a black and white sweat suit and straw panama hat. One person sees him and tells his friend, "That's Rafer something, I think he played pro football. I've seen him on TV."
What that person didn't realize is that Jenny Johnson Jordan's dad is a true sports legend, winning two Olympic medals in the decathlon, the silver in 1956 and gold in 1960. In 1968 it was Johnson, and football star Rosey Grier who grabbed assassin Sirhan Sirhan after he fatally shot Robert Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel after the senator won the California presidential primary.
But today he's just Jenny's dad, doing what he's done since his daughter started playing sports as a child in Southern California, watching her play and giving her support.
"I know the best to do for kids is to have an opportunity to develop skills and abilities and to be faced with opportunities and losing. I think that really builds character," said Johnson. "It gives an opportunity early on to focus ways that they can be the best that they can be and we've always tried to support them (including Jenny's brother Josh) in doing that."
It was a true family affair on Saturday for Jenny Johnson-Jordan and her longtime partner Annette Davis' contender's bracket match against Keao Burdine and Claire Robertson. Rafer, his wife Betsy, Josh, along with Johnson's son-in-law Kevin Jordan and his two grandkids Jaylen and Kory Jordan, watched the match. Rafer spent part of the pre-game warm-up watching Jaylen, who is six and Kory, who will be two in June play in the sand with their shovels and buckets in one of the Jose Cuervo tents next to feature court one where the match was being held.
"They are at every event, every game, every practice -- my dad would cancel trips so he could be there," said Jordan about her family's involvement. "If I didn't have them taking care of my kids, they probably would travel to every event with me."
As the match began, Johnson would stand in the tent, his eyes transfixed on the action, his hands either in his pockets or behind his back. Periodically when Jenny and Annette would get a point he'd yell out, "Let's go Jenny -- keep it going." If they would miss a point Johnson would yell "Side out Jenny -- let's go Annette!"
"He gets very nervous. I feel bad for him sometimes," said Jordan about her dad. "It's sometimes hard for him to watch me play. He has no control out there. It's very difficult, but he loves being out here, amidst the stress of the game and he loves being here to support us."
"There's not much you can do as a father, or there's not much I can do," said Johnson. "I wanna get in the game and I can't get in the game, relaxing and sitting down. I'm used to standing up and usually at her end of the court."
Which begs the question: is it the athlete or the father in him that comes out when Jenny competes?
"I think it's a little bit of both," said Johnson. "Just like when she was growing and playing as a child, I feel the same way now as I did then. Hopefully you leave the court as a competitor and you can say that you were the best that you could be and I can't do that sitting down."
As the match went on, Johnson held Kory in his arms and pointed out to his grandson that his mommy was playing the game. Rafer finally did set up one of his portable chairs, but he let Kevin and Jaylen sit in it to watch the match. When her mother would score a point, Jaylen would hit her plastic bucket with her shovel as her way of applauding.
Jordan/Davis ended up defeating Burdine and Robertson, 21-16, 21-13. Johnson is very proud of his daughter's professional career, but he is also very proud of the fact that Jennifer also was able to have the unique experience of being an Olympian in 2000.
"Making the Olympian category is very special, that's a very select group of people," said Johnson. "Representing your country in international competition doesn't get much better than that. She's had a real fine career and her and Annette have been together for a real long time and they've played well. I just hope that they have continued success because they are not only really good athletes, but they are super people. I think they're a credit to this circuit and to anyone who knows anything about volleyball."
Spoken like a proud papa.

Upset specialists fall on Saturday
Qualifiers' runs can't withstand Saturday heat
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- The word connotes elation or despair and it describes one of the more thrilling moments in sports.
That would be the "upset," and the Cuervo Gold Crown tournament here has had its share.
Headlining that category at the Huntington Beach Open was a first-round match Friday, when qualifiers Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight sent the second-seeded team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger to the contender's bracket with a 16-21, 21-18, 15-9 victory.
While it wasn't quite Buster Douglas beats Mike Tyson, the feat was notable and marked one of three teams to advance out of the qualifying round and notch a first-round match victory in the main draw.
The No. 2 qualifying team of David Fischer and Scott Hill, seeded 26th overall, defeated Matt Olson and Jason Ring, the seventh seed, while the No. 8 qualifying team and 29th overall, Dane Jensen and Mike Placek dropped Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott out of the winner's bracket.
The news grew worse for Fuerbringer and Scott as they then proceeded to lose to Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman for an early exit from the tournament.
But none was bigger than Robbins and Wight, who faced down one of the top teams on the AVP circuit and, not only lived to tell about it, but generated a story in the process that they will no doubt enjoy retelling.
"I can't even describe it. As the game kept going we knew we had a chance and it happened it was just like an unbelievable feeling," Robbins said. "Everyone has 'it' at a point, but that was our first time having it and we just kind of exploded. Stein and Mike were great underneath the net. It was definitely a great experience."
The moment was no less memorable for Robbins' partner.
"That hasn't really soaked in yet; that is something that I will remember for the rest of my life," Wight said. "I couldn't stop smiling today. It was an awesome experience."
The pair drew John Hyden and Brad Keenan in their second match Friday and Robbins said that Keenan dominated the match with his serve despite a stout wind.
Playing the role of Cinderella ended as expected, though sooner than hoped. Robbins and Wight dropped their morning match Saturday, 28-30, 18-21, to Austin Rester and Aaron Wochtfogel to end their run here.
Both admitted the pressure of maintaining their run played a factor.
"Once you beat a team like that, there is a little pressure to play well again," Robbins said of Friday's magical win over Metzger and Lambert. "We had never been in that position before; we weren't sure quite how to handle it. We weren't sneaking up on teams anymore. Austin and Aaron played awesome today and didn't make any mistakes."
But all the qualifying teams served notice that the level of competition has stepped up. Albert Hannemann and partner Ed Ratledge emerged from the qualifying round in Miami and finished 13th. They followed that with a fifth-place finish in Dallas after getting one of the automatic entries into the main draw.
Hannemann and Ratledge was the team to hand the bad news and a pass out of the tournament to Jensen and Placek on Saturday in the form of a 21-17, 21-16 victory. But Hannemann said the results are indicative of improved play across the sand.
"The men's side of this AVP is so tough, I mean there's so much parity," said Hannemann, who along with Ratledge is seeded 14th here. "You see these young guys who are very hungry, so they're out here to win."

2007 Huntington Beach Open Central
Breaking down the latest results from Huntington Beach, Calif.
Saturday, May 5

SATURDAY MAIN DRAW

UPDATE: 6:07 PM ET
One women's team has already secured a semifinals appearance from the Winner's Bracket on this late, windy afternoon. No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh saved themselves a seat in the second-to-last, single-elimination round here in Huntington Beach. The pair served fourth-ranked Dianna DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana their first loss of the weekend, 21-13 and 21-19. As of now, DeNecochea and Fontana are the first and only team in Sunday's contender quarterfinals, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Filling out the other half of the Winner's Bracket quarterfinals, No. 3 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder were given a scare in their first set, but eventually sent sixth-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross into the Contender's Bracket, 9-21, 26-24 and 15-11.
They currently are locked in a battle with second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, who knocked off the Lindquist sisters 19-21, 21-15 and 15-7.
As for the men, with the qualifying seeds now out of the picture, things are shaping up according to plan. No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal sent 11th-seeded Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong to the Contender's Bracket 21-12 and 21-11.
If Stolfus and Wong can find the same luck as past teams this year and sent second-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger home in the Contender's Bracket, they have a shot at another fraternal match up if No. 10 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong can simultaneously send home fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 4:31 PM ET
Half of the quarterfinals are set for the Winner's Bracket and the half of the fourth round Contender's Bracket is filling out, as a few typical results continue to happen this weekend.
Reliably, top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will once again test their undefeated streak, as the pair sent eighth-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza into the Contender's Bracket, 21-10 and 21-17. Fan support was looking for someone to topple the dynasty, but Medel and Souza will have to wait and see if they can do so from the other side of the bracket.
The same predictable result occurred for the top-seeded women's team as well. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh matched up with No. 8 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, pitting past against present. The 21-13, 21-12 victory over McPeak and Tom marks a symbolic step forward for May-Treanor. If she and Walsh can take home this weekend's title, she has an opportunity to tie McPeak's all-time record of 72 victories next weekend in Glendale, Ariz.
As for the men's Contender's Bracket, the final qualifying seed has been sent home. No. 17 Austin Rester and Aaron Watchfogel continue their push to the top. They were once again neck-and-neck with a qualifying team, but pulled out a 19-21, 21-18 and 15-13 match victory over No. 25 Ben Koski/Jeff Minc. Koski and Minc leave Huntington Beach in 13th-place -- the highest finish for any of the qualifying seeds on the beach this weekend.(Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 3:03 PM ET
Now that the second round of play in the Contender's Bracket has wrapped up, half of the 32 men's and 32 women's main draw teams remain. Only one of those 64 squads is a qualifying seed.
No. 14 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge bumped off No. 29 Dane Jensen and Mike Placek, 21-17 and 21-16. The other uprooted qualifying seed in this round came at the hands of No. 5 Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, who sent home No. 27 Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic, 21-19 and 21-13.
Still in contention and vying for their first shot at the finals this weekend, No. 2 Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert pushed past No. 16 Brent Doble and Ty Loomis, 21-19 and 21-18, on center court. In order to earn that bid, Metzger and Lambert must win the rest of their matches from the Contender's Bracket.
In the women's Contender's Bracket, only one minor upset occurred, as none of the qualifying seeds remained in this round. The second round saw the end of weekend play for Team Gorgeous, No. 13 Michelle Moore and Suzanne Stonebarger, who fell 21-16 and 21-18 to No. 19 Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe.
For a shot at the quarterfinals, men's and women's Winner's Bracket play commences during third-round play of the Contender's Bracket. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 2:00 PM ET
Hopes of continuing on from the Contender's Bracket have dissolved for the three women's qualifying teams who entered Saturday play.
The 18th-seeded Lindquist sisters, Katie and Tracy, knocked off first-timers in the main draw and the lowest-seeded women's team -- No. 32 Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing -- 21-14 and 21-16. Pavlik and Wing's 17th-place finish is the highest the duo has ever put together.
No. 28 Angela McHenry and Lisa Rutledge turned in the same finish as their qualifying counterparts, and nearly moved on to the third round with a 21-18, 13-21 and 15-9 loss at the hands of 21st-seeded Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder.
On the men's side, one qualifier is certain to move on to the third round of contender's play, as No. 26 David Fischer and Scott Hill faced No. 25 Ben Koski and Jeff Minc. Koski and Minc snuck by their opponents to continue Saturday play with a 16-21, 21-13 and 15-9 victory.
The pair will next face No. 17 Austin Rester and Aaron Watchfogel, who battled to send home a third qualifying seed. Rester/Watchfogel matched No. 31 Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight point-for-point from the middle of the first set until the middle of the second set. Two was all it took, as Robbins and Wight went home after a grueling 30-28 and 21-18 match.
The other half of the second round Contender's Bracket began 20 minutes ago, as eight more teams will go home. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 1:00 PM ET
While 18 teams have already been knocked off, many more will try to hold off the same fate this morning, as both the men's and women's Contender's Brackets are underway. Half of the 16 men's and 16 women's teams still intact in the second round Contender's Bracket begin right now, with the other half to follow at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
Winner's Bracket action is slated to kick off at 2:30 p.m. EDT, with half of the men's and women's third round teams beginning Saturday play. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

Youngs sees red, turns it on
Leads her team into Sunday's semifinals
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Elaine Youngs saw red and it had its most noted effect.
It fired her up.
Youngs was given a red card in the second game of her quarter-final match Saturday afternoon. At the time, she and partner Nicole Branagh were down a game to Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder and saw a four-point deficit grow to five with the infraction.
After hitting the ball into the net, Youngs fell onto the sand and as the ball fell to the court she gave it a kick and it flew over her opponent's side and into the stands, which drew the foul.
It was her most important point of an afternoon that also saw local favorites Tracy and Katie Lindquist advance with a victory over Holly McPeak and Logan Tom.
"I hate to say it but I think it turned the match around for us," Youngs said. "It wasn't planned and it was lucky but it really got me going and it gave me a little more attitude."
Youngs and Branagh turned a 9-14 hole into a 24-22 victory in the second game and then prevailed, 15-12, in the rubber game to win the match and head into the bottom half of the semi-final.
"We came into a timeout and said, 'we're kind of boring right now.' We wanted to move Tyra around because she was scoring off the block. We needed some ego," Youngs said. "A lot of times for me because I'm not getting served a lot it comes down to my serving and my blocking and my defense. When I get the chance to hit the ball on defense. That happened in that game."
They will draw the winner of Sunday morning contender's bracket match between Dianne DeNecochea/Barbra Fontana and April Ross and Jennifer Boss.
"It is great to get this day out of the way," Youngs said. "We're taking it point by point and match by match. That is how we're approaching it. As long as we take care of our side we will be fine."
Advancing out of the top half of the winner's bracket is Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as they dropped DeNecochea and Fontana to move on.
The No. 1 seeds had an easy route to victory in the first game of their quarterfinal match, notching 21-13 advantage.
But the second game proved more difficult as Fontana and DeNecochea fought past a number of deficits to tie the game at 13 on a block by DeNecochea. The dedicated netminder of the pair then rattled three straight kills for a two-point lead and again to take a 17-15 edge.
But Walsh aced her save to tie the game at 18 and was tough a second time for a one-point lead before Fontana's winner for a 19-19 deadlock. May-Treanor then fired consecutive winners for a berth in one of the women's semi-finals Sunday.
"We had a lull in the middle of the second game and they were serving well," May-Treanor said. "There were a couple of points that we could have terminated and I hit a ball out and Kerri hit one into the net. We made some mistakes and maybe played a little tentative."
In their first match of the day May-Treanor and Walsh dispatched McPeak and Tom with relative ease. After taking the first game 21-13, the pair methodically moved through the second game. Tom pulled her and McPeak within one at 6-7 with a kill down the line and a McPeak cross-court shot kept it interesting at 7-10.
But May-Treanor and Walsh pulled away, highlighted by a Walsh kill to make the score 16-12 and then Walsh blocked Tom after a spirited rally to make the score 18-12. May-Treanor thundered a shot that McPeak couldn't dig out to set up match point and May-Treanor then served for the match that Walsh sealed to keep their record perfect.
McPeak and Tom fell into the contender's bracket where they beat Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson but ran into the Lindquist twosome and were eliminated, 21-19, 21-14.
The Lindquist sisters used a combination of local knowledge and a strong hometown contingent to propel them to a string of victories Saturday and a match with Turner and Wacholder on Sunday morning.
Despite finishing with a pair of 17ths in their first two tournaments this season, the Lindquists prevailed with their backcourt style coupled with the occasional block.
"Today we just felt like everything was smooth and finesse and we just had it," Katie Lindquist said. "We knew our road to get here and we focused on one match at a time."
After losing to Youngs and Branagh on Friday and then ousting the qualifying team of Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing, the Lindquists defeated a higher seed in each of their succeeding matches.
A key factor, Katie Lindquist said, was their ability to play in the wind on a beach where they normally do not practice until mid-afternoon. She said they also did not want to get to third game and let momentum swing.
"We knew we were coming to Huntington; this is our beach. We live here. We were pretty confident even though nothing was going our way," Katie Lindquist said. "When you know the wind and you know the sand the game is totally different. But we know the wind in Huntington."
The winner of their match with Wacholder and Turner will face May-Treanor and Walsh.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Hyden, Keenan head to semis
Rogers, Dalhausser continue dominance
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- The thing about actually playing volleyball on the beach is facing whatever the beach has to throw at you.
In keeping consistent with the weather all weekend long, the wind grew steadily stronger as the day progressed. The conditions created an interesting mix for matches in play, and Saturday was certainly no exception.
While five men's qualifying seeds were still alive at the beginning of the day after prematurely ending the fourth- and ninth-seeded teams' tournaments, the qualifiers finally had a taste of their own medicine.
But the strong weekend play from the youngsters turned a lot of heads.
"In the first two tournaments and all of last year, it was unheard of for qualifying teams [to topple top-seeded squads]," Austin Rester said. "I don't think any of them did it, not one time in 14 tournaments last year. That's unbelievable. It just shows that the level is evening out."
With the 17th-seed, Rester and his partner Aaron Watchfogel barely sent home two qualifying seeds, No. 31 Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight and No. 25 Ben Koski and Jeff Minc.
Yet as fate -- and the weather -- would have it, Rester and Watchfogel later fell to new partners and 20th-seeded John Mayer and Matt Prosser, a team that already sent home its share of qualifiers this weekend. Rester and Watchfogel tie their best finish together with a ninth-place end to their weekend in Huntington.
Stamina might have played a part in the pair's finish, as Rester and Watchfogel played a second round 30-28 game and then washed it down with a three-set match before facing elimination from Mayer and Prosser (15-21, 23-21, 15-9).
No. 14 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge continued to climb the standings this weekend, sending home yet another qualifying seed, 29th-ranked Dane Jensen and Mike Placek, 21-17 and 21-16.
Hannemann, like Rester, said that he, too, was impressed with the caliber of play by the local qualifying seeds.
"[Jensen and Placek] beat Sean [Scott] and Fuerby [Matt Fuerbringer], so we knew we had to play well," said Hannemann. "And I take my hat off to them. Those guys are gonna be the next generation of this tour, so I'd like to see them out here playing as well as they are."
But after running into fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, Hannemann and Ratledge had to accept their 13th-place finish. Maybe now Hannemann can rest up his vocal cords for Sunday play, as he and Matt Fuerbringer teamed up to pinch-emcee for Chris McGee during the men's final in Dallas.
If it's not broken, fix it: The decision to switch up partners was apparently a good choice for Brad Keenan and John Mayer. In 15 tournament together, the duo finished above ninth place only once in Seaside Hermosa Beach during the 2006 season. The majority of their finishes together have been in 17th and 13th place. During their brief time as partners in 2007, Mayer and Keenan notched back-to-back 17th place finishes.
But this weekend, both men are left with their new partners, Keenan with John Hyden for the No. 15 seed and Mayer with Matt Prosser for the No. 20 seed. With a clutch win over Rester and Watchfogel, Mayer and Prosser claimed a seventh-place finish, Mayer's second-highest and Prosser's top performance on the AVP circuit.
With his career-best finish, Prosser said that he would like to continue to travel with Mayer now that the Long Beach State volleyball season is over. Prosser has been the assistant coach at LBSU since the 2005 season, and helped lead the 49ers to an overall record of 11-17 and 6-16 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
"I hope so," Prosser replied when asked if he and Mayer would stick together. "This is my first tournament back, so it's great. I didn't play in the first two tournaments because I was coaching and it's a great way to start the summer."
Keenan and Hyden blew past most of their competition in the Winner's Bracket and will continue to play Sunday in the Winner's Bracket after a 21-19, 21-15 rout of No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. They now have a shot at facing No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers -- who have yet to lose a match in 2007.
The pair can finish no worse than third place this weekend, marking Keenan's highest finish to date.
The end of a legend: After taking home the title in Huntington Beach during the 2005 season, Karch Kiraly played his final tournament on his home turf. The result, however, was slightly different this year, as the San Clemente-native had to face the man with whom he shared the title two years ago -- Mike Lambert.
Lambert and partner Stein Metzger literally sent the legend home with a score of 21-17 and 21-18. Kiraly and Wong wrapped up the tournament in seventh place.
Great expectations: The last time that more than four men's qualifier teams finished above 25th place came back in the 2003 season opener in Ft. Lauderdale. At that tournament one team placed ninth, two ended their weekend at 13 and two finished in the 17th slot.

Huntington Beach will see new finalist
Top two women's teams still on collision course
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- For the last two tournaments, second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have been undefeated up until the quarterfinals, when they fell into the Contender's Bracket and advanced to the finals from that side.
Rosenthal and Gibb will try a three-peat from that side of the bracket when they play eighth-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza to open play on Sunday.
The other men's match will feature No. 12 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland versus the second-seeded combination of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.
Tournament Capsule: The finals of the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open are setting up as a one-two punch where a $100,000 bonus is on the line.
On the women's side, the top seed of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won both of their matches Saturday and will play the winner of the contender's bracket match between Rachel Wacholder/Tyra Turner and Katie and Tracy Lindquist in one semi-final.
The second-seeded women's team of Elaine Youngs also prevailed Saturday and will face the winner of Dianne DeNecochea/Barbra Fontana and Jennifer Boss/April Ross in the other Sunday semi-final .
On the men's side, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser (1) advanced into a semi-final and will await the winner of Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal and Fred Souza/Anthony Medel.
The two seeds, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, survived their run though the contender's bracket Saturday and eliminated Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong at the end of play Saturday.
Metzger and Lambert will play Nick Lucena and Will Strickland in the contender's bracket with the right to play John Hyden and Brad Keenan in the other men's semi-final Sunday
Dalhausser and Rogers lead in the hunt for the $100K Cuervo bonus on the men's side while Branagh and Youngs lead on the women's side.
Matches begin at 12:30 a.m. ET.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.
At the top of the women's Contender's Bracket, third-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will look to stymie any further hopes of an upset for No. 18 Katie and Tracy Lindquist, who knocked off No. 12 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima early Saturday and then eighth-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom at the end of the day.
Sixth-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross will try to earn a second bid into the finals like they did in Miami. Their road to victory, however, runs through a higher-seed in No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana. Boss and Ross will not be an easy matchup, as the pair has proven time and again that it can hang with higher-ranked competition.
If any of the suspected higher seeds look like they are missing from Sunday play, credit can be given to the lowest-seeded qualifying teams. At the start of play on Saturday, three women's and five men's teams seeded below 25th were still alive in the Contender's Bracket.
All eight contending teams are searching for entry into the semifinals, which lies at the end of only one victorious match. On Sunday, the final four men's and women's matches of the Contender's Bracket will kick off the day at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Looming on both men's and women's sides, the semifinals are halfway completed with the only four undefeated teams left. And both hold the number one seeds at the top.
No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will try to complete the hat trick Sunday at 2:45 p.m. EDT, when they take on the winner of the Gibb and Rosenthal vs. Medel and Souza match. That means one of the two teams who has consistently appeared in both of the finals of 2007 will not be able to make it there, setting up what would be a $100,000 semifinal.
The winner of the Cuervo Triple Gold Crown Series, which consists of the first three tournaments of 2007, will be awarded an additional bonus of $100,000 on top of the regular prize money, and it's coming down to Rosenthal and Gibb or Dalhausser and Rogers.
Because 15th-seeded John Hyden and Brad Keenan knocked off Gibb and Rosenthal in the quarterfinals, the newest men's duo to enter the men's finals in 2007 could be Hyden and Keenan; Lucena and Strickland; or Lambert and Metzger.
Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh await the winner of the match between Turner/Wacholder and the Lindquist sisters Sunday at 3:45 p.m. EDT. And another familiar pair, second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs will wait for the winner of the other Contender's Bracket match up.
If Branagh and Youngs can win their match -- regardless of their finish in the finals -- they will be the proud owners of the $100,000 Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown check.
The men's finals should begin around 5:30 p.m. EDT, with the women following an hour and a half later.

Fans send Kiraly out the right way
Beach legend given star treatment
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- They weren't rocking chairs exactly but the idea of reclining was clearly in mind.
It's a notion that has rippled up and down the beach ever since Karch Kiraly announced that the 2007 season will be his last on the AVP Crocs Tour.
And like the greats in other sports that have gone before him and been gracious enough to give fans one last opportunity to extend their props, Kiraly is taking his farewell tour and the recognition not to mention a few tokens of appreciation extended his way.
"People are being really sweet and they're saying some really nice things and that means a lot to me," Kiraly said.
The all-time winner on the beach and three-time Olympic gold medalist was given a pair of beach style lounge chairs by Jose Cuervo, a sponsor of the beach tour since the beginning. A pair will be courtside at each future Cuervo tournament for Kiraly to use.
But he still has some unfinished business and that is to win. Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong were eliminated in the last match Saturday, losing 21-17, 21-18 to the No. 2 seed Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert for a seventh-place finish.
"I still feel like we're playing great volleyball and contending to win tournaments and that is the way I want to finish: playing at a high level and continuing to play at a high level and win tournaments," Kiraly said. "But we just ran into a couple of tough teams today."
Good cause: Although he has been eliminated from this tournament, Albert Hannemann is not yet through with Huntington Beach.
His non-profit organization, Dig for Kids, is out on display at the main entrance of the AVP site in Surf City.
Hannemann and other volunteers are tabling for fans to donate their unused books, with exciting prizes for the biggest givers. Hannemann and his cousin Eric Fonoimoana plan to use the donated books to build libraries for students in Carson, Calif., and later across the nation.
"We're real excited to be partnering with AVP Cares and it's great that they're going to help us get more in-classroom libraries," said Hannemann. "It's a really big deal and we're really excited about that, so hopefully the fans will really take to it and make a big difference for the kids that don't have anything."
However, after one day of tabling, no books were donated as of late afternoon. Volunteer Monica Hernandez -- who is also the girls' volleyball coach at Carson High School -- was out tabling for the organization and trying to spread the word.
Two volleyball players, one cheerleader and an alumnus of Carson High were also spotted on site, letting fans know that they can still drop off their books during Sunday's matches.
"The program is great, because it makes kids better scholars and it keeps them off of the streets," said Hernandez. "And then the kids who volunteer are usually ones who were in the program themselves, so now they have a little brother or sister in the program too. And many of the high school kids who volunteer have parents who are well below the poverty line."
Motley crew: Adding some color to Saturday's proceedings was a local group bedecked in pirate gear and cheering on the team of Matt Prosser and John Mayer. They referred to themselves as Prosser's Pirates.
"Arrrrgghh," said the assembly that was actually a group of volleyball players from Long Beach State, where Prosser is an alumnus and coach for the past three years.
And why the pirate motif?
"We went to Long Beach State and we don't know any better," said the captain of the party.
Mayer and Prosser lost their third-round match to Nick Lucena and Billy Strickland, though, and were relegated to the contender's bracket. They later were eliminated by Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
"Arrrrgghh!"

Lambert, Metzger rebound
They come up through the losers' bracket and are a match away from final four of Huntington Beach Open after a win over Kiraly and Wong.
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 6, 2007
AVP Huntington Beach OpenThey're back.
Maybe not all the way back, but Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger are at least still playing as the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Huntington Beach Open heads to its final day.
After a brief period of panic brought on by four consecutive match losses, including a 17th-place finish in Dallas two weeks ago, last year's Crocs Cup champions are a match away from familiar ground — the final four.
They did that by getting through the losers' bracket after an opening-round loss Friday. They defeated Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 21-17, 21-18, in Saturday's final match and advanced to a match against Nick Lucena and William Strickland with a spot in the semifinals on the line.
"Was there panic? Yeah a little bit," Metzger said. "But we've just got to remember that we were the most consistent team last year and have faith that we are OK."
Last year, Lambert and Metzger made the final four in their first 14 tournaments and won the season-ending Crocs Cup as the team with the highest season points total. They seemed to be back on track with a third-place finish at the season opener in Miami, but consecutive losses two weeks ago in Dallas sent them home with their worst finish as a team.
When they lost their first match Friday against qualifiers, onlookers wondered aloud if one of the players was injured or if there was team turmoil. Metzger said that was not the case.
"We didn't play a lot of matches in the off-season," he said. "We did a lot of drills, but we haven't had a lot of real game time on the court since last year."
Now, with nearly three tournaments complete, Metzger said he can feel the difference.
"I'm starting to get to the point where my vision is better and I'm making better choices against defenses," he said. "The stuff that you can only get better at when you're competing against a team."
But Metzger and Lambert, seeded second, aren't the only top team that has had setbacks. Third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lost Saturday to Brad Keenan and John Hyden.
That loss set up some potential drama, however, because should Gibb and Rosenthal win today against Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, they would meet top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the semifinals with a potential $100,000 payday on the line.
Dalhausser and Rogers need only to make the final to claim the prize, but should Gibb and Rosenthal knock off the top-seeded team and then win the tournament, they would take the $100,000 bonus as the top team on the points list through the first three events.
Conspiracy theorists said Gibb and Rosenthal tanked against Keenan and Hyden to get a semifinal shot at Dalhausser and Rogers, but Gibb needs only to look at their 2-13 all-time record against the top-seeded team for the answer to that.
"Ha, with our record against those guys, right," he said. "We love that matchup."
The match of the day on the women's side was a 17-21, 24-22, 15-12 victory by Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh over Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner. Youngs and Branagh overcame a 14-10 deficit in the second before winning the match, which included red cards called on Youngs and Wacholder for kicking the ball into the stands.
"Two red cards in a women's match? I don't think I've ever seen it," Youngs said.
Youngs and Branagh, seeded second, advanced to the semifinals and should they win that match, would win the $100,000 bonus regardless of the outcome in the final. Top-seeded Kerri Walsh and Misty May must win the tournament and hope that Youngs and Branagh lose their semifinal to win the bonus.
"Everyone is saying 'You got the 100 grand' " Youngs said. "We're like, tell us when it's in the mail because we still have work to do. We have a match to play."

May-Treanor, Walsh hoping to cash in
Press-Telegram staff reports
Article Launched: 05/05/2007 10:45:35 PM PDT
The top-seeded team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh needed less than an hour to defeat the fourth-seeded tandem of Dianna DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana on Saturday afternoon at the AVP's Huntington Beach Open.
May-Treanor and Walsh dispatched their opponents in 40 minutes, thanks to a 21-13, 21-19 victory, advancing to today's semifinals.
Joining them in the semis are Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who are looking for their third consecutive finals berth to start this season. If Young and Branagh do advance, they will claim the largest cash prize ever presented at an AVP tournament, a $100,000 bonus given to the team with the most points through the first three tournaments.
May-Treanor and Walsh can claim the prize for themselves if they capture the tournament title today, while Young and Branagh lose in the semifinals.
On the men's side, the defending champion and top-seeded duo of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser made it to the semifinals, as did the 15th-seeded team of John Hyden and Brad Keenan. Both teams lost just one game over the first four rounds of play Saturday.

Lambert in his element on the sand
BEACH VOLLEYBALL: On the court, everyone can tell what Lambert and Metzger are feeling.
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
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HUNTINGTON BEACH — Mike Lambert doesn't stir up quite enough drama or controversy to be labeled as the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals' version of Terrell Owens, but his antics and personality tend to stand out from other players on the tour.
Most matches at the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open have remained fairly quiet while the ball is in play, with fans clapping and cheering when a team scores a point, then quieting down again.
But when Lambert, who lives in Costa Mesa, and his partner Stein Metzger play, it's easy to find them, usually because there's laughter coming from the crowd surrounding their court.
Lambert and Metzger yell at themselves, at each other, at officials. Their personalities, Lambert's in particular, overtake the black lines surrounding the court and pour into the crowd, and their fans lap it up.
"Are you SERIOUS," Lambert shouted, albeit good-naturedly, when a referee ruled Saturday that his serve was outside the black line.
The crowd surrounding court two tittered with laughter.
A group of Lambert-Metzger fans stood behind their umbrella and talked to the pair during a timeout.
"Can we go on tour with you," one asked.
"If we keep winning," Metzger replied
"Seriously, we will get you though," the fan continued. "We will talk junk to everyone else!"
Minutes later, Lambert rallied and scored on his former partner Karch Kiraly and pointed at his fans, similar to the way presidential candidates point.
Friday afternoon, Lambert and Metzger were gesticulating wildly, then conferencing with the referees on two different calls they said were in because the black line moved when the ball hit it.
They didn't get the calls, but won anyway, and today will play Nick Lucena and Will Strickland in the semifinals.
Lambert dismissed the histrionics as "just the nature of beach volleyball," but said part of it comes from being so comfortable with his partner.
"Stein and I go a long ways back, and we still can't believe that this is our real job, playing a sport that we used to play for milkshakes back in Hawaii," Lambert said. "You just gotta be able to take a step back and realize what a blessing it is to be doing something you love, and that's when the personality comes out. It's like, 'hey, gosh! I'm having a good time. Playing beach volleyball, that's my job. This is fun.'"
It was Lambert who wrote and performed the tour's official anthem in 2004 and 2005: "We are the AVP" and "I Love the AVP."
Newport Harbor alumnus Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh advanced to the women's semifinals, defeating Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana 21-13, 21-19. April Ross, another Newport Harbor graduate, and her partner Jennifer Boss, lost to Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 15-21, 21-16, 15-13. They moved to the losers' bracket and will play DeNecochea and Fontana in the quarterfinals.
Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lost Saturday to John Hyden and Brad Keenan, and moved to the losers' bracket. They will play Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.

Kiraly, Wong knocked out of Huntington Beach Open Beach Volleyball
By SHAWN PRICE
The Orange County Register
It was only in the standing ovation the crowd of about 100 gave Karch Kiraly that he began to feel the finality of this.
Kiraly, the greatest player the game of beach volleyball has yet seen, will retire at the end of this season. That got a little closer Saturday at Court 2 in the sunset light. Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert eliminated Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong from the AVP Huntington Beach Open, 21-17, 21-18.
Lambert and Metzger are the second-ranked team on the tour, and Kiraly and Wong challenged them the entire match.
But Kiraly clearly felt the loss, only moments after tipping his famous pink Speedo cap to the crowd, he sat at the side of the court, his head in his hands.
The day started rough, despite a rousing introduction at center court, when Kiraly and Wong were upset from the winner's bracket, 21-17, 21-19, by John Hyden and Brad Keenan. A fluke call in the second game shifted momentum from Kiraly and Wong and quickly changed an 8-5 lead into an 11-8 deficit. Hyden asked the referee to wait before allowing Kiraly to serve the ball because a ball boy was rolling one to a keeper. The referee didn't hear Hyden's request, but a moment later when Hyden complained, Kiraly acknowledged he'd heard Hyden.
After the match, Hyden told Kiraly, "You're a class act. Sorry about that."
Kiraly felt obligated to speak up.
"I didn't feel right not saying I heard him," he said. "But then we were playing catch-up and the wind came out of our sails a bit."
The duo bounced back defeating Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, 21-17, 17-21, 18-16, and held an 11-6 lead in Game 1 against Lambert and Metzger but it wouldn't last.
"We were hanging right with them, but Kevin and I didn't have a lot of blocks and digs," Kiraly said. "I still feel like we're playing good volleyball. That's the way I want to finish."
Top-ranked teams Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, and Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh cruised through competition to today's semifinals.

Digging life, on and off sand

Click on Karchy to play video

Charles Karch Kiraly

Age: 46

Birthdate: Nov. 3, 1960

Resides: San Clemente

Family: Wife, Janna; sons, Kristian and Kory

Education: UCLA

Career highlights: Winningest player in volleyball history, three-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time All-American, six-time AVP most valuable player.

Last book read/book recommended: "Anti-Americanism," by Jean-Francois Revel

Plans: Coaching at St. Margaret's Episcopal School, Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy, broadcasting.

Karch Kiraly, 46, is ending his 30-year career in volleyball after this season, but his legacy will endure.
By SHAWN PRICE
The Orange County Register
This started as a father-and-son thing. And it will finish as one too.
Spare Saturdays spent on the beach by a hard-driving father and his bright young son. A love for a game was passed down and a bond was made. A thousand sandy weekends later, the son has passed it on to his own boys.
The sport that bonded Karch Kiraly and his father, Laszlo, wasn't any of the usual ones. It was volleyball. In particular, beach volleyball, a maverick game that was as much lifestyle as sport in the 1970s. Kiraly came to master the game as no other player before or since. The winner of three Olympic gold medals, more tournament victories, more prize winnings and more accolades than any other player, he became the star that every fan came to see and every young player wanted to be.
He will still be that today when fans fill the sand next to the Huntington Beach Pier for the 2007 AVP Huntington Beach Open. It's the last time Kiraly, 46, a San Clemente resident, will compete as a pro beach volleyball player in Orange County. Though it seemed like he could go on forever, his 30-year career will end this season.
Kiraly (pronounced keer-EYE) is making the transition that all professional athletes, great or otherwise, eventually have to make. His will bring him full circle in a way, back to where he started. He coaches the St. Margaret's Episcopal high school volleyball team, including his sons, Kristian and Kory. He started the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy as well, designed to teach volleyball to kids and to make young players better. He's also a broadcaster for AVP events.
It is the right time and way, he said. And he is filled with nothing but gratitude.
"I think of myself as lucky in so many ways," Kiraly said, chatting on the beach after a recent workout with current partner, Kevin Wong. "I've been really lucky to come up the time I did, to live in California when I did, and to be a part of the generation of players we were and the great coaching we got. All of it really came together. I didn't expect it would be something I could earn a living at and support a family at. Yeah, I pinch myself a lot."
The family heirloom
Laszlo found the game as a boy too, but far away from California. "I started playing in Hungary in 1950. It got under my skin and never left me," Laszlo said. He made the junior national team there, but soon escaped the Soviet invasion and came to the U.S. He worked for a while as an engineer and eventually decided to go to medical school. His internship was spent in Santa Barbara. The family would end up settling there in the early 1970s.
"I wouldn't see him much during the week," Karch said of his father, who first gave him the ball at age 6. But the weekends would come and Laszlo would invite Karch to the beach to hit the ball around. "It was time I got to spend with him, which was nice."
For three years, however, Karch only worked on passing the ball around, not playing full games. It paid off, when father and son finally teamed up for local tournaments in the mid-1970s, Karch was fundamentally better than a lot of players twice his age.
"Here I am, 11 years old, and these grown men have to give it everything they have to beat me," Karch said. "In one part of my life, I was standing toe-to-toe with grown men. It was a great feeling. My dad gave me that gift and volleyball gave me that gift."
And Laszlo is thrilled to have watched the journey.
"It didn't take long for him to internalize it, and now he's instilling it in the boys. He's passing on the love of the game. It's a very satisfying thing for him to teach these kids, not just his boys, but all of them."
The All-American
At UCLA, Karch's star began to rise, even if he wasn't quite sure what to do with it yet. He had already been a successful player indoors at Santa Barbara High School but the scale was larger now. His Bruins team piled up a monstrous 123-5 record and won three NCAA championships in 1979, 1981 and 1982. Individually, he would earn All-American all four years. He also graduated with a degree in biochemistry, proving he was no dumb jock.
"In college, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do as a career. For lack of a better calling, I just figured my dad's a doctor. He seems to enjoy what he does, so I had my eye on playing volleyball in college, maybe a tiny bit after, but then going to medical school and becoming a doctor. Not because I felt like it was calling my name, but it just seemed like the most sensible thing to do. I felt the most basic foundation of any medicine was to learn it at the molecular level. It was tough, it was a challenge," and, he chuckles, "I haven't really used it since."
Karch joined the U.S. indoor team and won his first indoor volleyball gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, alongside other stellar indoor names such as Steve Timmons, Pat Powers and Bob Ctvrtlik. But the Soviet bloc boycotted the games and it would take winning the World Cup of volleyball the following year and the 1988 gold medal at Seoul to end any question of how good the team really was. "We felt like we had a lot to prove," Karch said. But the payoff was huge. "We started to be thought of as the best team in the world."
And that's when he could comfortably return to the beach full time.
King of the Beach
The beach game was much faster and more demanding than playing indoors. However, it was on the sand that Karch played even better.
Along the way, he has won 148 tournaments with 13 different partners, in particular Kent Steffes. While Sinjin Smith won 139 during his great career, no active player is anywhere close. He was also the league's most valuable player six times, its best offensive player three times, best defensive player once, and consistently ranked at or near the top in almost every full season he played. The international equivalent to the Association of Volleyball Professionals – known as the FIVB (the full name is in French) – named him Best Player in the World twice and Player of the Century in 2000.
But in 1996, Kiraly returned to the Olympics and won the first gold medal, with Steffes, awarded to beach volleyball. They beat fellow AVP team Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh in the final.
Kiraly's been a great player for 30 years for no less reason than he does everything well. Perfect mechanics while also being the greatest student of the game.
"I think Karch is one of those larger-than-life kind of people," said Wong. "He regularly makes plays that are unbelievable. It's daunting when you're going up against that aura he exudes. I get to be on the inside now and not compete against the magic. And I've come to realize that it's not as much magic as it is a lot of hard work."
Mike Rangel, Kiraly's coach for the last six years, couldn't agree more. He knows how hard Kiraly had to work to come back after one knee and two shoulder surgeries. "There's no doubt he's genetically blessed. "But you take that with a work ethic and he just has an ability to get more out of his body. Michael Jordan at 38 was a shell of what he was. How well would Lance Armstrong do in the Tour de France in his forties? We're seeing something we're not going to see again in our lifetime.
"We've trained on New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve, his anniversary. He takes two weeks off at the end of the season and then starts training for the next season. I think his last six or seven victories mean more to him than the first 140, because of how hard he's had to work for them."
And Rangel points out there could have been even more victories, were it not for his devotion to the U.S. team in the 1980s. "From age 21 to 29, he was mostly indoors. How many more tournaments would he have won? That's mind-boggling."
Where the sand ends
Though he's typically designated the "Michael Jordan of volleyball," his imminent departure will not get the press that Jordan's did. Any of the times that he retired. Nor Wayne Gretzky's, or Andre Agassi's, Muhammad Ali's or Babe Ruth's. The TV, radio and news spots he'll do this year will pale in comparison, but it will probably be enough for his satisfaction.
In the big view of things, he's probably OK with that.
If his home features no references to what Karch Kiraly has accomplished in his job, it is filled instead with the life that has balanced it. That, unlike being the greatest volleyball player ever, was his plan. Without all the distractions, he can simply pass on the love of a game between a father and his sons.

AVP's top men's, women's teams hope to cash in
Young-Branagh and Dalhausser-Rogers need only to make their respective finals at the AVP's Huntington Beach Open to earn $100,000 bonuses.
From news services
The top-seeded team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh needed less than an hour to defeat the fourth-seeded tandem of Dianna DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana on Saturday afternoon at the AVP's Huntington Beach Open.
May-Treanor and Walsh dispatched their opponents in 40 minutes, thanks to a 21-13, 21-19 victory, advancing to today's semifinals.
Joining them in the semis are Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who are looking for their third consecutive finals berth to start this season. If Young and Branagh do advance, they will claim the largest cash prize ever presented at an AVP tournament, a $100,000 bonus given to the team with the most points through the first three tournaments.
May-Treanor and Walsh can claim the prize for themselves if they capture the tournament title today, while Young and Branagh lose in the semifinals.
The match of the day on the women's side was Youngs-Branagh's 17-21, 24-22, 15-12 victory over Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner. Youngs and Branagh rallied from a 14-10 deficit in the second game before winning the match, which included red cards called on Youngs and Wacholder for kicking the ball into the stands.
On the men's side, the defending champion and top-seeded duo of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser made it to the semifinals, as did the 15th-seeded team of John Hyden and Brad Keenan. Both teams lost just one game over the first four rounds of play Saturday.
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger solved some of their recent problems. The 2006 Crocs Cup champions, who'd suffered a four-match losing streak that included a 17th-place finish in Dallas two weeks ago, can advance to the semifinals with one more win today.
The second-seeded duo battled through the losers' bracket after an opening-round loss Friday. They defeated Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 21-17, 21-18, in Saturday's final match and advanced to a match against Nick Lucena and William Strickland today.
Last year, Lambert and Metzger made the final four in their first 14 tournaments and won the season-ending Crocs Cup as the team with the highest season points total. They finished third at the season opener in Miami, but consecutive losses two weeks ago in Dallas sent them home with their worst finish as a team.
Third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lost Saturday to Keenan and Hyden.
If Gibb and Rosenthal win today against Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, they would meet Dalhausser and Rogers in the semifinals with a potential $100,000 payday on the line.
Dalhausser and Rogers need only to make the final to claim the prize, but should Gibb and Rosenthal knock off the top-seeded team and then win the tournament, they would take the $100,000 bonus.

From a cubicle to the beach
Brad Keenan transitions to the AVP Tour
By Ben Platt / Special to AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- As competition starts for Sunday's final, Brad Keenan must be pinching himself. A year and a half ago, the 25-year-old Orange County native was crunching numbers for an accounting firm. Now he's crunching a volleyball in hopes of winning the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open with his new partner, John Hyden.
"I just got lucky," Keenan said. "I kinda dropped out for two years and I got sick of sitting in a cubicle, and got myself back into shape and got lucky enough for John Mayer to call me up, got me on the beach, and started to learn the game.
Learn it he did. In 2006, Keenan won the AVP Rookie of the Year award and partnered with Mayer. They got the volleyball world talking when the pair went through the 2006 qualifier in Hermosa Beach and finished third, tying an AVP record for the highest finish by a qualifier.
For Keenan, it's been like a dream, but it started as a nightmare. The four-time All-American at Pepperdine had graduated just before the Waves won a national championship. After injuring his shoulder, Keenan used his finance degree to get a job at State Street, a financial firm in Irvine, Calif.
"I figured that maybe I was done with volleyball, get a real job and do that," Keenan said.
So, for almost two years he toiled away in the accounting world. He had thought about trying to play in Europe, so he began training again when he got the call from Mayer. Keenan says it hasn't been an easy transition from the indoor game.
"In indoor, I never had to pass, never had to set -- all I did was block, hit and serve," Keenan said. "I've had to learn all these new skills. I'm still struggling, but each day it gets better and better."
When the season ended Keenan got another call this time from John Hyden.
"Out here, you kinda have to have the big guy out front and [on] most of the top teams, nobody is going to split up," Hyden said. "I was looking for a big guy, there was a couple of tournaments he didn't do well in. I thought I could do well with him, so I called him up and he was right in there.
"From our first practice, we fit in right away. I started talking to him about blocking and he said 'that's what I do, this is the way I do it' and I'm like, 'O.K., that's the way I like things done.' Right away we started meshing with our style of game."
On Saturday, the pair took on Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong in a third-round match, and defeated them, 21-17, 21-19. For Keenan, the chance to play on Kiraly's last tour is an amazing honor.
"It's really cool," Keenan said. "He's always in stadium, fans love him, he always draws a huge crowd, so it's great to be part of his last tour. The man's a god, he's the best player ever and just to be able to play against him and watch him play one last time."
Huntington Beach is practically a home game for Keenan, who lives in nearby Santa Ana. The chance to get a shot at winning the Huntington Beach Open in front of his family and friends would be another dream come true.
"It would be amazing," said Keenan. "I have no idea how I would react, but it would be amazing."

avp.comTV transforming beach viewing
MLB Advanced Media is putting its stamp on AVP.com
By Ben Platt / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Since its re-launch in March, the new AVP.com has given volleyball fans fresh, new content in news, photos and especially live and archived video. In two weeks, internet fans will be able to watch live video action from Hermosa Beach on four screens simultaneously, when AVP.com launches its video mosaic.
Utilizing the same breakthrough technology that MLB Advanced Media developed for MLB.com, volleyball fans will be able to jump from match to match with the downloadable subscription program that works on both PCs and Macs. The program allows the user to watch all four screens at the same time. If a user is interested in a certain match, he can double-click on that match and have it go to full screen.
A contingent of executives and production people from MLB Advanced Media are at the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open to assist FOX Sports Net in the national broadcast of the men's and women's finals of a tournament that could also be seen on AVP.com. The crew is also setting up the logistics needed to make mosaic work when the AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open begins May 18-21.
"We are getting all the preparations in place," said Joe Inzerillo, senior vice president of multimedia and distribution for MLB Advanced Media. "We're really excited that we're going be expanding the coverage to a point where people are going to be able to have a chance to see everything entering the main draw, on to the tournament, on the four main courts. I think the fans are really going to love it.
"We are very excited about our partnership with FOX and happy that we're able to get coverage on FSN National, but our whole focus is to try to bring AVP to a much larger audience and exercise syndication opportunities in all sorts of markets to raise the visibility of the sport and to give fans more access then thy have had in the past."
Inzerillo says the AVP version of mosaic will be utilized differently from the version currently used by MLB.com.
"Where MLB.com's mosaic is really focused on games in different geographies, AVP.com's mosaic is really focused on the other matches that are leading you to the finals. The level of talent in the AVP on both the men's and the women's side is so competitive, it's just a great opportunity to see how the tournament evolves and a better understanding by the fans on how they got here, not just a two-minute melt on television."
Initially fans will see four courts with single cameras on each, tracking the games as they are being played. Inzerillo and his staff are considering the possibility of showing just two screens as the tournament progresses, but with more cameras at each court.
"It's one of those things where we are going to encourage and respond to fan feedback and what people want to see and how they want to see it," said Inzerillo. "The key for us is to try to be fan-focused -- what do they want? The resounding thing is they want to see more matches and they want to see them earlier in the tournament, and the internet affords us that option."
Inzerillo sees no ebb to the growth of AVP and the technology that can bring professional volleyball to fans around the world.
"Four screens is the start -- who knows what the end of the limit is?" said Inzerillo. "We may be doing eight to sixteen courts, more enhanced coverage on each court with multiple camera shots. We definitely think this is just the beginning -- we're really excited about targeting Hermosa. Hopefully we'll get all the stuff in and we'll be ready to go. I really think the fans will take to it, and we'll have some monstrous traffic to it."
After Hermosa Beach, mosaic will be available on AVP.com for the remainder of the 2007 Crocs tour.

New foil, same result for No. 3 team
Metzger, Lambert latest team to thwart Gibb, Rosenthal
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- In what was the most unpredictable AVP Open this season, neither top-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser nor No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, the two finalists from the previous events, took home the 2007 Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Open title.
It instead belongs to No. 2 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, who were finally able to claim a 2007 title, their first since the 2006 Boulder Open. All it took was two thrilling sets, 21-17 and 21-18.
"We just had to find our killer instinct. It's something that we kinda pushed through to get us to the final four and win tournaments [last year]," said Lambert. "I think maybe we just kinda came in a little soft, and teams are hungry out there -- everyone's playing really good, even qualifiers."
The lower-seeded pair jumped on the board first, and, after falling behind early on, Rosenthal face planted in the sand for the dig that allowed Gibb to tack on an unanswerable kill. At that point, Game 1 evened out at 3-3, much to the crowd's overwhelming delight.
Six more times the score knotted up between the two teams, and, with back-and-forth kills, Metzger and Lambert took the initiative and the first set, 21-17. It took two game point attempts, however, to finally put away Gibb and Rosenthal.
Not even the break between games was enough to slow down Lambert and Metzger's momentum, as they rolled out to an early 3-1 lead to start off Game 2.
"You gotta be able to bring it and bring all that intensity through the rest of the game. And I think that's the lesson we learned," said Lambert.
And the once top-seeded duo certainly brought on the intensity. In the second set, Metzger and Lambert continued their early run with four more points to put them ahead by 7-2. They never looked back after an early, Game 1 tie at 9-9 and claimed the second set and the match with a score of 21-18.
But because Rosenthal and Gibb's attempted comeback came too late in the second game -- they came within two points of winning the match at game point -- they had to watch the $100,000 Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown check slip out of their hands.
In the three opening Cuervo Gold Crown events, Dalhausser and Rogers amassed 990 points with two first-place and one third-place finish, while Rosenthal and Gibb fell short at 972 -- a result of three second-place finishes.
"I've never played this sport for the money, so I'm in it to win the tournament," said Gibb, who still ended up sharing $15,000 with Rosenthal for their finish. "That's first and foremost, but the money's pretty sweet too."
After notching the pair's fourth-straight loss since the semifinals in Miami, Metzger and Lambert reclaimed their rightful position with ease. They had enough after their one loss on Friday and decided to win every other match of the weekend.
When asked the importance of getting back on a first-place track, Metzger joked, "Oh, I was thinking about getting a night job a couple of days ago."
His humor also caught on with Lambert, who chimed in, "We'll have to send our kids to public school instead of private school."
This meeting marked the sixth time that both teams have faced off, including in Las Vegas in 2005. Lambert and Metzger have a leg up in the all-time series, as they've won five of their six meetings. The title is No. 13 for Lambert and 14 for Metzger.
How they got there: Recently, Rogers and Dalhausser have been the ones to eliminate Gibb and Rosenthal. Maybe it's not as dramatic as bad blood between the two, but Dalhausser and Rogers have certainly been the monkey Gibb and Rosenthal could not remove from their backs.
One three-set match in Huntington's windy conditions was enough to start to settle the score. Gibb and Rosenthal kept their hopes alive for winning the $100,000 Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown check with a 23-21, 17-21 and 15-12 victory over the No. 1 seed. While they did not ultimately walk away with the check, the semifinal victory was one step in the right direction for Gibb and Rosenthal.
"In baseball [$100,000 is] not very big, but in volleyball it's a lot of money," said Rogers. "We should have looked at it more, as it's not about the money, but it actually got away from us."
While Rogers and Dalhausser saw their streak of five consecutive titles dating back to 2006 come to an end, they made AVP history with the most consecutive titles. They topped their own record from the 2006 season, when they notched four in a row.

No. 1 team misses $100K, takes title
AVP's top team takes second straight tourney
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- As consolation prizes go, $100,000 can wipe away a lot of tears, but titles are what really counts.
So while Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh can fatten their wallets with a cash bonus for winning the Cuervo Gold Crown, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will have to clear room in the trophy case for yet another title as they powered their way to the championship of the Huntington Beach Open.
It was simply a matter of May-Treanor and Walsh being too strong Sunday, as Youngs and Branagh dug a hole for themselves with unforced errors while their opponents shed early match stagnation and replaced it with nearly flawless and, at times, spectacular play.
"We were in neutral and then we found drive," May-Treanor said of the No. 1 seed's 21-13, 21-13 victory.
By compiling the most points in the three Cuervo Gold Crown events -- Miami, Dallas and Huntington Beach -- Youngs and Branagh won the cash prize with 1,008 points. Youngs and Branagh placed first, second and second in the three events, while May-Treanor and Walsh placed third, first and first for 990 points.
In a pre-finals ceremony, Youngs and Branagh were handed their oversized check, but all it seemed to do was motivate the opposition.
"I wanted to win this match so bad," said Walsh, who admitted that she and her partner talked about missing out on the bonus and using that as motivation.
For May-Treanor, it was her 71st title, which puts her just one back of Holly McPeak for career wins among the women pros. She can tie the record next week in Glendale, Ariz., which would put her in position to break the record when the tour returns to Southern California in two weeks.
Youngs cited mental letdowns, but May-Treanor and Walsh also made the plays.
Indicative of their day was a point in the second game, when May-Treanor ran hard past the back line to dig out a save and pass it to midcourt where Walsh bumped an over-the-shoulder floater for the point and a 15-8 lead.
They extended their lead to eight on the next point and held steady through to the end of the match, closing the deal after a long rally that Walsh ended with a putaway.
"Unfortunately, Kerri and Misty don't fall apart at times," Youngs said. "Against other teams, we can get on a string of points on their errors or our defense. But they don't leave a lot of room for us to side out."
Like they do in most of their matches, May-Treanor and Walsh used that consistency to their advantage Sunday.
"They are a tough-serving team and, what I think rattled them was we kept siding out," May-Treanor said. "They had to think: 'I have to put this serve right here,' where against other teams they just have to put it in an area. We're forcing them to do things they don't want to do."
May-Treanor and Walsh prevailed in a first game that was tight through the first half before the two exerted control.
Both teams had difficulty serving early, and while May-Treanor and Walsh found their rhythm, Youngs and Branagh proceeded to struggle throughout the 43-minute contest.
"They served better the whole match, and that is a big weapon of ours," Youngs said. "We needed to side out better, or it's going to be a long day."
The plus side for the runners-up is the money. Sunday marked the biggest payday in women's domestic , as Youngs and Branagh's haul easily eclipsed the previous high of $50,000.
It was merely consolation.
"The bonus is great, but we want to win tournaments," said Branagh, who played with a right ankle strain throughout the tournament.
The Cuervo cash bonus was actually decided before the women's final, and it was Youngs that delivered the 100K point.
At match point in the second game, Youngs served deep into the far court, and Ross could not dig out a return as Youngs and Branagh prevailed, 21-16.
Their semifinal was largely a match of control for Youngs and Branagh. After being tied early in the first game, they kept a comfortable margin, highlighted by Branagh scoring three straight points on a putaway, a kill and an ace to go up, 12-8.
Ross and Boss kept it interesting, as Boss scored with a crosscourt shot and Ross drilled an ace, but Youngs blocked Ross to go up, 18-13. On match point, Boss hit long and Youngs/Branagh won, 21-14, and then took the second game, 21-16.
Katie and Tracy Lindquist made some noise throughout the tournament and inched one win away from clinching a berth in the semifinals, but the twosome of Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner proved to be too tough.
Where the wind was their ally on Friday and Saturday, the pair couldn't pull off the upset Sunday morning, despite being in a position to win the first game, ultimately losing 23-21, 21-16.
"I think we weren't siding out today," Katie Lindquist said. "I don't know if it was the wind, I don't think it was nerves. Tyra's block was big, and we weren't making the shots, but it was just siding out because we were scoring points. We were scoring big points, but then they would score big points. I thought we had them in the first game, but then I gave up three points in a row and they took it."
Wacholder and Turner advanced to one semifinal where they lost to May-Treanor and Walsh, 21-8, 21-12, to finish third.
Boss and Ross moved into the semifinal with a Contender's Bracket match victory over Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea. After taking the first game, 21-17, Ross/Boss fought through a tough second before prevailing, 22-20. Fontana and DeNecochea placed fifth.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Monique Moyal contributed to this report.

Lindquists raise some eyebrows

By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- Winning not only alleviated some pressure for the Lindquists, it also produced a confession.
"I finally came clean with my principal about it, and I got the OK to miss these next couple of Fridays," said Katie Lindquist, who along with sister Tracy, placed fifth here this weekend. "That alone is a huge relief and a big stress reliever."
You see, Katie and her sister Tracy are partners on the sand as professionals on the AVP Crocs Tour, but they draw their main pay as schoolteachers. Katie teaches kindergarten at Bay Lane Elementary while Tracy is a middle school substitute.
Tracy enjoys the relative freedom of choosing her assignments, which has allowed her to play on the pro tour in New Zealand the last three offseasons, but Katie has a regular classroom that requires attention. Fitting volleyball in called for a little creativity and the occasional white lie.
"I had to call in sick, and maybe I had a doctor's appointment or a personal day. I had to mix them all up," said the 29-year-old Katie Lindquist. "(My principal) knew what was going on, but this time I came clean and it was all right."
There are a few things going right for the Lindquists.
Both played collegiately, Katie at San Diego and Tracy at Southern Cal, a sport they've known since before they could walk. Their father was a high school volleyball coach, and they both began to play competitively in their pre-teen years.
As pros, neither has known another partner since joining the tour seven years ago, and it's a team that would appear overmatched at first glance. In a sport that favors the lengthy, neither sister needs to worry about towering over her dance partner.
But the pair uses strong court sense, solid fundamentals and a natural chemistry to confound its opponents. While they've been largely a backcourt defensive team in the past, the Lindquists are coming to the net, usually Tracy, with greater frequency.
Their push through the Huntington Beach Open and drawing within one match victory of a semifinal berth this weekend raised more than a few eyebrows.
The pair from Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach High School drew support from a strong familial contingent and also applied their local knowledge, as the wind blew throughout most of the tournament.
Curiously, the wind changed course for their Sunday morning match and shifted offshore as opposed to the normal onshore flow. They dropped two games and were eliminated by Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, but neither was ready to blame the conditions. It was more about opportunities in a match they dropped 23-21, 21-16.
"I think today we made a couple of errors when we had a chance to put balls away," said Tracy, the younger of the two at 26. "We had game point in the first game and we weren't able to put the game away. I think they have a little bit more experience than us and they're able to put the ball in certain places every time."
Both said they gained the confidence necessary to hang with the bigger teams, and, despite losing, their finish keeps them out of qualifying for at least the near term.
"This takes stress off, because I couldn't have taken two days off of work to play in a qualifier," Katie Lindquist said of next week in Glendale, Ariz. "We already have our tickets and our hotel and I don't know who Tracy would have played with in the qualifier."
At least Katie's principal won't be asking for a doctor's note.
Book 'em: The Dig for Kids book drive gained momentum Sunday.
Jennifer Grove claimed the winner's prize by donating more than 100 books and will receive a personalized ball autographed by all of the players in the main draw. Donations filled a number of boxes and Gabe Rocha said the drive has been a success.
"When I got here, there was this huge St. Bernard in front of the tent," said Rocha, a fourth-year Carson High School volleyball player and Dig for Kids volunteer. "But it's a huge draw-in for little kids and fans to donate some books."
The dog belonged to a member of the medical staff, who promised to return with his dog and a few books to donate.
"Every little thing is a victory for us, whether it's helping to solve a math problem, learning to read, or learning how to pass a volleyball," said Christy North, head volleyball coach of the Carson High boys volleyball team.
Dig for Kids will be tabling at other events along the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, with volunteers from Carson High and program participants pumping up the book drive to help build school libraries in Southern California.
Live the dream: Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong were eliminated Saturday by Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert for a seventh-place finish in the tournament.
As part of his farewell tour earlier in the day, the City of Huntington Beach expressed its gratitude for his years on the beach. Kiraly was able to address the crowd assembled at stadium court.
"It is important to find something you love to do and make a career out of it," Kiraly said to the children in attendance. "I have been very lucky."
Ultimates: Lee Miller, a 27-year-old from Huntington Beach, and Laura Coleman, 24, and relocated from Boston, won the Jose Cuervo Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy contest. In text-message voting, Miller received 73 percent of the vote while Coleman got 57 percent.
Cut shots: Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser had their 21-match winning streak snapped with their semifinal loss Sunday. ... For only the 20th time in the last 60 completed events, the men's champion came out of the contender's bracket. ... The No. 1- or the No. 2-seeded women's teams has won the last 53 opens.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Monique Moyal contributed to this report.

Best in biz show why
By Dave Werstine, Staff writer
Article Launched: 05/06/2007 10:58:31 PM PDT
Misty May-Treanor celebrates after she and partner Kerri Walsh won the Huntington Beach Open women's title Sunday. They beat Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the final for their fourth H.B. title in five years.
(Steven Georges / Press-Telegram)Photos
AVP volleyball tournament
HUNTINGTON BEACH - Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the women's title at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Sunday afternoon, but they weren't the big winners.
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger took the men's title earlier in the day, and although they weren't big winners either, they certainly felt like they were.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal had the chance to be the biggest winners, but in the end wound up as the biggest losers.
On a wild day with lots on the line and roller-coaster emotions, the big winners were the runner-up tandem of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh and the third-place duo of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, as each team claimed a bonus check of $100,000 for winning the three-event Cuervo Gold Crown Series to kick off the 2007 AVP season.
The bonuses, which came on top of prize winnings, were the most ever paid out in beach volleyball.
"That's a lot of money in volleyball," Rogers said.
"It's a bummer," said Walsh after teaming with May-Treanor to win the H.B. title for the second consecutive
year and for the fourth time in five years after dominating Youngs-Branagh, 21-13, 21-13 in the final. "But in the big picture we wanted to take first place. I am so much happier winning that losing $50,000 is OK."
May-Treanor, the ex-Long Beach State All-American, and Walsh can blame their rare third-place finish in the season opener in Miami on April 15 for not cashing in. Last weekend, they placed first in Dallas.
Before the final, the top-seeded women's team on the AVP Tour and Olympic gold medalists watched as Youngs and Branagh accepted the bonus check.
"That was a blow to us, not having a chance to win it," said May-Treanor, her ego obviously hurt. "It was huge (incentive)."
Apparently so. After trailing 8-6 in the first game, May-Treanor and Walsh went on a 13-7 run to put it away. And that momentum rolled into the second game, as they took a quick 6-1 lead and never looked back.
"We were in neutral, then we found drive," said May-Treanor, who split the $20,000 first-place winnings with her partner.
Lambert-Metzger, the second-seeded team, pulled off what is believed to be a first on the AVP Tour. After losing their initial match Friday to qualifiers Vincent Robbins and Jason Wright, they rallied through the contender's bracket and beat Gibb-Rosenthal, 21-17, 21-18 in the final.
"We are stoked about that," Lambert said of the feat. "We were loose ... they seemed tight."
The loss was equally deflating to Gibb and Rosenthal, who could have claimed the bonus check if they would have won the title. Surely disappointed, they left without a word.
But their loss was Rogers and Dalhausser's gain, as the top-seeded team - which had its four-tournament win streak end with a 23-21, 17-21, 15-12 loss to Gibb-Rosenthal in the semifinals - still took the big money. Gibb and Rosenthal split $15,000.
"I feel like we don't deserve it, but we'll take it," said Dalhausser, who could have secured the bonus with a trip to the final. "I know how they (Gibb and Rosenthal) feel. They feel like we did when we lost."
The AVP Tour returns to Southern California for the Hermosa Beach Open on May 18-20, and lands in Long Beach for the first tine July 19-22.

May-Treanor, Walsh triumph
VOLLEYBALL: Top women's beach duo collects another title, motivated by losing huge cash bonus to Branagh and Youngs.
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
HUNTINGTON BEACH— By now, winning volleyball tournaments has become as second nature to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as slipping their feet into flip-flops is for beachfront residents here.
But winning here still has special meaning for May-Treanor and Walsh. It's a hometown beach for May-Treanor, who went to Newport Harbor High, and more significantly, it's the place where the pair began their thriving partnership.
May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs Sunday afternoon, 21-14, 21-16, in the final of the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open South of the pier.
Minutes before the match started, Branagh and Youngs were called to the stage to accept the $100,000 Cuervo Gold Crown bonus while May-Treanor and Walsh were warming up for the match.
At that point there was only one thing on their minds.
"We were thinking about winning," said May-Treanor, who had 12 kills and 17 digs in the championship match.
"I am happy for them, and I'm not lying when I say it, but I wish it was us," Walsh said. "They beat us in Miami fair and square, but all weekend, they had so many close matches, it was like 'Oh my God, they had so many chances (to lose).' It's tough when it wasn't in our hands."
Having won in Miami and having placed second in Dallas, Branagh and Youngs only needed to make it to the final at Huntington Beach to clinch the bonus, which was awarded to the points leaders after the first three tournaments of the season. May-Treanor and Walsh finished third at the Miami Open. Had they finished second, the pair would have been in contention for the bonus in Sunday's final.
"It was kind of a blow to us that we had no chance to win the bonus, so we wanted to win this match," May-Treanor said.
She and Walsh called it a huge motivating factor.
May-Treanor and Walsh started the first game slowly, allowing Branagh and Youngs to take a 6-8 lead before breaking away on an 11-3 run.
"We were in neutral, and then we found drive," May-Treanor said, laughing. "We were learning how to drive a stick shift."
Walsh concurred.
"It was really close in the beginning, but it felt like we didn't have that extra oomph. You know, we were kind of hanging in there, but we were giving too many points away," Walsh said.
"I felt pretty good in the warm-up and the very beginning of the first game," Youngs said. "We were up, 8-6, in the first and the wheels just fell off."

Photos:

$200,000 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open,
Huntington Beach, Calif. · May 3rd-6th, 2007

FATSPIKE:

*Courtesy Of Jason in the AVP Forum

FatSpike featured galleries:

Huntington: Men's

Huntington: Women's

Huntington: The Scene

           Kerri Walsh                                              Long Beach State volleyball team cheer coach Matt Prosser    Phil Dalhauser

             Misty May                                                   Huntington Beach 2007 Pier Crowd                                                              Stein Metzger

         Brad Keenan                                                     Misty May-Treanor                                                        Misty May-Treanor

Misty Digs Kerri Walsh Digs

Misty Digs Huntington Beach Misty Cutty Misty Calls a play

Elaine Youngs Lambo and Steino Celebrate their victory at Huntington

$200,000 AVP Quervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open,
Huntington Beach, Calif. · May 3rd-6th, 2007

*Courtesy Of Ken Delgado

gallery / 2007 / Huntington_Beach AVP

Friday Saturday Sunday Thursday

Photos:

FatSpike > 2007 Events
sub-categories

Rachel Wacholder

AVP Huntington Beach Open
3 galleries with 325 photos.
updated: May 23, 2007 5:46am EDT

AVP on DVD
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!!!

.

-Buy (1) Veriuni Nutritional Supplement below and get (1) FREE DVD of the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Huntington Beach,California Open
May 3rd - May 6th, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

FOX SPORTS NET

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1) 32 Oz. Bottle-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition Item/Id#25
Cost $ 32.99

Veriuni Store
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The Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition formulation is different than any other health product and we predict it will quickly become the best selling liquid nutritional product in the world.

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1)Bottle 60 Capsules-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Antioxidant with red wine extract - Item/Id#26
Cost $32.99

Veriuni Store
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VeriSign Secure Online Ordering

Note*: Liquid Nutrition can now be shipped to many different countries,shipping and handling fees apply,see drop down list when ordering.

Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

Note*: Unca Nick Productions & IanClarkVolleyball.net are not affiliated with the AVP Association Of Volleyball Professionals in any shape or form regarding this promotion.

Unca Nick Productions
Get in touch with me by email. mailto:spiro@monmouth.com

May 10th-13th AVP 2007 Sanderson Ford Glendale OPEN
Glendale,Ariz. presented by Bud Lite $200,000

Ian Clark on the flying jump serve in 1998 at the Tuscon,Arizona Avp stop . Ian with then partner Bill Boullianne finished 7th.

Multimedia Feature
TELEVISION
AVP promo for AVP 2005 TEMPE OPEN on streaming video

2007 AVP CROCS SERIES
Glendale Arizona AVP OPEN

Westgate City Center
6520 N. 91st Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85305
Westgate is a 6,500,000 square foot mixed-use development including retail, entertainment, office, hotel, and residential uses. Westgate is located on 223 acres in Glendale, Arizona, the western gateway to metropolitan Phoenix, at the intersection of Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue.

May 10-13 AVP AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open
presented by Bud Light M&W $200,000

Event Information:

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 6 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 5/13
• WOMEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 5/13

* Click here to register now!

EVENT PURSE
$200,000

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
2003 - Men's Defending Champions: Canyon Ceman and Mike Whitmarsh
2003 - Women's Defending Champions: Misty May/Kerri Walsh
2004 - Men's Defending Champions: Todd Rogers and Sean Scott
Sean Scott and Todd Rogers: Sean Scott, playing with partner Todd Rogers, won his first-ever title in a pro beach event against the legendary Karch Kiraly and relative newcomer Mike Lambert. Rogers and Scott arrived in the finals after coming through the contenders' bracket and defeating Jake Gibb and Adam Jewell 21-13, 21-14. Kiraly and Lambert defeated newcomers Jason Ring and George Roumain earlier in the day 21-16, 21-18

2004 - Women's Defending Champions: Misty May/Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh and Misty May: The world's top-ranked women's team, May and Walsh, extended their record-setting unbeaten streak by sweeping all five matches at the April 23-25, 2004 AVP Tempe Open. By winning the second stop of the 2004 AVP Nissan Series, the duo can now boast of victories in each of the 10 AVP tournaments they've competed in. The women's final pitted the top two seeds against each other, as May & Walsh and Holly McPeak & Elaine Youngs met for the ninth time in an AVP championship match. WHEN

AVP Tempe/Glendale Open History

This is the AVP's first visit to Glendale,Arizona.

2005 Champions: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs. Stein Metzger and Jake Gibb defeated Jeff Nygaard and Dax Holdren.

Tempe Facts: 2005 was the AVP's third visit to Tempe. Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh have won all three visits, dropping just two games in 15 career Tempe matches. The men have had three different winners since 2003. Canyon Cemen / Mike Whitmarsh won in 2003. Todd Rogers / Sean Scott won their first career tournament together in Tempe in 2004. And Stein Metzger / Jake Gibb made it two for two in 2005 with their win over Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard.

Schedule:

When:
All times are MOUNTAIN TIME ZONE

Thursday, May 10, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, May 11, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Friday, May 11, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 12, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Competition start time 10:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 12, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Westgate City Center
6520 N. 91st Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85305
Westgate is a 6,500,000 square foot mixed-use development including retail, entertainment, office, hotel, and residential uses. Westgate is located on 223 acres in Glendale, Arizona, the western gateway to metropolitan Phoenix, at the intersection of Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue.

Directions:

Map

OFF-COURT ACTIVITIES
Party with the Pros! Stick around for the AVP party starting immediately after the Saturday matches of the Glendale Open event.
Enjoy live music, frosty beverages, and of course the scenery.
Party gets started at 6pm.
Fans have the chance to win prizes and get autographs from the AVP pros all weekend! Fans can also check out the henna tattoos, Bud Light Beer Garden, Aquafina Skills Court and Serving Accuracy Challenge, Xbox Gaming Tent, Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, Halls Fruit Breezers exhibit, Gillette

Where to play in the area:
AVPNext sanctioned Volleyball Arizona Organization offers a wide selection of outdoor volleyball for all levels. Check out www.volleyballarizona.com for more information.
Scottsdale Ranch Park
Victory Lanes Sports Complex

Top local players to watch:
Men: Timothy Cornelissen, Tom Witt, Pat Brown
Women: Heather Alley, Vikki Moran, Shonnie Hodges

2006 AVP CROCS SERIES GLENDALE OPEN

May 10-13 AVP AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open
presented by Bud Light M&W $200,000

Schedule of Events

Gameday

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open 30 minutes prior to event start time.

Friday, May 11, 2007
(DAY SESSION)
8:00 a.m. MT

Friday, May 11, 2007
(NIGHT SESSION)
7:30 p.m. MT

Saturday, May 12, 2007
(DAY SESSION)
10:00 a.m. MT

Saturday, May 12, 2007
(NIGHT SESSION)
7:30 p.m. MT

Sunday, May 13, 2007
9:30 a.m. MT

Ticket Prices
Sections Price
General Admission * $20.00
Courtside Seating $40.00
Premium Courtside Seating (Row 1) $80.00
Student/Youth ** $10.00
* Discount tickets available in these sections
** Must be 18 years of age or younger and present valid school ID

Print Tickets at Home
Print your AVP Glendale Open presented by Bud Light tickets at home after you make your purchase from avp.com!
Find out how

GA Group Tickets
Coming soon.

Register for 2006 AVP NISSAN SERIES
*Registration requires a credit card and the fee is $50 per player
* Click here to register now!

Featured Players
Holly McPeak & Logan Tom
Elaine Youngs & Nicole Branaugh
Jen Kessey & April Roiss
Eric Fonoimoana &
Dain Blanton &
Karch Kiraly & Kevin Wong
Larry Witt & Ryan Mariano
Kerri Walsh & Misty May
Rachel Wacholder & Tyra Turner
Jake Gibb & Sean Rosenthal
Stein Metzger & Mike Lambert
Casey "The Kid" Jennings & Mark Williams

Sponsor Activities

Be sure to stop by the Nissan display and sign up to win "Crew Club Cab" seats to sit courtside during the Men's and Women's finals. Test drive the Nissan Road Rally remote control cars and race against your friends and AVP athletes. Don't forget to pick up a safety kit and other special give-away items - you can even get henna tattoos!

ChapStick
Take a break from the heat in one of ChapStick's four Fan Lounges equipped with a moisture tent, multiple beach chairs, games, tubes of ChapStick LipMoisturizer and other fun give-aways. Don't miss your opportunity with Misty May who will be making appearances throughout the weekend for autograph signings and photo opportunities.

Wrigley's
Longer lasting flavor - Extra's got it! Stop by the Wrigley's booth to enjoy delicious Winterfresh gum and have cool fresh breath all weekend long.

Look for the Gatorade at all AVP events!

Wilson the official volleyball of the AVP!

AVP Fan Parties

Event Links:

AVP Tour Event Coverage

Click on the link above for real time scoring during the event

(Format: Double Elimination)

*IAN CLARK NOT PLAYING THIS YEAR'S 2007 AVP GLENDALE ARIZONA OPEN DUE TO PRIOR COMMITMENTS
*IAN CLARK'S RESULTS YEAR'S 2004 AVP TEMPE OPEN

13th - Ian Clark/Chip McCaw $ 1,050

Match Results
Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 4: Paul Baxter / Scott Wong (13) def. Ian Clark / Chip McCaw (20) 21-13, 26-24 (0:43)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 26: Ian Clark / Chip McCaw (20) def. Scott Ayakatubby / Brian Lewis (3) by Forfeit

Round 2
Match 32: Karch Kiraly / Mike Lambert (6) def. Ian Clark / Chip McCaw (20) 21-13, 21-9 (0:31)

With a record of (1) win and (2) losses Ian Clark / Chip McCaw finish 13th at the 2004 AVP Tempe Open.

Men's Entries:

Men's $100,000 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light
May 10-13, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 2
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 5
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7
Matt Olson Jason Ring 8
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 9
John Hyden Brad Keenan 10
Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 11
Aaron Wachtfogel Kevin Wong 12
Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 13
Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 14
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 15
John Mayer Matt Prosser 16
Jose Loiola Austin Rester 17
Brent Doble Ty Loomis 18
David Fischer Scott Hill Q1
Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q2
Ben Koski Jeff Minc Q3
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q4
Chip McCaw Colin Wellman Q5
Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q6
Vincent Robbins Jason Wight Q7
Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q8
Reuben Danley Leonardo Moraes Q9
Peter Jordan Brad Torsone Q10
Russ Marchewka Tony Pray Q11
Jason Harris John Moran Q12
Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q13
Chris Harger Jeff Murrell Q14
Kevin Gregan Justin Phipps Q15
Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q16
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q17
Matt McKinney Lucas Wisniakowski Q18
Lucas Black Braidy Halverson Q19
Jeff Conover Matt Osburn Q20
Fernando Sabla Soeren Schneider Q21
Casey Brewer Eric Burness Q22
Shane Nelson Brian Post Q23
Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q24
Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q25
Paul McDonald Jeff Smith Q26
Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q27
Beau Daniels James Ka Q28
Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk Q29
Erik Gomez Dan Madden Q30
Jeffrey DeWit Brandon Porter Q31
Ed Lunnen Phil Silva Q32
Yariv Lerner Chad Wick Q33
Tim Higgins John Lewis Q34
Dain Blanton Jason Lee
Adam Jewell Chad Turner

Men's Results:

Men's $100,000 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light
May 10-13, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Matt Olson Jason Ring 8 $9,500.00 270.0
5 John Hyden Brad Keenan 10 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Aaron Wachtfogel Kevin Wong 12 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 2 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 4 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 5 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 9 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 11 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Ryan Mariano Larry Witt 13 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 15 $1,700.00 108.0
13 John Mayer Matt Prosser 16 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Ben Koski Jeff Minc 20, Q3 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Jose Loiola Austin Rester 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Brent Doble Ty Loomis 18 $800.00 72.0
17 Dain Blanton Jason Lee 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Adam Jewell Chad Turner 21 $800.00 72.0
17 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 22, Q4 $800.00 72.0
17 Vincent Robbins Jason Wight 23, Q7 $800.00 72.0
17 Rico Becker Mike Bruning 24, Q16 $800.00 72.0
25 Jeff Carlucci Adam Roberts Q2 $.00 36.0
25 Reuben Danley Leonardo Moraes Q9 $.00 36.0
25 Fernando Sabla Soeren Schneider Q21 $.00 36.0
25 Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q27 $.00 36.0
29 David Fischer Scott Hill Q1 $.00 18.0
29 Peter Jordan Brad Torsone Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Russ Marchewka Tony Pray Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Chris Harger Jeff Murrell Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Matt McKinney Lucas Wisniakowski Q18 $.00 18.0
29 Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q25 $.00 18.0
29 Beau Daniels James Ka Q28 $.00 18.0
37 Chip McCaw Colin Wellman Q5 $.00 12.0
37 Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q6 $.00 12.0
37 Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q8 $.00 12.0
37 Jason Harris John Moran Q12 $.00 12.0
37 Kevin Gregan Justin Phipps Q15 $.00 12.0
37 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Lucas Black Braidy Halverson Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Jeff Conover Matt Osburn Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Casey Brewer Eric Burness Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Shane Nelson Brian Post Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Brandon Lamb Vince Zanzucchi Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Paul McDonald Jeff Smith Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Erik Gomez Dan Madden Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Ed Lunnen Phil Silva Q32 $.00 12.0
37 Tim Higgins John Lewis Q34 $.00 12.0
53 Jeffrey DeWit Brandon Porter Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Yariv Lerner Chad Wick Q33 $.00 8.0

May 10-13 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented
by Bud Light M $100,000

Qualifier Bracket

Round 1
Match 2: Ed Lunnen / Phil Silva (Q32) def. Yariv Lerner / Chad Wick (Q33) 21-14, 22-24, 15-10 (0:56)
Match 31: Tim Higgins / John Lewis (Q34) def. Jeffrey DeWit / Brandon Porter (Q31) 21-18, 21-17 (0:42)

Round 2
Match 33: David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q1) def. Ed Lunnen / Phil Silva (Q32) 21-16, 18-21, 15-13 (0:59)
Match 34: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (24, Q16) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q17) 21-0, 21-11 (0:18)
Match 35: Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (Q9) def. Brandon Lamb / Vince Zanzucchi (Q24) 21-14, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 36: Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q25) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q8) 21-18, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 37: Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q28) def. Chip McCaw / Colin Wellman (Q5) 21-19, 18-21, 15-10 (1:02)
Match 38: Fernando Sabla / Soeren Schneider (Q21) def. Jason Harris / John Moran (Q12) 21-14, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 39: Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q13) def. Jeff Conover / Matt Osburn (Q20) 21-17, 22-20 (0:47)
Match 40: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q4) def. Cody Cowell / Mark Kirunchyk (Q29) 21-16, 22-24, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 41: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) def. Erik Gomez / Dan Madden (Q30) 21-14, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 42: Chris Harger / Jeff Murrell (Q14) def. Lucas Black / Braidy Halverson (Q19) 21-16, 19-21, 15-11 (1:01)
Match 43: Russ Marchewka / Tony Pray (Q11) def. Casey Brewer / Eric Burness (Q22) 21-18, 22-24, 15-12 (1:11)
Match 44: Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q27) def. Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (Q6) 21-14, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 45: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (23, Q7) def. Paul McDonald / Jeff Smith (Q26) 21-19, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 46: Peter Jordan / Brad Torsone (Q10) def. Shane Nelson / Brian Post (Q23) 21-14, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 47: Matt McKinney / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q18) def. Kevin Gregan / Justin Phipps (Q15) 21-16, 21-15 (0:48)
Match 48: Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q2) def. Tim Higgins / John Lewis (Q34) 21-13, 21-9 (0:38)

Round 3
Match 49: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (24, Q16) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q1) 21-13, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 50: Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (Q9) def. Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q25) 30-32, 21-15, 15-6 (1:04)
Match 51: Fernando Sabla / Soeren Schneider (Q21) def. Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q28) 21-15, 19-21, 17-15 (1:04)
Match 52: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q4) def. Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q13) 21-15, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 53: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) def. Chris Harger / Jeff Murrell (Q14) 30-28, 21-17 (0:55)
Match 54: Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q27) def. Russ Marchewka / Tony Pray (Q11) 22-20, 21-15 (0:51)
Match 55: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (23, Q7) def. Peter Jordan / Brad Torsone (Q10) 21-14, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 56: Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q2) def. Matt McKinney / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q18) 21-10, 21-16 (0:44)

Round 4
Match 57: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (24, Q16) def. Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (Q9) 21-18, 22-20 (0:50)
Match 58: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q4) def. Fernando Sabla / Soeren Schneider (Q21) 21-15, 21-12 (0:46)
Match 59: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) def. Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q27) 21-17, 21-19 (0:53)
Match 60: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (23, Q7) def. Jeff Carlucci / Adam Roberts (Q2) 21-16, 25-23 (0:52)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (16) def. Jose Loiola / Austin Rester (17) 21-16, 18-21, 17-15 (1:06)
Match 2: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) def. Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (24, Q16) 21-14, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 3: Aaron Wachtfogel / Kevin Wong (12) def. Adam Jewell / Chad Turner (21) 21-12, 19-21, 15-13 (1:04)
Match 4: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (13) 16-21, 21-19, 15-9 (0:59)
Match 5: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (19) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (14) 21-10, 17-21, 19-17 (1:06)
Match 6: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q4) 21-15, 21-14 (0:40)
Match 7: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (10) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (23, Q7) 21-13, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 8: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (15) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (18) 23-21, 21-19 (0:58)

Round 2
Match 9: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (16) 21-14, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 10: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) 15-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 11: Aaron Wachtfogel / Kevin Wong (12) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 18-21, 21-17, 15-10 (1:08)
Match 12: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) 21-19, 21-14 (0:44)
Match 13: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (19) 21-18, 21-16 (0:51)
Match 14: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) 21-19, 21-12 (0:52)
Match 15: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (10) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 21-19, 21-18 (0:51)
Match 16: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (15) 21-18, 21-18 (0:48)

Round 3
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) 21-16, 21-17 (0:43)
Match 18: Aaron Wachtfogel / Kevin Wong (12) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 21-19, 18-21, 15-13 (1:21)
Match 19: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-13, 21-11 (0:36)
Match 20: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (10) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) 21-19, 21-18 (0:37)

Round 4
Match 21: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Kevin Wong (12) 21-18, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 22: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (10) 19-21, 21-17, 15-9 (0:55)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (15) def. Jose Loiola / Austin Rester (17) 21-15, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 24: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (24, Q16) 21-17, 25-23 (0:59)
Match 25: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) def. Adam Jewell / Chad Turner (21) 21-19, 25-23 (0:56)
Match 26: Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (13) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (19) 19-21, 21-14, 15-6 (1:04)
Match 27: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (14) 21-23, 21-16, 15-11 (1:10)
Match 28: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q4) 21-18, 21-11 (0:37)
Match 29: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (23, Q7) 21-11, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 30: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (16) def. Brent Doble / Ty Loomis (18) 21-13, 21-16 (0:44)

Round 2
Match 31: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (15) 21-13, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 32: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) def. Ryan Mariano / Larry Witt (13) 16-21, 21-15, 15-13 (1:10)
Match 33: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (20, Q3) 21-16, 25-27, 15-12 (0:59)
Match 34: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (16) 17-21, 23-21, 15-13 (1:02)

Round 3
Match 35: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (4) 21-17, 16-21, 24-22 (1:16)
Match 36: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (11) 23-21, 21-16 (0:51)
Match 37: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 21-18, 21-17 (0:48)
Match 38: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) 21-17, 19-21, 15-13 (1:06)

Round 4
Match 39: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 21-17, 24-22 (0:46)
Match 40: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (2) 21-18, 26-24 (0:49)

Round 5
Match 41: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (10) 26-24, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 42: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Kevin Wong (12) 18-21, 21-17, 15-10 (1:01)

Semifinals
Match 43: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (8) 25-23, 21-16 (0:53)
Match 44: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 21-9, 21-13 (0:53)

Finals
Match 45: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (3) 21-15, 15-21, 15-9 (1:16)

2007 Men's Glendale,Arizona Open Champions >> Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers

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                 Phil Dalhausser    Todd Rogers

Women's Entries:

Women's $100,000 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light
May 10-13, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 5
Jennifer Boss April Ross 6
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 8
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9
Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 10
Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 11
Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 12
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 13
Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 14
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 15
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 16
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 17
Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 18
Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee 19
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 20
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder Q1
Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q2
Jenelle Koester Claire Robertson Q3
Jill Changaris Sara Dukes Q4
Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q5
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q6
Jenny Kropp Julie Romias Q7
Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q8
Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q9
Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q10
Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa Q11
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q12
Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q13
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q14
Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q15
Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q16
Kristin Ursillo Jennifer Walker Q17
Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris Q18
Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek Q19
Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman Q20
Wendy Lockhart Kirstin Olsen Q21
Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q22
Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q23
Jackie Hatten Nicole Midwin Q24
Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q25
Kristin Frye Alexandra Sevillano Q26
Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q27
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q28
Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson Q29
Sherine Ebadi Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q30
Kelli Nerison Shannon Sneed Q31
Linda Byington Brenda Whicker Q32
Regan Hood Evyn Wills Q33
Shoni Rama Lindsey Schultz Q34

Women's Results:

Women's $100,000 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light
May 10-13, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360
2 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3 $15,000.00 324
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 8 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Jennifer Boss April Ross 6 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 17 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 5 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Jenny Pavley Sarah Straton 10 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 12 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 20 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 13 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Alicia Polzin Paula Roca 18 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenelle Koester Claire Robertson 22, Q3 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenny Kropp Julie Romias 23, Q7 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9 $800.00 72.0
17 Heidi Ilustre Diane Pascua 11 $800.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 21, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 24, Q4 $800.00 72.0
25 Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q2 $.00 36.0
25 Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q6 $.00 36.0
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q9 $.00 36.0
25 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q12 $.00 36.0
29 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q8 $.00 18.0
29 Suzana Manole Lauren Mills Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q15 $.00 18.0
29 Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q16 $.00 18.0
29 Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek Q19 $.00 18.0
29 Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman Q20 $.00 18.0
29 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q28 $.00 18.0
37 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q5 $.00 12.0
37 Angie Hall Laura Ratto Q13 $.00 12.0
37 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q14 $.00 12.0
37 Kristin Ursillo Jennifer Walker Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Wendy Lockhart Kirstin Olsen Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Heather Alley Heidi Munneke Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Jackie Hatten Nicole Midwin Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Kristin Frye Alexandra Sevillano Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Sherine Ebadi Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Regan Hood Evyn Wills Q33 $.00 12.0
37 Shoni Rama Lindsey Schultz Q34 $.00 12.0
53 Kelli Nerison Shannon Sneed Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Linda Byington Brenda Whicker Q32 $.00 8.0

Women's $100,000 AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light
May 10-13, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Regan Hood / Evyn Wills (Q33) def. Linda Byington / Brenda Whicker (Q32) 21-16, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 31: Shoni Rama / Lindsey Schultz (Q34) def. Kelli Nerison / Shannon Sneed (Q31) 21-10, 21-16 (0:36)

Round 2
Match 33: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21, Q1) def. Regan Hood / Evyn Wills (Q33) 21-13, 21-7 (0:35)
Match 34: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q16) def. Kristin Ursillo / Jennifer Walker (Q17) 17-21, 21-15, 15-12 (0:53)
Match 35: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q9) def. Jackie Hatten / Nicole Midwin (Q24) 21-12, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 36: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q8) def. Julie Caldwell / Jennifer Lombardi (Q25) 21-17, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 37: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q28) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (Q5) 21-18, 19-21, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 38: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q12) def. Wendy Lockhart / Kirstin Olsen (Q21) 21-9, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 39: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q20) def. Angie Hall / Laura Ratto (Q13) 21-17, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 40: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q4) def. Jill Dorsey / Sara Fredrickson (Q29) 21-19, 21-17 (0:46)
Match 41: Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) def. Sherine Ebadi / Amy Hvitfeldtsen (Q30) 21-18, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 42: Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (Q19) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q14) 25-23, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 43: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (Q11) def. Johanna Lehman / Vladia Vignato (Q22) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 44: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q6) def. Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q27) 21-12, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 45: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) def. Kristin Frye / Alexandra Sevillano (Q26) 21-12, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 46: Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q10) def. Heather Alley / Heidi Munneke (Q23) 21-14, 21-11 (0:39)
Match 47: Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q15) def. Lisa Marshall / Jessica Veris (Q18) 17-21, 28-26, 15-12 (1:19)
Match 48: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) def. Shoni Rama / Lindsey Schultz (Q34) 21-10, 21-15 (0:34)

Round 3
Match 49: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21, Q1) def. Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q16) 21-16, 21-18 (0:47)
Match 50: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q9) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q8) 22-20, 19-21, 15-11 (1:05)
Match 51: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q12) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q28) 21-17, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 52: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q4) def. Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q20) 21-19, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 53: Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) def. Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (Q19) 21-10, 22-20 (0:36)
Match 54: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q6) def. Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (Q11) 17-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:07)
Match 55: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) def. Suzana Manole / Lauren Mills (Q10) 21-15, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 56: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) def. Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q15) 21-8, 21-12 (0:34)

Round 4
Match 57: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21, Q1) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q9) 21-13, 19-21, 15-6 (0:58)
Match 58: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q4) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q12) 21-13, 15-21, 15-13
Match 59: Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q6) 21-14, 21-11 (0:36)
Match 60: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) 22-20, 28-26 (0:56)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (17) 21-18, 21-15 (0:45)
Match 2: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q4) 21-15, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 3: Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (12) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21, Q1) 21-19, 20-22, 15-13 (1:04)
Match 4: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (13) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (20) 21-14, 17-21, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 5: Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (19) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (14) 21-19, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 6: Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (11) 21-18, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 7: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (10) 21-19, 13-21, 17-15 (1:05)
Match 8: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (15) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (18) 21-16, 15-21, 20-18 (0:59)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) 21-16, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 10: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-17, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 11: Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (12) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) 21-17, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 12: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (13) 16-21, 22-20, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 13: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (19) 21-17, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 14: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) 21-12, 21-10 (0:38)
Match 15: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) 21-18, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (15) 17-21, 21-16, 15-9 (1:08)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) 21-17, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 18: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (12) 21-12, 15-21, 15-9 (0:56)
Match 19: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 23-21, 22-20 (0:52)
Match 20: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 22-20, 13-21, 15-12 (0:59)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 18-21, 21-16, 15-12 (0:55)
Match 22: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 21-13, 22-20 (0:42)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (17) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (15) 21-19, 19-21, 15-11 (1:16)
Match 24: Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (24, Q4) 21-19, 17-21, 15-9 (0:58)
Match 25: Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (21, Q1) 22-20, 18-21, 15-6 (0:58)
Match 26: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (20) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (19) 21-15, 18-21, 15-10 (0:55)
Match 27: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (13) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (14) 21-17, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 28: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) def. Heidi Ilustre / Diane Pascua (11) 21-18, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 29: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (10) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-15, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 30: Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (18) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (16) 21-17, 21-16 (0:43)

Round 2
Match 31: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (17) def. Jenny Kropp / Julie Romias (23, Q7) 21-15, 22-20 (0:41)
Match 32: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (20) def. Jenelle Koester / Claire Robertson (22, Q3) 21-13, 21-18 (0:33)
Match 33: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (13) 21-15, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 34: Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (10) def. Alicia Polzin / Paula Roca (18) 21-19, 23-21 (0:51)

Round 3
Match 35: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (17) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (12) 21-14, 21-12 (0:37)
Match 36: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (20) 21-15, 21-9 (0:36)
Match 37: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (5) 25-27, 21-14, 15-10 (1:17)
Match 38: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jenny Pavley / Sarah Straton (10) 21-13, 21-18 (0:43)

Round 4
Match 39: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (17) 24-26, 21-12, 15-9 (0:56)
Match 40: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 17-21, 22-20, 15-9 (1:07)

Round 5
Match 41: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 22-20, 29-27 (0:59)
Match 42: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 21-15, 21-17 (0:45)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) 22-20, 21-18 (0:47)
Match 44: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 17-21, 22-20, 15-13 (0:56)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 18-21, 21-17, 15-9 (1:11)


2007 Women's Glendale,Arizona Open Champions >>Misty May/Kerri Walsh

Misty May Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

A look ahead to the Glendale Open
Arizona is next stop on AVP Tour
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
After its past success in Tempe, Ariz., the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour will make its first ever stop in Glendale, Ariz., during the weekend of May 10-13.
The finals in the last Arizona trip, the 2006 AVP Tempe Open, featured many familiar names, as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh sent home Jen Boss and Nancy Mason on one side, and to no one's surprise, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers left Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal without a title.
As for the men this year, three teams will be itching for victory -- especially last year's Arizona finalists -- Rosie/Gibb and Rogers/Dalhausser -- who both walked away without the title in Huntington Beach.
Yet a third team, second-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger has a new spring in its step after getting back on their usual winning track.
For the women, the biggest story is Misty May-Treanor's quest to surpass Holly McPeak's 72 all-time beach titles. If she and partner Kerri Walsh can take their third-straight victory of the year, May-Treanor will tie McPeak's record as the all-time winningest female on the beach, matching the mark in Arizona of all places.
And like always, the other top-seeded teams below May-Treanor/Walsh will be right there to keep them in check. After tasting victory in Miami and receiving the largest purse in AVP history, No. 2 Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh are hungering for more.
Other usual challengers include No. 6 April Ross and Jen Boss as well as third-seeded Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, who have all made their appearances in the semifinals at some point this season.
The desert backdrop should also provide more stable playing conditions, as the ocean wind and deep sand will not be a factor. Without those conditions, upsets from qualifying teams might go back to being an anomaly as they were in the first two tournaments of the year.
Milestones: The first time McPeak ever tasted one of her 72 victories came on the desert sands of Arizona during the 1993 Phoenix Open.
As for May-Treanor and Walsh, they have yet to taste defeat in Tempe's four tournaments and will look to continue that trend into 2007. Outside of Tempe, there have been seven other opportunities for the women to capture a title, and Walsh has perfected that art in Arizona.
On the men's side, the last player to claim the title in Tucson was Karch Kiraly the Great back in 1998.
Locals and alumni: Of all the main draw and qualifying players currently on tour, 10 claim Arizona towns as home. Seven players who now live in California polished their volleyball skills and earned degrees from Arizona State University, the University of Arizona or Northern Arizona University.
Among them is Matt Olson who resides in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and earned his degree from the University of Arizona.

AVP's new fee brings a lawsuit
State's OK for volleyball admission charge at the Hermosa Beach Open is called "shocking."
By Andrea Woodhouse Sudano
STAFF WRITER
A local environmental group is asking a judge to throw out a recent California Coastal Commission decision allowing the Association of Volleyball Professionals to charge admission to 90 percent of spectators at its Hermosa Beach tournament.
In papers filed with San Francisco Superior Court, the Playa del Rey-based Coastal Law Enforcement Action Network alleges the surprise February decision violated the California Environmental Quality Act and deprives the public of beach access protected under the California Coastal Act.
The group has asked a judge to toss the commission's decision and require the panel to hold another hearing, said Marcia Hanscom, the network's managing director.
Environmental groups were stunned in February when commissioners allowed the AVP to charge admission to the great majority of attendees at the Hermosa Beach Open. Traditionally, the commission has allowed about 25 percent paid admission, which staff members had again recommended.
The decision squeaked by on a 6-5 vote. "It was just shocking," Hanscom said.
The new seating ratio was to apply to this summer's tournament, but because the AVP bumped up the event from August to May 18-20, the association had to follow last year's pricing ratio or appear before the commission again.
Instead, the association can use the 90 percent ratio at next year's tournament.
Hanscom said the reprieve leaves enough time for CLEAN to complete its litigation and force the commission to make another decision.
Ideally, the group would like to see a completely free event, Hanscom said, but the traditional 25 percent rule is palatable.
Representatives for the AVP and Coastal Commission could not be reached for comment Monday.
Complaining that South Bay stops on the pro volleyball tour were financial duds, AVP executives have long lobbied for increased ticketing rights at their tournaments. Until February, their efforts were largely unsuccessful, despite claims of insolvency.
"The AVP people are clearly out to make the most money possible," Hansom said.
CLEAN also worried about the precedent a 90 percent ratio would set for ticketing at future tournaments, especially with the Manhattan Beach Open.
andrea.woodhouse@dailybreeze.com

USER COMMENTS

"AVP DONE"
The AVP was also done when the got testy and greedy and threatened to pull out of town because they were "insolvent" at Hermosa and Manhattan. Since they have never brought forth the numbers to prove that, the courts , commissions, city councils and all of the "beach-huggers" around here are finally reigning them in.
- South Bay Local
posted: Tuesday, May 8th at 16:40 PM

"glory days"
Who cares anyway? The AVP was done as soon as they went to the short court. It was great for the ladies , but killed the men. Witness the Huntington Open. The men's final was played before the marquee event, the ladies final!
- teacher
posted: Tuesday, May 8th at 13:44 PM

"MB PROPERTY OWNER AND BEACH GOER"
WHY DOESN'T THE AVP PAY RENT LIKE ALL OTHER SPORTS. WHY DOES THE AVP CONTINUE TO BE A PARASITE ON THE BACK OF THE BEACH CITIES WITHOUT PAYING ITS WAY. ITR IS A MILLION DOLLAR PUBLIC CORPORATION.IT WANTS FREE RENT AND DOESN'T PAY MANY OF ITS PLAYERS. ITS EXECUTIVES MAKE ANNUAL SALARIES OF MID SIX FIGURES. AVP IS UP FOR SALE FOR APPROX 36 MILLION DOLLARS AND CRIES POVERTY. BOO HOO
- A VICTOR
posted: Tuesday, May 8th at 10:27 AM

"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia"
Just how many "jobs" does Marcia Hanscom have??? It seems that she wears the crown of many different enviromental groups and her pillow-pal, Roy VandeHoek, is bringing up the rear with too many credits to his name as well. Between the two, they manage to clog the courts and wrangle their way into grants, titlements and such all the while stating that they are doing it for the public good. Get off the meal tickets that we end up paying for and get a job that doesn't feed of the backs of taxpayers while blocking the way for tax dollars to work! Hanscom and VandeHoek are perfect examples of "Eco-terrorists" that have turned the public against the original good will of the enviromental movements.
- Mamie
posted: Tuesday, May 8th at 9:57 AM

"Line, line, no angle!!!!"
Who would pay money to watch that garbage? The 6 man is the better tournament anyways and everything the AVP was.
- -MB resident
posted: Tuesday, May 8th at 9:17 AM

Snyder risks it all to play on pro volleyball circuit
Michael Senft
The Arizona Republic
May. 8, 2007 08:00 AM
Competing at the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open represents a homecoming for Jennifer Snyder. The 30-year-old volleyball player got her start playing for Independence High School in Glendale.
After graduating in 1994, she headed off to prestigious Long Beach State, playing alongside such big name players as Misty May-Traenor, eventually ending up in Europe playing professionally. She returned home in 2000 before heading off to join the AVP Tour.
The Republic recently spoke with Snyder from her home in Costa Mesa, Calif., about her return to the Valley on the pro volleyball tour.

Question: After years of playing indoor volleyball, what made you decide to try beach volleyball?
Answer: I'd played college indoor ball, then professionally in Europe for a little while. After I returned home, I took a little hiatus, just working and doing my own thing around Arizona for a little while. The AVP was bankrupt at that point - so I didn't even know it was going on.
Then, one afternoon, I turned on the TV and there were Misty (May-Traenor) and Kerri (Walsh), playing on a Sunday afternoon. That got me thinking about it again.
I let another year go by, figuring I'd been out of the sport for a little while and may have let myself go by not playing for three years. But I'm too competitive and I needed to know if I could. I didn't want to be that person looking back saying "I could've done that" when I was 40.
I was familiar with California though, so I sold everything I owned and moved out there five weeks later.

Q: How long have you been on the tour?
A: This is my partner's (Janelle Ruen) second year. Last year, we were rookies. We actually worked our way up from playing the qualifying round.
We started out as the 47th qualifier seed and were 16th seed by the end of the tour.
About halfway through the tour we didn't need to qualify anymore.
We were in kind of a dream situation; it usually takes longer, so we were lucky. Now we're fighting to move up in the ranks and keep our spot without going back to the qualifiers.

Q: Have you ever faced Traenor and Walsh?
A: Yeah. Actually, the first time we qualified last year, we took them to three matches. We were the lowest seed and were the only team ever to take them to three in the first round. It was great.
I've actually known them for a long time - I played with Misty at Long Beach State and I've known Kerri since she was 15.

Q: You mentioned moving to California to pursue this. Are there not many opportunities to play professionally in Arizona?
A: Not for beach. That's why I moved out here. Everything I own, all my family, is in Arizona. But if I wanted to do this right, I had to move to California.

Q: Is it the weather?
A: No. The level of play. You can't get the training you need in Arizona. There aren't any coaches on that level in Arizona, they are all in California. . . . The best players are in California, and if you want to be the best, you need to play against the best. If you want to play professionally, you have to move to California.

Q: What do you miss about Arizona?
A: I'm going to try and make it to Connolly's Bar and Grill (5160 W. Northern Ave., Glendale). That's one of my favorite places.
I also want to mention Leaven Eubank. He was my club coach and high school coach. He's just been a great friend since I was a kid. He helped me out when I decided to move . . . he got me a set of AVP balls to train with, sent me out with stuff to get my feet on the ground.
He's just been a tremendous influence and he's always had my back.

Volleyball tour moves to Glendale
Scott Wong
The Arizona Republic
May. 9, 2007 12:00 AM
After four years in Tempe, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour leaps over to the West Valley this weekend, giving fans a healthy dose of sun, sand, skin - oh, and in-your-face athleticism.
When it comes to the tournament's backdrop, however, some may question whether a concrete parking lot next to Glendale's burgeoning Westgate entertainment center can measure up to a lakeside park in a pulsing college town.
"Time will tell," said Ray Artigue, executive director of the Sports Business Program at Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. "My initial reaction to their announced move was a combination of surprise and disappointment. I feel like the backdrop of a large public university was an ideal setting for such an event."
But he added that the move could prove beneficial.
From Thursday through Sunday, the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open brings Holly McPeak, Karch Kiraly and more than 100 other volleyball pros to Westgate City Center on the fourth stop on this season's 18-city tour.
Admittance is free Thursday.
Tempe Town Lake had hosted the professional volleyball exhibition since 2003 but lost the tournament earlier this year after a dispute over who would pay for event costs.
The Tempe setting allowed AVP to lure new fans wandering over from Arizona State University's 60,000-student campus and heavily traveled Mill Avenue, Artigue said.
Still, he added that Westgate has the potential to be a "wonderful new home" for the AVP and that sometimes "there are positives to changing the address."
For one, AVP has greater flexibility at Westgate, a private shopping, entertainment and office project owned by the Ellman Cos. The Tempe tournament sat on city property and was subject to stiffer requirements.
The five-year Glendale deal has also allowed AVP to take advantage of Ellman's special events and marketing arm, Westgate Live.
"It was important for us to have local support and a local partnership," said Leonard Armato, CEO and commissioner of AVP.

May-Treanor aims to tie wins record in Glendale
The Arizona Republic
May. 9, 2007 12:00 AM
Misty May-Treanor will try to tie Holly McPeak as the all-time winningest female on the beach this weekend as the AVP Crocs Tour makes it first stop in Glendale.
The professional volleyball tour has made 16 stops in Arizona, most recently in Tempe. This week's Sanderson Ford Glendale Open, which runs Thursday through Saturday, will be the first in the West Valley. The "beach" is being imported to Westgate City Center on the WaterDance Plaza.
May-Treanor and her partner, Kerri Walsh, were 4 for 4 when competing in Tempe and are seeking their third consecutive victory of the season after winning last week's Huntington Beach Open in California. If they can accomplish that, May-Treanor would join McPeak with 72 titles. McPeak won her first championship at the Phoenix Open in 1993.
May-Treanor and Walsh, the 2004 Olympic gold medalists, defeated Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh 21-13, 21-13 in the women's final last week.
On the men's side, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger defeated Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal 21-17, 21-18.
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser took out Rosenthal and Gibb in last year's finals in Tempe for one of their eight titles of 2006. Rogers and Dalhausser won the first two events of 2007 but had a five-tournament winning streak halted in last week's semifinals.
The Glendale stop is the fourth of 18 on the AVP schedule.
Information, tickets: avp.com; 1-(310)-426-8000.

SOLARSAFE SIGNS AS THE OFFICIAL UV SUN MONITOR WRISTBAND OF THE AVP
Wristband Changes Color to Alert Wearers When to Re-Apply Sunscreen and When to Get out of the Sun, Helping Avoid Harmful UV Rays
AVP, Inc. (OTCBB:AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced it has made SolarSafe the Official UV Sun Monitor Wristband of the AVP Tour.
“We’re tremendously excited about our partnership with the AVP,” said John Lyons, co-chairman of SolarSafe USA. “We have an excellent product that is a perfect fit for fans and players of beach volleyball, and we’re looking forward to the exposure that our relationship with an established brand like the AVP will bring us. The players responded so well to our product. Kids don’t need to get sunburned nor do the players and we know that the kids and fans watching will look to these players to set the trends on Sun Safety. This new partnership aligns with global efforts to promote responsible sun-safe habits. The AVP and its events represent a top-notch platform for us to drive home our brand message – ‘With a SolarSafe wristband, you don’t have to get sunburned.’ ”
SolarSafe is a waterproof, adjustable wristband that is designed by doctors, and fits both children and adults. It allows users to easily monitor exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays, as the wristband changes color when it is time to re-apply sunscreen, and then changes color again when it is time to get out of the sun.
SolarSafe wristbands are available worldwide, and are presently available in the U.S. at Longs Drugs stores, as well as online at www.drugstore.com and www.solarsafe.com.
“We seek to provide the best assortment of SPF products for our customers – Solar Safe is an innovative way for our customers to be sure they are applying their SPF with the frequency necessary for optimal protection against UV rays,” said Julie Johnston, the Vice President of OTC Merchandising for drugstore.com. “We anticipate these bands becoming the new must-have accessory for a safe summer in the sun, and are excited to be the online partner for the brand.”
In addition to its retail efforts, SolarSafe USA is currently launching a sun-safety awareness campaign. According to numbers released by the Sun Safety Alliance (SSA), incidents of skin cancer are at a record high, with more than one million cases reported in the U.S. each year. The SSA estimates that regular use of sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher during the first 18 years of life can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78 percent.
“SolarSafe represents a major advancement in the prevention of skin cancer, premature skin aging, and the discomfort that arises from sunburn,” said Dr. Mark Atkinson, a holistic medical physician. “By empowering children to monitor their exposure to the sun and to take action to prevent damage to their skin, parents who insist on their child wearing SolarSafe can take heart that they are doing everything to protect the health and well-being of their children.”
About the AVP, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com
About SolarSafe
SolarSafe produces a unique patented sun monitor designed by doctors to help guard against sunburn and promote sun-safety practices. The wristband allows users to monitor at a glance exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays through its color change, alerting the user when to re-apply sunscreen and when to get out of the sun. For more information on SolarSafe, go to www.solarsafe.com.

May-Treanor, Walsh dominant as ever
After slow start, duo has won back-to-back titles
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Miami is so last month, a distant memory really.
That was the site of this season's first AVP tournament and where Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh opened with a third-place finish, a nearly unheard of occurrence on tour, especially to open the season.
Since joining forces, the two have made the early portion of the volleyball calendar a string of red-letter days but that weekend in April, the sport's premier pairing looked, if not ordinary then certainly beatable.
A lot has changed.
May-Treanor and Walsh roared through the second event, winning all 10 of their games to claim the crown in Dallas, and last weekend in Huntington Beach they went 12-0 for title No. 2 on the year.
The adjustments that came with bringing on a new coach have been made and the distance they created by winning 13 of 15 tournaments last season together is again every bit as apparent.
Also clear, is the work required to close that gap, and looking for their own sets of answers are the contenders as the Glendale Open gets set to start Thursday morning.
"We want to get to the point where we're as focused as they are and not so high and low with our emotions," Elaine Youngs said. "Those two things, they are really good at. And what I mean by being focused on every point is when they're bumping the ball over we've got to be hungry to take that."
Youngs and her partner Nicole Branagh ousted May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinals in Miami but they've dropped consecutive finals to them since then. While Youngs and Branagh looked confused at times in Huntington Beach and not ready to scrap for every point, May-Treanor and Walsh looked poised and motivated.
Call it the confidence of winning.
"We stay pretty even-keel throughout because we know that we can do it," May-Treanor said. "There are no easy sideouts. We're going to bring the ball back and we're going to keep battling."
Walsh said their timing has improved since Miami and it's reflected on both sides of the ball.
"What also makes us tough is we do side out but we also score a lot of points," Walsh said. "Hopefully, I'm blocking at the net and if I'm not blocking then I'm turning it to Misty. We have two lines of defense up there and it is so fun. It's about getting them out of their rhythm."
May-Treanor is in line to tie Holly McPeak for the most wins on the women's side. McPeak won her first title in Arizona in 1993 and May-Treanor would like to match her in the desert with her 72nd this weekend.
Youngs realizes that it will take nearly mistake free play to prevent that from happening.
"We can get away with (making mistakes) against other teams but we can't get away with it against the best team in the world," Youngs said.
Seeds: Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser drew the top slot in Glendale with last week's champions, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, getting the No. 2 seed. Rounding out the top five are Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal (3); Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott (4); and Casey Jennings and Mark Williams (5).
On the women's side it's May-Treanor and Walsh getting the nod at No. 1, with Youngs and Branagh in the second position. Filling in the top five slots are Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder (3); Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana (4); and Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan (5).
Bracketology: Qualifying rounds will be held Thursday, when 32 men's and women's teams will compete for one of four slots into the 24-team main draw. Play will be contested on six courts.
Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on avp.com (http://www.avp.com/video/subscriptions.jsp) Sunday, May 13. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, May 15 and will replay the men's final Saturday, May 19.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday with Friday and Saturday featuring both day and night sessions. Competition will begin at 10:00 a.m. Friday and 12:00 p.m. Saturday for the day sessions and then at 9:30 p.m. EST both Friday and Saturday for the night sessions.
Play will start at 11:30 a.m. EST on Sunday with the men's final set for 4:30 p.m. and the women's at 6:00 p.m. EST.
Cut shots: Six of the last seven men's championship matches have been sweeps. â€¦ Winning in May was a first for Lambert last weekend. Previously, he had never won an AVP tournament before June. â€¦ April Ross led the women in Huntington Beach with 29 aces in 16 games while Walsh had a tournament-leading 19 blocks in 12 games. Dalhausser led the men with 15 aces in 12 games while Lambert was tops with 33 blocks in 22 games.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will return to Southern California next weekend for the Hermosa Beach Open, May 18-20, beginning Friday the 18th with qualifying rounds for the 32-team main draw.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Volleyballers tweak game in search of more gold
By David Leon Moore, USA TODAY
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor's main goal is to do what no beach volleyball team has done — win back-to-back gold medals.
Given that they've been the best team in the world since 2003, it would seem they just need to keep doing the same thing for another year.
But Walsh and May-Treanor sat down at the end of last season for a long talk about their partnership and decided that, even if it wasn't broke, it needed to be fixed a little bit.
So they changed coaches, broke down their game to the basics, started retooling some of their skills and, maybe just as important, are working on communicating better on and off the court.
When they lost in the final of this season's debut event on the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour to the No. 2 team of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, they didn't panic.
They stuck to their game plan and won the next two tournaments, dominating Youngs and Branagh last weekend at Huntington Beach in a 21-13, 21-13 final.
"Confidence-wise, we thought we were untouchable leading up to Athens," Walsh says. "This year, we're not there yet. We have a new coach (Troy Tanner, replacing Dane Selznick), and he's working on a lot of different things.
"It kind of makes you think you're on shaky ground a little bit, because you're learning new things. But we know that after some bumps and bruises along the way, we'll be at the same spot we were in Athens, only better."
Better? That's a scary thought to beach volleyball players on the AVP and on the international FIVB tour.
Walsh, 28, and May-Treanor, 29, who once won 89 consecutive matches in 2003-04, haven't slowed a bit. There might not be a better woman player in the world than Walsh, except for maybe May-Treanor.
May-Treanor's strengths are defense, ball control and shot-making. Walsh's are her uncommon athleticism and height (6-3) at the net.
They'll go for their third AVP title in four events this weekend in Glendale, Ariz.
Later this summer, they'll begin playing on the FIVB tour and trying to earn points toward qualifying for next summer's Olympics in Beijing. The top two U.S. women's teams on the FIVB tour over the next year will earn berths.
Both players got married since the last Olympics, Walsh to pro beach volleyball player Casey Jennings and May-Treanor to Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor.
With their new marriages and constant competition and sponsor appearances, the pair felt a little pulled apart last year, when their invincibility was shattered by a few more losses than usual.
"It was a tough year," Walsh says. "It was the first time it really felt like business. We never saw each other off the court. We didn't have that friendship or intimacy going."
Also, Walsh and Jennings, who plays with Mark Williams on the men's tour, were disappointed when their efforts to have a baby didn't work out.
"We gave ourselves a window, it didn't happen and that's OK," Walsh says. "It was a bummer at the time, but now I'm glad it didn't happen. You don't want to feel like you're squeezing a baby in.
"We're both still young enough. Hopefully, both Casey and I can make it to Beijing and then in August 2008 get cranking on a baby."
May-Treanor also hopes to start a family after the Olympics. Unlike Walsh, whose husband is often at the same event, May-Treanor and her husband rarely see each other in the summer.
"Fortunately, we have the same offseason, and that's great," she says. "We know as athletes what it takes to get to the top, so that helps."
Despite the tinkering with their game, the pair looked close to unbeatable in Huntington, where their strategy leading up to the Olympics seemed to be working.
What is it?
"Kick butt," Walsh says.

Glendale plays host to AVP Tour
Rebecca Dyer, For the Tribune
A shopping center may not seem like the ideal location to hold a pro beach volleyball tournament, but that’s what will happen this week as the AVP Crocs Tour returns to Arizona.
The Waterdance Plaza at Westgate City Center in Glendale will be transformed into an oasis in the desert when more than 2,000 tons of sand is trucked in for the Glendale Open, the fourth stop on an 18-city AVP Tour that runs through September.
While the tour has included a stop in Arizona for the past four years, this will mark the first season where the tournament will not be held in Tempe.
Disagreement over who should cover costs led to the decision to end the relationship, which in turn opened the door for Westgate and Glendale to step in.
The unique setting is not the only thing to attract spectators this weekend, though.
The sport’s biggest stars will be there as well.
The Olympic gold medal team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are the favorites on the women’s side, having won two of three tournaments this season.
May-Treanor and Walsh got off to a rocky start this year when they lost in the semifinals of the Miami Open in April to Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
It was the first time since 2004 that May-Treanor and Walsh failed to appear in the final match of an AVP tournament.
The disappointment was short-lived, however, as May-Treanor and Walsh avenged the loss by beating Branagh and Youngs in the final round of both the Dallas Open and Huntington Beach Open, giving them two straight wins heading into Glendale.
If extending their four-year win streak in Arizona was not motivation enough, May-Treanor is also chasing a bit of individual history.
With the win last week in Huntington Beach, her 71st, May-Treanor is now one victory short of tying Holly McPeak for first place on the career AVP wins list.
On the men’s side of the net, no team has yet to establish itself as the favorite. Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won the Miami Open and Dallas Open to begin the year, with both victories coming against Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
Those two teams met again in the semifinal round at Huntington Beach, where this time Gibb and Rosenthal came away with the victory.
Their title push came up short, however, as Gibb and Rosenthal fell in the final round to Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, who captured their first AVP win since the Boulder Open in August 2006.
The qualifying round of the Glendale Open begins at 9 a.m. today, with the men’s and women’s finals scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
AVP Glendale Open
When: Today through Sunday
Qualifier: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. today
Play: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Westgate City Center, Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue in Glendale
TV: Final round coverage on FSN Arizona
Cost: Free for qualifying round; $10 for 18 and younger with valid ID; adult tickets range from $20 to $80
Tickets: At the gate, online at www.avp.com/tickets or by phone at (800) 905-3315

May-Treanor nears mark
MVP can tie wins record in Glendale
Jim Gintonio
The Arizona Republic
May. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
On a windswept Southern California beach a couple of days ago, Misty May-Treanor chuckled when told it seems like she and partner Kerri Walsh never lose.
"Not true," she said. "We don't always win."
They have won enough, however, to establish themselves as the premier women's beach volleyball team, and they likely will be the fan favorites when the AVP Crocs Tour stops in Glendale at the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open at the Westgate City Center, its first stop in the West Valley after 16 previous tournaments in Arizona. Qualifying rounds begin today and finals are Sunday.
May-Treanor and Walsh are going for their fourth consecutive victory in Arizona and third in a row this season after losing the season opener to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. If they can get to the winner's circle, it would give May-Treanor her 72nd career victory, tying her with 37-year-old Holly McPeak, who also will be competing. McPeak's career took off after she won for the first time at the Phoenix Open in 1993.
"Every year, the tour gets better," said May-Treanor, 29. "The teams get a little better. It's very hard to keep winning, because you have to better and better yourself."
May-Treanor, who teamed with McPeak early in her career, paired with Walsh to win the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, and in 2005 she recorded 17 wins, tied for the most among women. On the U.S. tour, they have been named Team of the Year for four consecutive seasons. The powerhouse team put together an 89-match winning streak in 2003-04, then collected 50 more in a row after the Olympics.
May-Treanor, who stands 5-feet-10 and starred collegiately at Long Beach State, was named the AVP Most Valuable player in 2005-06, Best Offensive Player for the past three seasons, and Best Defensive Player in 2006.
"I equate (Misty) to Karch (Kiraly) in the women's game. She's just got the whole package," Youngs told AVP.com. "And I think it's great; I mean Holly's held (the win record) for a long time, and it's an amazing feat given her height and everything else. And I think it's great for beach volleyball, giving it a lot of attention, and she's gonna top that a whole lot longer."
The Glendale stop is the fourth of 18 on the AVP schedule. Ten players have Arizona ties.
"This is going to be our first time in Glendale," May-Treanor said. "We love coming to Arizona. There are a lot of people out there who come to watch the sport. It's nice to have something in your backyard."
She'll turn 30 in July and believes she can play at a high level for at least 10 more years. At some point, she said, "it would be nice to think about having a family."
Her husband is Matt Treanor, a catcher with the Florida Marlins.
Walsh also is in a two-athlete marriage - her husband is beach volleyball player Casey Jennings.
The CEO and commissioner of the AVP, Leonard Armato, said statistics show the sport is the fastest growing one in America.
"This is a great property with world-class athletes," he said. "We're competing against each other in incredible settings. We have beautiful people wearing bikinis and shorts. It's aesthetically pleasing. The events are interactive, and everyone who comes out has a great time."
Most of the players had stellar college careers, but Armato said it is "the best of the best" who make it to the AVP.
"It's just not that the skill is specialized, but you're covering the entire court with two people, and when you play volleyball on the sand, and I've tried to run on that surface, it's not easy," he said.
"We think our athletes are terrific with people and are role models. And there is always somebody new coming along."

May 10-13: AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open
The Arizona Republic
Michael Senft
May. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
This weekend the finest beach volleyball players in the world come to Glendale for the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open. And today the tournament kicks off with open qualifiers for anyone who thinks he or she has what it takes to compete against the best.
But, although not everyone can play on the level of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Traenor, there are still plenty of opportunities to play volleyball around the Valley. From pickup games in parks to organized leagues at sports bars, finding a match isn't hard.
"It's an easy sport to get started playing, but it does require a specific skill set that only develops over time," said Ivan Smith, 56, who plays competitive beach volleyball with the Extreme Angles. advertisement
For Smith, the sport keeps him in shape.
"It's great exercise, I play once a week."
A teammate, Keith Ryan, who played in high school before rediscovering the sport in his 30s, has other reasons for hitting the sand.
"You get to see some great sights," he said, gesturing toward some bikini-clad players.
Extreme Angles is playing at the sports bar Prankster's Too in south Scottsdale. We caught up with the team between matches of the Sand Sports league finals.
Sand Sports runs beach volleyball leagues year-round. Four-person coed teams play weekly for seven weeks, leading to a double-elimination tournament and prizes, such as T-shirts. The tournaments are held at Prankster's Too, as well as the Pera Club in Tempe. This week, Sand Sports also started a West Valley league at Coyote Hill Bar & Grill in Glendale.
"We partner with sports bars to make it more of a destination," Sand Sports owner Noni Clark said. "Players can come and play, have dinner with the family or drinks with friends. It's as much social as it is competitive."
League play at sports bars isn't the only option for Valley volleyball players. The parks and recreation departments in most Valley cities conduct indoor and outdoor leagues.
"Places like Kiwanis Park," Ryan said. "But they're purely recreational, or as I like to say, 'wreck'-reational. Most of the players are beginners, and the rules are more relaxed."
Ryan also is quick to distinguish between indoor and beach volleyball.
"They are completely different games. There are more people on the court in indoor volleyball, there are different rules, even the way the balls react is different," he said. "Lots of players start indoors, but as they get older, they switch to beach. Like (Olympic gold medalist) Karch Kiraly."
"Sand is more forgiving," Smith noted. "When I play indoors, I can't move the next day."
Unfortunately, if you're looking to take your game beyond rec centers and sports bars to the pro or Olympic level, you won't find help here.
"There aren't any coaches on that level in Arizona; they're all in California," said Jennifer Snyder, a former Glendale resident who's performing in this weekend's AVP Open. "If you want to play professionally, you have to move to California."

Qualifying underway in the desert
68 teams compete for spots in main draw
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Qualifying is under way as the AVP Crocs Tour set up here in the Sonora Desert on Thursday.
A total of 68 teams, 34 men's and 34 women's, are competing for the right to gain one of the four berths into each side of the main draw. The 24-team Glendale Open main event will begin Friday at 10:00 a.m. EST with play in the night session beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Early action on the men's side saw Ed Lunnen and Phil Silva get out of the first round with a match victory over Yariv Lerner and Chad Wick. Also advancing in the first round were Tim Higgins and John Lewis with a win over Jeffrey DeWitt and Brandon Porter.
Some upsets occurred in the second round of men's play where the 28th seeded team of Beau Daniels and James Ka sent home the No. 5 seeded team of Chip McCaw and Colin Wellman. Also taking early exits were the No. 8 seed, as Jon Mesko and Eyal Zimet lost to the 25th seeded team of Danko Iordanov and Monte Tucker. Jason Harris and John Moran, seeded 12th, lost to No. 21 Fernando Sabla and Soeren Schneider.
Early men's winners included Rico Becker and Mike Bruning; Reuben Danley and Leonardo Moraes; and Chad Mowrey and Kimo Tuyay.
On the women's side, Regan Hood and Evyn Wills advanced out of the first round with a victory over Linda Byington and Brenda Whicker, as did Shoni Rama and Lindsey Schultz by defeating Kerri Nelson and Shannon Sneed.
Two early upsets on the women's side of the draw had No. 25 Kealani Kimball taking out No. 5 Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney; and the 13th seeded team of Angie Hall and Laura Ratto losing to No. 20 Victoria Prince and Christie Zartman.
Other women's teams to advance in early action included Gabriela Roney and Lenka Urbanova; Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli; Nicki Fusco and Gina Kurstein; Jenelle Koester and Claire Robertson; and Krystal Jackson and Tiffany Rodriguez.

Glendale main draw preview
Top teams look to continue winning ways
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- After battling through 100 degree weather in the desert sands of the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light, four men's and four women's qualifying teams will move on to Friday's main draw action. (Men's qualifier bracket | Women's qualifier bracket)
Who will take it?
For the men, three teams have established themselves in the final round of play week-in and week-out. Now that Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger have claimed their first title of 2007, they still hold on to the No. 2 seed and will look to do the same thing in Arizona.
Despite losing in the semifinals last weekend, top-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are $100,000 richer after taking the Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown series in overall points. They will look to get back on the winning track with hopes of starting another title streak.
And finally, No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have seen three finals this year without taking a single title. They will be right in the thick of things here in Glendale and hoping to follow the example set by Metzger/Lambert last weekend and win their first 2007 AVP Open.
Steady as she goes
With only one more win this weekend, Misty May-Treanor could have a share in Holly McPeak's glory as the two will both boast the most beach titles for a woman with 72. May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh (No. 1 seed) have gotten back into their game, especially with the assistance of a new coach. They will look to make three a charm, with another consecutive victory this weekend.
Right below the top-ranked duo sits No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, who have been to every final round in 2007. They will try for their second victory of 2007, having already proved themselves against May-Treanor and Walsh in Miami to open this year's AVP Crocs Tour.
Learn by imitation
While Huntington Beach, Calif., saw improved success for two teams with former partners -- No. 10 John Hyden and Brad Keenan and 16th-seeded John Mayer and Matt Prosser -- another set of partners has emulated that move this weekend. Aaron Watchfogel will team up with Kevin Wong for the No. 12 seed, moving Watchfogel up and Wong down a few places. That means, missing from weekend play will be Karch Kiraly, who closed out his career in Arizona in the 2006 season. He will still be appearing in Glendale, working with media all weekend long.
Watchfogel's former partner, Austin Rester joins Jose Loiola to maintain the former pair's No. 17 seed, putting Loiola up two slots from the opening of play in Huntington.
Time will tell
First round play will kick off Friday and begins in waves from 11 a.m. EDT to 12:30 p.m. EDT.
This weekend's tournament is different from Huntington in that the top seeds will get a first-round bye. The second round of play in the Winner's Bracket will begin at 12:30 p.m. EDT, with May-Treanor/Walsh for the women and Rogers/Dalhausser for the men waiting for the winner of the No. 16/17 match up.

Carlucci and Roberts gelling
Team feels better results are ahead
By Jason Grey / Special to AVP.com
GLENDALE -- Sometimes it takes a while to find the right partner.
The points system causes players to shuffle partners around trying to find a combination that will get them put into the main draw, or at least someone they think they can work well with.
Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts did that dance last season, with Carlucci pairing up with three different players, and Roberts forming a tandem with six different ones before they hooked up in Alabama.
They've taken off those dancing shoes because they think they have found something more valuable than just a playing partner -- chemistry.
"We kind of threw it together for Birmingham," said Carlucci. "We didn't have much practice time but we found a good chemistry. That's what you're looking at, especially on our level. A lot of teams on paper might be good, but the chemistry has to be right."
"You're always kind of looking and scouting," added Roberts. "I'm a smaller guy [6'1"] so I'm a defender, and I'm always looking for a blocker. Jeff and I actually talked about it about four times last season and the way it panned out it worked out well."
The team put together three 13th place finishes in the final six tournaments of 2006. For Carlucci they were his best results ever on the tour, and for Roberts, his best finishes since a couple of Top-10s in 2004.
With those results, it was easy to decide to pair up again for 2007, but the team has not had the same success thus far. They were elimninated in the first qualifying round in Miami, and the second round in Dallas.
Still, the team stayed focused on the potential they showed with their solid finishes at the end of last season.
"That is a major contributing factor to why we've stuck together," said Carlucci. "We know what exists and what we can have. You have one or two bad finishes and sometimes it's like: 'I'm not going to play with you anymore.' Sometimes friendships get ruined. That's a part of the sport I definitely don't like, so we're trying to do something different."
"We know we can do this," said Roberts. "If we had just started together and started the season this way, we might have moved on, but we've stuck together and I think we're on the rise. Even though we didn't finish well last week, I think we were back to playing well."
The team finished 25th in Huntington Beach, but considering they lost to eventual winners Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, and to third-place finishers John Hyden and Brad Keenan, it went down a little easier.
"I was a lot less frustrated than I was the two weeks before," said Carlucci. "Getting beat by teams like that where we played tough, that's acceptable. What happened the two weeks before that is very unacceptable. It made a difference at the end of the day. At least we got beat and didn't beat ourselves. There's no shame in losing to the winner."
In qualifying, the team finds themselves in a different role than last year. Whereas last year they had seeds in the 20s, this year the find themselves as one of the top seeds in the qualifying draw. The hunters have now become the hunted.
"We need to play our game regardless," said Roberts. "This year, they are gunning for us on Thursdays."
It turns out playing their game is exactly what Carlucci and Roberts say they need to work on the most as a team. In Glendale, they were the seeded second in the qualifying draw.
"Regardless of whether or not you're expected to win we need to do that," said Carlucci. "It's a different mindset. It's coming out and playing like a number two seed. We have to be like: 'We're a #2 and we're going to let you know that right away', and we haven't been doing that."
Above all, the tandem is keeping its goals realistic.
"We always want a Top-10 finish," said Roberts, and Carlucci concurred: "Yep, that's good for us."

Desert heat to play a major role
Triple-digit temperatures expected throughout weekend
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The elements certainly play a part on the tour and Thursday was heat's opportunity to get involved.
The first two stops, Miami and Dallas, both will get their share of hot temps but it was early in the season. Last week in Huntington Beach, highs barely reached 70 and a strong onshore breeze from the Pacific Ocean kept it temperate.
But there is no irony to the name Valley of the Sun and Thursday marked the region's first weekend to top the century mark with a high of 101 and temperatures are forecast to reach at least that through the weekend.
Players take the basic precautions of hydrating more frequently and seeking shade more often. Some said playing can also be a mental grind but it's a new experience for the uninitiated.
"I'm from South Carolina and I've never experienced anything like this," said Adam Roberts, who along with partner Jeff Carlucci advanced out of the second round. "There is nothing you can do to prepare for this."
There is no escaping it, though, so the players that advance must find a strategy. David Fischer, who is seeded first here in the qualifier with teammate Scott Hill, said while the hope is to get out quickly, the successful teams exercise patience.
"Unlike getting your points super fast like a sprint, you pick somebody and you grind them down like a marathon," Fischer said. "You just figure the more times I can make him bend down and take an extra step the more points he is going to give up late in the match. But when it is hard-packed and windy, you need some aces to not get crushed."
Fischer said that size does matter.
"The guys that have the skills but are big and athletic wear down so the guys that are more strategic and know how to wear somebody down and know how to conserve energy should fare better," said Fischer, who was a casualty Thursday as he and Hill lost to Rico Becker and Mike Bruning.
But for others, there is only one answer to the heat.
"No offense, but you have to stay out of the sun as much as possible so I'm going to get out of the sun," said No. 3 seed Ben Koski, who quickly left in search of shade.
Hot foot: Playing the sport does not require much equipment but it can get specialized when the mercury soars.
Playing bare foot on the hot sand foot may cause blistering so many players wear sand socks to combat the issue. The synthetic footwear retails for about $20 and has light soles and some possess ultraviolet protection.
With Glendale sandwiched between Huntington and Hermosa Beach, some players were not prepared for the first hot tournament of the season and were looking for pairs of sand socks on Thursday.
"Someone was selling one shoe for $15 and the other one for $35," Fischer said of an opportunist.
But aside from supply, Fischer added some players refuse to wear them for the sake of image.
"There is a coolness factor and there is a necessity factor," Fischer said. "You'll notice a lot of guys normally won't wear sand socks but when it is like this and you need to play all day and probably tomorrow you don't need to be in the medical tent having blisters popped."
Cool patrol: On hand to assist with Thursday's action was part of the Glendale Fire Department.
Captain Mark Manor said that six Emergency Medical Service and firefighting members were helping with the day's events, including working the medical tents and hosing down the sand for the players.
"We work all the events at Westgate, including the Cardinals games," said Manor. "And we really like being a part of all the fun; the athletes are very impressive. We came here on a whim today and we hope that we're making the players happy."
Happy is an understatement. During a qualifying match between eighth-seeded Krystal Jackson and Tiffany Rodriguez and No. 9 Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli, some players on the sidelines were cheering, "Hooray for firefighters!"
Joining the fun was the Herbalife booth that allowed players the use of its water hose to cool off.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Monique Moyal contributed to this report.

Becker and Bruning qualify
Duo battled heat, injuries to advance to main draw
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It was all about keeping cool in the heat during men's qualifying at the Glendale Open on Thursday.
With four berths at stake for Friday's main draw, 34 men's teams battled as temperature gauges in the area registered 101.
Getting out of the qualifying round were the No. 3 seed Ben Koski and Jeff Minc; Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic (4); Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight (7); and Rico Becker and Mike Bruning (16).
An early casualty Thursday was Dane Jensen and Mike Placek. Seeded fourth in the qualifier, Jensen and Placek dropped their second-round match to Everett Matthews and Ivan Mercer, the 27th seed. The pair survived qualifying last week in Huntington Beach and finished 17th in the tournament.
Becker and Bruning advanced Thursday by defeating Leonardo Moraes and Reuben Danley, 21-13, 21-16. Bruning bump set most of the afternoon as he nursed a broken thumb he suffered a couple of weeks ago but Becker still gave most of the credit to his teammate.
"I had a very big partner and he was blocking like a maniac today," said Becker, who qualified into the main draw for the first time in his career and is a local.
Becker and Bruning needed just 18 minutes in their first-match of the day as Matt Ogin and Todd Strassberger failed to show on time and forfeited the first game. Becker and Bruning then emerged with a 21-11 victory in the second.
In their succeeding match, Becker and Bruning dropped the No. 1 seed in the qualifier David Fischer and Scott Hill, 21-13, 21-16, before advancing to play Moraes and Danley for their ultimate berth in the main draw.
That victory prompted a celebration as a handful of their friends stormed the court and gave Becker a Gatorade bath.
"I haven't had one before," Becker said. "I'm not sure I want another one."
Becker and Bruning will play Nick Lucena and Will Strickland at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Friday.
Mihalic and Allen eliminated Fernando Sabla and Soeren Schneider, 21-15, 21-12. They opened with a 21-16, 22-24, 15-12 victory over Cody Crowell and Mark Kirunchyk in their first match of the day and then got past Chad Mowrey and Kimo Tuyay, 21-15,21-17.
On Friday at approximately 10:45 a.m., Mihalic and Allen will play Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong.
Koski and Minc eliminated Matthews and Mercer from the tournament in a fourth-round that was delayed for several minutes as Mercer suffered from a cramp in his left leg.
After receiving medical attention, Mercer returned to action but ended up on the losing end for a late afternoon exit.
The heat played a role throughout the day and Koski said finding the mental edge was as tough as dealing with the elements.
"It's hard," Koski said. "The sun is beating down on you and you just find yourself getting really lethargic and you have to yell or something to get yourself going."
Koski and Minc had a relatively easy time in their first match, winning 21-14, 21-18 over Erik Gomez and Dan Madden before eliminating Chris Harger and Jeff Murrell, 30-28, 21-17 in their second match. Koski and Minc will play Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt on Friday morning.
Robbins and Wight chased the sun with the last match of the day but pulled out a 21-16, 25-23 victory over Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts, the No. 2 seed. Robbins admitted they got a break by having two of their matches later in the day when the temperature dipped slightly but mostly he cited the confidence in beating Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger last week.
"It's nice to know that you can play with these guys," Robbins said. "Jeff and Adam are perennial main draw guys and last week proved to us that we can get down in the match and come back in a match."
It was the second straight berth into the main draw for Robbins and Wight, who qualified for the first time last week in Huntington Beach.
Robbins and Wight will play John Hyden and Brad Keenan on Friday.
Upsets earlier in the day included Danko Iordanov and Monte Tucker, seeded 25th in the qualifier, dropping the No. 8 seed from the tournament, Jon Mesko and Eyal Zimet, 21-18, 21-17. Iordanov and Tucker were then eliminated by Danley and Moraes.
Sabla and Schneider, seeded 21st, took out the 12th-seeded team of Jason Harris and John Moran in the second round and then got past Beau Daniels and James Ka to advance to their match with Allen and Mihalic.
Daniels and Ka had earlier downed the No. 5 seeded team of Chip McCaw and Colin Wellman, sending them home with a 21-19, 18-21, 15-10 victory.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Snyder and Ruen feel right at home
Top-seeded qualifiers move on to main draw
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- When it's over 100 degrees, it's good to be familiar with the Arizona climate and have the home advantage.
No. 1 qualifying seed Jen Snyder and partner Janelle Ruen know exactly how that is. Snyder -- a native of Glendale -- and Ruen have been looking for their big break, and it just might have come Thursday afternoon.
"We were 0-6 coming into this and we just decided we're just gonna have fun," said Snyder. "It doesn't matter what happens anymore because we can't get any worse than what we were doing. We were actually happy we played today, because we got some wins under our belt and we feel pretty good."
The pair was seeded 21st in Huntington's main draw play, 19th in Dallas and kicked off the year in Miami with the 17th main draw seed. And they have lost every main draw match since the beginning of the 2007 season.
This weekend, the duo dropped down into the qualifiers with the top-seed. And it did them some good, too. Snyder and Ruen will compete in the main draw for the fourth time this year, alongside three other qualifying teams.
"It was awesome; I have all my family and all my friends coming," said Snyder. "Tomorrow might be rough because they're still working, but we're just going to have to push through tomorrow and make it to Saturday."
Even though other players have voiced that they prefer living at home when the AVP Crocs Tour is on the road, Snyder chooses to live like the rest of the touring players.
"I stayed with my mom last night, but we have the player hotel. It's too difficult to not stay in that mode, I decided," said Snyder. "It's just a different mindset and I don't wanna screw around with it. And I like to have my own Hilton fluffy bed."
If Thursday was any indicator for the rest of Ruen and Snyder's tournament, Mom's cooking couldn't hurt another time around.
Also moving on to Friday's main draw are fourth-seeded Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes, who sent home No. 12 Nicki Fusco and Gina Kirstein; No. 3 Jenelle Koester and Claire Roberts, after defeating sixth-seeded Erin Byrd and Paige Davis; and seventh-seeded Jenny Kropp and Julie Romias, who took their match over No. 2 Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet after a medical time out due to the heat.
Earlier in the day: In the second round of qualifiers, 20th-seeded Victoria Prince and Chrissie Zartman pushed past No. 13 and seasoned main draw competitors, Angie Hall and Laura Ratto for one of the few upsets early on in the day.
Prince and her former partner, Jessica Veris, split for the weekend, after being knocked out of the first round in their first time playing together. The pair also was featured on CSTV last year, when they were still playing in college.
Prince was able to benefit from the split and teamed up with Zartman for a higher-seed, but fell in her first second-round appearance ever to fourth-ranked Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes.
Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Jupiter must have taken a day off of school to participate in Thursday's qualifiers. She and partner Leilani Kamahoahoa again were able to go deep within the qualifiers. The 11th-seed's magic, however, ended there. Jupiter and Kamahoahoa fell to No. 6 Erin Byrd and Paige Davis.
Desert red: Four other female players -- two of whom are teammates -- in Thursday's qualifiers hail from the Grand Canyon State. One of four teams, No. 34 Shoni Rama and Lindsey Schultz of Glendale and Phoenix, respectively, were pitted against 31st-seeded Kelli Nerison and Shannon Sneed for entry into the second round of qualifying play. Rama and Schultz took that match, but fell in the second round to No. 2 Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet -- good for a 37th-place finish among qualifiers.
Kristin Frye (26) and Heather Alley (23) complete the list of Arizonans, as they two both claim Scottsdale as their local residences.

Charleston Hosts AVP Open-Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Event
ResortQuest offers pre-designed Charleston vacation rentals and packages for the AVP Open-Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Event in on Daniel Island from June 14-17.
Charleston, SC (PRWEB) May 11, 2007 -- The world's top beach volleyball stars will compete at the $15 million Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island from June 14-17. The 2007 AVP Charleston Open pits twenty-four teams against each other in both men's & women's competition, with winning teams scheduled to receive $33,000. The televised event marks the AVP's first appearance in Charleston, a city well known for its beaches, temperate climate and love of sports. The state-of-the-art tennis center is designed to highlight the lush landscape and beauty of the Lowcountry, making the combination of location and venue pleasing to participants and spectators.
For for information visit ResortQuest's Charleston Events .
ResortQuest is offering pre-designed lodging packages with attractive value-added benefits on Kiawah Island , Seabrook Island , Isle of Palms and Wild Dunes, all just a few miles from Historic Charleston, SC. Guests enjoy packages with names like Walk on the Wild Side, Historic Charleston, Golf Getaway and Romantic Rendezvous, while staying in fully-equipped private homes, villas and cottages at the beach. Enjoy miles of pristine beach, championship golf, tennis, biking, nature tours, shopping, dining and more. For more information on Charleston vacation rentals, guests can visit ResortQuest.com or call toll free 1-866-253-3633.
About ResortQuest
ResortQuest, one of the nation's leading vacation rental management and resort real estate companies, provides a one-stop resource for North America's premier resort destinations, ResortQuest.com. ResortQuest is the largest marketer and management company of vacation condominiums and leading vacation rentals in the U.S. and Canada, based on a portfolio of nearly 17,000 properties with a combined real estate value estimated at approximately $7 billion. ResortQuest Real Estate is one of the nation's leading real estate companies, focusing exclusively on resort properties, offering superior brokerage services in the country's premier beach, ski and golf destinations. ResortQuest employs more than 4,000 people and is owned and operated by Gaylord Entertainment Co. (NYSE: GET), one of the largest and fastest growing companies in the hospitality and entertainment industries, based in Nashville, Tenn., that also owns and operates Gaylord Hotels and the Grand Ole Opry. For more information, visit ResortQuest.com or GaylordEntertainment.com.

AVP stars rely on grit
Nickname not enough for 'Team Gorgeous'
Norm Frauenheim
The Arizona Republic
May. 11, 2007 12:00 AM
Let's start with the nickname. It works for advertisers and publicists. If it is worth endorsements and fans, it fits like a bikini. But Team Gorgeous was not an idea served up by Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger.
On rough and tumble sands between net and baseline, the nickname is about as accurate as calling their particular brand of volleyball a day at the beach.
"More like Team Torn Up," Stonebarger says.
Grit, more than gorgeous, has made More and Stonebarger a team to watch at the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open, which continues today at Westgate City Center and runs through Sunday.
The nickname started with the AVP staff that travels the beach circuit. More and Stonebarger began to hear it a couple of years ago. Then, Stonebarger and More struggled to get past the qualifying rounds. Team Gorgeous was not going anywhere. But the nickname was consoling and entertaining.
"It was a joke - ha-ha," More said. "But now it has taken on life of its own."
It has, because More and Stonebarger are evolving as competitors. After a couple of fifth-place finishes last year, it looks as if they and their nickname are there to stay in the AVP standings. They finished ninth among the women in 2006. They, the circuit and their sponsors hope for improvement this year.
The top five is a goal, says More, who will join her teammate at 9:30 a.m. today for a qualifying round.
More, 25, and Stonebarger, 26, represent a marketing edge to a new generation on a circuit that is part sport and part party. But the party is in the stands.
This weekend's stop in the desert figures to be a challenge because of temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees.
"We've played in extreme conditions before," said Stonebarger, who grew up on a farm in northern California and played indoor volleyball with More at the University of Nevada. "We played in snow at Lake Tahoe.
"As long you're prepared, as long as your body is prepared, it's not a problem."
With each season, More and Stonebarger are trying to prepare for bigger things.
The favorites still are Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. They do not need a nickname. May-Treanor and Walsh have an Olympic gold medal from the 2004 Athens Games. Walsh says Beijing, the site of the 2008 Olympics, is the goal.
For More and Stonebarger, the dream is beyond Beijing.
"2012," said More, who grew up in Torrance, Calif., and began playing beach volleyball after graduation from Nevada.
The beach beckoned, because it offers more independence and accountability than the traditional indoor game.
"Indoors, you play a certain role within a team," Stonebarger said. "On the beach, there are lot more things you incorporate, like the environment, the weather.
"You have to be in top condition, whereas indoors you can get away with not being in the best shape."
On the beach, there also are more opportunities. More and Stonebarger have sponsors, including Fiji Water. They do interviews. Mostly, however they are in the sand.
"On the court, you're just dirty," said Stonebarger, who sounded as though she could not wait to get there.

Valley woman advances to AVP main draw
From Staff Reports
The main draw of the AVP Glendale Open will begin today at 8 a.m. at the Westgate City Center as the AVP Crocs Tour makes its first-ever stop in Glendale.
Jen Snyder of Glendale and Janelle Ruen advanced from the qualification tournament Thursday to main-draw play and will face Keao Burdine and Nancy Mason at approximately 8 a.m. today.
On the men’s side, Rico Becker of Phoenix and Mike Bruning of Tucson advanced to Saturday’s play and will face Nick Lucena and Will Strickland at approximately 8 a.m.
This weekend, Misty May-Treanor will look for her third win of the season and the 72nd win of her career, which would tie Holly McPeak’s record for the most overall victories. May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh have won the last two events on the AVP Crocs Tour and will play in the second round of competition around 9:30 a.m.
On the men’s side, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers look to get back on top after their rare loss in the semifinals last week.
AVP Glendale Open
When: Today through Sunday
Play: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. today; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Westgate City Center, Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue in Glendale
TV: Final-round coverage on FSN Arizona
Cost: $10 for 18 and younger with valid ID; adult tickets range from $20 to $80
Tickets: At the gate, online at www.avp.com/tickets or by phone at (800) 905-3315

2007 Glendale Open Central
AVP season heats up in the Arizona desert
By AVP.com Staff Reports
Go to Glendale Open Central
Friday, May 11
Men's and Women's Opening Rounds

UPDATE 6:06 PM ET
With the second round of play in the Winner's Bracket done, the Contender's Bracket teams now get a chance to start eliminating the opposition.
Third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are one step in the direction of trying to make it to their fourth finals match of 2007, after sending No. 19 Dain Blanton and Jason Lee into the Contender's Bracket 21-18 and 21-16. They next take on sixth-seeded Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard in the third round of the Winner's Bracket.
No. 10 John Hyden and Brad Keenan continued more of their success after their first tournament together in Huntington and defeated seventh-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza in a close sweep, 21-19 and 21-18. Hyden/Keenan will have to wait until later tonight to take on Huntington's reigning champions, No. 2 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.
For the women, the remaining top seeds have steadily moved on, as seventh-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom rolled over No. 23 Jenny Kropp and Julie Romias. Second-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh copied that move, sending No. 15 Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger into the Contender's Bracket.
As Contender's Bracket matches pick up, the Winner's bracket will continue to move along into the night. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE 5:02 PM ET
Now that the weather has hit triple digits for the first time today, Sand Socks are starting to make their way onto the sand.
The women's Contender's Bracket is all but full as the second round of Winner's Bracket play winds down. No. 12 Keao Burdine and Nancy Mason sent fifth-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan into the Contender's Bracket with a 21-17, 21-18 sweep. No. 6 Jen Boss and April Ross gave themselves a chance to move on in the Winner's Bracket after defeating qualifying seed, 22nd-seeded Jenelle Koester and Claire Robertson 21-12 and 21-10.
Eighth-seeded Matt Olson -- who graduated from the University of Arizona -- and partner Jason Ring gave the locals something to cheer about when they advanced in their match against No. 9 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland (15-21, 21-19, 15-12).
Holding up the fort in Karch's absence, Wong and Watchfogel secured another slot in the Winner's Bracket when they sent fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams into the Contender's Bracket, 18-21, 21-17 and 15-10. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 3:39 PM ET
Both the men's and women's first round main draws are done and the Contender's Bracket is beginning to fill up.
Another female duo who qualified on Thursday has pulled off an upset. No. 23 Jenny Kropp and Julie Romias defeated 10th-seeded Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton 21-19, 13-21 and 17-15, sending the match to an extra game in extra points.
In the second round of the Winner's Bracket, both No. 1 Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh and eighth-seeded Carrie Dodd/Tatiana Minello momentarily held off the Lindquist sisters' and Lewis/Lima's hopes of yet another Cinderella finish. The two tandems will try their hands at the Contender's Brackets, with final elimination only one match away.
As far as the male players, fourth-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott rebounded from their 25th-place finish in Huntington Beach with a second round sweep of Koski and Minc 21-19 and 21-14. In just this one match, the pair has already ensured a better finish than last weekend.
Also moving on to the Contender's Bracket alongside Koski and Minc are Watchfogel and Wong, who fell to fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. Second round play continues to be underway, with the Contender's Bracket play on hold until later today.

UPDATE: 2:24 PM ET
First round play has almost concluded, and for many of the men, matches are going to three sets. Mix in the heat and winners could play up to three matches this afternoon.
Moving on for the men are No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers who took one of the few two-game matches, 21-14 and 21-19 over Mayer and Prosser. Upsets are again continuing Huntington's trend, and when 20th-seeded Ben Koski and Jeff Minc picked up momentum, they sent No. 13 Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt into the Contender's Bracket 16-21, 21-19 and 15-9.
On the women's side, the No. 1 seed pulled off the same feat, as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh gave the Lindquist sisters a taste of their own medicine with a 21-16, 21-13 sweep.
Qualifying team, 22nd-seeded Jenelle Koester and Claire Robertson knocked No. 11 Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua into the Contender's Bracket with a 21-18 and 21-19 sweep. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 12:32 PM ET
After half of the first round play, six teams slide on in to the Contender's Bracket to try and escape double elimination. No. 16 John Mayer -- with a new, shorter coif and sans curls thanks to the heat - and Matt Prosser continued the newfound dominance they struck in Huntington with a 21-16, 18-21 and 17-15 victory over 17th-seeded and new pair, Jose Loiola and Austin Rester. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE: 11:22 AM ET
The brackets are set and first round main draw action is underway. The top eight seeds for both the men and women will wait this round out for winners to emerge. Second round play begins around 12:30 p.m. EDT, and today will be a long one with night sessions running from 10:30 p.m. EDT to 1 a.m. EDT. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

Team Gorgeous showing its worth
Duo known for looks, has game as well
By By Jason Grey / Special to AVP.com
GLENDAE, Ariz. -- They are prepared for the inquiry before the even sit down.
Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger know that inevitably the first question from any media member will have something to do with the origins of the "Team Gorgeous" nickname.
They answer it with a certain air of boredom that confirms they have answered it many, many times, and are always quick to point out it was not their idea. (For those still unaware, one of the AVP crew gave them that moniker their first year on tour and it just kind of stuck.)
They readily admit it has its benefits. It's helped to get them sponsors such as Fiji Water and OP Apparel, and you can't help but see the giant pictures of them at the Cuervo tent at the tournament.
"It's an easy way to identify us both. It was more like joke, but it's taken on a life of its own. We try not to fight, we embrace it. What are you gonna do?" laughs Stonebarger.
"It's been a great marketing name," admits More. "We've been fortunate to have sponsors come into our lives. So I think they all really like it. They all want to target a hip, young crowd, and I hope we represent our sponsors well."
However, if you start talking about how they play the game and their results, they perk up a little bit and seemingly have a little more interest in the conversation.
Considering they finished as the youngest team ranked in the Top 10 last season, they are eager to show there is substance to go along with the style and yes, looks.
They've come a long way from the rookies who looked lost at times in 2004, finishing no higher than 17th in nine tournaments.
"We struggled a lot out first year," admits More. "We really didn't know what to expect or what we were doing and it was kind of intimidating."
So when you're trying to figure things out, who better to get advice from than the player with the most career victories?
"A few tournaments in, Holly McPeak actually helped us out a bit with some basic fundamentals," said More. "That was encouraging and gave us some confidence."
Things started to gel a bit in 2005. They got their first Top-10, and proved to be a team that you didn't want to face. They were never seeded higher than 20th, but the knocked off six teams seeded 12th or higher in 12 tourneys.
Last year, they took even more steps forward, getting their first two Top-5s and nine Top-10s overall to rank ninth in the final standings.
Not bad for two players in just their third year on tour that were still getting used to the beach game after playing together at the University of Nevada.
"It was a totally different game for us," said Stonebarger.
They have high hopes for bigger and better things in 2007, but have started a little slow out of the gate. They have finished lower in each successive tournament, with end results of 9th,13th, and 17th entering play in Arizona.
"The depth overall is a lot stronger this year," said More, "but it's a long season, so we'll see what happens. We just have to keep playing hard every week."
The problem with struggling early is it affects their seeding. They were seeded 15th in Glendale, which meant a second-round birth with second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
They won the first game in that matchup on Friday afternoon, and were up 5-4 in the third, but couldn't quite pull off the upset and went to the loser's bracket.
"It's tough, but in the next weekend you can get a good finish and be right back up there," said More.
Still, as their past results have shown, they have no fear playing the top teams.
"We've upset bigger seeds before," said More, "and actually we kind of like being the underdogs. We've done well, so it's not always bad that our seed is lower."
Their search for better results in their fourth year on the tour continues.
"Our goal is a Top-5 in each tournament we play and have a chance to play the top teams late" said Stonebarger.
Long term the team has goal to play in the Olympics in 2012, and above all, be more known for their play than their nickname.

Lucena, Strickland clicking on all cylinders
Tall twosome looking for continued success
By By Jason Grey / Special to AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz -- The influx of tall blockers that have had success in the college indoor game will continue if they show they can adapt as quickly to the beach game as Will Strickland has with his partner Nick Lucena.
Although this stop marks just their fifth tournament playing together they are already establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with, improving their finishes each time, from 13th to 7th to 5th.
"We're getting better and the more we play, the better we're getting to know each other so we're hoping for even better things," said Lucena.
Lucena went through an adjustment period last year after splitting with his partner, Phil Dalhausser. Prior to last year, Lucena had played 27 of his 30 career tourney events with Dalhausser, including winning his first event in 2005, defeating the top three seeds in the process. Lucena led the tour in kills that year.
However, Dalhausser went in a different direction for 2006, electing to partner with Todd Rogers. Considering that tandem won eight AVP tournaments and one international event and have won two of the first three events this year, he can hardly be faulted for that decision.
Meanwhile, Lucena played with four different partners last year, but still managed to finish with the same individual ranking of 13th that he did in 2005.
Even though Dalhausser had a breakout season with his new partner, and Lucena struggled to find the right chemistry with someone, there is no animosity.
"No, no hard feelings," said Lucena. "Phil made a smart move. Todd is the best side out defensive player out there and he's more experienced. That was a huge move for him. Phil's gotten twice as good as he was. He's the best big man out here right now."
Lucena says he has improved as well.
"I think I've gotten better too, having to figure some things out and getting used to a new partner," said the 27-year-old out of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The 6'9" Strickland, who played for Stanford, had never finished higher than 17th in his previous 12 tournaments entering the 2007 season, but things have been clicking with Lucena with two early Top-10 finishes. Strickland was identified by a lot of the veterans as a guy to watch closely this season and thus far he is proving to be just that.
"I feel like I have to work at it every match," said Strickland. "I'm still kind of new to this. We had some success last week but I've forgotten about it already. You're only as good as your last match. We can keep improving."
It's still early in the season, but it's already very apparent that the revolving door of Lucena's partners that occurred last season will not repeat itself in 2007.
"We weren't sure how the first couple of tournaments were going to go," said Lucena. "We knew it was going to take some time. We had some success early on and we'll take it but we're definitely not going to settle for that."
If the tandem is going to continue their streak of finishing higher in each successive tournament this season, they're going to have to do it from the loser's bracket. Seeded ninth, they took their first round match against a qualifier but dropped a tough three-game match to the number eight seeds, Matt Olson and Jason Ring, on Friday afternoon by scores of 15-21, 21-19, 15-12.
The team appeared to struggle with the brutal heat in the Valley of the Sun, and Olson and Ring may have benefited from their first-round bye.
Still, Lucena says the best is yet to come from "Stricklicious," once he's able to pursue the sport full-time. Strickland still has to worry about finishing law school first.
"He works hard, said Lucena, "and then you add law school on top of everything. Once he's done with that, he's going to be even better, and we're going to be even better."

Kiraly skips tourney to save body
Wong teams with Wachtfogel in his stead
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Throughout May and June, the AVP Crocs Tour will travel to seven consecutive cities in six different states. From the windy ocean breezes in Huntington Beach to the scorching climate in Arizona, the travel and competition can really take a toll on a player's body.
Especially one who's been around for a while. And for that reason, Karch Kiraly sensibly opted to sit out this weekend's desert tournament.
"It's a long season and we're really excited with the growth of the AVP," said Kiraly's partner Kevin Wong. "It's the most events we've been to in a while and he wants to make sure he makes it through the whole season, and the hard-packed sand isn't necessarily his favorite."
Without a partner, Wong received a call from Aaron Wachtfogel to switch things up for the weekend and because of his five-day split with Austin Rester, a ripple effect has resonated between quite a few former pairs.
"I really didn't wanna break anyone up," said Wong. "It's right in the middle of a stretch and I can't commit because I'm playing with Karchy. ... [Aaron's] got great energy, he's a young guy. He could go all day and I'm excited to play with him this weekend."
With Wachtfogel otherwise occupied, Rester teamed up with Jose Loiola who last week chose to part ways with Adam Jewell. Rester kept his No. 17 seed, and Loiola moved up two spots from his 19th seed in Huntington.
"I called Jose Loiola who I knew wasn't playing with Adam Jewell anymore, so I'm really excited to be playing with Jose; he's won like 50 tournaments," said Rester. "It's great to play with a guy with so much experience."
After his split with Loiola, Jewell joined up with Chad Turner for the 21st qualifying seed. On Friday, they won three consecutive matches to earn their rightful bid into the main draw.
Turner then, resumed to action after a one-tournament hiatus from play with former partner Jason Lee. The two went separate ways after Dallas and Lee has been working with Dain Blanton for the past two weekends, with his same No. 19 seed.
In Dallas, Blanton paired with Canyon Ceman, who is now working out with the likes of Paul Baxter in the No. 14 seed. The two started out the season together in Miami, but took a slight break apart.
It will be interesting to see what Kiraly's return will mean for this weekend's partners. Rester said that he expects to again play with Wachtfogel for next weekend's tournament in Hermosa Beach.
"It's just supposed to be one tournament," said Rester. "The funny thing is when you're in the mid-range, if you jockey your position it helps you a lot. The road to get to ninth [seed] is so much easier from the 12 seed than it is from the 14th- or 15th-seed. From a points and seeding standpoint, I understand [Wachtfogel's] move. It's just an easier way to get to a higher position."
As for other former partners, only time can tell.
Dig deep for books: As in Huntington Beach, Albert Hannemann and Dig for Kids will again be accepting book donations at their table outside of the main gate. Last weekend the organization accepted over 200 donations and will continue the book drive throughout the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
Donations will be used to build a library for students at Carson High School in Carson, Calif. Once that objective has been met, Hannemann said he plans to focus his attention on other schools across the country.
Learning curve: Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight haven't been together long but they've begun to gel as a team.
With advancement here Thursday, the pair has emerged from qualifying in two straight weeks. Robbins said that he and Wight have a long way to go and are challenged each week as a relatively undersized pair but they're gaining confidence with each tournament.
"Ninety percent is rhythm coming together," Robbins said of their recent success. "We've changed our defensive strategy a little, every minute. I've been playing AVP only a year and a half. It was nice getting a full year of practice together and hitting the weights in the offseason."
Robbins and Wight dropped both of their matches Friday and were eliminated.
Mike Scarr contributed to this report.

Lambert, Metzger fighting again
Last week's champs lose early in Glendale
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Desert temperatures and the competitive level stayed high on Friday, when many new partnerships moved on to the next round and avoided second-round double-elimination.
Securing one of the earliest wins of the day from the Contender's Bracket, No. 16 John Mayer and Matt Prosser sent home 18th-seeded Brent Doble and Ty Loomis, 21-13 and 21-16. Despite an early loss to powerhouse and top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers (21-14 and 21-19), Mayer and Prosser were able to bounce back and get back to winning matches.
"I think I'm the smallest guy out here, so I gotta have a big guy," Mayer said of his new partner. "I'd like to keep playing with him. I think it's tough being a little guy, there's not a lot of big guys, but once you get one, you gotta just battle with the guy you got."
Against Dalhausser/Rogers, the lower-seeded pair put together an impressive second game. While an early run secured the first set for Dalhausser and Rogers, Mayer and Prosser tried to emulate that move.
Mayer and Prosser maintained the lead, until Dalhausser tied the score at 7-7 with a major block. They managed to keep ahead for the rest of the match, but Mayer and Prosser were right on their heels. With the score at 9-8 in favor of the No. 1 tandem, Mayer and Prosser kept within one or two points for the rest of the match before succumbing.
Another new, albeit temporary partnership, No. 12 Aaron Wachtfogel and Kevin Wong, also found early success this weekend. Wong still held up on his own even without Karch Kiraly behind him.
During the second round of the Winner's Bracket, Wachtfogel and Wong pulled off one of the few upsets on the day, when they sent fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams to the Contender's Bracket after an 18-21, 21-17 and 15-10 decision.
Watching on the sidelines of that match were Wong's brother Scott and Wachtfogel's regular partner Austin Rester.
"It's funny to watch him [play with someone else], just to see the things he does," said Rester. "It helps me; when we play together I'm blocking so I can't see what he's doing behind me. So I can watch here what he does behind me and appreciate what he does, and see what I can do better as a blocker when he runs defense. So I'm just kind of watching and supporting, too."
In their third match of the day, Wachtfogel and Wong continued their tear and cruised through yet another victorious match, defeating fourth-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. If the pair loses two straight matches, the worst they could finish is in fifth place.
In the Contender's Bracket, Rester and Jose Loiola continued on as projected with the 17th seed. They walk home from Arizona with a 17th-place finish, after falling, 21-15, 21-14, to No. 15 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge.
"For me, it's kind of more or less a free tournament, because I'm replacing a 17th [seed] which is kind of a free roll for me," said Rester.
Joining Rester and Loiola with a 17th-place finish are No. 19 Dain Blanton/Jason Lee and No. 14 Paul Baxter/Canyon Ceman.
Also moving into the Contender's Bracket and waiting to resume play on Saturday are third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, who were on the wrong end of a 21-19, 21-18 loss to No. 6 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard.
In Huntington, No. 1 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger showed that they could lose their first match of the weekend and still win the tournament outright. They will have to win everything from here on out to do so again, as 10th-seeded John Hyden and Brad Keenan dropped the pair into the Contender's Bracket, 21-19, 21-18.
The Wildcat's meow: University of Arizona alumnus Matt Olson and partner Jason Ring teamed up for the No. 8 seed in the state of Olson's alma mater and defeated an evenly-matched team in ninth-ranked Nick Lucena and Will Strickland (21-14, 21-13).
During the second round of Winner's Bracket play, Olson and Ring came close to pushing a third game against Dalhausser and Rogers, but were swept into the Contender's Bracket after a score of 21-16 and 21-17. They will now try to work their way back into the Final Four with one loss under their belts this weekend.
"I like being the underdog, for sure," said Olson. "It feels better kind of going into it expecting to lose, if you will, because we play looser and my partner and I we kind of play loose when we're in the zone and we can compete against anybody."
"There's so many upsets out here right now it's anybody's game and so I think everybody's really getting that feeling and we definitely feel that we can do it too," he said optimistically heading into Saturday play. Contender's Bracket action will kick off the day at 1 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

McPeak witnessed volleyball's climb
Norm Frauenheim
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 12:00 AM
When she was 10 years old, she would sit in the sand near her home at Manhattan Beach, Calif., and watch a game that would take her to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, countless other beaches and a few locales with lots of sand but no surf.
Holly McPeak is in Arizona today and Sunday.
McPeak's game has grown. It is big enough to bring the beach to the desert. That is no mirage at Westgate City Center in Glendale. Guys in board shorts and women in bikinis are lined up like surfers waiting for the next set. Only waves of heat are on this horizon. But the Sanderson Ford Glendale Open is just the latest stop in beach volleyball's endless summer. advertisement
"Here, I am at age 37, still in love with the sport I fell in love with at age 10," said McPeak, who will turn 38 on Tuesday.
McPeak, an Olympic bronze medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, has watched beach volleyball struggle and then re-create itself with a marketing approach to a diverse audience looking for good time and - in Arizona, at least - fantasizing about a swim in the ocean on a hot day.
Five years ago, McPeak's husband, Leonard Armato, began to rebuild the circuit, the AVP Crocs Tour.
"It was insolvent," said Armato, a sports agent whose roster of clients has included former Suns guard Kevin Johnson and all-time NBA leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The sport was headed for a wipeout because the athletes tried to run the game both on the court and in the board room, according to McPeak, who has earned nearly $1.47 million over her long career.
"But the business side is a full-time job," said McPeak, whose record of 72 pro victories could be tied this week by Misty May-Treanor. "So is competing."
In beach volleyball, Armato said he saw an opportunity to create an event that could attract crowds with various interests.
There are fans with an interest in the competition on the court. There are families with children who are attracted to the interactive booths that surround the main court. There is the party-hearty crowd.
"We've been steadily building since about 2002," said Armato, who as the AVP commissioner has watched the circuit grow from eight events to 18 this year.
"In every market that we have a foothold, we'd like to turn this into a festival-like event," he said.
The AVP also has aligned itself with USA Volleyball of the U.S. Olympic Committee. The pro tour this season and next are qualifiers for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
McPeak, who also competed at the 1996 Atlanta Games and in 2000 at Sydney, is working toward one more shot at Olympic gold.
"The Olympics, because they are so official, are little more sterile than what you see here," McPeak said as a milling crowd in search of a party began to gather during Friday's qualifying rounds. "But you do get the sport, and the sport is awesome."
Beach volleyball became one of the hottest tickets at the 2004 Olympics, Armato said, in part because Athens organizers adopted some of the AVP's bells, whistles, rock and roll.
It is hard to predict how the sport will play in China, although McPeak is confident it will be a hit.
"The Chinese have phenomenal teams, and they are gearing up for the Olympics," said McPeak, who said China quickly is learning a game she has known for almost three decades.

Sponsors seek a spike in business
Scott Wong
The Arizona Republic
May. 12, 2007 12:00 AM
At this weekend's pro beach volleyball tournament in Glendale, it will be hard to distract fans from the main attraction: more than 100 sun-drenched and chiseled athletes clad in bikinis and board shorts.
Still, corporate sponsors of the event will be trying their best.
At a cluster of interactive sponsor booths at Westgate City Center, visitors can munch on Nature's Valley granola bar samples, slap on some free Banana Boat sunscreen and test out a pair of Crocs shoes. Inside the AVP gates, ticketed fans can try their hand at the latest video game at the Xbox Gaming Oasis or guess how fast they can spike a ball at the Wilson Speed Zone. And those over 21 can sip alcoholic libations in the Jose Cuervo Cabana, where the tequila-maker will be searching for the "Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy."
Volleyball is at the core of the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light, which continues today and runs through Sunday. But as its name suggests, the event is also about teaming up with food and consumer goods, clothing, auto and media companies (including The Arizona Republic, an event sponsor) to help peddle their products.
It's widely accepted that corporate sponsorship and professional sports go hand in hand. Major League Soccer decided to allow players to wear logos on their jerseys this season. And for years, NASCAR fans have been entranced by ad-wrapped racecars circling the track, blurring the line between entertainment and marketing.
Part of the reason the AVP Crocs Tour is partnering with so many sponsors is that the tournament is still relatively unknown, despite tremendous growth in recent years among its fan base. And changing venues this year, from Tempe Town Lake to a parking lot outside the new Glendale complex, has created even greater marketing challenges.
"It's up to our partners to get the word out," said Leonard Armato, CEO and commissioner of the tour, who plans to attend the Glendale event. "If the message gets out and people want to take a ride out and experience it, they won't be disappointed."
To cater to its sponsors, the AVP has built canopied corporate suites above bleachers in the event's 5,000-seat stadium. Similar to suites at Chase Field or Jobing.com Arena, the makeshift AVP suites allow employees, executives and their clients to enjoy the action - and possibly conduct business - in a comfortable setting.
"You wouldn't believe how much business gets done and transacted in these type of environments," said Dave Groff, president of Westgate Live, the development's marketing and entertainment division.
David Kimmerle, president of title sponsor Sanderson Ford, said the Glendale car dealership signed on with the AVP to appeal to younger, more environmentally conscious consumers. In addition to heavy-duty pickup trucks, Ford is pushing new hybrids, sedans and off-road Tomcar vehicles.
"The AVP hits the demographic we're trying to reach," said Kimmerle, whose daughters grew up playing volleyball. "Bringing it to Glendale, to the west side, will give us a presence and demographic we're looking for and will set the tone for future events in the West Valley."

Glendale Open: Saturday preview
Minc and Koski look to continue unlikely run
By By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- With two days of play in the books, eight men's and eight women's squads have been sent home with a 17th-place finish.
Although not as numerous as in Huntington Beach, qualifying seeds still remain alive in play heading into Saturday.

Qualified success
While four men's qualifying seeds were still left after the first series of eliminations in Huntington, only Ben Koski and Jeff Minc remain. After playing seven matches in Huntington Beach, Koski and Minc endured three qualifying matches in the desert heat in Glendale on Thursday, as well as three matches Friday to move within one victory of tying their career best (9th).
As for the women, the natural progression of this weekend's matches left four qualifying seeds facing off. Two emerged victorious and will progress in search of a higher finish in the Contender's Bracket. No. 23 Jenny Kropp and Julie Romias will face off against 17th-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar at 1 p.m. EDT, while the other qualifier left, No. 22 Jenelle Koester and Claire Robertson will see 20th-seeded Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe in the first half of contending play.

Still contending
No. 8 Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello; 12th-seeded Nancy Mason and Keao Burdine; No. 6 Jen Boss and April Ross; and second-seeded Logan Tom and Elaine Youngs were among the women's teams that lost Friday to move into the Contender's Bracket.
Among the men, No. 4 Sean Scott/Matt Fuerbringer, No. 8 Matt Olson/Jason Ring, No. 3 Sean Rosenthal/Jake Gibb and No. 2 Mike Lambert/Stein Metzger lost their final matches Friday to fall into the Contender's Bracket.

Surprises
Kevin Wong is without regular partner Karch Kiraly this weekend and paired with Aaron Wachtfogel. They scored three victories Friday, including a second-round win over No. 5 Mark Williams and Casey Jennings to advance to Saturday. All three of their victories came in three-game matches which all lasted over an hour.

Shocking exits
In weekends past, ninth-seeded Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima, alongside No. 16 Katie and Tracy Lindquist have been able to disregard their ranking and place in the top 10 at the end of play.
However, both squads were not so lucky as they fell in two consecutive matches to earn a 17th-place finish in the 2007 Sanderson Ford Glendale Open presented by Bud Light.

Lonely at the top?
Closing out play on Saturday night will be the No. 1 seeds and their opponents. Beginning around 11:30 p.m. EDT, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will take on fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana.
Around one hour later, the men will play the final match of the night. Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will face the red-hot combination of 12th-ranked Aaron Wachtfogel and Kevin Wong shortly after midnight EDT.
The winner of the final match of the day for both genders will have to wait around until the semifinals on Sunday to return to action.
Should May-Treanor and Walsh advance to the finals and take their third title of 2007, May-Treanor will successfully tie Holly McPeak's all-time record of 72 beach titles.

All about the timing
Play on Saturday begins at 1 p.m. EDT until 8 p.m. EDT, with a two-and-a-half hour break until the final night session to close out the Winner's Bracket from 10:30 p.m. EDT to 1 a.m. EDT.
Mike Scarr contributed to this report.

Injured vet back on track
New partners impress in Glendale Friday
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nancy Mason looked six weeks into the future and put a big fat "X" on it.
With impending surgery in March to remove a disk from her lower back and her doctor giving a six-week prognosis as the earliest possible return to action, Mason shoved her disappointment aside and resolved to be ready for Glendale.
That positive frame of mind proved to be a powerful healer, as she teamed with new partner Keao Burdine and played well enough Friday to advance to the weekend.
"It's good to be back. I was a little nervous and cautious," Mason said. "I had no idea how I was going to do."
Mason and Burdine lost their final match Friday afternoon, 12-21, 21-15, 9-15, to Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, but with a pair of wins earlier in the day, including a victory over the No. 5 seed of Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, Mason and her partner are still alive in the tournament. They also learned that just returning isn't enough.
"I felt that was a match that we could have won, but we have to be a little bit pleased for our first time on the court, our first time running up and blocking and the first time for me coming off the injury," Mason said. "But we're frustrated because we thought that was a match we could have won."
Joining DeNecochea and Fontana with tickets out of the winner's bracket were Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, and Holly McPeak and Logan Tom.
For Mason, the journey from a numb right foot to the 100-plus temperatures here has been one long, strange trip.
She had been a part of a tandem with April Ross, one she had trained hard for during the offseason. While minor back problems have been a part of her life for the last couple of years, nothing prepared her for the sensation she felt due to a fragmented disk that blocked the nerve root in her right leg.
When the doctor said she needed surgery instead of a cortisone injection to get her through the season, Mason said she cried but then quickly asked the simple question: When can I get back?
Six weeks was a conservative estimate but Mason took it as gospel. She informed Ross that she needed surgery and understood when Ross looked for a new partner and hooked up with Jennifer Boss, who, ironically, was to play with Burdine.
Playing indoor volleyball in Puerto Rico kept Burdine out of the country until just after the season opener in Miami and she and Mason did not practice for the first time until the following tournament in Dallas. Since that time, it has been easy hitting for Mason until this week, when they had one day of full practice.
Recovery is still a part of the process for the 36-year-old. Ice, painkillers and stretching is just a normal, post-match routine, but the healing has begun.
"Our first round this morning was tentative, and that is kind of how I played, but then I got a little more competitive," Mason said. "I'm not by any means at the top of my game, but it feels pretty good."
Mason and Burdine will await the winner of the match between Lauren Fendrick/Brittany Hochevar and Jenny Kropp/Julie Romias.
It was yeoman duty for May-Treanor and Walsh on Friday, as they proceeded easily through both of their matches. They dispatched Katie and Tracy Lindquist from the winner's bracket with a 21-16, 21-13 victory. May-Treanor and Walsh then faced Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello and scored a 21-17, 21-15 victory.
"We played two very good teams and we played very well against them. They served us well and passed very well," Walsh said. "We just need to keep working on our setting and getting the ball up there. We have been a bit too tentative on our sets but we're passing great."
May-Treanor and Walsh will face DeNecochea and Fontana on Saturday night.
Wacholder and Turner took out April Ross and Jennifer Boss, 23-21, 22-20, under the lights Friday to advance to the quarterfinals. In their afternoon match Friday, Wacholder and Turner downed Mimi Amaral and Jaimie Lee, 21-17, 21-18.
"We match up against this team really well. We really like playing physical teams and Boss and Ross are both physical," Turner said. "But you never know. You never know what a team is going to bring, because you play each other so frequently. I think we played steady."
In the final match of the day, McPeak and Tom scored a 22-20, 13-21, 15-12 victory over Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh to move on. McPeak and Tom had eased out of their first match of the day with a 21-18, 21-17 over Kropp and Romias.
McPeak and Tom play Wacholder and Turner on Saturday.
The two qualifiers to advance to Saturday were Kropp and Romias, and Jenelle Koester and Claire Robertson. Kropp and Romias first upset Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton (10) before losing to McPeak and Tom. They followed that with a win over Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder.
Koester and Robertson upset No. 11 Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua and lost to Ross/Boss before eliminating Jill Changaris and Sara Dukes.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Tournament Capsule: Friday
Who's in, who's almost out at Glendale?
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh kept their streak in the desert alive.
Not only is May-Treanor looking to tie Holly McPeak with 72 overall victories, tops among women, but she and Walsh are gunning to make it five straight titles in Arizona.
Joining May-Treanor and Walsh in the women's winner's bracket Friday were Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, and McPeak and Logan Tom.
May-Treanor/Walsh will play DeNecochea/Fontana while Wacholder/Turner will face McPeak/Tom on Saturday.
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, who would like to make it three titles out of the first four this season, advanced in the men 's winner's bracket Friday. Also moving on were Aaron Wachtfogel and Kevin Wong, Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard and John Hyden and Brad Keenan
Rogers/Dalhausser will face Wachtfogel/Wong while Holdren/Nygaard will play Hyden/Keenan on Saturday.
Women's teams moving to the contender's bracket were Carrie Dodd/Tatiana Minello, Nancy Mason/Keao Burdine, April Ross/Jennifer Boss and Elaine Youngs/Nicole Branagh.
Also alive in the contender's bracket are Lauren Fendrick/Brittany Hochevar, Jenny Kropp/Julie Romias, Jonelle Koester/Claire Robertson, Ashley Ivy/Heather Lowe, Angie Akers/Brooke Hanson, Annett Davis/Jenny Johnson Jordan, Jenny Pavley/Sarah Straton and Alicia Polzin/Paula Roca.
Men's teams dropping into the contender's bracket were Scott Fuerbringer/Sean Scott, Matt Olson/Kevin Ring, Sean Rosenthal/Jake Gibb and Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert.
Teams still alive are Albert Hannemann/Ed Ratledge, Anthony Medel/Fred Souza, Hans Stolfus/Scott Wong, Ryan Mariano/Larry Witt, Ben Koski/Jeff Minc, Casey Jennings/Mark Williams, Nick Lucena/Will Strickland and John Mayer and Matt Prosser.

2007 Glendale Open Central
AVP season heats up in the Arizona desert
By AVP.com Staff Reports
Go to Glendale Open Central
Saturday, May 12

Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
UPDATE 6:50 PM ET
Besides center court, only two other courts are in use as matches start to occur less frequently in preparation for tonight's night session.
Setting themselves up for an early morning match on Sunday, No. 8 Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello started off slow, but defeated 17th-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar to give them a seventh-place finish (24-26, 21-12 and 15-9).
After winning both of their third-round matches, No. 2 Elaine Youngs/Nicole Branagh and sixth-seeded April Ross/Jen Boss are currently in action on Court 3. Boss and Ross have the upper hand, because they have only played two sets today, whereas Youngs and Branagh are coming off a taxing three-game win over No. 5 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
But their fatigue is nothing compared to that of No. 7 Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, who exerted everything they had in an earlier match against fourth-ranked Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. They went home with a seventh-place finish when they lost 21-17 and 24-22 to eighth-seeded Jason Ring and Matt Olson.
Now the other big match to track is the battle between last weekend's final teams, No. 2 Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert and third-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. Should Gibb and Rosie lose, it will be the first time they miss out on a final in 2007. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE 4:54 PM ET
The Contender's Bracket continues to whittle down with the first half of Round 3 finished and the second half underway. The biggest stories for the men are Medel and Souza moving on after upsetting No. 4 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott -- giving them a ninth-place finish. And U of A alumnus, Matt Olson, continues his quest to capture a title in the state of his alma mater after he and Jason Ring defeated 11th-seeded Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong 16-21, 21-15 and 15-13. Both men's matches went three games in this 100 degree weather.
The women are continuing to knock off lower seeds, except for 17th-seeded Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar, who sent home No. 12 Keao Burdine and Nancy Mason. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE 3:37 PM ET
Second round contender's play has now ended and teams are starting to play in the third round for a ninth-place finish, or better.
No. 20 and qualifying seed Ben Koski and Jeff Minc gave fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams a scare when they pushed the match to three games. Jennings and Williams came out on top 21-16, 25-22 and 15-12. Ninth-seeded Nick Lucena and Will Strickland sent No. 16 John Mayer and Matt Prosser home with a 13th-place finish after three sets, 17-21, 23-21 and 15-13.
Their female counterparts also reflected the lack of upsets. Fifth-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan easily overcame No. 13 Brooke Hanson and Angie Akers 21-17 and 21-13, while 18th-seeded Alicia Plozin and Paula Roca fell to No. 10 Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton for a 13th-place finish (21-19 and 23-21). (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE 2:38 PM ET
With the first half of the second round complete in the Contender's Bracket, four teams go home with a 13th-place finish.
Seventh-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza ensured themselves a match up with No. 4 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott after sending home No. 15 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge 21-13 and 21-18. Scott Wong followed the success his brother Kevin has been finding from the Winner's Bracket, when he and No. 11 partner Hans Stolfus sealed 13th-seeded Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt's 13th-place finish.
For the women, both higher seeds move on as No. 17 Lauren Fendrick/Brittany Hochevar and 20th-seeded Ashley Ivy/Heather Lowe gave two qualifying seeds a 13th-place finish. The 13th-place finish is the best for both of No. 23 Jenny Kropp and Julie Romias -- tying Romias's best finish from the 2004 season and is the highest No. 22 Claire Robertson has placed on the beach. Her partner, Jenelle Koester has finished as high as seventh. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

UPDATE 1:02 PM ET
After Friday's night sessions, teams are awake and ready to go for a second day of competition. Half of the contenders still left kick off play right now, with the other half starting up in about an hour.
Winner's Bracket action will not begin until today's night sessions from 10:30 p.m. EDT to 1 a.m. EDT. (Monique Moyal / AVP.com)

A Mother's Day on tour
Athletes balance playing with being a mother
By Michael Schwartz / Special to AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Being a mother is tough enough.
For the volleyball players on the AVP Tour it becomes even more difficult when balancing the commitment of traveling the country four days every week with making time for their children.
"You have to change things around for our kids, try to make it home for them," said Annett Davis, a mother of two. "This morning I got woken up by a 7:30 phone call from my son, but it's also a good thing. After a game's over, let's say we lost, they run up to you and it just makes all the difference in the world to know that that's what it's for."
Davis and her partner Jenny Johnson Jordan are two of a group of mothers on tour spending their Mother's Day at the tour stop in Glendale instead of at home with the kids, although Johnson Jordan has her children on the road with her on this trip.
The duo, which has the longest standing partnership on the tour, also planned the birth of their children around the same time, in 2001 and 2005, both of which came after Olympic years.
"It was actually a good thing because I hadn't had a break since seventh grade," Davis, 33, said of the birth of her first child, Mya. "The two years I did take off were definitely needed, a break for my body and mind, and to come back fresh was very good."
When Davis and Johnson Jordan returned, they enjoyed the most successful season of their careers, winning two first places, two second places and three third places, with a Special Achievement Award capping the banner year.
Johnson Jordan said this also worked out because their children are the same age and often play together.
She's able to balance volleyball with being a mother by getting outside help, and she often brings her kids along for tournaments close to her California home. She also said she's less "tightly wound" than she used to be before children.
"I have a lot better perspective now about how volleyball fits in my life," Jordan Johnson said. "I do the best that I can, but having their support I know there's a lot more going on in my life."
For Mother's Day Davis said her children have a surprise for her when she gets home. Jordan Johnson said she had hoped to be playing, but after a 25-27, 21-14, 15-10 loss to Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs Saturday afternoon, she will be spending the day with her children away from volleyball.
For Sarah Straton, being a mother on tour is made easier by the fact that her husband Greg Noyes works as an AVP cameraman and thus her daughter Alexandria and son Zachary always travel along with them.
"It's easier because I don't have to be away from my family, but I have a family to deal with out on the road," Straton said. "I love having my kids around. It would be tough to be gone four days a week. I don't know if I could do it."
Straton's children have a babysitter at every tournament. Sometimes they play with the children of other players on tour if they come along, and yesterday, when Noyes had the day off, they spent the day with him back at the hotel pool.
Straton said it's a big difference to have children to take account for while on the road at volleyball tournaments.
"It's not all about you anymore," she said. "That's the bottom line. You have someone else to consider all the time. You have to schedule your practices and your massages and your workouts, you have to organize babysitting. That comes first. Then you fit it in. You're basically fitting in your volleyball around your parenting instead of the other way around."
Her children like to watch their mother play, Straton said, with her 4-year-old Alexandria imitating everything she does. She also serves as Straton's fashion adviser, not letting her mismatch different tops and bottoms.
Straton said she's not sure she would want to travel with her daughter if she ever became a professional, but she would not mind if her daughter followed in her athletic footsteps.
"I like the sport, so if I had to watch her play something, it might as well be a sport that I like," she said.
For Mother's Day, Noyes said he bought Straton cooking lessons that she has always wanted and a flower pot to be given by Alexandria. He expects Straton to spend the day by the pool with her kids while he works the final day of the tournament.
"I was hoping to be playing on Mother's Day, but now obviously not," Straton said after teaming with Jenny Pavley to lose to Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 21-13, 21-18. "I guess I'll be hanging out with my kids, which is what you're supposed to be doing."

Notes: Minc and Koski roll on
Qualifiers finish 13th for second straight event
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jeff Minc and Ben Koski like the roll they're on and hope it will make them one of the regulars.
Two straight trips out of the qualifying round have resulted in a pair of 13th-place finishes the last two weeks and a groove is forming for the long-time pair from Santa Barbara. Confidence builders this week have included strong showings against some good teams.
Koski and Minc defeated the 13-seeded team of Ryan Mariano and Larry Witt. They dropped a match to Sean Scott and Matt Fuerbringer to fall into the contender's bracket but came back to drop the 14th seed, Paul Baxter and Canyon Ceman, from the tournament.
Koski and Minc ran up against Mark Williams and Casey Jennings late Saturday morning and extended the No. 5 seed to three games, before dropping the match, 16-21, 27-25, 12-15. Minc saw it as a missed opportunity.
"We had the chances there and we didn't convert on a few points," Minc said. "(Williams) came up in the end. We kind of blew it; we had it and kind of blew it."
Koski agreed and both players felt they came into the match with the strategy necessary to win but acknowledged the pressure builds as the draw narrows.
"Even though we lost to that team, that is a really good team, a top 10. We played pretty well, at times, I thought," Koski said. "We need some more tweaks and some more work but I feel good about the tournament. Every tournament is different, you have to come in and battle for every single point. You can't let up because everyone is so good out here."
Koski and Minc, who both went to Santa Barbara High School and then followed each other's steps to UCSB, have been together for a dozen years. They came within one match of qualifying in Miami and didn't play in Dallas. With their recent finishes at Huntington and Glendale, they've added money to their bank accounts and raised their stock and the attention of players on the tour.
"They're a good team; you know I really don't consider them a qualifying team. I think when the draw was bigger, with 32 teams, they're in the main draw," Williams said. "But they're definitely a forceful, strong young team. And I think they're a good team, night and day. They could do some damage."
Studying abroad: Towards the end of the 2006 season, seventh-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza really started peaking together. In July and August of that year, the two notched a few ninth, seventh and fifth-place finishes.
Their most recent fifth-place finish in Huntington Beach last weekend ties the duo's highest placing together. And to Medel, things are just starting to get rolling in the 2007 season -- he even believes that better things are waiting down the road this year.
"I feel like we've been steadily improving; Fred and I didn't get a lot of chances to practice in the off-season," said Medel. "He lives in Brazil and plays on their tour in the offseason and I did go down there for a couple of weeks. So, we got about two weeks of training in Brazil and Rio [de Janeiro]."
Medel said that he enjoyed his time in South America so much that it's already in his plans for next year's off-season training sessions.
A major ingredient to their success was pacing themselves on "vacation" even if most of their time was spent apart.
"We tried not to get sucked into just playing volleyball all the time and we definitely wanted to see some sites," said Medel. "I saw the statue of Christ, Corcovado and we did some sightseeing with some of the Brazilians. I've never been to South America and Brazil was just an incredible experience. Anyone who's been down there knows what I'm talking about."
With the duo's fifth-place finish in Huntington and a seventh here that featured a 21-17, 16-21, 24-22 marathon over No. 4 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, maybe Medel and Souza should spend more than just two weeks training in Brazil in future years.
Tough sledding: Only two teams have been in every final so far this season: Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb on the men's side, and Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh for the women.
Both teams are still alive and fought their way through the contender's bracket to Sunday morning matches.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Monique Moyal contributed to this report.

Medel, Souza top Fuerbringer, Scott
Underdogs outlast No. 4 seed in three sets
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Little did Anthony Medel know that when he came out and did a back flip before his match against No. 15 Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, the gymnastics would continue into the third round of the Contender's Bracket.
He and partner Fred Souza endured a marathon of a match against fourth-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott and came out on top in three 20-plus point sets.
"I think we're improving and I feel like we're definitely a couple of clicks away from something really exciting happening," said Medel. "I feel like the first two tournaments we were just kind of finding our rhythm again, and in Huntington we definitely hit our stride and we were playing really well."
In what easily could have been the longest match of the 2007 Glendale Open, Medel and Souza sent home Fuerbringer and Scott, 21-13, 16-21, 24-22.
While they trailed much of the third game by no less than two points, Medel and Souza knotted up the score at 14-14. Both teams switched between ties and match points, but, when Souza extravagantly scissor-kicked the volleyball over the net, the two had already scored the final match point when a net violation stopped play as soon as the ball hit his foot.
But much of the match was determined by the crowd's energy and the players' communication. During the first set, Medel went up for a kill and celebrated by pumping his arms to get the crowd fired up.
"Our thing is we just try and stay aggressive and real positive," said Medel. "We don't play well when we don't communicate and we get soft and start shooting a bunch, we're a team that has to stay aggressive, defensively and offensively, and that's when things start happening and that's when we start scoring points."
In the second game, with a score of 15-12 in favor of Fuerbringer/Scott after one of Fuerby's kills, Fuerbringer returned Medel's antics by motioning to the crowd to get on their feet. Medel's response, however, was an in-your-face kill to briefly silence the crowd.
Fittingly, after Medel and Souza clinched the match, they again paid their respects to the crowd with a well-deserved victory lap around the court.
However, the drawn-out match underneath a burning 102 degree sun eventually took its toll on the pair's surreal run to the top. Medel and Souza walk home from Arizona with a seventh-place finish, after falling, 21-17, 24-22, to No. 8 Matt Olson and Jason Ring.
"You have hiccups here and there, but the thing is, we love playing with each other," said Medel. "We love the energy we have and we just try and stay positive and excited, and that's our game plan."
Other notable play beyond center court included No. 2 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger's early showing in the Contender's Bracket.
Fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, after barely holding off 20th qualifying seed Ben Koski and Jeff Minc, fell in two close games, 21-18, 21-17, to the second-seeded pair.
When asked his thoughts on Koski and Minc, Williams replied, "They really did [give us a scare]. The first time we kind of won pretty easily. Second game, I think they won and we had one play that actually netted and [Jennings] hit the ball out for the match, and they made some good plays and had some good blocking moves, They're definitely a young, good team."
Lambert and Metzger's perfection fell short there, as they were sent home in two tight games with No. 3 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. Although the stakes weren't as high as last weekend's final, Gibb and Rosenthal gladly delivered the sweep this time around, 21-18, 26-24.
"We both lost early so we were set to meet each other before we should have," said Rosenthal. "That's a good team and it's nice to get a win no matter when it is."
If they can continue winning, Gibb and Rosenthal will be the only team of 2007 to appear in every finals match.
Most of the day's anticipation led up to the Winner's Bracket matches featured in the night sessions, which first began with a match up between sixth-seeded Dax Holdren/Jeff Nygaard and No. 10 John Hyden/Brad Keenan.

AVP an Idol fascination
Jordin Sparks steals the show at Glendale parade
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — As Jordin Sparks was getting her 15 minutes, the AVP decided it was a good time to join the parade.
The AVP joined in both literally and figuratively as the town here toasted its local heroine with a rally and celebration at the Westgate Town Center on Friday afternoon.
Sparks, who is making a deep run on American Idol, was feted by an assembly of local celebrities that also generate some international star power.
A crowd estimated at 5,000 braved the triple-digit temperatures as NHL icon Wayne Gretzky, Cardinals quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, as well as two of volleyball's brightest stars, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, were part of the A list.
"That's a phenomenon, American Idol, so it was fun to be there," Walsh said. "It was fun to see her in person because she is really cute on TV."
The 17-year-old native of Glendale, who attended Sandra Day O'Conner High School before being home-schooled and getting serious about a music career, has made it to the semifinals on the latest installment of Idol.
She can make it to the final showdown with a recording contract hanging in the balance if she makes it through the next round of voting.
On Tuesday's Idol episode, Sparks sang the Bee Gees' tune "To Love Somebody" as part of the disco-themed show. To wow Friday's crowd at the Westgate Center, Sparks regaled her fans with three tunes: "Give Me One Reason," "Heartbreaker" and "I Who Have Nothing."
Walsh has seen a few episodes of the program, now in its sixth season, but admits she finds the repartee generated by judge Simon Cowell as the greatest attraction. Still, it was a charge to see one of the contestants up close in front of a very loud and enthusiastic crowd.
Sparks was the first to sing the National Anthem at the new Cardinals facility and later won Arizona Idol which placed her in Seattle for regional competition on American Idol.
"We just went up there and gave her a signed ball and wished her luck and she was really cute," Walsh said.
The city of Glendale and the AVP were both out to spread a message Friday: Glendale wanted to acquaint the region to a growing locale that is the home of the Arizona Cardinals, the recently opened University of Phoenix Stadium, but also the Phoenix Coyotes and the new business and commercial park that is Westgate Center.
After spending the last four years in Tempe as their Arizona stop, the AVP moved west for the initial Glendale Open and Friday was an opportunity to attract some new fans and get them to venture over to the temporary volleyball facility that flanked the rally.
"We invited Jordin to come out and the whole crowd to come out," Walsh said.
An Olympic gold Medal and 68 titles overall to her credit qualifies Walsh as a star in her own right but being in the company of The Great One was an honor.
"He was huge. Everyone was screaming 'Jordin' but I was excited to meet Wayne," Walsh said. "He's the Jordin of his sport. Whenever you can meet one of the greatest of all time, it is really fun."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Boss and Ross catching on
USC duo represents the future of beach volleyball
By Mike Schwartz / Special to AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- When April Ross went on her recruiting trip to USC, then-senior Jennifer Boss was there to show the future four-time All-American and two-time national champion around.
Although the duo never played together in college, the former Trojans reunited on the AVP Tour when Ross' partner got hurt and Boss' was playing indoor volleyball.
After making it to the finals at the season's first AVP event in Miami and taking third at Huntington Beach, the Boss-Ross team decided to stick together.
"We play really well together," Ross said. "We think the future of the sport is two big players with ball control, and I feel like, if you get a second and a third (place finish), that's a good indicator that you're a good team staying together."
With a pair of seventh places as well, one of which the team received at this weekend's Glendale Open, Boss and Ross plan to stay together for good, which they hope leads to a run at the 2008 Olympics. Ross (6-foot-1) and Boss (6-foot) feel that much of their success is related to their height, as Boss said having a pair of tall players is the trend in international competition.
"We're both good at ball control, so passing and setting we can do, and being tall and strong we can hit the ball or shoot the ball," Ross said. "If you're a shorter player, it's hard to have that variety on your offense, so our strategy is side out every single time, and then serve tough. We both have good serves and grab a lot of points."
Said coach Eduardo Arjinho: "Their games really complement each other. They're going to be great."
In Glendale, the No. 6-seeded Ross and Boss lost to No. 2-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 17-21, 22-20, 15-9, the same duo that beat them in the championship match at the Miami Open. Ross and Boss needed just one point for victory, up 20-19 in the second set but failed to put the match away, leaving them with the seventh-place finish.
"We handed them that second game," Boss said. "We need to finish that game out. There's no reason we should be going to three sets with them. We just need to cut our errors down."
Boss and Ross did beat Jenny Pavley and Sarah Straton earlier in the day, 21-13, 21-18.
Arjinho said the team now needs to work on setting better as it looks to improve on this seventh-place finish. Just four weekends into their partnership, Ross and Boss are still in the stages of feeling each other out.
"We're getting to know each other better," Boss said. "Our defense has gotten a lot better and our blocking. We're getting better every time and learning a lot."
Ross and Boss already have the physical tools for success and are quickly getting acclimated to each other's game. Their rhyming last names also seem to be catching on with fans, some of whom lined up after their last match for autographs and pictures.
"Fans seem to like it, they like to say it," Ross said. "I think it's catchy, so we like it."
And then there's always the Trojans pedigree.
"Of course it's better than if she went to UCLA, so we think it's great," Boss said. "We have that common bond."

Beach legend McPeak falls in heat
Norm Frauenheim
The Arizona Republic
May. 13, 2007 12:00 AM
A volleyball court of sand on top of a parking lot in 105-degree temperatures was no sweat Saturday.
At least it wasn't for Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, who advanced to today's semifinals of the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open at Westgate City Center by defeating beach legend Holly McPeak and her partner, Logan Tom, with cool efficiency, 21-13 and 22-20.
"It would have been easy to get frustrated," said Wacholder, the tour's third-ranked woman last season.
Wacholder, of Redondo Beach, Calif., and Turner withstood a stubborn rally from the determined McPeak and Tom to win Saturday's match in two games.
McPeak, a 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, is battling to protect her pro beach volleyball record of 72 victories from Misty May-Treanor, who is one victory from tying the mark.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Olympic gold medalists in the 2004 Athens Games, played Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana in a Saturday night session that included two men's matches for spots in today's semifinals
The titles in the $200,000 Glendale Open will be decided today under an afternoon sun, with the women scheduled to go at 2:30 p.m. and the men at 4 p.m.
McPeak, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., has a chance at a 73rd title if she and Tom, of Long Beach, Calif., can avoid elimination in a match scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
But even defeat would mean a fifth-place finish, the best for McPeak and Tom since they became partners this season, which figures in qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Exclusive ownership of the record might - or might not - be a source of motivation for McPeak.
That didn't matter to Wacholder and Turner, however. After winning the first game 21-13, they expected a counter from McPeak, whose long career has been defined by gritty determination.
"Anytime you play Holly McPeak, you know you're playing a great champion," said Turner, a Fort Myers, Fla., resident who is seeking a piece of her first tour title. "We knew that. We were prepared for that.
"Holly McPeak is always going to push you."
McPeak and Tom, who are playing as a team for only the fourth time since the season began in Miami a month ago, did exactly that throughout a closely contested second game. It was tied 15 times.
With the score at 20-20, Wacholder and Turner finally scored consecutive points for a 22-20 victory that also won them some time in air-conditioning.

Wacholder, Turner advance to semis
Team outlasts McPeak/Tom in quarters
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — For a team that has to fake it occasionally, they certainly look like the real thing.
That would be Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, a twosome that has only been together since the beginning of this season but is quickly making strides and used a 21-13, 22-20 victory over Holly McPeak and Logan Tom on Saturday afternoon to reach the final four of the Glendale Open.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh also advanced into one of Sunday's semifinals with an 18-21, 21-16, 15-12 victory over Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea. May-Treanor can tie McPeak's record of 72 victories with a win Sunday.
Wacholder and Turner navigated an easy victory in the first game and then out-lasted McPeak and Tom in a second game that featured 18 ties.
"You know part of this game is acting, and, when you don't feel confident, you have to fake, and last night we had a little bit of a struggle," Turner said. "You have to push a little against the other team. No one is going to hand anything to you."
Turner and Wacholder endured a tough 23-21, 22-20 match against April Ross and Jennifer Boss under the lights Friday to set up their match with McPeak and Tom. But in Saturday's second game, both players sensed McPeak shifting her game into overdrive and knew they had to remain poised or lose their momentum.
Both said that the trust in their new partnership is allowing each to persevere through the tough points of a match that can quickly turn.
"It was really good that we stayed calm — we knew that we were going to score points," Wacholder said. "Not to be disrespectful, Holly is one of the best of all time, and Logan is without a doubt going to be a great beach player, but we have a little bit more confidence right now just because we've finished better in a few tournaments."
Wacholder and Turner were the steadier team throughout the match but especially in the first game, as they built a comfortable lead early and stretched it 18-10 on a putaway by Turner. Wacholder later bumped a shot to the back line for the game-winner.
The pace was entirely different in the second game, as McPeak and Tom found their game. For every block by Turner, Tom responded with a kill, and for every Wacholder floater, McPeak placed a winner down the line.
But after Tom fought off match point with a winner to tie the game, 20-20, Wacholder scored consecutive points for the match.
"We had a really solid game plan before we walked onto the court. We executed certain plays that we talked about," Turner said. "Sometimes, when you compete, you get confused and you lose focus as to what your plan was, and we stayed focused and kept it together."
Wacholder and Turner will play the winner of the Elaine Youngs/Nicole Branagh vs. Fontana/DeNecochea match in one semifinal.
Fontana and DeNecochea gave May-Treanor and Walsh all they could handle Saturday night. The women's No. 1 team hadn't played since the prior afternoon, and they appeared tentative in the first game, while Fontana and DeNecochea were sharp.
Behind DeNecochea's strong net play, she and Fontana pulled away midway through the first game and stretched their lead to four on a number of occasions. The second game began to take the same shape as the first when Fontana scored a winner to go up 4-2, but May-Treanor and Walsh began to find their rhythm.
Both sides traded points before Walsh powered a shot past a DeNecochea block. A hustle rally was followed by a May-Treanor winner to give her team a 14-12 lead. That was a sign that momentum had shifted. They extended the lead to 17-12 before coasting in to even the match.
Fontana and DeNecochea jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third game and led, 4-1, before May-Treanor and Walsh responded with five unanswered points. They never relinquished the lead and capped the match with a May-Treanor floater to the back line for the winner.
"We just came out slow, and it was hard, but they were playing very well. Barb was playing great defense and we made a couple of errors. I'm not going to take anything away, they played great, but we made a lot of mistakes on our side," May-Treanor said. "It's all about rhythm. I don't know what tune we were dancing to but we changed the channel."
May-Treanor and Walsh will face the winner of the McPeak/Tom vs. Carrie Dodd/Tatiana Minello match in the other semifinal.
Dodd and Minello scored victories over Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe and then over Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar to make it to the final day.
The No. 17 seed, Fendrick and Hochevar finished seventh.
Youngs and Branagh endured a marathon in their first match Saturday against Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan. They dropped the first game 25-27 before coming back to record a victory with scores of 21-14 and 15-10. Youngs and Branagh then fought off April Ross and Jennifer Boss, 17-21, 22-20, 15-9, to advance.
Boss and Ross placed seventh.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Tournament Capsule: Saturday
Holdren in good shape for title run
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dax Holdren is in position for his first win since 2005.
Holdren and partner Jeff Nygaard scored a three-game match victory Saturday night over Brad Keenan and John Hyden to get to Sunday's final four.
Also advancing out of the men's winner's bracket and into one of Sunday's semifinals was Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser with a victory over Kevin Wong/Aaron Wachtfogel.
Moving into Sunday from the women's bracket is Rachel Wacholder/Tyra Turner after getting past Holly McPeak/Logan Tom, and Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh with their victory over Barbra Fontana/Dianne DeNecochea.
Amidst the women's contender's bracket, Carrie Dodd/Tatiana Minello reached Sunday morning by defeating Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe in their first match and then taking out Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar. Dodd/Minello will face McPeak/Tom on Sunday.
Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh also remain alive in the women's contender's bracket. They defeated Annett Davis/Jenny Johnson Jordan in their first match and then outlasted April Ross/Jennifer Boss to get to Sunday. Branagh/Youngs will play Fontana/DeNecochea.
In the men's contender's bracket, Matt Olson/Jason Ring first defeated Hans Stolfus and Scott Wong and then Fred Souza and Anthony Medel to get to a Sunday morning match with Keenan/Hyden. Sean Rosenthal/Jake Gibb ousted last week's champions, Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert, and will face Wong/Wachtfogel on Sunday morning.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

More than just another mother
By MARCIA SMITH
The Orange County Register
Elaine Youngs, the 6-foot Olympic beach volleyball bronze medalist with a wicked serve and an intimidating block, calls her the "strongest person I’ll ever know."
Brooke Turner, the county’s top pitcher who takes the circle for nationally ranked Kennedy High and strikes out players quicker than they can Velcro-fasten their batting gloves, says she is "my rock."
They are talking about their mothers, the women who kept their families together, bought them their first cleats, became their first fans, kept their scorebooks and scrapbooks, dried their tears and listened to them after losses and clapped while fumbling with a camera that captured the sweetest of victories.
On this Mother’s Day, one mother waits for her daughter to call from her Association of Volleyball Professional Tour stop in Glendale, Ariz., with the results of her latest match, while another daughter leaves the softball field for an Irvine hospital to join her mother in a prayer circle for her ailing grandmother.
These didn’t have to leave home to find their heroines.

FOREVER YOUNGS
Carolyn Youngs put on the Olympic watch her daughter gave her, yanked her visor to the top of her eyeglasses, rubbed sunscreen into her freckled forearms and took her seat beside her daughter’s court at last weekend’s AVP Huntington Beach Open.
Mother’s Day arrived early.
"She has always been my No. 1 fan since Day One," said Elaine, the former El Toro High athlete who played volleyball and basketball at UCLA. "She sacrificed so much so that I could make it."
A single mother, Carolyn raised five children – four sons, one daughter -- on the modest proceeds of accountant’s salary. She paid the mortgage on their Lake Forest home, put dinner on the table, shuttled them between practices and games, bought enough athletic gear to make the garage look like the local Play It Again Sports and washed enough soiled uniforms to make her the Princess of Tide.
The mother rarely had her own time. Her happiness, she said, came from watching her children succeed.
Elaine was 17 when she wrote down an ambitious plan for her life: to get a UCLA scholarship, go to the Olympics in indoor volleyball, play professionally overseas and finish as a pro on the beach.
"She did it all just like she said she would," said Carolyn, 68, "and she has shared every experience with me."
When Elaine played for the Olympic indoor team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, Carolyn was there. Elaine gave her the U.S. team’s Olympic watch "that I wear every day," the mother said.
When Elaine joined indoor pro teams in Rome and Turkey, Carolyn followed, filling her passport with the places she never had the time or money to visit as a single mother. And when her first paycheck came, Elaine bought her mother a red Toyota Camry.
Carolyn’s most memorable trip came at 2004 Olympics in Athens, where Elaine and partner Holly McPeak won the bronze medal in beach volleyball. After the match, Elaine scaled the wall into the bleachers and found her mother’s embrace.
"This was for you, Mom," Elaine whispered.
The game has swept Elaine away "but never far," said Carolyn, who knows her daughter will remember Mother’s Day.

STEALING HOME
Sixteen hours after she left her grandmother’s bedside at the UC Irvine Medical Center, full of tears, empty of prayers, Kennedy High pitcher Brooke Turner used her left cleat to scrub a cross in the circle’s dirt before the start of Thursday’s regular-season finale against Empire League rival Pacifica.
This was a big game, the kind her mother, Lori, and grandmother, Dolores Angeletti, usually wouldn’t miss for the world. But that world that once orbited around the softball careers of Brooke and her older sister Michelle, has changed.
In January 2006 the loveable woman Brooke describes as the "cute, little grandmother who had her hair done for games and used to slip us $5s when our parents weren’t looking," was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Six cycles of chemotherapy healed her for the traditional celebrations and cookie baking of last Christmas. But soon after, cancer returned, this time in the brain, which required Angeletti, 76, to undergo a month of radiation.
She grew weak, thin, unable to walk. Still, in March, when Kennedy High opened its season against Norwalk at Downey High, Angeletti had Lori bring her to the game in a wheelchair.
"I was so surprised to see her that I ran out of the dugout and gave her a hug," recalled Brooke, 17, who has always lived a few blocks away from her grandmother’s home in Buena Park. "I went on to throw a perfect game."
Angeletti hasn’t been able to return to the field. Doctors, at one point, gave her days to live. For the last six weeks, she has been in the hospital, pictures of Brooke and Michelle in softball uniforms on her bedside table.
"Did you win?" the grandmother often asks when Brooke visits. "You know I want you to keep playing."
On Thursday, Brooke again pitched without her mother and grandmother in the stands but for them. They were preparing for another surgery at the hospital, where Brooke thought she could have been.
"I leave the decision to play up to her," said Kennedy coach Jami Shannon of her Long Beach State-bound hurler with a 23-1 record. "She’s very competitive and I know this has been a hard time."
There was a space Thursday behind the backstop where her grandmother normally sits beside her mother who keeps the score, lucky pencil in hand and lucky charm brace jangling from her wrist.
Brooke guided the Fighting Irish (25-1) to a 2-0 victory, allowing just three hits and striking out 10. After the game, the unbreakable pitcher broke down, crying, saying, "I wish they were here."
That night, Brooke went to the hospital to be sit beside her mother and grandmother. She told them she won. Angeletti found the energy to smile.
Together, they’ll spend Mother’s Day, stealing home wherever they can.

No. 2 women advance at AVP event
From Staff Reports
Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh won a pair of three-game vollyeball matches Saturday to advance at the AVP Glendale Open.The No. 2-ranked women’s professional volleyball team was knocked into the contender’s bracket during Friday’s play at the Westgate City Center but battled back Saturday to stay alive in the tournament. Youngs and Branagh beat No. 5 seed Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis in their first match, 25-27, 21-14, 15-10, and No. 6 seed April Ross and Jen Boss in their second, 17-21, 22-20, 15-9.
On the men’s side, No. 3 seed Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal also picked up two wins in the contender’s bracket. They defeated No. 9 seed Nick Lucena and Billy Stickland, 21-17, 19-21, 15-13, and No. 2 seed Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, 21-18, 26-24. Gibb and Rosenthal are looking for their first win of the season. They will face the loser of the winner’s bracket semifinal match this morning.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh faced No. 4 seed Dianne DeNecochea and Barbara Fontana late Saturday. Results were not available at press time.
A win this weekend for May-Treanor would give her 72 for her career, tying Holly McPeak for most all-time.
AVP Glendale Open
When: Today
Where: Westgate City Center, Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue in Glendale
Schedule: Competition begins at 9:30 a.m.; men’s final at 2:30 p.m., women’s final at 4 p.m.
Tickets: At the gate, at www.avp.com and (800) 905-3315

It's Dalhausser-Rogers again
Top team says no to Gibb-Rosenthal again
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — There weren't any upsets on the men's side in the quarters, semis or finals in Glendale on Sunday.
The men's final between No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers and No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal had $5,000 riding on its outcome. Dalhausser and Rogers took the check $20,000, while Gibb and Rosenthal settled for $15,000 in a 21-17, 15-21, 15-9 final.
What started out evenly-matched blew apart in the mid-stages of the first game, when a changed call rejuvenated Dalhausser and Rogers's game amid 101 degree heat.
"That was a huge momentum swing for us," said Dalhausser. "If you get a point and they take it away, you lose at least the next point, it always seems that way."
Up until that point, the score knotted up four different times. After Rogers requested that the referee rethink a call based on the ball's print in the sand, possession was taken out of Gibb and Rosenthal's hands.
"We've gotta make that not have an effect on us," said Gibb. "It's just a really lame excuse to give away a couple of points."
Dalhausser's response to the overturned decision? An unanswerable block straight down the net followed by another block and kill to bring the score to 12-6. Gibb and Rosenthal attempted to tie up the score again, as the two teams took turns siding out.
Dalhausser, however, took control of the match and landed a kill at 14-10 to silence the opposition's defense. From there, he and Rogers cruised through the rest of the first game.
"To tell you how great they're playing this year, we're the only team to beat them and we've beaten them once," said Gibb. "They're big and really good ... they're just a really good team. It's just one of those things where you gotta pull out your A-game to beat them."
Midway through the second set, Gibb and Rosenthal had a teaser of a lead, after Gibb hit a go-ahead point to bring the score to 8-7. They continued to stay on top for the rest of the game.
These two teams proved that they match up well, when the final game was decided by six points.
"We did some good things out there and they just made some incredible plays," said Rosenthal.
Of the 17 matches the two have faced off, Rogers and Dalhausser have won 14. This match was only the third time a deciding set was necessary.
Beginner's luck? In the final round of the Contender's Bracket, two new teams hoped to continue their magical streaks in Glendale and become the lowest seeds in the Final Four.
No. 10 John Hyden and Brad Keenan, who teamed up for their second tournament together, dropped their only Contender's Bracket appearance, after knocking off second-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger; No. 7 Anthony Medel and Fred Souza; and a red-hot qualifying team in Friday and Saturday's play.
In Huntington, they made a semifinals appearance in their first tournament together.
As for the newest pair still in contention on Sunday, No. 12 Kevin Wong and Aaron Wachtfogel also made a major run in the winner's bracket.
The partnership ends here though. With Karch Kiraly back in action in Hermosa, Wachtfogel will go back to his previous partner Austin Rester and hope to use his points here for a higher seed in the future.
"I'm bummed it's over," said Wachtfogel of his run to the top. "I'm not ready to be done yet. I just borrowed Kevin one weekend from Karchy and it turned out well, so the good play should help us out a little bit, seeding-wise."
En route to their fifth-place finish, Wachtfogel and Wong knocked off fifth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams and fourth-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott in Saturday play.
Highest showing of the year: As for the two teams knocked out of the semifinals, No. 8 Matt Olson/Jason Ring, and as No. 6 Dax Holdren/Jeff Nygaard earned their best finishes of the 2007 season.
Although Holdren and Nygaard went down to Gibb and Rosenthal in their final match of the weekend, 21-9 and 21-13, the two are starting to come together again, two years after splitting. During that season, they made nine out of 13 semifinals.
Holdren's third-place finish puts him right back where he left off during the 2006 season.
Olson and Ring are also getting back on track. After kicking off the season with a third-place finish in Miami, the best they could scrape up in Dallas and Huntington were two 13th-place finishes.
Today they were sent home only after a painfully-close two-game match. After a 25-23 loss in Game 1, Olson and Ring headed home 21-16 in the second game to Dalhausser and Rogers.
"We had some real good rhythm in Florida, and I really feel like we found it again this weekend," said Olson. "I think we had a chance against Phil and Todd there. We just kept real loose going into it and we felt like we had nothing to lose. We were already extremely happy with a third [place finish]."

Hereison and Crawford are hottest
Tour stop winners receive free trip to Las Vegas
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Continuing along at every stop on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour is also Jose Cuervo's search for the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy.
The contestants chosen in most of the markets will win a free trip to Las Vegas in the first weekend of September to mark the AVP's second-to-last stop of the season.
While much of the Arizona competition seemed heated and intense, two favorites easily pulled away, Josh Hereison, 21 and Amy Crawford, 28.
"I think it was great, [the other contestants] were very competitive," said Crawford, a native of neighboring Scottsdale, Ariz.
Not only was Crawford named the Ultimate Beach Girl of Arizona, but she also earned a fabulous mother's day gift from the fans. She is a mother of a two, four and seven-year-old.
"I'm just a mom of three and I'm happy to win. They are not going to Vegas, there's no way," she said, fully aware that what happens in Vegas stays there.
Also heading to Vegas in September to represent Arizona, Hereison said he has never been to Sin City since turning 21.
The male competition included a 250-pound contestant who carried one of the girls around on his shoulders. But Hereison said that he easily charmed the crowd in favor of his opponents.
"I figured it was the booty shake and the smile," he said. "You gotta tease them a little bit."
There will be no teasing, however, once all the contestants arrive. The 24 winners, plus two determined through on-line voting at AVP.com, will all be competing for a one-year modeling contract and a spread in Maxim and Cosmo.
There will only be one Ultimate Guy and Girl of the Beach.

May-Treanor makes history
Ties record for most wins all-time by female
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Records are set to be broken and Misty May-Treanor put in her claim Sunday.
On a sun-drenched afternoon that made it a perfect 4-for-4 on 100-plus temperature highs during the four-day Glendale Open, May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh scored an 18-21, 21-17, 15-9 victory over Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
And the match was every bit as close as the score would indicate, as Wacholder and Turner proved they belonged on the court.
It was also the latest in a string of close matches for May-Treanor and Walsh. They needed a three-set match to make it to the semifinals and they started slowly in last weekend's final as well.
"These were not easy conditions to play under, and we played a lot of great teams," Walsh said. "It was all about teamwork this weekend and it was so fun to win in this manner."
The tournament victory was the third straight for the pair this season, but for May-Treanor it was title No. 72, which equaled Holly McPeak for most by a woman professional on tour. Walsh is right behind with 69 titles, third highest.
The first opportunity for Misty to take sole possession of the mark will come next weekend when the AVP Crocs Tour hits Southern California at Hermosa Beach.
"The one person that matters to me is the person standing on the court," May-Treanor said. "The records don't count. I wish Kerri had come out earlier and we had the same amount. That would be neat."
Their opponents were simply the better team in the first game, as Wacholder hit her signature floater down the line consistently and Turner helped to contain Walsh at the net. Wacholder's kill shot made it game point at 20-17 and after Walsh thundered a point, Walsh blocked a shot out and Wacholder/Turner took the first game.
But May-Treanor and Walsh are not the premier women's team by virtue of a popular vote, and in the second game they showed why they've earned the top ranking in their sport.
"We made mistakes in the first set, and I don't think we played the way we should in the second set, but we were on fire in the third. It was fun," May-Treanor said. "That is the way we want to play."
They went on a 5-0 run to open the game and looked ready to coast before Wacholder found her groove with three straight points to tie the game, 9-9. The two sides traded points before Walsh knocked two home and May followed with a kill for a 14-11 lead. Wacholder's winner cut the deficit to 15-13, but May-Treanor and Walsh regained control with Walsh getting to match point at 20-16.
After getting one back, Turner hit wide and the match was tied at a game apiece.
"They're always going to make their adjustments and I think our side let up a little bit," Turner said. "The beginning of the first game felt comfortable and fluid, but they're a great team and they're going to come back."
The third game was close, and midway through, the score was tied 7-7, but again May-Treanor and Walsh went on a run, netting five straight points that essentially sealed the match victory. Wacholder served into the net, and Walsh hammered a point to go up 14-8, before May-Treanor delivered the ultimate winner.
Turner saw it as an opportunity missed.
"We just got stuck in the mud," Turner said. "Misty and Kerri are a great team but we have to take care of our side."
Wacholder said it was a matter of execution.
"We just didn't side out well, and they made the most of their chances," Wacholder said.
May-Treanor and Walsh got past Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello, 22-20, 21-18, in the semifinal at Stadium Court. It was the first semi of the year for Dodd and Minello, whose previous high on the year was a fifth-place last weekend in Huntington Beach.
The two sides exchanged points in the second game to forge an eventual 15-15 tie. Consecutive points by Walsh put her and May-Treanor up by a pair and, after Dodd was charged for two contacts, May-Treanor killed a shot for match point. Dodd's ace closed the score to 20-18, but May's winner to the back line secured the match.
Out on Court No. 1, Wacholder and Turner battled Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana in the other semifinal and won, 17-21, 22-20, 15-13.
After splitting the first two sets, Wacholder and Turner managed to hold the slim edge throughout the third game, effectively siding out to maintain their advantage. Wacholder came back with a kill to regain the lead and Turner finished the match with a hammer at the net for the match winner.
Earlier in the day, Dodd and Minello eliminated McPeak and Logan Tom, 22-20, 29-27. The fifth-place finish tied a career-high for Tom. DeNecochea and Fontana dropped Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, 17-21, 22-20, 15-9. Youngs and Branagh finished fifth after going to three straight finals and winning once, to start the season.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

May-Treanor gets misty over record
Article Launched: 05/13/2007 10:32:58 PM PDT
Misty May-Treanor and her partner, Kerri Walsh, defeated the duo of Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner on Sunday to win the $200,000 Sanderson Ford Glendale Open.
May-Treanor, who went to Long Beach State, and Walsh won by scores of 18-21, 21-17 and 15-9 in the Association of Volleyball Professionals event held in Glendale, Ariz.
Perhaps more importantly, May-Treanor tied Holly McPeak for most wins by a female professional on tour with 72.
May-Treanor did not begin her career with Walsh as her partner. Sunday's was the 69th victory for Walsh.
"The one person that matters to me is the person standing on the court," May-Treanor said in a story posted on AVP.com. "The records don't count. I wish Kerri had come out earlier and we had the same amount. That would be neat."
May-Treanor will have an opportunity to break the record next weekend in Hermosa Beach.

Rogers Wins Again, This Time in Arizona
Rogers and Dalhausser have won three of four tour events this season.
May 14, 2007
Glendale, Ariz. - Former UCSB volleyball player and coach Todd Rogers and beach cohort Phil Dalhausser picked up their third title of the AVP season Sunday, defeating Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal 2-1 at the Glendale Open.
In 100-plus degree weather, Rogers and Dalhausser won the final by scores of 21-17, 15-21, and 15-9.
The duo has been victorious in three of four AVP Tour stops, also taking the crowns in Miami and Dallas. They finished third at the Huntington Beach Open.
The top seed in Glendale, Rogers and Dalhausser dispatched Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 25-23 and 21-16, in the semis to reach the final match. In earlier rounds, the tandem defeated John Mayer and Matt Prosser (21-14, 21-19), Olson and Ring (21-16, 21-17), and Aaron Wachtfogel and Kevin Wong (21-18, 21-16).
For Gibb and Rosenthal, it was the fourth consecutive time they advanced to the finals and finished as the runner-up team.
On the women's side, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh topped Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner 2-1 in the finals. It was May-Treanor's 72nd title, tying her with Holly McPeak for the most by any woman.
Next up is the Hermosa Beach Open May 18-20. Rogers and Dalhausser won the event in 2006.

AVP, Inc. Announces 2007 First Quarter Financial Results
2007-05-14 12:31:36 -
LOS ANGELES, May 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AVP, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: AVPI) , a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced financial results for its 2007 first quarter ended March 31, 2007.
AVP's business is seasonal; therefore revenues, gross profits and operating income or loss amounts and percentages for the first and fourth quarters are not representative of our performance. The majority of AVP's revenues are derived from sponsorship and advertising contracts with national and local sponsors. AVP recognizes sponsorship and advertising revenue only
during the tour as the events occur and collections are reasonably assured. During the first quarter of 2007 the Company did not recognize any sponsorship revenues, activation fees, or local revenue.
For the first quarter ended March 31, 2007 the Company reported "other" revenue of $169 thousand, compared to "other" revenue of $123 thousand reported in the first quarter of 2006.
The net loss for the first quarter of 2007 was $2.1 million, or $0.11 loss per share, that compared to a net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.12 loss per share, in the first quarter of 2006.
The Company ended the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $8.0 million compared to $5.1 million reported on December 31, 2006 and deferred revenue of $4.5 million and $1.1 million at those respective dates.
"We are very excited about the launch of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour that began on April 14, 2007 in Miami. This year we have added two additional tour stops bringing the total of AVP Crocs Tour events to 18, signed new sponsors, and entered into agreements with local event promoters for 10 cities. Our strategy to engage local event promoters is a cornerstone to our future growth. We look forward to a successful season this year," said Leonard Armato, Chief Executive Officer of AVP, Inc.
About AVP, Inc.
AVP, Inc. is a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent volleyball tour in the United States, the AVP Crocs Tour. Featuring more than 200 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP will hold 18 AVP Crocs Tour events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit http://www.avp.com/.
All above-mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the Company. We wish to caution you that these statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, if we receive less sponsorship and advertising revenue than anticipated, or if attendance is adversely affected by unfavorable weather. Event-related expenses, such as for the stadium, transportation and accommodations, or security might be greater than expected; or marketing or administrative costs might be increased by our hiring, not currently planned, of a particularly qualified prospect. Additional factors have been detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our recent filings on Forms 10-KSB and 10-QSB.
AVP, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS March 31, December 31, 2007 2006 (Unaudited) ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $7,965,514 $5,052,636 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $25,193 and $49,232 626,172 2,653,473 Prepaid expenses 889,091 242,007 Other assets - current portion 162,820 301,477 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 9,643,597 8,249,593 PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net 453,893 340,054 OTHER ASSETS 87,191 105,373 TOTAL ASSETS 10,184,681 8,695,020 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable $451,813 $529,331 Accrued expenses 1,288,160 1,049,439 Deferred revenue 4,475,915 1,056,960 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 6,215,888 2,635,730 NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 162,499 190,766 TOTAL LIABILITIES 6,378,387 2,826,496 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred stock, 2,000,000 shares authorized: Series A convertible preferred stock, $.001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding -- -- Series B convertible preferred stock, $.001 par value, 250,000 shares authorized, 69,256 and 69,548 shares issued and outstanding 70 70 Common stock, $.001 par value, 80,000,000 shares authorized, 19,824,539 and 19,751,838 shares issued and outstanding 19,825 19,752 Additional paid-in capital 39,155,971 39,077,065 Accumulated deficit (35,369,572) (33,228,363) TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 3,806,294 5,868,524 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $10,184,681 $8,695,020 AVP, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 2006 (Unaudited) REVENUE Sponsorships/Advertising $-- $-- Other 169,000 122,816 TOTAL REVENUE 169,000 122,816 EVENT COST 52,299 -- GROSS PROFIT 116,701 122,816 OPERATING EXPENSES Sales and Marketing (1) 875,713 502,585 Administrative 1,446,303 1,120,903 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 2,322,016 1,623,488 OPERATING LOSS (2,205,315) (1,500,672) OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest expense -- (8,213) Interest income 56,457 21,139 Gain on sale of asset 8,449 -- TOTAL OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) 64,906 12,926 LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES (2,140,409) (1,487,746) INCOME TAXES (800) (800) NET LOSS (2,141,209) $(1,488,546) Loss per common share: Basic $(0.11) $(0.12) Diluted $(0.11) $(0.12) Shares used in computing loss per share: Basic 19,783,309 12,468,848 Diluted 19,783,309 12,468,848 (1) Sales and marketing expenses includes stock based expenses of $72,907 and $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Source: AVP, Inc.

Jordin + volleyball + lacrosse = 30,000 fans at Westgate
Scott Wong
The Arizona Republic
May. 15, 2007 07:50 AM
Westgate City Center in Glendale appears to be living up to its hype.
Despite scorching heat, a convergence of sporting and musical events last weekend lured about 30,000 people to the dining, shopping and entertainment complex at Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue, Westgate officials said.
In its first year in Glendale, the AVP pro beach volleyball tournament brought 15,900 fans, 150 competitors and six sand courts to a Westgate parking lot during a four-day span culminating on Sunday.
Glendale's own Jordin Sparks, one of three finalists on Fox's hit show American Idol, returned home Friday, performing in front of an estimated 5,000 adoring fans at Westgate's Fountain Plaza near AMC Theatres. A massive billboard portraying Sparks' image hovered 20 feet above the free concert.
Finally, the Arizona Sting professional lacrosse team played for a national championship Saturday at Jobing.com Arena, which anchors the south end of the sprawling development. Almost 9,800 fans rooted them on.
"Westgate City Center continues to prove itself as an ideal venue for top-notch quality events," said Dave Groff, president of Westgate Live, the project's marketing and entertainment division.
"The land itself has an ability to adapt to a setting that makes it ideal for fans to come out and participate. We keep shining every time we have an event."
City officials couldn't be happier with the attention Glendale is receiving from Westgate's programming.
TV viewers could catch action from the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open on Fox Sports Net. Although they eventually lost, the Arizona Sting found their championship game televised nationally on the Versus channel. And snippets of Sparks' Glendale homecoming were scheduled to be broadcast to up to 30 million viewers this week on American Idol.
"We we're thrilled. The advertising and publicity is something that the city of Glendale could not afford to purchase," said city spokeswoman Julie Frisoni. "You're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Inside the AVP event, Gabriella Zimmerman, an Arizona State University student, said she thought the tournament could have drawn a bigger student crowd at its former location at Tempe Town Lake. After all, it was graduation weekend and students probably were looking for ways to entertain their families.
Still, Zimmerman and her boyfriend, Daniel Segar of Mesa, clearly were having a blast at the Cuervo Jump Challenge.
"Even though there's not a beach here, they still came through," she said.
Based on its contract with Westgate's developer and owner, the Ellman Cos., {check} the AVP will return to the Glendale site for at least four more years. But the volleyball open won't likely be held in Westgate's east parking lot again.
That's because the spacious asphalt lot sits where Ellman plans to build shops, restaurants and housing as part of the project's second phase.
"We've been up front (with AVP) from the beginning," Groff said. "It will always be on Westgate land but always adaptable on where we put it. It will be placed in a location that works well for the entire development."

Beach volleyball becoming more and more popular
By George Witkowski
Association of Volleyball Professionals Commissioner Leonard Armato knows a good thing where he sees one. The combination of beach volleyball and Glendale happens to fit in his scheme of things.
The tour left Glendale's Westgate City Center May 13 after opening May 10.
Armato took over as AVP commissioner in 2001 and is excited about building a fan base in Arizona following the AVP Sanderson Ford Glendale Open.
“It's going to be an annual thing and we look forward to building into a world-class event,” he said. “Our fan base has grown 53 percent in the last two years.
“In 2002 we had four hours of coverage on NBC and we've gone to 14 hours of championship coverage on NBC and Fox.
“Between being televised and growth from sponsorship, we look forward to growing exponentially.”
Before 2001, the AVP consisted of eight tour events throughout the United States. Six years later, the tour has grown to 18 cities.
How well the AVP does financially and attract fans in Glendale will not be known for some time, but Armato is confident of the sport's ability to interest fans.
“It's hard to say in the first year, but we want to let people know that we're here with beautiful people and interactive events,” he said.
The tour is made up of 150 men's and women's pro beach volleyball players in the U.S. and the world, including 2004 Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty-May Treanor, according to AVP Inc.
In 2001, the men's and women's volleyball players were united under a new management team. Since then, the AVP has seen an increase in prize money as well.
Becoming
part of AVP
Getting to the big time and seeing the big prize money takes plenty of work and dedication, Jennifer Snyder said.
Former Independence High School graduate Snyder, went 3-0 in Thursday qualifier and 1-1 in Fridays' first round matches.
“There are some parks you can play at in Arizona, but it's tough practicing in sand,” she said.
Armato agreed saying it takes more skill because you're not playing on a smooth surface, such as a floor, and in beach volleyball, you only have you and your teammate, not six players.
Snyder practiced at the sand courts at Sahuaro Ranch Park.
“I just grew up there playing with my friends and when I went to Long Beach State (University), it was a natural progression,” she said. “By playing in qualifiers, you need to keep winning and get enough points to stay there.”
Like runs in baseball, Snyder said you can never have enough points in volleyball.
“I really don't know when you're safe, unless you're taking top five in every event on the 18-tour stop,” she said.
Losing in the qualifier means falling back and having to catch up and regain your place in the standing, Snyder said.
As if the players were not dedicated to the sport with practicing and playing in sand courts, they need sponsors to help pay for their expenses; otherwise, they go it alone, Snyder said.
Fortunately, she has Los Angeles-based companies Commerce Casino and Greenway Design to help with airfare and hotel accommodations.
“It's kind of a poor man's game and players do it because they love it. That's really the essence of the beach,” she said.
First time player from Glendale
Glendale resident Shoni Rama was eliminated from qualifying action May 11. The four-year Glendale resident played in her first tour event since 2003 when she took time off to start a family.
Rama, a Shadow Mountain graduate, remembers playing against Snyder in high school and for the Arizona Juniors club volleyball team.
Rama came back to the area after a four-year stint at the University of Memphis. She said outdoor volleyball is more challenging than playing indoors, but it is beneficial.
“I just think the outdoor game is much better than indoors because it takes conditioning, knowledge and better all-around skills,” she said. “I've played so little and don't know as much. But I wish we would get more coverage on ESPN, because they deserve it.”

AVP on DVD
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!!!

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-Buy (1) Veriuni Nutritional Supplement below and get (1) FREE DVD of the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Glendale,Arizona Open
May 10th - May 13th, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

FOX SPORTS NET

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(1) 32 Oz. Bottle-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition Item/Id#25
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The Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition formulation is different than any other health product and we predict it will quickly become the best selling liquid nutritional product in the world.

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
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(1)Bottle 60 Capsules-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Antioxidant with red wine extract - Item/Id#26
Cost $32.99

Veriuni Store
Click here to be taken to order this item from our Veriuni Store instead where we offer over 30 payments options for your convenience.

VeriSign Secure Online Ordering

Note*: Liquid Nutrition can now be shipped to many different countries,shipping and handling fees apply,see drop down list when ordering.

Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

Note*: Unca Nick Productions & IanClarkVolleyball.net are not affiliated with the AVP Association Of Volleyball Professionals in any shape or form regarding this promotion.

Unca Nick Productions
Get in touch with me by email. mailto:spiro@monmouth.com

May 18th-20th 2007 AVP Toyota HERMOSA OPEN, Hermosa Beach,CA $200,000 sponsored by BUD LITE

Webcams: Good Stuff--StrandCam Hermosa Wave Beach Cam

Event Links:

Hermosa Wave Beach Bash 2005 Live Volleyball Scores

Hermosa Wave Beach Volleyball Coverage 2005

Mervyn's Beach Bash 2003 Website

Mervyn's AVP Hermosa 2002 Event Schedule

HermosaWave 2001 AVP Sideout Open Highlites

1999 AVP Hermosa Beach Open Yahoo/Broadcast Streaming TV Coverage

AVP Tour Event Coverage

Prize Money:

$100,000 per gender M/W

Ian Clark Photo by Lynn Chu

Ian Clark will be playing this year's 2006 Bud Lite AVP Hermosa Beach Open with Daniel Ortega...................

Dan Ortega:
Birth Date August 15, 1974 (31 years old)
Home Town Castro Valley, CA
Resides Manhattan Beach, CA
Height 6'1"
College Long Beach State
Best Finish Winnings
Domestic 13th $3,224
International 17th $250
Overall 13th $3,474

Career Summary - Domestic
Year Assoc Played 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 13th 17th 21st Money Points
1996 AVP 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0
1998 AVP 8 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 $998
1999 AVP 8 0 0 0 0 1 5 2 $1,726
1999 USAV 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 $0 26
2000 AVP 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $500
2006 AVP 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0
Total   24 0 0 0 0 1 9 3 $3,224 26
Career Summary - International
Year Assoc Played 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 13th 17th 21st Money Points
2000 FIVB 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0 4
2000 FIVB C&S 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 $250 6
Total   3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 $250 10
Overall
Total   27 0 0 0 0 1 10 3 $3,474 36
Red denotes ranked 1st

Season Summaries 2005-06
2006 AVP Pro Beach Tour
Date Tournament Partner Seed Finish Winnings
6/9-11 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light Ian Clark

Ian Clark played last year's 2005 Bud Lite AVP Hermosa Beach Open with Eduardo Bacil...................

Eduardo Jorge "Anjinho" Bacil Filho

Ian Clark played the year's 2004 Bud Lite AVP Hermosa Beach Open with Jason Lee...................

Jason Lee

Ian Clark played the year's 2003 Bud Lite AVP Hermosa Beach Open with fellow Pepperdine Alumnae.................

Chip McCaw-FIVB

Christian McCaw Bio

Player Article:

Christian McCaw
For many years, John Hyden and Christian McCaw were two of the stars of the national indoor volleyball team of the USA. Although they finished their career in this kind of volleyball, they took the perfect opportunity to try their luck in beach volleyball. And the US players are successful. Step by step they climb the top of the beach volleyball world and there is no doubt that a new US top team is born.
McCaw said farewell to the national indoor team of his country after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while it took one more year for Hyden to quit with the indoor volleyball. He finished his indoor career in the Italian A1-league playing for Palermo, the club that he still gets a part of his salary from.
“The national team broke down,” Hyden said. “There is not enough money anymore, while in our opinion the program is not good enough.” McCaw agreed. “We were not treated like professionals. After six years of indoors it was time for a change. We are both in the late 20’s and playing on the beach is much better for our body”
This year is a learning year for Hyden-McCaw. They never played beach volleyball when they were national team members, simply because there was no time and after the moving of the national training centre from US best beach city San Diego to Colorado Springs in the Rocky Mountains there was also no beach in their neighbourhood. But they both have a small beach volleyball background, because Hyden was raised in San Diego. McCaw is originally from the Mid-Western city of Tulsa Oklahoma where his mother coached the only junior volleyball in the state. But he was graduated at Pepperdine University in Malibu California, the beautiful beach community north of Los Angeles.
“We try to play as much as we can this year,” Hyden said. “Beach Volleyball is a completely different game.” McCaw: “It is very tough to beat teams that are already together for more than ten years. But we are getting closer and closer.” One advantage is that McCaw, former setter, and former outside hitter Hyden played together in the US national team for many years. “Christian knows exactly how he has to set a ball for me,” Hyden analysed.
With the entrance of ‘rookies’ Hyden and McCaw, the concurrence to get a ticket to the 2004 Olympic Games is getting higher and higher in the USA. “Our ultimate goal is to play at the Olympics,” Hyden said. “But it will be tough to get there with so many great US teams in this sport.”

Beach Volleyball Database

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Ian Clark's Results from the year 2004 AVP Hermosa Beach Open

17th - Ian Clark/Jason Lee $550

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 11: Scott Ayakatubby / Brian Lewis (11) def. Ian Clark / Jason Lee (22) 19-21, 21-12, 15-12 (1:04)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 36: Ian Clark / Jason Lee (22) def. Everett Matthews / Andrew Vazquez (27, Q7) 21-19, 21-18 (0:45)

Round 2
Match 44: Jason Ring / George Roumain (5) def. Ian Clark / Jason Lee (22) 22-20, 21-15 (0:49)

-With a match record of (1) win & (2) losses Ian Clark / Jason Lee finish 17th at the 2004 AVP Hermosa Beach Open

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-Ian Clark's Results from last year's AVP 2005 Hermosa Beach Open

17th - Ian Clark/Eduardo Bacil $800

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Adam Jewell / Karch Kiraly (10) def. Eduardo Bacil / Ian Clark (23) 21-9, 21-18 (0:45)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 37: Eduardo Bacil / Ian Clark (23) def. Pepe Delahoz / John Moran (26, Q2) 21-19, 21-17 (0:58)

Round 2
Match 45: John Hyden / Mike Lambert (9) def. Eduardo Bacil / Ian Clark (23) 21-19, 21-12 (0:42)

-With a match record of (1) win & (2) losses Ian Clark /Eduardo Bacil finish 17th at the 2005 AVP Hermosa Beach Open

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ian Clark's Results from this year's AVP 2006 Hermosa Beach Open

57th - Ian Clark/Daniel Ortega $0

Contender's Bracket
Round 2

Match 95: Brent Crouch / Jeff Smith (Q34) def. Ian Clark / Dan Ortega (Q31) 21-19, 23-21 (0:56)

-With a match record of (0) wins & (1) loss Ian Clark /Daniel Ortegal finish 57th at the 2006 AVP Hermosa Beach Open

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ian Clark versus Adam Jewel

AVP 2007 Hermosa Beach Open

Presented by Bud Light
M ay 18th-20th 2007

The AVP Crocs Series returns to one of its favorite spots-Hermosa Beach, where many of the top competitors in the sport practice and challenge local residents. The city is proud to once again play host to the top 150 competitors in the sport of beach volleyball, including 16 Olympians.These premier competitors will vie for the top finishes in what promises to be the most compelling season yet.
WHO:
Top athletes on the men's side include 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist Dain Blanton and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Karch Kiraly.
Top women's teams include Misty May & Kerri Walsh, Rachel Wacholder & Tyra Turner, Holly McPeak & Logan Tom

EVENT PURSE:
$200,000

TOURNAMENT HISTORY:
2003 - Men's Defending Champions - Scott Ayakatubby and Brian Lewis
2003 - Women's Defending Champions - Misty May and Kerri Walsh
2004 - Men's Defending Champions - Eric Fonoimoanna and Kevin Wong
In a hard fought match-up before a packed stadium crowd, 2000 Olympic gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana and Kevin Wong defeated Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly and Olympian Mike Lambert 22-20, 21-19 at the 2004 AVP Nissan Series Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light. This was the first tournament the team had won since the Manhattan Beach Open the year before. Fonoimoana and Wong went through the tournament unscathed as they swept all six of their opponents. Kiraly and Lambert took a much harder path, having to fight their way to the finals through the contender's bracket
2004 - Women's Defending Champions - Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs
Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light might have just as well been called the Hollywood Open, given the drama, the surprises and the last minute twists all wrapped up on a stage that was befitting all the attention. Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs won their fourth straight tournament title facing Kerri Walsh and Misty May. These two rivals had met each other 18 times previously, 13 of which were for a title. May & Walsh had the upper hand, having won each of the 13 meetings prior, including all 10 on the 2004 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. Their last win on the AVP, in Austin, Texas at the beginning of May 2004, was the spark that started McPeak & Youngs on their win streak -- one that was 22 matches long and consisted of four championships

2005 Champions: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs. Casey Jennings and Matt Fuerbringer defeated Jeff Nygaard and Dax Holdren.

2005 AVP Championship Series: Hermosa Beach was the second of five AVP Championship Series Events. After losing in Cincinnati, Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh evened the Championship Series in Hermosa by defeating Rachel Wacholder / Elaine Youngs. The Men's side featured Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard in their fifth finals of 2005. However, Casey Jennings / Matt Fuerbringer captured their second title of 2005 by defeating Holdren / Nygaard.

Hermosa Beach Facts: The first Women's Hermosa Beach Open took place in 1969 with Sandy Malpee / Chirstie Hahn winning the title. Kathy Gregory is the all-time victory leader with seven Hermosa Beach titles. Holly McPeak, Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan have each won five. The Men's Hermosa Beach Open started in 1970 and was won by Ron Von Hagen / Henry Bergman. Von Hagen would go on to win the first four events with three different partners (1970 - 1973). Current AVP Tournament Director Matt Gage would end Von Hagen's run in 1974. Gage would go on to win three Hermosa Beach titles. Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith are the all-time Men's Victory leaders as each has won six Hermosa Titles.

Event Information

Main Draw
• 32 Teams, 13 Courts
• 22 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 68 Men's and Women's teams
• 8 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 5/20
• WOMEN: 30 minutes after men's finals (approx 4:00 p.m.) on Sunday 5/20
Register now
Register information

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics
Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18.
Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Complete Clinic & Registration Information

What:
AVP 2007 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open Presented by Bud Light
Where:
Hermosa Beach
When:
All times are PDT

Friday, May 18, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Free Admission

Saturday, May 19, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.
Competition start time 9:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Ticket Info

Sunday, May 20, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 30 minutes following the completion of men's finals (Approx 4:00 p.m.)
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.
Ticket Info

Where to play in the area:
AVPNext sanctioned California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) offers weekend tournaments throughout Southern California. Check out www.cbva.com for more information.
South side of the Hermosa Beach Pier
16th Street attracts combinations of pros and near pros, but it's best to know a local to help get you in a game.
32nd Street features some good veterans who play some mean four-man.

Local Legend
Man: Matt Gage- 26-time open winner and AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour director, defender of male pride at the 2002 Battle of the Sexes in Las Vegas.
Woman: Sharkie Zartman- 5'4" beach rat who played a decade on the south side of the Hermosa Pier. Her daughter, Chrissie, is a rising beach star who plays libero for UCLA.

Free Admission
Come out and play!
Hermosa Beach, California will host the world's top
professional beach volleyball . Close to
100,000 spectators will fill the festival grounds as part of a
continuing custom of family fun in the sun.

Event Schedule:

2007 AVP NISSAN SERIES
HERMOSA BEACH OPEN
Presented by
BUD LIGHT
Schedule of Events

KROQ 106.7 FM
Make sure to stop by the Bud Light Beach Shack and hang with KROQ all weekend where they'll be doing all kinds of giveaways

Party With The Pros
-Thursday: Patrick Malloy's at the Hermosa Beach Plaza by the pier - KROQ - Where Its At will be there from 5-7 - 50 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach
-Friday: Join the AVP at Sangria at the Hermosa Beach Plaza by the pier - 68 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach

Featuring LIVE Musical performances by
Ozomatli to Perform on Stadium Court in Hermosa :
LOS ANGELES -- June 5, 2006 -- AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., has announced that Los Angeles-based band Ozomatli will play a free concert from
6:00-7:30 p.m. PDT on Friday at the Hermosa Beach Pier as part of the AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light.

How To Get There:
North side of the pier
100 Pier Avenue
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

From the South: Take the 405 freeway North, exit at Artesia Blvd. and go West. Proceed to Sepulveda (PCH) and go left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn right. Go to end.
From the North: take the 405 freeway South and exit at Inglewood Blvd. Turn right at the end of the off ramp and go to Manhattan Beach Blvd. and go right again. Proceed to Sepulveda (PCH) and turn left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn right. Go to end.
For shuttle parking - From the 405 freeway take the Artesia off ramp and go West. Turn right at Peck Road and take an immediate left into the Mira Costa High School parking lot. Shuttle bus runs approximately every 20 minutes.
Location 100 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Mira Costa High School Shuttle:
Get a FREE Mervyn's Beach Bash 2002 sports bottle by using the free
event parking at Mira Costa High School (on Artesia, East of Pacific
Coast Highway). Shuttle service is available Saturday and Sunday only,
9am-6pm
Driving:
From the South: 405 freeway North to Artesia Blvd., and go west.
Proceed to Sepulveda (PCH) and go left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn
right. Go to end.
From the North: 405 South and exit at Inglewood Blvd. Proceed to
Sepulveda (PCH) and turn left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn right. Go to end.

Tickets
Hermosa Beach Reserved Tickets-Buy Now

Free Admission

General Seating (Stadium Court)
- 400 Sand Spaces
- 1600 Bleacher Seats

How To Get There
Location 100 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Driving: From the South: 405 freeway North to Artesia Blvd., and go west. Proceed to Sepulveda (PCH) and go left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn right. Go to end.
From the North: 405 South and exit at Inglewood Blvd. Proceed to Sepulveda (PCH) and turn left. Go to Pier Ave. and turn right. Go to end.
Featuring:

Men's Tournament
Dax Holdren & Jeff Nygaard
Sean Scott & Matt Fuerbringer
Brad Keenan & John Hyden
Mike Lambert & Stein Metzger
Kevin Wong & Karch Kiraly
Ryan Mariano & Larry Witt
Canyon Ceman & Dain Blanton
Jake Gibb & Sean Rosenthal
Ian Clark & Daniel Ortega

Women's Tournament
Kerri Walsh & Misty May
Elaine Youngs & Nicole Branagh
Rachel Wacholder & Tyra Turner
Holly McPeak & Logan Tom
Jen Kessey & April Ross

Television:

Click here to check local listings

Catch the AVP MEN's debut on FOX

Catch all the Men's and Women's 2006 AVP Finals action on FSN.
Click above to find AVP broadcast times on your local FSN provider.

Cell Phone:

-Join the AVP Mobile Fan Club by clicking on the banner above.......
-Get all your up to the minutes Cell Phone Text Messaging Information and more on the 2006 AVP Beach Volleyball Tour

Sponsor Activities:

ChapStick

Take a break from the heat in one of ChapStick's four Fan Lounges equipped with a moisture tent, multiple beach chairs, games, tubes of ChapStick LipMoisturizer and other fun give-aways. Don't miss your opportunity with Misty May who will be making appearances throughout the weekend for autograph signings and photo opportunities.

Wrigley's

Longer lasting flavor - Extra's got it! Stop by the Wrigley's booth to enjoy delicious Winterfresh gum and have cool fresh breath all weekend long.

Look for the Gatorade at all AVP events!

Wilson the official volleyball of the AVP!

Crocs the official shoes of the AVP!

Hilton Hotels the official hotel of the AVP!

Sony the official TV of the AVP!

Men's AVP $100,000 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18th-20th, 2007

Men's Entries:

Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney
Mike Adamosky Joe Cash
Ihor Akinshyn Tim Church
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic
Sean Allstot Braidy Halverson
John Anselmo Yariv Lerner
Jon Barnes Richard Krutop
Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman
Jeremy Beck Dru Gerhard
Lucas Black Casey Brewer
Dain Blanton Jason Lee
Matthew Boelk Kyle Braunecker
Chris Bonas Miloslav Rousek
Drew Brand Peter Tourigny
Adam Breault Gabe Burt
Chris Brown Nick Schneider
Lucas Burch Michael Carlton
Seth Burnham Tony Pray
Juan Cabeza James Wright
Joshua Cannon Jeff Murrell
Jeff Carlucci Ran Kumgisky
Shane Cervantes Dan Terry
Kevin Cleary Todd Hart
Dhiraj Coates Andrew Fuller
Griffin Cogorno Jordan Hove
Jeff Conover Matt Osburn
BJ Cook Dan Gilbert
Brian Corso Hawk Hatcher
Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk
Ryan Cronin Evan Silberstein
Kevin Dake Jeremie Simkins
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers
Beau Daniels James Ka
Reuben Danley Leonardo Moraes
Scott Davenport Mike DiPierro
Gray Davis Tyler Lucas
Alan Dawber Lucas Galmarini
Kyle Denitz Arri Jeschke
Mike Desjardins Paul McDonald
Brent Doble Ryan Mariano
Michael Doucette John Michelau
Brian Duff Guy Hamilton
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten
Nicholas Ellis Kevin McColloch
Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith
Shawn Essert Jack Quinn
Scott Faust Eric Roberts
Vince Fierro Joe Woo
David Fischer Scott Hill
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott
Dhara Gambhir Pankaj Gambhir
Gray Garrett Brad Powell
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal
Erik Gomez Lucas Wisniakowski
Luis Gonzalez Amitai Strutin
Jerry Graham Karl Owens
Kevin Gregan Dan Madden
Chris Guigliano Peter Jordan
Sam Haghighi Dane Pearson
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge
Chris Harger Jesse Webster
Connor Hastings Matt Schroeder
Matt Heagy Justin Phipps
Tyler Hildebrand Chip McCaw
Lee Ho Kum Christopher Michaels
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard
Jon Hollosi Mike Wilkinson
Wayne Holly Mike Myrdal
John Hyden Brad Keenan
Chris Icaza Chris Walmer
Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker
Casey Jennings Mark Williams
Dane Jensen Mike Placek
Jarett Jensen Trevor Olson
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola
Michael Johnson Chris Littleman
Ugis Kanders Luis Sandoval
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong
Ben Koski Jeff Minc
Brandon Lamb Jesse Rambis
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger
Martins Leikarts Jeff Robertson
Kanani Leite-Ah Yo Cody Loggins
Larry Lentz Casey Patterson
Ty Loomis Chad Turner
Nick Lucena Will Strickland
Ed Lunnen Phil Silva
Greg Lyle Jim Nichols
Kevin Lynch John Wankner
Sean Mackin Jed Stotsenberg
Ciaran MacNeill Brandon Vegter
Chris Magill Russ Marchewka
Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer
John Mayer Matt Prosser
Rob McNaughton Alex Padilla
Anthony Medel Fred Souza
Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet
John Moran Chris Seiffert
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie
Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay
Matt Olson Jason Ring
Brian Post Vince Zanzucchi
Jeff Ptak Jon Thompson
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel
Vincent Robbins Jason Wight
Adam Roberts Brad Torsone
George Roumain Larry Witt
Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover
Fernando Sabla Soeren Schneider
Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls
Brett Scharf Tom Slauterbeck
Daniel Schwartz Josh Williams
Hans Stolfus Scott Wong
Ryan Stuntz Curt Toppel
Chad Wick Matt Wilkens

Men's Results:

Men's $100,000 AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18-20, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Matt Olson Jason Ring 4 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 5 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 10 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6 $4,600.00 180.0
7 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 8 $4,600.00 180.0
9 John Hyden Brad Keenan 9 $2,600.00 144.0
9 George Roumain Larry Witt 13 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 16 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Dain Blanton Jason Lee 20 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 11 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 17 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 21 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Hans Stolfus Scott Wong 12 $700.00 72.0
17 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 14 $700.00 72.0
17 Paul Baxter Canyon Ceman 15 $700.00 72.0
17 John Mayer Matt Prosser 18 $700.00 72.0
17 Ben Koski Jeff Minc 19 $700.00 72.0
17 Scott Davenport Mike DiPierro 23 $700.00 72.0
17 Tyler Hildebrand Chip McCaw 24 $700.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 27 $700.00 72.0
25 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 22, Q1 $350.00 36.0
25 David Fischer Scott Hill 25, Q3 $350.00 36.0
25 Adam Roberts Brad Torsone 26, Q5 $350.00 36.0
25 Kevin Dake Jeremie Simkins 28, Q11 $350.00 36.0
25 Reuben Danley Leonardo Moraes 29, Q10 $350.00 36.0
25 Seth Burnham Tony Pray 30, Q13 $350.00 36.0
25 Lucas Black Casey Brewer 31, Q18 $350.00 36.0
25 Sam Haghighi Dane Pearson 32, Q57 $350.00 36.0
33 Jeff Carlucci Ran Kumgisky Q2 $.00 18.0
33 Vincent Robbins Jason Wight Q4 $.00 18.0
33 John Moran Chris Seiffert Q7 $.00 18.0
33 Kyle Denitz Arri Jeschke Q9 $.00 18.0
33 Matt Heagy Justin Phipps Q16 $.00 18.0
33 Chad Mowrey Kimo Tuyay Q19 $.00 18.0
33 Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q21 $.00 18.0
33 Esteban Escobar Jeff Smith Q27 $.00 18.0
41 Chris Magill Russ Marchewka Q6 $.00 12.0
41 Jon Mesko Eyal Zimet Q12 $.00 12.0
41 Chris Guigliano Peter Jordan Q14 $.00 12.0
41 Chris Harger Jesse Webster Q15 $.00 12.0
41 Shawn Essert Jack Quinn Q20 $.00 12.0
41 Fernando Sabla Soeren Schneider Q22 $.00 12.0
41 Everett Matthews Ivan Mercer Q23 $.00 12.0
41 Joshua Cannon Jeff Murrell Q24 $.00 12.0
41 Brian Duff Guy Hamilton Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Jeff Conover Matt Osburn Q26 $.00 12.0
41 Jeremy Beck Dru Gerhard Q28 $.00 12.0
41 Brian Corso Hawk Hatcher Q33 $.00 12.0
41 Beau Daniels James Ka Q34 $.00 12.0
41 Kevin Gregan Dan Madden Q35 $.00 12.0
41 Ihor Akinshyn Tim Church Q36 $.00 12.0
41 Kanani Leite-Ah Yo Cody Loggins Q48 $.00 12.0
57 Dane Jensen Mike Placek Q8 $.00 8.0
57 Erik Gomez Lucas Wisniakowski Q17 $.00 8.0
57 Brian Post Vince Zanzucchi Q29 $.00 8.0
57 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q30 $.00 8.0
57 Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q31 $.00 8.0
57 Greg Lyle Jim Nichols Q32 $.00 8.0
57 Cody Cowell Mark Kirunchyk Q37 $.00 8.0
57 Ed Lunnen Phil Silva Q38 $.00 8.0
57 Jon Barnes Richard Krutop Q39 $.00 8.0
57 Rob McNaughton Alex Padilla Q40 $.00 8.0
57 Sean Allstot Braidy Halverson Q42 $.00 8.0
57 Shane Cervantes Dan Terry Q43 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Doucette John Michelau Q44 $.00 8.0
57 Vince Fierro Joe Woo Q45 $.00 8.0
57 Sean Mackin Jed Stotsenberg Q46 $.00 8.0
57 Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q47 $.00 8.0
57 Brandon Lamb Jesse Rambis Q49 $.00 8.0
57 Drew Brand Peter Tourigny Q51 $.00 8.0
57 Gray Garrett Brad Powell Q55 $.00 8.0
57 Jeff Ptak Jon Thompson Q56 $.00 8.0
57 Ryan Cronin Evan Silberstein Q58 $.00 8.0
57 Adam Breault Gabe Burt Q65 $.00 8.0
57 Ryan Stuntz Curt Toppel Q66 $.00 8.0
57 Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q67 $.00 8.0
57 BJ Cook Dan Gilbert Q68 $.00 8.0
57 Nicholas Ellis Kevin McColloch Q69 $.00 8.0
57 Jarett Jensen Trevor Olson Q70 $.00 8.0
57 Chris Icaza Chris Walmer Q75 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Johnson Chris Littleman Q76 $.00 8.0
57 Jerry Graham Karl Owens Q77 $.00 8.0
57 Dhiraj Coates Andrew Fuller Q79 $.00 8.0
57 Kevin Lynch John Wankner Q88 $.00 8.0
89 Mike Desjardins Paul McDonald Q41 $.00 4.0
89 Chad Wick Matt Wilkens Q50 $.00 4.0
89 Connor Hastings Matt Schroeder Q52 $.00 4.0
89 John Anselmo Yariv Lerner Q53 $.00 4.0
89 Wayne Holly Mike Myrdal Q54 $.00 4.0
89 Juan Cabeza James Wright Q59 $.00 4.0
89 Martins Leikarts Jeff Robertson Q60 $.00 4.0
89 Chris Bonas Miloslav Rousek Q61 $.00 4.0
89 Larry Lentz Casey Patterson Q62 $.00 4.0
89 Brett Scharf Tom Slauterbeck Q63 $.00 4.0
89 Alan Dawber Lucas Galmarini Q64 $.00 4.0
89 Kevin Cleary Todd Hart Q71 $.00 4.0
89 Ugis Kanders Luis Sandoval Q72 $.00 4.0
89 Jon Hollosi Mike Wilkinson Q73 $.00 4.0
89 Mike Adamosky Joe Cash Q78 $.00 4.0
89 Griffin Cogorno Jordan Hove Q80 $.00 4.0
89 Scott Faust Eric Roberts Q81 $.00 4.0
89 Luis Gonzalez Amitai Strutin Q82 $.00 4.0
89 Chris Brown Nick Schneider Q83 $.00 4.0
89 Matthew Boelk Kyle Braunecker Q84 $.00 4.0
89 Lucas Burch Michael Carlton Q85 $.00 4.0
89 Daniel Schwartz Josh Williams Q86 $.00 4.0
89 Lee Ho Kum Christopher Michaels Q87 $.00 4.0
89 Ciaran MacNeill Brandon Vegter Q89 $.00 4.0
89 Gray Davis Tyler Lucas Q74 $.00 0.0
89 Dhara Gambhir Pankaj Gambhir Q90 $.00 0.0

Men's AVP $100,000 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18th-20th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Adam Breault / Gabe Burt (Q65) def. Alan Dawber / Lucas Galmarini (Q64) 21-17, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 6: Kanani Leite-Ah Yo / Cody Loggins (Q48) def. Scott Faust / Eric Roberts (Q81) 19-21, 21-17, 15-5 (1:00)
Match 7: Brandon Lamb / Jesse Rambis (Q49) def. Griffin Cogorno / Jordan Hove (Q80) 12-21, 21-12, 15-12 (0:54)
Match 10: Jeff Ptak / Jon Thompson (Q56) def. Jon Hollosi / Mike Wilkinson (Q73) 21-18, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 11: Kevin Lynch / John Wankner (Q88) def. Mike Desjardins / Paul McDonald (Q41) 21-18, 14-21, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 14: Rob McNaughton / Alex Padilla (Q40) def. Ciaran MacNeill / Brandon Vegter (Q89) 21-18, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 15: Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (Q57) def. Ugis Kanders / Luis Sandoval (Q72) 21-16, 21-10 (0:45)
Match 18: Nicholas Ellis / Kevin McColloch (Q69) def. Martins Leikarts / Jeff Robertson (Q60) 21-17, 21-15 (0:46)
Match 22: Michael Doucette / John Michelau (Q44) def. Lucas Burch / Michael Carlton (Q85) 21-17, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 23: Michael Johnson / Chris Littleman (Q76) def. John Anselmo / Yariv Lerner (Q53) 21-19, 22-20 (0:46)
Match 26: Jerry Graham / Karl Owens (Q77) def. Connor Hastings / Matt Schroeder (Q52) 16-21, 21-19, 15-13 (0:55)
Match 27: Vince Fierro / Joe Woo (Q45) def. Matthew Boelk / Kyle Braunecker (Q84) 21-10, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 31: BJ Cook / Dan Gilbert (Q68) def. Chris Bonas / Miloslav Rousek (Q61) 15-21, 21-17, 15-8 (0:57)
Match 34: Jonathan Acosta / Matt McKinney (Q67) def. Larry Lentz / Casey Patterson (Q62) 24-26, 21-17, 15-9 (1:04)
Match 38: Sean Mackin / Jed Stotsenberg (Q46) def. Chris Brown / Nick Schneider (Q83) 21-18, 21-12 (0:44)
Match 39: Drew Brand / Peter Tourigny (Q51) def. Mike Adamosky / Joe Cash (Q78) 21-14, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 42: Chris Icaza / Chris Walmer (Q75) def. Wayne Holly / Mike Myrdal (Q54) 21-12, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 43: Shane Cervantes / Dan Terry (Q43) def. Daniel Schwartz / Josh Williams (Q86) 21-11, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 47: Jarett Jensen / Trevor Olson (Q70) def. Juan Cabeza / James Wright (Q59) 21-13, 21-13 (0:46)
Match 50: Ryan Cronin / Evan Silberstein (Q58) def. Kevin Cleary / Todd Hart (Q71) 21-18, 22-20 (0:46)
Match 51: Jon Barnes / Richard Krutop (Q39) def. Dhara Gambhir / Pankaj Gambhir (Q90) by Forfeit
Match 54: Sean Allstot / Braidy Halverson (Q42) def. Lee Ho Kum / Christopher Michaels (Q87) 21-0, 21-1 (0:19)
Match 55: Gray Garrett / Brad Powell (Q55) def. Gray Davis / Tyler Lucas (Q74) by Forfeit
Match 58: Dhiraj Coates / Andrew Fuller (Q79) def. Chad Wick / Matt Wilkens (Q50) 21-18, 21-11 (0:45)
Match 59: Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q47) def. Luis Gonzalez / Amitai Strutin (Q82) 21-11, 21-12 (0:37)
Match 63: Ryan Stuntz / Curt Toppel (Q66) def. Brett Scharf / Tom Slauterbeck (Q63) 21-18, 21-15 (0:45)

Round 2
Match 65: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q1) def. Adam Breault / Gabe Burt (Q65) 21-17, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 66: Brian Corso / Hawk Hatcher (Q33) def. Greg Lyle / Jim Nichols (Q32) 21-14, 25-23 (0:38)
Match 67: Kanani Leite-Ah Yo / Cody Loggins (Q48) def. Erik Gomez / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q17) 22-24, 21-16, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 68: Matt Heagy / Justin Phipps (Q16) def. Brandon Lamb / Jesse Rambis (Q49) 21-19, 23-21 (0:46)
Match 69: Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q9) def. Jeff Ptak / Jon Thompson (Q56) 21-16, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 70: Joshua Cannon / Jeff Murrell (Q24) def. Kevin Lynch / John Wankner (Q88) 20-22, 21-17, 15-11 (1:09)
Match 71: Brian Duff / Guy Hamilton (Q25) def. Rob McNaughton / Alex Padilla (Q40) 21-12, 17-21, 15-13 (0:56)
Match 72: Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (Q57) def. Dane Jensen / Mike Placek (Q8) 25-23, 16-21, 15-12 (1:00)
Match 73: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q5) def. Nicholas Ellis / Kevin McColloch (Q69) 24-22, 21-18 (0:47)
Match 74: Jeremy Beck / Dru Gerhard (Q28) def. Cody Cowell / Mark Kirunchyk (Q37) 17-21, 25-23, 15-13 (0:59)
Match 75: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q21) def. Michael Doucette / John Michelau (Q44) 24-22, 21-14 (0:50)
Match 76: Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q12) def. Michael Johnson / Chris Littleman (Q76) 21-15, 21-9 (0:41)
Match 77: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q13) def. Jerry Graham / Karl Owens (Q77) 21-17, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 78: Shawn Essert / Jack Quinn (Q20) def. Vince Fierro / Joe Woo (Q45) 21-18, 21-12 (0:42)
Match 79: Ihor Akinshyn / Tim Church (Q36) def. Brian Post / Vince Zanzucchi (Q29) 21-8, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 80: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (Q4) def. BJ Cook / Dan Gilbert (Q68) 21-8, 21-8 (0:32)
Match 81: David Fischer / Scott Hill (Q3) def. Jonathan Acosta / Matt McKinney (Q67) 21-19, 21-16 (0:48)
Match 82: Kevin Gregan / Dan Madden (Q35) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q30) 21-18, 28-30, 15-12 (1:12)
Match 83: Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q19) def. Sean Mackin / Jed Stotsenberg (Q46) 21-23, 21-16, 15-7 (1:04)
Match 84: Chris Guigliano / Peter Jordan (Q14) def. Drew Brand / Peter Tourigny (Q51) 21-17, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 85: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (Q11) def. Chris Icaza / Chris Walmer (Q75) 19-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:06)
Match 86: Fernando Sabla / Soeren Schneider (Q22) def. Shane Cervantes / Dan Terry (Q43) 21-17, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 87: Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q27) def. Ed Lunnen / Phil Silva (Q38) 21-16, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 88: Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (Q6) def. Jarett Jensen / Trevor Olson (Q70) 21-16, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 89: John Moran / Chris Seiffert (Q7) def. Ryan Cronin / Evan Silberstein (Q58) 21-23, 21-16, 15-10 (1:07)
Match 90: Jeff Conover / Matt Osburn (Q26) def. Jon Barnes / Richard Krutop (Q39) 21-16, 26-24 (0:47)
Match 91: Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q23) def. Sean Allstot / Braidy Halverson (Q42) 21-19, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 92: Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (Q10) def. Gray Garrett / Brad Powell (Q55) 21-10, 21-12 (0:29)
Match 93: Chris Harger / Jesse Webster (Q15) def. Dhiraj Coates / Andrew Fuller (Q79) 21-18, 23-21 (0:45)
Match 94: Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (Q18) def. Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q47) 21-12, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 95: Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q34) def. Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q31) 21-17, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 96: Jeff Carlucci / Ran Kumgisky (Q2) def. Ryan Stuntz / Curt Toppel (Q66) 21-13, 21-9 (0:44)

Round 3
Match 97: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q1) def. Brian Corso / Hawk Hatcher (Q33) 16-21, 21-15, 15-13 (1:01)
Match 98: Matt Heagy / Justin Phipps (Q16) def. Kanani Leite-Ah Yo / Cody Loggins (Q48) 21-17, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 99: Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q9) def. Joshua Cannon / Jeff Murrell (Q24) 21-15, 19-21, 15-6 (1:07)
Match 100: Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (32, Q57) def. Brian Duff / Guy Hamilton (Q25) 18-21, 21-17, 15-10 (1:02)
Match 101: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (26, Q5) def. Jeremy Beck / Dru Gerhard (Q28) 21-13, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 102: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q21) def. Jon Mesko / Eyal Zimet (Q12) 15-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:04)
Match 103: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (30, Q13) def. Shawn Essert / Jack Quinn (Q20) 21-14, 22-20 (0:44)
Match 104: Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (Q4) def. Ihor Akinshyn / Tim Church (Q36) 21-13, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 105: David Fischer / Scott Hill (25, Q3) def. Kevin Gregan / Dan Madden (Q35) 21-14, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 106: Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q19) def. Chris Guigliano / Peter Jordan (Q14) 21-17, 19-21, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 107: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q11) def. Fernando Sabla / Soeren Schneider (Q22) 21-15, 18-21, 15-8 (1:04)
Match 108: Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q27) def. Chris Magill / Russ Marchewka (Q6) 21-18, 21-14 (0:52)
Match 109: John Moran / Chris Seiffert (Q7) def. Jeff Conover / Matt Osburn (Q26) 21-16, 21-17 (0:45)
Match 110: Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (29, Q10) def. Everett Matthews / Ivan Mercer (Q23) 21-19, 9-21, 15-6 (0:58)
Match 111: Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (31, Q18) def. Chris Harger / Jesse Webster (Q15) 21-16, 22-20 (0:41)
Match 112: Jeff Carlucci / Ran Kumgisky (Q2) def. Beau Daniels / James Ka (Q34) 19-21, 25-23, 15-12 (1:15)

Round 4
Match 113: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q1) def. Matt Heagy / Justin Phipps (Q16) 21-19, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 114: Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (32, Q57) def. Kyle Denitz / Arri Jeschke (Q9) 17-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:01)
Match 115: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (26, Q5) def. Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q21) 21-15, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 116: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (30, Q13) def. Vincent Robbins / Jason Wight (Q4) 21-15, 21-17 (0:51)
Match 117: David Fischer / Scott Hill (25, Q3) def. Chad Mowrey / Kimo Tuyay (Q19) 21-19, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 118: Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q11) def. Esteban Escobar / Jeff Smith (Q27) 12-21, 21-17, 15-9 (0:57)
Match 119: Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (29, Q10) def. John Moran / Chris Seiffert (Q7) 21-16, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 120: Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (31, Q18) def. Jeff Carlucci / Ran Kumgisky (Q2) 7-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:55)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (32, Q57) 21-9, 21-11 (0:31)
Match 2: Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (17) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (16) 21-17, 21-10 (0:49)
Match 3: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (9) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Chip McCaw (24) 21-13, 21-13 (0:32)
Match 4: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (25, Q3) 21-17, 21-18 (0:55)
Match 5: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q11) 21-7, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 6: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (21) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) 10-21, 25-23, 15-12 (1:15)
Match 7: George Roumain / Larry Witt (13) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (20) 21-17, 17-21, 15-11 (1:05)
Match 8: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (29, Q10) 21-16, 21-10 (0:34)
Match 9: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (30, Q13) 21-15, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 10: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (19) 21-15, 23-21 (0:49)
Match 11: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q1) 21-19, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 12: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (27) 21-18, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 13: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (26, Q5) 21-13, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 14: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Scott Davenport / Mike DiPierro (23) 21-12, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 15: John Mayer / Matt Prosser (18) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (15) 21-18, 21-18 (0:48)
Match 16: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (31, Q18) 21-14, 21-16 (0:35)

Round 2
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (17) 21-16, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 18: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (9) 21-17, 16-21, 15-8 (1:05)
Match 19: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (21) 22-20, 21-19 (0:49)
Match 20: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (13) 21-18, 19-21, 15-12 (1:06)
Match 21: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-13, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 22: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 21-17, 17-21, 15-12 (1:27)
Match 23: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 32-34, 21-17, 15-13 (1:24)
Match 24: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (18) 21-16, 21-19 (0:45)

Round 3
Match 25: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 21-16, 22-20 (0:45)
Match 26: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 10-21, 21-17, 15-11 (1:00)
Match 27: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-19, 26-28, 15-13 (1:19)
Match 28: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 21-12, 21-15 (0:43)

Round 4
Match 29: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 21-19, 21-11 (0:45)
Match 30: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 21-19, 21-16 (0:45)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (16) def. Sam Haghighi / Dane Pearson (32, Q57) 21-0, 21-7 (0:21)
Match 32: Tyler Hildebrand / Chip McCaw (24) def. David Fischer / Scott Hill (25, Q3) 21-19, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 33: Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) def. Kevin Dake / Jeremie Simkins (28, Q11) 21-17, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 34: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (20) def. Reuben Danley / Leonardo Moraes (29, Q10) 21-11, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 35: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (19) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (30, Q13) 21-18, 23-25, 15-9 (1:12)
Match 36: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (27) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (22, Q1) 14-21, 21-13, 15-13 (0:59)
Match 37: Scott Davenport / Mike DiPierro (23) def. Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (26, Q5) 21-18, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 38: Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (15) def. Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (31, Q18) 21-11, 21-11 (0:34)

Round 2
Match 39: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (16) def. John Mayer / Matt Prosser (18) 21-19, 21-16 (0:48)
Match 40: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Chip McCaw (24) 21-10, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 41: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. Hans Stolfus / Scott Wong (12) 21-19, 21-19 (0:54)
Match 42: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (20) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-18, 16-21, 22-20 (1:17)
Match 43: George Roumain / Larry Witt (13) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (19) 21-15, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 44: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (21) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (27) 22-20, 21-18, 15-8 (0:59)
Match 45: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (9) def. Scott Davenport / Mike DiPierro (23) 21-19, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 46: Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (17) def. Paul Baxter / Canyon Ceman (15) 21-16, 22-20 (0:49)

Round 3
Match 47: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (16) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 21-13, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 48: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (20) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 18-21, 21-17, 22-20 (1:07)
Match 49: George Roumain / Larry Witt (13) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (21) 21-14, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 50: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (9) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (17) 21-11, 21-19 (0:50)

Round 4
Match 51: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (16) 21-17, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 52: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (20) 24-22, 21-15 (0:51)
Match 53: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (13) 25-23, 21-18 (0:49)
Match 54: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (9) 25-23, 15-21, 15-12 (1:01)

Round 5
Match 55: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 21-19, 28-26 (1:02)
Match 56: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-13, 19-21, 15-13 (1:10)

Round 6
Match 57: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 24-22, 23-21 (1:02)
Match 58: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (10) 21-19, 18-21, 15-12 (1:04)

Semifinals
Match 59: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-11, 21-12 (0:42)
Match 60: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 21-18, 14-21, 15-13 (0:58)

Finals
Match 61: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 21-17, 21-12 (0:53)

2007 Men's Hermosa Beach Tournament Champions >>Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers

.
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers

Women's AVP $100,000 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18th-20th, 2007

Women's Entries:

Angie Akers Brooke Hanson
Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee
Jennifer Boss April Ross
Meri-de Boyer Kelly Hickam
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs
Shayna Breed Anna Parmely
Lynne Brinkman Jill Chlebeck
Keao Burdine Nancy Mason
Erin Byrd Paige Davis
Julie Caldwell Barb Sanson
Drisana Carey Laurie Peterson
Shannon Carpenter Meghan Coolbaugh
Katie Carter Michelle Cook
Mia Chamblee Lauren Dickson
Jill Changaris Sara Dukes
Shannon Christianson Hilde Schjerven
Janine Cobian Tracy Duffey
Antoinette Cocco Tamara Lentz
Jessie Cooper Amy Hvitfeldtsen
Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador
Mariko Coverdale Summer Plante-Newman
Montana Curtis Juliana Evens
Tina Damasco Selene Teitelbaum
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan
Terri Del Conte Julie Knytych
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana
Jen DeVore Tarin Keith
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello
Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson
Sherine Ebadi Stacy Nicks
Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar
Erika Figueiredo Holly Reisor
Falyn Fonoimoana Makalani Hovey
Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst
Tina Fowler Shelly Malone
Korina Fryslie Kimberly Vicknair
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein
Kim Goodwin Celine Landry
Allie Griffin Regan Hood
Jackie Hatten Cheyenne Price
Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe
Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez
Milica Jerlicic Susan Postnikoff
Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa
Dana Kabashima Kelli Nerison
Pat Keller Julie Romias
Carol Killeen Johanna Lehman
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler
Angela Knopf Catie Mintz
Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith
Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley
Meghan Leathem Heidi Munneke
Caitlin Ledoux Jocelyn Neely
Tammy Leibl Lina Yanchulova
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist
Wendy Lockhart Kim Whitney
Iwona Lodzik Suzana Manole
Monica Lynch Ashley Ogle
Kathleen Madden Valerie Pryor
Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris
Jean Mathews Nicole Midwin
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh
Anne McArthur Andrea Peterson
Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge
Holly McPeak Logan Tom
Lauren Mills Laura Ratto
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger
Katrina Nelson Bianca Peigler
Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith
Christine Pack Helen Reale
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing
Maggie Philgence Veronica Sanchez
Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson
Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet
Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman
Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters
Paula Roca Sarah Straton
Jenna Rodriguez Kelly Wong
Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder
Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli
Shannon Sneed Kristina Wolle
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder
Kristin Ursillo Jennifer Walker

Women's Results:

Women's $100,000 AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18-20, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Jennifer Boss April Ross 5 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 8 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Paula Roca Sarah Straton 11 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $4,600.00 180.0
7 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 12 $4,600.00 180.0
9 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 23 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 13 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 15 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 17 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 20 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 10 $700.00 72.0
17 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 14 $700.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Stacy Rouwenhorst 16 $700.00 72.0
17 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 18 $700.00 72.0
17 Mimi Amaral Jaimie Lee 21 $700.00 72.0
17 Pat Keller Julie Romias 22 $700.00 72.0
17 Jenelle Koester Saralyn Smith 24 $700.00 72.0
17 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez 30, Q8 $700.00 72.0
25 Tammy Leibl Lina Yanchulova 19 $350.00 36.0
25 Jill Changaris Sara Dukes 25, Q1 $350.00 36.0
25 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing 26, Q12 $350.00 36.0
25 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge 27, Q3 $350.00 36.0
25 Wendy Lockhart Kim Whitney 28, Q6 $350.00 36.0
25 Erin Byrd Paige Davis 29, Q4 $350.00 36.0
25 Alexandra Jupiter Leilani Kamahoahoa 31, Q10 $350.00 36.0
25 Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman 32, Q15 $350.00 36.0
33 Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q2 $.00 18.0
33 Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q5 $.00 18.0
33 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q9 $.00 18.0
33 Lauren Mills Laura Ratto Q11 $.00 18.0
33 Iwona Lodzik Suzana Manole Q13 $.00 18.0
33 Gabriela Roney Lenka Urbanova Q14 $.00 18.0
33 Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q17 $.00 18.0
33 Falyn Fonoimoana Makalani Hovey Q26 $.00 18.0
41 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q7 $.00 12.0
41 Kristin Ursillo Jennifer Walker Q16 $.00 12.0
41 Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris Q19 $.00 12.0
41 Anne McArthur Andrea Peterson Q21 $.00 12.0
41 Meri-de Boyer Kelly Hickam Q22 $.00 12.0
41 Shayna Breed Anna Parmely Q24 $.00 12.0
41 Kathleen Madden Valerie Pryor Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Erika Figueiredo Holly Reisor Q27 $.00 12.0
41 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q28 $.00 12.0
41 Sherine Ebadi Stacy Nicks Q29 $.00 12.0
41 Carol Killeen Johanna Lehman Q32 $.00 12.0
41 Jill Dorsey Sara Fredrickson Q34 $.00 12.0
41 Maggie Philgence Veronica Sanchez Q35 $.00 12.0
41 Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb Q42 $.00 12.0
41 Allie Griffin Regan Hood Q45 $.00 12.0
41 Jen DeVore Tarin Keith Q47 $.00 12.0
57 Jessie Cooper Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q18 $.00 8.0
57 Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters Q20 $.00 8.0
57 Jean Mathews Nicole Midwin Q23 $.00 8.0
57 Julie Caldwell Barb Sanson Q30 $.00 8.0
57 Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q31 $.00 8.0
57 Christine Pack Helen Reale Q36 $.00 8.0
57 Tina Fowler Shelly Malone Q37 $.00 8.0
57 Meghan Leathem Heidi Munneke Q38 $.00 8.0
57 Shannon Sneed Kristina Wolle Q39 $.00 8.0
57 Montana Curtis Juliana Evens Q40 $.00 8.0
57 Lynne Brinkman Jill Chlebeck Q41 $.00 8.0
57 Jackie Hatten Cheyenne Price Q43 $.00 8.0
57 Janine Cobian Tracy Duffey Q44 $.00 8.0
57 Shannon Christianson Hilde Schjerven Q46 $.00 8.0
57 Antoinette Cocco Tamara Lentz Q48 $.00 8.0
57 Tina Damasco Selene Teitelbaum Q49 $.00 8.0
57 Monica Lynch Ashley Ogle Q50 $.00 8.0
57 Dana Kabashima Kelli Nerison Q51 $.00 8.0
57 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q52 $.00 8.0
57 Terri Del Conte Julie Knytych Q53 $.00 8.0
57 Caitlin Ledoux Jocelyn Neely Q54 $.00 8.0
57 Mia Chamblee Lauren Dickson Q55 $.00 8.0
57 Milica Jelicic Susan Postnikoff Q56 $.00 8.0
57 Korina Fryslie Kimberly Vicknair Q57 $.00 8.0
57 Mariko Coverdale Summer Plante-Newman Q58 $.00 8.0
57 Shannon Carpenter Meghan Coolbaugh Q59 $.00 8.0
57 Drisana Carey Laurie Peterson Q60 $.00 8.0
57 Kim Goodwin Celine Landry Q61 $.00 8.0
57 Katrina Nelson Bianca Peigler Q62 $.00 8.0
57 Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q33 $.00 0.0
57 Jenna Rodriguez Kelly Wong Q63 $.00 0.0

Women's AVP $100,000 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light
May 18th-20th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Carol Killeen / Johanna Lehman (Q32) def. Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q33) by Forfeit
Match 3: Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q17) def. Antoinette Cocco / Tamara Lentz (Q48) 21-19, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 4: Kristin Ursillo / Jennifer Walker (Q16) def. Tina Damasco / Selene Teitelbaum (Q49) 19-21, 21-13, 15-7 (0:52)
Match 5: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q9) def. Milica Jelicic / Susan Postnikoff (Q56) 21-11, 21-12 (0:40)
Match 6: Shayna Breed / Anna Parmely (Q24) def. Lynne Brinkman / Jill Chlebeck (Q41) 21-13, 21-18 (0:40)
Match 7: Kathleen Madden / Valerie Pryor (Q25) def. Montana Curtis / Juliana Evens (Q40) 21-18, 35-33 (1:04)
Match 8: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q8) def. Korina Fryslie / Kimberly Vicknair (Q57) 21-19, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 9: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q5) def. Drisana Carey / Laurie Peterson (Q60) 21-7, 21-10 (0:29)
Match 10: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q28) def. Tina Fowler / Shelly Malone (Q37) 21-18, 21-9 (0:36)
Match 11: Anne McArthur / Andrea Peterson (Q21) def. Janine Cobian / Tracy Duffey (Q44) 21-16, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 12: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q12) def. Terri Del Conte / Julie Knytych (Q53) 21-9, 21-14 (0:29)
Match 13: Iwona Lodzik / Suzana Manole (Q13) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q52) 21-15, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 14: Allie Griffin / Regan Hood (Q45) def. Laurel Riechmann / Kristi Winters (Q20) 21-9, 14-21, 15-10 (0:49)
Match 15: Sherine Ebadi / Stacy Nicks (Q29) def. Christine Pack / Helen Reale (Q36) 21-16, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 16: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q4) def. Kim Goodwin / Celine Landry (Q61) 21-10, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 17: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q3) def. Katrina Nelson / Bianca Peigler (Q62) 21-11, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 18: Maggie Philgence / Veronica Sanchez (Q35) def. Julie Caldwell / Barb Sanson (Q30) 21-14, 22-20 (0:38)
Match 19: Lisa Marshall / Jessica Veris (Q19) def. Shannon Christianson / Hilde Schjerven (Q46) 21-16, 21-11 (0:40)
Match 20: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q14) def. Dana Kabashima / Kelli Nerison (Q51) 21-16, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 21: Lauren Mills / Laura Ratto (Q11) def. Caitlin Ledoux / Jocelyn Neely (Q54) 21-11, 21-16 (0:33)
Match 22: Meri-de Boyer / Kelly Hickam (Q22) def. Jackie Hatten / Cheyenne Price (Q43) 21-9, 21-10 (0:34)
Match 23: Erika Figueiredo / Holly Reisor (Q27) def. Meghan Leathem / Heidi Munneke (Q38) 21-12, 21-8 (0:32)
Match 24: Wendy Lockhart / Kim Whitney (Q6) def. Shannon Carpenter / Meghan Coolbaugh (Q59) 21-12, 21-4 (0:29)
Match 25: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q7) def. Mariko Coverdale / Summer Plante-Newman (Q58) 21-10, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 26: Falyn Fonoimoana / Makalani Hovey (Q26) def. Shannon Sneed / Kristina Wolle (Q39) 21-19, 21-17 (0:46)
Match 27: Keegan Featherstone / Jane Gibb (Q42) def. Jean Mathews / Nicole Midwin (Q23) 21-14, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 28: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (Q10) def. Mia Chamblee / Lauren Dickson (Q55) 21-17, 21-19 (0:38)
Match 29: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q15) def. Monica Lynch / Ashley Ogle (Q50) 21-12, 21-8 (0:39)
Match 30: Jen DeVore / Tarin Keith (Q47) def. Jessie Cooper / Amy Hvitfeldtsen (Q18) 21-17, 26-28, 15-11 (1:11)
Match 31: Jill Dorsey / Sara Fredrickson (Q34) def. Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q31) 21-15, 21-17 (0:36)
Match 32: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) def. Jenna Rodriguez / Kelly Wong (Q63) by Forfeit

Round 2
Match 33: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (Q1) def. Carol Killeen / Johanna Lehman (Q32) 21-12, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 34: Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q17) def. Kristin Ursillo / Jennifer Walker (Q16) 21-19, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 35: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q9) def. Shayna Breed / Anna Parmely (Q24) 21-14, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 36: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q8) def. Kathleen Madden / Valerie Pryor (Q25) 21-10, 18-21, 15-13 (0:56)
Match 37: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q5) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q28) 21-15, 23-25, 15-9 (1:06)
Match 38: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q12) def. Anne McArthur / Andrea Peterson (Q21) 21-18, 21-18 (0:38)
Match 39: Iwona Lodzik / Suzana Manole (Q13) def. Allie Griffin / Regan Hood (Q45) 21-19, 21-13 (0:36)
Match 40: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q4) def. Sherine Ebadi / Stacy Nicks (Q29) 21-19, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 41: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q3) def. Maggie Philgence / Veronica Sanchez (Q35) 21-19, 21-8 (0:40)
Match 42: Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q14) def. Lisa Marshall / Jessica Veris (Q19) 21-12, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 43: Lauren Mills / Laura Ratto (Q11) def. Meri-de Boyer / Kelly Hickam (Q22) 21-14, 17-21, 15-11 (1:00)
Match 44: Wendy Lockhart / Kim Whitney (Q6) def. Erika Figueiredo / Holly Reisor (Q27) 16-21, 21-13, 15-12 (0:41)
Match 45: Falyn Fonoimoana / Makalani Hovey (Q26) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q7) 14-21, 21-19, 15-13 (0:58)
Match 46: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (Q10) def. Keegan Featherstone / Jane Gibb (Q42) 21-17, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 47: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q15) def. Jen DeVore / Tarin Keith (Q47) 21-18, 21-10 (0:39)
Match 48: Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) def. Jill Dorsey / Sara Fredrickson (Q34) 21-19, 21-14 (0:35)

Round 3
Match 49: Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (25, Q1) def. Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q17) 21-19, 21-9 (0:43)
Match 50: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (30, Q8) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q9) 21-8, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 51: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (26, Q12) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q5) 21-18, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 52: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (29, Q4) def. Iwona Lodzik / Suzana Manole (Q13) 21-16, 23-25, 15-12 (1:05)
Match 53: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (27, Q3) def. Gabriela Roney / Lenka Urbanova (Q14) 21-13, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 54: Wendy Lockhart / Kim Whitney (28, Q6) def. Lauren Mills / Laura Ratto (Q11) 21-18, 22-20 (0:42)
Match 55: Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q10) def. Falyn Fonoimoana / Makalani Hovey (Q26) 21-14, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 56: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (32, Q15) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q2) 21-13, 13-21, 15-10 (0:51)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (32, Q15) 21-12, 21-11 (0:34)
Match 2: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (16) 21-14, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 3: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (24) 16-21, 21-13, 15-10 (0:53)
Match 4: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (25, Q1) 21-11, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 5: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Wendy Lockhart / Kim Whitney (28, Q6) 21-12, 21-13 (0:33)
Match 6: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (21) 21-15, 21-10 (0:38)
Match 7: Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (20) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (13) 21-19, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 8: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (29, Q4) 21-8, 21-10 (0:35)
Match 9: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (30, Q8) 21-9, 21-7 (0:27)
Match 10: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (14) def. Tammy Leibl / Lina Yanchulova (19) 19-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:12)
Match 11: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) def. Pat Keller / Julie Romias (22) 21-15, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 12: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (27, Q3) 21-9, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 13: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (26, Q12) 21-15, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 14: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (23) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (10) 21-18, 21-18
Match 15: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (15) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (18) 23-21, 22-24, 19-17 (1:12)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q10) 21-12, 21-6 (0:29)

Round 2
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 21-15, 21-13 (0:32)
Match 18: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:56)
Match 19: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 21-12, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 20: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (20) 21-7, 21-12 (0:34)
Match 21: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (14) 22-24, 21-18, 15-10 (0:48)
Match 22: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 21-18, 21-17 (0:54)
Match 23: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (23) 21-16, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 24: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (15) 21-14, 21-14 (0:35)

Round 3
Match 25: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 23-21, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 26: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-19, 13-21, 15-11 (1:04)
Match 27: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) 21-17, 22-20 (0:47)
Match 28: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 19-21, 21-16, 15-8 (0:48)

Round 4
Match 29: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) 21-23, 24-22, 15-10 (1:07)
Match 30: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 21-19, 17-21, 15-12 (1:00)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (16) def. Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (32, Q15) 21-18, 21-14 (0:33)
Match 32: Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (24) def. Jill Changaris / Sara Dukes (25, Q1) 21-13, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 33: Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (21) def. Wendy Lockhart / Kim Whitney (28, Q6) 21-17, 21-19 (0:35)
Match 34: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (13) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (29, Q4) 21-5, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 35: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (30, Q8) def. Tammy Leibl / Lina Yanchulova (19) 24-22, 12-21, 15-9 (0:59)
Match 36: Pat Keller / Julie Romias (22) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (27, Q3) 21-11, 19-21, 15-7 (0:59)
Match 37: Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (10) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (26, Q12) 21-16, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 38: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (18) def. Alexandra Jupiter / Leilani Kamahoahoa (31, Q10) 21-13, 19-21, 15-9 (0:49)

Round 2
Match 39: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (15) def. Jennifer Fopma / Stacy Rouwenhorst (16) 21-13, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 40: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (23) def. Jenelle Koester / Saralyn Smith (24) 16-21, 21-12, 15-9 (0:40)
Match 41: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Mimi Amaral / Jaimie Lee (21) 21-17, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 42: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (13) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (14) 14-21, 21-14, 15-13 (1:01)
Match 43: Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (20) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (30, Q8) 21-12, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 44: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Pat Keller / Julie Romias (22) 21-12, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 45: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (10) 21-19, 22-24, 15-13 (1:11)
Match 46: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (18) 21-16, 21-16 (0:38)

Round 3
Match 47: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (23) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (15) 21-17, 21-14 (0:35)
Match 48: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (13) 21-16, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 49: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (20) 21-13, 17-21, 15-6 (0:51)
Match 50: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 21-11, 25-23 (0:45)

Round 4
Match 51: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (23) 21-18, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 52: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 21-19, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 53: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 14-21, 21-12, 16-14 (0:59)
Match 54: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-14, 21-12 (0:33)

Round 5
Match 55: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-18, 32-30 (1:01)
Match 56: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (12) 21-16, 21-18 (0:41)

Round 6
Match 57: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 23-21, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 58: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) 21-15, 21-10 (0:37)

Semifinals
Match 59: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 21-17, 16-21, 18-16 (1:05)
Match 60: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 21-15, 21-17 (0:43)

Finals
Match 61: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 21-15, 21-11 (0:52)

2007 Hermosa Beach Women's Tournament Champions >>Misty May-Treanor /Kerri Walsh

Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

A look ahead to Hermosa Beach
AVP heads back to So Cal next weekend
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Now that four tournaments are wrapped up in the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, the next swing is going to be one of the most taxing on all the athletes on tour.
Beginning with a two-day main draw in Hermosa Beach, Calif., during the weekend of May 18-20, the AVP will head to five states in five consecutive weekends.
One of the upsides of continuing the back-to-back-to-back stops will be the return to the beach.
The weekend in Hermosa marks the 38th tournament for the men and the 37th AVP stop in Hermosa Beach for the women.
Since 1999, Todd Rogers has captured two titles in the city — one with current partner Phil Dalhausser last year and one with Dax Holdren during the 2001 season. From 1990 to 1999, Karch Kiraly has absolutely dominated the beach in Hermosa, with six titles — three consecutive.
Southern California fans will be given the opportunity to witness the legend during his last tour this season. Despite taking a break to pace himself in Arizona, Kiraly will return to play in his home state with partner Kevin Wong.
As for the ladies, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have won two titles in Hermosa Beach since playing together. Their most recent victory came during the 2005 Hermosa Open.
Last year's victors were Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs — two women who are very familiar with the finals round. While Wacholder and Youngs are not playing together this year, they each have a viable shot at knocking off May-Treanor and Walsh again, as Youngs did with Nicole Branagh in Miami to kick off the year.
Youngs can actually claim the most recent titles in Hermosa, as she took the 2002, 2004 and 2005 opens with Holly McPeak.
If May-Treanor takes the 2007 AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light, she will surpass McPeak's 72 beach titles and earn the distinction as the winningest female on the sand with 73 victories.
Never missing a beat: Because Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have appeared in every final of the 2007 season, they will have the No. 2 seed heading into Huntington. The former second-ranked squad, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, have already let go of the No. 1 seed and only have one finals appearance this season.
They will look to start the road to get back their ranking at the beginning of the year, while Rosenthal/Gibb will look to finally get over the hump and take first place for the first time since the 2006 season opener.
Home sweet home: Of the main draw contenders currently on tour, many call Hermosa Beach home. Included in the list are husband and wife Casey Jennings and Kerri Walsh, Anthony Medel and Aaron Wachtfogel, among others.

Battle of the fanatics
Rosie's Raiders and Prosser's Pirates turn heads
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
In preparation for another Southern California event, let's take a comparative look at who has the rowdiest group of followers in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas.

Rosie's Raiders
For the past few years, Sean Rosenthal's loyal "Rosie's Raiders" have been making their way around the country in support of their favorite player.
Donning black and white shirts with their signature RR, the Raiders were asked to sit in the section farthest away from the action in Huntington's finals match between Rosenthal, his partner Jake Gibb, and the combination of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert.
Even in Arizona the random Raider was spotted watching the Arizona action, pen in hand, awaiting match-point to round up another coveted autograph from Rosenthal himself.
When asked his thoughts on playing in California before his supportive crowds, Rosenthal replied, "They're following me on the computer anyways. I'm sure it's nice for them, but for me I just play."
What about their unruly cheering and enthusiasm? While Rosenthal is appreciative of their support, he still plays the same game regardless of who's watching.
"I try not to let it affect my game," he said.

Prosser's Pirates
Lesser-known and making a sizeable showing in the first California event of the year were the dedicated fans who call themselves "Prosser's Pirates."
In the beginning of John Mayer and Prosser's Huntington match between Austin Rester and Aaron Wachtfogel, the momentum seemed to be on the higher-seeded team's side of the net. But during the second game, the Pirates let loose and raised their plastic swords chanting, "P-R-O-S-S-E-ARRRR" in support of their beloved coach.
Prosser's Pirates are not actually pirates at all, but members of the Long Beach State NCAA men's volleyball team dressed in eye patches, handkerchiefs and hats with skulls and bones. Prosser has coached the 49ers for the past three years and attributed their support to his win during Saturday afternoon play in Huntington.
"We just came out there and battled and they were out there cheering for us, so it was such a huge lifter to have all these people out here," said Prosser of his pirates. "John picked up some balls and I finally got a game-plan going. We just kind of hung in there and battled."
Many fans even enjoyed seeing the heckling Prosser's Pirates had to contribute to his matches. They were cheering for sponsor Jose Cuervo on Cinco de Mayo and shouted witty and at times inappropriate comments at Prosser and Mayer's opponents.
Either way, the Pirates definitely drew a crowd to rival Rosie's Raiders and brought on a great deal of new fan support for Mayer and Prosser.
But were the Pirates a one-time deal?
Since the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Open, Long Beach State's spring quarter has wrapped up and it's now a long summer vacation. The men's volleyball team is in its off-season and there couldn't be a better time to drive up the 405 and turn some heads.
Be sure to catch any of Rosenthal/Gibb's and Mayer/Prosser's matches to behold a spectacle in the fan support. With any luck, both groups of supports will show up and be treated to a match between the two teams.
Only then can we accurately determine who has a more faithful following.

For Dr. Romias, a balancing act
Tour veteran splits time between patients, volleyball
By By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
There is life outside volleyball and Julie Romias spends her time off the court striving to make it better.
Romias is a family practice physician at Kaiser Permanente in West Los Angeles and wears the white coat during the week before shedding it on weekends as one of the women trying to make it on the AVP Crocs Tour.
And she's not content merely to bump and set and then hang out in the VIP tent while others advance in the main draw. Romias is out to win.
"Life's too short to not sort of go for it," Romias said. "There is always time to work when I'm older. I'm still young enough to play and I want to be serious about it."
Like many of the pros on tour, Romias was a collegiate indoor player and excelled.
A graduate of UCLA in the class of 1994, Romias was a member of two national championship squads. Along the way she earned Pac-10 Player of the Year honors in 1993 and was an academic all-America.
Athleticism is also no accident. Her sister Bonnie was an All-American at Penn State in volleyball and her brother John is a tennis pro.
Coupling a demanding job with the rigors of competing on a professional tour is not for the timid, but Romias remains driven to excel at each endeavor.
"I'm tired a lot. It is pretty exhausting during the season. I just try and be very disciplined," Romias said about a schedule that demands a bedtime of 10 p.m. and an early-morning workout routine before she hits the floor at Kaiser for rounds at 8 a.m. "You have to be very disciplined with every other area of your life if you're going to pull it off. I don't know if I have yet."
The 37-year-old gives credit to her husband, Brian, an ER doc at Kaiser, whom she met as an undergrad at UCLA, where he was working on his Masters degree. But she also credits her place of employment and admits a private practice would likely overshadow her life on the beach.
"Kaiser is great and that is one of the reasons that I chose to work for them. They let you have a life outside of your job," Romias said. "A lot of doctors have to be on call and work nights, but if you don't want to do that at Kaiser, you don't have to."
Romias teamed with Jenny Kropp this past weekend in Glendale and tied a career high with a 13th-place finish. It was only the second time they've paired up on the AVP Tour and it followed a 17th-place finish from the week earlier in Huntington Beach. She had teamed with Claire Robertson earlier in the season, but Robertson switched to team with Keao Burdine at Huntington, which prompted Romias' need for a new partner.
But the shuffle appears to have paid off. Prior to the Huntington Beach Open, Romias and Kropp played in a tune-up event and won. As partners on the AVP Tour, they've successfully qualified in the two events they've entered.
"We just really complement each other," Romias said. "She is a big block at the net and my strength is defense. We really meshed quickly. She is so nice, easy to get along with."
Romias and Kropp will compete in the Hermosa Beach Open this coming weekend but first will be devoting time to her patients. Romias said separating the two is not a problem.
"I am not distracted at all and it has been wonderful. Work can get pretty draining and not just physically because you're on your feet every day for 12 hours and running from room to room but also emotionally," Romias said.
"I've been at Kaiser for five years and you see a lot of sad things. You see death and all of that stuff, so you really need an outlet and I get that here. When I'm here, I'm so far away from medicine, and when I'm there, I'm so far away from volleyball, so I don't allow either one to drive me crazy."
Romias chose family practice because she enjoys the range from pediatrics to geriatrics and all the phases in between. While she hasn't opted to start a family of her own, she recognizes that window of opportunity will not always remain open.
But for now, the beach beckons and she will remain in pursuit of her dream.
"I say every year that I won't play next year and I'll probably say that this year, but I feel like I've gotten better and I've been ranked a little bit higher each year," Romias said. "As long as I keep improving and I keep having fun and my body can handle it, I might as well go for it."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Jennings reaches new heights
Volleyballer takes off, stays grounded
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
GLENDALE, Ariz — When it's not hosting the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, Glendale is home to the Luke Air Force Base.
And for one day, jump serves and fighter pilots collided.
Last Wednesday, Casey "Maverick" Jennings had the rare opportunity as a civilian to visit the 63rd Fighter Squad, nicknamed "The Jungle," at Luke Air Force Base.
Around 9 a.m., he eagerly jumped into a van and rode out to the "The Jungle" to get fitted for a flight suit and begin his F-16 training. When first built, the F-16s were some of the first attacker jets able to sustain turns of nine G's.
Captain Skyler Hester, Jennings's F-16 instructor pilot, welcomed him to Luke AFB and directed Jennings to the Network Control Center, where he underwent a two-hour training session and flight simulation.
Hester is not a force to be reckoned with, as he has logged over 200 hours of combat time in Iraq and responds to the call sign "Coma."
Jennings could not contain his enthusiasm. When Hester asked, "Are you ready to shoot some things down?" Jennings repeated, "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" brimming with anticipation.
During Jennings's simulated ride, he reached an altitude of 18,000 ft., traveling at 300 knots. At almost nine G's, he maneuvered a full-left airplane roll. When he finally got a feel for how the plan moves, he pulled the nose down and rolled one G to the right.
At that point, Jennings was experienced enough to take on Captain Hester in a dogfight.
In the middle of the fight, Jennings reached an altitude of 50,000 feet, and Hester directed him to put the nose down and launched a series of teachings and taunts.
"[You] can't lose sight, if you do, I will come get you," said Hester. "I'm a big juicy target right here; come and get me."
The excitement overwhelmed Jennings, who almost stalled his aircraft mid-simulation. When his speed decreased, a warning sign alarmed him of the danger of stalling.
Irritated with his error Jennings said, "I want to stick it to you and I've blown every chance I've got." But at the end of the day, he finally accepted his fate, "Two hours later, but hard work pays off."
During the end of the simulation, Jennings attempted to land his aircraft. On first try, he missed the runway but safely landed on the second try.
When asked about Jennings's performance, Hester concluded, "If this was real, the plane would be in about 15 pieces on the first landing. ... Besides that he did excellent."
Following the simulated ride, Casey was taken up to the control tower and saw a pattern of F-16's take off.
In this weekend's AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light, Jennings will have an added intimidation factor, as he is now an experienced fighter pilot. Opponents will soon see his newfound need for speed.
Returning the favor: During Saturday's break between the day and night sessions in Glendale, after finishing the day with a 13th-place finish, Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson thanked part of the Luke Air Force Base crew for their work with Jennings.
Ten members showed up ready to run through a 15-minute clinic to brush up on their beach volleyball skills, before playing six-on-six to wrap up their own AVP simulation. The match was also officiated by one of the referees on hand.
Jackie Chiuchiarelli contributed to this report.

Pascua, Ilustre eye funds to back Olympic dream
MANILA, Philippines -- Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre already know they are in the RP Olympic training program.
What the two beach volleybelles are not sure about is whether they will get funding while they prepare for next year's Beijing Games.
The Filipino-American duo is set to visit the country on May 19 to clear their status with the Philippine Sports Commission, which earlier announced that it would shoulder the Olympic training.
Philippine Volleyball Federation secretary-general Otie Camangian Wednesday said they will try to get an audience with the agency during their stay here.
The 2005 Southeast Asian Games bronze winners won't be staying long here, according to Camangian, as they will compete in the second leg of the World Tour in Sentosa, Japan.
Pascua and Ilustre need to earn as many points as they can in at least eight legs of the World Tour this year and in 2008 to be able to make it to Beijing.
"They want to know if they will be funded by the PSC when they compete in the World Tour legs, which will serve as their passport to the Olympics," Camangian told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
So far, Camangian said the PSC promised to bring the beach volleybelles to a training camp in Beijing, like some 29 other athletes in the Olympic program.
PSC chair Butch Ramirez didn't reply to text messages but has thrown support to the beach volleyball program during early interviews.

Bring your books to Hermosa Beach
Dig for Kids is accepting book donations
By By Monique Moyal and Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com
For the third-straight weekend, Dig for Kids will team with AVP Cares to accept book donations from fans outside of the main gates at the 2007 AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light.
Fans in Huntington Beach and Glendale have been very generous, as they donated hundreds of books.
Before Dig for Kids started setting up tables at AVP tournaments, Albert Hannemann and Eric Fonoimoana said that the program already accepted 90,000 books that have helped to build classroom libraries for more than 18,000 students in Southern California schools.
Donations from the Southern California events will help build libraries for students at Carson High School. Once that project is completed, Dig for Kids will turn their sights on helping out other schools throughout Los Angeles. Books donated at events outside of Southern California will go to partner schools across the nation.
Fans can leave their books at the D4K tent in their local AVP market. Whoever donates the most books will win an autographed ball signed by the players on tour. The second place donor will also receive an autographed ball, just without the personal touch.
Thus far, the most books have been donated on behalf of Karch Kiraly. Books on behalf of Jake Gibb are a close second and Kerri Walsh is close behind that. Fans can donate books in Hermosa on behalf of their favorite players to try and win a coveted autographed ball.
Dig for Kids is a non-profit organization that focuses on improving literacy rates among inner-city students and helping them get into colleges

May-Treanor walks path of excellence
Misty still remembers all who've helped her
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
It is not a matter of if but simply when and this weekend is as good a time as any.
Hermosa Beach will be the first opportunity for Misty May-Treanor to become the winningest women's player in professional beach volleyball and, given that she and partner Kerri Walsh have taken the last three tournaments, the tandem will be prohibitive favorites.
Stepping aside will be Holly McPeak, whose record 72 tournament victories May-Treanor matched last week at the Glendale Open. While McPeak is still competitive — she is coming off a fifth-place finish with partner Logan Tom — and would like to extend her record with a victory of her own, she knows what is coming.
"Misty May is playing great volleyball. She is bound to break my record," McPeak said. "She is young and she tends to win most of the tournaments. It is frustrating that I'm not out there stopping her."
Stopping has not been a part of the equation since May-Treanor and Walsh formed their alliance in 2001.
It also has not been a solo act.
Walsh has been an integral part of 66 of those wins and is currently third on the career list with 69 of her own and will likely take over the second position some time this season.
May-Treanor, who started her career on the beach with McPeak and is poised to eclipse her former partner, said the record is secondary to the strides she has made as one of two players on her side of the net.
"I'm not really about the numbers. I don't think of the record until it's brought up. I'm more into the team aspect," May-Treanor said. "I just wish Kerri came out sooner and we started at the same time."
Once together, it didn't take long for the pair to move to the head of the class as the best team on the women's side of the draw.
In their first tournament, May-Treanor and Walsh finished seventh as the No. 12 seed at the Beach Volleyball America event in Clearwater, Fla., in April 2001. Their first win came about a month later when they emerged victorious at the BVA tournament in Oceanside, Calif., in just their second tournament together.
They also won their first international event that year with a victory in July in Portugal on the FIVB World Tour.
In 2002, they won five times on the FIVB Tour and then began one of the great runs in sports the following year.
May-Treanor and Walsh ran up a perfect string of 39 victories in as many matches on the AVP Tour to grab a total of eight titles. They won a total of 89 straight matches from July 15, 2003, to June 5, 2004, encompassing both the FIVB and AVP tours.
But like Joe DiMaggio, who went on a 16-game hitting streak the day after having his 56-game string snapped, May-Treanor and Walsh then won 50 matches in a row, which just happened to include a Gold Medal at the Olympic Summer Games in Athens in August 2004.
It all started with victory No. 1, though, and it was McPeak that shared the court with May-Treanor that day in Deerfield Beach, Fla., as they took first place in just their third tournament together.
Matt Treanor, a backup catcher with the Florida Marlins and Misty's husband, said that foundation helped springboard his wife to greater success.
"Misty likes to thank the people that came before her, and Holly was one of those people that really made an impression on her and showed her the ropes, took her under her wing and showed what life was like on the road — and giving her the work ethic of what is needed to win," Treanor said.
Her partner agrees.
"She is deserving of every accolade in the book," Walsh said of May-Treanor. "Holly gave Misty her start, and I know how grateful she is for that. Bottom line is that Misty is a stud, and it is not surprising that she has put herself in a position to reach such a milestone."
Following their Olympic success, May-Treanor and Walsh won 11 times on the AVP Tour in 2005 and added another six titles on the FIVB Tour. For an encore, May-Treanor and Walsh won 13 AVP tournaments in 2006 and grabbed three international titles.
A brief stumble at the beginning of this year dropped them to a third-place finish in Miami, where they lost in the semifinal to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. But they've righted themselves and are back on one of their customary rolls.
May-Treanor and Walsh lost the final at Hermosa Beach last year to Youngs and Rachel Wacholder. Last year's champs are no longer partners, but Wacholder is paired with Tyra Turner this year, and the two extended May-Treanor and Walsh to a three-set match last week in Glendale.
No teams will roll over, certainly, but eventually the record will fall.
"Misty is very humble and won't say much about it, but I think it's really nice and shows all the hard work that she's put in," Treanor said.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Men's No. 1 goes for four in Hermosa
Women's side prepares for history
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
The AVP Crocs Tour is getting its second taste of Southern California as it makes the annual trek to Hermosa Beach.
It's stop No. 39 for the men in a domestic tournament there, while the women will compete for the 38th time at Hermosa. There have also been a pair of international tournaments, as FIVB held both men's and women's tournaments at Hermosa Beach in 1995 and 1996.
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers would seem to have the inside track for the men's title in 2007. Not only are they coming off a win last week in Glendale, but they've won three of the four events this year on tour and are the defending champions at Hermosa Beach.
Rogers also won in Hermosa in 2001, when he teamed with Dax Holdren. The two scored a pair of seconds in Hermosa: 1997 and 2000.
One team looking for a change in luck is Sean Rosenthal/Jake Gibb. The two have made it to four straight men's finals to open the 2007 campaign but have yet to break through.
Rosenthal, who is from nearby Redondo Beach and will enjoy the support of "Rosie's Raiders," finished third at Hermosa in 2005 while paired with Larry Witt. Gibb has two third-place finishes at Hermosa: in 2005 with Stein Metzger and 2003 with Adam Jewell.
On the women's side, Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs are the defending champs, but they're no longer together.
Wacholder is now teamed with Tyra Turner to create the team that finished second last week in Glendale, while Youngs has hooked up with Nicole Branagh. The latter scored a victory in the season-opener in Miami and then drew a pair of second-place finishes before earning a fifth last week.
A sore right ankle has slowed Branagh and cut into their practice time, but the two are hoping the extra day off this week, with just a two-day main draw, will help.
Last year's runners-up, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, are not only on a roll but they're gunning for a bit of history. The two have won three straight tournaments, and the next victory will put May-Treanor on top. She is currently tied with Holly McPeak with 72 wins overall, which is tops among women in professional beach volleyball.
Friendly confines: Karch Kiraly has six titles at Hermosa Beach, most on tour. Sinjin Smith also has six titles at Hermosa but two were part of the Parks and Recreation circuit. For the women, Kathy Gregory won seven P & R tournaments there.
Bracketology: Qualifying will be Friday, when 68 men's and women's teams will compete for one of eight slots into the 32-team main draw. Play will be contested on 13 courts.
Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on AVP.com on Sunday, May 20. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, May 22 and will replay the men's final Saturday, May 26.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. PDT on Friday, 9:00 a.m. Saturday and 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. The women's final is set for 2:30 p.m. PDT Sunday with the men's final to follow at 4:00 p.m.
Cut shots: The No. 1 or No. 2 seeds have won the last 11 men's open events and 13 of the last 15. ... Dalhausser and Rogers are 12-2 in championship matches. ... Gibb led the men with 40 blocks in 17 games in Glendale. ... Dianne DeNecochea and Brittany Hochevar tied last week with 14 aces but Hochevar played 12 games to DeNecochea's 14.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will head to Kentucky next weekend for the Louisville Open, May 24-27, beginning Thursday the 24th with qualifying rounds for the 24-team main draw.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

May-Treanor is a title away
Winning the Hermosa Beach Open with teammate Walsh would make her the winningest female player ever.
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 18, 2007
The record is there for the taking and Misty May-Treanor is aware of it, if only because people keep bringing it up.
Still, she prefers not to let her pursuit of the record for beach volleyball victories by a woman keep her up at night. Her DVR does a good enough job of that.
When May-Treanor teamed with Kerri Walsh to win the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's Glendale Open last week, it was victory No. 72 for May-Treanor, matching the mark held by Holly McPeak.
This weekend in Hermosa Beach, she can pass McPeak on that list, but May-Treanor says she is far more concerned with catching up on television shows such as "One Tree Hill," "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars."
"No, that's not keeping me up at night," she said about the chase for history. "TiVo is keeping me up at night. I start watching some shows and I'm like, 'I can't go to bed now, I need to see what happens"
The outcome of reality television may not always be predictable but what happens on the volleyball courts almost always is: May-Treanor comes out on top.
She began playing professionally on the beach in 1999 and got her first victory in 2000 with McPeak. They played together for the 2000 season, winning five times in 16 tournaments.
In 2001, May-Treanor teamed with Walsh and they have been on a tear ever since, winning 66 of 98 tournaments.
"When she started playing, I knew she was going to be one of the greats," McPeak said. "She was young and naive and had a lot to learn but, boy, did she have talent and it's been fun to watch her grow as both a player and a person."
Walsh is third on the list with 69 victories, followed by Karolyn Kirby with 67 and Jackie Silva with 60. No other woman has more than 50. Karch Kiraly holds the all-time record with 148 wins.
May-Treanor insists that she pays little attention to numbers, that her focus is on winning the next tournament. Still, she acknowledges a bit of pride.
"It is a milestone," she said. "It's an honor to be up there with Holly and Jackie and Karolyn and, of course, Kerri. When you first start playing, you're only looking for win No. 1, so 73 seems like a pretty large number."
It's less than half of Kiraly's record, but McPeak said that record is more reachable today than it was 10 years ago because there are more opportunities to play. May-Treanor and Walsh, for example, have averaged more than 14 victories over the last four years.
Just don't expect May-Treanor to put that in her to-do list.
"I've been pretty good about not thinking about records my whole career," she said. "I'm pretty kicked-back about those kinds of things."
So what gets her excited? Why, "Dancing with the Stars," of course.
"I want to be on it some day," she said. "That's my secret goal."

This duo will run with being runners-up
Gibb and Rosenthal find no shame in placing second in four straight finals heading into this weekend's AVP Hermosa Beach Open.
By Phil Collin
Staff writer
Second again? It's got to drive Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb nuts, setting themselves up to be the butt of Buffalo Bills jokes.
Four tournaments have been played on the AVP Tour this year and these guys might as well be named Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. Four times, Rosenthal and Gibb have reached the finals.
Four times, second place.
There must be some teeth-gnashing -- with a gritty handful of sand, of course -- going on somewhere. Good enough to get there, not good enough to win. Try that one on your local pro athlete.
That's the story they live with coming into this weekend's AVP Hermosa Beach Open, but if you think they're going to be bothered by a few taunts about their ability to finish, well, you're not taking into consideration the thickness of their sun-baked skin.
"We've taken four seconds,'' Gibb said, "but I'm playing beach volleyball for a living. Yeah, it's tough after the loss, but it's a damn good way to make a living.''
Oh yeah, there's that.
Not to mention the fact that Gibb was speaking after going 18 holes at Recreation Park Golf Course in Long Beach with Rosenthal and one of their tour rivals, Casey Jennings.
All they can do is grip it, rip it and give each other a knowing nod. No worries, mate.
"I'm not satisfied with second by any means, but we're giving ourselves an opportunity to win and that's really all you can ask for,'' Rosenthal said. "You get to the (final) game, and if you win it's more satisfying and pleasing, but if you don't, there are 30 other teams who'd like to be in that spot.''
They know their day in the sun is around the corner, even if the June Gloom hovers over Hermosa this weekend. It's not like they haven't won before; they captured their first tournament together in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last year and closed their season with an FIVB win in Acapulco, Mexico, beating Olympic gold medalists Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos of Brazil.
In fact, they beat Emanuel and Ricardo three times last year, so we know this is a team to be dealt with by the likes of this year's AVP winners, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, and Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert.
Eleven times since they've been paired, Rosenthal and Gibb have finished second.
Perhaps the most athletic player on the tour, the 6-foot-4 Rosenthal is still polishing his hitting game. Although he is one of the more feared hitters, he sees most of the serves because Gibb is a former AVP MVP, and standing 6-7, opponents would rather take their chances with the "little'' guy.
"It's been about 10 years since I've been served on a consistent basis,'' Rosenthal said. "Learning how to win games when you get served every time, it's a totally different game. It's tough.''
Gibb can't think of a better partner, though.
"I remember watching Rosie when I first came out, just being in awe of the guy,'' he said. "Right away I wanted to be partners with the guy.
"I'll tell you what, I'm in awe every time I train with him. He's an absolute athlete and he does amazing, amazing stuff.''
Both are late bloomers from opposite sides of the track. The 26-year-old Rosenthal spent time tearing it up in soccer, basketball and baseball until finally taking up volleyball at 14. He became the finest player never to play for Redondo High because at 16, he was already in the main draw at Hermosa.
Gibb, growing up in Bountiful, Utah, knew volleyball as a backyard game until he got serious with twin brother Cameron at 21. Now 31, Gibb was the AVP's Most Improved Player in 2004 and the MVP in '05.
Both have cheering sections to die for. Rosie's Raiders can flummox opponents with their rowdiness, and Gibb -- well, he and Cameron are the youngest of 11 children.
"He does have a lot brothers and sisters and their husbands, wives and kids -- there are a lot of Gibbs out there a lot of weekends,'' Rosenthal said. "It's nice having a great cheering section.
"Rivaling the Raiders? Well, I don't know about that. I don't think they'll be quite as loud or as obnoxious as the Raiders.''
Just maybe this week they'll be hollering it up for the winners.
phil.collin@dailybreeze.com

HERMOSA BEACH OPEN
TODAY: Qualifying rounds (eight men's and eight women's teams advance to the main draw),
admission is free.
SATURDAY: Main draw; general admission free, courtside seating $40.
SUNDAY: Main draw, including women's final at 2:30 p.m., with the men's final 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's final (approximately 4 p.m.); general
admission free, courtside seating $40.
MEN'S TOP TEAMS: Todd Rogers-Phil Dalhausser; Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb; Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger.
WOMEN'S TOP TEAMS: Kerri Walsh-Misty May-Treanor; Elaine Youngs-Nicole Branagh; Rachel Wacholder-Tyra Turner.
NOTABLE: All-time wins leader Karch Kiraly (148 career victories) will play in his final Hermosa Open. The three-time Olympic gold medalist has won the event six times. ... Misty May-Treanor could become the winningest women's player on tour. She is seeking to break a tie with Holly McPeak, who has won 72 tournaments. May-Treanor's partner, Kerri Walsh, has 69 victories. ... FSN Prime Ticket will broadcast the finals (delayed) Sunday at 8 p.m.

Play begins at Hermosa Beach
90 men's and 73 women's teams competing in qualifiers
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- The AVP Crocs Tour opened for play here Friday, the second of four southern California events on the schedule.
The tour will head to Long Beach in July and hold one of its premier events, the Manhattan Beach Open, in August.
But on Friday, a total of 90 men's teams competed for one of eight spots in the main draw on 15 different courts. This marks the sixth-largest men's qualifying field. A record 111 men's teams competed during qualifying at Manhattan Beach last season.
The women fielded their third-highest number of teams in the qualifying round with 63. A record 73 teams played in the qualifying round here in 2006.
An early upset on the men's side Friday saw the No. 88 qualifying team of Kevin Lynch and John Wankner taking out No. 41 Mike Desjardins and Paul McDonald.
The No. 1 seed in the men's draw, Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic, survived their first match of the day when they eliminated No. 65 Adam Breault and Gabe Burt.
There was a shake-up atop the men's qualifier bracket as Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts parted ways. Carlucci is teamed with Ran Kumgisky and drew the second seed in the qualifier, while Roberts paired with Brad Torsone for a fifth seed. Carlucci and Roberts made it to the final match last Thursday in Glendale, but did not advance to the main draw.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

May-Treanor leans on spouse for support
Husband is Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Matt Treanor is second on the depth chart as a catcher with the Marlins while is wife is No. 1 on the AVP Crocs Tour.
She's actually tied for the top spot but with her next tournament victory, Misty May-Treanor will surpass Holly McPeak with her 73rd win.
"She is very team-oriented and she wants to play well with Kerri and she doesn't want to take anything away from what they're trying to accomplish but in my opinion it is just a tribute to how hard she works and the support system she's had," Treanor said.
Those accomplishments are many and just one of them is to maintain their perch atop the women's draw on tour. Walsh is currently third among women pros and has been May-Treanor's partner for all but six of her overall wins, which includes both domestic and international tournaments.
Beyond the pro tour, though, is the international game where they are reigning Olympic champions on the beach. May-Treanor and Walsh won the gold medal in Athens in 2004 and are hoping to qualify as one of two American women's teams for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.
In some ways, the record is taking a back seat to what May-Treanor and Walsh see as the bigger picture.
"Their ultimate goal is to be in the Olympics, and getting ready for that, she didn't make any mention of the record," Treanor said. "She rarely talks about her individual play. She tells me how she feels."
For Treanor, it's more about playing time. Miguel Olivo is the Marlins' No. 1 catcher so Treanor usually draws day games after night games and whenever Olivo needs a day off. But Treanor sees his role not unlike that of teammates on the sand courts.
"It is very similar to volleyball, you have to accept your role in baseball and you've got to let the ego go. If I'm not getting time in games and I feel like I'm getting screwed and thinking about other stuff, you're not helping the guy ahead of you. You're not helping him and you're not watching," said Treanor, who is 3-for-22 this season with a triple and an RBI.
"If (Olivo) has a question about something or what he may need to work on, you have to have that relationship with him to make things better and it's not just him. It's working with pitchers and making sure things run smoothly on the field."
The focus is on his wife this weekend and has been for the past few seasons but Treanor has no issues being a high-level professional athlete who is overshadowed in his own home.
"It's kind of odd because I'm a backup catcher and she's a superstar," Treanor said. "My game is based on failure. If you succeed three out of ten times you're doing really good. You have the potential to be an All-Star. In her job if you fail seven out of 10 times you're not making any money."
Treanor will be across the state of Florida this weekend as the Marlins open Interleague Play in Tampa against the Devil Rays. About the time the he's leaving the clubhouse after Sunday's series finale, his wife will be across the country warming up for the final, if she and partner Walsh move through the main draw.
And if the favorites do advance, the phone call will likely be a replay of last week's.
"She actually took it all in stride, she didn't mention anything about it," Treanor said of the call after his wife's record-tying win in Glendale, Ariz. "I congratulated her, because I know it's a huge deal. But she was more concerned with the way she and Kerri played."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

To Jim Nichols, familiarity overrated
Veteran has played with 51 partners in career
By Mike Menninger / Special to AVP.com
Familiarity between partners in beach volleyball is crucial for success. It doesn't matter how you meet or pair up; what counts is that you know each other well enough to succeed on the sand.
Winning pairs can last for years, while other partnerships can fall apart after a single match, and the two competitors must find a new player to bump and set with. Jim Nichols knows all about finding a new partner. In 17 years, he's done it 51 times.
"There are guys that are always switching around," Nichols said. "I'm just way ahead of everybody."
Of the record 51 different partners he has played with over the course of 186 AVP Tour events, Nichols can't sit back and point out one specific person he has had the most fun playing with. He has played with plenty of guys who were, at the time, up-and-coming and not in their prime. Nichols has passed on his knowledge of the game to players such as Pat Powers, Matt Olsen, Daniel Cardenas and Troy Tanner.
"Obviously, if you're successful with someone, you're going to stay with them, so that says something about how much success I've had, I guess," he said.
Nichols has had some success on the AVP Tour, finishing as high as fourth three different times. One of those fourth place finishes made for perhaps the most outstanding moment of his long career, when he was partnered with Mark Kerins in Baltimore in 1994.
"The finals, the big crowd, a beautiful sunny day; it gave me a little sampling of what it's like to be in the top five for one day," Nichols said.
Although Nichols has been playing for a long time, he said that moving between so many teammates has not felt abnormal. He'll be the quickest to point out that it takes time to settle in with the right partner in order to have success on the court, and most of that has to do with an individual's style of play.
"I'm a shorter, ball control-type guy," Nichols said. "So in some ways I'm easy to play with because I have good ball control, and in some ways I'm difficult to play with because I need to get set."
That said, there hasn't been a certain criteria Nichols takes into consideration when he happens to be looking for a partner. There have been times where the first time he'd play with a teammate would be the opening round of a tournament. That is not the case for the 2007 AVP Hermosa Beach Open, as he is partnered with his good friend Greg Lyle.
"Greg and I have been friends for a long time and we've played a bunch of tournaments together," Nichols said. "He's a good setter, good ball control."
Both with years of experience on the sand, Nichols and Lyle make up for what is one of the most senior pairings in Hermosa at a combined 83 years old.
"(We're) both under six foot and over 40 (years old,)" Lyle said. "I guarantee you we're the oldest combined age and the shortest combined height."
A sharp contrast to the pair they faced Friday in the first round of qualifying matches, as they took on one of Nichols' 51 former partners, Brian Corso and his new teammate, 15-year-old Hawk Hatcher.
It took just 38 minutes for the young guns to oust Lyle and Nichols from the tournament, a match that marked another test of Nichols' ball-handling skills.
"We thought we could do well out here," he said. "I was hoping for the first time in my life I wouldn't get every serve, and it didn't turn out that way. I still got half the serves."
Nichols didn't mention the next tournament he would play in or for that matter who his next partner would be. Whoever number 52 is, they will be part of a long list of teammates that have taken advantage of 17 years of beach volleyball experience. And for Nichols, it will really be just another opportunity to play with an up-and-comer.

Hermosa Notes: Gage has seen it all
AVP director of competition is Hermosa Beach native
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- Matt Gage has seen a lot during his years on the beach and from his post near the big board, he gains a unique perspective.
"It is great being around people in competition. It's the best reality show of all-time," Gage said. "People every day are ecstatic if they win and they're depressed if they lose. You're seeing every bit of people's emotions right here."
Gage is competition director for the AVP Crocs Tour, a position he's held since 1984, and he's well suited for his job. With a resume that includes 28 tournament victories, Gage can bridge the gap between Ron Von Hagen and Tim Hovland.
Also having spent his competitive years on the Parks and Recreation circuit and playing his first event at Sorrento Beach in 1970 and his last at Rosecrans in 1983, Gage has seen the evolution of the sport he learned while growing up on this very beach.
"Everything is absolutely different. There is production, now. Before there was volleyball courts and players and fans," Gage said.
Another change that the 60-year-old Gage noted is the size of the court, which was two 30-foot squares on each side of the net in his day but has been reduced to 26 by 26.
"It has affected the game quite a bit," Gage said. "Obviously it is still volleyball and you still have to have the skill sets to be good at the game but the size of the court has changed the dynamic, particularly the size of the players that can be successful.
"The shorter court is kind of an advantage to the bigger guy and is going to draw more big guys out to the game. Previously the emphasis was on agility and being able to move around the court and getting from point to point. Now the action is at the net so if you're tall it helps in the game today."
Gage won his first tournament in 1971 with partner Bill Imwalle in Santa Cruz. He also won at Mission Beach that year in San Diego but the following season he added his most crowning achievement when he and Buzz Swartz won at Manhattan Beach.
As local as they come, Gage was born and raised in Hermosa Beach and cut his beach volleyball teeth near the pier that is providing anchor for stadium court this weekend, one of 15 surfaces for this year's tournament.
A three-time champion at Hermosa, Gage doesn't play much anymore, stopping about a year ago after wear and tear on his legs caught up with him.
But in his current position, Gage gets an overall view of the action from deciding on the format to helping coordinate the officials. He's also highly visible, jotting down the winners on the main scoreboard as the brackets collapse toward an eventual champion.
And working in his front yard, just blocks from home, makes it all the more rewarding.
"I love this place," Gage said. "It is the deepest sand of any beach we play on so it is a real test of people's volleyball skills."
Good genes: Jesse Rambis created a minor stir when he and partner Brandon Lamb won their first match of the qualifier with a 12-21, 21-12, 15-12 victory Friday morning over Griffin Cogorno and Jordan Hove.
Rambis is the son of Kurt Rambis, who is currently an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. The elder Rambis also won four rings with the Lakers during their Showtime run through the NBA in the 1980s.
Rambis and Lamb lost their succeeding match, 19-21, 21-23, though, to Matt Heagy and Justin Phipps to be eliminated.
Shake-up: Julie Romias placed 13th last weekend in Glendale after surviving the qualifier and earned a spot in the main draw this week.
Her reward was a new partner as her teammate from last week, Jenny Kropp, bolted in favor of Jenny Pavley and a move up the board to the No. 15 seed. Romias hooked up with Pat Keller and is seeded 22nd.
"It was a flurry of phone calls," Romias said of the last-minute change. "It'll work out."
Romias said she's looking for a partner who can play the net and is willing to travel to all of the tournaments.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

New partners, different results
Roberts, Carlucci will spend their Saturdays differently
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Partnerships are only as strong as their last match, and one player is seeing the bright side of breaking up.
For now, at least.
Last week in Glendale, Adam Roberts and Jeff Carlucci were seeded second in the qualifier and failed to advance, losing the last match of the day.
Fast forward to Hermosa Beach and Roberts finds himself in the main draw, while Carlucci is going home. Carlucci opted for Ran Kumgisky this week and was granted the No. 2 seed, while Roberts hooked up with Brad Torsone for a berth in the qualifier as the fifth seed.
Roberts and Torsone used a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Shigetomo Sakugawa and Jon Stalls to advance, but Carlucci and Kumgisky were upset, 21-7, 17-21, 13-15, by Lucas Black and Casey Brewer.
"This game is very relationship-oriented," Roberts said. "Jeff and I just had a miscommunication and we weren't having the same finishes that we were last year, so we just decided to switch it up."
Also advancing out of the qualifying round and into the main draw were AJ Mihalic and Billy Allen (Q1), David Fischer and Scott Hill (Q3), Reuben Danley and Leonardo Moraes (Q10), Kevin Dake and Jeremie Simkins (Q11), and Seth Burnham and Tony Pray (Q13).
The lowest men's seed to survive qualifying was the No. 57 team of Sam Haghighi and Dane Pearson, who scored a 17-21, 21-19, 15-12 victory over Kyle Denitz and Arri Jeschke, the ninth-seed.
A total of 90 men's teams competed for one of the eight spots in the main draw on 15 courts Friday. It was the sixth-largest men's qualifying field. A record 111 men's teams competed during qualifying at Manhattan Beach last season.
The women fielded their third-highest number of teams in the qualifying round with 63. A record 73 teams played in the qualifying round here in 2006.
It also was about 40 degrees cooler than a week ago. Temperatures broke 100 each day in Glendale but were in the mid-60s on Friday, with a strong wind coming off the ocean.
"It's just the opposite," Allen said. "(In Glendale) it's almost like you don't want to warm up and keep all the energy you can, while here you're jogging a lot to keep warm."
Making noise again was local prep star Hawk Hatcher, who tried his hand at only the second qualifier in his young career but failed to get past the third round. Hatcher was one match victory shy of qualifying two weeks ago in Huntington Beach when he paired with Black.
On Friday, Hatcher played with Brian Corso and the two won their first match of the day, 21-14, 25-23, but they ran into the top seed in Allen and Mihalic for the next match. Hatcher and his partner were competitive throughout, taking the first set, 21-16, but they dropped the next two, 15-21, 13-15, to be eliminated.
"He never gives up; he's flying all over the court," Allen said. "It is fun to play against him. He takes it really hard."
Allen and Mihalic eliminated Adam Breault and Gabe Burt (Q65) in the second round, 21-17, 21-15, and then needed a tick over an hour to upend Hatcher and Corso.
A larger than normal crowd for the match gave it more of a main draw feel than a qualifier and Allen said that he and his partner fed off the vibe. It was almost a letdown in their succeeding match as Allen and Mihalic needed a 21-19 win in the first set but got out to an early lead in the second set and sided out to victory, 21-13.
"We had some tough matches there. Hawk and Brian played awesome. It took a lot of energy and emotion for us to pull that one out," Allen said. "We were really flat and almost too relaxed in that last game. In the earlier match with that crowd, we had to pump each other up and get excited. In the last game, we had to relax and take on a different demeanor."
Roberts, a native of North Carolina, had teamed with Carlucci for a handful of events last season and the first four this year. While they enjoyed three 13th-place finishes and three 17th-place finishes last year, the best they could do this season was a pair of 25ths.
Both agreed the best thing to do was find another partner and Roberts settled on Torsone, a player he's known for the last five years and one he's wanted to team up with for the last few seasons.
"He's a very good ball control player and he's got a lot of experience out here," Roberts said. "We played slow and steady and tried not to make any mistakes and play smart volleyball. We got it done."
An early upset on the men's side Friday saw the No. 88 qualifying team of Kevin Lynch and John Wankner taking out Mike Desjardins and Paul McDonald (Q41).
Another surprise was the eighth-seeded team of Dane Jensen and Mike Placek dropping their first match to Haghighi and Pearson to be eliminated from the tournament.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Prince earns spot on Saturday
Changaris and Dukes also move on for women
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — For the first time in her life, Victoria Prince will play in the main draw.
Teamed up with Chrissie Zartman for the No. 15 qualifying seed, this is Prince's sixth tournament ever. Last weekend, Zartman and Prince paired up for their first tournament as partners and another milestone occurred, as Prince won her first AVP match ever last weekend.
"Right now, I'm just thanking God every second that I actually got to get into the main draw!" said Prince. "So I'm just so thankful and I'm gonna be excited the whole time."
And even though Zartman has played in two main draws — during the 2006 Tempe Open and the 2007 Huntington Open — this is her first main draw appearance in her hometown, as she currently resides in Hermosa Beach and graduated from UCLA.
In preparation for Saturday's match against the No. 1 seed, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the two received a bit of important advice from family.
"It's not really who you play, it's how you play — that's what Big Poppa told me," said Prince of Zartman's father. "So we're just going to focus on our side of the court and get what we need to get done and hopefully have positive results."
The achievements keep on rolling this weekend, as Elaine Youngs congratulated the pair for their best play together.
Prince and Zartman upset No. 2 Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet in the third round of the qualifiers to secure their entrance into the main draw, with scores of 21-13, 13-21 and 15-10.
In earlier rounds and thanks to their high seed, Prince and Zartman sailed past No. 50 Monica Lynch/Ashley Ogle and 47th-ranked Jen DeVore/Tarin Keith.
The move into the main draw is a huge achievement for any of the eight qualifying teams, as 63 women's qualifying teams were all vying for a shot to place into the 32-team main draw which begins on Saturday.
The seven other teams to move on are No. 1 Jill Changaris and Sarah Dukes; eighth-seeded Krystal Jackson and Tiffany Rodriguez; No. 12 Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing; fourth-seeded Erin Byrd and Paige Davis; No. 3 Angela McHenry and Lisa Rutledge; No. 6 Wendy Lockhart and Kim Whitney; and 10th-seeded Alexandra Jupiter and Leilani Kamahoahoa.
Kamahoahoa and Jupiter, as well as Pavlik and Wing last entered the main draw in Huntington Beach, and it looks as if the two pairs like playing in California's wind and deep sand together.
"Every time we go out of town we lose in the first match," said Wing.
Added Pavlik, "Maybe we'll carry this over to the next tournament."
Pavlik and Wing pulled off one of only two upsets in the final round of the qualifiers to move on to the main draw. It only took two sets for the pair to advance past No. 5 Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, 21-18 and 21-15.
As for Changaris and Dukes, the top-seed was rewarded for their high ranking with a first-round bye. They only had to win two matches to secure a spot in the main draw.
Just shy: Almost making its way into Saturday's main draw was the 11th-seeded combination of Laura Ratto and Lauren Mills. While Ratto has played with Angie Hall in the other 2007 tournaments, she said that she is taking a break to search for a new partner and better results.
"We've decided after Glendale to just take a little break, so I am looking for a partner — I'm on the hunt," said Ratto, who entered the first main draw of her career in Dallas with Hall. "Lauren and I are both defensive players and in tournaments with packed sand, we're playing like the Lindquist sisters. They do better in real sand."
"So in packed sand Lauren and I aren't the ideal team, but for Hermosa it's perfect because it's super windy, there's deep sand and we have really good ball control."
Ratto and Mills finished in 33rd place after losing to Lockhart and Whitney, 21-18, 22-20, during the final round of the qualifiers.
College all-stars: In addition to Prince, Jessica Veris was a part of last year's CSTV and AVP college challenge — which plopped the best college players on the sand for a shot at playing in an AVP Crocs tournament. Both women saw their highest finishes of 2007 in the Hermosa Beach qualifying rounds.
Although Veris already has three 37th places, she finally moved out of the first qualifying round in only her fifth AVP tournament of her young career. She took 41st in this weekend's large qualifier but advanced further into the bracket than ever before.
The qualifying seeds will begin main draw play Saturday starting at 9 a.m. PST.

Kiraly back in action on Saturday
Successful one-week partnership dissolves in Hermosa
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — While the 2007 AVP Sanderson Toyota Glendale Open saw the highest finish for both Kevin Wong and Aaron Wachtfogel as a team, both men will go their separate ways this weekend in Hermosa with Karch Kiraly back in action.
Wong pairs with Kiraly for the No. 10 seed, while Wachtfogel is back with Austin Rester and seeded in 14th place — the pair's highest seeding of the year.

Friday's highlights: Jeff Carlucci and Adam Roberts split up this weekend. It ended well for Roberts who made the main draw with new partner Brad Torsone but not so for Carlucci, who teamed with Ran Kumgisky and was eliminated.
Match of the day: The No. 1 qualifying seed of Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic upended Hawk Hatcher and Brian Corso, the No. 33 seed, 16-21, 21-15, 15-13.

Upset of the day: Victoria Prince and Chrissie Zartman, (Q15) upset Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet (Q2) to advance.

Record watch: Misty May-Treanor will open the main draw tied with Holly McPeak atop the overall women's victory list with 72 wins. Kerri Walsh, May-Treanor's partner, is third with 69 career tournament victories.

Karch watch: Kiraly will pair with Kevin Wong as the No. 10 seed and will open the tournament with No. 23 Scott Davenport and Mike DiPierro on Saturday.

Start/Finish: Gates will open at 8:30 a.m. PT with play beginning at 9:00. Saturday's competition will conclude at approximately 6:00 p.m. PT.

Weather forecast: A high of 70 degrees is expected Saturday under partly cloudy skies.

Match to watch: Lina Yanchulova will be playing her first match on the AVP Tour when she teams with Tammy Leibl to play Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger on Saturday morning.

Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

And with 90 men's and 63 women's qualifying teams vying for one of 16 slots in Saturday's main draw, many former-qualifiers were able to solidify their weekend play with automatic entry into the main draw.
For the women, No. 24 Jenelle Koester and Saralyn Smith have appeared in two qualifying rounds and will face ninth-seeded Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima at 9 a.m. PST. And facing off in their first automatic main draw of the year, No. 22 Pat Keller and Julie Romias will see a new team in No. 19 Tammy Leibl and Lina Yanchulova.
This is Leibl's first tournament of the 2007 season, after taking a short break from play. She has finished as high as third place in previous events. As for her partner, Yanchulova has played internationally with FIVB since 1997 and this weekend will be her first AVP event of her career.
Race for the record: But the biggest story in Southern California involves the winningest females on the beach. Both Misty May-Treanor and Holly McPeak are tied for that honor with 72 titles. May-Treanor earned that title last weekend, partnered with Kerri Walsh, when she sent home Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in the Glendale final.
McPeak and partner Logan Tom finished in fifth place — their highest of the season. It is certainly a possibility that McPeak/Tom and May-Treanor/Walsh could face off in Sunday's finals.
Should that happen, both current record holders will face off for sole possession of the record.
Make it four: No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will team up for what they hope is their fourth title of the 2007 season. The only tournament the duo dropped was during the last California event, when third-seeded Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert won.
That was the highest Lambert and Metzger have finished this season, as last weekend's seventh-place finish dropped them down to the No. 3 seed. Metzger and Lambert began 2007 with the top-seed.
As for the second seed, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have finished every single event of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour in second place. They will look to make their fifth time a charm and finally capture a first-place finish.
Movin' on up: Matt Olson and Jason Ring are moving up after their spectacular third-place finish in Glendale, Ariz. The pair started out the season strong with a third-place finish, but after a 13th- and a ninth-place finish, they got back on track last weekend.
Olson and Ring should be an interesting team to follow this weekend, if they can carry their momentum into California a second-time around.
No team will receive a first-round bye in the main draw, and play is set to begin at 9 a.m. PST.

Wachtfogel benefits from Wong stint
By Phil Collin, Staff writer
Article Launched: 05/18/2007 10:30:22 PM PDT
HERMOSA BEACH - Karch Kiraly will begin play this morning in his final AVP Hermosa Beach Open, one of the selected tournaments beach volleyball's all-time winner will play this season.
Kiraly announced in March that this will be his final year on the tour before he pursues coaching, continues his television broadcast work and concentrates on his volleyball academy.
In the tournaments in which he doesn't participate, that leaves his partner Kevin Wong scrambling for a teammate, which turned into a boon for former Redondo High star Aaron Wachtfogel last week.
With the 6-foot-7 Wong patrolling the net, he and Wachtfogel posted a fifth-place finish in Glendale, Ariz. This week, with 306 more tour points, Wachtfogel will return to play with Austin Rester seeded 14th instead of the 17th spot they began with two weeks ago in Huntington Beach.
Wachtfogel, though, doesn't expect to be Kiraly's stand-in on a regular basis.
"I borrowed Kevin for a weekend and got a better seeding," Wachtfogel said. "That wasn't really the plan. I wanted to see how it would go and try to get my game in line, get going a little bit, and I think I did."
Top dogs
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers,
who have won three of the four AVP tournaments this season, are seeded first this weekend with Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal seeded second.

Volleyball: Tom adapts to beach scene
BY PHIL COLLIN, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/18/2007 11:21:55 PM PDT
HERMOSA BEACH - She stepped onto the sand and the stuff gobbled her up.
An Olympic hero for the United States at 19 years old, Logan Tom was braving the outdoor elements and quickly realized there might be a little more to beach volleyball than she realized.
"I was horrible," Tom said. "It was one of the hardest things I've done in my life."
The 6-foot-1, two-time Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year at Stanford was one of eight indoor college players being tutored by Holly McPeak, who had no idea she was witnessing her future partner.
"Oh, gosh," McPeak said. "I was trying to help transition some girls to the beach. It was after her junior year and yeah, she wasn't very good."
McPeak, though, hasn't become the all-time wins leader in women's beach volleyball by accident. It wasn't too long ago she plucked Misty May off the hardcourt and taught her a few tricks on the beach.
"She was challenged by that," McPeak said of Tom's mini-camp experience. "I think it's hard to be the best, best, best and then be really bad. It's really hard. And you either go for it and embrace it, or you walk the other way and she's choosing to embrace it."
Beginning today in the AVP
Hermosa Beach Open, the extent of Tom's progress will be on display. She and McPeak, 38, are seeded seventh in the women's draw after a fifth-place finish last week in Glendale, Ariz. It's their highest finish as a duo that just hooked up late last season.
Tom's transition to the beach comes after years of playing in indoor leagues in Brazil, Italy, Switzerland and Spain. The 25-year-old will decide on her future after the season, which will either be taking another run in Spain or staying home.
"I've lived overseas, I like different cultures, but I also miss being home a lot of times," Tom said. "When you're overseas eight months out of the year it would be nice to do what I enjoy for the majority of the time."
McPeak wants Tom to stay.
"If she has a good beach season ... no. I'm sorry ... when she has a good beach season, she's going to be a champion, for sure," McPeak said.
phil.collin@dailybreeze.com

Top teams have been dominant so far
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 19, 2007
Ruling the beach
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will try to extend their dominance of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour when they step onto the sand for the Hermosa Beach Open today at the Hermosa Beach Pier.
The duo has won three of the four tournaments this season and five of its last six, dating to last season. Although it's not the level of dominance that Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have achieved on the women's side, it's equally as impressive because of the depth of competition in the men's bracket.
"It's no cakewalk out there," said Mike Lambert, who teams with Stein Metzger. "There are a number of other teams on our tour that are stepping up to the plate…. You got these qualifier teams, they come out swinging hard."
Lambert should know. He and Metzger, third-seeded this weekend, led the AVP standings a year ago, but that didn't help them in first-round losses to qualifiers at Dallas and Huntington Beach earlier this season.
"It shows the depth of the men's side," Dalhausser said. "There are so many good teams out there that you have to play your best every single game."
Second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have reached a similarly high level, but if you ask them, it's not high enough. They have been to the final in all four tournaments this season but have not won one.
Walsh and May-Treanor have won three straight women's AVP titles and 10 of the last 11, losing in the season opener this year at Miami. A win this week would make May-Treanor the women's leader in victories with 73.
They are still working out some of the kinks after switching coaches from Dane Selznick to Troy Tanner, but according to Walsh, the switch has helped rekindle their passion.
"It's fun to be growing as a team in different ways," she said. "You get that fresh set of eyes and he sees different things, so we're really excited to see progress in areas we didn't know we could grow."

Hermosa Beach Open Notebook: Wachtfogel fills in for Kiraly
When Kiraly takes a tournament off, Wong is in need of a partner and former Redondo High standout benefitted last weekend.
By Phil Collin
Staff writer
Karch Kiraly will begin play this morning in his final AVP Hermosa Beach Open, one of the selected tournaments beach volleyball's all-time winner will play this season.
Kiraly announced in March this will be his final year on the tour before he pursues coaching, continues his television broadcast work and concentrates on his volleyball academy.
In the tournaments in which he doesn't participate, that leaves his partner Kevin Wong scrambling for a teammate, which turned into a boon for former Redondo High star Aaron Wachtfogel last week.
With the 6-foot-7 Wong patrolling the net, he and Wachtfogel posted a fifth-place finish in Glendale, Ariz. This week, with 306 more tour points, Wachtfogel will return to play with Austin Rester seeded 14th instead of the 17th spot they began with two weeks ago in Huntington Beach.
Wachtfogel, though, doesn't expect to be Kiraly's regular stand-in.
"I borrowed Kevin for a weekend and got a better seeding,'' Wachtfogel said. "That wasn't really the plan."
Seeds are set
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, who have won three of the four AVP tournaments this season, are seeded first this weekend with Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal (with four second-place finishes) seeded second.
The other winners on the tour, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, are seeded third. Dalhausser and Rogers are the defending Hermosa champions.
In the women's tournament, Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor -- who have won the last three tournaments -- take their usual top seed. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who won the season-opening event in Miami, are seeded second with Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder third.
In last year's Hermosa final, Wacholder and Youngs ended Walsh-May-Treanor's 38-match win streak (and six-tournament string) with a sweep in the final.
May-Treanor is aiming for her 73rd career title, which would break a tie for the No. 1 spot all-time she shares with Holly McPeak.
Making it through
Eight men's and women's teams spent Friday qualifying for the 32-team main draw for play that begins this morning.
Advancing on the men's side are Sam Haghighi-Dane Pearson, David Fischer-Scott Hill, Kevin Dake-Jeremie Simkins, Reuben Danley-Leonardo Moraes, Seth Burnham-Tony Pray, Billy Allen-AJ Mihalic, Adam Roberts-Brad Torsone and Lucas Black-Casey Brewer.
The women's teams to advance: Victoria Prince-Chrissie Zartman, Jill Changaris-Sara Dukes, Wendy Lockhart-Kim Whitney, Erin Byrd-Paige Davis, Krystal Jackson-Tiffany Rodriguez, Angela McHenry-Lisa Rutledge, Whitney Pavlik-Kelly Wing and Alexandra Jupiter-Leilani Kamahoahoa.
phil.collin@dailybreeze.com

May-Treanor on a vision quest
AVP's best female player on verge of wins mark
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- It's in the eyes.
Of course when Misty May-Treanor wears her wrap-around shades you can't actually see her green peepers but players on the opposite side of the net know what's behind the reflective glass.
Because like other great players in sports, think Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky or Marcus Allen, the ability to take in the playing surface is what makes the difference.
"She sees the court better than other players on the tour. Sometimes you just have to guess one way or the other with them in particular," Katie Lindquist said. "Typically we'll guess right on other players but we never guess right on her because she sees it every time. She just sees everything so well and she sees every spot and she goes for it."
What May-Treanor is likely to see in the near future is a clear road ahead as there will not be another player running in front. With her next victory, May-Treanor will take over the lead for the most wins by a woman on tour.
She is currently tied with Holly McPeak at 72 victories and given that she and partner Kerri Walsh are on a three-match winning streak, May-Treanor could very well claim the top spot in Sunday's final.
May-Treanor isn't saying much about the record, beyond the fact she's not thinking about it. Walsh would like to get it past them.
"We're just focusing on this tournament. We know that if we do well it takes care of itself. It's as simple as that," Walsh said. "The girl is going to get it; it's just a matter of time and then we can forget about it. It's going to happen, the girl is a stud."
Saturday was business as usual for the top team on the women's side of the draw. They proceeded quickly through three matches in rapid success and were done by early afternoon.
First up in the morning was the team of Chrissie Zartman and Victoria Prince, who survived Friday's qualifying round. It was the third time in the main draw for Zartman but for Prince it was a first and drawing May-Treanor and Walsh, while intimidating, was welcome nonetheless.
"We knew it was definitely going to be a lot tougher competition than yesterday," Prince said. "We just knew that we wanted to have fun and take care of our side of the court."
Prince witnessed first hand the elevation that Walsh gets on the block but also May-Treanor's ability to see the court.
"They're smart players. It is fun to play against them because I learn so much from watching them but then to play against them it is so much more," Prince said. "I picked up the way they move on defense. I don't know if it is just we're really easy to read but they're just good volleyball players."
Jenny Johnson Jordan, who along with partner Annett Davis, gave May-Treanor and Walsh a tough first game before dropping the second and the match Saturday, said it's also the way the No. 1 women's player puts together all phases of the game.
"She is very consistent. A lot of times she can be deceptive. She's got great ball control and she doesn't make a lot of errors; that is the biggest thing," Johnson Jordan said. "Rarely does she hit a ball out or shank a pass or miss a dig. You have to be on your "A" game if you're going to beat her. She sees the court very well; you can't do anything too early because she'll see it."
For May-Treanor, the eyes have it and that's produced a steady stream of titles.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Prosser's Pirates vs. Rosie's Raiders
Second round match features two best fan groups
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. -- As far as opponents go, No. 2 Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal and 18th-seeded John Mayer/Matt Prosser couldn't be more dissimilar.
But the one thing the two teams do share is the fact they lay claim to the rowdiest groups of fans on tour.
As fate would have it, the brackets were set up in such a way that they were pitted against each other in the second round of the winner's brackets. Rosie's Raiders and Prosser's Pirates would finally have a chance to prove who has the best supporters.
Only a handful of Raiders were wearing their yellow and brown t-shirts, but their numbers were certainly felt. Diagonally across the court, behind their assistant coach's box were Prosser's Pirates, who also claimed to be Mayer's Slayers.
"It's a huge help, the guys are awesome for coming down," said Prosser. "It's Rosie's beach a little bit with his Raiders, I mean (there are) a little bit more on my side maybe, but it's awesome. It's great for the sport, they're loud and you got tons of people watching the game, it's awesome."
And this is Rosenthal's beach, as he was born in neighboring Redondo and currently lives in Manhattan Beach just up the road.
The Long Beach State men's volleyball team -- otherwise known as the Pirates -- was even able to recruit a few local fans to support their cause.
While Gibb and Rosenthal sported white shorts, Mayer and Prosser donned black volley shorts and tank tops. But it was on the court where they best matched up.
While the two exchanged points back and forth in the first game, Rosenthal and Gibb went on an offensive spree and had the Raiders chanting "Walk the plank!" to end the first game 21-16.
Tensions flared in the final point, when Prosser jumped up for a block that had the Pirates growling, "Rosie, how'd that feel?"
But the second set of the match really demonstrated how evenly-matched these two teams could be.
Mayer and Prosser jumped on the board first and kept up their lead until Rosenthal and Gibb answered back to tie the score at 9-9. When Rosenthal and Gibb tacked on three more points, the Pirates taunted "100 Grand," to throw salt in the pair's previous wound suffered in Huntington Beach when they lost the Jose Cuervo Triple Gold Crown $100,000 check in the final round.
The match finally ended when Rosenthal and Gibb pulled away at 19-19 and won the match 21-19 behind Gibb's final block.
While the debate may never be settled, at least Rosenthal and Gibb have the upper hand in this tournament.
But just watch out for when the AVP travels to Long Beach in the middle of July.
"That's a little bit later in their summer, but hopefully my guys will be ready for that one. That'll be good," concluded Prosser.
Maiden voyage: There is a first time for everything and Saturday was Victoria Prince's initial visit to the main draw.
She and partner Chrissie Zartman survived Friday's qualifying round here and their reward was a Saturday morning match with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. They lost, 12-21, 11-21, but gained perspective about the competition on tour.
"We've only played together for two weeks. I'm super-bummed we lost but we learned a lot from today," Prince said. "Every loss is an experience and you can't look at it negatively. If you do, you're not going to learn from it."
Props: Rosie's Raiders were en masse later as their heroes dispatched Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 21-12, 21-15, to advance to a Sunday morning match with Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert.
But they toasted the sport's all-time winner with a courtside pogo dance as Kiraly joined in. "One more year," the Raiders shouted to Kiraly, who is playing his last season on the AVP Tour.
Mike Scarr contributed to this report

Kiraly, Kevin Wong stay in contention at Hermosa Open
Associated Press
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh swept all three of their matches today and advanced to the finals in the AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open.
On the men's side, Karch Kiraly and Punahou alum Kevin Wong will face No. 6 seed Casey Jennings and Mark Williams in their first match today.
The duo won their first two games against Scott Davenport and Mike DiPierro, 21-13, 21-15, and Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, 32-34, 21-17, 15-13. However, they were knocked into the contenders bracket with a loss against No. 2 seed Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 21-10, 21-15. Kiraly and Wong finished the day with a win against George Roumain and Larry Witt, 25-23, 21-18.
With a title win Sunday, May-Treanor would earn her 73 career victory, surpassing Holly McPeaks record of 72 career wins.
Top seed May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Victoria Prince, a former University of Hawai'i player, and Chrissie Zartman in their first game, 21-12, 21-11 and beat Katie and Tracy Lindquist in their second game, 21-15, 21-13. They finished the day with a win against No. 8 seed Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 23-21, 21-16. The duo will face No. 5 seed Jennifer Boss and April Ross in their first Sunday match.
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers were dominant on the mens side, sweeping each of their three matches. In their first two matches, Dalhausser and Rogers beat Sam Haghighi and Dane Pearson, 21-19, 21-11, and Brent Doble and Ryan Mariano, 21-16, 21-14. In their last match of the day, the duo beat Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, a Punahou alum, 21-16, 22-20.
No. 1 seed Rogers and Dalhausser have won three of the four events on the AVP Crocs Tour this season.

May-Treanor focuses on present
AVP: Within sight of all-time wins mark, she and Walsh roll.
By Phil Collin, Staff writer
Article Launched: 05/19/2007 11:36:05 PM PDT
HERMOSA BEACH - It's as easy as 1-2-3 now for Misty May-Treanor, which sounds pretty comforting.
Except to May-Treanor.
Three wins away from becoming the all-time winner on the AVP women's tour, May-Treanor has one answer for anyone who wants to ask her about winning a 73rd career tournament championship.
"Everybody asks me, and I'm not thinking," the former Long Beach State star said with a smile Saturday after she and Kerri Walsh cruised through their three matches. "All I know is our day's over today and we get to go home and rest.
"I'm not a numbers person. The only numbers I like is when we win, or when we're 21 and they're like two points less."
Walsh and May-Treanor were pushed in only one game on the opening day of the AVP Hermosa Beach Open. But after posting a 23-21 opening-game win over Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the third round, they finished off with a 21-16 second game for a victory in 38 minutes.
For the day, their matches took only a little more than an hour and a half, so expect the top-seeded team to be fully energized when play resumes this morning.
And maybe after the final they'll elaborate more on May-Treanor's inevitable march to the record.
She is currently tied with Holly McPeak on the all-time win list.
"If we do well it takes care of itself," Walsh said. "The girl's gonna get it - it's a matter of time. Our goal is to do it this weekend so we can forget about it."
Walsh and May-Treanor are trying to win their fourth consecutive tourney after an uncharacteristic third-place finish in the season-opening event in Miami.
Their day was done by 1:45. Last week in Glendale, Ariz., they had to wait out the heat of the day before playing in the evening.
"We like playing back-to- back-to-back," May-Treanor said.
Their first opponent today is fifth-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross. They've only met once this season with Walsh and May-Treanor scoring a 21-18, 21-16 victory in mid-April in Dallas.
Should Walsh and May-Treanor falter in their opening match, they would still have a chance to come back through the contenders bracket and win three more times to claim their third Hermosa title together.
Boss and Ross went undefeated Saturday and knocked fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana into the contenders bracket with a hard-fought 21-19, 13-21, 15-11 win that took 1 hour, 4 minutes.
The other winners bracket semifinal will match second-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh against third- seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder.
The four top-ranked teams on the men's side came through Saturday without losses and will square off this morning.
No. 1-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will take on No. 4 Matt Olson and Jason Ring, and No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger will face No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.

Rosenthal breaks out lefty
BY PHIL COLLIN, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/19/2007 10:52:43 PM PDT
He's right-handed, or so we're led to believe. But every now and then, Sean Rosenthal cracks a shot southpaw, and there's a stadium full of double-takes.
Saturday in the AVP Hermosa Beach Open, he pulled one off that surprised even himself.
Working off a set from partner Jake Gibb that could have locked the 6-foot-4 Rosenthal into no-man's land against the block of 6-7 Kevin Wong (UCLA), Rosenthal pulled out the left hand and hit straight down - seemingly with the same power as his thunderous right-arm swing - and the ball thudded against the sand right down the line.
"Insanity," one fan gasped.
"Yeah, that was probably oneof the first," the high-flying Rosenthal said as humbly as possible. "Normally I come across my body, so to go down the line - I even told some of the fans I haven't done that onebefore. I was actually trying to hit off his hands and have it go out, but it actually worked out better."
The play occurred during Gibb and Rosenthal's 21-12, 21-15 win over Karch Kiraly (UCLA) and Wong, and kept them undefeated on the day.
When they resume this morning, the second-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal will take on third-seeded Stein Metzger (UCLA) and Mike Lambert in their
quest to break through and win a tournament after four consecutive second-place finishes.
"I think it's the best we've played on an opening day," Rosenthal said. "We're capable of beating (the top teams); we know we can.
"Eventually the dam's gonna break and we're going to get ourselves a lot of wins."
Metzger and Lambert have won once this year, with top-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser taking the other threetitles. Rogers and Dalhausser, who also won their three matches Saturday, will face fourth-seeded Matt Olson and Jason Ring in the other winners bracket semifinal.
The 46-year-old Kiraly, the sport's all-time winner with 148 career titles, is still alive in his final appearance in Hermosa. Kiraly and Wong, seeded 10th, survived with a victory over George Roumain (Pepperdine) and Larry Witt, and will face sixth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams this morning.
The fans weren't ready to see Kiraly leave. Even "Rosie's Raiders," Rosenthal's personal cheering section, chanted and some had painted a pink KK on their bodies in homage to Kiraly's trademark pink hat.
While the top two seeds were sweeping their matches, Metzger and Lambert were forced to outlast Jennings and Williams, 21-19, 26-28, 15-13, in a match that lasted 1 hour, 19minutes.

Avoiding Rogers/Dalhausser
AVP's top team affects opponents' strategy
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. - Not every partnership ends well.
And for Aaron Wachtfogel, he could not follow up last weekend's fifth-place finish with Kevin Wong, with a similar accomplishment in California.
Because Karch Kiraly took a break in Glendale, Ariz., Wachtfogel tried a new strategy for getting further into the competitive field with current partner Austin Rester. In theory, it was a great idea.
Right now (No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser) are just on fire, so anytime you can avoid them in the first two rounds, it's good," said Wachtfogel. "It helps us out - the first round is tough either way. Koski and Minc are great, but if you can get past the first round, then not being in Todd and Phil's bracket and trying to stay in the winner's bracket as long as possible helps. Like last weekend we won our first three and I had a lot of energy."
Because his overall points increased when playing with Wong, Wachtfogel had enough leverage to bring his and Rester's seed up to No. 14 from the 17th-slot, avoiding any chance of playing the top seed in an early round. Things looked like they were moving in the right direction in the pair's first match against No. 19 Ben Koski and Jeff Minc (21-15, 23-21).
Their points could not help hold off an inevitable match up with a higher seed, as they later ran into No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger. From there, the pair dropped two straight to head home in 17th place.
Wong and Kiraly, however, will try to stay on par with Wong's finish in Glendale. After a 21-12 and 21-15 loss to No. 2 Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb in their third match of the game, they followed that up immediately after with a two-set defeat of 13th-seeded George Roumain and Larry Witt.
Returning back to the AVP Crocs Tour after taking leave in Dallas, George Roumain made a deadly run through Saturday's main draw. Much of his play benefited his side of the net, but opponents also agree that his absence was certainly felt in past weeks.
"I've been playing against George for like 10 years and he makes you play better, you have to play perfect to beat him," said former partner Jason Ring. "He can score points like nobody and I think he's probably one of the best point scorers on tour, so you always have to be on your game."
Roumain and partner Larry Witt teamed up for the No. 13 seed and after falling to Kiraly/Wong, leave Hermosa in ninth place. They sent No. 20 Dain Blanton and Jason Lee into the Contender's Bracket for their first match of the day, 21-17, 17-21 and 15-11. Their one missed chance came against fourth-seeded Matt Olson and Ring, but bounced back from there for two more match wins.
"George is almost like new school beach volleyball, (he has) so much power and finesse too," said Ring. "He's probably one of the most graceful players out there; he's an asset to the tour. People want to watch him play."
Slow and steady: One team that's been steadily improving its rankings each week is that of Olson and Ring. Part of the secret to their success lies in the duo's ability to shoulder the role of the underdog.
"For us (to do well), we need to be really concerned with our play," said Ring. "I think we should look at ourselves like the underdog. I think as soon as you gain some confidence in this field, you're setting yourself up for a fall because every team can beat you any time."
But how much longer can they play the underdog when they have the No. 4 seed and are consistently improving with each tournament?

JJJ, Davis seize opportunity
May-Treanor, Walsh continue path to title
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — As long as events remain on the schedule there is always another opportunity, and Jenny Johnson Jordan hopes she's found one.
Johnson Jordan and her partner Annett Davis have advanced to Sunday and will place no worse than seventh, which would equal the pair's best finish this season, but the duo's goals remain higher and their confidence is climbing.
A 23-21, 21-16 loss to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on Saturday was not the deflating defeat it could have been and instead provided Johnson Jordan and Davis with some momentum.
"I think we played the best volleyball that we have all season," Johnson Jordan said of the loss. "I feel if we play like that we can beat anybody. That part is positive. We feel that any tournament now is going to be our breakthrough tournament."
For her part, May-Treanor also held course for a record-breaking title.
If she and Walsh can make it to the women's final Sunday and emerge victorious, May-Treanor will become the winningest woman on tour. She is currently tied with Holly McPeak at 72 career titles.
McPeak will not get the opportunity to play the role of spoiler, though, as she and Logan Tom were eliminated late Saturday afternoon, when they lost 14-21, 21-12, 16-14, to Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson.
Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, and Paula Roca and Sarah Straton also remain alive in the contender's bracket.
Joining May-Treanor and Walsh in the women's winner's bracket are Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, and April Ross and Jennifer Boss.
For Johnson Jordan and Davis, Saturday was an exercise in consistency. Playing consistently has been a struggle for the two in their 11 seasons on tour and specifically this year as they've fallen to three straight ninth-place finishes in their last three tournaments.
As they exhibited in a spirited match with May-Treanor and then carried over to their final match of the day, a 21-19, 21-16 win over Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello, the two served well and used their full repertoire with Johnson Jordan effectively using a cut shot to score at the net.
Johnson Jordan said that she and her partner could feel the shift as the day progressed.
"When you get into that grind of losing when you think you're supposed to be winning it starts to take a toll," Johnson Jordan said. "But when you start winning those games instead of losing them, you start to play with that confidence. We're going to go there and tap into it."
Johnson Jordan and Davis will draw Fontana and DeNecochea on Saturday morning while Akers and Hanson will face Roca and Straton.
Route 73 remained clear as May-Treanor and Walsh made quick work of their three matches Saturday and took the rest of the afternoon off.
After a quick, 21-12, 21-11 victory over qualifiers Chrissie Zartman and Victoria Prince first thing in the morning, May-Treanor and Walsh then dispatched Katie and Tracy Lindquist before sending Johnson Jordan and Davis to the contender's bracket with a victory.
And with the sun breaking through the low coastal clouds and the clock having yet to toll two, May-Treanor and Walsh packed their gear and headed out as they began preparation for Sunday and a possible record-breaking final.
"We like playing back-to-back-to-back," May-Treanor said. "It's hard to find time to eat in between matches but we definitely are a team that likes to play and turn around and play again." Her partner agreed.
"If you stay in the winner's bracket in a 32-team tournament and if you can get them done back-to-back-to-back, it's good," Walsh said.
Their march Saturday was made all the more efficient as they did not drop a game and were really only extended when Johnson Jordan and Davis got into overtime before losing 21-23 in the first set of the match.
Serving as contrast is last weekend in Glendale, Ariz., where May-Treanor and Walsh survived two three-set matches, including the final in which they defeated Wacholder and Turner.
"Our ball control is really good this weekend. I feel like we're staying really patient and just taking what they give us. At Glendale, your head kind of goes loopy in that sun," Walsh said. "We shouldn't have gone three games a couple of times last weekend. We don't want to do that against anyone, so we had to put a stop to that."
May-Treanor and Walsh will play Ross and Boss on Sunday morning, while Turner and Wacholder will take on Youngs and Branagh in the two winner's bracket matches.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

A look ahead to Sunday's action
May-Treanor continues chase of history
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. - Both the Winner's and Contender's Brackets will each feature versions of their Final Four, before converging into the semifinals.
Men's and women's play all begins at 11 a.m. EDT for the winners and the contenders. Kicking off the men's side will be No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers who will see fourth-seeded and red hot Matt Olson and Jason Ring.
Rounding out the Winner's Bracket Final Four will be a match between third-seeded Stein Metzger/Mike Lambert and No. 2 Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal. Saturday's highlights: After finishing ninth the last three weeks, Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis survived the contender's bracket and will play Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana on Sunday morning.
Match of the day: At stadium court, Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong dropped the first set of their match with Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, 32-34, before coming back to win, 21-17, 15-13. The marathon took 1:24 to complete.
Upset of the day:Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, the No. 16 seed, upended and eliminated the sixth-seeded team of Souza and Medel, 21-13, 21-16.
Record watch: Misty May-Treanor made quick work of her day at the beach Saturday, marching through three match victories to advance to Sunday. She remains in line to break Holly McPeak's record of 72 wins. May-Treanor's partner, Kerri Walsh, would reach the 70-win plateau with a victory in Sunday's women's final. McPeak and partner Logan Tom were eliminated.
Karch watch: Kiraly and Wong lost to Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal to fall into the contender's bracket but upended George Roumain and Larry Witt in the last match of the day to get to Sunday morning when they will play Casey Jennings and Mark Williams.
Start/Finish: Gates will open at 7:30 a.m. PT with play beginning at 8:00. The women's final is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. PT with the men's final to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Weather forecast: The sun broke through low clouds Saturday afternoon, and, for Sunday, expect a high of 68 with partly cloudy skies.
Match to watch: Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will play Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in a women's winner's bracket match.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.
This marks the first time in 2007 that the top four seeds are still perfectly intact in the Winner's Bracket heading into the quarterfinals. The last time that happened was during the 2006 Boulder Open, when all four top seeds went on to the semifinals.
The women almost pulled off that same feat, with one minor exception.
Playing first will of course be top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, as May-Treanor is in the thick of her hunt for 73 beach titles. They will face not the fourth, but the fifth-seeded combination of Jen Boss and April Ross.
The other half of that Final Four will be No. 3 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder who will see No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
In the Contender's Bracket's version of the Final Four, the fifth-place seed is fitting in nicely to supplement the other top four seeds. No. 6 Casey Jennings/Mark Williams will see 10th-seeded Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong.
And No. 5 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard will complete the men's contending Final Four, as they face No. 8 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott.
Their female counterparts in the women's Contender's Bracket will see the No. 4 and No. 8 seeds still intact. But that's it for the top eight.
Fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana will take on No. 8 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Seventh-seeded Holly McPeak will not get her chance to maintain the title as the winningest female on the beach, as she and her 72 titles went home in ninth place. If May-Treanor can take home the 2007 Toyota Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light title, she will claim sole possession of that honor, and McPeak will have to play catch-up from here on out.
Taking McPeak and partner Logan Tom's place will be No. 12 Brooke Hanson and Angie Akers, who will see 11th-seeded Paula Roca and Sarah Straton.
After taking a break from partnering with Jenny Pavley this weekend, seventh-place or better will be Straton's highest finish since playing with Pavley during the 2006 Chicago Open, when the two finished in seventh.
Roca, who split with Alicia Polzin, will also see her best finish of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. She has not finished this high since the start of the 2006 season, when she and then-partner Pavley took fifth place in Santa Barbara. Pavley and Polzin went their separate ways mid-season, when she finished out the year with Priscilla Lima while Straton picked up Pavley until this weekend.
No team remaining in the Contender's Bracket can finish lower than seventh place, while the squads still in the Winner's Bracket can take fifth or better.

Gibb and Rosenthal moving up
They stay on track for another finals appearance by winning three matches at the Hermosa Beach Open.
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 20, 2007
The second-place finishes are beginning to pile up for Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, a stack of runner-up trophies that's both a blessing and a curse at the same time.
After all, there are plenty of teams that would like to have four consecutive finals appearances in AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments. Still there are few that want the dubious record of 0-4 in those matches.
Gibb and Rosenthal stayed on track for another finals appearance when they won three matches Saturday at the Hermosa Beach Open. They will play Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger at 8 a.m. today with a spot in the final four on the line.
"There's nothing really negative about it," Rosenthal said. "We're playing well, we're giving ourselves opportunities to win and we're just coming up a little bit short."
The team won the 2006 season opener — their first tournament paired together — but they haven't won an AVP tournament since. They won an international event in Mexico in October, but have placed second nine times in 20 tournaments together.
Saturday, they seemed in rhythm, giving up more than 16 points only once — a performance Rosenthal called their best opening day of the season.
"We haven't played our best, I don't think, all year, let alone in the finals," he said. "Eventually the dam is going to break and we're going to get ourselves a lot of wins."
Kevin Wong and Karch Kiraly, who is playing in his final Hermosa Beach Open before retiring after the season, lost in the third round, but recovered and advanced through the loser's bracket, leaving fans hopeful that there might be some magic left in Kiraly's 46-year-old body.
In the women's bracket, top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh went unbeaten, keeping alive May-Treanor's attempt to become the all-time leader in women's victories.

Road to record goes through Ross and Boss
VOLLEYBALL: Newport Harbor High products Misty May-Treanor and April Ross face off in semis.
HERMOSA BEACH — To get a chance to break a coveted record, Misty May-Treanor will have to go through a fellow Newport Harbor High alumna.
May-Treanor, who needs one more tournament title to become the winningest woman on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Tour, and Kerri Walsh will face April Ross and Jennifer Ross in a semifinal match today at the Hermosa Beach Open.
Matches start at 8 a.m. and the women finals are set for 2:30 p.m.
A pair of locals are also colliding in the men's semifinals today. Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, the No. 2 seed, will face fellow Costa Mesa resident Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, the third seed, in a semifinal.
The men's final starts after the women's final ends at approximately 4 p.m.
May-Treanor and Walsh collected three sweeps Saturday to help May-Treanor get that match closer to notching tournament title No. 73. That would break the record held by May-Treanor's former teammate, Holly McPeak.
The top-seeded duo defeated Chrissie Zartman and Victoria Prince, 21-12, 21-11, to start things off in the morning. They then dispatched Katie and Tracy Lindquist, 21-15, 21-13, and ended their day with another sweep over Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, 23-21, 21-16.
Ross and Boss, the fifth seed, earned wins over Wendy Lockhart and Kim Whitney (21-12, 21-13) and Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson (21-12, 21-15).
Ross and Boss went three games to get past Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-19, 13-21, 15-11, and into today's semifinals.
In the other semifinal, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will go up against Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
The other men's semifinal pits top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers against the No. 4-seeded tandem of Matt Olson and Jason Ring
Matt Fuerbringer, an Estancia High product, and Sean Scott, the eighth seed, are alive in the contender's bracket and will face Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard, the fifth seed, today.

Skin cancer is AVP's inconvenient truth
Nygaard admits what so many others choose not to talk about ... that the lifestyle of a beach pro might not be worth all those hours in the ultra-violet rays.
By Tom Hoffarth
Staff columnist
Jeff Nygaard wasn't about to mince his words. He doesn't have the time.
"I'm scared to death, to be blunt," the pro beach volleyball star out of UCLA said on an overcast Saturday morning, wearing a long-sleeve flannel shirt and stretching his legs out as he sat on the cold sand near the shoreline, minutes after he and partner Dax Holdren won an opening-round match at the AVP's Hermosa Beach Open.
Thursday, he's having surgery to remove a piece of his upper left arm, a centimeter cut the shape of a football on each side of the skin that was recently tested malignant for an early stage of melanoma. He'll miss at least the next two weeks of the tour, which he has been part of the last seven years. Beyond that, he's not sure.
"I'm still trying to process all this," continued Nygaard, the AVP's 2003 Most Valuable Player, revealing his thoughts publicly for the first time. "I've already thought about quitting (the Tour). I'm now put in a position where volleyball in the sun isn't as important as I thought it was."
One by one, you'll start to hear stories like Nygaard's -- some not as serious, many too private to share -- among the dozens of current pro beach volleyball players who've spent most of their waking hours in the sun playing the sport they love.
Jake Gibb will show you the three-inch scar on his left shoulder from surgery three years ago to remove a malignant mole. John Hyden has several notches on his chest and back from moles that became discolored and had to be cut out. Tyra Turner, while rubbing more SPF 50 all over her naturally darkened skin because of her Latino heritage, has a story about her father, who had melanoma.
Skin cancer, in many forms, may be considered just an occupational hazard here. But slowly, the inconvenient truth is that, as scientists predict more ultra-violet rays breaking through the deteriorating ozone and onto the planet's surface, the thing that attracts most of these athletes and fans to the beach for these summer-time sporting events is what could ultimately lead to its detriment.
"They say that hypertension is the silent killer, but look around here and all you see are seemingly healthy, active people, in great shape, feeling invincible but maybe unaware they have anything to worry about," said Julie Romais, a ranked competitor on the women's side of the AVP Tour who also is a family practice physician at Kaiser Permanente in West L.A.
A former UCLA All-American indoor player who describes herself as "pale Irish skinned," Romais said it's more than just having everyone on her mother's side of the family die from cancer that woke her up to this issue.
"Probably most of the players have lived in California their whole life, already had a lot of sun exposure at peak UV hours, aren't that diligent about using sun screen, even if it says it's water- or sweat-proof -- which many aren't -- and think that if anything does happen to them, there's some medical breakthrough that'll fix it," she admitted.
Some admit peer pressure has something to do with players wanting to look darker, especially if it helps attract sponsors. A trip to the tanning salon before the Tour season starts isn't that unusual.
Then what will it ultimately take for some of them to get their heads out of the sand?
Statistics from the American Cancer Society that show more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year? Or that about 8,000 a year will die from melanoma, the most serious form? Those figures probably aren't scary enough.
Karch Kiraly, the all-time winningest pro beach player who is retiring after this season, admits to it not being much on his radar.
"I can't say it's a big issue," the 46-year-old old from San Clemente via Santa Barbara said. "I have almost zero to complain or worry about in a sport that's given many of us some wonderful opportunities. It's probably low on the list of concerns for many players and management. I don't know if it should be higher."
Currently, the AVP has no formal policy about educating players and fans about the sun's harmful rays. Having two sponsors -- Banana Boat sunscreen and SolarSafe wristbands, which warn people when it's time to reapply lotion or seek shade because of the UV count -- should be enough to provide awareness, said AVP commissioner Leonard Armato.
"We have two great partners, and our athletes use the products and we encourage fans to do so as well," said Armato, a former pro beach player. "There are also certain health benefits for being in the sun, but no one should overdo it. We stand for a healthy, active lifestyle. We're not as dangerous as football."
Nygaard, a four-time All-American indoor player at UCLA and seven-time winner on the AVP Tour, having banked more than $300,000 in prize-winnings, is a fair-skinned Wisconsin-born athlete now living in Long Beach.
He only went to the doctor last month because his wife of three years, Renee, urged him to have some unusual marks on his skin checked.
"To me, it was just a freckle," Nygaard said. "I've got plenty."
It was more than that. He found out the results three weeks ago. At the Huntington Beach tour stop two weeks ago, he and Holdren finished ninth, but he didn't want to talk about his condition. Now he feels he can help others become more proactive and less naïve.
"I've gone through the range of emotions," said the 34-year-old, picking up his 4½-month old daughter Sophia. "I'm not angry, because this is something that probably happened when I was 6 or 7 years old. It's manageable. I'm just at a stage where I'm asking more questions."
Such as: Does cancer equal death?
"That's what it's always meant to me; I've always seen things in black and white," Nygaard said. "Every day I wake up freaked out about it."
And he's made changes.
For last week's event in Glendale, Ariz., where he and Holdren finished third, Nygaard wore a long-sleeved black T-shirt in the 108-degree heat while he played.
If anyone asks him why, now he'll tell them.
"We can't keep treating this like the elephant in the room," Nygaard said.
thomas.hoffarth@dailynews.com

AVP Hermosa Beach Open: May-Treanor moves closer to record
Star needs three more match victories with partner Walsh to set AVP's all-time tournament victories mark. Women's final is today at 2:30 p.m.
By Phil Collin
Staff writer
It's as easy as 1-2-3 now for Misty May-Treanor, which sounds pretty comforting.
Except to May-Treanor.
Three victories away from becoming the all-time winner on the AVP women's tour, May-Treanor has one answer for anyone who wants to ask her about capturing a 73rd career tournament championship.
"Everybody asks me, and I'm not thinking about it,'' she said with a smile Saturday after she and Kerri Walsh cruised through their three matches. "All I know is our day's over today and we get to go home and rest.
"I'm not a numbers person. The only numbers I like is when we win, or when we're 21 and they're like 2 points less.''
Walsh and May-Treanor were pushed in only one game on the opening day of the AVP Hermosa Beach Open. But after surviving for a 23-21 opening-game win over Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the third round, they finished off with a 21-16 second game for a victory in 38 minutes.
For the day, their matches took only a little more than an hour and a half, so expect the top-seeded team to be fully energized when play resumes this morning.
And maybe after the 2:30 p.m. final they'll elaborate more on May-Treanor's inevitable march to the record. She is currently tied with Holly McPeak on the all-time win list.
"If we do well it takes care of itself,'' Walsh said. "The girl's gonna get it -- it's a matter of time. Our goal is to do it this weekend so we can forget about it.''
Walsh and May-Treanor are trying to win their fourth consecutive tournament after an uncharacteristic third-place finish in the season-opening event in Miami. They're shooting for their 67th victory as a team and they may be starting a streak similar to their 89-match win streak of 2003-04.
Of course, they had to learn from their Miami experience.
"It just kind of showed us where we were at the time,'' Walsh said. "I think we were a little tentative. But since then, we've kind of found our groove and we figured out that we can play this game very well. If it comes down to physical stuff, we're going to win hands down every time, but we've got to get our mental game stronger and we're working on that.''
Their day was done by 1:45. Last week in Glendale, Ariz., they had to wait out the heat of the day before playing in the evening.
"We like playing back-to-back-to-back,'' May-Treanor said. "You get tired of trying to find time to eat between matches, but we're definitely a team that likes to play and then turn around and play again.
"It felt good and we're done for the day now. I didn't think we were going to be done 'til like 5.''
Their first opponents today are fifth-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross. They've only met once this season with Walsh and May-Treanor scoring a 21-18, 21-16 victory in mid-April in Dallas.
Should Walsh and May-Treanor falter in their opening match, they would still have a chance to come back through the contender's bracket and win three more times to claim their third Hermosa title together.
Boss and Ross went undefeated Saturday and knocked fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana into the contender's bracket with a hard-fought 21-19, 13-21, 15-11 win.
The other winner's bracket semifinal matches second-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh against third-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. Youngs and Branagh defeated No. 7 seed McPeak and Logan Tom, 19-21, 21-16, 15-8, in their final match of the day.
McPeak and Tom lost another match and have been eliminated.

Karch says farewell to Hermosa
AVP legend finished fifth in final visit
By Mike Menninger / Special to AVP.com
After sharing a kiss with his wife Janna, Karch Kiraly picked up his trademark hot pink hat and walked out of center court for the last time at Hermosa Beach. And he was already starting to miss it.
"I wish it weren't over," the six-time AVP Hermosa Beach Open winner said. "We were playing some good volleyball today and came up a little short."
Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong took fifth place in Hermosa on Sunday after a dropping two of three closely-contested matches, 19-21, 21-18 and 12-15 to fourth-seeded Matt Olson and Jason Ring.
"I would have loved to have made the semifinals, but Jason and Matt are playing well," Kiraly said.
Kiraly still looks like he can go toe-to-toe with the younger guys on the tour as he moved quickly on the court, diving for balls and making some remarkable digs. But he said the strain of playing has become just too much for him.
"I probably could play well next year on this tour, but it's just taking too big a physical toll," Kiraly said. "I just don't want to endure all the aches and pains of being 46 and having to contend with a lot of strong, big, hard-hitting young players."
One of those younger players is his partner, Wong, who considers it an absolute honor to be Kiraly's teammate in his final completion north of Hermosa Pier.
"He's been one of my heroes," Wong said. "I grew up with (his) posters on the wall. He set the path for a lot of us to follow."
Wong said he has learned a lot by playing with his idol, mostly about how to prepare for a match and how to take care of business on the sand.
"He taught me a real blue collar approach," Wong said. "Take it one game at a time no matter who's out there, no matter who's on my side. I just got to take care of my job."
Though it is his last year on the AVP Tour as a player, Kiraly doesn't want to call the end of his playing days a "retirement." He will still be involved with volleyball skill clinics such as his Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy. Wong said that despite this being Kiraly's last Hermosa tournament, his impact at this site and in the AVP altogether will be long-lasting.
"He's a guy who can do whatever he wants to do right now," Wong said. "He's really going to help our sport grow, even after he's finished as a player."
While Kiraly will no longer grace the sands of Hermosa as a competitor, he will no doubt be remembered as one of the most fierce competitors on the tour. And that's just the way he wants it.
"We fought really hard, just like I've always try to do," Kiraly said.
Wong too is not lost in the fanfare. He said he feels privileged to be playing with one of the all-time greats in such a premier tournament.
"Karchy is one of a kind," Wong said. "He's just a competitor. From practice all the way to the matches."

May-Treanor queen of the beach
VOLLEYBALL: Newport Harbor High product wins 73rd beach tournament title Sunday to break women's all-time record.
By Matt Szabo
HERMOSA BEACH — Misty May-Treanor may have beach volleyball down to a science.
After her record-setting 73rd professional tournament win on Sunday afternoon at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Hermosa Beach Open, she had a mathematics formula, too.
"My favorite number is five," May-Treanor said. "So, seven plus three is 10, divided by two is five. I don't know. I'm glad it's over … it was always just about volleyball.
"For me, the team is the most important thing."
The Newport Harbor High graduate has been somewhat reluctant to talk about her pursuit of the record, but she was definitely enjoying herself after she and longtime partner Kerri Walsh were dominant in the 21-15, 21-11 win over Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
May-Treanor, 29, beamed as she wore a T-shirt commemorating the occasion, which includes 46 domesticand 27 international wins. She smiled as well when she watched a special video presentation with comments from other AVP players.
And, though she may have just broken her former partner Holly McPeak's record, May-Treanor looks to have plenty more tournament wins down the road. May-Treanor and Walsh, the AVP Team of the Year the last three seasons, have now won four straight tournaments after suffering a semifinal loss at the season-opening tournament in Miami. They have won 11 of the last 12 AVP events.
"It's great to break the record here," May-Treanor said to the fans. "I would rather break it here than in Louisville, I think," she added, referring to the AVP's next event which begins Thursday.
Minutes later, while speaking to reporters, she came up with another goal.
"We want to beat Sinjin and Randy's record," May-Treanor said with a smile, referring to men's beach volleyball legends Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos, who won 114 tournaments together. May-Treanor and Walsh now have 67 tournament wins together.
May-Treanor and Walsh split $20,000 for the Hermosa Beach win, but it almost didn't come to be after another Sailors alumna had her say. Newport Harbor High grad April Ross and partner Jennifer Boss, the No. 5 seed, beat top-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh in a fourth-round championship bracket match, 21-23, 13-21, 15-11, on Sunday morning.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who suffered just their second loss all year, then had to win a contender's bracket match, 21-15, 21-10, over No. 11-seeded Paula Roca and Sarah Straton. They won the semifinal, 21-15, 21-17, over second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs to advance the final.
"We came out at 8 a.m. this morning and played very flat," Walsh said. "I think we just turned up our determination."
Ross and Boss, meanwhile, were edged in the other semifinal by Turner and Wacholder, 21-17, 16-21, 18-16. They tied for third — matching the Huntington Beach Open for their best result of the year — and split $9,500.
In the championship match, May-Treanor appeared tight early. She had three hitting errors that helped Turner and Wacholder to a 7-6 lead.
"Not so much nervous, but we were waiting in the tunnel for longer than usual," May-Treanor said. "We were like, 'OK, are they going to ask us out yet? Are they going to ask us out yet?' "
But, with Turner and Wacholder still ahead, 11-10, May-Treanor had four consecutive kills to help give her and Walsh a 14-11 lead that they wouldn't relinquish
It was easier in Game 2, when May-Treanor and Walsh led throughout and extended their lead to 10 points twice, including the last point, when May-Treanor's crosscourt kill earned her the title.
Wacholder, who won the Hermosa Beach event last year with Youngs, was diplomatic after the match.
"I had no doubt she would break the record at some point," Wacholder said. "I was just hoping it wasn't today. But her name will be known on these courts for the rest of time. She's just a great beach volleyball player, she's one of the greats."
McPeak said she's still happy that if she has to lose the record, she loses it to May-Treanor.
"She's a great role model," McPeak said. "She talks to everyone, signs everyone's autographs. She's really modest and down to earth."
And McPeak, who finished tied for ninth at this year's Hermosa Beach Open with partner Logan Tom, said fans shouldn't count her out yet.
"The new chase begins," she told May-Treanor half-jokingly. "Now I'm chasing you."

Difficult day for area men
VOLLEYBALL: Gibb, Lambert and Fuerbringer all bow out before final at Hermosa Beach Open.
By Matt Szabo
HERMOSA BEACH — Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer, along with Costa Mesa residents Mike Lambert and Jake Gibb, all made it to the final day Sunday at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Hermosa Beach Open.
None of the beach volleyball players, however, could make it to the final itself.
Lambert came the closest. He and partner Stein Metzger, the No. 3 seed, lost a close match to No. 4-seeded Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 21-18, 14-21, 15-13. Lambert and Metzger finished tied for third and split $9,500.
Gibb and partner Sean Rosenthal, who had finished second in each of the first four AVP events of 2007 to tie a tour record, couldn't get to that point this time. The No. 2 seed, Gibb and Rosenthal lost to Lambert and Metzger, 21-19, 21-16, in a fourth-round match of the championship bracket.
Gibb and Rosenthal then lost to No. 5-seeded Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard, 24-22, 23-21, to finish tied for fifth and split $6,000.
Fuerbringer, meanwhile, thinks his beach volleyball partnership with Sean Scott, in its first year, is on its way up.
Fuerbringer and Scott, the No. 8 seed, lost a contender's bracket match Sunday morning to Holdren and Nygaard, 24-22, 23-21, to finish tied for seventh and split $4,600.
Fuerbringer, who had called his 0-2 showing at this year's Huntington Beach Open a low point in his professional career, was just 6-8 this season with Scott heading into Hermosa Beach. But the team won three matches at Hermosa.
"We're playing well," said Fuerbringer, the 2003 AVP Rookie of the Year. "There was a temptation for us to go other ways [with our partnership], but we're on the right track. I still think we're going to be a great team."
Fuerbringer said he had pulled his groin during the team's last match Saturday, a 24-22, 23-21 win over No. 20-seeded Dain Blanton and Jason Lee.
"Today, it was tough for me to play, but my partner Sean was playing amazing," he said. "But the other teams played well, and that's what happens."
As a first-year partnership, Fuerbringer added that he and Scott are still ironing some things out.
"It's part that, and it's part some bad breaks." Fuerbringer said. "When things are going bad, it seems like everything is bad. But we're feeling it out, and figuring it out. It's about our roles. Who's the motivator, the guy who brings the fire, and who's the guy who stays quiet? With time, we'll have chemistry."
All three teams now prepare for the AVP Louisville Open that begins Thursday.
In the Hermosa Beach final, No. 1-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers beat Olson and Ring, 21-17, 21-12. It was the duo's fourth win in five tour events this season, and sixth in the last seven.

MAY-TREANOR SETS RECORD
Hermosa Beach, Calif., May 20, 2007 - Misty May-Treanor became the winningest women’s Beach Volleyball player in recorded history here Sunday by winning her 73rd title at a domestic event with Kerri Walsh.
By capturing her fourth domestic title in five starts this season with Walsh by defeating Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 21-15 and 21-11 in the finals, May-Treanor moved past Holly McPeak with the most women’s professional Beach Volleyball titles. McPeak became the winningest player in June 2004 at a domestic event in Manhattan Beach to better Karolyn Kirby’s total of 67 pro beach titles set in August 1997 at Hermosa Beach.
In her ninth professional season, May-Treanor has won 46 domestic and 27 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour titles. May-Treanor has won 67 of her titles (43 domestic and 24 FIVB) with Walsh and five with McPeak (2, 3). May-Treanor also captured the 2005 domestic Queen of the Beach competition.
May-Treanor and Walsh are the reigning Olympic and SWATCH-FIVB World champions. After winning the 2003 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, May-Treanor and Walsh captured the Athens 2004 Olympic gold medal before successfully defending their world title in 2005 at Berlin. May-Treanor and Walsh will seek their third-straight world title in the Swiss Alps when Gstaad hosts the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships July 24-29.

AVP's best are champions again
Title gives May-Treanor all-time record
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh took the scenic route Sunday, but that included a victory lap along the way.
Instead of advancing through the winner's bracket and enjoying a steady stream of matches on stadium court, the top women's pair dropped their Sunday morning match, fell onto the contender's side of the ledger and spent some time on the outside.
It was a short trip.
Quick work of Paula Roca and Sarah Straton led to a relatively easy semifinal win and culminated with a 21-15, 21-11 tournament victory over Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner to put May-Treanor atop the women's game.
It was win No. 73 for the reigning, two-time MVP and broke a tie with Holly McPeak for most titles by a woman in professional beach volleyball. Earning her 70th title was Walsh, who ranks third all-time.
May-Treanor has been reluctant to talk about the record but took the microphone in a post-match ceremony that included a video tribute.
"I don't like to be the center of attention unless I'm on the dance floor," May-Treanor said afterward. "It was always just about volleyball. Some people said some nice things about me. I don't know how much they were paid to say nice things about me, but they did."
Next up is the record that encompasses both men and women and May-Treanor is halfway there, with Karch Kiraly sitting on 148 titles and in the midst of his last season on the AVP Tour. While Kiraly's remaining chances are limited, McPeak has more titles on the agenda.
"I'm still playing and I can still get it back. That is the plan for Logan Tom and me, but I can take pride in this win," said McPeak, who was May-Treanor's first partner. "Misty and I grew up on the beach. She is a great champion for our sport."
For only the third time in the last 55 opens, the women's winner emerged from the contender's bracket. In fact both finalists endured additional work Sunday. Turner and Wacholder lost to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in their morning match and had to get past Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan to reach the semis.
The pressure of the moment seemed to play a role in the early going as May-Treanor looked tight and committed uncharacteristic errors. She hit a ball out and followed with a shot long and, when May-Treanor hit a ball into the net, she and Walsh trailed 9-6 in the first game.
But they got even at 9-9, and, after a Walsh block tied the score, 11-11, May-Treanor got involved with three straight points. The pair did not trail for the remainder of the first set and won on a Wacholder hitting error, 21-15.
"They started out a little bit slow. Misty May, who doesn't make any errors, made five. That never happens," said McPeak, who served as color commentator on the television broadcast. "I don't know if it was nerves, but she made great adjustments."
The second game was essentially done after the third point was scored.
May-Treanor jumped out to a five-point lead before their own total in the second set reached double figures and extended it to six points, then eight and eventually 10 at championship point when Walsh put up a block. May-Treanor then scored the final point of the match on her signature cross-court cut shot.
"We came out this morning and played really flat," Walsh said. "We should have won that match but we picked it up at the end of the day. We know we have it in us, and we know that we can step up and find that fifth gear."
It was the second straight finals appearance for Turner and Wacholder. But unlike last week in Arizona, when they extended the match to three sets, Sunday's final was never particularly close.
"We never really got on track today. The first three matches we were down. We did a great job this afternoon to pull those out," Turner said.
Her partner finished the thought.
"We kind of got in the habit of doing that, and in the final you can't do that," Wacholder said.
Sending May-Treanor and Walsh to the contender's bracket early Sunday morning was the powerful duo of Jennifer Boss and April Ross, and, without a late rally in the first set, it would have been a sweep.
May-Treanor and Walsh fought back from three down to tie the game 19-19 and twice had game point before a Walsh putaway secured the first game. The second set was equally tight, with May getting match point at 20-18 on a kill, but Ross and Boss fought back to extend the set into overtime with Boss scoring three straight points at the end to win, 24-22.
Boss and Ross controlled the third set from the beginning and coasted to a 15-10 victory with Ross scoring the winner off a Walsh block.
Relegated to an outer court, May-Treanor and Walsh breezed past Paula Roca and Sarah Straton, 21-15, 21-10, for a return ticket to center stage and a berth in the semifinals. Playing together for the first time, Straton and Roca placed fifth.
"I wish we had sided out better; we struggled with that. It's a tough match-up. Misty and Kerri are always tough," Straton said. "You kinda want to meet them in the finals, but everyone is beatable. It's frustrating that we didn't play better."
In their semifinal, May-Treanor and Walsh scored a straight set victory over Youngs and Branagh. Since defeating them in the semifinals in Miami, Youngs and Branagh have lost their last three matches against the No. 1 team.
In the other women's semifinal, Turner and Wacholder scored a 21-17, 16-21, 18-16 victory over Boss and Ross to advance to Sunday's final.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Straton, Roca sticking together
Team debuted with fifth place at Hermosa Beach
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Sarah Straton is a believer in commitment and is looking for her partnership with Paula Roca to last awhile.
A teammate of Jenny Pavley since the middle of last season and through the first four events of 2007, Straton paired with Paula Roca here and enjoyed her best finish in nearly a year as the two placed fifth.
Straton said the split with Pavley was mutual.
"We were a little frustrated because we believed in the team and we were disappointed we weren't finishing better," Straton said. "We should have been beating teams and weren't beating them. We were finishing ninth and 13th and we just needed a change."
Straton finished fifth last year in Huntington Beach while partnering with Brooke Hanson, but in 10 events with Pavley, the highest they could manage was one seventh.
Roca and Straton had a solid first day, dropping one match to Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, finalists in two straight tournaments. On Sunday, they eliminated Hanson and Angie Akers before having their run terminated by Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
Straton was pleased by how well she and Roca gelled as a team but felt they lost some intensity in their final match of the tournament.
"Frustrating is one way to characterize it. I'm sure a lot of people feel that way when they play Misty and Kerri," Straton said. "I think maybe we lost a little focus, but they make you look bad. They're very deceptive, so you go with what you read and they go with the opposite. I wish we had sided out better; we struggled with that. It's a tough match-up. Misty and Kerri are always tough."
While Pavley hooked up with Jenny Kropp and placed 13th, Straton is preparing for a run with Roca that she intends to maintain for at least the rest of the season.
"That's the plan. I like playing with a partner for a long time, because I believe in it, and the longer you invest in a team, the greater the rewards, because it becomes a little bit more comfortable," Straton said. "I'm encouraged that we clicked in this tournament, because it will become more comfortable."
Raising awareness: In between matches Sunday, celebrities such as Eva Longoria from "Desperate Housewives," Carlos Mencia from "Mind of Mencia" and Amaury Nolasco from "Prison Break" took the sand of stadium court for a charity match.
The game raised money for PADRES Contra El Cancer, which brings together children, families and health care professionals to promote a comprehensive understanding of childhood cancer through various programs, activities and services. It is currently the only Latino-oriented operation of its kind.
Page Kennedy of "Desperate Housewives," who didn't play but was on hand to support the benefit, said he felt compelled to get involved after his own personal cancer experience within his family.
"We're here because we want to raise awareness to let more people know that it's here for them," Kennedy said.
Also on hand were several stars of the NBC show "Passions." Taking in the festivities and introduced before the match were four children who are all cancer survivors.
For more information on PADRES Contra El Cancer, visit their Web site at www.iamhope.org.
Cut shots: May-Treanor and Walsh fell into the contender's bracket for the first time this season when they lost their Sunday morning match to April Ross and Jennifer Boss. ... Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder have reached at least the semifinals in four of the five events this season including two straight finals. ... Todd Rodgers and Phil Dalhausser have not fallen into the contender's bracket once this season.
On deck: The AVP Crocs Tour heads to Kentucky for the Louisville Open, beginning May 24. The tournament will feature both day and night sessions on Friday and Saturday with both finals to be contested on Sunday, May 27.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com. Mike Menninger contributed to this report.

Kerri Walsh is AVP's unsung hero
She's teamed with Misty May-Treanor for 67 titles
By Mike Menninger / Special to AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Sunday at Hermosa was all about Misty May-Treanor.
After she broke former teammate Holly McPeak's all-time wins record with her 73rd victory, she was placed on a pedestal and treated to a commemorative video featuring congratulations from several players past and present. All told, it was a great ceremony marking a great accomplishment.
But it is prudent to point out that she didn't accomplish this feat alone.
As she has been for 67 of May-Treanor's 73 wins, Kerri Walsh was right there with her at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open for the record-breaking victory over Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. It was an up-and-down day for the duo, which dropped into the contender's bracket after an early-morning upset by Jennifer Boss and April Ross.
Taking home her 70th win today, Walsh is nipping at the heels of her partner. But she said she doesn't want anything to do with May-Treanor's record.
"Heck no," Walsh said when asked if she wanted to take a run at it. "Never. Never in my life."
And that's just the way she likes to have it. Enjoying unbridled success over the past seven years, it's only fitting that such a special victory came in their 100th tournament event together. Walsh and May-Treanor have formed a rather unique partnership that Walsh likens to a famous movie duo.
"I guess I could say she's 'Maverick' and I'm 'Goose'," Walsh said.
With all the hype and fanfare surrounding May-Treanor's 73rd, Walsh has already decided not to dwell on the accomplishment for too long. Right away, she said both are looking forward to the 2008 Olympic Qualifier in June.
"After that, we hope we can just fine-tune over the next year," Walsh said.
Walsh acknowledged that they have faced some great teams on the tour, saying that they know they have it in them to continue winning, but for now, she said she will just sit back and enjoy her partner's record-breaking day.
"Today was a good win," Walsh said. "I'll remember No. 70 for a long time."

It's Rogers and Dalhausser again
Hermosa Beach is duo's fourth title in 2007
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — There's a first time for everything, and Matt Olson's first trip to the finals was a bittersweet experience.
Olson and Jason Ring partnered up for the No. 4 seed this weekend and fell to top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, 21-17, 21-12, in the pair's first final as partners.
"It's a career-best finish," said Olson. "I'm super, super stoked. At first (I was) a little nervous, but once it kinda all got going, I felt fine. It was all new to me, but it was great. Although I wouldn't have liked to have gotten shelled so bad in the second game," he said laughing.
Throughout the weekend, Olson and Ring were playing phenomenally, and despite their loss, Sunday's final was no exception.
In an earlier match against George Roumain, Ring stuffed block after block down the court and proved that he could hang with Roumain. That proved to be extremely useful in preparation for the 6-foot-9 "Thin Beast." Dalhausser did not end up being too much of an issue for Ring, who closed the deficit behind some defensive displays of his own in the first game.
"They've only lost to us in the last two tournaments. They've beaten some good teams to get here, so I expect they'll be around," said Rogers.
Rogers and Olson switched off notching their own kills, but Dalhausser knocked down a block to bring the first game within reach, with a score of 19-14. Ring answered back with a putaway of his own, followed up by a block for a score of 19-16. That was all Ring and Olson could come up with in the first game, as Rogers and Dalhausser made one error to give their opponents an extra point, yet managed to side out and earn the next two points for the win.
Game 2 started off neck-and-neck, as both teams took turns scoring points and siding out to knot up the score. After Rogers and then Dalhausser made back-to-back kills at 5-3, Olson and Ring tried everything they could just to play catch-up. Although they only trailed by two for the next few possessions, Olson and Ring essentially lost control of the game after those two deadly kills.
"When you're in the finals with a big lead, it's a real comfortable place to be," said Ring.
When the score reached 9-7, Dalhausser and Rogers went on an eight-point run, giving themselves total control of the game.
"I think we're still growing, but definitely we hit some peaks, and this weekend was a peak certainly," said Rogers. "I don't think we're done getting better."
Ring managed to hold off one matchpoint with a huge block, but it was not enough to keep Dalhausser and Rogers off of the victors' podium.
Part of the fuel behind Ring and Olson's game this weekend had to do with their group of followers, cheering on every point.
A handful of men decked out in vintage suits, hats and oversized sunglasses staked out their own corner of the stands and rang their cowbells in hopes of inspiring their favorite players.
"It's a tough match up for us," said Olson. "It's the best blocker and the best defender on the same team."
Karch watch: Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong took their No. 10 seed and made magic with it in their first tournament back together after Kiraly took a break from action in the desert last weekend.
In one of their last attempts to enter the semifinals, Kiraly and Wong handed No. 6 Casey Jennings and Mark Williams a seventh-place finish. Kiraly certainly gave his followers their money's worth this weekend.
After a 21-13, 19-21, 15-13 victory over the lower-ranked seed, Kiraly and Wong continued to the last round of contending play. While walking to center stage for his final match, Kiraly attracted a sizable following to the stage. And they believed in him, chanting "One more year!"
"I have never seen him without energy, the guy is tireless and he works so hard," said Wong of his partner. "He trains harder than he plays on the weekends and the guy's a machine."
They weren't ready to let Kiraly leave Hermosa Beach his last time as a professional volleyball player. His streak continued into the final round of the Contender's Bracket, when they took on No. 4 Matt Olson and Jason Ring.
Olson and Ring, however, were on fire all weekend, so there was little Kiraly/Wong could do to slow them down. The least they could do was make them work for their semifinals bid. Olson and Ring snuck by with a 21-19, 18-21, 15-12 victory to give Wong and Kiraly a fifth-place finish.
Thunder from down under: Ring had not played in the finals since the 2004 Huntington Beach Open with George Roumain. That was his only final, and the two went on to take the tournament title.
For a team that claims it likes to be the underdog, this weekend completely blew that cover, as Olson and Ring reached their highest finish as partners — with three top-three finishes after only five tournaments this season.
"We call ourselves Team Dream Draw for the other teams," said Ring. "We sit in the box and tell each other that we're the underdogs. We're probably two of the shortest guys out here."
During the semifinals, Olson and Ring secured themselves a second-place finish when they defeated Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert in a three-game match.

May-Treanor and Walsh win Hermosa Beach Open
On the men's side, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser defeated Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 21-17 and 21-12. It was their fourth AVP victory of the season. » PHOTO GALLERY
By The Associated Press
It was just another day at the beach for Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. The 2004 Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold medalists won their fourth straight AVP title of the season with a 21-15 and 21-11 victory over Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder at the Hermosa Beach Open on Sunday.
It marked the third time May-Treanor and Walsh have won the Hermosa Beach title. May-Treanor became the all-time winningest women's player on the AVP tour as she notched her 73rd title, surpassing Holly McPeak, her former playing partner. Karch Kiraly holds the overall record with 148 titles.
"I never though I'd be here," said May-Treanor. "Kerri and I are both glad it's over. I don't like being the center of attention, unless of course it's 'Dancing with the Stars.' But I need to keep improving each week and clean up my game a bit."
"I'm proud of Misty May," said McPeak. "I knew she was gonna be great when she first started playing, and I knew she was gonna break my record. I was just hoping that I would have an opportunity to be on the court to defend it against her. She is a great volleyball player. She is an inspiration to everyone."
May-Treanor and Walsh continue to dominate the AVP tour as the pair won for the fourth time in five events this season; they finished third at Miami in the opening week of the season.
May-Treanor and Walsh were forced to rally through the losers bracket Sunday after losing to Jennifer Boss and April Ross. They defeated Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the semi-finals to reach the finals.
In game one of the finals May-Treanor and Walsh rebounded after a slow start and went on a 10-5 run, breaking an 11-11 tie, to capture the opening game.
"We can't afford to come out flat as we did today," said Walsh, who earned her 70th career title, the third highest women's total of all-time. "We need to pick it up and shift it into fifth gear earlier."
In game two May-Treanor and Walsh's passing and net play dominated. Turner and Wacholder fell behind early and never recovered. Walsh's net play was outstanding and May-Treanor drilled several of her trademark kills, propelling her to the record.
May-Treanor softly dropped the championship point out of Wacholder's reach, giving her team the championship.
May-Treanor and Walsh have won 11 of the last 12 events dating back to last season, and have teamed up to win 67 of 99 of the tournaments they have entered since 2001. From July 2003 through June 2004, May-Treanor and Walsh won 89 straight matches. Shortly afterwards they started a winning streak of 50 consecutive matches that included a Gold medal at the 2004 Olympics games in Athens, Greece.
The pair has been named the AVP team of the year for the past four seasons. May-Treanor and Walsh captured the Hermosa Beach Open Title after losing here in the finals last year to Elaine Youngs and Rachael Wacholder.
"It's great to win anywhere in California, but especially in Hermosa Beach," said May-Treanor.
The duo are serving notice to the field that they are the team to beat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"Defending are Olympic Gold medal is going to be huge," said Walsh. "First we have to qualify and that all begins this July with a tournament in Paris."
Next tour stop is the Louisville Open May 24-27.
On the men's side Sunday, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser defeated Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 21-17 and 21-12. It was their fourth AVP victory of the season.

Volleyball player May-Treanor wins 73rd tournament
By David Leon Moore, USA TODAY
Misty May-Treanor made beach volleyball history Sunday and said she's in no hurry to stop.
May-Treanor and her partner, Kerri Walsh, the reigning Olympic champions, whipped Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner 21-15, 21-11 in the women's final of the AVP Hermosa Beach (Calif.) Open.
It was May-Treanor's 73rd tournament title, making her the all-time leading female winner, ahead of Holly McPeak. May-Treanor, 29, won her first five beach titles with McPeak.
Sunday's victory was the 67th title as a team for May-Treanor and Walsh, the women's record. May-Treanor said she and Walsh would like to beat the overall team record, 114, held by former beach stars Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos. "We're going after it," May-Treanor said.
The overall record for beach titles is held by Karch Kiraly, 46, who has 148 victories.

Todd and Phil Continue to Dominate
By John Zant
Monday, May 21 2007
The AVP took its pre-Memorial Day beach volleyball tournament out of Santa Barbara, but the winners were the same as a year ago -- Misty and Kerri, of course; and Todd and Phil, of course, too.
Somewhat unexpectedly, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are becoming as dominant on the men's tour as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on the women's. Both teams have won the titles at four of this year's five AVP tournaments.
Todd Rogers. Photo by Jason SchockRogers and Dalhausser dismantled the team of Matt Olson and Jason Ring by scores of 21-17 and 21-12 in the men's final of the Hermosa Beach Open on Sunday. May-Treanor and Walsh took out Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 21-15 and 21-11 in the women's final.
For May-Treanor, it was a historic day. She notched her 73rd title, surpassing Holly McPeak's record for women. In partnership with Walsh, she has won 67 times, including the 2004 Olympic championship. Their 50th title came in Santa Barbara last year.
Rogers won for the 26th time, and 13 of those victories have come since he joined forces with Dalhausser last year. The pair won for the first time in Arizona on May 7, 2006, and No. 2 came in the Santa Barbara Open on May 21 - Rogers' first victory in his hometown.
Santa Barbara was left out of this year's crowded beach volleyball schedule, and Hermosa was moved up from its usual summer dates.
Olson and Ring reached the final after ousting Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 21-19, 18-21 and 15-12. The 46-year-old Kiraly will play one more California tournament in his legendary career, Aug. 10-12 at Manhattan Beach.
Another interesting development at Hermosa was George Roumain's ninth-place finish with Larry Witt. They both played volleyball at Santa Ynez High. Roumain is the most physically imposing player on the AVP tour, but he has been plagued by injuries. If he stays healthy, he and Witt could do some damage the rest of the year.
Ring, his former partner, had this to say about Roumain on avp.com: "George is almost like new school beach volleyball, (he has) so much power and finesse too. He's probably one of the most graceful players out there; he's an asset to the tour. People want to watch him play."
PREP POWER: Kiraly, Rogers, Roumain and Witt are just a few of the volleyball stars to come out of local high schools. And they are still producing quality players. Both Santa Barbara High and Dos Pueblos are in the CIF Division 2 semifinals and will be hosting the matches Wednesday night at 7 - Santa Barbara against Valencia, and Dos Pueblos against Corona Del Mar.

May-Treanor tops list with Hermosa win
By Peter Yoon, Times Staff Writer
May 21, 2007
We know all about death and taxes, but the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour apparently is ready to add victories by Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh to that inevitable list.
May-Treanor became the women's all-time leader in beach volleyball victories Sunday when she and Walsh overcame an early-morning loss and defeated third-seeded Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, 21-15, 21-11, in the final of the Hermosa Beach Open.
It was May-Treanor's 73rd career victory, one more than Holly McPeak, and the result was such a shoo-in that AVP tournament staff members began passing out T-shirts commemorating May-Treanor's historic victory during the first game of the final match.
But there was no premature T-shirt jinx as May-Treanor and Walsh overcame a 9-6 deficit in the first game and cruised the rest of the way.
"It's quite an honor," May-Treanor said. "All the players on that list are players that I look up to. It's a list that a lot of volleyball players dream of being on top of."
The record, however, became secondary early Sunday when May-Treanor and Walsh dropped into the loser's bracket after a 21-23, 24-22, 15-10 loss to No. 5 April Ross and Jen Boss.
It served as a wake-up call for the top-seeded team, which gave up more than 15 points only once in its next three matches.
"We were motivated to win," Walsh said. "Honestly, we never talked about the record. We were focused on winning the tournament, and the record took care of itself."
There is no guarantee that the record will remain May-Treanor's because McPeak is still active. She and partner Logan Tom finished ninth at Hermosa Beach, and while she applauded May-Treanor for setting the record, McPeak said she has no intention of letting May-Treanor get too far ahead.
"I knew she'd get me soon, but not this soon," McPeak said. "I at least wanted to fight her in the final and defend my title, but I guess I'm chasing her now."
It could be a tough chase because of the pace at which May-Treanor and Walsh are winning. It took McPeak 235 tournaments to win 72 times but it has taken May-Treanor only 123 tournaments to win 73.Walsh's victory left her two behind McPeak.
May-Treanor said she was happy that the record chase was over, simply because she was uncomfortable stealing the spotlight in a team sport.
"I'm like, 'Yes, I don't have to hear about the record anymore,' " she said. "I don't like being the center of attention unless I'm on the dance floor or on 'Saturday Night Live.' "
Maybe she doesn't have to hear about the record anymore, but she does have to see the T-shirts, which have a large 73 printed in the middle of a volleyball.
May-Treanor and Walsh said they did not know about the T-shirts and did not see them getting passed around during the match, but Walsh said if she had, she would have been knocking on wood.
"I'm glad I didn't see it," Walsh said. "I would have been knocking on everything."
And at the same time victories by May-Treanor and Walsh have become predictable, so have those by top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers on the men's side. They cruised past fourth-seeded Jason Ring and Matt Olson, 21-17, 21-12, in the final and won for the fourth time in five tournaments this year.
Second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal dropped two matches Sunday and shared fifth with Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong.
It was the first time this season that Gibb and Rosenthal failed to reach the final.

Rogers and Dalhausser roll to another AVP victory
Dynamic duo march to their fourth title in five events this season, crushing Ring and Olson.
By Phil Collin
STAFF WRITER
It didn't take long for the conversation's direction to change. The sand became a subject. The weather. If it kept going, a bird flying overhead might have sparked a more entertaining exchange.
Certainly, dissecting how Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser killed any hopes for drama in the AVP Hermosa Beach Open didn't need to take more than a minute or two.
The top seeds ruthlessly marched to their fourth championship in five events this season with a 21-17, 21-12 victory Sunday over Jason Ring and Matt Olson. Along the way, they never dropped a game in their six matches on the way to recording their 13th tournament title.
"What hurts us is that they're just kind of going through the motions out there and we're just groveling for anything," said Olson, who was appearing in his first final. "They're just going along knowing their points will come. They're just oozing confidence out there.
"We know it, the whole tour knows it. Everyone in the tent was telling us, 'I'd love to tell you how to beat 'em, but I don't really know how.' "
A partnership that was born a year ago is truly starting to take off. Rogers, the AVP MVP and top defensive player, is making a living off the wingspan of the 6-foot-9 Dalhausser. Whatever Dalhausser can't block is gobbled up by Rogers, who follows with shot after shot that eludes defenders.
"We were in a pretty good groove most of the weekend," said Rogers, who was enjoying his 26th career victory. "We didn't lose a game for the first time ever. It was a good tournament from that perspective. We had a couple of close ones but did pretty well for the most part.
"We're at a confidence level right now if we play our best we'll win."
It was the sixth win in the last seven AVP events for Rogers and Dalhausser, who have won 12 of their last 13 times in AVP championship matches.
They now take their act on the AVP's sweep of four Southern venues before heading to Europe for Olympic qualifying tournaments.
Ring and Olson? Hey, at least they're there in spirit.
"I just hope at this point we can contribute to their success internationally," Ring said with a smile. "Maybe we can feel like we have partial ownership of their gold medal."
Ring, whose only title came with George Roumain three years ago in Huntington Beach, doesn't seem to be too far off the mark.
Ring and Olson have lost four matches the last two weeks -- all to Rogers and Dalhausser, including a semifinal defeat in Glendale, Ariz.
Quietly, the pair of 6-2 snipers have thickened the plot in chasing down Rogers and Dalhausser. They now have two third-place finishes and one second.
It's come so fast, though, they're not sure how they've done it. Even though they were seeded fifth, they scratched their heads after eliminating Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong earlier in the day
"You know what? After we won our match against Karch and Kevin, we had to go outside, sit in a tent and try to figure out why we were winning," Ring said. "We were trying to figure out how we were winning so we could do it more often.
"We don't know. We call ourselves Team Dream Draw for the other teams because when they're coming through the draw and they see us, they're like, 'Great, we've got Ring and Olson there.' I don't know what we're doing. We're just trying to stay steady. I'm just stoked to get more money."

AVP record fits May-Treanor
Star beach volleyball player reaches historic 73rd tournament title as fans don commemorative T-shirts of her accomplishment before match was over.
By Phil Collin
STAFF WRITER
The first game wasn't even over, but throughout the crowd, fans sported T-shirts celebrating Misty May-Treanor's record achievement.
"No! Shut up!'' said her partner, Kerri Walsh, when informed of that later. "I'm glad I didn't see it. I would have been knocking on wood, knocking on everything.''
Furious event officials scrambled to discover the culprit of Who Let the Togs Out, but the floodgates were open.
Eventually, and inevitably, May-Treanor was sporting one of the shirts herself after she teamed with Walsh to capture the AVP Hermosa Beach Open on Sunday, giving May-Treanor a record 73 tournament victories.
She showed how much that number actually meant to her when she was asked of its significance.
"Um, 7 plus 3 divided by 2 is 5,'' was all she could come up with. "I don't know what to say.''
May-Treanor had already displayed her passion on the court, recovering from a rocky start in the final to become the difference maker with her hitting and defense as she and Walsh dispatched Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, 21-15, 21-11.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the duo that is just starting to turn its attention to Olympic qualifying, which begins in Europe next month, and defending the gold medal they won in Athens in 2004.
During a postmatch ceremony saluting May-Treanor for surpassing the standard Holly McPeak established, she thanked McPeak for her guidance when she first stepped onto the women's tour.
"She's my teacher. She's still my mentor,'' May-Treanor said. "She's my mom on the volleyball court."
Well, watch out for when mom knows best.
"I'm still playing,'' McPeak said with a smile. "I can tie it up and get (the record) back.''
The one emotion May-Treanor was able to convey regarding the mark was relief.
"When people bring it up, I walk to another area,'' she said. "I don't like to be the center of attention -- unless I'm on the dance floor or if I'm on Saturday Night Live or one of those shows.
"I just like making people laugh.''
It's not very funny to her opponents, but Walsh and May-Treanor actually had to right their ship after falling to April Ross and Jen Boss, 21-23, 24-22, 15-10, in the first match of the day.
Relegated to the contenders' bracket, they cruised through three opponents to capture their 67th title together. For Walsh, it was her 70th career championship, putting her third on the list.
"The girl deserves to hold the record,'' Walsh said. "I think we have a very special thing. ... We're a special team and we know that. We won't be done for a long time.''
On the other side of the net in the final was a pair of miracle finalists. Wacholder and Turner rallied from a 19-12 deficit in the second game to defeat Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, and roared back from a 13-10 deficit in the third game to oust Boss and Ross, 21-17, 16-21, 18-16, just to reach the final.
"The matches earlier were more exhausting than being in 108-degree weather in Arizona (last week),'' said Turner, who was denied her first title. "It's emotionally taxing because you're putting everything on the line just to get here.''
Wacholder, who won in Hermosa last year with Elaine Youngs, was searching for her eighth title, but knew the obstacle that was in her path.
"We had really great comebacks and games that we had no business winning,'' she said. "We fought and we never quit. I think we kind of got in the habit of doing that, we tried to do it again here in the final, but against that team, you can't dig yourself a big hole and expect to get out of it. Maybe someday, but right now, we're still figuring stuff out.''

Life's a Beach for Longoria and Soap Hunk
Eva Longoria had some fun in the sun spending a day at the beach with soap hunk Adrian Bellani. Fortunately, Longoria's pro basketball player fiancé Tony Parker—who was busy playing in the NBA Western Conference finals—has nothing to worry about.
Longoria and Bellani cohosted the AVP Toyota Open volleyball tournament in Hermosa Beach, California, yesterday to support Padres Contra El Cáncer, an organization for Latino children with cancer.
Longoria has been the face of the charity for two years now, and she definitely raised awareness yesterday when she played in the tournament in a skimpy white bikini.
Bellani was quite impressed with Longoria. Her playing skills, that is.
"I had no idea Eva had that in her," Bellani told Planet Gossip's Matt Donnelly. "She was diving all over. Tony Parker would be proud."

LONGORIA SHOWS OFF VOLLEYBALL SKILLS
Actress EVA LONGORIA showed off her volleyball skills on the beach in California on Sunday (20May07) when she took part in the Spike For Hope kids cancer charity event. The soon-to-be married Desperate Housewives star put her July (07) wedding plans on hold to join celebrities and volleyball pros at the Hermosa Beach fun day on Sunday (20May07). Wearing an all black beachwear outfit and a cap adorned with her beloved San Antonio Spurs basketball team - the squad that features fiance Tony Parker - the pretty Latina showed off her own sporting prowess on the sand.

Eva works hard to deliver at charity volleyball match MAY 2007
She's proved her acting skills in hit drama Desperate Housewives, but by her own admission, Eva Longoria isn't exactly an accomplished volleyball player. That didn't stop her throwing herself wholeheartedly into a match to benefit a kids charity last weekend, though. The 32-year-old small screen beauty took to the California court wearing a shirt with "Longoria" on the back and a San Antonio Spurs basketball team cap - the squad that fiancé Tony Parker plays for.
Eva admits she'd been given a stern talking to by her sports star boyfriend prior to the match. "He was like, 'Babe, you'd better not stink'," she reveals. There was added pressure in that her husband-to-be is good at the beachside sport, she says, adding, "but that's because he's 6ft 3in!".
With her Paris nuptials approaching - the ceremony takes place on July 7 - Eva spent some time earlier this month scouting out locations in the French capital and spending time catching up with her beau's mum and brother, who both live in the country.
Once the excitement of the big day is over for the Texas-native and her Belgian-born love it'll be business as usual for Eva. She's due to jet straight back to the US after the nuptials to start shooting the next series of Desperate Housewives on July 9.

Photos:

FatSpike > 2007 Events
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Sean Scott

AVP Hermosa Beach Open
3 galleries with 417 photos.
updated: May 26, 2007 10:27pm EDT

AVP on DVD
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!!!

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-Buy (1) Veriuni Nutritional Supplement below and get (1) FREE DVD of the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Hermosa Beach,California Open
May 18th - May 20th, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

FOX SPORTS NET

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1) 32 Oz. Bottle-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition Item/Id#25
Cost $ 32.99

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The Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition formulation is different than any other health product and we predict it will quickly become the best selling liquid nutritional product in the world.

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1)Bottle 60 Capsules-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Antioxidant with red wine extract - Item/Id#26
Cost $32.99

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Note*: Liquid Nutrition can now be shipped to many different countries,shipping and handling fees apply,see drop down list when ordering.

Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

Note*: Unca Nick Productions & IanClarkVolleyball.net are not affiliated with the AVP Association Of Volleyball Professionals in any shape or form regarding this promotion.

Unca Nick Productions
Get in touch with me by email. mailto:spiro@monmouth.com

May 24th-27th,2007 $200,000 Louisville Open (Louisville,KY)
AVP Louisville Open

Louisville Waterfront Park Louisville, KY

Another Louisville Slugger Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)

Ian Clark's Results from the 1999 Louisville,Kentucky Open:

9th - Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark $ 2,000
FIRST ROUND
Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark def. John Braunstein/Matt Taylor (15-4)
SECOND ROUND
Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark def. Dan Castillo/Leland Quinn (16-14)
THIRD ROUND
Stein Metzger/Carlos Loss def. Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark (15-4)

Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark with 2 match wins and 1 match loss are
eliminated from the main draw of the Louisville Open (Louisville,KY)

The following results are provided by Michael Cole:
   1st- Dax Holdren/Todd Rogers
   2nd- Mike Whitmarsh/David Swatik
   3rd- Matt Lyles/Wayne Seligson
   Canyon Ceman/Mark Kerins
   5th - Brian Lewis/Franco Neto
   Eduardo Bacil/Eduardo Garrido
   Carlos Loss/Stein Metzger
   Paul Boyd/Pepe Delahoz
   9th - Brent Doble/Lee LeGrande
   Tim Hovland/Matt Unger
   Kevin Martin/Collin Smith
   Bill Boullianne/Ian Clark
   13th- Pete Goers/Aaron Smith
   Paul Baxter/Mark Paaluhi
   Brent Frohoff/Bryan Ivie
   Adam Jewell/Henry Russell
   John Anselmo/Brian MacDonald
   Scott Friederichsen/Ricci Luyties
   Dan Castillo/Leland QUinn
   Rifat Agi/Daniel Cardenas
   21st- David Fischer/Nathan Heidger
   Alika Williams/Chris Magill
   Anthony Medel/Andrew Vasquez
   Casey Jennings/Scott Lane
   Jeff Bellandi/Curtis Rollins
   Chris Makos/Jerry Graham
   Richard Boldt/Scott Davenport
   Jason Pursley/Steve Simpson
   Kevin Collins/Marcello Duarte
   John Braunstein/Matt Taylor
   Craig Geibel/Brad Torsone
   John Hribar/Dan Ortega

Men's $75,000 AVP Louisville Tournament of Champions
August 13-14, 1999
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings
1 Dax Holdren Todd Rogers 1 $18,000.00
2 David Swatik Mike Whitmarsh 3 $10,000.00
3 Canyon Ceman Mark Kerins 4 $6,000.00
3 Matt Lyles Wayne Seligson 7 $6,000.00
5 Brian Lewis Franco Neto 2 $3,500.00
5 Carlos Loss Stein Metzger 5 $3,500.00
5 Eduardo Bacil Eduardo Garrido 6 $3,500.00
5 Paul Boyd Pepe Delahoz 8 $3,500.00
9 Bill Boullianne Ian Clark   $2,000.00
9 Brent Doble Lee LeGrande   $2,000.00
9 Tim Hovland Matt Unger   $2,000.00
9 Kevin Martin Collin Smith   $2,000.00
13 Rifat Agi Daniel Cardenas   $1,026.00
13 John Anselmo Brian MacDonald   $1,026.00
13 Paul Baxter Mark Paaluhi   $1,026.00
13 Dan Castillo Leland Quinn   $1,026.00
13 Scott Friederichsen Ricci Luyties   $1,026.00
13 Brent Frohoff Bryan Ivie   $1,026.00
13 Peter Goers Aaron Smith   $1,026.00
13 Adam Jewell Henry Russell   $1,026.00
21 Jeff Bellandi Curtis Rollins   $400.00
21 Richard Boldt Scott Davenport   $400.00
21 John Braunstein Matt Taylor   $400.00
21 Kevin Collins Marcelo Duarte   $400.00
21 David Fischer Nathan Heidger   $400.00
21 Craig Geibel Brad Torsone   $400.00
21 Jerry Graham Chris Makos   $400.00
21 John Hribar Dan Ortega   $400.00
21 Casey Jennings Scott Lane   $400.00
21 Chris Magill Alika Williams   $400.00
21 Anthony Medel Andrew Vazquez   $400.00
21 Jason Pursley Steve Simpson   $400.00

FINAL:
Todd Rogers/Dax Holdren def. Mike Whitmarsh/David Swatik (12-10)

Todd Rogers/Dax Holdren 1st at the AVP Louisville Open

Men's & Women's $200,000 2007 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007

AVP Tour Event Coverage

Event Information:

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 6 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 5/27
• WOMEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 5/27

* Click here to register now!

Event Schedule:

All Session Pass
Get tickets to the entire Louisville Open - all weekend events!

All times are PDT

Thursday, May 24, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, May 25, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Ticket Info

Friday, May 25, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.
Ticket Info

Saturday, May 26, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Competition start time 10:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:00 p.m.
Ticket Info

Saturday, May 26, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.
Ticket Info

Sunday, May 27, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.
Ticket Info

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are free for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18.

Complete Clinic & Registration Information

Sign up to volunteer:
at the AVP Louisville Open. (Ages: 12 and older, 8+ with parent)
Download Registration Form to Sign Up!
Louisville Volunteer Form

Hospitality:
The AVP Louisville Open is the perfect vehicle to entertain clients and employees.
Featured for the 2007 event are Stadium Suites. Located above Stadium Court, the suites provide an exclusive hospitality area for you or guests to enjoy.
Stadium Suites offer shade and a great view of world-class beach volleyball, and guarantee a great experience in a first-class setting.
For more information, call (803) 738-8117.

Venue Information & Directions:

Waterfront Park
131 River Way
Louisville, KY 40202

Map
Map data ©2007 TeleAtlas - Terms of Use
Directions
From Indianapolis via I-65
Cross the Ohio River
Take the first downtown exit off I-65 (Jefferson Street)
Turn right on Brook Street
Brook Street dead ends at Witherspoon and the Park
From Nashville via I-65
Take the Brook Street exit
Brook Street dead ends at Witherspoon and the Park

From Cincinnati via I-71
Take 64 West (St. Louis) into downtown Louisville
Take the Third Street exit, stay in the left lane
Turn left on River Road at foot of ramp, go two blocks
Waterfront Park is on the left

From St. Louis via I-64
Ninth Street exit
Immediately turn left on Market Street
Nine blocks then left on Brook Street
Brook Street dead ends at Witherspoon and the Park

From Lexington via I-64
Take the Third Street exit, stay in the left lane
Turn left on River Road at foot of ramp, go two blocks
Waterfront Park is on the left

Louisville SPECIAL EVENTS:

Several special events planned during tournament week.

Mayor Abramson will kick-off the 2007 Louisville Open on Thursday, May 24 at 1:30 p.m. at Fourth Street Live! A sand volleyball court will be onsite and the Mayor will hit the first serve of tournament week.

Also on Thursday, May 24, Louisvillians are invited to attend the official kick-off party from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. as Fourth Street Live! presents BUMP! SET! BASH! The event will feature special appearances by AVP players, beach volleyball exhibitions, and happy hour drink specials. www.4thstlive.com

Karch Kiraly Night hosted by Kentucky Unbridled Spirit, Get Healthy Kentucky & Louisville Sports Commission will take place on Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m. prior to the night session at Waterfront Park. City and state dignitaries along with others will recognize the legendary Kiraly - who is retiring after this season - for his long list of on-court accomplishments and lifetime achievements.

On Saturday, May 26, from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. the action swings from the beach to the blackjack tables with the 2007 AVP Louisville Open After-Party hosted by Caesars Indiana At the Club at the Colosseum. Fans and the stars of the AVP will converge at the newest hotspot for untamed nightlife.

Men's Entrys:

Men's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3
Matt Olson Jason Ring 4
Dax Holdren Kevin Wong 5
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7
John Hyden Brad Keenan 8
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 9
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 10
George Roumain Larry Witt 11
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 12
John Mayer Scott Wong 13
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 14
Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 15
Dain Blanton Jason Lee 16
Paul Baxter Mike DiPierro 17
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 18
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q1
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q2
Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q3
David Fischer Jon Mesko Q4
Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q5
Justin Phipps Lucas Wisniakowski Q6
Danko Iordanov Fernando Sabla Q7
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q8
Bryan Gibson Keith Jones Q9
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q10
Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q11
Shane Nelson Vince Zanzucchi Q12
Chris Luers Ronnie Mahlerwein Q13
Adam Minch Ben Parker Q14
Tim Church Bill Schultz Q15
Pedro Leal Yariv Lerner Q16
Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q17
Dan Buehring Andrei Zavaichynski Q18
Wayne Holly Jason Stefon Q19
Craig Cromwell Keith Schunzel Q20
Mark Lodewyck Omar Moran Q21
Matt Johnson Brady Schuler Q22
Chase Andrews Ed Lunnen Q23
Brandon Kelly Rusty Opper Q24
Pete DiVenere Mike Morales Q25
Will Albaugh Tim Haeffner Q26
Mark Donaldson Steve May Q27
Silvio Azevedo Robert Hevezi Q28
John Paul Case Kevin Hodge Q29
Curtis Conser Zachary Franklin Q30
Tate Burroughs Nathan Nash Q31
Tim Chittenden Oguz Degirmenci Q32
Andrew Baker Jeremiah Dellas Q33
Eric Garvey Scott Thompson Q34
Brian Cross Matthew Waack Q35
Jack Ligon Ryan Wallace Q36
Joshua Hogg Adam Hutsler Q37
Scott Davenport Chad Turner
Scott Lane Adam Roberts

Men's Results:

Men's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dax Holdren Kevin Wong 5 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 9 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Matt Olson Jason Ring 4 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 10 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 7 $2,875.00 144.0
9 John Hyden Brad Keenan 8 $2,875.00 144.0
9 George Roumain Larry Witt 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Scott Davenport Chad Turner 20 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 12 $1,700.00 108.0
13 John Mayer Scott Wong 13 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Paul Baxter Mike DiPierro 17 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 18 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Dain Blanton Jason Lee 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 19, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Scott Lane Adam Roberts 21 $800.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 22, Q2 $800.00 72.0
17 Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet 23, Q5 $800.00 72.0
17 Justin Phipps Lucas Wisniakowski 24, Q6 $800.00 72.0
25 David Fischer Jon Mesko Q4 $.00 36.0
25 Bryan Gibson Keith Jones Q9 $.00 36.0
25 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q10 $.00 36.0
25 Adam Minch Ben Parker Q14 $.00 36.0
29 Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q3 $.00 18.0
29 Danko Iordanov Fernando Sabla Q7 $.00 18.0
29 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q8 $.00 18.0
29 Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Chris Luers Ronnie Mahlerwein Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Pedro Leal Yariv Lerner Q16 $.00 18.0
29 Dan Buehring Andrei Zavaichynski Q18 $.00 18.0
29 Mark Lodewyck Omar Moran Q21 $.00 18.0
37 Shane Nelson Vince Zanzucchi Q12 $.00 12.0
37 Tim Church Bill Schultz Q15 $.00 12.0
37 Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Wayne Holly Jason Stefon Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Craig Cromwell Keith Schunzel Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Matt Johnson Brady Schuler Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Chase Andrews Ed Lunnen Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Brandon Kelly Rusty Opper Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Pete DiVenere Mike Morales Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Will Albaugh Tim Haeffner Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Mark Donaldson Steve May Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Silvio Azevedo Robert Hevezi Q28 $.00 12.0
37 John Paul Case Kevin Hodge Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Curtis Conser Zachary Franklin Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Tim Chittenden Oguz Degirmenci Q32 $.00 12.0
37 Eric Garvey Scott Thompson Q34 $.00 12.0
53 Tate Burroughs Nathan Nash Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Andrew Baker Jeremiah Dellas Q33 $.00 8.0
53 Brian Cross Matthew Waack Q35 $.00 8.0
53 Jack Ligon Ryan Wallace Q36 $.00 8.0
53 Joshua Hogg Adam Hutsler Q37 $.00 8.0

Men's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Tim Chittenden / Oguz Degirmenci (Q32) def. Andrew Baker / Jeremiah Dellas (Q33) 21-11, 21-5 (0:32)
Match 10: Silvio Azevedo / Robert Hevezi (Q28) def. Joshua Hogg / Adam Hutsler (Q37) 15-21, 24-22, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 15: John Paul Case / Kevin Hodge (Q29) def. Jack Ligon / Ryan Wallace (Q36) 21-6, 21-13 (0:31)
Match 18: Curtis Conser / Zachary Franklin (Q30) def. Brian Cross / Matthew Waack (Q35) 21-10, 21-14 (0:31)
Match 31: Eric Garvey / Scott Thompson (Q34) def. Tate Burroughs / Nathan Nash (Q31) 19-21, 21-15, 15-9 (0:52)

Round 2
Match 33: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (19, Q1) def. Tim Chittenden / Oguz Degirmenci (Q32) 21-15, 24-22 (0:40)
Match 34: Pedro Leal / Yariv Lerner (Q16) def. Jack Delehanty / Phil St. Pierre (Q17) 21-13, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 35: Bryan Gibson / Keith Jones (Q9) def. Brandon Kelly / Rusty Opper (Q24) 21-15, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 36: Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q8) def. Pete DiVenere / Mike Morales (Q25) 21-19, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 37: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (23, Q5) def. Silvio Azevedo / Robert Hevezi (Q28) 21-8, 21-10 (0:30)
Match 38: Mark Lodewyck / Omar Moran (Q21) def. Shane Nelson / Vince Zanzucchi (Q12) 24-22, 17-21, 15-13 (0:52)
Match 39: Chris Luers / Ronnie Mahlerwein (Q13) def. Craig Cromwell / Keith Schunzel (Q20) 20-22, 21-18, 18-16 (1:08)
Match 40: David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) def. John Paul Case / Kevin Hodge (Q29) 21-9, 19-21, 15-9 (0:55)
Match 41: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q3) def. Curtis Conser / Zachary Franklin (Q30) 21-19, 21-8 (0:36)
Match 42: Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q14) def. Wayne Holly / Jason Stefon (Q19) 21-15, 21-18 (0:40)
Match 43: Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q11) def. Matt Johnson / Brady Schuler (Q22) 21-11, 21-9 (0:37)
Match 44: Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (24, Q6) def. Mark Donaldson / Steve May (Q27) 21-12, 18-21, 15-7 (0:54)
Match 45: Danko Iordanov / Fernando Sabla (Q7) def. Will Albaugh / Tim Haeffner (Q26) 19-21, 21-14, 15-13 (0:55)
Match 46: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q10) def. Chase Andrews / Ed Lunnen (Q23) 21-11, 21-10 (0:31)
Match 47: Dan Buehring / Andrei Zavaichynski (Q18) def. Tim Church / Bill Schultz (Q15) 21-19, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 48: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (22, Q2) def. Eric Garvey / Scott Thompson (Q34) 21-14, 21-14 (0:37)

Round 3
Match 49: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (19, Q1) def. Pedro Leal / Yariv Lerner (Q16) 21-17, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 50: Bryan Gibson / Keith Jones (Q9) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q8) 21-16, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 51: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (23, Q5) def. Mark Lodewyck / Omar Moran (Q21) 21-11, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 52: David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) def. Chris Luers / Ronnie Mahlerwein (Q13) 21-8, 21-23, 17-15 (1:06)
Match 53: Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q14) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q3) 21-19, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 54: Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (24, Q6) def. Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q11) 21-18, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 55: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q10) def. Danko Iordanov / Fernando Sabla (Q7) 21-18, 17-21, 20-18 (1:07)
Match 56: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (22, Q2) def. Dan Buehring / Andrei Zavaichynski (Q18) by Forfeit

Round 4
Match 57: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (19, Q1) def. Bryan Gibson / Keith Jones (Q9) 21-16, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 58: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (23, Q5) def. David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) 21-17, 17-21, 15-9 (1:04)
Match 59: Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (24, Q6) def. Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q14) 21-19, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 60: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (22, Q2) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q10) 21-15, 22-20 (0:42)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (16) def. Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (17) 21-15, 18-21, 17-15 (1:11)
Match 2: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) def. Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (24, Q6) 21-14, 21-15 (0:48)
Match 3: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) def. Scott Lane / Adam Roberts (21) 21-16, 11-21, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 4: Scott Davenport / Chad Turner (20) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 21-19, 24-22 (0:43)
Match 5: Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (19, Q1) 21-19, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 6: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (22, Q2) 20-22, 21-16, 15-12 (1:06)
Match 7: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (10) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (23, Q5) 21-14, 17-21, 15-13 (1:02)
Match 8: Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (15) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) 21-13, 21-16 (0:44)

Round 2
Match 9: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (16) 21-13, 21-8 (0:40)
Match 10: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 21-18, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 11: Dax Holdren / Kevin Wong (5) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) 21-17, 21-19 (0:48)
Match 12: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Scott Davenport / Chad Turner (20) 21-13, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 13: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-16, 21-13 (0:45)
Match 14: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 21-16, 21-18 (0:48)
Match 15: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (10) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 21-18, 21-12 (0:40)
Match 16: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (15) 21-19, 21-13 (0:45)

Round 3
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) 21-15, 28-26 (1:01)
Match 18: Dax Holdren / Kevin Wong (5) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 21-19, 21-16 (0:50)
Match 19: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 21-17, 11-21, 15-13 (0:57)
Match 20: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (10) 24-22, 21-15 (0:41)

Round 4
Match 21: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Dax Holdren / Kevin Wong (5) 21-13, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 22: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-11, 21-15 (0:41)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (17) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (15) 21-13, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 24: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (24, Q6) 18-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:57)
Match 25: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Scott Lane / Adam Roberts (21) 21-14, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 26: John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (14) 21-19, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 27: Scott Davenport / Chad Turner (20) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (19, Q1) 14-21, 23-21, 15-12 (1:01)
Match 28: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (22, Q2) 21-17, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 29: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (23, Q5) 21-16, 21-14 (0:45)
Match 30: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) def. Dain Blanton / Jason Lee (16) 21-18, 21-19 (0:39)

Round 2
Match 31: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) def. Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (17) 21-17, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 32: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 26-28, 24-22, 15-11 (1:23)
Match 33: Scott Davenport / Chad Turner (20) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) 23-21, 21-18 (0:55)
Match 34: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) 21-18, 21-18 (0:42)

Round 3
Match 35: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (7) 22-20, 21-19 (0:53)
Match 36: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 19-21, 21-11, 15-9 (1:03)
Match 37: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (10) def. Scott Davenport / Chad Turner (20) 23-21, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 38: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 19-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:06)

Round 4
Match 39: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 22-20, 21-16 (0:52)
Match 40: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (10) 21-12, 21-15 (0:45)

Round 5
Match 41: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (9) 21-19, 21-18 (0:58)
Match 42: Dax Holdren / Kevin Wong (5) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 17-21, 21-19, 15-11 (1:05)

Semifinals
Match 43: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-14, 21-13 (0:45)
Match 44: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Dax Holdren / Kevin Wong (5) 21-18, 18-21, 15-12 (1:05)

Finals
Match 45: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 21-18, 21-16 (0:58)

2007 Men's Louisville Open Tournament Champions >>Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers

.
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers

Women's Entrys:

Women's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4
Jennifer Boss April Ross 5
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 8
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 10
Paula Roca Sarah Straton 11
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 12
Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 13
Jenny Pavley Alicia Polzin 14
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 15
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 16
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 17
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 18
Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 19
Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias 20
Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q1
Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q2
Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge Q3
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q4
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q5
Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q6
Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q7
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q8
Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman Q9
Wendy Lockhart Laura Ratto Q10
Angie Hall Iwona Lodzik Q11
Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q12
Capri Hilgendorf Bonnie Levin Q13
Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris Q14
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q15
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q16
Jackie Hatten Nicole Midwin Q17
Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q18
Sheila Gisbrecht Kimberly Harrison Q19
Monica Lynch Ashley Ogle Q20
Jen Pue-Gilchrist Heather York Q21
Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q22
Jeni Case Kristen Rust Q23
Kelly Garvey Amanda Schuler Q24
Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q25
Lindsey Andrews Anna Tengnas Q26

Women's Results:

Women's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 3 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Jennifer Boss April Ross 5 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Jenny Pavley Alicia Polzin 14 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 8 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 16 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney 21, Q2 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 10 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 12 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 17 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 19 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Paula Roca Sarah Straton 11 $800.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 13 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 18 $800.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Erin Byrd Paige Davis 22, Q4 $800.00 72.0
17 Angela Knopf Catie Mintz 23, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 Chara Harris Brooke Langston 24, Q16 $800.00 72.0
25 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge Q3 $.00 36.0
25 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Dana Schilling Alicia Zamparelli Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Victoria Prince Chrissie Zartman Q9 $.00 36.0
29 Cinta Preston Beth Van Fleet Q1 $.00 18.0
29 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q8 $.00 18.0
29 Wendy Lockhart Laura Ratto Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Angie Hall Iwona Lodzik Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Capri Hilgendorf Bonnie Levin Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Lisa Marshall Jessica Veris Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q15 $.00 18.0
37 Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Sheila Gisbrecht Kimberly Harrison Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Jen Pue-Gilchrist Heather York Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Jeni Case Kristen Rust Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Kelly Garvey Amanda Schuler Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Lindsey Andrews Anna Tengnas Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Jackie Hatten Nicole Midwin Q17 $.00 0.0
37 Monica Lynch Ashley Ogle Q20 $.00 0.0

Women's $100,000 AVP Louisville Open
May 24-27, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (24, Q16) def. Jackie Hatten / Nicole Midwin (Q17) by Forfeit
Match 3: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q9) def. Kelly Garvey / Amanda Schuler (Q24) 21-14, 21-10 (0:32)
Match 4: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q8) def. Yolanda Munoz / Joanna Rathbun (Q25) 21-19, 21-15 (0:34)
Match 6: Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q12) def. Jen Pue-Gilchrist / Heather York (Q21) 21-11, 21-12 (0:29)
Match 7: Capri Hilgendorf / Bonnie Levin (Q13) def. Monica Lynch / Ashley Ogle (Q20) by Forfeit
Match 10: Lisa Marshall / Jessica Veris (Q14) def. Sheila Gisbrecht / Kimberly Harrison (Q19) 21-17, 18-21, 15-10 (0:57)
Match 11: Angie Hall / Iwona Lodzik (Q11) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q22) 21-17, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 13: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q7) def. Lindsey Andrews / Anna Tengnas (Q26) 21-19, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 14: Wendy Lockhart / Laura Ratto (Q10) def. Jeni Case / Kristen Rust (Q23) 21-15, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 15: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q15) def. Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q18) 21-15, 21-16 (0:33)

Round 2
Match 17: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (24, Q16) def. Cinta Preston / Beth Van Fleet (Q1) 21-16, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 18: Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q9) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q8) 12-21, 21-11, 15-12 (0:48)
Match 19: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q5) def. Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q12) 21-16, 14-21, 15-13 (0:59)
Match 20: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (22, Q4) def. Capri Hilgendorf / Bonnie Levin (Q13) 21-18, 21-8 (0:40)
Match 21: Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q3) def. Lisa Marshall / Jessica Veris (Q14) 21-11, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 22: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (23, Q6) def. Angie Hall / Iwona Lodzik (Q11) 21-19, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 23: Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q7) def. Wendy Lockhart / Laura Ratto (Q10) 21-19, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 24: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q15) 21-12, 21-13 (0:33)

Round 3
Match 25: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (24, Q16) def. Victoria Prince / Chrissie Zartman (Q9) 22-20, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 26: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (22, Q4) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q5) 21-15, 13-21, 15-12 (0:55)
Match 27: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (23, Q6) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (Q3) 21-16, 21-19 (0:48)
Match 28: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) def. Dana Schilling / Alicia Zamparelli (Q7) 21-16, 21-18 (0:42)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (17) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (16) 21-15, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 2: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (24, Q16) 21-13, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 3: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (12) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13 (1:05)
Match 4: Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (13) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (20) 17-21, 21-12, 16-14 (0:56)
Match 5: Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (19) 19-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:53)
Match 6: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (22, Q4) 21-13, 21-16 (0:33)
Match 7: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (10) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (23, Q6) 21-17, 21-14 (0:33)
Match 8: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) 21-16, 21-13 (0:32)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (17) 21-15, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 10: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-15, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 11: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) 26-24, 21-12 (0:48)
Match 12: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (13) 21-15, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 13: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) 21-18, 24-22 (0:52)
Match 14: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) 21-13, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 15: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (10) 21-14, 21-18 (0:45)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) 22-20, 21-16 (0:50)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 21-19, 23-21 (0:42)
Match 18: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-18, 21-16 (0:50)
Match 19: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 21-15, 21-11 (0:37)
Match 20: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 22-20, 21-12 (0:38)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 21-10, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 22: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 15-21, 21-12, 15-11 (0:55)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (16) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) 21-15, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 24: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (10) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (24, Q16) 21-15, 22-20 (0:38)
Match 25: Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (12) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (11) 18-21, 21-13, 19-17 (1:04)
Match 26: Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (20) 25-23, 21-16 (0:55)
Match 27: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (19) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (13) 21-16, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 28: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (22, Q4) 23-21, 21-17 (0:44)
Match 29: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (23, Q6) 21-16, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 30: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (17) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) 21-17, 21-18 (0:50)

Round 2
Match 31: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (16) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (10) 18-21, 23-21, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 32: Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (12) 21-19, 21-13 (0:45)
Match 33: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (19) 22-20, 21-17 (0:43)
Match 34: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (17) 21-14, 21-17 (0:50)

Round 3
Match 35: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (16) 21-16, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 36: Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 22-20, 14-21, 15-10 (0:57)
Match 37: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (21, Q2) 21-8, 21-14 (0:29)
Match 38: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-12, 21-12 (0:35)

Round 4
Match 39: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Jenny Pavley / Alicia Polzin (14) 21-19, 21-13 (0:43)
Match 40: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) 21-18, 21-16 (0:46)

Round 5
Match 41: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 21-14, 22-24, 15-10 (1:05)
Match 42: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 21-17, 21-19 (0:51)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-17, 21-14 (0:42)
Match 44: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (3) 21-19, 19-21, 17-15 (1:00)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 21-14, 21-12 (0:48)

2007 Louisville Women's Tournament Champions >>Misty May-Treanor /Kerri Walsh

        Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

A look ahead to Louisville
Women's tour makes first trip to Derby City
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Now that the horses are gone, it's time to clear some room for the first ever men's and women's AVP beach volleyball tournament to come to Kentucky.
The men have stopped here twice, during the 1992 and the 1999 seasons, but this will be the first time traveling with the ladies.
A set of familiar names are imprinted in Kentucky AVP history. During the AVP Crocs Tour's inaugural stop in Louisville, Karch Kiraly and then-partner Kent Steffes took home first place. In 1999, Todd Rogers and Dax Holdren teamed up to follow Kiraly's example and claim the second ever Louisville Open.
But for the women, history has yet to be written in the Derby City.
Regardless, Louisville will see a bit of history when Misty May-Treanor looks to tack on to her sole possession of the most all-time women's beach titles. She currently has 73. Right behind her is Holly McPeak who will try to regain control of that title and tie May-Treanor. But if May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh can win another, Walsh will be inching closer to McPeak for second place. She currently has 70 titles.
Other than May-Treanor and Walsh, three other teams want to get back into the finals and claim the first title in Louisville. They are: Elaine Youngs/Nicole Branagh and Jen Boss/April Ross, who left in Hermosa's semifinals; and Tyra Turner/Rachel Wacholder, who have dropped two straight finals to finish in second behind May-Treanor and Walsh.
McPeak and her partner Logan Tom have also demonstrated that they can go deep into tournament play with one fifth- and two seventh-place finishes in the 2007 season. Her 72nd title came during the 2004 season, and the last time she reached the finals was last season.
While Rogers and Phil Dalhausser have cast a shadow over the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour with their four victories, several other teams hope to put a stop to that next weekend.
After their highest finish in Hermosa, Matt Olson and Jason Ring will try to top that accomplishment in their next tournament.
But standing in their way to the finals round will be Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, who last tasted victory in Huntington, and the combination of Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal. Gibb and Rosie have taken second place in four out of the last five tournaments and they too will be hungry for more.
And as past tournaments have proven, never count out the underdogs. They always seem to put up a decent showing to challenge the top seeds' run to the top.
The AVP hits Louisville from May 24-27, with qualifiers on Thursday.

Kiraly stops at Waterfront Park this weekend on his AVP farewell tour
By Tamara Ikenberg
tikenberg@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
He's spiked and set on the sand volleyball courts of Baxter Jack's. Now, Olympic volleyball champion and living legend Karch Kiraly is coming back to Louisville to serve up his last season on the American Volleyball Professionals Tour, this weekend at Waterfront Park.
We talked to the king of the court about what he's got in store for the future.

Q. What made you decide to retire from the AVP tour?
At 46 years old and having gotten to play at the highest level of the AVP tour for over 30 years now, that's plenty of time.

How is your schedule going to change?
It's going to get busier. I've started the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy. I'll be doing more television work. I coached a high school team this year and I'm helping build championships for adult beach volleyball enthusiasts called the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball. I'm also helping to grow and promote two junior beach volleyball tours around the country and also some other projects. So I've got a lot on my plate and I'm very excited about it.

Can you tell us more about the academy?
It was really inspired by some friends who run the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. We've been batting the idea around for the better part of 10 years, and now that I'm finally slowing down a little bit in terms of competing on the AVP tour, I'll have time to start and expand the academy. We'll have a week session in Anaheim, Calif., in mid-July, then a second session in Virginia Beach. We've sent out a bunch of fliers and e-mails to juniors all across the country. These first two sessions are for girls who will be freshmen or sophomores in high school this coming year.

Who are the rising stars of volleyball?
One exciting player who's really making an impact on the AVP Tour on the women's side is April Ross, who was last year's Rookie of the Year. She's really got a great future ahead of her. And on the men's side are Jason Ring and Matt Olson.

How did you develop your passion for beach volleyball?
My dad started me. He played volleyball and soccer in Hungary, and when he came over to this country, those were the sports he taught me, so I started learning both when I was probably about 6 years old.

Are your own kids interested in playing?
Yes, they play on the high school team that I coached this year. It's a lot of fun to be able to pass it on.

What will become of your famous pink Speedo cap?
I will be wearing it throughout the course of this season, and then it will probably be retired.

Men's best duo on cruise control
Rogers-Dalhausser outpacing field in early season
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
They've won four of the five events to start the season.
Add in six of the last seven and eight of the last 12 team events on the AVP Crocs Tour, and you've got a team that by most accounts would be considered dominant.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh?
Wrong answer: try Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
And they can even go one better than the top women's tandem, at least when considering the 2007 season.
Rogers and Dalhausser have lost just one match this season to May-Treanor and Walsh's two, and the No. 1 men's duo has not spent a single minute in the contender's bracket this year, which May-Treanor and Walsh did this past weekend prior to winning the title in Hermosa Beach.
The spotlight has focused on May-Treanor's march to a record 73 wins over the first two months of the AVP Tour, but keeping pace and going relatively unnoticed is a team that is acquiring not only titles but dollars. Dalhausser and Rogers have each pocketed a tour-leading $94,750 this season, which includes the Jose Cuervo Gold Crown bonus.
Rogers doesn't even believe that he and Dalhausser have assembled all the pieces yet this season. With Olympic qualifying on the international schedule this year for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing and the bigger money tournaments later in the season on the AVP docket, Rogers looks to peak around late July.
But they possess that one element that may be more valuable.
"We're at a confidence level right now, if we play our best we'll win," Rogers said.
Dalhausser feels their success is merely a matter of their own execution.
"If we side out, then everything else will take care of itself," Dalhausser said. "The points will come."
Confidence is what fuels all of the great teams and when you add talent and chemistry to the mix, the result is a winning combination. And like May-Treanor and Walsh, the pairing of Rogers and Dalhausser is more than the sum of its parts. It becomes an equation with exponential returns.
"We're just going through the motions and they're just oozing confidence," said Matt Olson, who lost in Sunday's final with partner Jason Ring. "Everyone on tour would like to know how to beat them."
One team in particular that would like to sort that out is Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, who have advanced to the first four men's finals this season and lost to Rogers and Dalhausser in three of them.
In the other final, Gibb and Rosenthal lost to Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert in Huntington Beach. It was Gibb/Rosenthal that eliminated Rogers and Dalhausser in the semifinal, handing them their lone loss of the season.
But in all matches this year, Rogers/Dalhausser is 5-1 against Gibb/Rosenthal and has a 14-3 record against the pair in the last two seasons, including FIVB tournaments.
"It's just one of those things where you gotta pull out your A-game to beat them," Rosenthal said.
Winning hasn't always been a regular habit for Rogers. One of the game's most knowledgeable players, so much that he carries a nickname of "The Professor," Rogers did not win until his fourth year on the beach after earning All-America honors at UCSB.
A win in 1998 was followed by another in 1999 as he partnered with Dax Holdren. He won twice on the AVP Tour in 2000 and added a USA Volleyball title that same year. Rogers managed two more wins in 2001, but experienced a drought from 2002-03 before a win in 2004 and three with Sean Scott late in the 2005 campaign.
That all changed when he hooked up with Dalhausser, who had just one victory to his credit -- a first with Nick Lucena in Austin, Texas, in 2005.
Rogers and Dalhausser played an FIVB event together in June, 2005, and placed seventh but then went on their run last season in the AVP. They won four of the first five events last year and eight overall, with Rogers winning the God of the Beach title in Las Vegas. The pair also won an FIVB event together.
An MVP was granted to Rogers last season but many observers say it was a nod to his mentorship of Dalhausser, who grew from an occasional force at the net to one of the tour's dominant players.
"People voted for me because Phil got so much better," Rogers said.
And the education has continued into this season. The pair did not drop a set in Hermosa Beach and have lost only one in the last two tournaments -- when they lost the second game in the final against Gibb and Rosenthal in Glendale.
The tour heads to Louisville this week and the men's side of the draw will be looking for answers. Gibb and Rosenthal fell to a fifth last week while Lambert and Metzger continued their up-and-down ways. After winning in Huntington, Lambert and Metzger finished seventh in Glendale before rebounding with a third last week.
Holdren and Jeff Nygaard have posted back-to-back thirds while Olson and Ring followed a third with a second-place finish last week.
"They call [Rogers] 'The Professor'; they call him 'The Machine'," Olson said. "Whatever it is, it doesn't look good from our side of the net."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

South Coasting
By Steven Libowitz
The Rogers-Dalhausser Dominance
Two years ago, parity was the theme on the men’s AVP beach volleyball tour, when several different two-man teams took home championships among the 14 tournaments and a whole lot more felt they could have won.
No more.
Last year, just two partnerships dominated the vast majority of events, and in the current season, that’s down to one: Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
The Santa Barbara-based team – Rogers was raised here and starred at San Marcos High and UCSB before moving to Santa Ynez a few years ago while Dalhausser moved here from Florida in 2004 – has won four of the first five events in 2007, and six of the last seven dating back to last year.
And last weekend in Hermosa Beach, Rogers-Dalhausser utterly destroyed their opponents, claming the crown without dropping a game in the 2-of-3, double-elimination format.
“You’ve got the best blocker (Dalhausser) and the best defensive player (Rogers) on the beach together – a nasty combination,” said Matt Olsen minutes after his team lost in the finals 21-17, 21-12. Nobody on the tour “has any clue how to beat these guys,” Olsen went on. “They’re just oozing with confidence.”
“You have to be flawless to have any chance,” added Olsen’s partner, Jason Ring.
Rogers-Dalhausser’s domination is so evident even the players themselves – who were previously unwilling to address the issue – are forced to admit their superiority.
“We’re confident that if we play at our best, we’ll win,” says Rogers. “We know that now.”
The team’s achievement makes it all the more shameful that the AVP decided to skip Santa Barbara, a slight which took on added insult when former Santa Barbara star Karch Kiraly announced that this would be his last season on the beach. At age 46, the wily veteran showed he still has the fire, finishing a year’s best fifth in Hermosa. Santa Barbara-connected players also placed third (Dax Holdren), ninth (George Roumain and Larry Witt), thirteenth (Anthony Medel and Nick Lucena) and seventeenth (Ben Koski and Jeff Minc).
AVP owner Leonard Amato professed a soft spot for local sands during a brief chat at Hermosa, saying, “I think it’s a great town that really loves the sport and we’d love to come back.” But, he said, the economics of the sport make it hard to schedule events in a smaller metro area that may not support sponsorships.
Meanwhile, the tour will return to Southern California July 19-22 for a tournament in Long Beach open and August 9-12 for the prestigious Manhattan Beach Open.

Teams prepare for Louisville Open
Tour comes to Louisville for first time since 1999
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
The turf meets the surf this weekend on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Well, sort of.
With volleyball heading to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky this weekend, the AVP will set up shop with its own brand of beach at Waterfront Park in Louisville, a town better known for horse racing, baseball bats and college hoops.
It's the third time the AVP has ventured into Louisville but the first since 1999 when Todd Rogers and Dax Holdren captured the crown. The previous stop was in 1992, when Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes won the title.
While Kiraly is retiring at the end of the year and trying to reclaim the magic before season's end with partner Kevin Wong, Rogers is part of the top men's team on tour.
He and Phil Dalhausser have won four of five events this season and six of the last seven team events extending back into 2006. His partner in '99 has now teamed with Jeff Nygaard. Holdren and Nygaard have started to gel a bit. After finishing ninth, 13th and ninth to start this season, they've placed third in the last two tournaments.
On the women's side, Misty May-Treanor captured her record-breaking 73rd victory last weekend when she and partner Kerri Walsh won at Hermosa Beach. They've also won the last four events and 11 of the last 12 on tour.
Their opponent in the last two finals has been Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner. This is the first season for the pair, and while Turner is still looking for her first title, Wacholder has seven tournament victories to her credit.
Turner and Wacholder played well in the Glendale final but were overmatched in Hermosa. There's a lot of ground to cover between them and the top team, but Turner believes they've made great progress.
"As a new partnership, Rachel and I learn so much about each other. Just getting on the ground and getting dirty and groveling to get here. Our goal is to be in the finals every weekend and our goal is to win, but we've got to get here first," Turner said. "We have to take care of those things that we learn and each weekend write them down, because it is such a plethora of information. We don't have the seven-year partnership like Misty and Kerri, so it's not just two things we're working on. It's like 15."
Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs rebounded last weekend to finish third along with April Ross and Jennifer Boss. Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis had their best finish by placing fifth.
Toast of the town: Friday will be Karch Kiraly Night as the city of Louisville pays tribute to the pro beach volleyball's career title holder prior to that evening's night session.
Bracketology: Qualifying rounds will be held Thursday, when 32 men's and women's teams will compete for one of four slots into the 24-team main draw. Play will be contested on six courts.
Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on avp.com on Sunday, May 27. FSN will replay the women's final on Tuesday, May 29, and will the men's final on Saturday, June 2.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday with Friday and Saturday featuring both day and night sessions. Competition will begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday and 10:00 a.m. Saturday for the day sessions, and then at 7:30 p.m. ET both Friday and Saturday for the night sessions. The men's final is scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET with the women's final set to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Cut shots: May-Treanor and Walsh are 67-15 in championship matches, 42-6 in AVP finals. ... Rogers and Dalhausser are 13-2 in championship matches and 12-1 on the AVP Tour. ... The first or second seed has won the last 12 men's open events. ... Jason Ring and George Roumain led the men with 32 blocks apiece last weekend in Hermosa but Roumain did it in 12 games to Ring's 18.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will head to Florida next weekend for the Tampa Open, May 31-June 3, beginning Thursday the 31st with qualifying rounds for the 24-team main draw.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Volleyball events scheduled at Wave Country
By ANDY HUMBLES
The Metro Nashville Board of Parks and Nashville Beach and USA Volleyball will hold a USA Junior Beach Volleyball Tournament at Wave Country, Saturday, May 26.
Age divisions are 12-under, 14-under, 16-under, 18-under and 20-under. Walk-up entry fee is $35 per player. Required membership with USA Volleyball, good for the summer, is $15.
Walk-up registration is 7:30-8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 26. The event begins at 9:15 a.m. and continues to between 3-6 p.m.
An exhibition with Association of Volleyball Professionals’ players is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 27.
In addition, a Pro-Am tournament is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, May 28. Matt Olsen, Brent Doble, Jack Quinn and Dave Fischer will be among the players who will sign autographs and meet fans and players.
AVP players have also agreed to do a beach volleyball clinic at 1-4 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, May 29-30. Cost is $50 per player.
For information call 876-0411 or visit www.nashvillebeach.com.

AVP star Rogers back in town as top seed
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
In Santa Barbara, Calif., beach volleyball courts are as common as basketball courts here. From that environment emerged one of the Association of Volleyball Professionals' greatest players -- Todd Rogers, who's playing in Louisville this week.
Rogers and teammate Phil Dalhausser are the top seeds in the AVP Louisville Open that begins today at Waterfront Park.
The last time the AVP held an event here, Rogers and Dax Holdren teamed up to win at The Brewery in 1999. The venue and his partner have changed, but Rogers remains a dominating force on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Rogers is second among active tour players in victories with 26, including four of five first-place finishes this year. He will begin play in tomorrow morning's main draw.
If Rogers is victorious again, perhaps this time he will enjoy total recall of the celebration.
"I have really good memories of Louisville in '99," the 33-year-old said. "We ended up pulling an all-nighter and then stepping on the plane at 6 a.m., which was fun. Nothing sticks out in my mind.
"I don't recollect a lot of what went on that night. I know we had a large bar bill, and most of it wasn't for me. That's OK. It's somewhat of a tradition."
Rogers' interest in volleyball was sparked as a Southern California youngster at East Beach, where there are 20 permanent courts. He stayed home to play at the University of California Santa Barbara, where he became an All-American and set numerous school records.
While in college, Rogers beat players on the AVP tour, which he said made him realize he could have a pro career. He got into pro beach volleyball through a qualifier and has been an AVP member for 10 years.
Entering this season, he had $742,191.50 in career winnings both domestically and internationally. This year on the AVP Crocs Tour, he and Dalhausser have collected $89,500 for four victories and one third-place finish.
This is his only job. He was an assistant coach at his alma mater from 1999 to 2005.
"We don't lead an extravagant life like an NFL, baseball or basketball player," Rogers said. "I train really hard. You hit the weights. I have a personal trainer. I have a movement coach.
"You travel a lot. If you're single, it's probably not a big deal, but if you have a family like me it's a little more difficult.''
During the off-season from November through March, he said, "I get to spend time a lot with my family. I get to do a lot of things other parents don't get to do. I don't have a set schedule."
To stay successful, Rogers has changed partners. His third, Dalhausser, has made a big difference. This is the second season the two have teamed, and since the pairing they have won 12 AVP events. The 6-foot-2 Rogers said he likes the physical ability that his 6-9 partner brings.
Dalhausser was born in Switzerland but grew up in Orlando, Fla. He played on a club team at the University of Central Florida before moving to California. Dalhausser is in his fourth year on the AVP Tour and happily joined Rogers when asked.
Dalhausser enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2006 and was named the AVP's most improved player. He said team chemistry was there from the start.
"We just both play real consistent volleyball," the 27-year-old said. "We are both good at what we do. He plays great defense. I feel like I'm a pretty good blocker and a good server."
Rogers said that with the increase in players' size, Dalhausser is an asset.
"You have to have good chemistry," he said. "It's not essential, but it does help quite a bit. He's a real low-key, low-maintenance kind of guy, as am I. If you're a little guy, you need a guy who can block the ball at the net. If you're a big guy, you need that smaller guy that can play great defense."
Rogers was the AVP's 2006 MVP. But he says Dalhausser is the true MVP.
"It has been lightning in a bottle," Rogers said. "Everything came together well."

Misty embarks on wild odyssey
Article Launched: 05/24/2007 01:06:20 AM PDT
In the wonderfully frenetic life of Misty May-Treanor, where records fall, frequent flyer mileage totals are immense and adoring crowds cheer her heroic weekend beach volleyball exploits, she departed Long Beach Wednesday for a six-week odyssey that will include visits to Kentucky, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, France and Norway.
"I'll be back in town for a day in early July, and then be gone for another couple of weeks before returning to our summer event here," she says, referring to the July 19-22 Bud Light AVP Long Beach Open that will be staged at Marina Green Park. "It seems like I'm always on the go during the AVP season. I won't have a weekend off until the end of September."
There also will be the usual FIVB-sanctioned international tournaments in which she and her partner, Kerri Walsh, will participate in during this span that, in addition to France and Norway, will include trips to Austria, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Brazil, Thailand and Mexico.
"The foreign tournaments take on a greater importance this year because they are involved in the Olympics qualifying process," she says. "It's important we do well not only to assure us of qualifying, but also of getting a good seeding in
the Olympics."
If one goes by what Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have accomplished in recent times - they won a gold medal in the Athens Games in 2004 and have been AVP Team of the Year for the past four seasons - they well could wind up with the No. 1 seed.
As you might have heard, May-Treanor last Sunday reached a historic milestone in her sport, as she won her 73rd title, eclipsing the mark set by her former partner, Holly McPeak.
"It's nice, I guess, but it's really something I've never thought about because I'm in a team sport," she says. "I never could have reached such a level without having terrific partners like Holly McPeak and Kerri Walsh."
She also says she couldn't have reached such a level without the assistance she received from her coaches at Long Beach State, Brian Gimmillaro and Debbie Green.
"I don't think I'd be where I am without those two people," she says. "Brian runs a very tough program, and emphasizes character and discipline and hard work. I remember I used to ask myself, `Why's Brian being so hard on me?' Now I understand, and you appreciate the lessons he was trying to teach you like playing for each other instead of for yourself. It's carried over in my outlook on so many matters in my life.
"Everything I learned setting-wise came from Debbie, who was a great setter herself. Learning setting from Debbie was like learning painting from Picasso."
Misty May-Treanor also has kind words for Holly McPeak.
"Holly paved the way for me in beach volleyball," she says. "She took the challenge of starting me on the beach, and she was like a mom to me on the court. I respect her so much both as a player and a person."
Although she resides during the offseason with her husband, Florida Marlin catcher Matt Treanor, at a home they own in Coral Springs, Fla., Misty May-Treanor has kept her Long Beach roots.
She also has a home here, and keeps involved in local activities like last Saturday night's big Long Beach State athletic scholarship fundraiser, the Jewels of the Night, where she gave a speech and donated auction items.
"You don't forget your past, and the people who helped you get to where you are now," she says.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have become so successful - they once had an 89-match winning steak - that they've inspired unreasonable expectations.
Indeed, on those rare occasions when they actually fail to win a tournament - as they did in the AVP opening event in April in Miami when Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh wound up with the top prize - the reaction among their followers is stunned disbelief.
"It seems like it's the end of the world to some people when we get beat," says May-Treanor. "People just can't believe it and ask us, `What's wrong?' Well, there's nothing wrong. There are some days when we just don't play that well and other teams play better. Other teams keep improving and keep getting better."
With a new coach, Troy Tanner, now in tow, May-Treanor feels she and Kerri Walsh also are getting better.
"Troy's been really working on our serving and defense and strategy," she says. "You always look to be more consistent. I think we're better now than we've ever been. But the competition is also far better."
During their seasons which roughly coincide, Misty May-Treanor and Matt Treanor maintain the quintessential long-distance marriage.
"I've seen Matt for only two and a half days since February 15," she says. "We do talk twice a day on the phone, but our schedules just keep us apart. We've gotten kind of used to it, and we both know it won't last forever. It's just the way it is. Baseball is a spring and summer sport, and so is baseball."
May-Treanor will turn 30 in July, and plans to continue playing at least until the Beijing Olympics next year.
After that, she doesn't know what she will do.
"I definitely want to have a family," she says.
But, in the meantime, she's making quite an income from her work on the beach - her tournament earnings are now above $1.3 million - and from endorsing such products as Gatorade, Bolle sunglasses, Mikasa volleyballs, XBox video games and Nautica apparel.
"Life, obviously, is good these days for me," she says. "Sure, I'm on the go a lot. But I'm making a decent living. And having some fun while doing it. I have no complaints..."

Lifetime Network New Home for Wedding Show Sponsored by GetMarried.com
Magazine-style series/website provides news, entertainment about multi-faceted, $72 billion, women-focused enterprise.
New York, NY (PRWEB) May 24, 2007 -- Get Married, a new women's-interest, magazine-style time-buy TV show about weddings, sponsored by Magazine-style series/website provides news, entertainment about multi-faceted, $72 billion, women-focused enterprise GetMarried.com, will be available to millions more viewers beginning in June through a switch to the prominent cable network, Lifetime. The half-hour show launched on cable network WE TV April 15 and continued for six episodes.
Lifetime is by far the leading television network for women and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks, reaching 93.5 million households nationwide. Get Married will also be simulcast on Lifetime's sister network, Lifetime Real Women, which is seen in 15 million U.S. homes.
Get Married is a perfect fit with the Lifetime demographics and programming philosophy. We're presenting news, entertainment and information that women can use and the $72 billion wedding industry is excited to have a classy show that is both a resource and an entertainment outlet.
The debut time-buy episode on Lifetime, sponsored by GetMarried.com, is set for Saturday, June 2, at 7:30 a.m. ET. Episodes will continue on Saturday mornings through the summer months.
"Since the first show in April, we've had a great response and our website traffic has increased dramatically. This expanded reach on Lifetime and Lifetime Real Women will accelerate our momentum and drive additional traffic to getmarried.com," said Stacie Francombe, creator of Get Married. "Get Married is a perfect fit with the Lifetime demographics and programming philosophy. We're presenting news, entertainment and information that women can use and the $72 billion wedding industry is excited to have a classy show that is both a resource and an entertainment outlet."
The weekly time-buy show sponsored by GetMarried.com, will air on Lifetime Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. ET/PT, 6:30 a.m. CT and 5:30 a.m. MT. It also airs on Lifetime Real Women Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. ET, 6:30 a.m. CT, 5:30 a.m. MT and 4:30 a.m. PT.
Get Married is hosted by Atlanta TV and radio personality Jenn Hobby with reports by noted wedding expert Crys Stewart and correspondent Jessica Campbell. It covers everything about weddings, providing news, trend stories, celebrity interviews, expert tips and ideas, surveys, destination weddings, honeymoons and viewer feedback as the only show of its kind on the television landscape. In January of 2006, Francombe spearheaded the launch of Get Married Atlanta, the success of which led to the creation of Get Married, bringing the concept to a national audience.
The TV show's affiliated website - www.getmarried.com - features more in-depth content, including video and multiple interactive features plus all the resources needed for brides, bridesmaids, planners, parents and others seeking to maximize their once-in-a-lifetime experience. The entire series of Get Married TV shows is available on the website after the initial airing on TV.
The lineup for the first show on Lifetime and Lifetime Real Women includes celebrity event designers David Tutera and Sasha Souza demonstrating and discussing their unique talents; elite photographer Robert Evans (Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes official photog) on his personal style and inspiration; beach volleyball superstar Kerri Walsh and pro volleyball-playing husband Casey Jennings talking about their 2005 wedding; New York Bridal Fashion Week's latest styles, dress designer Amsale and America's Next Top Model winner.
The expert behind Get Married is Stewart, an author, producer and publisher who gained fame as one of the premier wedding magazine editors for over two decades. She serves in the dual role of Editorial Director and On-Air Contributor for Get Married, providing her signature approach to wedding style with a personal touch. She is a sought-after authority who has appeared on The View and Good Morning America to share her expertise on related subjects.
Among the Get Married feature segments are 5 Questions, which answers five questions pertaining to everything from choosing a photographer to selecting the right band or DJ to innovative floral creations. Expert interviewees include Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Preston Bailey and David Tutera.
A weekly Look and Book segment features different honeymoon and destination wedding resorts with interested couples able to book the ceremony or vacation of their dreams at special rates, on the spot, using an 800#.
The Celebrity Wedding segment highlights stars on camera talking about their own weddings. Celebrity interviewees include NASCAR champion and NEXTEL Cup winner Kurt Busch and John O'Hurley, the Seinfeld comedic actor (J. Peterman) and inaugural Dancing with the Stars ultimate champion.
Get Married is a sponsored program by www.getmarried.com.

Louisville Open gets underway
63 teams competing for main draw entries
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- On the banks of the Ohio River, the AVP Crocs Tour opened for business here Thursday.
For only the third time, and the first for a women's draw, has the tour brought its road show to Louisville and not since 1999, when Todd Rogers and Dax Holdren won the title. <> Competing in Thursday's qualifying round are 37 men's and 26 women's teams on six courts. Four teams for both the men and the women will advance to the 24-team main draw, which begins Friday at 8:00 a.m. ET.
An early upset Thursday saw the women's No. 1 seed taking an early exit. Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet lost to the 16th-seeded team, Chara Harris and Brooke Langston in the qualifier, 16-21, 19-21. Harris and Langston advanced out of the first round when Jackie Hatten and Nicole Midwin were forced to forfeit. Monica Lynch and Ashley Ogle also forfeited their first-round match when the failed to show.
On the men's side, Mark Lodewyck and Omar Moran, seeded 21st, eliminated the No. 12 team of Shane Nelson and Vince Zanzucchi, 20-22, 21-18, 18-16. In partial second-round action, top men's seed Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic advanced, as did Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen (Q3), David Fischer and Jon Mesko (Q4) and Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet (Q5).
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Kimball travels the distance in hopes of success
Hawaii native's goal is to qualify for main draw
By Tom Whitus / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It's a long way from Molokai, Hawaii, to Waterfront Park in Louisville, but for newcomer and former AVP intern Kealani Kimball, the journey now isn't about miles, it's about the distance between the qualifying round and the main draw at the AVP Louisville Open.
"It's a goal of mine, I'm hungry for it," Kimball said of her desire to make the main draw.
Coming into the Louisville Open, only her fourth tournament, Kimball and teammate Rosalinda Masler have yet to make it out of the second round of qualifying.
Kimball and Masler got off to a good start this morning, beating Hedder Ilustre and Kirstin Olsen in the first round on the stadium court. Kimball has partnered with Masler in all four of her events this season.
Masler, a Maui native who played against Kimball in high school, was happy to team up with her this season. Masler competed last year but struggled to find her place.
"I had a hard time finding partners," said Masler.
This year is different. Since the two began training in January, it has been a building and learning process.
"It's great, she's great," Masler said of Kimball. "She has a great attitude and work ethic. She's willing to work hard and do what it takes."
The feeling is mutual.
"Rosa's a great partner to play with, she has a passion for the sport," said Kimball.
Kimball got her start as the part of a team while playing high school volleyball in Molokai. There, she helped her team to three state titles, but success on the mainland would take a leap of faith.
"I wasn't recruited except by the University of Hawaii," Kimball said. "I went to Loyola Marymount (Calif.) and eventually earned a scholarship."
A walk on at Loyola Marymount, Kimball eventually earned a scholarship and was part of a team that broke into the top 25. By the time she was finished in 2004, Kimball had made such an impact at Loyola Marymount that the school retired her No. 18.
"That was a high point — playing and being in a competitive team sport was really enjoyable," she said.
After graduating from Loyola Marymount, Kimball decided to pursue her masters in sports management at Long Beach State (Calif.). It was during that time she interned at the AVP. That might have sparked her competitive spirit, but it was her job at Student Sports in Torrance, Calif., that allowed the spark to grow. Make that "Sparq," a division of Student Sports.
"The company I work for and Sparq encourage training and competition," Kimball said. "I got the itch to play again and I picked up a ball in October."
Kimball and Masler competed in their first tournament at Huntington Beach and thus began the long process of learning the sport of two-person volleyball on the sand.
"I was once told to respect the process — it's definitely a long process," said Kimball. "I'm learning to be patient. There's so much to learn — the key is not to get frustrated."
For Kimball, now a resident of Redondo Beach, competing with a partner means more attention to teamwork than the high school or college versions she played in the past.
"There's accountability and pressure, it's just you and your partner," she said. "You're half of your entire team — you have to fight through the bad days."
Kimball believes that the main draw is on the horizon for she and Masler.
"Each tournament I'm happy with the improvement we're making," she said.
Alas, Kimball and Masler will have to wait until next week for a shot at the main draw, they lost to No. 2 qualifying seed Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney in the second round this afternoon.
Louisville welcomes AVP Tour: Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson was among several local businessmen and city officials that were on hand to kick off the AVP Louisville Open. After saying a few words, the mayor made the ceremonial first serve to Misty May-Treanor. For the record, the Mayor's serve was good, but the May-Treanor team won the point.
"We're proud to bring the Southern California version of volleyball here to Louisville," AVP General Manager of Events Gabby Roe told a crowd of about 200 at Fourth Street Live in downtown Louisville. "It's competition surrounded by a Southern California beach party."
For May-Treanor, the AVP Louisville Open marked a first, and there may be another by the end of the tournament.
"It's my first time here — now I can mark off another state I've been to," she said, adding "Kerri (Walsh) and I want to win the inaugural event here."
But, amidst the nightclubs and restaurants that make up Fourth Street Live, Mayor Abramson summed it all up, referring to Waterfront Park.
"The Waterfront is where the action is."

When life interferes with volleyball
New partnerships have mixed results on Thursday
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While volleyball ranks first for the top pros, the players that toil in the qualifying ranks have a host of issues that affect their seasons.
Jobs, family and commitments lead to conflicts, but the biggest hurdle these players need to clear is the financial one. But when a player needs to back out of a tournament that also creates a hole for their partner and one they need to fill if they want to play and hopefully move up the ranks.
So is the case for a couple of teams this week, as Dane Jensen's partner Mike Placek stayed home for personal reasons while David Fischer's partner Scott Hill opted out to protect his job.
Jensen hooked up with Jeff Carlucci for the Memorial Day weekend while Fischer chose Jon Mesko.
"Scott is one of those people that has a concept foreign to most volleyball players," Fischer said. "He has a real job with real income and real responsibilities."
There are others with real professions who split their time with the tour but Fischer's point is well taken: their passion lies on the beach.
For Fischer, the switch this week has not been a problem. He and Mesko have partnered before, and their ability to mesh was apparent from the early going as they won their first two matches. Fischer said familiarity is critical.
"You want to know where they like to hit the ball from. You want to know how much or how little to celebrate or critique or praise. Everyone is different and the trick is finding the personality trait that motivates them," Fischer said. "Some (players) are up and some are down so you constantly need to evaluate where the team is and find what dose of what is needed."
Teams that don't find that common ground often have a short day.
"Chemistry is the biggest thing, and knowing what your partner is going to be doing," Jensen said. "If you're constantly working on that and don't know what is going on, it is just a guessing game to find some rhythm."
Jensen was Carlucci's third partner in as many weeks and the result was the same as Carlucci did not advance out of qualifying for the third straight tournament. Last week in Hermosa, Carlucci opted for Ran Kumgisky over Adam Roberts, but this week he hooked up with Jensen.
While they won only one match Thursday as the third seed, Jensen sees some possibilities with the new team. After blocking for the first five events, Jensen played defense for the first time this season.
"I think we're a real strong team and I think there is a lot of potential. We just didn't use it all today. I'm hoping for something in the future," Jensen said. "We're going to evaluate it and see how it goes. We're not sure right now. But there were a lot of positives out of the negatives. There are some things to work on."
Jensen has not made a decision on his partner for the next tournament.
Off the court: Fischer normally travels in his Airstream RV, nicknamed the "Volley Trolley" around the country to the various sites, ferrying a handful of players that he says oscillates from city to city.
But he was forced to park it halfway between Oklahoma City and Amarillo, Texas for a visit with a mechanic. Fischer and his traveling band that included players Colleen Smith and Tim Church, hitched a ride with a trucker, who drove them 125 miles to a spot where they could rent a van, which they drove to Louisville.
Fischer said he'll have the Airstream back for a trip to the Tampa Open next week.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Harris, Langston storm into main draw
Duo defeated two top-10 teams in qualifying
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The No. 16-seeded team of Chara Harris and Brooke Langston, both of Sarasota, Fla., knocked off two top-ten seeds in the women's qualification of the AVP Louisville Open today at Waterfront Park. The wins propelled the Florida duo to the main draw, which begins tomorrow at 8 a.m.
In their first year playing together, Harris and Langston were competing in just their third AVP event this season. They had been unable to get out of the qualifying round in Miami and Dallas, but this time it was different, even from the start.
"We're not good morning players," said Harris.
But an early-morning, first-round match never happened, as the team of Jackie Hatten and Nicole Midwin forfeited.
"It was like getting a bye," said Harris.
Next up was the team that did get the bye, top-seeded Cinda Preston of Spring Valley, Calif., and Beth Van Fleet of San Diego. Harris and Langston dispatched the top seeds, 21-16, 21-19.
"Anything after that was frosting on the cake," said Harris. "We played relaxed, win or lose, we love this sport."
The win sent Harris and Langston into the final, where they met the No. 9 seed team of Victoria Prince of Honolulu and Chrissie Zartman of Hermosa Beach, Calif. After struggling to a 22-20 win in the first set, Harris and Langston put the match away with a 21-16 win.
Leading 20-16, the Florida pair dug in and put the match away against a team that could always come back.
"They were coming hard the whole time," Langston said of Prince and Zartman, to which Harris added "the game's not won, you've got to keep working."
Still, with the main draw in their cross hairs, Harris and Langston took time to smell the roses.
"One more point," said Langston, "but before that, have fun."
The words fun and relax came up more than once when the Florida duo talked about how they've evolved into winners over just three tournaments.
"We've changed our mindset, win or lose, we're going to have fun," said Langston.
"In our last two qualifiers, we were over-thinking," said Harris. "This time we relaxed, played hard and had fun. It helps to play with your best friend."
Said Langston, "We're the over-thinking types."
And, of course, it doesn't hurt to be the underdog, a role that Harris and Langston will have to embrace in the main draw.
"Every single time we play, we have to play our best game," said Harris. "And if you play like you have nothing to lose, that's the kicker."
Beating the No. 1 seed and advancing to the main draw at the expense of two left coast teams didn't hurt either.
"It's huge," said Harris. "In Southern California you play at a high level all the time. In Florida, we have just a few teams that play at that level."
In other qualifying round finals, No. 6 seed Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, both of Los Angeles, scored a straight set minor upset of the No. 3 team of Angela McHenry and Lisa Rutledge.
Both Knopf and Mintz have been competing in sand volleyball long enough to know how tough it is to get out of the qualifying round, but this is only their second tournament together. They didn't make it past the qualifier at Hermosa Beach last week, so improvement has come rather quickly.
"We've been knocking on the door, we're improving in each tournament," said Knopf, who played in six tournaments last season.
"It's so big to get to play with Angela and to click," said Mintz, who was a teammate of Knopf's at Colorado State.
"We have a lot of potential, and I'm really excited about that," said Mintz. "I've been looking for the right player to partner with."
"In college we were known for our chemistry," Knopf added.
And while this is just the second tournament as a team for Knopf and Mintz, their relationship since college has made them a solid team to reckon with.
"Trust is so huge," said Mintz. "I know she (Knopf) is a game player."
The seedings held in the qualifying final matches. The No. 4-seeded team of Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, both of San Diego defeated No. 5 Nicki Fusco and Gina Kirstein in a close one, 21-15, 13-21, 15-12.
The fourth and final team to qualify for the main draw was No. 2-seeded Tara Kuk (Clearwater, Fla.) and Kim Whitney (Dunedin, Fla.), giving Florida and California two teams each advancing to the main draw from the qualifying round.
Kuk and Whitney beat No. 7 Dana Schilling and Alicia Zamparelli, 21-16, 21-18.

Morrison, Tramblie aiming for top 10
Duo has qualified for all six events this season
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie shook up their rotation and they're hoping it means a deep run.
Morrison and Tramblie were one of four men's teams to survive the qualifying round here Thursday and earn a ticket into the main draw this weekend.
Also advancing were top-seeded Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic, the No. 5 seed in the qualifier, Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet, and the sixth seed, Justin Phipps and Lucas Wisniakowski.
"I think we're playing well. We just recently switched sides," Morrison said. "We put (Tramblie) back on the right where he's played for a long time and all last year. It opens up some other options."
Morrison and Tramblie have competed in the main draw in each of the previous tournaments on the AVP Crocs Tour this season, and Thursday's advance was their fourth out of qualifying this year.
While Morrison plays the net and Tramblie is the main defender, the pair recognized a move to the other side of the court would help them maximize their roles. It worked Thursday, as they coasted through a relatively easy day that included a forfeited match while enduring a humid afternoon that reached the high 80s.
After winning their first match, 21-14, 21-14, over the No. 34 seed in the qualifier, Eric Garvey and Scott Thompson, Morrison and Tramblie received a walkover in their succeeding match, when Dan Buehring and Andrei Zavaichynski were unable to continue because of an injury.
That put them on stadium court where they faced Mark Van Zwieten and Joey Dykstra, the 10th seed.
Van Zwieten and Dykstra had just survived a three-set match in which they faced championship point, 11-14, in the third before tying the game and ultimately winning the set and the match, 20-18.
Morrison and Tramblie dispatched Van Zwieten and Dykstra, 21-15, 22-20, but said they were extended.
"I really respect those guys," Morrison said. "They're young but they can play."
A few partner switches produced mixed results and one of those played out in the last match of the day.
Zimet had teamed with Jon Mesko this season but Mesko switched over to pair with David Fischer this week. Both teams progressed through the qualifying round Thursday and met late in the afternoon with a berth in the main draw on the line.
While Fischer and Mesko (Q3) enjoyed the higher seed, it was Marchewka and Zimet (Q5), who prevailed with a 21-17, 17-21, 15-9 victory.
"This was the game to get in, the game against the former partner," Zimet said. "That was an added interest."
Marchewka and Zimet had not played together before, and they had just one short hour of practice prior to the tournament. Marchewka is able to move back to the right side with Zimet and liked what he saw Thursday.
"I've been bugging him to play for a long time. I knew that we probably had some chemistry because I know that he can side out really well," Marchewka said. "We got lucky with our draw in the sense that we were playing well and sometimes you're just a little bigger."
Marchewka and Zimet upended Silvio Azevedo and Robert Hevesi in their first match and then downed Mark Lodewyck and Omar Moran in their next match before dispatching Fischer and Mesko.
The latter pair felt good about how they played Thursday but were ultimately disappointed for not advancing.
"It was just mental errors," Mesko said. "There were two changes they made, but I only picked up one of them."
Allen and Mihalic did not lose a game Thursday to cruise through the qualifier, making it six-for-six in trips from the qualifier to the main draw this year. Phipps and Wisniakowski used a fourth-round, 21-19, 21-19, victory over Adam Minch and Ben Parker to advance.
Allen and Mihalic will play Austin Rester and Aaron Wachtfogel on Friday while Phipps and Wisniakowski will draw Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Marchewka and Zimet will face Nick Lucena and Will Strickland with Morrison and Tramblie matching up against George Roumain and Larry Witt in Friday's main draw.
Morrison said that he and his partner are ready.
"We're starting to gel. We're sticking together," Morrison said. "We've been together since before the beginning of the year and last year I think I had a different partner in almost every event. We're right there, whether we qualify or we're in on points. We'll win a match or two and we're getting there. We want some top-10 finishes."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Rogers, Dalhausser top attractions
Eight qualifying teams complete the Louisville draw
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The field is set for the main draw here Friday as a total of eight teams advanced out of qualifying.
Four teams apiece from both the men's and the women's side of the draw have completed the brackets of the 24-team tournament that will feature both day and night sessions on Friday and Saturday. Both men's and women's finals are set for Sunday afternoon.
Thursday's highlights: Chara Harris and Brooke Langston first shocked the No. 1 seed by ousting Cinta Preston and Beth Van Fleet from the tournament. Harris and Langston then advanced out of qualifying and into the main draw.
Match of the day: Mark Van Zwieten and Joey Dykstra faced match point, 14-11, in the third game against Danko Iordanov and Fernando Sabla before winning, 20-18, to survive.
Upset of the day: Harris and Langston (Q16), over Preston and Van Fleet, 21-16, 21-19. Harris and Langston had advanced out of the first round by forfeit.
Record watch: Misty May-Treanor won her 73rd at Hermosa Beach last weekend which gave her the most tournament victories on the women's side. Next up in career titles is Mike Dodd, who won 75 tournaments from 1981-1997.
Karch watch: Kiraly won the first tournament held here in 1992, when he paired with Kent Steffes for his 55th title, but he won't get the opportunity to repeat as he's opted out of this year's field.
Start/finish: Play on Friday will feature both day and night sessions. Matches will start at 8:00 a.m. ET and approximately conclude at 6:00, with play continuing under the lights at 7:30 p.m. and concluding at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.
Weather forecast: A high of 87 degrees under partly cloudy skies is expected for Friday. Isolated thunderstorms have been forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
Match to watch: No. 17 Paul Baxter and Mike DiPierro against No. 16 Dain Blanton and Jason Lee. Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.
Advancing out of the qualifier and into the main draw on the women's side were Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, Angel Knopf and Catie Mintz, and Chara Harris and Brooke Langston.
Men's teams to survive qualifying were A.J. Mihalic and Billy Allen, Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet, Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, and Justin Phipps and Lucas Wisniakowski.
"It is always fun to play these guys. It is a different rhythm," Zimet said of advancing. "They are the best in the nation."
Zimet, who also qualified in Dallas this season, will face Will Strickland and Nick Lucena in his Friday morning match.
The competition for the day session will start at 8:00 a.m. ET and conclude at approximately 6:00 p.m. The night session will begin at 7:30 p.m. and finish at about 10:00 p.m.
This is the third time that Louisville has hosted an AVP tournament — the last time was in 1999. That event was won by Todd Rogers, who teamed with Dax Holdren. Rogers would like to repeat his title but he needs no added inducement.
Now paired with Phil Dalhausser, Rogers and his current partner have won four of five events this year and are 12-1 in championship matches on the AVP Tour.
Dalhausser and Rogers dispatched Matt Olson and Jason Ring in last week's title match in Hermosa Beach leaving them and many of the men's teams this season looking for answers about the No. 1 men's team.
"Everyone is trying to figure out how to beat those guys," Olson said.
Rogers and Dalhausser will await the winner of the Paul Baxter-Mike DiPierro and Dain Blanton-Jason Lee match Friday morning.
On the bottom half of the men's draw is the No. 2 seeded team of Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb. They will play the winner of the Brent Doble-Ryan Mariano and Adam Jewell-Jose Loiola match.
Over on the women's side, there is no surprise atop the draw as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have the top seed with Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs as the No. 2 seed.
May-Treanor won her 73rd overall tournament last week in Hermosa, which put her past Holly McPeak for most wins by a woman. Karch Kiraly holds the career mark with 148.
May-Treanor and Walsh will play the winner of the Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger match while Branagh and Youngs will play the winner of the match between Katie and Tracy Lindquist and Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

AVP boosts Spark-ling Jordin
Jordin Sparks crossed paths with AVP two weeks ago
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
Even stars on the rise can use the support, and while Jordin Sparks clearly has what it takes to climb the charts, a little help from the AVP can't hurt.
Sparks, at 17, became the youngest winner of "American Idol" on Wednesday, when she outpolled Blake Lewis with an estimated record vote of 74 million.
While volleyball wasn't a part of her repertoire, which includes the Idol original song, "This Is My Now," the tour gave her a boost two weeks ago in Arizona.
With the AVP Crocs Tour set up in her hometown of Glendale, May 10-13, Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor along with Wayne Gretzky, Cardinals quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs attended a rally for the teen star.
Walsh and May-Treanor were en route to winning their 66th title together, but they had time to give some props where due.
"That's a phenomenon, American Idol, so it was fun to be there," Walsh said after the rally. "It was fun to see her in person, because she is really cute on TV. We just went up there and gave her a signed ball and wished her luck."
Sparks, the daughter of former NFL player Phillippi Sparks, also sang The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There," and Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By," on the show's finale.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Kerri and Casey to appear on Lifetime
AVP couple gets segment on "Get Married"
AVP Release
NEW YORK — AVP Pro Beach Volleyball stars Kerri Walsh and Casey Jennings will talk about their 2005 wedding day on the Lifetime television show, "Get Married," a new women's-interest, magazine-style TV show about the $72 billion wedding industry.
Get Married will debut on the Lifetime and Lifetime Real Women channels on Saturday, June 2, at 7:30 a.m. ET/PT. Episodes will continue at the same time on Saturday mornings throughout the summer months.
"When I saw her come out, my heart was racing. I was overwhelmed — it was the best day of my life," said Jennings.
Walsh and Jennings met on the AVP tour in 2000, began dating in 2001 and were married four year later on December 4, 2005 in Palm Springs, Calif. The couple currently resides in Redondo Beach, Calif.
"I see Casey (Jennings) and he has the biggest smile on his face and his eyes were welling up — it was just beautiful," said Walsh.
One of the few married couples who compete in the same sport, Walsh and Jennings are both extremely successful professional athletes. In her six years of professional competition, Walsh has won 70 tournaments and earned more than $1 million in prize money. Walsh also won an Olympic Gold Medal in Athens in 2004 and was named Most Valuable Player of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour (AVP) twice (2003, 2004).
Her husband is known as one of the best all-around players on the AVP tour. Jennings finished the 2005 season ranked in the top five in five different statistical categories: kill percentage, hitting percentage, digs, kills and aces.
Get Married is a new women's-interest, magazine-style TV show is sponsored by GetMarried.com and covers everything about weddings, providing news, trend stories, celebrity interviews, expert tips and ideas, surveys, destination weddings, honeymoons and viewer feedback as the only show of its kind on the television landscape.

Local long shots give it a go in the sand
Garvey and Thompson eliminated in qualifying
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal
The moment of glory for Eric Garvey and Scott Thompson lasted only one beach volleyball match, but you won't hear them complain.
One day after finding out they were accepted to the qualifying round for the Association of Volleyball Professionals' Louisville Open, the Louisville-area teammates rallied to win their first match but fell in their second yesterday at Waterfront Park.
They were among 37 teams competing for four spots in today's main draw. Garvey and Thompson needed to win four matches yesterday to qualify.
They came back to beat Nathan Nash and Tate Burroughs of Tennessee 19-21, 21-15 and 15-9 but then were derailed 21-14, 21-14 by California's Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie -- the No. 2 seeds in the qualifying round.
Garvey and Thompson are volleyball enthusiasts.
Garvey, 29, was recently named the volleyball coach at Sacred Heart. Thompson, who declined to give his age, is an account executive for Electronic Merchant Systems. He lives in Corydon, Ind., but went to Iroquois High School.
This was for the first AVP event for both. They didn't even decide to enter until Sunday.
"I would definitely do it again," said Garvey, who lives in Simpsonville, Ky. "It was a great experience. We got to get one win at least and got to step into the ring with some of the best players in the world. We gave it a shot. This was a last-minute thing. They were taking entries, and we got in. We're very happy. … We played about as well as I thought we could."
Thompson said that the best part was having a homecourt advantage and having a cheering section.
"I think it was (great) having the support of the crowd," Thompson said. "That was really nice. We could be getting beat by three or four points. We score one point, and everybody is cheering for you. That was really nice."
It started out promising. Garvey and Thompson, the No. 34-seeded team in qualifying, were matched up against another inexperienced team. Nash and Burroughs, a pair of 21-year-olds from Knoxville who were seeded 31st, had participated in one AVP event.
But against Morrison and Tramblie, Garvey and Thompson saw the difference in competition.
"It was about what I expected," Garvey said. "We were in the ring with the big boys. Those guys are true professionals. The other guys were kind of like us: just giving it a try. Their blocker was a lot bigger, and their defensive play was a lot quicker than anybody I've seen."
Garvey's wife, former University of Louisville player Kelly Garvey, teamed with Amanda Schuler of Maineville, Ohio, in the women's qualifying draw. They fell to Victoria Prince of Honolulu and Chrissie Zartman of Hermosa Beach, Calif., 21-14, 21-10.
Kelly Garvey said it takes a big adjustment to move from traditional indoor volleyball to the beach game.
"You have to get in shape," she said. "When I played indoors, I thought I was in good shape. But when there are six individuals on the court you're touching the ball once every play or once every other play. It's a huge transition in endurance and physical strength to be prepared to touch every single ball."

Fontana, DeNecochea aiming for top
Veteran duo still playing at a high level
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Barbara Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, the No. 4-seeded women's team in the AVP Louisville Open, share much more than a love for professional beach volleyball.
Both are married, both have two children and both graduated from college in the 1980s. And both are finding success in a partnership that is less about age and more about staying young at heart, and in body — all of that while taking advantage of the experience that only comes with more than a few years on the tour.
Fontana's career path has taken her from the court room to the sand court, and it's been a fruitful journey.
"I had no idea I would be playing volleyball as a career," said Fontana. "It's more enjoyable because I had worked in an office."
Fontana defied convention early on, playing volleyball at Stanford as a 5-foot-6 outside hitter. She started all four years and graduated in 1987 with a political science degree. She went on to get her law degree at Santa Clara, graduating from there in 1991.
"I was lined up to work at a law firm in San Francisco, then I played a summer of beach volleyball," said Fontana, 41, who was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
That summer led to a career change, even though Fontana has kept her license to practice law in California.
"Every job has its pros and cons," Fontana said of pro beach volleyball, "but having sat in an office for long hours, I don't look at the cons the same way."
Now 41, Fontana is married to Gil Horta and they are the parents of 4-year-old Lucas and Giovanni, who will be two years old on Monday, May 28.
"We go to the beach a lot, they play on the slides and with toy trucks in the sand," Fontana said of the beach sports young Lucas and Giovanni have taken up. "Lucas is quite a fan these days."
This is the first season for the duo of Fontana and DeNecochea, during which they've put together three third-place finishes — at Miami, Dallas and Glendale.
For Fontana, the years since her kids were born have been a road to get back to number one. A 1996 Olympian and part of No. 1 teams in the 90s, she hit a high point in 2001. That year she partnered with Elaine Youngs to win the Manhattan Open, together they were ranked No. 1 on the tour.
After a break, Fontana came back and has been among the elite, if not the top, in the rankings. Then came a fateful match in South America last November.
"We had a chance to play an exhibition in Brazil," Fontana said. "We had really good chemistry. Dianne has a maturity to her."
DeNecochea had taken quite a different path to that match in Brazil. Born in Brooklyn, Mich., the 39-year-old graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1989. She has been married to Joel for ten years, and they have two girls, 7-year-old Avalon and 2-year-old Devon.
"They're bumping in the back yard," DeNecochea said of her novice players.
DeNecochea got her degree in Marketing at Tennessee and went into medical sales, but a career change took place when she became pregnant with Avalon.
"I took a leave of absence," she said.
It was then that she discovered pro beach volleyball. She started practicing, and by the time Avalon was nine weeks old, DeNecochea was playing in the Hermosa Beach qualifier. When the leave of absence was over, it was goodbye to medical sales.
"It was exciting for me to try something different," said DeNecochea said. "I like this job better."
In retrospect, though, she knows it was a risk to try something new at that point of her life.
"I was just so gung-ho. I don't know how I did it, looking back."
DeNecochea had some success on the tour as part of a team that won the 2001 Santa Barbara Open.
And that brings us to the 2007 season, where Fontana and DeNecochea have found themselves near the top, and age isn't an issue to them.
"I think that our age is pretty irrelevant," said Fontana. "I'm in as good a shape as I've ever been. We're in great shape, and we're seasoned."
And it shows on the court. Despite a third-round loss earlier today, these two are still looking to make a run at the title. And they believe they have the talent to do so.
"We both wanted to play with the best player we could," said DeNecochea. "We felt like we would be a really good team."

Louisville honors Karch Kiraly
AVP legend makes next stop on farewell tour
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — This is a city of sports superlatives. The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, was born here. The Kentucky Derby, the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports, takes place here on the first Saturday of every May. When the best in baseball pick up a bat, it's often a Louisville Slugger.
So when the inaugural AVP Louisville Open turned Waterfront Park into a Southern California beach party, it was only fitting that another sports superlative be honored in Karch Kiraly Night during Friday's night session at the stadium court.
So, how does it feel to be The Man at Karch Kiraly Night?
"It's embarrassing," said Kiraly. "It's a really neat thought and kind of strange."
Kiraly is one of those rare athletes that has stayed healthy enough, and good enough, to allow himself a farewell tour this season. But Kiraly refuses to look at this as a ceremonial victory lap.
"I'm really happy with the way Kevin (Wong) and I have been playing," he said. "I'm not playing just to play, I want to challenge to win tournaments."
So far, he has done just that. In 2007, Kiraly and Wong have combined to post four top-ten finishes.
But at 46, challenging to win tournaments sometimes means taking a weekend off to recharge, which is what Kiraly did for the AVP Louisville Open. On Sunday, Kiraly will be working in the announcer's booth for the men's final on FSN.
"I'm trying to manage myself physically," he said of taking the weekend off. "I want to team with Kevin and try to win a tournament, it's not an easy task."
And while he isn't competing in Louisville this weekend, he casts a long shadow across this event.
Much like Wayne Gretzky brought ice hockey to a wider audience when he joined the Los Angeles Kings, Kiraly's talent and charisma has helped to bring the AVP to a larger fan base.
When the AVP first showed up in Louisville, it was Kiraly and partner Kent Steffes who won the event. It was 1992, and Kiraly was already one of the stars of the AVP. His star has only grown brighter since then.
The event was hosted by Kentucky Unbridled Spirit, Get Healthy and the Louisville Sports Commission. As such, some big hitters in Kentucky and Louisville government had a chance to show Kiraly how much he is appreciated.
The guests included Chris Corbin, the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Wellness and Physical Activity, who was joined by George Ward, the Secretary of the Commerce Cabinet and Deputy Secretary Derrick Ramsey.
"It's great to celebrate the accomplishments of such a great athlete," said Corbin.
Ward then stepped up and gave Kiraly some interesting gifts. Sports jerseys from the universities of Louisville and Kentucky pleased the local crowd; then Kiraly was named a Kentucky Colonel, one of the state's highest honors. He was also named an honorary jockey (accent on the honorary) and was given a Louisville Slugger bat.
Loaded down with gifts, it was Kiraly's turn to speak.
"Now I'm completely embarrassed, this is so kind," Kiraly told the spirited, and grateful, crowd.

Nygaard recovering from cancer
Holdren moves on and plays well
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dax Holdren is paired with Kevin Wong this weekend but not out of choice: his partner Jeff Nygaard stayed back in California to undergo a skin cancer treatment.
Nygaard has been diagnosed with Stage One melanoma and underwent outpatient surgery at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, Calif., on Thursday to remove the cancerous tissue from his left biceps.
In late April, Nygaard had an exam for a growth on his back that turned out to be basal cell carcinoma, the most common and most treatable form of skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation's web site skincancer.org.
At that time, Nygaard said his dermatologist noted the mark on his left arm and removed a sample for a biopsy which came back as melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer and one that kills more than 8,000 people in the United States each year.
It is also highly curable when caught early and Nygaard said the cancer was detected at its earliest possible phase. Nygaard will return to the doctor on Tuesday when test results will determine if the removed tissue is cancer-free.
If so, Nygaard will try and get ready for Tampa next week, which he said will mostly be based on his ability to handle pain from tearing scar tissue in his arm. If not, doctors will determine the next course but at this time there is no call for chemotherapy or radiation.
"Can I get back in the saddle and play in Tampa? At this point that is what I'm trying to do," Nygaard said. "But if it doesn't make sense and it is detrimental to things, one thing that this has taught me is that there are more important things in my life than volleyball."
Holdren spoke with his partner Friday morning and is hopeful for next weekend's tournament in Tampa but added that is secondary.
"Skin cancer is not a good thing. He's got to take care of it when he can. Unfortunately we were finding a groove. We made two semis in a row and we were starting to play well," Holdren said. "But he's got to do what he's got to do. He's got to take care of himself. That is not something to mess around with. We'll deal with it and move on and hopefully we won't miss too many sets."
Holdren rejoined Nygaard after playing last year mostly with Sean Scott. In 2005, Holdren and Nygaard notched a victory in Santa Barbara and were runners up in five other tournaments.
After a ninth, a 13th and a ninth to open this season, Holdren and Nygaard had two consecutive third-place finishes.
Have skills, will play: Wong is a semi-nomad this season. With regular partner Kiraly playing a schedule limited to 11 events this season, not counting the two in the postseason, Wong needs to find a ride on those off weeks.
Wong and Holdren are not total strangers. They've both been on the tour since the 1990s and they actually played together in San Antonio in 1997, where they finished 17th. Holdren earned rookie of the year honors that season.
"I felt a lot more comfortable playing with him today than I did 11 years ago," Wong said.
There seems to be a touch of good fortune that Wong brings with him. When Kiraly opted out of Glendale two weeks ago, Wong paired with Aaron Wachtfogel and placed fifth, which equaled Wachtfogel's highest finish this season.
Kiraly called Holdren earlier this week to let him know that Wong was available, and Holdren said they've gelled quickly.
"We both control the ball really well. We've both played the game 10-plus years so we have a lot of experience, and we use that to our advantage," Holdren said. "We're both good side-out players and Kevin is a very good blocker."
Holdren and Wong won both of their matches Friday, defeating Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, and Jason Ring and Matt Olson to advance to a Saturday match with Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
Wong will rejoin Kiraly next week in Tampa, so Holdren is unsure who is partner will be in the near-term.
"It depends on if I can luck out and find another big guy again," Holdren said. "If I can, I'll probably go, if not I'll probably just skip the tournament. I don't know — we'll see. It all depends on how Jeff is doing. I hope he's able to play."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Top-seeded women in for a battle
May-Treanor, Walsh will tangle with Boss-Ross
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Top-seeded and winners of four straight women's titles this season, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh prevailed in two matches today. But they look to be in for a battle when they take on the No. 5-seeded team of Jennifer Ross and April Boss in the fourth round of the AVP Louisville Open on Saturday.
A much anticipated match will take place between the top-seeded team of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers and No. 5 Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong. Holdren and Wong are coming off a win over Matt Olson and Jason Ring, the runners-up to Dalhausser-Rogers last week at Hermosa Beach, Calif. Friday's highlights: It was a night that saw some women's teams going in opposite directions. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh won the first tournament of the year but couldn't hang with Holly McPeak and Logan Tom on Friday. Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, finalists the last two weeks, were equally outplayed by Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello.
Match of the day: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams matched their No. 6 seed against the No. 3 seed of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert and emerged with a 21-17, 11-21, 15-13 victory.
Upset of the day: Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, who survived Thursday's qualifier, upended No. 12 Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar, 18-21, 21-17, 15-13.
Record watch: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have won 67 matches as a team, which is third highest on the beach. Next up is 75 victories, held by Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes. Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos are tops with 114.
Karch watch: Kiraly is not playing in the Louisville Open, but the city held Karch Kiraly Night on Friday, which included being named an honorary Kentucky Colonel.
Start/finish: Play on Saturday will again feature both day and night sessions. Matches will start at 10:00 a.m. ET and conclude approximately at 5:00 p.m. with play continuing under the lights at 7:30 p.m. and concluding at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.
Weather forecast: A high of 88 is expected Saturday under partly cloudy skies with a chance of isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Match to watch: Jennings and Williams will take on Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb with a berth in the semifinals on the line.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.
And just to add a little more drama to that match, Holdren and Rogers were once partners, winning the last AVP tour event in Louisville in 1999.
It should be a hot night in Louisville as the top-seeded men and women will both compete in night matches on the stadium court, with May-Treanor/Walsh competing at 8:30 p.m., followed by Dahlhauser/Rogers at 9:30 p.m. (ET).
Another night match on the stadium court will feature the No. 6-seeded team of Casey Jennings and Mike Williams. They will take on No. 2-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
"We don't want to stop right now," said Williams. "It's nice to be in the winner's bracket and we're looking to advance."
Advancing will be problematic for Williams and Jennings, but Gibb and Rosenthal know they have to bring their "A" game.
"The last time we played them, we were down 14-11 in the third," said Gibb. "We have our work cut out for us."
For Rosenthal, it's all about taking care of business.
"We've just got to execute our side, take care of our side," said Rosenthal.
In the women's lower bracket, the No. 6 team of Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello advanced to an afternoon winner's bracket appointment on Saturday against the surging team of Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. The No. 7-seeded team beat No. 2 seed Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, sending the champions from Miami to the contender's bracket.
And what a women's contenders bracket it will be! Besides Youngs-Branagh, the No. 4-seeded team of Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana landed there after losing to Boss and Ross, while Annette Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan will be fighting their way back after testing May-Treanor and Walsh.
Play begins at 10 a.m., and the afternoon session continues until 5 p.m. on five courts. The evening session runs from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the stadium court.

Beach volleyball tour is a 'Turtle' race
By Rick Bozich
rbozich@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
I didn't need to watch Misty May-Treanor make acrobatic moves to realize she was the Peyton Manning or Derek Jeter of beach volleyball. I saw the tattoo on the outside of her right bicep.
The Gatorade logo.
Money, bling and magazine covers are not the only status symbols that quarterbacks and shortstops chase. I'm always interested to know the names of the athletes that corporate America believes can move products. If Gatorade believes you have it in you to sell its sport drink, then you have separated yourself from the mainstream.
Misty May-Treanor and her teammate, Kerri Walsh, have separated themselves from other women flying across the sand during the $200,000 Association of Volleyball Professionals Louisville Open at Waterfront Park.
They began work on winning their fifth straight AVP event by taking two matches yesterday, requiring 37 minutes to win the first and 42 to win the second. Last weekend in Hermosa Beach, Calif., May-Treanor set an AVP record by winning her 73rd tournament.
She and Walsh are preparing to journey to Europe next month to accelerate the process of defending the Olympic gold medal they won in Athens in 2004.You remember the special memory Misty made in Athens. At the suggestion of her father, Butch, a former U.S. Olympic volleyball player, Misty sprinkled ashes of her mother, Barbara, into the sand before a semifinal match.
Rivals have nicknamed May-Treanor "The Turtle" because she appears to move slowly between points and loves to disappear in the bleachers between matches. But there is nothing slow about the way she has moved toward the top of the beach volleyball earnings' list. She has won more than $1.3million serving, digging, setting and spiking.
May-Treanor, 29, couldn't take five steps yesterday without being stopped by an autograph seeker. Her husband, catcher Matt Treanor, is sometimes called Matt May by his Florida Marlins teammates.
He doesn't argue. How can he? Treanor said people recognized Misty and whispered "Olympic volleyball" as the couple tried to rent personal watercraft during their honeymoon in Tahiti.
Then there are those endorsements. May-Treanor has put together a list that would make Tom Brady blush — Bolle sunglasses, Nautica bathing suits, Mikasa volleyballs, Xbox videogame systems and, of course, Gatorade, where she is on a list that includes Michael Jordan, Jeter, Manning, Matt Kenseth, Dwyane Wade and her good friend, retired soccer star Mia Hamm.
That explains the tattoo.
May-Treanor said it is a temporary tattoo — and that additional advertising space is definitely available.
"Sure, I'd like more," she said, laughing. "But I have no complaints. It's a lot better than working a 9-to-5 job."As a girl growing up south of Los Angeles, May-Treanor took dance lessons. She learned to twirl a baton. She loved soccer. And she was a marvelous tennis player — like her mother, who was nationally ranked. How marvelous was Misty?
As a 12-year-old she found herself in the semifinals of the 14-and-under bracket of the Los Angeles City Championship. She was scheduled to play in the championship match, but the girl who won the opposite bracket left the tournament to play in a volleyball event. Misty asked her father if she could attend the volleyball tournament, too.
"Do you know the name of the girl Misty was supposed to play in that tennis match?" Butch May asked me.
A wink.
"Lindsay Davenport," he said.
Davenport, of course, returned to tennis, where she won nearly $22 million and three Grand Slam events before retiring.
"Lindsay and Misty are still friends," Butch May said. "Every time Lindsay sees her, she kids Misty and says, 'You should have stayed with tennis.'"
"I love what I'm doing," Misty said. "I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything."
There is, however, one part of the good life that is challenging. Treanor plays baseball. Misty plays beach volleyball. Each is considered a summer sport.
She said the couple has spent 2½ days together since Feb.15. Tomorrow she is flying to Chicago to meet Matt, who will arrive late tomorrow night as the Marlins prepare to play the Cubs.
Do not be offended if The Turtle appears to be in a rush to leave town after her final match.

Sport's top pair getting a challenge
Youngs, Branagh hope to bounce May-Treanor/Walsh
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are the top duo in women's beach volleyball.
But one twosome is bidding to break their hold on the Association of Volleyball Professionals Crocs Tour. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh might be on a collision course with them at the AVP Louisville Open at Waterfront Park.
Youngs and Branagh, partners since last year, won the first event of the season, shocking May-Treanor and Walsh in a semifinal of the Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open. It was only the second time in 46 AVP matches that May-Treanor and Walsh did not reach the final.
But May-Treanor and Walsh have returned to form, winning the past four events. The teams met for the title in Dallas last month and Huntington Beach, Calif., three weeks ago and could meet in tomorrow's final.
"They've been my rivals for several years," Youngs, 37, said. "We want to win tournaments. In order to do that we have to beat them. ... It's not like anyone is afraid of them anymore."
Youngs is used to success. She was a four-time All-American for UCLA, playing in four Final Fours and winning the 1991 national championship. She won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens with former partner Holly Peak. Youngs has won at least one AVP title in 10 seasons and has earned more than $1million.
Last season Youngs and the 5-foot-9 Rachel Wacholder finished third in the Crocs Cup standings. Still, Youngs, 6-0, switched to the 6-1 Branagh.
May-Treanor and Walsh are 5-10 and 6-3.
"I made the decision to go with someone bigger," Youngs said. "I felt like it was a better chance for me at medaling."
Youngs and Branagh enjoyed a major breakthrough at Miami. They were dealt a setback when Branagh sprained her right ankle the next week at Dallas — and the problem has lingered. Even yesterday, Branagh iced her foot after playing.
"It's feeling a lot better," the 28-year-old said. "My jump isn't quite the same. Maybe that will come back with some more healing."
Like Youngs, Branagh was a successful collegian. She was a second-team All-American at Minnesota, finishing her career as the Big Ten's all-time leader in kills (2,379).
She played for the U.S. National Team from 2001-03 and is in her third season on tour. Last year she led the league in kills per game (8.40).
Branagh jumped at the chance to play with Youngs.
"It's great," she said. "She has a wealth of knowledge. She's a great competitor, and it's contagious. I really enjoy playing with her."
Youngs said managing emotions will be important this weekend.
"A lot of it will come down to the attitude we bring to every match," she said. "The pressure grows as you get to that final game. When we get frustrated, we're a totally different team."

McPeak eager to reclaim crown
Veteran still alive in Louisville winner's bracket
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Holly McPeak made it clear she's not done.
Despite handing over her crown as the winningest woman in pro beach volleyball to Misty May-Treanor last week in Hermosa Beach, McPeak was resolute in getting back in the race and adding to her own win total.
A victory under the lights in the last match Friday, when she and Logan Tom upended Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, 22-20, 21-12, put her in line to do just that.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, April Ross and Jennifer Boss, and Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello also remained in the women's winner's bracket.
"I'm not dead yet," McPeak said. "I think Logan is going to be one of the best players and, in order for her to do that, I have to step up my game. That is what I've been focusing on lately."
The first game was tight, with Branagh hitting a kill shot to force overtime, but McPeak launched a rainbow to the back line and Youngs hit a ball out to put the first set in the books.
McPeak and Tom raced out to a big lead early in the second set on strong serving and solid play by Tom at the net. Tom then delivered the block on matchpoint for the victory.
"We put the pressure on them, but they made a lot of unforced errors that they usually don't make," McPeak said.
May-Treanor and Walsh did what they do best Friday, pacing the field with a pair of straight-set victories. They opened with a 21-15, 21-16 win over Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger but were extended in their succeeding match.
Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan had a late 19-19 tie in the first game before May-Treanor and Walsh rattled off two quick points for the win. The second game was even closer as Davis and Johnson Jordan took the No. 1 women's team into overtime before May-Treanor and Walsh prevailed, 23-21.
"We played good team ball and played very steady. I don't think we played extremely well but we played steady," Walsh said. "Jenny and Netti play us well. The last time we played them they dug a couple balls. You've got to expect the ball to come over the net against that team but we took care of our side of the net when it counted."
Davis and Johnson Jordan set aside a disappointing start to the season with a fifth-place finish in Hermosa Beach. Despite dropping into the contender's bracket, the pair feels they're riding some momentum generated by a comeback victory over Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima last week.
"That kind of got us over the hump," Davis said. "We changed some things and we're not making those crazy unforced errors."
Davis and Johnson Jordan await the winner of the elimination match between Lauren Fendrick-Brittany Hochevar and Jenny Pavley-Alicia Polzin while May-Treanor and Walsh will get Boss and Ross in their first match Saturday.
Dodd and Minello faced the finalists of the last two tournaments in Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, but they looked anything but ready for prime time this week.
Turner hit too many balls out and misplaced too many sets to overcome Dodd and Minello, who finished ninth last week but placed third in Glendale.
"It is uncharacteristic to have Tyra make as many hitting errors as she did. But it's good for us and bad for them," Dodd said. "I love playing with Tati. We're playing great volleyball and we didn't have the preseason that everyone else did."
Dodd and Minello did not have their first practice until days prior to the season's first tournament but they're finding their game starting to come together.
"I think we're building on each tournament," Dodd said. "We work on what we can correct in each practice, but each tournament is a building block."
Dodd and Minello will face McPeak and Tom while Youngs and Branagh will await the winner of the Jenelle Koester-Stacy Rouwenhorst and Tara Kuk-Kim Whitney match.
Turner and Wacholder will play the winner of the Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger match. Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, the No. 4 seed, also fell into the contender's bracket and will play the winner of the Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe and Angie Akers-Brooke Hanson match.

Dalhausser, Rogers breeze through
Rogers continues march to another 'Ville title
By Mike Scarr
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Todd Rogers has been waiting eight years to defend his title and he's in line to do it.
With a pair of victories Friday, he and partner Phil Dalhausser remained in the winner's bracket along with Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb, and Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong.
"The first match was pretty easy, and the first game here was kinda easy, but the second game was a battle," Rogers said of his match with Scott Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. "We had so many point opportunities. We just didn't convert six or seven. They made some setting errors. Fortunately we were able to keep siding out."
Rogers, who won the Louisville Open in 1999 with Holdren the last time it was held, will get a shot at his former partner in his first match Saturday. Holdren is paired with Kevin Wong this weekend.
Jennings and Williams fought past George Roumain and Larry Witt in their first match of the day, 21-16, 21-18, before facing Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert. Jennings and Williams came into the match losers of the last three to Metzger and Lambert and were also eliminated by them in the Glendale Open.
"We actually played this team last week and we lost 13-15 in the third so we had some confidence going into this match," Williams said. We definitely wanted to play hard. We were kind of ticked off so we decided to be really aggressive and said: 'If we lose it doesn't matter as long as we stay aggressive.'"
Jennings and Williams cruised in the first game, 21-17, but dropped the second, 21-11. They fought back for a 15-13 advantage in the third set.
"The second game, they started serving me the ball a lot and Lambert started blocking me, and that made a difference in the match," Williams said. "The third set, we were trying to neutralize his block because, when he gets up and over, it's very hard to hit. I started shooting the ball and it started going well."
Williams and Jennings will face Rosenthal and Gibb on Saturday with a berth in the semifinals at stake.
"We don't want to stop right now. It's nice to be in the winner's bracket, and we're looking to advance tomorrow."
Gibb and Rosenthal reached four straight finals to open the year before falling to a fifth-place finish last week in Hermosa Beach. In three of those finals, they lost to Rogers and Dalhausser and hope to get another opportunity.
Under the lights at stadium court Friday, they scored a straight-set victory over Nick Lucena and Will Strickland but needed an overtime win in the first game. Lucena and Strickland actually held game point, 21-19, before Gibb and Rosenthal were able to side out and extend the game.
Rosenthal later delivered two straight kills to ice the first set, 24-22. Gibb and Rosenthal pulled away in the second game with Lucena hitting his serve into the net on match point.
"That's a tough team," Gibb said. "Strickland is a huge blocker; he's scary. We had a good game plan and we executed."
Strickland and Lucena will face the winner of Scott Davenport-Scott Lane and Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge on Saturday.
"They're a physical team," Rosenthal said. "A good young team with a lot of energy."
Holdren and Wong got past last week's finalists Jason Ring and Matt Olson to get to their Saturday match. Olson and Ring will await the winner of the Paul Baxter-Mike DiPierro and Fred Souza-Anthony Medel match.
Fuerbringer and Scott have to wait for the winner of the Roumain-Witt and John Mayer-Scott Wong, match while Lambert and Metzger will play the winner of the John Hyde-Brad Keenan and Adam Jewell-Jose Loiola match.

Pavley, Polzin enjoy one-time gig
New teammates finish seventh in Louisville
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There are teams here that have a good deal of experience playing together and more than a few that are just getting to know each other's playing styles.
And then there's the No. 14-seeded women's team of Jenny Pavley and Alicia Polzin.
"We practiced one day, we played this weekend," said Pavley. "Both of our partners were at a wedding this weekend (not the same wedding). It was supposed to be a one-night stand, but it turned into a two-nighter," she added.
The duo had been hoping for a three-nighter. That would have meant possibly playing for the title on Sunday, but instead they had to settle for seventh place.
And while it was the best finish this season for both players, Pavley put it into perspective.
"I don't think there's anyone in the tournament that wants to finish seventh," she said.
That said, without the spectre of expectation hanging over their heads, Pavley and Polzin were able to put together a strong run that ended with a 21-19, 21-13 loss to the No. 4-seeded team of Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea in the fourth round of the contenders' bracket.
"Since we hadn't played together, we wanted to be super aggressive and not worry about anything," said Pavley. "It worked great for us."
Pavley, who usually partners with Jenny Kropp, saw a definite upside in the short-term partnership with Polzin.
"Everyone else has been practicing together all season and getting sick of each other," said Pavley.
Pavley, of Redondo Beach, Calif., played college ball for Texas Tech and New Mexico before graduating in 1997. She started playing pro beach volleyball seven years ago, taking time off to become a firefighter. For Polzin, the road to the AVP was a bit more roundabout.
"I played indoor for a long time — then I got a full-time job," said Polzin, who played college volleyball at Long Beach State from 1989-92. The Tarzana, Calif., resident then took a shot at something new. "In 2002, I came out and started playing for fun," she said. Now, she is on the tour with partner Claire Robinson.
So, what brought these two together for a season best finish at the AVP Louisville Open?
"Every year we've talked about playing together," said Pavley. "We'd talk, and then we wouldn't play together."
Said Polzin, "The stars aligned."
And with that, Pavley and Polzin were on their way, but the new partnership hit a bump out of the gate. Seeded 14th, they needed three sets to beat No. 19 Jenelle Koester and Stacey Rouwenhorst in a tough first round match, 19-21, 21-17, 15-13.
Then came a matchup with No. 3-seed Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. Losing 21-18, 24-22, Pavley and Polzin were banished to the contender's bracket, where they beat No. 20 Jennifer Fopma and Julie Romias, 25-23, 21-16, to earn the right to play Saturday.
"I just wanted to play great volleyball — my expectations are high, but I just wanted to enjoy the process," said Pavley.
The contender's round got tough Saturday as Pavley and Polzin had to take on No. 12 Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar, a match Pavley and Polzin won in two, 21-19, 21-13.
The contender's bracket continued to get tougher in the third round. In their next match, No. 8 seed Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan were waiting. This time it took three games to advance, with Pavley and Polzin winning 22-20, 14-21, 15-10.
"We definitely had a strong bracket," said Pavley. "This is the toughest season the AVP has put together."
The tough bracket finally got too tough for Pavley and Polzin against Fontana and DeNecochea, and the pair missed out on a chance to play Sunday.
It was an end to the tournament for the pair, but Pavley and Polzin had great memories of playing together.
"We had a really great time this weekend," said Polzin. "We have a lot of the same style of play."
And there's always this. "This is my best finish this year," said Pavley.
"Also my best finish," added Polzin.
That said, neither is thinking about making their partnership more than a one-time thing.
"Hopefully we'll match up again," said Polzin. Only this time she was talking about facing Pavley as a competitor, not as a teammate.

Lambert and Metzger on long road
Looking to reach finals out of contender's bracket
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the world of double-elimination tournaments, less enlightened sports refer to the one-loss bracket as the loser's bracket. Land there, and you're one loss from going home with a lot of matches to play before you can face the players in the winner's bracket again.
And while the AVP Louisville Open is a double-elimination bracketed affair, the loser's bracket goes by a far more civilized, and accurate, name — the "contender's" bracket.
Land there, and you just may end up winning the tournament, just as Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger did on May 6th in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Lambert and Metzger, the No. 3-seeded men's team, found themselves in the contender's bracket after losing to No. 6 Mark Williams and Casey Jennings, 21-17, 11-21, 15-13, in the third round.
"It's heartbreaking at first," said Lambert. "The road is long."
While the winner's bracket competitors have just one match to play on Saturday, the contender's bracket can be as long as three games on a Saturday. Fortunately for Lambert and Metzger, they made it far enough in the winner's bracket to have only two games today.
But that's cold comfort for the Huntington Beach champions, both of whom are much more comfortable on the winner's side of the board.
"We put on our black shorts when we go to the contender's bracket," said Metzger.
"We call it the trenches — you have to get on your knees and crawl," added Lambert.
Wearing the black shorts and playing in the trenches, Lambert and Metzger were able to play some inspired sand volleyball today, against some brutal competition.
It took three very close games for them to dispatch No. 8 John Hyden and Brad Keenan, 19-21, 21-19, 15-13.
"Everyone is playing really hard," said Lambert. "Teams get hot — out here you can beat anyone and lose to anyone."
Next up was the hard-hitting team of Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, seeded No. 10. This time, it was Lambert and Metzger who got hot, and they cruised 21-12, 21-15. That win sent them to a Sunday match with a legitimate shot at the title.
Lambert and Metzger know all too well how the talent level in the AVP has made it tougher to win week in and week out. Parity has made the contender's bracket every bit as dangerous as the other side of the board.
"Every year teams are getting better out here," said Metzger. "Everybody's game is elevated."
And it won't be getting any easier as the tour moves to Tampa, Florida and Atlanta in the coming weeks.
"It'll be tough all season long," said Lambert. "Everybody is playing really hard."
A roll call of the talent that played on Saturday in the contender's bracket includes not just the aforementioned teams, but also Hermosa Beach runners-up Matt Olson and Jason Ring, seeded No. 4.
"Look at Ring and Olson, they've stepped up their game," said Lambert.
But a stepped-up game isn't enough in the contender's bracket. Olson and Ring fell to the No. 9-seeded team of Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, 22-20, 21-16.
On the women's side, even higher-seeded teams are falling prey to the parity that has overtaken the contender's bracket.
To wit, No. 2 seed Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, the champions at Miami, found themselves in an elimination game against No. 3 seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, and it was Turner and Wacholder who advanced to play on Sunday.
For Youngs and Branagh, a trip to the contender's bracket ended with a season-worst, seventh-place finish

Youngs and Branagh sent home early
Number two seed finishes in seventh
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After three days, they lasted longer than any qualifying seed in Louisville.
And 21st qualifying seed Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney leave the Derby City with one of the highest finishes for a qualifying team this year, in ninth place. For both ladies, individually and as a team, the nine-spot is the best finish for each of their careers.
"I think they had a great tournament, they're scrappy, they have good serving, good ball sets and they're great," said Nicole Branagh, who with Elaine Youngs, handed the pair its ninth-place finish.
Kuk and Whitney surprised No. 12 Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar early Friday morning, after having battled their way through the qualifiers the day before. Kuk and Whitney won their first match of the day 18-21, 21-17 and 15-13 to move on in the winner's bracket.
After falling victim to No. 5 April Ross and Jen Boss in the winner's bracket, however, the qualifying seed was forced to try its luck from the other side of the board. They continued to win on Friday and opened up their first Saturday play with a match against Branagh and Youngs.
Branagh and Youngs demonstrated in the first game why they are the No. 2 seed, and sent home Kuk/Whitney 21-9, 21-14.
"I think the level of play has improved for all of the top teams, therefore, the qualifiers are improving," said Youngs. "I just think with the AVP growing, there's a lot more money out there for the girls to make. I think it makes more players actually hang on and tough it out on the beach. Like Nicole, she went through a year of the qualifiers — so these girls, they're good."
Prior to this finish, Kuk notched three 13th places in 2006, playing with Whitney half of that season. As for Whitney, her next-best finish is four 17th-place marks which came in 2006.
Tough sledding: Youngs and Branagh lost, 18-21, 16-21, to Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder on Saturday to place seventh for the tournament. It was not only their lowest finish of the year but the first time this season they haven't advanced to Sunday.
Since winning the first tournament of the year in Miami, Youngs and Branagh have two second-place finishes, a third and a fifth but they haven't advanced past the semis since reaching their third of three straight finals in Huntington Beach, which also awarded them the $100,000 Cuervo Gold Crown bonus.
Youngs had not finished this low in a domestic tournament since 2000, when she placed seventh in the USA Volleyball tournament in San Diego with Liz Masakayan.
Down by the river: Men's No.1 Todd Rogers won the Louisville Open in 1999 with Holdren but recalls a tournament he played here in 1997 even more.
"We played a two-day qualifier here, and there were 77 teams," Rogers said. "You started at 8:00 a.m. and it was just game after game after game in mid-July. I felt like I was in an oven. At the end of the day that Sunday, every play was a time out. Guys were literally in the middle of the match: side out, grab the house, side out, grab the house. My head was spinning."
Cut shots: Jenny Pavley's seventh in the Louisville Open is her highest this season. ... All four men's qualifiers went 0-2 in the tournament. ... Through 10 games, Mike Lambert has 10 blocks. ... Fred Souza had 12 aces in nine games. ... Alicia Polzin finished the tournament with 15 blocks in 14 games.

Exciting action highlights Saturday
Branagh, Youngs have worst finish of 2007
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While 16 teams began the day, after Saturday's double-elimination rounds in the contender's bracket, only four are left vying for a shot at Sunday's semifinals round, with two teams waiting for the winners.
Moving in the right direction is the duo of No. 7 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. They battled for three sets against higher-seeded Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello in one of only two Saturday winner's brackets matches, earning their first semifinals berth of their partnership.
In that match, Dodd and Minello looked like they would dominate after taking the first set 21-15. But instead, McPeak and Tom repaid the favor and sent them into the contender's bracket, 21-12, 15-11. "I feel like we're moving in the right direction," said McPeak of her partnership with Tom. "I thought we played really well [Friday]. I thought Logan's blocking was tremendous, and we were able to side out consistently. When we do that, we can put a lot of pressure on the opponent."
One opponent that felt the sting of the pressure was No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, who fell victim to McPeak and Tom's undefeated streak on Friday.
From the contender's bracket, Branagh and Youngs had only one successful match against qualifiers and 21st-seeded Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney. It wasn't until they faced last weekend's runner-up, No. 3 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, that the pair had to accept double elimination, 21-18, 21-16.
"We wanted to play a little more consistently," said Youngs. "It's about working hard and always working with a good attitude, because we're going to have teams like that and we want to learn with them. We're getting some good learning experiences."
Last weekend, top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh learned a lesson in endurance when No. 5 Jen Boss and April Ross dropped them out of the quarterfinals and into the contender's bracket. From there, the No. 1 seed had to win three consecutive matches to take the title in Hermosa Beach.
This weekend, Boss and Ross felt that same pressure, as May-Treanor and Walsh knocked the pair out of the quarterfinals and put them one defeat from going home in fifth place. May-Treanor and Walsh were in total control of the first game, 21-10, and then came out on top of the second after exchanging points to take the match, 21-17.
"It was nice to come back, and the way we played tonight in Louisville was the way Kerri and I can play," said May-Treanor. "We felt in control, even though we might have fallen behind a couple of points, but we felt our side-out game was strong, and we were playing consistent, very good, team volleyball."
Coast to coast: Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima seem to be managing just fine one third of the way into the 2007 season after living in two different states during the off season.
After six tournaments together, the pair has come up with one fifth, four ninth, and one 17th-place finish. They entered the Louisville Open seeded No. 9.
"We live in totally different states, almost on different coasts, and we hadn't seen each other in over six months," said Lewis. "We missed each other, so we were excited to see each other. This year we've done a little bit better with more flexible schedules, I stayed with her for a while and she stayed with me for a while."
In an earlier round against No. 17 Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger, at matchpoint Lewis and Lima secured themselves their ninth-place finish in strange fashion.
With the score at 20-17, Lewis went for a block that fell towards the sand. Instinctively, Lima extended her leg and kicked the ball over the net. Stonebarger assumed the ball was out of play and caught it, preparing for her next serve. Instead of allowing Stonebarger to serve, the referee called the match, 21-17.
"You can't stop 'til the whistle blows, even if you don't think it's right," said Lewis. "That was a weird play to finish on, but my partner's Brazilian, so when she pulls out her feet you gotta be ready."
Lewis would know, as she saw Lima perform the same feat back in Boulder, Colo., two years ago

A look ahead to Sunday in Louisville
Champions in line for $20,000 paycheck
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After three eventful days in the Derby City, the AVP Louisville Open wraps up on Sunday with $20,000 within reach of all teams still alive.
Only two teams remain undefeated for each of the men's and women's sides. As in all the other events this season, they sit in the semifinals brackets until the contending teams can whittle themselves down to two.
For the women's contender's bracket, the day kicks off at 9:30 a.m. EDT when No. 6 Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello take on fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana. Saturday's highlights: Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb played mistake-free volleyball against Casey Jennings and Mark Williams to get into the semis, while Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner staved off elimination with a victory over Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh.
Match of the day: Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert came back from a game down to win, 19-21, 21-19, 15-13, over John Hyden and Brad Keenan to stave off elimination.
Upset of the day: Jenny Pavley and Alicia Polzin, the No. 14 seed, eliminated No. 8 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 22-20, 11-21, 15-10.
Start/finish: Play on Sunday will start at 9:30 a.m. ET with the men's final at 2:30 p.m. ET and the women's final to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m. Watch the semifinals on avp.comTV starting at 11:15 a.m.
Weather forecast: A high of 86 is expected Sunday under partly cloudy skies with a chance of isolated thunderstorms projected at 30 percent in the afternoon.
Match to watch: Wacholder and Turner will face April Ross and Jennifer Boss with a berth in the semifinals on the line.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.
The winner of that match will see No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh at 1 p.m.
The other half of the contender's bracket features another 9:30 a.m. match between No. 3 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder and No. 5 Jen Boss and April Ross.
Incentive for both teams will be a 1 p.m. trip to the semifinals. In that round, the winner of the contender's bracket must play back-to-back in order to make the finals. Waiting to make a run to the top is No. 7 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. McPeak and Tom will finish no lower than third place, which is Tom's best career finish.
It's the same story for the men, but the semifinals are not played concurrently like the women's. The men begin one hour and 45 minutes prior to their female counterparts.
At 9:30 a.m., sixth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams are going to test their seed against No. 9 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott.
Whoever wins that match barely gets a break and goes on to see top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers at 11:15 a.m. The men's No. 1 team has won nine straight matches — all sweeps.
Already hungry for a shot back into the finals is No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, who missed out in Hermosa Beach. They wait for the winner of the 11:15 a.m. match between the fifth-seeded new partners of Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong and third-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.
The men almost repeated what they did in Hermosa Beach, when the top six seeds moved on to Sunday play. This time, the top six is only missing the No. 4 seed, Matt Olson and Jason Ring, who lost to Fuerbringer and Scott in the contender's bracket and left Louisville in seventh place.
The same holds true for the women. Instead of the No. 4 seed skipping out on the semis and quarterfinals, though, it's No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, who left Louisville with a seventh-place finish thanks to Turner-Wacholder. McPeak and Tom, then, are the lowest seed intact for the women, with a seventh ranking.
All contender's bracket play begins at 9:30 a.m. The men's semifinals kick off at 11:15 a.m., with the women following at 1 p.m. When all is said and done, the men's finals start at 2:30 p.m., with the women's finals closing out the weekend at 4 p.m.
No team still in the Contender's Bracket will finish lower than fifth place, while the teams still alive in the winner's bracket can take a third or better finish.

Gibb, Rosie ready for breakthough
Men's No. 2 playing top volleyball in Louisville
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sean Rosenthal has it figured out.
Along with partner Jake Gibb, Rosenthal has been in four finals this season, and Saturday night the pair advanced to their fifth semifinal out of six events on the year with a 21-11, 21-15 dismantling of Casey Jennings and Mark Williams.
Rosenthal and Gibb earned a victory in the season-opener a year ago on the AVP Crocs Tour but have yet to return to the top of the podium and are frankly tired of the runner-up role, which they've played nine times in the last 21 AVP events.
But Rosenthal had a simple answer for what it will take to claim another crown.
"Play like that," Rosenthal said, referring to the Saturday night win.
Also earning a semifinal berth Saturday night were Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser with a 21-13, 21-16 victory over Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong.
Jennings and Williams will play Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott for the right to play Rogers and Dalhausser, while Holdren and Wong will face Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger for a semifinal chance at Gibb and Rosenthal.
"The game plan was to go at Kevin. There were a couple of serves that were bombs at Dax," Rogers said. "I felt pretty good on defense. I felt I was touching everything."
In the first of three night-session matches, Gibb joined Rosenthal in a nearly flawless performance. The first game was never tied and only close in the early going, while the second was basically a repeat. Gibb scored the match winner with a hard shot down the line.
"We played probably the best match together right there," Rosenthal said. "We didn't make mistakes as a team."
Earlier in the day, Jason Ring and Matt Olson fell to seventh with their loss and elimination Saturday. The pair held on for a straight-set victory over Fred Souza and Anthony Medel in their first match, 22-20, 21-19.
Despite reaching the finals last weekend in Hermosa Beach, they never quite scored the big points Saturday, and it caught up with them when they faced Scott Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, losing, 20-22, 16-21.
"Whether we had a successful match or not, we weren't digging balls as much as we had discussed," Olson said. "That became the biggest difference to being on top as opposed to being on bottom."
Taking a ninth was the duo of Brad Keenan and John Hyden and the difference between advancing and going home hinged on a critical call in the third set of a tight match.
After taking the first game over Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, 21-19, Keenan and Hyden dropped the second by the same score.
Down in the third, 7-6, Hyden hit a ball that appeared to hit Lambert, who was at the net for the block. The ball sailed wide and the point was awarded to Metzger and Lambert. Hyden argued the ball hit Lambert in the head but the referee did not reverse the call.
Keenan and Hyden were unable even the match after that and lost, 15-13.
"It was huge," Hyden said. "It was going to tie us after we were down big. It is a complete momentum switch. It stinks."
Lambert and Metzger followed that victory by eliminating Nick Lucena and Billy Strickland in yeoman-like fashion, 21-12, 21-15. The rhythm they lacked in the previous match was clearly evident as Lambert dominated the net and Metzger was sharp with some thunderous kills.
"I just never got going blocking and they just fed off that," Strickland said. "They just rolled and if you can't get them in trouble serving, then they're just going to side out like they did. We sided out O.K. — it's just they were unstoppable."

Back from the brink, and thriving
Life-threatening crises can't keep Auburn's Lewis from AVP Tour spotlight
By: Todd Mordhorst, Journal Sports Editor
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Several years ago, experimental surgery saved Angela Lewis' life from a brain aneurysm. Now, the Auburn product plays professional beach volleyball on the AVP Tour. Photo by Christian Petersen/Courtesy
Angela LewisWhen Angela Lewis learned her volleyball skills could lead to a free college education, she didn't let anything stand in her way. When she realized she could make money and travel the world playing the game she loves, there was no stopping her.
"I love playing volleyball," said Lewis, who grew up in Auburn before starring at Sacramento State. "Being able to play a sport you love, travel around and make money - it's insane."
She's now a fixture on the AVP Tour pro beach volleyball circuit, but she didn't take the fast track to success. Lewis' career was nearly derailed twice before she began playing on the tour in 2005.
Lewis didn't play volleyball while attending Pine Hills Junior Academy in Auburn, but learned the game as a sophomore at Sacramento Adventist Academy.
She caught they eye of Sacramento State coach Debby Coberg when she began playing with the Delta Valley club team.
"I saw her playing club ball and I thought she was going to (UC) Santa Barbara," Coberg said. "I really went after her and I felt really fortunate to have her come play for us."
The 29-year-old Lewis made an immediate impact for the Hornets, starting at middle blocker as a true freshman, but a brain aneurysm suddenly put her career - and her life - on hold.
"I was in the hospital for two months," she said. "I was supposed to die."
A risky experimental surgery saved her life. Lewis said she was the fifth person to have the surgery; Two of the previous patients died and two were paralyzed.
A new lease on life renewed her passion for the game and Lewis was back on the court as a sophomore. In her final two seasons at Sacramento State, she was an all-Big Sky Conference selection.
Just after college, Lewis ran into another medical setback. A cyst in her intestines ruptured, leading to another surgery in which doctors removed part of her intestines.
"I had trouble with my stamina, but I figured out how to eat right and take care of it," Lewis said.
A move to San Diego in 2003 set off Lewis' beach volleyball career. She met Bear River High graduate Diane Pascua on the beach in San Diego and the two played together in a qualifier for the Hermosa Beach Open. "We only won one game, but we were so excited," Lewis said.
Last weekend, Lewis and playing partner Priscilla Lima took home a check for $2,600 after placing ninth in the 2007 Hermosa Beach Open. Lewis and Lima are No. 7 on the AVP points list and have earned automatic entries into the world's top tournaments.
At 5-foot-11, Lewis is often one of the smaller players on the court, but her all-around skills help her excel.
"I'd say I'm a crafty player," Lewis said. "I have to do it all. I'm definitely not one of those big hitters. With the sand, it kind of evens the playing field. You have to be able to do every aspect of the game and be good at it."
Coberg said she recognized Lewis' potential when she was with the Hornets.
"She's perfect for playing outdoors because she's a ball control player," Coberg said. "She's got really good technique and the other thing that sets her apart is if she makes a mistake, it doesn't bother her. So many players let one thing ruin their game, but she's able to adjust and move on."
While at Sacramento State, Lewis picked up a degree in graphic design, which she uses on the beach as well. She often totes her laptop to tournaments and sets up in the media tent to work on projects for private clients and even for the AVP Tour.
"It's awesome that I'm able to do that," she said. 'It sucks sometimes that I have to work when I'm at the tournaments, but I'm really happy I can be that flexible."
Lewis also takes her love life on the road. Her boyfriend Anthony Medel is on the AVP Tour as well and the two often play on adjacent courts.
A full sponsorship would allow Lewis to leaver her laptop at home on the weekends. For now, she's happy to be able to compete at the highest level in the sport that has helped her overcome tremendous odds throughout life.
"When I first started playing, I was just playing for fun and then I realized I could get a scholarship," Lewis said. "After my (intestine) surgery, I thought I might be active again, but not a professional player. It's been a climb, but it's been a lot of fun."

You can call Mike Lambert the Beach Boy
Volleyball star also a singer, songwriter and guitar picker
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
For a good portion of this beach volleyball season, Mike Lambert must have felt like a character in his song "Side out Blues." The professional volleyball player and amateur guitarist and vocalist has seen too many diminuendos on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
Yesterday was a good example. He and teammate Stein Metzger teetered on the precipice of elimination at the AVP Louisville Open, but the No. 3 seeds scratched out two victories to remain alive for a shot at the championship, which will be decided at 2:30 p.m. today at Waterfront Park.
This season has been quite a jolt for Lambert and Metzger, who finished atop the 2006 Crocs Cup standings. They won the Huntington Beach Open and finished third in the Miami Open and the Hermosa Beach Open, but they also placed seventh in Glendale, Ariz., and a shocking 17th at Dallas. The latter was particularly embarrassing: Seeded No. 1, they were ousted after two matches.
For a while yesterday, it appeared Lambert and Metzger would be gone after three. They dropped the first set before overcoming No. 8 John Hyden and Brad Keenan 19-21, 21-10, 15-13. They followed with a 21-12, 21-15 victory over Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, but they trailed 7-1 in the first set and 13-9 in the second.
"We were teetering for a while, and we had to make something happen in that second set," said Lambert, 33. "We got some blocks and made some plays. For us, (this season) has not been what we expected. … We've been kind of all over the place."
Sounds like material for a song. Lambert has written three involving the AVP: "We Are the AVP," "I Love the AVP" and "Side out Blues." The first two have become theme songs for the tour.
Lambert idolizes fellow Hawaiian Jack Johnson, and his songs have a similar folk-rock feel.
"I was doing a radio interview, and I just made up a song about the AVP," he said of "We Are the AVP." "They played it on the radio. People liked it so much that they said, 'Go play it on stage.' I got in front of the crowd. They put me in a studio. I cut a track. It's a fun sideshow on the tour."
Metzger and Lambert were All-Americans at Pacific-10 Conference schools. Lambert won a national championship with Stanford in 1997. Metzger won three with UCLA and was named NCAA Tournament MVP in 1996.
Metzger said it was he who introduced Lambert to the guitar.
"I started playing guitar in college and was playing for two years before I turned Mike on to it," he said. "I came back to visit two months later, and he was already better than me, so I decided to quit. He has a real ear for it. His dad was an oboe teacher. He had music all around him."
What does he think about Lambert's songs?
"They are creative and really funny," Metzger said. "A lot of the stuff he writes about is about people that I know or situations that I've been there for. I can really relate to them."
If they win the title today, maybe Lambert will pen a song about it. But for someone who plays volleyball in front of large crowds, he does suffer from musical stage fright.
"I get pretty nervous when I play a song in front of people," he said. "I'm a total amateur. When you go up there, people expect you to hang with real musicians. But it's fun, though. I get a kick out of it."
To listen to "We Are the AVP," go to www.myspace.com/avpsongs.

Tom celebrates birthday in style
26-year-old secures career-best finish
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It is one of those Friday birthdays that Logan Tom has been able to celebrate all weekend.
Playing in the AVP Louisville Open final today against Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Tom scored a season-best second place finish with teammate Holly McPeak. Not a bad way to mark turning 26.
"Right now, my life is volleyball. It's been a good birthday," said Tom, who added that playing well on this particular weekend makes for an extra special memory.
"Either way it would be special," she said. "But it's nice that it's on the same weekend."
Friday night will likely stick in her memory for quite a while. It was her birthday, and she and McPeak were taking on No. 2 seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in a night match on stadium court.
McPeak and Tom, seeded No. 7, had the look of a team ready to make a move, and it happened on Friday night as they sent the No. 2 seed to the contender's bracket with a 22-20, 21-11 win.
So how did Tom celebrate the win that would ultimate propel she and McPeak to their first ever appearance as a team in the final?
"I had a glass of wine, and there was a candle," she said. "That's how it is — we had to play the next day."
There were happy birthday messages from friends and family on her phone, so that was nice, too.
The next day, Saturday, proved to be a tough one for Tom and McPeak. It took them three games to come from behind and beat No. 6 seeded Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello 15-21, 21-12, 15-11. Next up was Sunday's final four.
It wasn't the first time Tom was competing on her birthday weekend, competition that took her away from her family and friends.
"I think I'm used to it," she said.
Tom was born in Napa, Calif., and went to high school in Salt Lake City before returning to California for her higher education. She went to Stanford and played volleyball for the Cardinal.
Last season marked her first in the AVP. She completed a half-season that included two tournaments with McPeak. She and McPeak have partnered for all of this season, and it's been a good match.
"Obviously, it's great and you learn a lot. She's a great teacher," Tom said of McPeak. "I'm very fortunate that we're together right now. She's been playing for a long time and she still wants to win."
Going into the AVP Louisville Open, McPeak has 72 career victories, having played full time since 1991. The combination of the experienced athlete and the talented newcomer has proved a potent matchup, as the Louisville fans had a chance to witness.
For Tom, it has been a natural progression of learning the game under the tutelage of McPeak, and just playing better.
"As a team, and as an individual player, I'm learning what works for me and what doesn't," said Tom. "I still have a lot of room to improve."
But after today, the birthday celebration will get its due when Tom returns home to Long Beach, Calif.
"I haven't been with my family and friends, so of course I'll celebrate," said Tom, adding, "I like small birthdays."
And she'll do what many folks do on their birthday.
"I'll look back and reflect," said Tom.
She'll have a chance to reflect on and remember a successful weekend in Louisville, where she turned 26 on a hot Friday night in front of an appreciative crowd of pro beach volleyball fans.

Cuervo contest hits Louisville
Winners earn a trip to Las Vegas
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky may be bourbon country, but today everyone was thinking Cuervo as the Cuervo Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy competition took place on stadium court between the semifinal and final matches.
The winners of the AVP Louisville Open event will advance to the Las Vegas finals in September. There, they will compete in the God and Goddess Tournament at Caesar's Palace. The overall winners will be featured in a layout in Maxim or Cosmopolitan and will receive a one-year talent agency contract.
Five guys and five girls took to the stage at stadium court and gave the audience something to cheer about between matches.
"Louisville has had by far, the most attractive, energetic contestants," said Jason Fitzgerald, the AVP/Jose Cuervo Activation Manager.
Fitzgerald, who lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., is overseeing the Cuervo tent at the AVP Louisville Open as well as running the competition.
"I love getting the chance to interact with all the fans of AVP and Jose Cuervo," Fitzgerald said.
After the ten contestants strutted their stuff, it was up to the crowd to vote via text message. The votes were tabulated and the winners were announced during a break in the men's final.
Tom Hynek of Boulder, Colo., an intern for Crocs, won the guy's title.
"It's pretty sweet; I didn't expect it," said Hynek, who was competing in his first Cuervo Ultimate event. He had a good reason to get involved.
"I got talked into it by the Cuervo girls," he said, smiling.
In the girls competition, Annie Gordon of Nashville won the event. Like Hynek, Gordon was in Louisville to work for one of the AVP sponsors.
"I'm with Paul Mitchell. I heard about it and said, 'Hey, why not? I'll just go for it,'" said Gordon.
Gordon, who likes to win, was pleased with the outcome.
"It's a rush — it's so different than anything else I've done before," said Gordon.
And the trip to Las Vegas isn't so bad, either.
"I wanted to go to Vegas. It stole all my money and I'm going back to get it," she said.
Good luck on that one.

It's an AVP lovefest in Louisville
Community support, ideal weather drives event
By Tom Whitus / Special to AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Maybe it's the white sand and the crowded stands that make up stadium court, or perhaps it's the high level of professional beach volleyball that is being played on the white, powdery surface, but the mood is obvious — Louisville loves the AVP Louisville Open.
And the AVP loves Louisville.
"I want to give credit where it's due," AVP commissioner Leonard Armato told the crowd during the men's trophy presentation. "This is one of best first-time events ever."
"It's a great setup," said AVP announcer Chris "Geeter" McGee. "You know it's going to be first class. It would turn into one of the (AVP's) premier events."
McGee knows of what he speaks. He's been announcing events for 10 years and was in Louisville for the 1999 event. And he's more than just an announcer. He's a Rock 'n' Roll Vin Scully who keeps the crowd psyched throughout the matches.
It may be difficult to comprehend for folks who live in cities that have the word "beach" in their name. In those places, like Manhattan Beach and Huntington Beach, the beach is kind of a given. Not so in landlocked Louisville, where the Ohio River is the closest this town comes to a large body of water. And rivers aren't known for their beaches.
Enter the city of Louisville, local businesses, the AVP and its sponsors, who have turned Waterfront Park into a Southern California beach party, and the people of Louisville love it. Of course, it hasn't hurt that the weather has been ideal and that Memorial Day weekend is exactly the right time to get Midwestern folks thinking about that "Endless Summer."
That was especially noticeable on Friday and Saturday night, during which crowds were close to those during the Sunday finals.
"We've had a great night crowd," said McGee, "one of the best."
The AVP has been to Louisville twice before, in 1992 and 1999, thanks in part to the work of Anne Axman Brown, President of Tandem Sport. She and the folks at Baxter Jack's and the Volleyball Connection have been promoting sand volleyball for years. Each summer, hundreds of teams in Louisville compete in the sport.
"They kind of have the fever," said Brown. "It's fun to be able to watch people who are really good at it. Everybody came together — it's been phenomenal," she said.
And while Brown and her team at Tandem Sport helped to build interest in professional beach volleyball, it was the partnership Blue Equity/SFX and Reach Event Marketing that helped make the AVP Louisville Open a reality.
"This event is the first co-partnered promoter event," said Mario Cicchinelli, Director of Reach Event Marketing. "The AVP really brought both entities together."
All the partnering in the world would have been meaningless if the Louisville crowd hadn't turned out in droves to support the event, and it did.
"We're very excited about the support from the Louisville volleyball community," said Cicchinelli. "The players love it, the fans love it. It shows the city and the state in a very good light."
Reach Event Marketing is the promoter of the AVP event in Cincinnati over Labor Day weekend, and Cicchinelli is particularly proud to have two events on the calendar.
"The fact that there are only 18 tour stops (including Chicago and Brooklyn), it really puts Louisville on the map in a sports and entertainment perspective," Cicchinelli said.
And the best news of all, this isn't just a one-year thing.
"We'll be back next year," he said.

No consistency for Lambert, Metzger
No. 3 seed finished fifth in Louisville
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger started out this season as the No. 1 team on tour.
But that top seeding through the first two tournaments proved tough to uphold, and the pair entered the Louisville Open in the No. 3 spot largely due to play that has been at times spectacular but simply pedestrian in their lesser moments.
Lambert and Metzger do have a victory this season, when they lost to qualifiers Vincent Robbins and Jason Wight in their first match at Huntington Beach and climbed their way out of the contender's bracket to defeat Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb for the title.
But there is also a 17th on their record this year and a seventh. At the Louisville Open this weekend they claimed a fifth, but a more consistent effort, such as not letting their match against Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong get away despite winning the first set, would have put them in the semifinals.
"We're all over the place and kind of up and down," Lambert said. "At times we play really good and the next match, not so good. Last year we were playing kinda good all the time, and this year we're kinda really up and down and kinda struggling."
The two won five times last year and were runners-up on four other occasions. This year's schedule has been a bit tougher, and Lambert feels it is reflective of the competition.
"I think a lot of it is teams are really good now — a lot of it is also what we do on our side of the net," Lambert said. "I think maybe before we were struggling and we'd still win, but now it's harder to do that because there are so many good teams."
Don't enter, sand man: Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser waited until 9:30 p.m. Saturday night to play their match. They prevailed in straight sets but at times seemed to be going through the motions in their victory over Holdren and Wong.
During the second set, Rogers contested a referee's call, arguing for about a minute. He admitted he really wasn't angry but looking for motivation.
"It is tough to maintain fire, so I made it for myself," Rogers said. "I wanted to keep my own fire to not fall into a sleeper hold."
Wait and see: Holdren made it to the semifinals this week with Wong as partner Jeff Nygaard remained in California to undergo treatment for skin cancer. Holdren said Sunday that his partner is tentatively planning to play in Tampa but will wait for a decision this week.
"I don't know what the recovery is for removing skin cancer from your arm. He says he wants to play. We'll see," Holdren said. "Kevin is going to play with Karch (Kiraly). If Jeff doesn't play, I'll be a free agent again here next week and I'll see what I can dig up."
Cut shots: Dalhausser and Rogers ran their record to 14-2 in championship matches and 13-1 on the AVP Tour. ... Rogers has won in both of his appearances in the Louisville Open. ... All second-round matches on both the men's and women's sides of the draw were sweeps. ... In four of the five men's winner's bracket three-set matches, the team that won the first game won the match. ... Kentucky marked the 25th state in which Holly McPeak has competed on tour out of 27 that have hosted events.
Up next: The AVP Crocs tour heads back to Florida next weekend for the Tampa Open, May 31-June 3. Qualifying for the 24-team main draw will be Thursday, May 31, with both men's and women's finals scheduled for Sunday, June 3.

Rogers, Dalhausser can't be beat
Pair wins fifth title of 2007 season
Mike Scarr / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser were handed a pair of Louisville Slugger bats Sunday in honor of, yet again, parking what Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb had to offer.
Foreshadowing the postgame celebration, Rogers and Dalhausser played little ball in the first game, but reached the seats in the second for a 21-18, 21-16 victory to claim victory in the Louisville Open, their fifth title in six events this season.
It was essentially a match that was played before Rosenthal hit the first serve long. The one they call Superman and his partner Gibb have played in five finals this season and have been forced to watch Rogers and Dalhausser uncork the champagne in four of them.
That ran Rogers and Dalhausser's record against the No. 2 seed to 6-1 in matches this year and 15-3 in matches over the last two years, including those on the FIVB circuit.
"I think we know their game. They're going to have to change their game a little bit because we feel very comfortable playing them," Rogers said. "They're a very athletic team, and I know they're capable of beating anyone in the world and on this tour. When they put all the pieces together, they're going to be scary."
The team showed its athleticism as Rosenthal skied to thunder his share of shots in the corner on a muggy afternoon, but he also was outside the tape on occasion.
What typifies Rogers and Dalhausser is avoiding the mistakes and mental errors, and while they admitted to not being sharp through the first game, a run in the second put them in cruise control to the victory.
"They're a dangerous team and they're error-free, and that is frustrating," Gibb said.
After a Gibb cross-court shot gave his team a 9-7 lead in the second set, Rogers hit a shot down the line, Dalhausser rattled off an ace and Rogers made a dig to feed a putaway by Dalhausser.
They did not trail nor were they tied for the remainder of the match.
"I wasn't hitting any of my serves and I was missing some blocks, so it was about time to get it done," Dalhausser said. "So I figured I'd go with a sharp angle serve"
Said Rogers: "He got on two good runs that were critical and that helped us pull away."
In their lone victory, when Gibb and Rosenthal eliminated Rogers and Dalhausser in the semifinal in Huntington Beach, the game plan was to control Dalhausser. They employed a similar tactic Sunday, but it wasn't as effective.
"He didn't get many blocks," Rosenthal said. "He just served really well and did what he does."
Gibb and Rosenthal earlier defeated Dax Holdren and Kevin Wong in one semifinal, while Dalhausser and Rogers took out Casey Jennings and Mark Williams in the other.
The last time Holdren and Wong played as a team was 10 years ago in San Antonio, where they finished 17th, but experience and a bit of chemistry propelled them into the semifinals here.
Holdren needed a partner because Jeff Nygaard stayed back in California to undergo a skin cancer treatment, and Wong was unattached because Karch Kiraly opted out.
They got past Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger in their first match, 17-21, 21-19, 15-11, and while they extended Gibb and Rosenthal to three sets, they were unable to pull off the victory.
"These guys came out, especially Sean, like balls of fire in the first game and were making every play," Holdren said. "We had chances in the third. We just didn't convert them. In these games that is the difference."
Seeded third in this tournament but making life tough on themselves again were Lambert and Metzger, who fell into the contender's bracket by losing Friday. The pair fought back within a victory of the semifinals but inconsistent play was their undoing in a three-set loss to Holdren and Wong on Sunday morning.
"They started playing pretty good," said Lambert, who along with Metzger finished fifth. "The third set we just blew a bunch of chances and had at least six chances where we could score a real point. You're not going to win if you don't convert your chances."
Williams and Jennings appeared in the other semifinal, their first of the season, but ran into the top men's team of Rogers and Dalhausser.
In the first game, down 9-7, Williams scored three straight points on a cutter, an ace and a block for a 10-9 lead. But Rogers and Dalhausser responded to build a quick 18-12 lead, and Dalhausser put away the first game with an ace.
The second game followed suit and was highlighted by a Rogers dig and a Dalhausser putaway with his left hand for a 17-10 lead. An ace by Rogers ended the match for a 21-14, 21-13 victory and a berth in the finals.
"They're a great team, and I think you have to play your best game to even come close," Williams said. "They got a big lead, and when the best team has a big lead it's pretty tough to come back."
Jennings and Williams had greater success in their previous match in a straight-set victory over Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Fuerbringer said it was a matter of missed opportunities that resulted in a fifth-place finish.
"We were totally in control of the match; they weren't doing anything to stop us," Fuerbringer said. "It's disappointing. This is the show, man, to get to this point. They made great plays but I thought we left something."

Tom can't top Cinderella weekend
Logan falls short in first ever final
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Happy Birthday, Logan Tom.
While it may not quite be the finish she envisioned, she and partner Holly McPeak took their highest place during the 2007 season, the highest of Tom's young career.
"It felt really good, it's a new thing for me — the beach — and I didn't know how it would go," said Tom.
But was she nervous in her first finals match on the beach?
"Not at all, I love it," she said. "That's why I play this game, I love these moments right here. I love the crowd, I love being in the finals and I love the situation. You put all of it on the court and it just makes it fun."
Even though her 26th birthday was on Friday, the gifts kept on rolling in her direction all weekend long. They concluded in the form of hugs from opponents and No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, congratulating her on her first finals appearance.
Fittingly in the match, Tom scored the first point for her team, but it wasn't enough, as May-Treanor and Walsh claimed their 68th title together, 21-14, 21-12.
Early in game one, both McPeak and Walsh launched their serves wide, followed up by one of Tom's aces, to put the lower-seeded pair on top, 4-2. May-Treanor and McPeak went back and forth making digs and kills, until McPeak and Tom relinquished their last lead at 9-8.
Ten points later, May-Treanor and Walsh, despite McPeak and Tom's diving efforts that covered them with sand, sealed the deal with a 19-10 lead. Tom wanted to savor her first trip to the finals, making her opponents work for the first game after three hard putaways.
Inevitably, May-Treanor and Walsh continued their impressive run and took the first game.
Tom brought out her "A" game in the second one, using ace serving. Tom had three aces in the match — more than the other three players combined.
"I thought we had really good team defense, and we stayed aggressive," said May-Treanor. "Logan came at us with a very strong serve, and she got a couple of aces, but we were able to side out well."
One came during the second game, at a pivotal moment when she and McPeak were tied with May-Treanor and Walsh, 4-4. The serve put McPeak and Tom up again, and they remained within reach until the score came to 10-8.
Even in the second match, both teams tried to show up one another. Tom was slamming kills down like she meant it, and May-Treanor and Walsh ran harder to save a few balls than they had appeared to run all weekend.
"She tried her hardest to get back in that game, and she did amazing things, and this is just the beginning," said Walsh of Tom. "Whatever she puts her mind to she can do very well."
But at 10 points, the higher-seeded pair began to pull away. May-Treanor and Walsh topped Tom and McPeak's heroics and May-Treanor's only ace of the match put the matchpoint in her team's hands. Tom could not come up with any more points like she did in the first game, and so the inaugural Louisville Open women's title belonged to May-Treanor and Walsh.
"They are that good, they're a great team," said Tom of her opponents. "They both side out well. I think on our side, we were with them and then just couldn't side out. We had three or four points taken away because we didn't side out. It's too quick of a game, and that's something we need to improve on our side."
On a side note, this match was significant in that May-Treanor and McPeak were essentially fighting for a hand in the title of winningest female on the beach. Because May-Treanor came out victorious this weekend, she now has 74 all-time victories, McPeak still has 72 and Walsh is one behind at 71.
Contender's Bracket: For the second straight week, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder surpassed April Ross and Jen Boss in the final four of the contender's bracket. Boss and Ross hustled throughout the entire match and pulled out all the stops.
At multiple points both games featured impressive rallies, with Boss and Ross digging out what looked like impossible plays. Game two looked like it had the potential to go in favor of Boss-Ross, with both teams switching points back and forth. At 19-19, Turner and Wacholder went on to score two consecutive points and take the match 21-17 and 21-19.
"They never die, so they keep you working hard throughout the entire game," said Turner. "They're really aggressive hitters, they're both big blockers and good jump servers, so their entire game is filled with a lot of energy. It's good though — it keeps us playing better, when you have a team that pushes you consistently."

Beach volleyball is good for our sports scene
People are always interested in sniffing out media bias. Here's a freebie.
Any sport in which you can sink your feet into the sand will probably get a thumbs-up from me.
Nobody wants to work Memorial Day weekend, but when you show up at a scene like yesterday's Association of Volleyball Professionals Louisville Open finals at Waterfront Park and feel the white sand in your toes with the sun beaming and the Ohio River in the background, well, you make the best of it.
You've got bikini-clad women throwing free stuff into the crowd (not just T-shirts and bracelets but also pairs of Crocs, thanks to the shoe manufacturer sponsor). You've got kids scrambling through bleachers to grab cup holders, lots of bass in the between-set music and more than 2,500 fans filling an intimate structure.
It doesn't have the attendance of the Indianapolis 500, Kentucky Derby or even an average day of Louisville Bats baseball.
But it's the kind of event that can help Louisville as a sports town. Maybe it's a niche sport. But we're a city whose sports scene should welcome a new niche or two.
A volleyball town?
Wait a second, you might say. We're talking about volleyball? Guys in wild Speedo shorts and women in not much at all banging a ball around in the sand?
That's what Derrick Ramsey once said. The former University of Kentucky quarterback -- now the state's deputy secretary of commerce -- is a volleyball fan since his days with the Oakland Raiders.
"When the Raiders moved down to L.A., a bunch of us tall guys said we were going to go down to Venice Beach and teach these boys a lesson," Ramsey said. "And lo and behold, we got choked with a bunch of volleyballs. And from there I fell in love with it. And I would go and watch Cal Berkley and UCLA and Pepperdine, USC, all those great West Coast teams that came into Berkley."
Yesterday two Olympic champions, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, won the women's title with Fox Sports Net broadcasting. Saturday night, Louisville delivered one of the three biggest evening crowds since the tour introduced night play more than a year ago.
And the athletes were in disbelief at how a land-locked basketball hotbed could embrace them. Karch Kiraly was made a Kentucky Colonel. I don't think we had a Col. Karch before.
May-Treanor gave the off-beach highlight of her trip: "I got to go to Lynn's Paradise Cafe."
Logan Tom, playing in her first final, said, "I guess I come to places like this with lower expectations. I'm a West Coast girl. But the crowds were unreal. I don't know how many people came up to me and wanted to talk and encourage me about the matches."
Working our way up
So you want bigger sports events? A lot of people in town do. But none of the big three -- Major League Baseball, NBA, NFL -- are within Louisville's grasp. We're at Triple-A in baseball, the NFL has teams in Nashville, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and no NBA team is likely to come to Louisville's new arena with the deal the University of Louisville has in place.
So you start to look for other events -- boxing, golf, tennis -- and you work your way up. Take a look at some of the other cities on the AVP Tour: Tampa, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Boston.
"I think people see how well an event like this is run and received, and it leads to other events," said Jonathan Blue, chairman of Blue Equity, owner of SFX Sports, which was instrumental in bringing the event to town.
They should bring it back. There are worse places to be than a beach on Louisville's Waterfront on the last Sunday in May.
Reach Eric Crawford at (502) 582-4372 or ecrawford@courier-journal.com. Comment on this column, and read his blog and previous columns, at www.courier-journal.com/crawford.

Women get 'special' win; top men beat familiar foe
By Michael Grant
mgrant@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
The last Association of Volleyball Professionals tournament in Louisville was in 1999, but this was the first visit for the women.
That fact was not lost on Kerri Walsh, who teamed with Misty May-Treanor to beat No. 7 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom 21-14, 21-12 yesterday in the AVP Louisville Open at Waterfront Park.
"We're the first women's champs of Louisville," the 28-year-old Californian said. "We're in the record books for that. That's special. Whenever you come to a new place, you never know what to expect. To come here and be received as well as we've been is very special. Each win is unique, and we'll remember this one for a long time."
That's the kind of response you would expect from someone nicknamed "Six feet of Sunshine."
Top-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser won the men's title.
On a day that saw temperatures in the high 80s, Walsh and May-Treanor never seemed rattled. The top-ranked team pulled away in both sets and won in 48 minutes. The 6-foot-3 Walsh was dominant with 12 kills, no errors and six blocks.
Walsh and May-Treanor have won 12 of the past 13 AVP events. After being upset by Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the semifinals of the season-opening Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open, Walsh and May-Treanor have been unstoppable. They are 30-2 with the past eight victories in sweeps.
"Kerri and I are out here fighting every week, just like the other teams that make it to the finals," May-Treanor said. "Every time we win is nice because we work on specific things in practice. Then we incorporate them into a match and win. Every victory is special."
Being in the finals is nothing new for McPeak (72 victories), who is second to May-Treanor (74). But this was the first finals appearance for Tom, who turned 26 on Friday. Tom will receive a belated birthday gift of a peasant top from Walsh, her former Stanford teammate.
"Logan is a wonderful athlete," she said. "She tried her hardest to get back in the game. She has done amazing things. This is just the beginning."
Men
Rogers and Dalhausser had every reason to feel confident after playing Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal in three previous championship matches this season. Rogers and Dalhausser walked away victorious yesterday for the fourth time, by a score of 21-18, 21-16.
Second-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal were within 18-17 in the first set and led 8-6 in the second. But Rogers and Dalhausser have won seven of the past eight events on tour. Rogers said his team knows what to expect from Gibb and Rosenthal.
"I feel like I know their game," he said. "They're going to have to change their game a little bit or mix it up a little bit more. We feel very comfortable playing them."
Michael Grant can be reached at (502) 582-4069.

May-Treanor rubs it in
VOLLEYBALL: Newport Harbor product defeats former partner, while Gibb settles for runner-up status once again in Louisville.
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LOUISVILLE — Last week, Misty May-Treanor outdid her former partner, Holly McPeak, by capturing tournament win No. 73 that surpassed McPeak's former record. This week, May-Treanor, the Newport Harbor High product, one-upped McPeak again.
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated McPeak and Logan Tom, 21-14, 21-12, Sunday, as May-Treanor kept her former partner from catching her for most tournaments titles by a woman at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Louisville Open. This one was the first tournament title in Louisville for May-Treanor and Walsh, the AVP Team of the Year the past three seasons.
The duo just might be on their way to another Team of the Year honor, as they have now won five straight tournaments. They've won 12 of the last 13 AVP events.
May-Treanor and Walsh, the top seed, also defeated the fourth-seeded team of Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-17, 21-14, earlier on Sunday en route to the finals.
May-Treanor and Walsh split the winning purse of $20,000. Newport Harbor High alumna April Ross and her teammate Jennifer Boss finished fifth, and split $6,000.
While May-Treanor and Walsh dominate the women's division, there's another pair ruling the men's side, and it's meant yet another runner-up finish for Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb.
The top-seeded tandem of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won their 14th team title and their fifth in six AVP events this season Sunday. They defeated Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 21-18, 21-16, in the final.
Gibb and Rosenthal have been finalists in five of the six AVP events this season, coming up empty each time. They've lost to Dalhausser and Rogers four out of the five times.
Their other loss was to Costa Mesa resident Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger May 6.
Lambert and Metzger finished tied for sixth with Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Each team won $6,000. Dalhausser and Rogers won $20,000, while Gibb and Rosenthal took home $15,000.

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May 31st-June 3rd,2007 $200,000 Essurance Tampa Open (Tampa,Fl)
AVP Tampa Open

St.Pete Times Forum

AVP Tour Event Coverage

2007 Gameday Central: Tampa
While the state of Florida enjoys a rich beach volleyball history,
the AVP Tour's stadium court will be built in Tampa for the very first time this weekend
The new AVP Tour stop in Tampa is one of 18 nationwide events that make up the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
The Tampa tournament will take place May 31-June 3 on the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Event Information

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 6 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 6/3
• WOMEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 6/3

* Player info for the Tampa Open
* Click here to register.

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics
Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18. Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.

Schedule:

All times are EDT

Thursday, May 31, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, June 1, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.
Competition start time 9:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 2, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 8:30 a.m.
Competition start time 9:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 3, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.
Ticket Info

Event Venue & Directions:

St. Pete Times Forum
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa, FL 33602

Map

Directions:

From St Petersburg, Maderia Beach:
Take I-275 North to Exit 44 (Ashley Drive) to Jackson
Left on Jackson to Morgan
Right on Morgan to Channelside
From Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar:
Take SR 60 (Gulf to Bay/Courtney Campbell) to I-275
North on I-275 to Exit 44 (Ashley Drive) to Jackson
Left on Jackson to Morgan
Right on Morgan to Channelside

From Northwest Tampa, Hudson, New Port Richey, Pasco, Springhill:
Take Veterans Expressway (SR 589) South to I-275
Take exit 42 (Armenia Avenue)
Go south on Armenia Avenue to Platt Street
Go left on Platt
Platt turns into Channelside Drive

From North Tampa, Ocala, Gainesville, Town and Country, Land O Lakes, Zephyrhills:
Take I-275 South to Exit 45A (Downtown East)
Go south on Jefferson to Whiting Street
Right on Whiting Street to Morgan
Left on Morgan to Channelside

From Orlando, Lakeland, Plant City, Daytona, Jacksonville, Polk County:
Take I-4 West to I-275 South
Take Exit 45A (Downtown East)
Go south on Jefferson to Whiting Street
Right on Whiting Street to Morgan
Left on Morgan to Channelside Drive

From Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Ft Myers, Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Naples, Port Charles:
Take I-75 North to Exit 50 Crosstown Expressway (TOLL)
West on Crosstown Expressway to Exit 8 (Downtown East)
Right on Kennedy Blvd to Morgan
Left on Morgan to Channelside Drive

From Brandon, Vero Beach, Palm Beach, Gibson:
Take SR 60 (Adamo Drive) West to Channelside Drive
Go south on Channelside Drive

Men's Entrys:

Men's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3
Matt Olson Jason Ring 4
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 5
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 7
John Hyden Brad Keenan 8
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 9
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10
George Roumain Larry Witt 11
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 12
John Mayer Scott Wong 13
Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 14
Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 15
Canyon Ceman Chad Turner 16
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 17
Paul Baxter Mike DiPierro 18
Ben Koski Jeff Minc 19
Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane 20
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q1
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q2
Adam Roberts Brad Torsone Q3
Jon Mesko John Moran Q4
Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q5
Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q6
Seth Burnham Tony Pray Q7
Keith Jones Gaston Macau Q8
Justin Phipps Lucas Wisniakowski Q9
Lucas Black Casey Brewer Q10
David Fischer Matt Sokolowski Q11
Chris Luers Adam Minch Q12
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q13
Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q14
Jim Van Zwieten Steve Van Zwieten Q15
Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q16
Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q17
Yariv Lerner Vince Zanzucchi Q18
Mike Morales Matt Ogin Q19
Brett Becker Jon Mackey Q20
Wayne Holly Jason Stefon Q21
Bill Bowe Tim Church Q22
Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q23
Pete DiVenere James Fellows Q24
Matthew Terrell Peter Weremay Q25
Richard O'Keefe Richard Rainwater Q26
Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q27
Joe Cash Matt Henderson Q28
JD Christie David Holewinski Q29
Robert Brennan Eric Leeseberg Q30
Dameon Holmquist Andreas Olesen Q31
Oguz Degirmenci Brian Platz Q32
Donny Bass Garrett Rasmussen Q33
Chase Andrews Steve Vail Q34
William Chenoweth Eddie Cherry Q35
Michael Landis Ryan Schmidt Q36
Jodi Pigford Charlie Stout Q37

Men's Results:

Men's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 5 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 7 $9,500.00 270.0
5 John Hyden Brad Keenan 8 $6,000.00 216.0
5 George Roumain Larry Witt 11 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Canyon Ceman Chad Turner 16 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Matt Olson Jason Ring 4 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 6 $2,875.00 144.0
9 John Mayer Scott Wong 13 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 14 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 17 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic 21, Q2 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Joe Cash Matt Henderson 24, Q28 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 9 $800.00 72.0
17 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 12 $800.00 72.0
17 Austin Rester Aaron Wachtfogel 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Paul Baxter Mike DiPierro 18 $800.00 72.0
17 Ben Koski Jeff Minc 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen 22, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 Keith Jones Gaston Macau 23, Q8 $800.00 72.0
25 Adam Roberts Brad Torsone Q3 $.00 36.0
25 Jon Mesko John Moran Q4 $.00 36.0
25 Seth Burnham Tony Pray Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q16 $.00 36.0
29 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q1 $.00 18.0
29 Lucas Black Casey Brewer Q10 $.00 18.0
29 David Fischer Matt Sokolowski Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Chris Luers Adam Minch Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Jim Van Zwieten Steve Van Zwieten Q15 $.00 18.0
29 Pete DiVenere James Fellows Q24 $.00 18.0
37 Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q5 $.00 12.0
37 Justin Phipps Lucas Wisniakowski Q9 $.00 12.0
37 Danko Iordanov Monte Tucker Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Yariv Lerner Vince Zanzucchi Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Mike Morales Matt Ogin Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Brett Becker Jon Mackey Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Wayne Holly Jason Stefon Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Bill Bowe Tim Church Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Tim Ryan Travis Schoonover Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Matthew Terrell Peter Weremay Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Richard O'Keefe Richard Rainwater Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q27 $.00 12.0
37 JD Christie David Holewinski Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Donny Bass Garrett Rasmussen Q33 $.00 12.0
37 Chase Andrews Steve Vail Q34 $.00 12.0
37 William Chenoweth Eddie Cherry Q35 $.00 12.0
53 Robert Brennan Eric Leeseberg Q30 $.00 8.0
53 Dameon Holmquist Andreas Olesen Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Oguz Degirmenci Brian Platz Q32 $.00 8.0
53 Michael Landis Ryan Schmidt Q36 $.00 8.0
53 Jodi Pigford Charlie Stout Q37 $.00 8.0

Men's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Donny Bass / Garrett Rasmussen (Q33) def. Oguz Degirmenci / Brian Platz (Q32) 21-19, 23-21 (0:42)
Match 10: Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) def. Jodi Pigford / Charlie Stout (Q37) 21-15, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 15: JD Christie / David Holewinski (Q29) def. Michael Landis / Ryan Schmidt (Q36) 21-19, 21-12 (0:44)
Match 18: William Chenoweth / Eddie Cherry (Q35) def. Robert Brennan / Eric Leeseberg (Q30) 21-15, 21-9 (0:36)
Match 31: Chase Andrews / Steve Vail (Q34) def. Dameon Holmquist / Andreas Olesen (Q31) 18-21, 22-20, 15-9 (0:55)

Round 2
Match 33: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (Q1) def. Donny Bass / Garrett Rasmussen (Q33) 21-13, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 34: Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q16) def. Danko Iordanov / Monte Tucker (Q17) 21-19, 21-12 (0:45)
Match 35: Pete DiVenere / James Fellows (Q24) def. Justin Phipps / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q9) 21-18, 15-21, 15-11 (1:05)
Match 36: Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) def. Matthew Terrell / Peter Weremay (Q25) 21-17, 22-20 (0:44)
Match 37: Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (Q5) 15-21, 21-16, 18-16 (1:03)
Match 38: Chris Luers / Adam Minch (Q12) def. Wayne Holly / Jason Stefon (Q21) 21-10, 21-11 (0:35)
Match 39: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q13) def. Brett Becker / Jon Mackey (Q20) 21-16, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 40: Jon Mesko / John Moran (Q4) def. JD Christie / David Holewinski (Q29) 21-9, 21-6 (0:34)
Match 41: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) def. William Chenoweth / Eddie Cherry (Q35) 21-19, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 42: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q14) def. Mike Morales / Matt Ogin (Q19) 21-9, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 43: David Fischer / Matt Sokolowski (Q11) def. Bill Bowe / Tim Church (Q22) 21-13, 27-25 (0:53)
Match 44: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (22, Q6) def. Jonathan Acosta / Matt McKinney (Q27) 21-18, 21-17 (0:51)
Match 45: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q7) def. Richard O'Keefe / Richard Rainwater (Q26) 21-19, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 46: Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (Q10) def. Tim Ryan / Travis Schoonover (Q23) 21-15, 23-25, 22-20 (1:20)
Match 47: Jim Van Zwieten / Steve Van Zwieten (Q15) def. Yariv Lerner / Vince Zanzucchi (Q18) 21-15, 22-20 (0:40)
Match 48: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) def. Chase Andrews / Steve Vail (Q34) 21-15, 21-18 (0:40)

Round 3
Match 49: Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q16) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (Q1) 21-16, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 50: Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) def. Pete DiVenere / James Fellows (Q24) 27-25, 21-11 (0:47)
Match 51: Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) def. Chris Luers / Adam Minch (Q12) 21-19, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 52: Jon Mesko / John Moran (Q4) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q13) 21-15, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 53: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) def. Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q14) 21-16, 15-21, 15-11 (1:00)
Match 54: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (22, Q6) def. David Fischer / Matt Sokolowski (Q11) 21-15, 21-17 (0:47)
Match 55: Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q7) def. Lucas Black / Casey Brewer (Q10) 21-16, 23-21 (0:52)
Match 56: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) def. Jim Van Zwieten / Steve Van Zwieten (Q15) 21-15, 17-21, 15-12 (0:53)

Round 4
Match 57: Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) def. Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q16) 19-21, 21-13, 15-11 (1:00)
Match 58: Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) def. Jon Mesko / John Moran (Q4) 17-21, 29-27, 16-14 (1:24)
Match 59: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (22, Q6) def. Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) 21-17, 21-15 (0:50)
Match 60: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) def. Seth Burnham / Tony Pray (Q7) 21-15, 21-16 (0:48)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (17) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) 25-23, 17-21, 15-12 (1:01)
Match 2: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) def. Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) 21-15, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 3: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) 20-22, 21-18, 22-20 (1:06)
Match 4: John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (20) 21-11, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 5: Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (14) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (19) 22-20, 21-19 (0:49)
Match 6: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (22, Q6) 20-22, 21-13, 15-13 (1:04)
Match 7: Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 16-21, 21-19, 18-16 (1:06)
Match 8: Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (18) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (15) 21-10, 21-19 (0:39)

Round 2
Match 9: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (17) 21-9, 21-18 (0:34)
Match 10: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) 23-25, 21-12, 15-5 (0:52)
Match 11: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (5) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) 21-14, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 12: John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 21-18, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 13: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (14) 25-23, 21-14 (0:53)
Match 14: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-17, 21-13 (0:47)
Match 15: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) def. Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) 21-15, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 16: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (18) 21-16, 21-19 (0:47)

Round 3
Match 17: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) 21-19, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 18: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (5) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 21-19, 21-19 (0:56)
Match 19: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 14-21, 27-25, 15-11 (1:15)
Match 20: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 19-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:09)

Round 4
Match 21: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (5) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 21-19, 21-19 (0:48)
Match 22: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 21-15, 21-17 (0:46)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) def. Paul Baxter / Mike DiPierro (18) 21-15, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 24: Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) def. Keith Jones / Gaston Macau (23, Q8) 18-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:00)
Match 25: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (12) 21-18, 21-12 (0:45)
Match 26: Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (14) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (20) 21-16, 21-18 (0:48)
Match 27: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (19) 15-21, 21-15, 15-12 (0:54)
Match 28: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (22, Q6) 21-16, 14-21, 15-11 (1:02)
Match 29: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (9) 21-19, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 30: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (17) def. Austin Rester / Aaron Wachtfogel (15) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:58)

Round 2
Match 31: Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) def. Joe Cash / Matt Henderson (24, Q28) 21-13, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 32: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (14) 21-15, 21-17 (0:45)
Match 33: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (21, Q2) 21-15, 21-19 (0:37)
Match 34: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (17) 21-18, 21-19 (0:45)

Round 3
Match 35: Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 21-15, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 36: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (6) 21-17, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 37: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (4) 21-17, 21-19 (0:57)
Match 38: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 21-18, 21-15 (0:44)

Round 4
Match 39: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) by Forfeit
Match 40: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-18, 21-19 (0:44)

Round 5
Match 41: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 21-18, 19-21, 15-5 (1:16)
Match 42: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 21-18, 21-18 (0:41)

Semifinals
Match 43: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (5) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) 21-14, 21-19 (0:50)
Match 44: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) 20-22, 24-22, 15-11 (1:21)

Finals
Match 45: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (5) 21-18, 21-17 (1:00)

2007 Men's Esurance Tampa,FL Open Tournament Champions >>Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal

                       Jake Gibb                                                                           Sean Rosenthal

Women's Entrys:

Women's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 2
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 3
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4
Jennifer Boss April Ross 5
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 8
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9
Paula Roca Sarah Straton 10
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 11
Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 12
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 13
Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 14
Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 15
Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 16
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 17
Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 18
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 19
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder Q1
Tara Kuk Kim Whitney Q2
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q3
Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman Q4
Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q5
Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet Q6
Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q7
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q8
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q9
Leilani Kamahoahoa Jessica Veris Q10
Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q11
Bonnie Levin Meghan Wallin Q12
Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q13
Wendy Lockhart Alev Tugcu Q14
Capri Hilgendorf Brandi Tenlen Q15
Raquel Beson Amy Castro Q16
Nicole Midwin Susan Postnikoff Q17
Montana Curtis Evyn Wills Q18
Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q19
Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q20
Ro LaHara Shawn Roscoe Q21
Sarah Conner Shannon Whitehead Q22
Karen Hoyt Jill Wright Q23
Kristy Hartley Brooke Youngquist Q24
Kendra Jackson Eniko Lukacs Q25
Delavane Diaz Ana-Maria Ortega Q26
Brittany O'Neil Julie Taury Q27
Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias

Women's Results:

Women's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings Points
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 8 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 2 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 7 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Jennifer Boss April Ross 5 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 9 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Paula Roca Sarah Straton 10 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 13 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 14 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 16 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 18 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney 22, Q2 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Lauren Fendrick Brittany Hochevar 12 $800.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Nancy Mason 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 20, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias 21 $800.00 72.0
17 Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet 23, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 Courtney Guerra Chrissie Zartman 24, Q4 $800.00 72.0
25 Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q3 $.00 36.0
25 Krystal Jackson Tiffany Rodriguez Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q8 $.00 36.0
29 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q9 $.00 18.0
29 Leilani Kamahoahoa Jessica Veris Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Marla O'Hara Colleen Smith Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Bonnie Levin Meghan Wallin Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Hedder Ilustre Kirstin Olsen Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Wendy Lockhart Alev Tugcu Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Capri Hilgendorf Brandi Tenlen Q15 $.00 18.0
29 Raquel Beson Amy Castro Q16 $.00 18.0
37 Nicole Midwin Susan Postnikoff Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Montana Curtis Evyn Wills Q18 $.00 12.0
37 Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Ro LaHara Shawn Roscoe Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Sarah Conner Shannon Whitehead Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Karen Hoyt Jill Wright Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Kristy Hartley Brooke Youngquist Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Kendra Jackson Eniko Lukacs Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Delavane Diaz Ana-Maria Ortega Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Brittany O'Neil Julie Taury Q27 $.00 12.0

Women's $100,000 AVP esurance Tampa Open
May 31-June 3, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Raquel Beson / Amy Castro (Q16) def. Nicole Midwin / Susan Postnikoff (Q17) 21-14, 21-10 (0:36)
Match 3: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q9) def. Kristy Hartley / Brooke Youngquist (Q24) 21-12, 21-11 (0:29)
Match 4: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q8) def. Kendra Jackson / Eniko Lukacs (Q25) 21-5, 21-17 (0:33)
Match 6: Bonnie Levin / Meghan Wallin (Q12) def. Ro LaHara / Shawn Roscoe (Q21) 21-18, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 7: Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q13) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q20) 22-20, 21-19 (0:41)
Match 10: Wendy Lockhart / Alev Tugcu (Q14) def. Lara Beutler / Shelby Moneer (Q19) 24-22, 24-26, 15-9 (1:13)
Match 11: Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q11) def. Sarah Conner / Shannon Whitehead (Q22) 18-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 12: Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q6) def. Brittany O'Neil / Julie Taury (Q27) 21-12, 21-12 (0:33)
Match 13: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q7) def. Delavane Diaz / Ana-Maria Ortega (Q26) 21-14, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 14: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Jessica Veris (Q10) def. Karen Hoyt / Jill Wright (Q23) 21-10, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 15: Capri Hilgendorf / Brandi Tenlen (Q15) def. Montana Curtis / Evyn Wills (Q18) 21-14, 21-12 (0:35)

Round 2
Match 17: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (20, Q1) def. Raquel Beson / Amy Castro (Q16) 21-7, 21-17 (0:36)
Match 18: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q8) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q9) 21-19, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 19: Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q5) def. Bonnie Levin / Meghan Wallin (Q12) 21-15, 19-21, 15-10 (0:55)
Match 20: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q4) def. Hedder Ilustre / Kirstin Olsen (Q13) 21-13, 21-9 (0:36)
Match 21: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q3) def. Wendy Lockhart / Alev Tugcu (Q14) 19-21, 21-16, 15-12 (1:04)
Match 22: Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q6) def. Marla O'Hara / Colleen Smith (Q11) 17-21, 21-14, 15-6 (0:51)
Match 23: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q7) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Jessica Veris (Q10) 21-19, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 24: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q2) def. Capri Hilgendorf / Brandi Tenlen (Q15) 21-9, 21-16 (0:34)

Round 3
Match 25: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (20, Q1) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (Q8) 23-21, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 26: Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q4) def. Krystal Jackson / Tiffany Rodriguez (Q5) 26-24, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 27: Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q6) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q3) 21-14, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 28: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q2) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (Q7) 21-17, 21-19 (0:43)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) 23-21, 21-17 (0:46)
Match 2: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q4) 21-12, 21-18 (0:38)
Match 3: Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (21) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (12) 21-18, 21-14 (0:40)
Match 4: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (13) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (20, Q1) 21-13, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 5: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 21-11, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 6: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (11) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q2) 21-12, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 7: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (10) def. Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q6) 21-14, 18-21, 15-10 (0:52)
Match 8: Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (15) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (18) 21-14, 21-12 (0:30)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 21-16, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 10: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 21-15, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 11: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (21) 21-12, 21-16 (0:38)
Match 12: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (13) 21-12, 21-23, 15-11 (0:59)
Match 13: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) 21-14, 21-15 (0:34)
Match 14: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (11) 29-31, 21-17, 17-15 (1:04)
Match 15: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (10) 21-13, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 16: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (15) 21-14, 21-15 (0:41)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 21-19, 21-18 (0:36)
Match 18: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 21-15, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 19: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) by Forfeit
Match 20: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 21-18, 21-18 (0:40)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-14, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 22: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 25-23, 16-21, 15-13 (1:09)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) def. Keao Burdine / Nancy Mason (15) 21-19, 13-21, 15-9 (1:02)
Match 24: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (10) def. Courtney Guerra / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q4) 21-13, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 25: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (11) def. Lauren Fendrick / Brittany Hochevar (12) 21-15, 21-18 (0:38)
Match 26: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (20, Q1) 21-11, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 27: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (13) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 21-16, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 28: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q2) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (21) 21-11, 21-15 (0:34)
Match 29: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (23, Q6) 22-20, 21-10 (0:40)
Match 30: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (18) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (17) 19-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:50)

Round 2
Match 31: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (10) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) 21-17, 22-20 (0:41)
Match 32: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (11) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) 21-18, 23-21
Match 33: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (13) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (22, Q2) 21-15, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 34: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (18) 21-15, 30-28 (0:51)

Round 3
Match 35: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (10) 21-14, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 36: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (11) 21-16, 22-20 (0:33)
Match 37: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (13) 21-15, 21-17 (0:37)
Match 38: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) by Forfeit

Round 4
Match 39: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 23-21, 21-18 (0:48)
Match 40: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (9) 20-22, 21-18, 15-13 (1:03)

Round 5
Match 41: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 19-21, 21-14, 15-12 (0:59)
Match 42: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (7) 21-16, 21-18 (0:44)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (8) 21-18, 25-27, 15-9 (1:00)
Match 44: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-14, 21-12 (0:43)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) 21-19, 21-15 (0:56)

2007 Esurance Tampa,FL Women's Tournament Champions >>Misty May-Treanor /Kerri Walsh

        Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh



Articles 2007:

AVP ESURANCE TAMPA BAY OPEN HITS ST. PETE TIMES FORUM, MAY 31 – JUNE 3, 2007 3/21/2007

CLICK HERE for more information on the AVP Tour

CLICK HERE for tickets

CLICK HERE for the Audio Press Conference

Professional Beach Volleyball Tournament Featuring Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Will Take Place on Arena Grounds; Esurance Announced as Title Sponsor of Event
Tampa, FL, March 21, 2007 - AVP, Inc., a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today announced an agreement with the St. Pete Times Forum and the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lighting to bring the fast-growing AVP Crocs Tour to the Bay Area. Esurance, a direct-to-consumer auto insurance company, has been named as the title sponsor of the Tampa Bay event.
The AVP Esurance Tampa Bay Open marks the debut of AVP professional beach volleyball in Tampa.
At a press conference today, Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Pete Times Forum President Ron Campbell, AVP Representative Gabby Roe, and AVP Professional Beach Volleyball stars Phil Dalhausser and Jen Kessy-Boss announced the agreement.
The new AVP Tour stop in Tampa is one of 18 nationwide events that make up the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. The Tampa tournament will take place May 31-June 3 on the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning. As part of the new integrated partnership, the St. Pete Times Forum and the Tampa Bay Lighting will actively assist with the promotion and presentation of the Tampa AVP event, as well as assist in selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality.
“The AVP is thrilled to bring professional beach volleyball to Tampa and we look forward to working with the Tampa Bay Lightning on this endeavor,” said AVP General Manager Gabby Roe. “Florida has always embraced the growing sport of professional beach volleyball and we can’t wait to bring the excitement and action of the AVP Crocs Tour to fans in another part of the state.”
“We are excited to welcome this tournament to the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum”, said Ron Campbell, President of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Pete Times Forum. “This event is a first for Tampa, and we look forward to it as we continue to aggressively pursue bringing the best sports and entertainment events in the nation to the Bay Area”, he continued.
Gary Tolman, Esurance President and CEO stated, "Esurance is very proud to support the AVP in Tampa. The AVP is all about healthy competition and appeals to a wide variety of fans, particularly in Florida, one of Esurance’s best markets. The associates in our Tampa office look forward to watching the pros in action."
The AVP Esurance Tampa Bay Open will kick off with an open qualifier on Thursday, May 31 and continue with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men’s and women’s finals on Sunday, June 3. More than 150 of the country’s top beach volleyball players, including Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will compete in the tournament, which will be televised on Fox Sports Net.AVP Esurance Tampa Bay Open
About the AVP, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.AVP.com.
About Esurance®
Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM), provides personal auto insurance direct to consumers online and through select online agents. Esurance is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance. Esurance is one of the fastest growing auto insurance companies in America. By combining the best of technology with industry know-how, Esurance is able to offer hassle-free coverage with 24/7 customer service and claims handling at competitive prices. Through Esurance’s Web site, www.esurance.com, customers can get instant quotes, view comparison quotes, buy an Esurance policy, and print their proof of insurance card— all in minutes. Esurance also offers policyholders the ability to make policy changes and file claims instantly online, demonstrating its commitment to improving the entire insurance process from quote to claim.
Source: stpetetimesforum.com

Tampa next stop in Florida two-step
Can either of the top teams be stopped in Tampa?
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
As the Rays host the Tigers and Royals next weekend, Tampa will get its first look at the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
Not only will this be the first ever AVP stop in Tampa, but Florida becomes the only other state to host multiple tournaments this season — California has five of the 18 stops on the AVP Crocs Tour.
But will the Sunshine State be ready for another homecoming from Misty May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh, fondly known as Six Feet of Sunshine? May-Treanor and Walsh had some kinks to work out in the 2007 AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open when they took a third-place finish, so they want to right those wrongs the second time around. And they look like they're in place to do so, with five straight victories since then.
Making their successful appearance in the finals during the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Miami Open were Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who took the title to open up the season. Since then, they have not been able to find as much success, leaving Louisville with their lowest finish in seventh place.
On the other side of the net during Miami's finals was April Ross and Jen Boss, and that was the last and only time they made it to the finals.
After making their first finals appearance with second-place finish in Louisville, Holly McPeak and Logan Tom definitely want to repeat that sequence of events in Tampa.
How about the men?
While the first few tournaments were about parity on the men's side, things are starting to settle down as more teams are finishing consistent with their seeds.
A few changes to note should be the return of partners who took a break in Louisville. Kevin Wong and Karch Kiraly should make their return back as partners, leaving Dax Holdren without a partner. Jeff Nygaard is recovering from cancer treatment and may or may not rush his recovery to play with Holdren next week.
But that still leaves question marks for the top teams. Matt Olson and Jason Ring missed out on the Louisville finals after making their mark in Hermosa Beach. Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert have not yet been able to return to their status as Crocs Cup champs from the 2006 season, only taking one title, in Huntington Beach this year.
One thing is certain though, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers are going to try to continue their shutout of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal in finals matches. Gibb and Rosenthal have been the runners-up four times to Dalhausser-Rogers and once to Lambert-Metzger. Naturally, they want to break through and change their luck in Tampa.
Florida natives and residents: Look for both Misty's Misfits and the May-Niacs, who should be in full force next weekend when the AVP swings through Florida, since May-Treanor lives in Coral Springs, Fla., with her husband, Marlins catcher Matt Treanor.
Other main draw players from Florida are Dalhausser (Orlando), John Hyden (Pensacola), Nick Lucena (Ft. Lauderdale) and Chad and Tyra Turner (Fort Myers Beach).
Of those players, Turner and Dalhausser both call themselves Golden Knights as alumni of the University of Central Florida, while Lucena is a bonafide Florida State Seminole.
The 2007 Esurance Tampa Bay Open closes out play in the month of May, running from May 31 through June 3.

Bringing the beach to you
Beach volleyball in the St. Pete Times Forum parking lot? It's not the first sport that comes to mind. No beach, for one thing.
By BOB PUTNAM
Published May 30, 2007
Sports News Video
Beach volleyball in the St. Pete Times Forum parking lot? It's not the first sport that comes to mind. No beach, for one thing.
The volleyball matches might have been more logically played on Clearwater Beach than downtown Tampa, which does not have the benefit of, say, the Gulf of Mexico.
It all is a little unnatural looking. Two thousand tons of sand were hauled in to build eight courts for the Association of Volleyball Players tour, which is coming to the Forum Thursday through Sunday.
The tournament will begin with an open qualifier and continue with the main draw, culminating with the men's and women's finals Sunday. Courtside seats are $44.75. General admission seating is $24.75.
Why dump tons of sand onto an asphalt lot when Clearwater Beach is just a long lob away? Because beach volleyball has grown too big for the beach. What began as a California novelty has grown nationwide.
The AVP tour, which offers $4-million in prize money, includes more than 150 players. Its season runs from April to September and is as likely to set up in a parking lot as at a seashore in the 18 cities 13 states on its tour.
The top professionals could have played on Clearwater Beach if all they needed was sand. But the tour comes with enough props - bleacher seating for thousands of fans, interactive areas, sponsors tents, TV equipment - that setting up on a public beach can be complex.
"There's a desire to bring the game to urban areas, partly because that's where most people live, " AVP general manager Gabby Roe said at a news conference in March announcing the Tampa stop. "It's an atmosphere that's worked great for us."
Playing beach volleyball on trucked-in sand became popular after the sport debuted during the 1996 Olympics on a man-made beach in Atlanta.
Now, the AVP has stops in Las Vegas, Chicago and Dallas, cities where high tide doesn't exist.
The Forum needed only to clear out the parking lot. The AVP hauled in everything else by the truckload and will finish the setup in time for Thursday.
The sand, which was bought from a local firm, was spread more than 12 inches deep on the blacktop. After the tournament ends, the sand will be given to local parks.
It may lack the ambience of Clearwater Beach, but beach volleyball in parking lots has its benefits. The sand is firmer, which means players can jump higher and spike harder. Errant balls do not end up in the ocean. And the tide tables are irrelevant.
"It's a great surface to play, " men's pro player Phil Dalhausser said. "The game's faster. You can do a lot more. I prefer it."
Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4169.
Fast Facts:
By the numbers
2, 000 Tons of sand used to build courts
103 Dump trucks to haul sand
8 Volleyball courts that were constructed
7 Days to build the courts.

Gibb, Rosie hope for Tampa stamp
AVP's bridemaids have lost five 2007 finals
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb figure it is just a matter of time.
Despite finding themselves on the wrong end of their recent matches with Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, losing 15 of the last 18 head-to-head matches including four of the five finals that Rosenthal and Gibb have played in this season, they believe they'll have their day.
"When we beat them and that dam breaks, it's going to stay open," Rosenthal said.
They'll get their next shot this weekend as the AVP Crocs Tour returns to Florida with the Tampa Open. It marks the first time the Tampa area has hosted an AVP event.
Rosenthal and Gibb dropped last weekend's final to Rogers and Dalhausser, a duo that has won five of the six men's events this year. Like Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on the women's side, Rogers and Dalhausser are running alone in front.
Gibb said the play of Dalhausser makes them particularly tough.
"You've got this monster coming at you serving bombs," Gibb said. "You know, he's spiking at us from the service line. We've just got to do a better job controlling that, but it's tough. When he gets on a roll like that, there's no way to stop it."
While Gibb and Rosenthal look to clear that last hurdle, some other teams are looking to build on the success from Louisville.
Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott finished fifth last week. After reaching the semis in Dallas, the pair fell to 25th in Huntington but placed ninth and seventh in the weeks leading up to Louisville.
"We started off strong and then we went back, but we worked our way back up and got a fifth. So next week we have to get into the final four," Fuerbringer said.
Casey Jennings and Mark Williams reached their first semi-final of the season but lost to Rogers and Dalhausser. Still, it provided momentum.
"We just keep getting better and better as the season progresses," Williams said. "Hopefully we can at least get a third next weekend and keep on getting better and better. We're a confident team."
On the women's side, Logan Tom reached her first career final as she and Holly McPeak faced May-Treanor and Walsh in Louisville. May-Treanor and Walsh prevailed, 21-14, 21-12, but placing second was indicative of the progress that many on tour have been expecting of Tom.
After appearing in two straight finals, Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner lost in the semis to McPeak and Tom, while Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea played in their fourth semifinal of the season last week.
Continuing to slip, though, were Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. They won the first tournament of the season and appeared in the first three finals of the year but placed seventh last week, which included a loss to qualifiers Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney.
Bracketology: Qualifying rounds in Tampa will be held Thursday, when 32 men's and women's teams will compete for one of four slots into the 24-team main draw. Play will be contested on six courts.
Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on AVP.com on Sunday, June 3. The Mosaic video player will also provide coverage from four courts on Friday and Saturday. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, June 5, and will replay the men's final Saturday, June 9.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. ET for Thursday's qualifier, at 9:00 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, and at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. The men's final is scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET with the women's final set to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will remain in the southeast and head to Georgia next weekend for the Atlanta Open, June 7-10, beginning Thursday the 7th with qualifying rounds for the 24-team main draw.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Ivy's juggling act succeeding in '07
She and Heather Lowe continue to play well
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
For Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe, Saturday's play in the 2007 Louisville Open was all about endurance, and in this sport endurance is a virtue.
Ivy is learning that more and more each day with her new partnership and three — yes, three — side jobs to supplement her earnings on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Against Brooke Hanson and Angie Akers — Lowe's former partner and friend — the pair needed three games to get the job done and upset the higher seed, 18-21, 23-21 and 15-13. Oh, yeah, and Ivy did all that feeling under the weather throughout the weekend.
"I've been sick and dehydrated. For me it was just, 'Make it through, make it through,'" said Ivy. "Heather used to play with Angie, so they're good friends, but also it makes it a rivalry too. It just makes it a better match all in the end."
During the first game, Akers and Hanson appeared to be in control of the match, but in the second, both teams evened out and battled back and forth for a handle on the match. With a score of 3-3, Akers dove to the ground and made what appeared to be an impossible save from her knees. Not to be outdone, Ivy and Lowe made a few spectacular plays of their own to keep the score close.
At 20-19, Akers and Hanson had a matchpoint opportunity but lost it when Lowe connected with one of her seven kills in the game — 13 in the match. From there, Ivy and Lowe only needed two gamepoint chances to put them on top for the rest of the match. They took the momentum and were able to lead throughout most of the third game.
"I've seen people come back from 19-12 and even bigger gaps than that, so you can't get too comfortable in volleyball. And even when you get a big lead you're not comfortable," said Ivy. "Even when you're down, you know they're feeling pressure to finish, so it's never really thinking of what's going to happen or the outcome of the game until it's finally over."
Ivy and Lowe fell in the next round to fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana who took third place in Louisville. That gave Ivy and Lowe a ninth-place finish and $2,875 to split.
Ivy and Lowe have yet to lose to a team seeded below them this season, while knocking off five higher seeds throughout the 2007 season.
Ivy said that she gets much of her energy from the people she's surrounded with, most notably her partner, Lowe. The two complement each other on and off the court, but mostly in practice.
While Ivy said that she likes to take it easy in practice, Lowe goes all out, regardless of the situation.
"She's such a great player and so dynamic," said Ivy. "When she hits even in practice, I'm like 'I'm gonna step out of the way of this one.' She never lets down, always 100 percent — you can't ask for anything more."
Even though Lowe's passion does rub off on Ivy, she still maintains her nonchalant attitude and attributes that to her training as a coach. She is the head coach of the women's volleyball program at Redondo Union High School and leads the reigns for two squads of the Southern California Volleyball Club.
If that's not enough, Ivy keeps her fabulous shape and prepares for tournaments as a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, from 5 to 11 a.m. daily.
Does she ever get a break?
"Sometimes," said Ivy. "But I mean there's always breaks here and there. If I don't make it, I have Sundays off. Monday's Memorial Day, so all my clients (at 24 Hour Fitness) are like, 'Hey, I'm not gonna be there on Memorial Day,' so I get Monday off now."
Even the day off can't keep Ivy away from volleyball. She plans to spend her Memorial Day playing in a co-ed volleyball tournament with her boyfriend.
"It's gonna be so much fun!" she said. "I love it and enjoy volleyball, and meeting new people makes it all worthwhile to me."

Nygaard, Holdren to sit out Tampa
Nygaard still recovering from cancer treatment
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
Jeff Nygaard will not play this week in Tampa as he allows his left arm to heal.
The 34-year-old was diagnosed with Stage One melanoma and had surgery to remove a tumor from his left biceps last Thursday. Nygaard still must wait for analysis of tissue surrounding the tumor to determine if it is cancer-free. He hoped to see a doctor this week for clearance to play but said it is better to wait.
"I'm not going to play in Tampa to give my arm proper time to heal so I don't cause any tearing or undue scarring or undue complications," Nygaard said. "They couldn't fit me in and quite honestly, they thought I was crazy for even asking to come in that soon after the surgery to get the stitches taken out."
Nygaard did say, however, that he will continue to train and practice to be ready for the following tournament.
"I'm about 99 to 100 percent sure that I'm going to be in Atlanta, and hopefully I'll be at full strength and I can put this behind me and move on," Nygaard said.
His playing partner, Dax Holdren, teamed with Kevin Wong last week in Louisville while Nygaard remained in California. Holdren and Wong made it to the semifinals where they lost to Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb.
With Wong rejoining regular partner Karch Kiraly in Tampa this week, Holdren will also not play, but will take advantage of some rare family time to see his son play baseball.
"It's pretty cool that he will wait for me to come back," Nygaard said. "I'm actually pretty stoked about that."
Said Holdren: "That's what it was going to be regardless of how I played. I was just trying to increase our points and our seed in any tournaments that I played without him."
Lying in wait: Success changes everything, and for Matt Olson that means elevated expectations.
He and partner Jason Ring reached the finals in Hermosa Beach, where they lost to Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. No dishonor there, as Rogers and Dalhausser are 5-0 in finals appearances this season.
But falling from second to seventh, where they finished this past weekend at the Louisville Open, did not sit as well as it would have when the season began.
"It is still so new to me. A seventh going into this year and I would have been ecstatic and calling home immediately about how excited I'd be," Olson said. "Things have changed a little, but in my mind I'm still trying to grovel every weekend and stay top 10. That was one of my goals originally."
Olson hooked up with Ring for the first time this season after playing all but one tournament last year with Canyon Ceman. When compared with most teams, Olson and Ring would appear to be at a distinct disadvantage as neither player is taller than 6-foot-3, but Ring boasts a 44-inch vertical leap which allows him to play the net with just about any player on tour.
They do not hide from their lack of size, and it's still something they look to exploit, at least to gain a psychological edge.
"We really try to press the point that we're the underdog and just kind of keeping that loose mind set, which has allowed us to be successful," Olson said. "My partner Jason Ring really gets in there and, when he jumps, he's as big as anybody."
Work in progress: Another new team this season that had some early success is John Hyden and Brad Keenan.
They paired for the first time this year at Huntington Beach and reached the semifinals, but a three-set loss to Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger after winning the first set this past weekend in Louisville produced their second straight ninth and left Hyden scratching his head.
"It's all frustrating. I mean ninth is frustrating," Hyden said. "Anything above five is frustrating for me."
Hyden, who played with George Roumain in the first two events this season, said part of their struggles is due to a lack of practice time.
"There is not much time between tournaments to work on things," Hyden said. "It's back-to-back-to-back-to-back so it's really tough to get stuff done in between those tournaments, traveling all the time. It's frustrating because we need more time and we don't have that time."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Phillips starts a Sunshine movement
Beach ambassador making it as a coach
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Leave it to a Canadian from frigid London, Ontario, to lead a beach volleyball revolution in Florida.
Cindy Phillips, 33, didn't start playing beach volleyball until she was 25. She has since played a couple of AVP qualifiers, but her biggest impact may come as a coach.
On May 1, she started Club Beach Dig, a volleyball program that is unique in Florida.
"In California, there are beach volleyball programs on every corner," Phillips said. "But nobody else in Florida is coaching the beach game full-time."
What Phillips has started is no doubt important to the AVP Tour, which has two stops in Florida — Miami to open the season and Tampa this week.
Phillips already has three programs in South Florida: Indian Hammocks Park in Miami, Deerfield Beach (near Fort Lauderdale) and Singer Island in Palm Beach County. She also hopes to start more programs on the state's West Coast next year, including in Clearwater and Fort Myers.
So far, the response has been great.
"We already have over 100 members, girls and guys," Phillips said. "I am excited about how fast it has caught on. I wish I had something like this when I was growing up."
Phillips was an all-around athlete in Canada. She played some volleyball in high school, but she was a basketball player at the University of Toronto. After college, she went back to her hometown and played softball in the summers and hockey in the winters before stumbling on to an indoor beach volleyball facility.
She fell in love with the game and eventually came to Florida to try to make it as a pro. A couple of years ago, she was working as a bartender and playing volleyball whenever possible.
"One day, a friend asked me if I would coach her two teen-aged daughters," Phillips said. "Within three months, I had quit bartending and waitressing. The private lessons had caught on."
Those lessons led to the creation of Club Beach Dig, where she works with kids between the ages of 10 and 18.
"Most of them join to keep playing volleyball after the high school and club programs are over for the year," Phillips said. "They do it to help them improve when they get back to playing indoor volleyball, but some of the kids are falling in love with the beach game."
Phillips said attitudes are changing. She no longer runs into many coaches who feel that the beach game would hinder a youngster's growth in indoor volleyball."
"That's a myth," Phillips said. "The truth is that there is no better way for a player to improve his or her indoor skills than by playing the beach game. Everything on the sand is harder, so a player improves in terms of speed, agility and vertical leap. Their fundamentals improve, too, because there are less players in the beach game (two a side instead of six) and therefore more touches are available."
Phillips, the club's director, said she has nine experienced coaches working with the kids, including former AVP player Eric Wurts.
The registration fee to join is $100. The monthly (May 1 through July 31) cost is $225, which includes hotels and fees for five tournaments. The club practices twice a week, and the fee includes court rentals, insurance, coaching, equipment, club shirts and bags.
The two-hour practice sessions for boys are Mondays and Wednesdays. The girls practice Tuesdays and Thursdays. The locations are Lummus Park in Miami, the beach in Deerfield and Palm Beach Atlantic University.
And after playing May 6 at Delray Beach, the remaining tournaments are this Sunday at Siesta Key; June 17 in Clearwater; July 15 in Fort Lauderdale and July 29 at Fort Myers, which is the junior championship.
The age groups are 13-and-under, 15-and-under and 18-and-under. Two-person teams will play together for the entire season, at the coach's discretion. Practices will be held in groups of 10 athletes per coach. And there will be a minimum of 2 coaches at each tournament.
For more information, call 954-695-8878 or go to beachdig.com.

Logan Tom enjoys a breakthrough
Indoor volleyball legend making it on the beach
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Indoor volleyball legend Logan Tom, a two-time Olympian and a two-time National Player of the Year while at Stanford, was unsure she could ever reach those heights in the beach game.
Holly McPeak, though, had no doubts.
"Logan Tom is one of the best indoor volleyball players in the world," said McPeak, 38. "She's conquered that. Beach volleyball is intimidating. It's hard. It's not easy to step out here and challenge the best.
"It's an experience thing. It's time in the sand. These are all things Logan doesn't have yet. As far as doubts go, I think everyone has them until they actually prove it. But I have no doubts about her. I have been around a long time and I know what it takes to win.
"And she has it — she just doesn't know it yet."
Tom — with McPeak's considerable help — proved she has what it takes to win big on the beach last week in Louisville, Ky. The duo reached their first final together before losing to the sport's dominators, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 21-14, 21-12.
Despite the breakthrough, the 26-year-old Tom says she still has a long way to go.
"Last year was my first playing (beach) tournaments and I had fun, but I really didn't know what I was doing," Tom said. "It was hard not to do well at something I've always done well at. People always have their opinions, and everyone was giving me advice on this and that.
"I had doubts I could do this, even this year sometimes — you know, what am I doing? We'd try something new at practice, and I wasn't catching on. That's why last week was so good for my confidence. It let me know that maybe I actually can do this."
It's not like Tom did poorly last year. The four-time All-American finished 5th and 7th in the two tournaments she played with McPeak. But then Tom tore her abdominal muscles and was lost for the rest of the season.
Once she recovered, Tom went to Spain to play indoors again and did not return to the beach game until just before the 2007 season started.
"We had a frustrating start this year," McPeak said. "We didn't have a lot of time to prepare, and we never got in rhythm. As a result, we lost some matches we shouldn't have in the first five tournaments."
Then came the breakthrough last week.
"We finally put together the kind of tournament we want to play — except for the final," McPeak said. "Logan played great. She came out bombing and did some great things in the final."
Tom credits McPeak for leading the team.
"The biggest thing Holly has done for me is to be patient," Tom said. "She instills confidence in me. Holly is a rock out there."
Tom said she does not know when — or if — she will return to the indoor game.
"That's up in the air," said Tom, who led the United States to fourth place as a 19-year old starter in 2000 and fifth in 2004 in two tries at Olympic gold. "I played with the national team the past two summers. But I don't know if I am going to go back.
"Right now, I enjoy the beach game more."
Especially after the Louisville Open, where she and McPeak were undefeated until the championship match.
"It was a good feeling to be in a final," said Tom, a big winner during her Stanford days. "I missed that."

Qualifying underway in Tampa
64 teams competing for main draw acceptance
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — For the second time this season, the AVP Crocs Tour hit the state of Florida, as play opened Thursday in the Esurance Tampa Open.
The Miami Open kicked off the 2007 campaign as the teams of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, and Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh won titles. Florida, with two, is the only state aside from California, which will have five events, to host multiple tournaments this season.
A total of 64 teams, 37 on the men's side of the draw and 27 on the women's side, are competing in the qualifying round of the Tampa Open that will advance four teams to each side of the main event that begins Friday.
An early upset on the men's side saw the No. 28 seed, locals Joe Cash and Matt Henderson, eliminate the fifth-seeded team of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet. Cash is from St. Petersburg while Henderson is from Tampa.
Cash and Henderson had match point, 14-11, before Marchewka and Zimet scored four unanswered points to go up, 15-14, and a point away from taking the match. The two teams exchanged side outs before Cash and Henderson prevailed, 15-21, 21-16, 18-16, in the second round.
Marchewka and Zimet advanced out of qualifying last week in Louisville.
Also tossed out early was the No. 9 seed, Justin Phipps and Lucas Wisniakowski, who lost to 24th-seeded Pete DiVenere and James Fellows.
Early advancers on the women's side included the No. 1 seed, Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder, who eliminated 16th-seeded Raquel Beson and Amy Castro.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Professional beach volleyball a hit first year
By George Witkowski
With the Association of Volleyball Professionals having left Glendale, early attendance returns are making Dave Groff feel good about the first-time event.
Groff, president of Westgate Live, the events, sponsorship and marketing arm of Westgate, is looking forward to next year based on this year's showing of the Sanderson Ford Glendale Open.
“We had a real successful first-time event,” Groff said. “In four days, we had 15,000 people in Glendale, and we are very optimistic and enthusiastic about the results we had.
“For a first-time event, we're letting the dust settle on all the financials. The AVP has put a lot of trust and confidence in our group to make it successful.
“We were expecting more and we thought the publicity and marketing were well in place,” he said.
Groff said negotiations went smoothly and the set-up was fluid.
“Our biggest obstacle was the heat and we were definitely warmer for early May than in most years,” he said. “We used additional misters and were spraying down people in the stands between games.”
According to Groff, there is a five-year arrangement between The Ellman Companies, the public relations group, and the AVP to bring professional volleyball to Westgate.
Not only is Westgate a beneficiary, but the AVP announced Sahuaro Ranch Park, 59th Avenue and Mountain View Road, is getting new sand to help refurbish the courts. There will also be new nets, benches and light poles for Sahuaro.
“It should be more comfortable for the public to utilize,” Groff said. “I thought the job our staff did was priceless and this is a great property.”
Max Sirstins, director of advertising for Sanderson Ford, said the combination of heat and lower attendance figures were minor inconveniences.
“All the press we got made it all worthwhile, so I was pleasantly surprised,” Sirstins said. “We had light attendance, but it was exciting. It was hot out there and everyone kind of rolled with the punches.”
The AVP has a set schedule of dates and cities and dates won't be arranged until the beginning of 2008, according to Kimberly Moran of California's Brener Zwiekel & Associates public relations and marketing firm.
Sirstins said he hopes the tour will stop in Glendale at an earlier date because of the unexpectedly hot weather.
“When I asked if they were going to move it, they couldn't confirm they could move it up,” he said. “I think they'll be more prepared for it. We're already brainstorming, such as a pool party, making it kind of a beach party, but nothing is set in stone.”

Volleyball professionals set for debut of Tampa Bay Open
TAMPA - The AVP Esurance Tampa Bay Open marks the debut of AVP Professional beach volleyball in Tampa. The Tampa tournament take places May 31-June 3 on the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum.
The tournament kicks off with an open qualifier on Thursday, May 31 and continues with the main draw throughout the weekend, culminating with the men’s and women’s finals on Sunday, June 3. More than 150 of the country’s top beach volleyball players, including Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will compete in the tournament, which will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
The new AVP Tour stop in Tampa is one of 18 nationwide events that make up the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. This season their stops will span 13 states, coast-to-coast. Tour stops include California (5), Florida (2), Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The SoCal staple events are Tampa, Huntington Beach, Hermosa Beach, Boston, Charleston, Miami and San Francisco.
The best teams of the regular season; one men's, one women's, are awarded the Crocs Cup. The Crocs Cup will be presented in Cincinnati, which is the last regular-season stop of '07. Once the regular season wraps up, there are two postseason stand-alone events in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
The top 12 individual players will be invited to Vegas Sept. 6-8 to compete in a God and Goddess of the Beach tournament. The top eight men's and women's teams will be invited to San Francisco to play in a Best of the Beach event Sept. 14-16. All 18 events will be televised on NBC or Fox Sports Net. The stakes have been raised this season, with a record $4 million in prize money up for grabs. The cash is split equally between the top winning women and men.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are the 2004 Olympic gold medalists, and on the weekends they're unstoppable. Last year the pair won the first four events of the season, 13 of 15 overall, earning the Crocs Cup. May-Treanor and Walsh have taken home AVP Team of the Year honors the past four years.
These two are so good, it's almost not fair. In 2006 May-Treanor was named the best offensive player on the tour for the third straight year. She also took home top defensive honors. And she is just three W's short of the record for most victories by a woman on tour. If you're tired of following Barry Bonds' home run record chase, look for this class-act icon to pass the current record holder, Holly McPeak, at the fourth tournament of the year in Glendale, Ariz. (May 10-13).
Karch Kiraly announced last month that he'll be retiring after this season. Kiraly built this sport with his bare hands, all the while wearing nothing but a pair of board shorts and that iconic hot pink, brim-flipped, Speedo hat. The 46-year-old has 148 overall titles -- more than any other player in history. His farewell tour will include appearances in 11 of the 18 AVP events. He'll team with new playing partner Kevin Wong, hoping to pick up a few more W's before hanging up his hat to head the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy and the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball (a grass-roots tournament sanctioned by USA Volleyball). Save the dates - Aug. 9-12 will mark Kiraly's final appearance in the sport's landmark Manhattan Beach Open.
The team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger won the Crocs Cup last year - but "The Professor" Todd Rogers and partner Phil Dalhausser were right behind them in the point standings. Keep an eye on these four guys as both teams are back together for 2007 and figure to be at the top of the standings.
Last season's Rookie of the Year, Brad Keenan, and his teammate John Mayer seem like they're ready to rock and roll this season. There are also a lot of new pairs on the men's side. Fresh tandems to watch include: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams; Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott; Dax Holden and Jeff Nygaard; Eric Fonoimoana and Chad Turner; and Dain Blanton and Scotty Lane.
Last year the four-time first-team All-American, Logan Tom, from Stanford made her AVP debut, teaming up with vet Holly McPeak for two tournaments. Logan is back in the sand, on board full-time this season. Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs won three tournaments together in 2005, including the notable triumph that ended Kerri and Misty's 50-match win streak. In 2006 Wacholder and Youngs claimed two more team titles before parting ways in a midseason breakup, Wacholder then partnered with Jen Boss, while E.Y. picked up '05 Rookie of the Year/'06 Most Improved Player Nicole Branagh. Branagh is back with E.Y. in '07, while Wacholder and Tyra Turner will make their AVP debut in Miami. Other new women's teams include: Jen Boss and Keao Burdine; Nancy Mason and April Ross; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana; and Tatiana Minello and Carrie Dodd.
Last but not least, there's one more team to keep an eye on this season - the illustrious pair best known in and around the beach bleachers as simply "Team Hot." Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More - college teammates from the University of Nevada-Reno - are quite the crowd pleasers.
Day passes are available at the following prices: Limited reserved courtside seats are $44.75, general admission seating is $24.75, children under 18 and college students with identification are $13.75.
Tickets for this event are on sale now at the McDonald's Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum and all Ticketmaster Outlets including Spec’s Music and FYE. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 813-287-8844 or 727-898-2100.
For more information, call 813-301-2500 or visit www.stpetetimesforum.com. Advanced parking passes are available for $10 at www.ticketmaster.com and the McDonald’s Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Local boys make good by the Bay
Strickland is trying to make expected impact
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Joe Cash and Matt Henderson tapped into a local power source and it paid off.
Both are local players and had a legion of support that was also the most vocal group on site. As their final match neared conclusion with Cash and Henderson nearing advancement to the main draw, fans didn't need a scoreboard — they merely had to listen.
"The local guys hoot and holler; they support us," said Henderson, who was raised in Tampa and lives about 20 minutes from the grounds adjacent to the St. Pete Times Forum, site of the Tampa Open. "It was a great atmosphere and probably the best I've played in this year."
It was also the best each of them has played in recent memory. For Cash, it was just the third time he's played in a qualifier, while Henderson is the grizzled veteran with four qualifiers under his belt.
While both players possess the skills, their success doesn't quite match the résumé, especially in a sport that features players that were raised in the hotbed of beach volleyball in Southern California or played in a high-level collegiate program.
Cash did play college ball but at nearby Eckerd, where he was part of a Division II national championship. Henderson didn't play in college, and he didn't even play in high school, but instead played on the junior indoor circuit.
What they can bring, however, is about a dozen years of experience playing beach volleyball, mostly in St. Petersburg and Clearwater — that and a partnership that works.
"Matt's knowledge of the game and I think I have some ability at the net," said Cash, who is from Port Charlotte but now lives in St. Petersburg. "We side out well and slow down the game and we can kind of pick teams apart a little bit. It's just about consistency and playing at the net — we're pretty consistent."
Their partnership extends back about 10 years, and Henderson had been working with some other players, but with a tournament in their own backyard, it was time to join forces and make some noise.
"He's a good ballplayer. He's 6-4, left-handed, he hand-sets; it is everything you want in a big guy," Henderson said. "I was playing with a smaller guy and I was doing all of the blocking. We gel pretty well. I've played against some of these guys before and I thought we could do well."
Cash and Henderson will draw Nick Lucena and Will Strickland in their first match Friday. With Lucena and also Phil Dalhausser from Florida, Cash and Henderson are well-acquainted with their opponents and are looking forward to the match.
"I want to play against the big guys. Today we came in as one of the lower seeds and took out some of the better seeds," Cash said. "I want to play with Phil and Nick. I'm friends with those guys, so I'd love to play with those guys. "
Looking for more: Strickland has been labeled as one of the next great players by his fellow tour players.
At 6-foot-9, Strickland strikes an imposing figure at the net and is teamed with Lucena this season. The two have finished seventh twice this year and as high as fifth and will enter Friday's main draw as the No. 9 seed.
"Nick has a really high drive and I feed off that," Strickland said. "It's good to get a seventh but our goal is to get into the semifinal matches. As soon as we can do that we'll be in a good place. I think we're playing well together."
Cut shots: The AVP Crocs Tour is one-third complete with the Tampa Open the seventh tournament of the year. ... A total of 114 men and 94 women will compete in 56 qualification and 90 main draw matches this weekend. ... The Tampa Open is the second tournament in Florida, which ranks behind only California's five event this season. ... Florida is one of 13 different states the tour will visit this season.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

A Sunshine feel to Tampa qualies
Kuk, Whitney find another place in main draw
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — The hometown girls came through.
Tara Kuk of Clearwater and Kim Whitney of Dunedin — the second-seeded team among qualifiers — beat Californians Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, 21-17, 21-19, on Thursday to advance to Friday's main draw of the AVP Esurance Tampa Open.
"I felt a lot of pressure to advance," Kuk said. "Last week, we had a great weekend, and there was a lot of pressure for us to play on that same level. And to have everyone here wanting it just as much as you do, it's a little nerve-wracking."
Kuk said Thursday was the first time that her mother had seen her play on the AVP Tour. The same is also true for her in-laws, who flew down from Maryland as the AVP Tour made its first-ever stop in Tampa.
Four of Kuk's players — she is the head volleyball coach for Palm Harbor (Fla.) High School — were also in attendance.
Whitney, a junior-college coach at nearby Pasco Hernando, was represented by her parents and her and Kuk's trainers.
All those fans got the result they wanted. But when the day started, there were 27 women's teams competing for just 4 spots in the main draw. Of those 27, 11 were all-Florida teams and two more boasted one Floridian.
But when the Sarasota duo of Chara Harris and Brooke Langston — who finished a career-high 17th in the main draw last week in Louisville — lost in the round of 16, that left just Kuk and Whitney to hold the Florida banner.
And that was fine with the pair, who last week completed a career-best performance in Louisville. They finished ninth, the best result for any duo emerging from the qualifiers this season.
"That was so cool," said Whitney, who has played pro ball in Spain. "When we read that fact on avp.com, we got really pumped."
Now, after a night to rest, they will open play on Friday against the 11th-seeded team of Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. Ultimately, they would love to earn enough points in the AVP system that they can avoid qualifiers and advance directly to the main draw like other top players.
"There is a lot of pressure in qualifiers," Whitney said. "It's one loss and you are out."
No worries, though. In their first match Thursday, they beat fellow Floridians Capri Hilgendorf of Miami and Brandi Langston of Sarasota, 21-9, 21-16.
With the wins, Kuk, 29, and Whitney, 30, have now qualified for the main draw three out of five times this year and seven out of nine since they paired up late last year.
Kuk graduated from Sarasota Riverview High and Jacksonville University. Whitney went to Clearwater Central Catholic before leaving the state to play for Kansas State. But up until last year, they had been rivals.
"Whitney and I played against each other a lot in Florida," Kuk said. "Last year, she called me and asked if we could play together, and I said, 'Sure, I'll give it a shot.'"
Kuk said that the team clicked from the beginning.
"We finished 17th, and everyone in Florida said, "Why the heck aren't you guys playing together (full-time)?" And we finally said, maybe we should do this more often and we made the switch (permanent)."
Kuk said she loves the support she gets in Florida.
"We're so lucky here," she said. "I don't know how it is in California, but all the girls here are so supportive of each other. I can't imagine that being the case in most states. I can't tell you how many girls from Florida told us they were on www.avp.com last weekend, watching us go."
Moving on up: Along with Kuk and Whitney, three other women's teams advanced to the main draw on Thursday. No. 4 Courtney Guerra and Chrissie Zartman defeated No.5 Krystal Jackson and Tiffany Rodriguez, 26-24, 21-16. No. 1 Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder deafeted No. 8 Whitney Pavlik, 23-21, 21-17. And in a mild upset, No. 6 Angie Hall and Beth Van Fleet took out No. 3 Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, 21-14, 21-14.

Carlucci, Jensen starting to gel
Ailing partners get healthy in Tampa
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — A little less than perfect, perhaps, but Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen were able to get it done.
Fighting colds, ear infections and a host of minor ailments that nonetheless caused both players to feel strapped for weeks, the two players were able to overcome adversity and reach the main draw by advancing out of qualifying here Thursday.
"We've taken every natural pill that we can," Jeff Carlucci said.
Moving on with a 21-17, 21-15 victory over Adam Roberts and Brad Torsone also helped the pair avoid the bitter pill of elimination, as both players had reached the main draw just one other time this season.
That was in Huntington Beach, and each had a different partner. Carlucci was paired with Roberts while Jensen played with Mike Placek.
"We were both actually sick and we hung in there," Carlucci said. "Every game we're getting better and figuring out who is going to be where."
Also advancing Thursday were Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic, Keith Jones and Gaston Macau, and local favorites Joe Cash and Matt Henderson.
It was the fifth straight successful qualifier for Allen and Mihalic, who finished 17th last week in Louisville tying their highest finish of the season. Macau qualified this season in Dallas playing with Joaquin Acosta while Jones is appearing in just his second tournament this season.
For Cash and Henderson, it was not only their first berth into the main draw but they did it in front of their local fans. Henderson is from Tampa while Cash lives in St. Petersburg and grew up in Port Charlotte.
"I just wanted to get the first game out of the way and get a win. We beat some top teams in the qualifiers," Cash said. "We didn't have too many expectations, but I'm excited right now."
Cash and Henderson began the day by defeating Jodi Pigford and Charlie Stout and then delivered the upset by ousting the No. 5-seeded Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet. Marchewka and Zimet had advanced out of qualifying just last week at the Louisville Open.
They followed that with a win over Chris Luers and Adam Minch before facing the fourth-seeded team of Jon Mesko and John Moran in the match of the afternoon.
Down a set, Cash and Henderson outlasted Mesko and Moran in the second game, 29-27, before pulling out another overtime victory in the third set, 16-14.
"We just stuck in there. Basically that whole game was whoever makes a mistake would be out," Cash said. "We'd be flawless but they would side out — a little error here and there and you try and capitalize on it."
It was just the third time that Cash has tried to qualify, while Henderson was playing in his fourth, but they felt good coming into the tournament and admitted they caught some breaks.
"We got some lucky digs at the end," Henderson said. "We had some good games."
Another upset was handed down in the day's third round when the top seed in the qualifier was sent home. Ihor Akinshyn and Tim McNichol, the No. 16 seed, defeated Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, 21-16, 21-15. Morrison and Tramblie placed 17th last week.
Allen and Mihalic had their biggest scare when they faced Jim and Steve Van Zwieten in their second match of the day. The Van Zwietens took the second set but fell, 15-12, in the third to be eliminated. The youngest brother, Mark, was also eliminated in the third round when he and partner Joey Dykstra lost to Mesko and Moran.
For Jensen and Carlucci, though, it's been a matter of finding that flow both from a health perspective but also in their partners.
Carlucci and Roberts struggled early in the year while Jensen and Placek never quite gelled. On Thursday, both Carlucci and Jensen feel they accomplished what they've been trying to since hooking up last week for the first time in Louisville.
"When you haven't played together, even the simple things are big things, and if you haven't practiced much it's tough. So when you start playing well, you kind of get in a rhythm and know how a person blocks and where to set," Jensen said.
Carlucci agreed.
"We're getting stronger every match," Carlucci said. "We're confident and we're communicating better every match."
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Qualifiers hope to make mark Friday
All the top teams will be in action in Tampa
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — The field is set for the main draw of the first-ever AVP Crocs Tour event in this city.
Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and 13 other cities in the Sunshine state have laid claim to an AVP event, and the Esurance Tampa Open puts the third-largest city in Florida firmly on the volleyball map.
A total of 64 teams, 37 men's and 27 women's, competed for the right to reach the main draw, which begins Friday.

Thursday's highlights:Joe Cash and Matt Henderson, and Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, all locals from Florida qualified into the main draw.
Match of the day: Top seeds Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic were extended, 21-15, 17-21, 15-13, by Jim and Steve Van Zwieten.
Upset of the day: Cash and Henderson, seeded 28th, ousted the No. 5 seed, Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet, 15-21, 21-16, 18-16.
Record watch: Misty May-Treanor won her 74th beach tournament with partner Kerri Walsh last weekend in Louisville. With her next victory, she will tie Mike Dodd, fifth all-time, while Walsh can tie Holly McPeak with 72 victories, the second highest total among women players.
Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong are seeded fifth and will open play against the winner of the Allen-Mihalic and Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge match.
Start/finish: Play will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday and conclude at approximately 6:00 p.m.
Weather forecast: A high of 84 degrees is expected Friday with a 60 percent chance of morning showers and afternoon thunderstorms. Winds are out of the southeast at 10-20 mph.
Match to watch: Kuk and Whitney, who finished ninth last week face Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson in the first round of main draw play on Friday.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Advancing on the men's side are Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic, Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen, Gaston Macau and Keith Jones, and Joe Cash and Matt Henderson.
The women qualifiers are Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder, Courtney Guerra and Chrissie Zartman, Angie Hall and Beth Van Fleet, and Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney.
Cash and Henderson will supply some local color as both players are from the region. Cash lives in St. Petersburg and Henderson was raised in Tampa.
On Friday, they'll face the No. 9 seed in the tournament when they play Nick Lucena and Will Strickland. Lucena is also from Florida and has played on numerous occasions with Cash and Henderson.
"Those are good guys. I like those guys a lot," Henderson said. "We're just going to have fun. What are you supposed to do? Those are some of the greatest players in the world."
Allen and Mihalic will face Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge, while Macau and Jones will draw Anthony Medel and Fred Souza. Carlucci and Jensen will play George Roumain and Larry Witt.
"It's been tough, but we're feeling better playing together with each match," Carlucci said. The two hooked up for the first time last week in Louisville.
Ruen and Snyder will play Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe while Guerra and Zartman will face Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima. Kuk and Whitney draw Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson with Hall and Van Fleet getting Paula Roca and Sarah Straton in the first round.
The top seeds in the tournament present no surprises as Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are No. 1 in the men's side of the draw and Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are seeded first on the women's side.
Both teams have won five of six events this season while May-Treanor and Walsh have notched five tournament victories in a row. They also can claim a bit of homecourt advantage as May-Treanor makes her home in Clearwater with husband and Marlins catcher Matt Treanor, while Dalhausser went to Central Florida in Orlando.
The No. 2 seed on the men's side of the draw is Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb, who are runners-up five times this season with four of those losses coming against Rogers and Dalhausser. Rounding out the top five seeds are Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger (3), Matt Olson and Jason Ring (4), and Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong (5).
Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder have moved up to the No. 2 seed on the women's side with Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh falling to third. Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana are the No. 4 seed, and Jennifer Boss and April Ross are fifth.

Towering advantage
By BOB PUTNAM
Published June 1, 2007
The demands of beach volleyball are clearly different from those of the indoor game. There are only two players to a side, with no substitutions, so all players must be all things. They must block, dig, set, spike and serve. One of the most skilled is Phil Dalhausser.
At 6 feet 9, Dalhausser is the second-tallest player on the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour. Because of his height, he can block shots or slam the ball past an opponent for a perfect spike.
He has been named the AVP's top offensive player twice.
"Phil is changing the game, " said Karch Kiraly, widely considered the Michael Jordan of his sport.
Dalhausser, 27, and Todd Rogers, 23, are the best men's team on the AVP tour. The two have won five titles this year. Today, they are scheduled to play in the main draw at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.
"There's a lot of hand-eye coordination involved in being a great player, " Dalhausser said.
"Of course, being tall helps."
The accidental star
Dalhausser did not start whacking volleyballs out of the womb. He was a tennis and basketball player whose background includes two years of high school indoor volleyball and four years of pickup games along the beach while attending Central Florida.
"I got a late start compared to some of the other players, " he said.
"But the sport was natural to me. I could pick things up pretty quick."
After graduating from UCF, Dalhausser worked odd jobs, including painting houses.
"I didn't even need a ladder, " he said. "I would paint the top trim, and a friend of mine would paint the bottom."
The work wasn't steady enough, so Dalhausser decided in 2003 to give beach volleyball a try.
He played in open qualifiers before making it to the main draw.
Last year, he teamed with Rogers to form a net supremacy at the beach. The duo became the first men's team to win four consecutive AVP tournaments since Kiraly and Adam Johnson in 1997.
"We work well together, " Dalhausser said. "I now feel like I'm coming into my own."
And he wants to keep it going.
Dalhausser, nicknamed "The Thin Beast, " trains by running in the sand with weights attached to his waist. That helps him maintain a high metabolism.
"I've got to do what I can to get better, " Dalhausser said.
Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or 727 445-4169.
Fast Facts:
AVP tour in Tampa
Location: Grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa
Tickets: Courtside seats $44.75, general admission $24.75. Call (813) 287-8844 or (727) 898-2100.
Thursday's results: Tara Kruk (Palm Harbor)-Kim Whitney (Dunedin) and Joe Cash (St. Petersburg)-Matt Henderson (Tampa) were among eight who advanced in the men's and women's qualifiers.
Today's schedule: Main draw, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

From dishwasher to volleyball star
A college grad without a job, Dalhausser finds his calling
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Just a few years ago, the guy who is part of pro beach volleyball's top team was washing dishes at a restaurant two hours from where this week's AVP Esurance Tampa Open is being played.
"I was washing dishes and busing tables at Bob Evans Restaurant and I was a bag boy and stocker at a Winn Dixie," Phil Dalhausser said when asked to relive his high school days at Daytona Mainland. "Those were my two main jobs, and I kept them for a while. My high school days were very busy."
Dalhausser also played tennis and baseball at Mainland.
"I pitched and played first base," Dalhausser said in between matches outside the St. Pete Times Forum. "But I wasn't a power guy. I was a contact guy. I was 6-6 and weighed a-buck-40."
Dalhausser, who is now 6-9, 195 pounds and owner of the popular nickname "The Thin Beast," didn't start playing volleyball until his senior year of high school. Even then, beach volleyball didn't have varsity status in Florida. It was merely a club sport.
After high school, Dalhausser enrolled at the University of Central Florida in nearby Orlando. As far as he was concerned, his athletic career was over.
But by his sophomore year, the itch to play competitive volleyball had returned. Since UCF didn't have a varsity program, Dalhausser formed a club team.
After earning a degree in business administration, Dalhausser struggled to find a job.
"I wasn't really that dedicated a student, to be honest," Dalhausser said. "School was kind of boring. I had problems finding a job after school, just like most kids do. I just kind of fell into playing volleyball for a living. I had been getting better and better at it after I left UCF, and I just decided to give it a shot."
Dalhausser's breakthrough came in 2004, when he partnered with Nick Lucena to beat the top-ranked team of Mike Lambert and the legendary Karch Kiraly. In 2005, Dalhausser earned his first AVP championship and led the Tour in blocks.
The former dishwasher and bag boy had an amazing season last year. He was named the AVP's and FIVB's Most Improved Player. He also garnered recognition as the AVP's Best Offensive Player and FIVB's Best Blocker.
Todd Rogers, 33, the AVP's Most Valuable Player last season and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, had a lot to do with Dalhausser's incredible rise. The two paired up for the first time last year and combined to win eight AVP tournaments as well as an FIVB Grand Slam event in Austria.
"Everything just clicked when we teamed up," Dalhausser said.
The two are even hotter this year, having won five of the the first six AVP tournaments in 2007. They won their opening match on Friday, downing No. 17 Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola, 21-9, 21-18.
Now Dalhausser, 27, has returned to the area in which he grew up. His parents, who live in Ormond Beach, are here for the weekend along with 20 of Dalhausser's friends.
"My parents weren't that enthusiastic about my volleyball career when it started," said Dalhausser, who spent the first year of his life in Switzerland before moving to the U.S. with his German dad and Swiss mom. "They were like, 'Get a job, get a job, get a job.'
"But now they love it. They ordered the Fox Sports Net package so they can watch all my matches when I am not in Florida."

McPeak to hang 'em up after 2008
Floridians stay alive through adversity
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Holly McPeak, the second-winningest woman in AVP history, said 2008 will be her final season on tour.
"I've never said this so definitively before, but I don't envision myself playing past next year," McPeak said Thursday.
McPeak, 38, is a legend on the beach. She is a three-time Olympian, winning a bronze medal in 2004 with Elaine Youngs.
McPeak broke into the beach game in 1987, and no other player who started that year is still playing. McPeak entered this year with more than $1.5 million in earnings.
But McPeak doesn't see the money, the wins or even the medal as her legacy.
"My whole thing is developing young players," said McPeak, who has an English Literature degree from UCLA. "When I leave the sport, there are going to be more young, developed players."
One of the players McPeak helped was Nicole Branagh, 28, whose career took off last season.
"Before we got together, she had never finished higher than ninth," McPeak said. "But she elevated her game tremendously, and I benefited from that."
Boosted by McPeak, Branagh was named the AVP's Most Improved Player of the Year and made it to nine semifinals. But late in the season, Branagh switched to Youngs as her partner.
"That was disappointing, because you put so much time and energy into the partnership," said McPeak. "But you move on.
"Now I have Logan Tom as my teammate, and the sky is the limit for her. She is so physically talented. She is going to reach the top, but I know I won't be around (on the tour) much longer."
Staying alive: Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, the only Floridian women to qualify on Thursday for the main draw, made it through to Saturday with just one setback.
The duo lost to 11th-seeded Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, 21-12, 21-15, to open play on Friday. But they recovered to defeat 21st-seeded Jennifer Fopma and Julie Romias, 21-11, 21-15.
Kuk, who is from Clearwater, and Whitney, from Dunedin, will face a do-or-die match Saturday vs. 13th-seeded Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe. Last week, Kuk and Whitney placed a career-high 9th in Louisville, the highest finish for any qualifier this season.
Bouncing back: Joe Cash and Matt Henderson, the only all-Floridian men's team to advance past Thursday's qualifying, lost their opening match on Friday, falling to 9th-seeded Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 21-15, 21-19.
Henderson, who is from Tampa, and Cash, who was born in Port Charlotte but now lives in St. Petersburg, won their next match, however. They beat Keith Jones and Gaston Macau, 18-21, 21-16, 15-12, in one of the best matches of the day.
Macau is also a Floridian. He is a Miamian who earlier this season — in his hometown — tried to qualify with former NBA star Rony Seikaly.
Hurricane fever: Friday marked the official start of hurricane season, which always causes concern in Florida. And while the weather wasn't nearly that bad on Friday, it did rain lightly for most of the afternoon.
But that's Florida for you. Out of seven tour stops so far this season, the only rain has come in Miami and Tampa.

Battling opponents and weather
Day one of men's main draw complete in Tampa
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — It was a good day to take care of business.
Those that lived up to their status in the winner's bracket of the Tampa Open were able to cut out early, while the teams that lost and fell into the contender's bracket were confronted with playing under soggy conditions as a storm settled over the area.
Taking the easy route to Saturday were Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, and Brad Keenan and John Hyden.
All six teams were one and done during the early portion of Friday's play, as inclement weather gradually turned a balmy day into one with matches contested in rain that progressed from light to a steady downpour.
George Roumain and Larry Witt, and John Mayer and Scott Wong used a pair of match victories Friday to stay in the winner's bracket.
One team that was required to endure the afternoon and remain alive in the tournament was Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. Semifinalists in last week's tournament, Jennings and Williams dropped their first match of the day, 17-21, 13-21, to Roumain and Witt.
They picked the wrong day for additional work but ultimately prevailed.
"We basically hit balls out and got blocked and didn't give ourselves a chance — the complete opposite of what you're supposed to do to play the game," Jennings said of their first match. "They did nothing and we gave them everything. I don't think they even made a good play and we just made bad ones."
Jennings and Williams recovered with a 21-18, 21-12 victory over Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge and will play Brent Doble and Ryan Mariano on Saturday morning.
Kiraly skipped last week's tournament in Louisville while his partner Wong teamed with Dax Holdren and reached the semifinals. Kiraly is playing a limited schedule in his last season on the AVP Crocs Tour in the hopes of keeping fresh throughout the year.
On Friday, Kiraly and Wong played at stadium court and defeated A.J. Mihalic and Billy Allen, 21-14, 21-18, who survived qualifying for the fifth straight tournament. Mihalic and Allen held both sets close early but faded late.
"I'm able to manage my schedule to keep myself feeling good physically," Kiraly said. "I don't want to put myself through the strain of seven tournaments in a row. I took 270 swings in Hermosa Beach and hurt that next day. This is a bit more leisurely so I feel good."
Kiraly and Wong will play Mayer and Kevin's brother Scott on Saturday.
The tour's No. 1 team had one of the earliest matches of the day. So much so that Dalhausser was wandering the complex later in the day and checking the board for a court assignment.
"I was stretching and getting ready for the next match and didn't realize that we're not playing again until Saturday," Dalhausser said.
He and Rogers parlayed their first-round bye into a 21-9, 21-18 victory over Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola but had to fight through distraction to get there.
"We had an easy first game and kind of relaxed in the second game, and that is what went wrong," Dalhausser said. "We still won, but it ended up being tighter than we wanted."
Dalhausser and Rogers will play Hyden and Keenan, who got past Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 23-25, 21-12, 15-5.
Defeating qualifiers Gaston Macau and Keith Jones was Fuerbringer and Scott with a 21-15, 21-13 victory.
"We got a qualifier team in the second round and that is unheard of as a seven-seed," Fuerbringer said. "But we're focused and that is what we have to do — stay focused. You can't worry about all that stuff and just keep rolling."
Fuerbringer and Scott will play Gibb and Rosenthal, who won, 21-16, 21-19, over Paul Baxter and Mike DiPierro.
Mike Scarr is a senior reporter for AVP.com.

Tampa looks forward to moving day
Each of the top eight women's teams will face off
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — The top eight women's seeds advanced undefeated into Saturday's winner's bracket.
The top men? Well, to quote Borat, not so much.
The fourth-seeded men's team of Matt Olson and Jason Ring got off on the wrong foot — or perhaps we should say flip flop? — after falling to No. 13 seed Scott Wong and John Mayer, 21-18, 21-18.

Friday's highlights: A strong weather system dumped steady rain on the tournament throughout most of the afternoon.
Match of the day: Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello defeated Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, 29-31, 21-17, 17-15.
Upset of the day: Qualifiers Keith Jones and Gaston Macau sent Anthony Medel and Fred Souza to the contender's bracket with an 18-21, 21-19, 18-16 victory in the first round.
Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong downed Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic, 21-14, 21-18, in their lone match Friday and advanced to the weekend when they will play John Mayer and Scott Wong.
Start/finish: Play will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET on Saturday and conclude at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Weather forecast: A high of 82 degrees is expected Saturday with a 60 percent chance of showers and scattered thunderstorms. Southeasterly winds are expected to shift to the southwest at 10-20 mph.
Match to watch: Jennifer Boss and April Ross (5) will face Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea (4).

Now Olson and Ring face a win-or-go-home match on Saturday against qualifiers Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic.
But Olson and Ring are not alone. Sixth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams are in the same predicament. They lost their opening match to 11th-seeded George Roumain and Larry Witt, 21-17, 21-13.
Top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers continue to look nearly unbeatable. They pounded 17th-seeded Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola, 21-9, 21-18, in a 34-minute tuneup on Friday.
Dalhausser and Rogers, looking for their fourth straight title and their sixth in seven tournaments this season, will start their Saturday by playing eighth-seeded John Hyden and Brad Keenan.
"We've been playing very well together," Dalhausser said of his pairing with Rogers. "But we respect all our opponents."
If the seeds hold, Dalhausser and Rogers would play the legendary Karch Kiraly and his towering teammate Kevin Wong in a match that would grab major attention.
The top seed on the other side of the bracket is Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal, who have finished in second place in five of the first six tournaments this year. Seeking their first win of the year, Gibbs and Rosenthal defeated 18th-seeded Paul Baxter and Mike DiPierro, 21-16, 21-19.
Next up for the AVP's second-ranked team is a match against seventh-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Fuerbringer, who is 6-foot-7, and Scott, at 6-5, are the tallest team on tour.
Waiting on the other side of the bracket — should the seeds hold — are Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger. They won at Huntington Beach last month — the only men's team not named Dalhausser and Rogers to win an AVP event this season.
The women also have a pair of dominators, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who have won five straight tournaments.
But if their opponents are looking for an omen, here goes: the only tournament May-Treanor and Walsh did not win was in Miami. This week in Tampa, their rivals are hoping it's a Florida thing.
One thing's for sure: the lack of big upsets on the women's side on Friday clears the way for some exciting matchups right away on Saturday. May-Treanor and Walsh start off against eighth-seeded Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, who have beaten the No. 1 team before and usually give them trouble due to their impressive athleticism.
Second-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder also get a tough match Saturday, opening against seventh-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. But Turner and Wacholder, who have finished second twice this season, hope they have a secret weapon: Turner is a local favorite because she is from Fort Myers, Fla., and attended the University of Central Florida.
On the other side of the bracket, third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs are hoping to get back on track. After starting the season by making the finals in three straight tournaments, including winning the Miami title, the two have failed to reach those heights since.
They open Saturday against the sixth-seeded team of Brazilian Tatiana Minello and Californian Carrie Dodd.
It remains to be seen who has the skills to survive and advance to Sunday's final rounds. But as Dalhausser pointed out on Friday: "Sometimes luck is better than skill."

Does bigger mean better?
Giant Fuerbringer-Scott duo prompts debate on tour
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Many will contend that size matters, but a more pressing issue is whether bigger is actually better.
Case in point on the AVP Crocs Tour this season is a trend toward bigger players that can control the net. A quick glance at the top men's team and it's hard to ignore the dominant play of the 6-foot-9 Phil Dalhausser, who is paired with his relatively diminutive partner, the 6-2 Todd Rogers.
That follows the more conventional thinking of pairing a blocker with a smaller defender, which can be seen with teams like Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb, Casey Jennings-Mark Williams and Karch Kiraly-Kevin Wong.
Stretching that notion this season is Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, who paired up this year with the basic idea that if one big player can control a game, then two big players can dominate it.
Like most sports that have trended larger over time, the expectation that it would hit the beach was just a matter of time in the minds of most players.
"A lot of us have been guessing and conjecturing that big-on-big was going to be the future or is the future of the sport," Kiraly said.
The 6-7 Fuerbringer, who in the past teamed with a more traditional backcourt player like Jennings, believes the trend upward helps maximize the key element to success.
"That is how you win out here," Fuerbringer said of controlling the net. "If you don't block, you can still win if you side out, but every game is close."
Fuerbringer contends, though, that his partnership with Scott is not just a matter of combining two big players, but one that still accounts for the customary roles and translates them into a bigger package.
"If I thought Sean was a traditional big guy, I wouldn't do it," Fuerbringer said of his 6-foot-5 partner. "But he moves well, more like a guy that is 6-1 or 6-2."
Dalhausser is a strong believer that a big player is essential to winning. His point is well taken given that he and Rogers have won five of the first six events on tour. Yet he also believes that two big players on one team, while solving some problems, will also create others.
"It is a big advantage," Dalhausser said. "You don't have to jump as high to hit the ball or block, but the biggest thing is a big guy that is coordinated and can pass. You could be a big goofball and just be able to pound the ball, but that is not going to help you when you still have to set your partner."
Kiraly has seen his share of rules changes over a pro career that began in 1978. One change reduced the size of the court, and another allowed a blocker to reach over the net.
Both changes affected the beach game and helped increase the impact taller players had on the game. Kiraly said it reduced the area a player needs to create a shadow with his block — "shadow" is the area behind him that is taken away from a hitter. But it also reduced the effectiveness of the jump serve that had become an integral part of the beach game.
"With the smaller court no one is serving rockets anymore, so the big guys don't have to contend with that," Kiraly said. "That is a skill they don't need anymore. That is a skill that we had to develop to control those other jump servers."
The smaller player is still out there and is far from extinct despite Rogers' speculation that guys his size will eventually have to find another line of work. Rogers was the the AVP's MVP last season while Rosenthal, Kiraly and Jennings are all top players on tour.
"I thought it might be two big guys that are just bombing serves, but I think there is too much creativity to be had with the little guys," Jennings said. "There will be exceptions, but for the most part I don't think so. There will always be a nice variety."
For Jennings, it's about the unique experience the smaller player has had by not having the luxury of size determining part of the outcome.
"I did think that we'd get sifted out, but when you're small and playing sports growing up, you have to be creative and make plays and you learn," Jennings said.
Kiraly also believes the smaller player has a place, but may have a tenuous position long-term when he'll need to pair with the right partner.
"I'm sure there will be other good smaller players, but the big guys seem to be having an impact," Kiraly said. "The rest of us keep fighting for those kinds of partners. The players that are considered more defensive specialists are contending to get these big guys."
Yet Fuerbringer believes the die has been cast and that today's big partner will simply be tomorrow's norm.
"You're going to see a young Sean, who is 18 or 19, on the beach and no one will even think of him being a blocker," Fuerbringer said. "He'll be a defender from day one."

Friday has little in way of upsets
May-Treanor and Walsh firmly in everyone's crosshairs
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Holly McPeak calls teammate Logan Tom "the bag lady".
According to McPeak, Tom, the former Stanford All-American "puts everything in her bag, and it ends up weighing over 30 pounds."
On Saturday, McPeak and Tom will have to reach deep into that infamous bag of tricks to come up with whatever is needed to survive a tough field.
There were no major upsets on the women's side of the AVP Esurance Tampa Open on Friday outside the St. Pete Times Forum. That means that the top teams will go right at each other right away on Saturday.
The best of the best, of course, is Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who have won five straight tournaments this year. They gave their opponents hope at the start of the season by failing to win the opener in Miami.
But they have been dominant ever since and appear to be well on their way to winning the AVP's Top Team Award for the fifth straight year. Included during that glorious run is the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal they won in Athens.
Beating them in Tampa will not be an easy task. They handled sisters Katie and Tracy Lindquist, 21-16, 21-15, on Friday, and face a potentially tough match on Saturday against No. 8 Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis.
How do you beat Walsh and May-Treanor?
"You have to attack them aggressively," McPeak said. "You can't think about the Walsh block or the May defense. You have to go at them."
Of course, McPeak — who is one of the best players in the history of the game — pointed out that it has been a long time since she has actually beaten the top-ranked team.
"I can't remember when was the last time I beat them, and that's too long," McPeak said. "But I know they are beatable. Jennifer Boss and April Ross beat them. EY [Elaine Youngs] and [Nicole] Branagh beat them. And they have gotten beat internationally — not a lot, but they have lost."
In winning five titles this season, May-Treanor and Walsh have downed Youngs and Branagh in two finals, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in two and McPeak and Tom last week.
Youngs and Branagh won the only tournament that eluded Walsh and May-Treanor this year, the season opener in Miami.
Aside from the six teams mentioned above, only two other duos advanced to Saturday's women's winner's bracket: No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea-Barbra Fontana and No. 6 Carrie Dodd-Tatiana Minello.

Coupling Work And Play On Tour
Skip directly to the full story.
By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent
Published: Jun 2, 2007
TAMPA - Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh picked out a quiet spot near one of the outer volleyball courts, popped open a rainbow-colored umbrella, threw a green and gold sarong over her legs and prepared for the most stressful part of her day.
Hours after a dominant victory with teammate Misty May-Treanor in the AVP Esurance Tampa Bay Open winners' bracket, Walsh's husband, Casey Jennings, played his match. They'll be married two years this December.
The pressure of watching him is so much greater than anything Walsh feels at the net.
"Ten times more," she admits. "I obviously can relate to what he's going through. … I can't imagine being a mom because it's tough enough watching my husband."
Walsh and Jennings are among many volleyball couples competing this weekend outside the St. Pete Times Forum. There's Chad and Tyra Turner, Chad representing one half of the No. 16-seeded men's team, and Tyra being a part of the second-seeded women's team. Her partner, Rachel Wacholder, is dating Sean Scott, who plays for the seventh-ranked men's team. The list goes on.
For most, having a relationship on tour has enormous benefits. In some cases, it's the only way both can be together for more than a couple days a week.
"It's a lot less stressful. It's awesome," said April Ross, who advanced in the winners' bracket with teammate Jennifer Boss, then watched her boyfriend, Brad Keenan, do the same. "I mean, it's like you're not gone for like five days. You're together. You're traveling."
Not all on-tour relationships are between players. Holly McPeak, who teams with former college star Logan Tom, is married to AVP Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Leonard Armato. They dated for six years before Armato became commissioner, then in 2003, two years after he took the tour's reins, they wed.
"It's a little bit of a difficult position to be in," McPeak admitted, "but I'm still a player and have to deal with the same situations everyone else does. He handles the business side of the tour, and in that respect, we rarely cross paths. But I think he likes to watch me from afar, and it's stressful for him."
There's a pair of sisters (Katie and Tracy Lindquist) who team together, and two brothers (Kevin and Scott Wong) who will be playing against each other this morning.
Back on the outer courts, Walsh, hand at her mouth, has draped the sarong over her head as she watches Jennings and teammate Mark Williams lose their first match. She signs a few autographs before meeting her husband for a brief chat. Then she slips through an opening in the fence while he disappears in the crowd. Jennings and Williams won their contenders' bracket match later in the day to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.
"He's a mellow guy. I'm just neurotic, and a cheerleader," Walsh said. "I think that was my calling, and I missed it."
AREA QUALIFIERS ADVANCE: Tampa's Matt Henderson and St. Petersburg's Joe Cash overcame steady rain to beat fellow qualifiers Keith Jones and Gaston Macau 18-21, 21-16, 15-12 and advance in the contenders' bracket. They'll play Chad Turner and Canyon Ceman this morning at 9 and the losers are eliminated. … Women's qualifiers Tara Kuk and Kim Whitney, from Clearwater and Dunedin, respectively, also rebounded from a morning loss to beat Jennifer Fopma and Julie Romias 21-11, 21-15. They'll play the No. 13-seeded team of Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe this morning at 10:30.

Keeping it together
By BOB PUTNAM
Published June 2, 2007
TAMPA -- Kerri Walsh is behind the out-of-bounds line, head back, ready to serve. She rises with the arc of the ball, slapping it ferociously to the other side of the net. Soon after, Walsh falls into a steady rhythm with her court partner, Misty May-Treanor. Both weave in and out, kicking sand into the air. Dig, set, spike. May-Treanor and Walsh are one of the most successful duos in beach volleyball. They took gold at the 2004 Olympics and had a record 89-match win streak from 2003 to 2004.
This season, the pair has won five of the six Association of Volleyball Professionals women's tournaments.
On Friday, they won their first-round match at the St. Pete Times Forum. They play again today.
"There are a lot of tangibles involved in forming a good partnership with another player," Walsh said. "Chemistry is big. You either have it or you don't. Fortunately, with Misty, we're on the same page and have the same work ethic."
In a profession defined by frequent breakups, the greatest achievement of May-Treanor and Walsh is that they've stayed together since 2001.
"I'm probably in a unique situation," Walsh said. "Misty is the only teammate I've really had in beach volleyball."
The breakup game
Switching teammates is common in beach volleyball.
Just ask Karch Kiraly.
The 46-year-old icon of the sport has won titles with 16 playing partners.
"That's because I've pretty much outlasted everybody," said Kiraly, who is playing his final season on tour. "It's a tough business. Players are constantly in search of new partners. Sometimes, it's because they are impatient and don't wait for the chemistry to develop. It's competitive, and we all want to win.
"So someone will say, 'If I hook up with the person, we can win.'"
Because there are only two players to a side, there is much debate, a lot of give and take on and off the court. The players rely on each other.
"You have to click, otherwise it won't work," said Kevin Wong, who is Kiraly's teammate this season. "You could have two great players form a team. But if they don't mesh well, it won't matter."
All are trying to develop the camaraderie that have made May-Treanor and Walsh nearly impossible to beat.
Fast Facts: AVP tour in Tampa
Location: Grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive
Tickets: Courtside seats $44.75, general admission $24.75. Call (813) 287-8844 or (727) 898-2100.
Friday's results: No upsets in the first round of the main draw.
Today: Main draw, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tropical storm plays havoc in Tampa
Wet conditions 'normal' for Florida, say players
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- The talk of the AVP Esurance Tampa Open on Saturday wasn't Misty or Kerri -- it was Barry.
That's Tropical Storm Barry, which blew through Tampa on Saturday, bringing in winds upward of 50 miles per hour. The storm postponed play for two hours in the morning, leaving many of the players either at their hotels or inside the St. Pete Times Forum, waiting for the weather to clear.
Matt Gage, the AVP's competition director, said his big concern was lightning.
"We will call the matches if it's dangerous or if the courts are unplayable," he said. "Lightning, obviously that is dangerous. And if it is raining so hard that it doesn't make any sense for them to play, then we call it."
Tyra Turner, who is from nearby Fort Myers, and teams with Rachel Wacholder to form the No. 2 women's team, said she was fine with the weather overall.
"This is fairly typical for Florida," she said. "It's a bit disappointing because everyone knows Florida weather is beautiful. But it rains and then it passes."
Turner said she looks on the bright side when it comes to the rain.
"We really needed the rain in Florida," she said. "I just wish it could have waited until next weekend."
What was the toughest weather Turner played in this season?
"Probably in Arizona," she said. "It was 105 to 108 degrees. The dry heat was stifling."
Another AVP Floridian, Matt Henderson of Tampa, said the rain is something he expects.
"This is about normal," he said. "It's Florida. At about five o'clock on the nose, it starts raining. It rains all night, and the next morning, it's beautiful out. Or it rains for two hours and you come out and play again. It's weird."
Henderson said the rain does affect his game.
"The ball gets heavy and slippery and then you have trouble with the hand set," he said. "When the ball is heavy, it drops and you have more hitting errors. The wind is not as big a factor in Florida."
Barbra Fontana, a native Manhattan Beach, Calif., who plays on the No. 4 women's team alongside Dianne DeNecochea, said her biggest concern was her timing.
"It is hard to stay in rhythm when there is bad weather," she said. "But it's part of our job. We play through just about anything -- rain, wind, extreme heat.
"But today, you just have to focus because you have a certain start time and then you have a delay. This is part of what makes beach volleyball so challenging."
Wacholder teamed with Turner to beat No. 7 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in Saturday's third round, and said afterward that she was pleased to have earned the win after the storm had passed.
"The conditions were not ideal," she said. "It's hard to play, but I am proud of our focus in dealing with the elements. The sand was very hard and wet, and it was windy."
But even with all the weather-related issues, Turner loves being in Florida.
"It is so green here compared to Los Angeles," she said. "Everything in L.A. is cement. There are no yards, no trees, the smog is horrible. I love it in Florida. I feel at home."

Bad weather, forfeits mark Saturday
Dodd-Minello forced to withdraw due to injury
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello suffered a forfeit Saturday when Minello was unable to play due to a right quadriceps strain.
According to her partner, Minello sustained the injury at some point during their Friday afternoon match against Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. That match went three sets and lasted over an hour, and featured a first game won by Akers and Hanson, 31-29.
Dodd said, however, they will not miss the next tournament and she is not making calls to see who might be available in the event that Minello is unable to go.
"We're still playing in Atlanta together," Dodd said. "It's not even an issue. We're playing."
Dodd informed tournament officials here that Minello would be unable to play just as matches resumed following a two-hour rain delay caused by Tropical Storm Barry. That resulted in a forfeit against Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in the winner's bracket and a subsequent forfeiture against Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima in the contender's bracket.
Youngs and Branagh advanced to play Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, while Lima and Lewis vaulted to a guaranteed seventh-place finish.
Dodd and Minello have only been together since late March and have finished as low as ninth, with a third in Glendale being their highest finish this season. Last week, after starting quickly with a win over Turner and Wacholder in their second match, they dropped two straight and finished fifth.
But Dodd said the setback at this point in the season should provide a break.
"I think (with) any injury there is no good time," Dodd said. "But we have Atlanta and then Charleston and we have two weeks off."
Adjustments: Heavy rain, high winds and lightning: you name it, Barry brought it, and shut down play on Saturday morning for about two hours.
Early matches were underway when the horn blew to halt play. When it resumed, about half the courts were playable and others needed work.
"There were two courts that were holding a lot of water. I can only assume that there is a trench underneath the court that was holding water and didn't drain very well," competition director Matt Gage said. "So we dug big trenches and pushed the water out. When we thought they were manageable, we brought some good sand in and covered them and started play again."
Court 5 had the biggest problems and was essentially rebuilt with workers using hand shovel to dig the trenches and then a tractor raked the entire area to help soften the hard-packed sand.
Karch Kiraly, who advanced to his first final four since 2005, sought additional work on Court 1 before his match with partner Kevin Wong against John Hyden and Brad Keenan
"This is still a brutally hard surface to play on where it is one railroad tie of thickness on blacktop and it rained all night so those courts are just like a bowl filled with sand and water and the sand just packs down," Kiraly said. "I love this white sand but even when it gets wet, it's difficult to play on."
Gage was also forced to move some matches around to maximize available daylight.
"We sped up the format. I was going to use four courts in the morning and go to six in the afternoon but we went right to six," Gage said. "It wasn't the format I would have favored, but under the conditions it's what we had to do to speed it up."
Down time: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams were on stadium court when the deluge hit and play was halted. Jennings was relaxing when he got the call to return.
"I actually went back to the hotel and caught some breakfast and I was actually lying down and watching Sportscenter and almost fell asleep and then they called me and I said: 'OK.'"

Floridian Turner looking for first win
UCF Hall of Famer an aspiring speech pathologist
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- For a woman who loves "The Biggest Loser," Tyra Turner has become one of the AVP Tour's biggest winners.
Turner, who teams with Rachel Wacholder to form the Tour's No. 2 women's team, is competing in this weekend's AVP Esurance Tampa Open.
They beat No. 7 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, 21-18, 21-18, in their first match on Saturday and lost in the fourth round, 25-23, 16-21, 15-13, to Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. Now they will have to battle back through the contender's bracket on Sunday.
But when Turner is not competing, she makes sure to catch her favorite television program.
"I absolutely love 'The Biggest Loser' show," said Turner, who married AVP player Chad Turner two years ago. "There are so many diet fads out there that people forget that losing weight is hard work.
"It's just eating healthy and working out. I deal with diet every day because keeping my body in shape is a big part of my job. So that's why I connect with that show."
Turner said her favorite episode was when one of the trainers handcuffed a contestant to a treadmill.
"I compare it to volleyball in a way," said Turner, who presumably does not use arm or leg restraints in her training. "You push really hard, but in the end, it's worth it."
That's certainly the case for Turner, a native of nearby Fort Myers, who is in her fifth year on the tour. Last year, she paired with Wacholder for the first time, when the two played in two tournaments together.
Turner's breakthrough came this year at Glendale, where she finished a career-high second.
Now she wants to take it one step further and earn her first championship. Where better to accomplish that feat, she figures, than her home state?
"I have a caravan of about 10 girlfriends -- former teammates from high school and college -- who are coming up to watch this weekend's matches," said Turner, who went to Cypress Lakes High in Fort Myers and the University of Central Florida in Orlando. "My parents are coming up, too."
Turner has a great deal of school pride, especially considering that half of the top-ranked men's team, Phil Dalhausser, is also a UCF alum.
"My college days were practically a blur," said Turner, who was named Conference USA's Player of the Year as a senior. "It went by too fast."
While at UCF, the 6-1 Turner set the Knights' record for blocks. Her 151 consecutive matches played ranks fifth in NCAA history. But her favorite honor came when she was named to the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame.
Known as Tyra Harper in those days, Turner did more than just play her sport. She also finished with a 3.8 grade-point average, was named UCF's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned a degree in Speech Language Pathology Communicative Disorders.
When she retires from volleyball, Turner wants to work in that field and also start a family.
"I'm actually excited about the idea of working nine-to-five where I don't have to travel as much," said Turner, 30. "For right now, it's great. Chad and I travel to the tour stops, and we train together, too.
"It's just great to be together. He is my biggest supporter. If he is not playing, he scouts for me and serves as an assistant coach."
As for working in speech pathology, Turner said she just wants to help people.
"I am a sucker for kids and the elderly," she said.
But family and a day job are still in the distant future. The present includes continuing the roll she is on with Wacholder, who she considers the perfect teammate.
"Playing with Rachel is energizing," Turner said. "She is relentless. Most people would get tired of someone who pushes as hard as Rachel does. But I don't. I love playing with her."

Youngs, Branagh win Saturday thriller
Duo defeats Wacholder-Turner in three games
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. - Barbra Fontana put it best.
"It's so hard to win on the AVP Tour when you have the two best players in the world competing against you," she said.
That duo, of course, is Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, who won Olympic Gold Medals in 2004 and have been ranked the top team in the AVP every year since 2003.
Beating Walsh and May-Treanor on Sunday's closing day of the AVP Esurance Tampa Open won't be easy, especially since the pair cruised to the semifinals unbeaten.
But they will have challengers, primarily Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who won the match of the day on Saturday. The third-seeded duo beat second-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in a thriller, 25-23, 16-21, 15-13, outside the St. Pete Times Forum.
"It was a great match," said Branagh, whose team joined Walsh and Treanor-May in the other side of the semifinals bracket. "Rachel and Tyra are playing really well. It's a battle every time we play them, but we had good ball control in the wind."
The final set was tied for the last time at 11-11. That's when a Youngs spike was followed by a Branagh blast, giving them a 13-11 lead that they never relinquished.
Things got tense when Turner's angled spike hit the right corner and brought her team to within 14-13. But Branagh ended the suspense with a game-winner that went off Turner's hands at the net.
"We kind of hit a bump in the road last week," said Branagh, whose team finished a season-low seventh in Louisville. "We want to get back on track."
That is certainly possible. Branagh and Youngs are the only team other than Walsh and May-Treanor to earn a championship this season, winning the opener at Miami. They made the next two finals, but have trended downward since, finishing fifth, third and seventh.
They got off to a good start on Friday, beating 15th-seeded Keao Burdine and Nancy Mason, 21-14, 21-15. They won their third-round match by forfeit over sixth-seeded Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello when the latter strained her right quadriceps.
Next up for Youngs and Branagh will be the winner of Sunday's contender's matchup between Holly McPeak and Logan Tom and Dianne DeNocochea and Fontana.
Meanwhile, May-Treanor and Walsh will play the winner of Sunday's matchup between Turner-Wacholder and Annett Davis-Jenny Johnson Jordan.
If May-Treanor and Walsh win the title on Sunday, they would reach more milestones. Walsh would tie McPeak for second-place all time in championships won. The top spot is already held by May-Treanor, who would tie Mike Dodd for fifth place when counting both men and women.

Kiraly proves he's still got it
46-year-old vet reaches first semifinal since 2005
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- If every day were like Saturday, Karch Kiraly might very well play 20 more years. Too bad the sport's greatest has already made it clear this season is his last.
Yet there he was on a windy afternoon at the AVP Esurance Tampa Open, a 46-year-old looking as if he were 26, winning both of his matches with partner Kevin Wong in straight sets to earn a berth in Sunday's semifinals.
"Five more years," a fan yelled as Kiraly hit a service winner. "Ten more years," the same fan shouted later as Kiraly hit a signature cut shot. "Twenty more years," the fan finally yelled as the match against John Hyden and Brad Keenan neared conclusion.
"We've got the Karchy train going," Wong said. "We've been playing good the whole year. It's just a matter of getting better each week, but he's been fun to play with all year."
The 21-19, 21-19 victory followed their win over John Mayer and Scott Wong -- Kevin's brother -- by the very same score. Kiraly has now reached a semifinal for the first time in two years.
"I'm excited to be knocking on the door," Kiraly said. "I think we've been contending to win tournaments this whole year and playing good volleyball."
No. 5 Kiraly-Wong are the highest seed still remaining in the winner's bracket, as all top four men's seeds were out midway through Saturday.
No. 2 Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb and No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger both lost their first matches Saturday, while No. 4 Jason Ring and Matt Olson lost on Friday to fall into the contender's bracket.
Lambert-Metzger and Olson-Ring were later eliminated and both teams finished ninth.
But following a two-hour rain delay courtesy of Tropical Storm Barry, play resumed and with it came one of the biggest upsets on tour this year.
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, the top men's team, dropped the first match of the day, 19-21, 17-21, to Keenan-Hyden, falling into the contender's bracket for the first time this season while losing only their second match of the year.
"Brad played well from the service line and that was really the difference in the match," Rogers said. "We had some aces, but they had a lot."
Partnered with Jeff Nygaard last season, Hyden went 1-9 against Rogers and Dalhausser.
"A lot of it was the hard ground and that helped out, and Brad's serving was awesome, especially on the good side," Hyden said. "They came out a little bit flat and we jumped on that to keep that momentum."
Dalhausser and Rogers rebounded with a 21-17, 21-16 victory over No. 6 Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, and then advanced to Sunday when No. 16 Chad Turner and Canyon Ceman forfeited due to a Turner shoulder injury.
The courts laid over a parking lot were harder than normal given the rain and wind. Tournament officials reworked a number of courts following the delay to help drainage, but many players said the playing surface was a factor.
The wind also picked up as the afternoon progressed, causing concern for some teams and providing momentum for others.
No. 7 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott remained in the winner's bracket by upending Rosenthal and Gibb, 19-21, 21-19, 15-12, in their first match, and subsequently downing No. 11 George Roumain and Larry Witt, 21-15, 21-17, to reach the semi-finals.
Fuerbringer said he played the weather to his advantage.
"What are you going to do? Every time it rains, you lose? Ideal conditions for us: 75 degrees, a little wind and on a beach, but we don't get that that much," Fuerbringer said. "I go in with the mindset that I'm stoked. It will take them out of their game."
The winner of the Dalhausser-Rogers and Roumain-Witt match will play Kiraly and Wong in one semifinal, while the winner of the Keenan-Hyden and Gibb-Rosenthal match takes on Fuerbringer and Scott in the other.
"Just because [Dalhausser and Rogers] lost, doesn't mean they won't come storming back through the loser's bracket and win this tournament," Kiraly said. "They still have to be considered the favorite."

A look ahead to Sunday in Tampa
Rogers-Dalhausser looking for sixth title
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- Tropical Storm Barry couldn't slow down the will of Karch Kiraly.
All Kiraly did was take what the elements had to offer and turn that into a semifinal berth along with partner Kevin Wong in the Tampa Open.

Saturday's highlights: Despite a two-hour rain delay caused by Tropical Storm Barry, the Tampa Open completed its full slate of matches and remained on schedule.
Match of the day: Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs defeated Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, 25-23, 16-21, 15-13, to advance to the semifinals.
Upset of the day: John Hyden and Brad Keenan dropped Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser into the contender's bracket with a 21-19, 21-17 victory.
Karch watch: Kiraly and Kevin Wong advanced to the semifinals with a pair of straight set victories. It is the first semifinal for Kiraly since 2005, but the second in as many weeks for Wong.
Start/finish: Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the men's final at 2:30 p.m. and the women's final to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Weather forecast: A high of 87 degrees is expected Sunday under mostly sunny skies with winds out of the southwest at 10-15 mph and a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Match to watch: No. 11 George Roumain-Larry Witt against No. 1 Rogers-Dalhausser.

His last spot in a final four was Sept. 3, 2005, when he and Mike Lambert lost to Todd Rogers and Sean Scott in the final in Chicago.
"I'm really excited about it," Kiraly said. "I never made the final four last year."
Kiraly and Wong took the easy route Saturday by staying in the winner's bracket and collecting a pair of straight-set victories. Kiraly and Wong will play the winner of the match between George Roumain and Larry Witt, and Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
"At any point, if you want to win, you're going to have to beat that team and that is a huge challenge," Kiraly said. "That is the team that has to be taken down to win the tournament."
Also reaching the men's semis were Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, while Misty May-Treanor-Kerri Walsh and Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs are in the semifinals on the women's side of the draw.
Dalhausser and Rogers did something Saturday they don't do very often and that is lose a match. Following the two-hour delay, Rogers and Dalhausser came out admittedly flat and dropped their first match of the day to Brad Keenan and John Hyden.
But they followed it up by eliminating Casey Jennings and Mark Williams from the tournament and then received a walk-over when Canyon Ceman and Chad Turner forfeited after Turner suffered a shoulder injury.
To advance to their sixth final in seven events this season, Rogers said that he and his partner will have to face two teams with very different styles.
"We're playing a team that I would much rather play on the soft sand. It's pretty packed out there. Both guys are big jumpers and take long approaches to the ball and it helps them more than it helps Phil and me. We're going to have to play well to beat a team like that," Rogers said of Roumain and Witt.
"After that we play team ball control," Rogers said. "That game is going to be won at the service line and at the net."
Fuerbringer and Scott have played a number of steady matches lately and used that to drop Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb on Saturday and then Roumain and Witt to reach their second final four this season.
"It's nice to be in the winner's bracket; you can keep your energy level high," Fuerbringer said. "You have to use that extra energy and put your will on the other team. Keep leads and that is important for us tomorrow."
Fuerbringer and Scott will face the winner of the Gibb-Rosenthal and Keenan-Hyden match.
On the women's side, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will play Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan for the right to play May-Treanor and Walsh in one semifinal while Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana will play Holly McPeak and Logan Tom for a match with Youngs and Branagh in the other.

Kiraly, Wong Move Into Semis
Skip directly to the full story.
By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent
Published: Jun 3, 2007
TAMPA - The fans pleaded with Karch Kiraly - five more years, 10 more years, twen-ty more years - and only managed to get a slight smirk from him. The 46-year-old is fixated on a more pressing matter.
One more day.
Kiraly, in his last season on tour, and partner Kevin Wong advanced to the semifinals of the AVP Esurance Open on Saturday outside the St. Pete Times Forum. Seeded fifth, they won both their winners' bracket matches 21-19, 21-19 and will play either George Roumain and Larry Witt or Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers today at 11:15 for a berth in the final at 2:30.
In the women's tournament, top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs advanced to the 1 p.m. semifinals out of the winners' bracket. The final is at 4 p.m.
Despite being the winningest player in beach volleyball history, Kiraly hasn't been in this position since his last AVP Tour triumph, at Huntington Beach in August 2005. It's also the first AVP men's tournament without any of the top four seeds in the winners' bracket semifinals since April 2004.
"I guess, wow. … It's definitely a different look this weekend," Kiraly said. "I'm excited to be knocking on the door."
His legendary reflexes and ball control were on display against John Hyden and Brad Keenan, who had just dealt top-seeded Dalhausser and Rogers their second loss in seven tournaments this year. Kiraly made nearly every key defensive play late in both games.
Wong, who described Dalhausser and Rogers losing as "a huge break," added several key blocks.
Perhaps the only thing more unusual than all the upsets Saturday was to have the entire event delayed due to a tropical storm. Both happened by lunchtime.
The stoppage lasted about two hours before play resumed, but occasional wind gusts still whipped across the nets, and gave Kiraly and Wong an advantage that outweighed the difficulties of playing on wet, packed-in sand.
"That's where experience comes in a little bit," Kiraly said. "I like the wind because most players don't."
The other unbeaten men's team is Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, who beat second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal 19-21, 21-19, 15-12 and followed up by slowing the surprising run of 11th-seeded Roumain and Witt 21-15, 21-17.
Fuerbringer and Scott will await the winner of today's 9:30 a.m. contenders' bracket match, pitting Rosenthal and Gibb against Hyden and Keenan. Roumain and Witt will face Dalhausser and Rogers at the same time for the chance to take on Kiraly and Wong.

Karch Kiraly turns back the clock
Teams with Kevin Wong to top No. 1 Rogers-Dalhausser
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- Karch Kiraly is turning back time and reached his first final in two years.
With partner Kevin Wong, the 46-year-old rattled off a 21-14, 21-19 victory over Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers on Sunday to reach the final for the first time since Sept. 3, 2005 when Kiraly paired with Mike Lambert in Chicago.
They lost in that final to Rogers and Sean Scott. For Dalhausser and Rogers this season, it was only the third time they lost a match and ended their chance to win six of seven titles to begin the year.
Kiraly did not play last week in Louisville as part of a limited schedule to stay fresh throughout his last season on the AVP Crocs Tour. Kiraly and Wong have not dropped a match this weekend and advanced through the winner's bracket of a tournament that had play interrupted by Tropical Storm Barry on Saturday.
The career leader in victories, Kiraly will be gunning for title No. 149.

Fontana is the great communicator
Olympic Bronze Medalist still going strong
By Walter Villa / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. - With her communication skills, Barbra Fontana would have made a great broadcaster. Or a teacher. Or a drill sergeant.
Fortunately for fans of the AVP Tour, she is a pro beach volleyball player -- one of the best, in fact. Fontana, 41, has won 20 tournaments in her pro career, including five internationally. She also owns a bronze medal from the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.
But what sets her apart is her incredible will to win, her non-stop chatter on the court and the great chemistry she shares with 39-year-old teammate Dianne DeNecochea.
"My communication skills are something I work on, something I feel I can contribute to a partnership," Fontana said. "I use those skills to try to figure things out on the court, try to elevate our game."
It's obviously working. Seeded fourth, Fontana and DeNecochea made it to the semifinals of the AVP Esurance Tampa Open on Sunday before losing to third-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, 21-14, 21-12.
Still, it was a great tournament for Fontana and DeNecochea, who eliminated the red-hot team of Logan Tom and Holly McPeak earlier on Sunday, 21-16, 21-18.
It was a big win because Tom and McPeak had entered the tournament on a roll, having finished a season-best second in Louisville. Fontana knew that and was fired up for the match -- as she was all weekend.
"This weekend she has been super vocal," DeNecochea said of her teammate. "She is one of the most intense players on the tour. I like to consider myself pretty intense on the court, too. I think we feed off of each other on that. I love her fire."
That fire was in full effect in the win over McPeak and Tom.
After a diving dig, she bolted to her feet and yelled, "I'm up! I'm up!"
Before a big point, she told her teammate: "Fire! Fire!"
And at other points, she yelled, "Push!" or "Work!" or "Nice job, Di!"
It's all part of a day's work for Fontana, who has led a fascinating life. Born in Manhattan Beach, Calif., she was an All-Pac 10 player at Stanford, leading the Cardinal to four straight Final Fours.
She earned her law degree from Santa Clara in 1991 and passed the California bar a year later. But instead of making her points in court, she has made her points on the court.
She has been handsomely rewarded, too, earning over $900,000 in her career. She first paired up with DeNecochea in 2001 -- but she doesn't really count that as their start.
"I consider this our first year together because it is the first time we actually chose to team up and we had a preseason and some time to prepare," Fontana said. "In 2001, I was coming off a massive back injury, and we were kind of thrown together at the last minute."
Fontana said her age and that of her teammate is a non-factor.
"We are the most 'experienced' team out here, yes, thank you," Fontana said with a smile. "But I don't think anybody could tell our ages if they came out here and watched us.
"I don't really think about it. I liken it to high school. I'm 5-6, and I was an outside hitter. Everyone always talked about my height and can she do it. I let everyone else worry about my height when I was playing indoor, and I let everyone else worry about my age when I'm playing beach volleyball."
Fontana said she has no current plans to retire.
"The nice thing is that I already had my kids, and I'm done having kids," said Fontana, who with husband Gil Horta has sons Lucas, 4, and Giovanni, 2. "Right now, I don't have a departure date. I feel good, I feel strong. I feel at the top of my game.
"So I will definitely be around at least a couple of more years and take it from there."

'The Man of Perpetual Summers'
Souza splits his year between U.S., native Brazil
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. - The old Brooklyn Dodgers were called "The Boys of Summer," but AVP standout Fred Souza should be known as "The Man of Perpetual Summers."
Souza, who calls Rio de Janeiro, Brazil home, splits his year between his native country and his adopted home of Redondo Beach, Calif. Because South America is in the Southern Hemisphere, its summer occurs during the American winter, allowing Souza to avoid any hint of cold weather.
"I love this life," said Souza, who finished seventh this weekend along with partner Anthony Medel at the AVP Esurance Tampa Open. "I live six months in Brazil and six months in the U.S. -- summer, summer, no winter."
There is one problem, however. Souza's wife, Erica, and their 2-year-old son, Bernardo, live in Brazil.
"I love them, and I miss them too much," said Souza, 35. "But Erica has a good job that she can not leave -- she is a lawyer. And our son is too young to fly, I think. Maybe next year."
To keep from getting homesick, Souza plans to fly home to Rio after the AVP Tour stop in Charleston, S.C., which runs June 14-17.
"I will spend 10 days there and then go back again after our season ends [on Sept. 16] in San Francisco," he said.
Until then, the 6-7 Souza will continue to blast away on the Tour. He and Medel got off to a rocky start on Friday, losing 16-21, 21-19, 18-16, to qualifiers Keith Jones and Gaston Macau.
"We played terrible," Souza said. "We were complaining a lot. After that match, we talked, and we started to play better."
Indeed, No. 10 Souza-Medel battled back in the contender's bracket. They beat No. 9 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 21-19, 21-16, and then knocked off No. 17 Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola, 21-18, 21-19.
But their biggest upset came over No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, 21-18, 21-15. Lambert and Metzger won the Huntington Beach title last month, becoming the only team aside from Todd Rogers-Phil Dalhausser to earn a title in the first six events this year.
Unfortunately for Souza and Medel, their run ended Saturday with a 21-18, 21-19 loss to No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
Spotlight on Rachel: The AVP Tour got great publicity recently when ESPN The Magazine featured Rachel Wacholder in a full-page story.
Wacholder was happy with the story but had a comment about the photo.
"I looked so serious," she said. "I smiled on most of the photos they took of me, but they liked that one, I guess. I think they wanted it to be, like, all serious athletes."
Clarification: Beach volleyball legend Holly McPeak, 38, said she got flooded with e-mails after Friday's avp.com story that said "she does not envision playing past 2008." While McPeak said that may end up being the case, she has not announced her retirement and won't do so until next year at the earliest.
Dream come true: What was Logan Tom's reaction when McPeak asked her to pair up last year?
"I just said, 'Oh my God!' It was an unreal opportunity."
Tom, a legendary indoor player, says she now prefers the beach game.
"A big reason why I play sports is so I can influence kids in a positive way," Tom said. "But if I am playing indoor overseas for eight months out of the year, how can they see me? The kids need to see me play."

Sixth time's a charm for Gibb, Rosie
No. 2 seed upsets Kiraly's bid for sentimental victory
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- In the end, it wasn't about magic.
It wasn't sentimental, either.
It was about power, redemption and a sprinkling of youth as Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb were simply too much for Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong.
Five finals appearances on the year by Gibb and Rosenthal heading into Sunday and one big goose egg to show for it proved to be no problem, either, as they vaulted to a 21-18, 21-17 victory in the AVP Esurance Tampa Open.
The legend of Kiraly presented an emotional hurdle, but it was one they easily cleared as Gibb collected career win No. 8 and Rosenthal earned No. 5.
Kiraly was searching for his 149th victory to extend his all-time record.
"It's the craziest thing playing against that guy, especially in a final," Gibb said. "I want him to win. I just love the guy and look up to him and admire him. It makes it special and I'll remember that for the rest of my life."
Rosenthal was equally deferential to Kiraly, who is playing in his last season on the AVP Crocs Tour.
"Playing Karch any time is awesome, let alone in the final," Rosenthal said. "In my opinion, he's playing so well in tournaments and competing that I think he's coming back next year. He says he's retiring but I wouldn't be surprised to see him play next year."
Kiraly was playing in his fifth tournament this season, skipping Glendale and last week's tournament in Louisville. He describes Wong as the easiest partner he's had in a pro career that started in 1978. The two have a pair of fifths this year to go along with Sunday's second-place finish.
But Kiraly is not in the tournament to place and said that he and Wong played their worst match of the weekend.
"I don't get these opportunities to win tournaments very often," Kiraly said. "It's the first time in close to two years that I've been in a final, so I don't like to let those slip through my fingers, but they were a great team today."
Kiraly and Wong built an early 5-2 lead in the first game on a Kiraly dig and a Wong put-away, but Rosenthal forged an 11-11 tie with a shot past Wong's blocking attempt. Both sides then continued to trade points with Wong hitting a winner to the back line for an 18-18 tie.
A shot long by Wong and another by Kiraly set up game point. Rosenthal delivered with the kill crosscourt to capture the first set.
The second set was equally close and Wong hit a winner to the back line to tie the score, 17-17. Gibb and Rosenthal then each scored a point and Wong followed with a ball long and then another wide as Rosenthal and Gibb took home their first title of the year.
"They're just really athletic. They take a lot of different angles than a lot of other teams and I wasn't blocking," Wong said. "We'll have to go back to the drawing board and work on some blocking practice. Karch sided out great and I blocked two balls."
After his Saturday match victory to reach the semis, Kiraly said the path to the final would go through Dalhausser and Rogers. He was right.
The first set in their Sunday morning semifinal was close through the early going. Kiraly and Wong held a tenuous 13-12 lead before they ran off five straight points. Dalhausser hit a serve long to set up game point and then Rogers hit long to hand the game to Kiraly and Wong, 21-14.
Rogers and Dalhausser then tightened up their play in the second. Wong hit a winner at the net for a 17-14 lead, but Dalhausser scored consecutive blocks and he and Rogers tied the game at 19-19. Wong then scored a put-away after a solid rally that featured a save and dig by Kiraly, who then powered one past Dalhausser for the win.
"We saved Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal a little work today," Kiraly said. "They have yet to go through Dalhausser and Rogers and win a tournament. We were the ones that put that team out."
In the other semifinal, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott took on Gibb and Rosenthal. It was the second semi this season for Fuerbringer-Scott, and the second against Gibb-Rosenthal and it produced a similar result.
Fuerbringer and Scott prevailed in the first set, but needed a 22-20 overtime victory to get there. Their ticket to the final was nearly punched at triple match point in the second set, but Gibb and Rosenthal tied the set at 20-20. Gibb then finished it with a pair of blocks for a 24-22 win.
Gibb and Rosenthal then won the third set of the match, 15-11.
"It's disappointing," Fuerbringer said. "We had a great chance to play Karch in the final, which is everyone's dream."
Dalhausser and Rogers got past George Roumain and Larry Witt to advance to the semifinals, but it took three sets. After swapping the first two sets, Dalhausser and Rogers ran off seven straight points to open the third and never looked back in a 15-5 victory.
"It's a good team," Witt said. "You got to keep them off balance to even have a chance. They took us out right away."
Gibb and Rosenthal defeated John Hyden and Brad Keenan, 21-18, 21-18 in their earlier match. Keenan-Hyden and Roumain-Witt finished fifth.

Ultimate Beach Guy and Girl crowned
Diverse contestant pool delivers legit models
By Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com
Tampa, Fla. -- The AVP Crocs Tour will leave Tampa today with fond memories of Tropical Storm Barry and two more contestants for the Ultimate Beach Guy and Girl Finals in Las Vegas.
The winners of each stop's contests will advance to the Gods and Goddesses Tournament at Caesar's Palace this September. There, they will compete to become the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy, each of whom receives a feature layout in Maxim or Cosmopolitan and a one-year talent agency contract.
The contestants in Tampa were just as diverse as this weekend's weather. A therapist, a mother of two, and a bronze medalist in the 2004 Athens Para-Olympics were just some of the contestants that walked the stage at stadium court after the men's semifinals.
Once the contestants were introduced, their fates were put in the hands of the Florida fans via text message voting. The votes were counted and winners were announced during Game 2 of the Kiraly-Wong vs Gibb-Rosenthal championship match.
"Tampa has provided us with two very legitimate models to represent the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy in Cosmo and Maxim" said Jason Fitzgerald, the AVP/Jose Cuervo Activation Manager.
On the girl's side, Long Island native Che "Shay" emerged as winner. Shay is working on her third degree, one in alternative medicine, which she hopes to utilize in Africa one day.
"I eventually want to start an organization to benefit health and immunity in Africa" Shay said. But for now she is focusing on modeling print work, acting, and her trip to Las Vegas to compete for the Ultimate Beach Girl title and modeling contract.
Luther Freeman of Orlando won the guy's title. Only modeling for a short time, Luther already has a Nike gig and now the Tampa Ultimate Beach Guy under his belt.
"I've always been interested in modeling but only recently got into it. I've grown into my look. 'The Rock' is what people say I look like."
This will be Shay's first trip to Las Vegas and Luther's first trip since turning 21. "My last time in Vegas was when I was 15 for a basketball tournament. I played against LeBron James and lost".
Hopefully, lady luck will be kinder to Luther this time around.

Misty, Kerri storm through Gulf
Top team wins sixth straight title in impressive fashion
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh made sure they didn't go 0-for-Florida.
After failing to win the season opener in Miami, the top-seeded team of May-Treanor and Walsh has now won six straight titles. Their latest victims were third-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who lost 21-19, 21-15, in the AVP Esurance Tampa Open outside the St. Pete Times Forum on Sunday.
Winning in the second and final Florida stop of the year was a relief for May-Treanor, who lives in Coral Springs, Fla., with her husband, Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor.
In fact, the subject of the Marlins came up during Sunday's final.
"Don't hate me for saying this," May-Treanor said when addressing the crowd after the match, "but I heard a guy yell 'Marlins suck!' Excuse me, but the Marlins swept Tampa Bay when they were here this year."
That needle got a mixed reaction from the crowd, although most fans seemed to take it in stride. But that's May-Treanor, fiercely loyal and a competitor to the end.
Just ask Youngs and Branagh, who were up 13-8 in the first set. A Branagh blast bounced off May-Treanor and hit Walsh in the head, taking her cap off.
"I was mad at myself right there," Walsh said. "I should have had my hands up."
That turned out to be a turning point, however, as May-Treanor and Walsh battled back to tie the score at 15-15. The set was tied for a 10th time at 19-19, when May-Treanor hit a winner for game point. A Branagh blast sailed long to give the top seeds the first set.
The second set wasn't quite as competitive as May-Treanor and Walsh proved relentless. At 9-7, Walsh ran the length of the court to retrieve a ball deflected high in the air. Her team lost the point, but it showed how far — literally — Walsh and her partner would go to win.
The end came when Walsh blocked a Youngs block right back at her. It was Walsh's 72nd career title, which tied her for second place all-time with Holly McPeak. It was May-Treanor's 75th championship, extending her record.
"I'm proud," Walsh said. "I'm up there with the two top ladies in the world. I have so much respect for Holly McPeak. She set the standard so high. It's an honor to be tied with her right now."
May-Treanor said winning never gets boring.
"Sometimes it's not as easy," she said. "But it never gets old because, Kerri and I have a goal in mind: we want to win on the AVP Tour and we want to win another Olympic Gold Medal [in 2008]."
Walsh said she didn't feel as if she and her partner played their best volleyball this weekend. Plus, they had to endure the rain and wind from Tropical Storm Barry on Saturday and the intense heat on Sunday.
But even in those tough conditions, May-Treanor and Walsh improved to 35-2 this season. In their 35 wins, they have been pushed to a third set only four times.
One of those three-set thrillers came in Sunday's semifinals, when they outlasted eighth-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 21-18, 25-27, 15-9.
It was a classic match, especially in the second set. Davis and Johnson Jordan raced to a 15-9 lead. Walsh and May-Treanor stormed back and had the match seemingly tucked away when a call went their way to make it 20-18.
A shot by Johnson Jordan had either hit the back line or missed by an inch. Johnson Jordan and Davis pleaded their case briefly and relatively quietly before accepting the decision and returning to their spots on the court.
At that point, it was likely that most everyone in the packed stadium court felt that the match was over. But Davis hit a pair of winners to bring her team back.
Walsh and May-Treanor blew four match points in the second set. Davis and Johnson Jordan, meanwhile, blew three set points before finally winning on a Walsh blast that went wide right.
"Too many unforced errors," Walsh said. "But they always give us a tough battle. We beat them twice in this tournament, which is very hard to do."
In the other semifinal, Youngs and Branagh beat fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-14, 21-12.
Despite the loss in the final, Branagh said she leaves Tampa with a good feeling.
"Misty is a great defender, and Kerri is a great blocker," Branagh said. "But we feel that every time we play them, we get better. We're a fairly new team. We'll get them soon."

Kiraly sets up for win but falls short
Competing in his 27th year of professional beach volleyball, Karch Kiraly, 46, wanted to prove he was more than a relic who stubbornly refused to go away.
By BOB PUTNAM
Published June 4, 2007
TAMPA - Music substituted for the pounding of the surf. The sand was mixed with dirt and gravel. The only water was the still sheen of the Hillsborough River.
But there were nets and courts on the grounds of the St. Pete Times Forum Sunday for the final of the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour.
And there was Karch Kiraly, his bronzed body sleek with sweat as he tried to turn back the clock on what is his last hurrah.
Competing in his 27th year of professional beach volleyball, Kiraly, 46, wanted to prove he was more than a relic who stubbornly refused to go away. He and teammate Kevin Wong slugged their way to their first final appearance this season, Kiraly's first since 2005.
For a considerable stretch, the two made their opponents, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, look bad. But Gibb and Rosenthal lifted their game to a level Kiraly and Wong couldn't touch to win 21-18, 21-17.
"Playing Karch any time is awesome, let alone the final, " Rosenthal said. "He still is just as good as he ever was."
Kiraly's dogged pursuit of a title was the most compelling story of the tournament. Fans cheered his every victory through the early rounds, chanting his name in a frenzied effort to pull him through as his matches got tougher.
The old Kiraly played like the Kiraly of old, teaming with Wong to knock off the top-ranked men's team of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the semifinals.
Riding a wave of confidence and enthusiasm, Kiraly helped his team force a 17-all tie in both games before Gibb and Rosenthal bore down to win.
"It's the craziest thing, especially in a final, " Gibb said. "I want him to win. I just love the guy and look up to him and admire him. It makes it special and I'll remember that for the rest of my life."
It was a tough loss for Kiraly, who had defied time and younger players to reach the final in what is his final season on tour.
"I know I certainly don't get these opportunities too often, " he said of playing in the final. "I don't like to let those slip through my fingers."
In the women's final, the top-ranked team of Misty May-Trean-or and Kerri Walsh beat Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs 21-19, 21-15 to win their sixth straight tournament title.
"Winning tournaments never gets old, " said May-Treanor, who has partnered with Walsh to win 13 of the 14 tournament titles in the past two years.
Sunday's victory was Walsh's 72nd overall, tying her with Holly McPeak for second all-time. The tour's career leader is May-Treanor with 75.
Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or 727 445-4169.
Fast Facts:
AVP tour in Tampa
Sunday's results: Men's final - Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal d. Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong 21-18, 21-17. Women's final - Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh d. Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs 21-19, 21-15.

Gibb not denied, May-Treanor wins again
VOLLEYBALL: The Costa Mesa resident breaks through for first title of season, another title for Harbor alum.
TAMPA, Fla. — After losing in the men's final match five different times this season, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal finally had something to be happy about Sunday.
Gibb, who lives in Costa Mesa, and Rosenthal, won their first Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament this season at the Tampa Open. They defeated Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong 21-18, 21-17.
It was Gibb's eighth career win and Rosenthal's fifth, and the pair stopped Kiraly from picking up his 149th victory, which would have extended his all-time record.
Kiraly and Wong defeated the pair that's dominated this season's tour in the semifinal match. Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, who have five tournament championships out of seven tourneys this season, lost 21-14, 21-19.
Gibb and Rosenthal moved past Estancia High alumnus Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott in their semifinal match, winning 20-22, 24-22, 15-11.
Newport Harbor High product Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh continued with their winning ways, defeating Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branaugh 21-19, 21-15 for their sixth win of the season.
May Treanor and Walsh's only loss came at the hands of Youngs and Branaugh at the tour opener in Miami.
Walsh now has 72 career wins, tying her with May-Treanor's former partner, Holly McPeak. May-Treanor sits atop the women's all-time win list for tournaments with 75.
May--Treanor and Walsh (35-2) have only played to a third set four times in 35 wins, including once this weekend.
May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Annett Davis and Jenny Jordan in the semifinal, 21-18, 25-27, 15-9.
In the other semifinal, Youngs and Branagh beat Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-14, 21-12.
The AVP tour continues next weekend to Atlanta.
It will be in Long Beach July 19-22.

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May 31st - June 3rd, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

FOX SPORTS NET

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1) 32 Oz. Bottle-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition Item/Id#25
Cost $ 32.99

Veriuni Store
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The Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition formulation is different than any other health product and we predict it will quickly become the best selling liquid nutritional product in the world.

Veriuni Nutritional Supplements:
Single Item Order
(1)Bottle 60 Capsules-30 day supply-Veriuni Advanced Antioxidant with red wine extract - Item/Id#26
Cost $32.99

Veriuni Store
Click here to be taken to order this item from our Veriuni Store instead where we offer over 30 payments options for your convenience.

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Note*: Liquid Nutrition can now be shipped to many different countries,shipping and handling fees apply,see drop down list when ordering.

Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

Note*: Unca Nick Productions & IanClarkVolleyball.net are not affiliated with the AVP Association Of Volleyball Professionals in any shape or form regarding this promotion.

Unca Nick Productions
Get in touch with me by email. mailto:spiro@monmouth.com

AVP $200,000 Atlanta Open June 7th-10th, 2007

AVP Atlanta Open History
2005 Champions: The AVP returns to Atlanta for the first time since 1998.
Atlanta Facts: 2006 will be the fifth Atlanta visit for the AVP Men. The previous four have had similar results, Karch Kiraly holding the championship trophy. Kiraly won in Atlanta in 1994 - 1996 and again in 1998. Kiraly won two opens with Kent Steffes (1994, 1996), one open with Scott Ayakatubby (1995), and one open with Adam Johnson (1998). 2006 will be the second Atlanta visit for the AVP Women. In 1994, Nancy Reno / Angela Rock defeated Linda Hanley / Linda Chisholm for the title.

Men's AVP $50,000 Miller Lite Beach Challenge Atlanta
August 7-9, 1998
Finish Player Partner Seed Winnings
1 Adam Johnson Karch Kiraly 1 $10,416.00
2 Brent Frohoff Rob Heidger 11 $5,938.00
3 Roberto Lopes Franco Neto 5 $4,704.00
4 Aaron Boss Albert Hannemann 10 $3,714.00
5 Dax Holdren Todd Rogers 4 $2,970.00
5 Eduardo Garrido Kevin Martin 9 $2,970.00
7 Dain Blanton Eric Fonoimoana 2 $2,230.00
7 Nick Hannemann Wayne Seligson 13 $2,230.00
9 Brian Lewis David Swatik 3 $1,610.00
9 Bill Boullianne Ian Clark 6 $1,610.00
9 Canyon Ceman Mark Kerins 7 $1,610.00
9 Scott Friederichsen Matt Lyles 15 $1,610.00
13 Henry Russell Troy Tanner 8 $1,110.00
13 Leland Quinn Eric Wurts 12 $1,110.00
13 Rifat Agi John Anselmo 18 $1,110.00
13 Carlos Machado Curtis Rollins 20 $1,110.00
17 Dan Castillo Bryan Ivie 14 $496.00
17 Scott Davenport Raul Papaleo 16 $496.00
17 Mark Paaluhi Aaron Smith 17 $496.00
17 David Fischer John Hribar 19 $496.00
17 Marcos Macau Jim Van Zwieten 21 $496.00
17 Bob Bowman James Fellows 22 $496.00
17 Dana Camacho Adam Roberts 25 $496.00
17 Carlos Cartaya Gaston Macau 26 $496.00
25 Bryan Marshall Mike Schroeder 23 $.00
25 Mike Connaughton Dan Ortega 24 $.00
25 Timmy Langston Chris Magill 27 $.00
25 Chris Makos Andrew Vazquez 28 $.00
25 Matt Johnson Eric Lazowski 29 $.00
25 Mark Kirunchyk Brad Torsone 30 $.00
25 Bryan Gibson David Vellucci 31 $.00
25 Keith Jones Cullum Miller 32 $.00

AVP Atlanta Open
Atlantic Station, June 7th - 10th, 2007
Buy Tickets

What:
AVP 2007 Atlanta Open
Where:
Atlantic Station, Atlanta
When:
June 7th - 10th, 2007

Event Information:

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 6 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• MEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 6/10
• WOMEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 6/10

* Click here to register now!
Registration ends Mon., June 4 at Noon PT.

Schedule:

All times are EDT

Thursday, June 7, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, June 8, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Friday, June 8, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 9, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Competition start time 10:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 9, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 10, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Men's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Women's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.
Ticket Info

Map & Directions:
Click here

Directions:

From I-85 Southbound
Head south on I-85 exit 17th Street.
Turn right on 17th Street.
Turn right just past the Wachovia building and the parking deck will be on your right.
From I-75 Southbound
Head south on I-75 exit on 16th Street.
Turn right on 16th Street.
Turn right on Market Street.
Continue just past the Wachovia building and the parking deck will be on your right.

From I-75/85 Northbound
Head north exit 14th Street.
Turn right on 14th Street.
Turn left on West Peachtree Street.
Turn left on 17th Street.
Turn right on Market Street.
Go past the Wachovia building and the parking deck will be on your right.

Outside Activitys:

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics:
Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18.
Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Registration for the clinics in Atlanta are now closed.

Men's Entries:

Men's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open
June 7th-10th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q1
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q2
Adam Roberts Brad Torsone Q3
David Fischer Jon Mesko Q4
Reuben Danley Lucas Wisniakowski Q5
Leonardo Moraes Vincent Robbins Q6
Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q7
Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q8
Bryan Gibson Keith Jones Q9
Kyle Denitz Casey Patterson Q10
Ivan Mercer Justin Phipps Q11
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q12
Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q13
Adam Minch Ben Parker Q14
Yariv Lerner Jack Quinn Q15
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q16
Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q17
Zachary Franklin Chris Luers Q18
Pete DiVenere Vince Zanzucchi Q19
Erik Gomez Alex Padilla Q20
Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q21
Travis Regner Dan Stubinski Q22
Will Albaugh Tim Haeffner Q23
Chad Borton Richard Rainwater Q24
Mark Donaldson Steve May Q25
Richard O'Keefe David Woolsteen Q26
Eric Curnow Pete Kucera Q27
Oguz Degirmenci Brian Platz Q28
Hal Blakeslee Brian Schoenbaum Q29
Mike Dohrmann Bogue Smith Q30
Jack Ligon Ryan Wallace Q31
Scott Bray Reo Sorrentino Q32
Brandon Nelson Mark Suter Q33
Bruce Leever Wayne Leever Q34
Travis Roberts Sam Rubin Q35
Jay Fik Jeffrey Poulin Q36
Joey Keener Scott Rauch Q37
Paul Baxter Aaron Wachtfogel
Canyon Ceman Chad Turner
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers
Brent Doble Ryan Mariano
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard
John Hyden Brad Keenan
Casey Jennings Mark Williams
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger
Jason Lee Austin Rester
Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus
Nick Lucena Will Strickland
John Mayer Scott Wong
Anthony Medel Fred Souza
Matt Olson Jason Ring
George Roumain Larry Witt

Men's Results:

Men's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open
June 7th-10th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 4 $9,500.00 270.0
5 John Hyden Brad Keenan 7 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 9 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 8 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 5 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Matt Olson Jason Ring 6 $2,875.00 144.0
9 George Roumain Larry Witt 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 12 $2,875.00 144.0
13 John Mayer Scott Wong 13 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus 15 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 18 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jason Lee Austin Rester 20 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Canyon Ceman Chad Turner 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Paul Baxter Aaron Wachtfogel 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Brent Doble Ryan Mariano 19 $800.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 21, Q2 $800.00 72.0
17 Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet 22, Q8 $800.00 72.0
17 Leonardo Moraes Vincent Robbins 23, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten 24, Q12 $800.00 72.0
25 Billy Allen AJ Mihalic Q1 $.00 36.0
25 Adam Roberts Brad Torsone Q3 $.00 36.0
25 David Fischer Jon Mesko Q4 $.00 36.0
25 Kyle Denitz Casey Patterson Q10 $.00 36.0
29 Reuben Danley Lucas Wisniakowski Q5 $.00 18.0
29 Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q7 $.00 18.0
29 Bryan Gibson Keith Jones Q9 $.00 18.0
29 Ivan Mercer Justin Phipps Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Adam Minch Ben Parker Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q17 $.00 18.0
29 Zachary Franklin Chris Luers Q18 $.00 18.0
37 Yariv Lerner Jack Quinn Q15 $.00 12.0
37 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q16 $.00 12.0
37 Pete DiVenere Vince Zanzucchi Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Erik Gomez Alex Padilla Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Travis Regner Dan Stubinski Q22 $.00 12.0
37 Will Albaugh Tim Haeffner Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Chad Borton Richard Rainwater Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Mark Donaldson Steve May Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Richard O'Keefe David Woolsteen Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Eric Curnow Pete Kucera Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Hal Blakeslee Brian Schoenbaum Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Mike Dohrmann Bogue Smith Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Brandon Nelson Mark Suter Q33 $.00 12.0
37 Bruce Leever Wayne Leever Q34 $.00 12.0
37 Joey Keener Scott Rauch Q37 $.00 12.0
53 Oguz Degirmenci Brian Platz Q28 $.00 8.0
53 Jack Ligon Ryan Wallace Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Scott Bray Reo Sorrentino Q32 $.00 8.0
53 Jay Fik Jeffrey Poulin Q36 $.00 8.0
53 Travis Roberts Sam Rubin Q35 $.00 0.0

Men's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open
June 7th-10th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Brandon Nelson / Mark Suter (Q33) def. Scott Bray / Reo Sorrentino (Q32) 23-21, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 10: Joey Keener / Scott Rauch (Q37) def. Oguz Degirmenci / Brian Platz (Q28) 16-21, 21-13, 15-11 (0:55)
Match 15: Hal Blakeslee / Brian Schoenbaum (Q29) def. Jay Fik / Jeffrey Poulin (Q36) 20-22, 21-13, 15-5 (0:45)
Match 18: Mike Dohrmann / Bogue Smith (Q30) def. Travis Roberts / Sam Rubin (Q35) by Forfeit
Match 31: Bruce Leever / Wayne Leever (Q34) def. Jack Ligon / Ryan Wallace (Q31) 21-9, 21-12 (0:33)

Round 2
Match 33: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q1) def. Brandon Nelson / Mark Suter (Q33) 21-9, 21-15 (0:32)
Match 34: Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q17) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q16) 21-18, 14-21, 15-13 (0:48)
Match 35: Bryan Gibson / Keith Jones (Q9) def. Chad Borton / Richard Rainwater (Q24) 23-21, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 36: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (22, Q8) def. Mark Donaldson / Steve May (Q25) 21-13, 21-11 (0:35)
Match 37: Reuben Danley / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q5) def. Joey Keener / Scott Rauch (Q37) 17-21, 21-13, 15-10 (0:50)
Match 38: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q12) def. Jonathan Acosta / Matt McKinney (Q21) 21-18, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 39: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q13) def. Erik Gomez / Alex Padilla (Q20) 21-17, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 40: David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) def. Hal Blakeslee / Brian Schoenbaum (Q29) 21-17, 21-14 (0:43)
Match 41: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) def. Mike Dohrmann / Bogue Smith (Q30) 21-13, 21-12 (0:40)
Match 42: Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q14) def. Pete DiVenere / Vince Zanzucchi (Q19) 21-18, 15-21, 15-11 (0:51)
Match 43: Ivan Mercer / Justin Phipps (Q11) def. Travis Regner / Dan Stubinski (Q22) 21-15, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 44: Leonardo Moraes / Vincent Robbins (23, Q6) def. Eric Curnow / Pete Kucera (Q27) 21-18, 21-17 (0:49)
Match 45: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q7) def. Richard O'Keefe / David Woolsteen (Q26) 21-15, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 46: Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (Q10) def. Will Albaugh / Tim Haeffner (Q23) 22-20, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 47: Zachary Franklin / Chris Luers (Q18) def. Yariv Lerner / Jack Quinn (Q15) 21-15, 19-21, 15-13 (0:47)
Match 48: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Bruce Leever / Wayne Leever (Q34) 21-12, 21-14 (0:42)

Round 3
Match 49: Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q1) def. Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q17) 21-16, 21-12 (0:31)
Match 50: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (22, Q8) def. Bryan Gibson / Keith Jones (Q9) 22-20, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 51: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q12) def. Reuben Danley / Lucas Wisniakowski (Q5) 21-18, 21-15 (0:36)
Match 52: David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) def. Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q13) 26-24, 21-15 (0:48)
Match 53: Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) def. Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q14) 21-11, 21-15 (0:37)
Match 54: Leonardo Moraes / Vincent Robbins (23, Q6) def. Ivan Mercer / Justin Phipps (Q11) 21-15, 16-21, 15-8 (0:54)
Match 55: Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (Q10) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q7) 21-19, 17-21, 15-10 (1:03)
Match 56: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Zachary Franklin / Chris Luers (Q18) 21-9, 21-11 (0:35)

Round 4
Match 57: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (22, Q8) def. Billy Allen / AJ Mihalic (Q1) 21-17, 21-17 (0:48)
Match 58: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q12) def. David Fischer / Jon Mesko (Q4) 20-22, 21-15, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 59: Leonardo Moraes / Vincent Robbins (23, Q6) def. Adam Roberts / Brad Torsone (Q3) 21-18, 22-20 (1:05)
Match 60: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) def. Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (Q10) 21-17, 16-21, 15-12 (0:57)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) def. Paul Baxter / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) 15-21, 21-19, 15-13 (1:08)
Match 2: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q12) 21-17, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 3: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) 21-14, 23-21 (0:46)
Match 4: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (20) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 18-21, 21-15, 18-16 (1:09)
Match 5: Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (19) 19-21, 21-14, 15-11 (1:13)
Match 6: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (22, Q8) 21-17, 21-18 (0:45)
Match 7: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Leonardo Moraes / Vincent Robbins (23, Q6) 21-14, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 8: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (15) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) 21-16, 21-17 (0:46)

Round 2
Match 9: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) 21-14, 24-22 (0:52)
Match 10: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 21-19, 26-24 (1:05)
Match 11: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) 19-21, 21-17, 25-23 (1:10)
Match 12: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (20) 21-14, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 13: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 21-17, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 14: George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (6) 21-12, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 15: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-16, 18-21, 15-8 (1:00)
Match 16: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (15) 21-18, 24-22 (0:53)

Round 3
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) 21-18, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 18: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-18, 22-20 (0:55)
Match 19: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 21-12, 22-20 (0:46)
Match 20: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) 21-18, 16-21, 25-23 (1:04)

Round 4
Match 21: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) 21-17, 21-16 (0:56)
Match 22: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 19-21, 21-19, 15-11 (0:59)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (15) def. Paul Baxter / Aaron Wachtfogel (17) 21-18, 21-18 (0:54)
Match 24: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q12) 21-17, 23-21 (0:42)
Match 25: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (6) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (21, Q2) 21-17, 18-21, 15-7 (1:03)
Match 26: John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 19-21, 21-18, 15-13 (1:07)
Match 27: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (20) def. Brent Doble / Ryan Mariano (19) 21-19, 21-18 (0:54)
Match 28: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (22, Q8) 21-19, 21-8 (0:47)
Match 29: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Leonardo Moraes / Vincent Robbins (23, Q6) 21-19, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 30: Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (16) 12-21, 21-14, 15-13 (0:59)

Round 2
Match 31: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (15) 21-17, 11-21, 24-22 (1:14)
Match 32: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (6) def. John Mayer / Scott Wong (13) 22-20, 21-19 (0:54)
Match 33: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (20) 21-16, 21-13 (0:42)
Match 34: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (18) 21-14, 21-14 (0:44)

Round 3
Match 35: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (5) 21-19, 21-15 (0:51)
Match 36: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (6) 15-21, 23-21, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 37: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (12) 18-21, 21-18, 15-13 (1:04)
Match 38: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. George Roumain / Larry Witt (11) 21-9, 21-17 (0:47)

Round 4
Match 39: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-12, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 40: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 23-21, 21-16 (0:55)

Round 5
Match 41: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) 21-17, 21-17 (0:47)
Match 42: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) 21-12, 21-19 (0:42)

Semifinals
Match 43: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) 21-19, 21-19 (0:58)
Match 44: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) 21-11, 21-16 (0:46)

Finals
Match 45: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) 21-16, 17-21, 15-13 (1:20)

2007 Men's Atlanta,GA Open Tournament Champions >>Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal

                       Jake Gibb                                                                           Sean Rosenthal

Women's Entries:

Women's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open, June 7th-10th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Lauren Dickson Jaimie Lee Q1
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q2
Jill Changaris Colleen Smith Q3
Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet Q4
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q5
Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q6
Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing Q7
Leilani Kamahoahoa Chrissie Zartman Q8
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q9
Lauren Mills Laura Ratto Q10
Raquel Beson Bonnie Levin Q11
Marla O'Hara Jessica Veris Q12
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q13
Jessie Cooper Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q14
Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q15
Wendy Lockhart Amber Ramga Q16
Jenn Hoft Nicole Midwin Q17
Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q18
Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q19
Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q20
Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb Q21
Allie Griffin Regan Hood Q22
Kyra Lancon Ashley Regner Q23
Karen Hoyt Jill Wright Q24
Summer Koons Ana-Maria Ortega Q25
Brittany O'Neil Julie Taury Q26
Jennifer Bily Kim Dalimonte Q27
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson
Jennifer Boss April Ross
Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello
Lauren Fendrick Paula Roca
Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe
Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst
Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist
Nancy Mason Sarah Straton
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh
Holly McPeak Logan Tom
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger
Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder

Women's Results:

Women's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open
June 7th-10th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 3 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 7 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Jennifer Boss April Ross 4 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 9 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 5 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 6 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Lauren Fendrick Paula Roca 12 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 17 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 18 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 8 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Nancy Mason Sarah Straton 10 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 13 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 19 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Angela Knopf Catie Mintz 21, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 Whitney Pavlik Kelly Wing 22, Q7 $800.00 72.0
17 Leilani Kamahoahoa Chrissie Zartman 23, Q8 $800.00 72.0
17 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler 24, Q13 $800.00 72.0
25 Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q2 $.00 36.0
25 Jill Changaris Colleen Smith Q3 $.00 36.0
25 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Wendy Lockhart Amber Ramga Q16 $.00 36.0
29 Lauren Dickson Jaimie Lee Q1 $.00 18.0
29 Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet Q4 $.00 18.0
29 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q9 $.00 18.0
29 Marla O'Hara Jessica Veris Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Jessie Cooper Amy Hvitfeldtsen Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Jennifer Corral Elena Salvador Q18 $.00 18.0
29 Allie Griffin Regan Hood Q22 $.00 18.0
29 Kyra Lancon Ashley Regner Q23 $.00 18.0
37 Lauren Mills Laura Ratto Q10 $.00 12.0
37 Raquel Beson Bonnie Levin Q11 $.00 12.0
37 Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q15 $.00 12.0
37 Jenn Hoft Nicole Midwin Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Keegan Featherstone Jane Gibb Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Karen Hoyt Jill Wright Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Summer Koons Ana-Maria Ortega Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Brittany O'Neil Julie Taury Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Jennifer Bily Kim Dalimonte Q27 $.00 12.0

Women's AVP $100,000 Atlanta Open
June 7th-10th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Wendy Lockhart / Amber Ramga (Q16) def. Jenn Hoft / Nicole Midwin (Q17) 21-11, 21-14 (0:35)
Match 3: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q9) def. Karen Hoyt / Jill Wright (Q24) 21-9, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 4: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Chrissie Zartman (23, Q8) def. Summer Koons / Ana-Maria Ortega (Q25) 21-8, 21-13 (0:32)
Match 6: Marla O'Hara / Jessica Veris (Q12) def. Keegan Featherstone / Jane Gibb (Q21) 21-14, 21-16 (0:34)
Match 7: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (24, Q13) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q20) 21-6, 21-15 (0:34)
Match 10: Jessie Cooper / Amy Hvitfeldtsen (Q14) def. Lara Beutler / Shelby Moneer (Q19) 21-18, 21-12 (0:30)
Match 11: Allie Griffin / Regan Hood (Q22) def. Raquel Beson / Bonnie Levin (Q11) 21-17, 21-14 (0:30)
Match 12: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (21, Q6) def. Jennifer Bily / Kim Dalimonte (Q27) 21-15, 21-11 (0:32)
Match 13: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (22, Q7) def. Brittany O'Neil / Julie Taury (Q26) 21-12, 21-6 (0:33)
Match 14: Kyra Lancon / Ashley Regner (Q23) def. Lauren Mills / Laura Ratto (Q10) 21-18, 16-21, 15-10 (0:49)
Match 15: Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q18) def. Kimberly Harrison / Lisa Marshall (Q15) 13-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:49)

Round 2
Match 17: Wendy Lockhart / Amber Ramga (Q16) def. Lauren Dickson / Jaimie Lee (Q1) 21-19, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 18: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Chrissie Zartman (23, Q8) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q9) 21-18, 10-21, 15-12 (0:49)
Match 19: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q5) def. Marla O'Hara / Jessica Veris (Q12) 21-15, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 20: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (24, Q13) def. Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (Q4) 21-17, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 21: Jill Changaris / Colleen Smith (Q3) def. Jessie Cooper / Amy Hvitfeldtsen (Q14) 21-19, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 22: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (21, Q6) def. Allie Griffin / Regan Hood (Q22) 21-15, 21-12 (0:32)
Match 23: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (22, Q7) def. Kyra Lancon / Ashley Regner (Q23) 23-25, 24-22, 15-7 (1:06)
Match 24: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q2) def. Jennifer Corral / Elena Salvador (Q18) 21-10, 21-15 (0:35)

Round 3
Match 25: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Chrissie Zartman (23, Q8) def. Wendy Lockhart / Amber Ramga (Q16) 21-19, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 26: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (24, Q13) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q5) 23-25, 21-13, 15-5 (1:05)
Match 27: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (21, Q6) def. Jill Changaris / Colleen Smith (Q3) 21-14, 21-17 (0:36)
Match 28: Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (22, Q7) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (Q2) 21-14, 21-18 (0:36)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (16) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (17) 15-21, 21-15, 16-14 (0:50)
Match 2: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (24, Q13) 21-13, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 3: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (21, Q6) 15-21, 21-16, 15-11 (0:56)
Match 4: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (20) 18-21, 21-14, 15-7 (0:57)
Match 5: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (14) 21-17, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 6: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (11) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (22, Q7) 21-14, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 7: Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (10) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Chrissie Zartman (23, Q8) 21-15, 21-18 (0:42)
Match 8: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) 16-21, 21-16, 15-13 (0:55)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (16) 21-10, 21-17 (0:37)
Match 10: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) 18-21, 21-17, 15-11 (0:53)
Match 11: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) def. Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) 21-14, 21-13 (0:41)
Match 12: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (4) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) 21-17, 21-11 (0:38)
Match 13: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (3) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 19-21, 21-19, 15-11 (1:22)
Match 14: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (11) 21-14, 21-19 (0:36)
Match 15: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (10) 21-12, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 16: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) 21-13, 21-19 (0:37)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) 21-14, 21-12 (0:32)
Match 18: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (4) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) 17-21, 21-18, 15-11 (1:10)
Match 19: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (3) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 30-28, 21-17 (0:56)
Match 20: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 21-16, 21-19 (0:39)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (4) 21-19, 21-17 (0:48)
Match 22: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (3) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) 34-32, 16-21, 16-14 (1:20)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (17) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (15) 21-15, 14-21, 15-10 (0:46)
Match 24: Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (10) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (24, Q13) 21-11, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 25: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (11) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (21, Q6) 27-25, 21-11 (0:45)
Match 26: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (20) 21-15, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 27: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (14) 17-21, 21-14, 15-11 (0:58)
Match 28: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Whitney Pavlik / Kelly Wing (22, Q7) 21-16, 21-17 (0:34)
Match 29: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Chrissie Zartman (23, Q8) 21-18, 21-17 (0:41)
Match 30: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (16) 21-19, 22-20 (0:40)

Round 2
Match 31: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (17) def. Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (10) 21-19, 14-21, 15-10 (0:54)
Match 32: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (11) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 21-17, 19-21, 18-16 (1:07)
Match 33: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) 21-15, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 34: Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) 22-24, 24-22, 15-13 (1:06)

Round 3
Match 35: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (17) 21-13, 21-17 (0:35)
Match 36: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (11) 21-19, 21-18 (0:40)
Match 37: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) 21-16, 21-12 (0:42)
Match 38: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (18) 21-11, 21-17 (0:37)

Round 4
Match 39: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) 21-13, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 40: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (6) 21-19, 21-9 (0:42)

Round 5
Match 41: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) 30-28, 21-16 (0:57)
Match 42: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (4) 21-15, 21-19 (0:47)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) 26-24, 21-15 (0:47)
Match 44: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (3) 21-18, 30-28 (0:55)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 21-9, 21-15 (0:47)

2007 Women's Atlanta,GA Open Tournament Champions >>Misty May-Treanor /Kerri Walsh

Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh

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Tour heads up the coast to Atlanta
Georgia capital playing host to AVP for sixth time
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
TAMPA, Fla. — The AVP Crocs Tour will remain in the southeast for another week, taking the beach volleyball road show northward a bit for the Atlanta Open.
This will be the sixth installment of a tournament that has been won four times by Karch Kiraly. That was in the 1990s, when he paired twice with Kent Steffes to win and also earned victories with Scott Ayakatubby and Adam Johnson.
Atlanta is also where Kiraly won his 1996 Olympic Gold Medal.
Last year, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger emerged with the title on the men's side, while Elaine Youngs and Rachel Wacholder upended Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in the women's draw. Atlanta also hosted a women's tournament in 1994, when Nancy Reno and Angela Rock won.
The 2007 season is Kiraly's last on tour, and he's playing a limited schedule but he's slated to appear in Atlanta. While his last victory was two years ago in Huntington Beach, the 46-year-old still has a few cards to play.
With partner Kevin Wong, Kiraly was within a victory of securing his 149th career title but ultimately fell short, as Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb pulled out the 21-18, 21-17 win in the AVP Esurance Tampa Open men's final.
It was the sixth final appearance in seven events this season for Rosenthal-Gibb, but their first title.
"It feels great and I'm glad we broke through," Rosenthal said. "Jake and I are trying to get here every week and to finally break through and get one is special."
The two had flown directly from Louisville to Tampa to work with coach Mike Dodd in lieu of going to California for the intervening time. It paid off as they emerged with the win, surviving a loss on Friday that sent them into the contender's bracket.
Gibb gave all the credit to his partner.
"I wasn't blocking balls all weekend," Gibb said. "I was a big, stupid goof up there, and he just carried me."
The train kept on rolling on the women's side as Youngs and partner Nicole Branagh were the latest to try and slow down the considerable momentum generated by May-Treanor and Walsh.
While Sunday's final was spirited at times, May-Treanor and Walsh were simply better in pulling off the 21-19, 21-15 victory.
It was the 75th overall title for May-Treanor, tying her with Dodd for fifth place in career victories. Walsh notched her 72nd tournament victory, tying her with Holly McPeak for the second most titles on the women's side.
"Misty and I both have so much respect for Holly McPeak. She set the standard so high," Walsh said. "It's an honor to be chasing her and be with her right now. It's very special and very humbling."
A team looking to regroup is Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
The No. 1 duo on the men's side rolled into Tampa, winners of five of six events, but they lost an early match Saturday to fall into the contender's bracket for the first time this year. They were subsequently upended in the semifinals by Kiraly and Wong.
But players on the men's side still consider Rogers and Dalhausser the team to beat.
"Somebody usually is going to have beat that team," Kiraly said, who called them "a great, great team and the dominant team on the tour this year."

Indoor star hits the beach
Tom is one of most talented players on tour
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
In two straight tournaments, Logan Tom has reached her two highest finishes of her career on the beach with a second- and fifth-place.
While she's yet to claim a title in the AVP, her ascent towards that goal is a little bit of redemption for someone who says she has sacrificed and invested a lot in her beach training.
"(Finishing second in Louisville was) fulfilling, in a way," said Tom. "It feels good to do good out here and it makes how much effort I put in this sport right now, beach volleyball, worth it."
From a young age, Tom has familiarized herself with dominance and it's only natural that she should one day expect the same thing on the beach. As an indoor player on the 1996 U.S. Junior National Team, Tom was the youngest member at 16 years old and incidentally led the team in blocks and kills.
Two years later she was named the 1998 Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year and in 2000 was the only high school member of the Olympic National Team in Sydney, Australia. The Americans placed fourth with Tom that year and fifth during her second Olympic games in Athens, Greece.
Naturally Tom continued to shine during her indoor career at Stanford, side-by-side with another indoor great turned Goddess of the Beach, Kerri Walsh.
"Logan's wonderful. I was fortunate enough to play with her (when) she was a freshman and I was a senior at Stanford," said Walsh. "I played with her on the National Team and she's just a wonderful athlete. She's so fiery and so hungry. And she tried her hardest to get back in that game (in Louisville). She did amazing things and this is just the beginning."
Tom's success kept rolling professionally when she opted to continue indoor play at the international level, in Brazil, Italy, and finally Switzerland. But the travel was taking a toll on the young athlete's time and commitment to family and friends, so she finally chose her path on the beach.
"You make a lot of sacrifices and you go into it knowing you're going to make sacrifices," said Tom. "But you look at in the end what you get out of it - whether it's the journey along the way the finals, it all depends on what you want out of it - but for me this validates a lot of what I put into it."
"(Beach volleyball) is a new thing for me and I didn't know how it would go, whether I'd be good or whether I should keep this going," she continued. "Because I know what I can do indoors, but I wanna try this out. Being in the finals makes me want to stay here more, it validates me being here."
2006 was a strong first year for Tom, who paired with Brittany Hochevar, Brooke Hanson and finally her current partner, Holly McPeak. During her first year on tour she landed 2006 Rookie of the year honors and did so without ever having to compete in the qualifying rounds.
McPeak and Tom closed out their 2006 campaign in fifth and seventh place, and currently look like they are getting back into that groove. Maybe even more so now that they have a finals appearance under their collective belts.
"I think she's going to continue to improve over the years, she's just learning the game so she's going to get more and more comfortable on the beach," said McPeak of her partner.
"This is the year you're going to see tremendous improvement, but you're going to see that for a long period of time with her because she has so far to go. She's just such a phenomenal athlete; when she gets control of every aspect of the game it's gonna be scary."
Although many players have seen it coming for a long time, Logan Tom is finally starting to realize that she has the potential to be one of the most dangerous players on the women's side of the AVP Crocs Tour.

AVP pros must adapt to all weather
Thunderstorms forecasted for Atlanta this weekend
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
As last weekend showed, a day on tour is not always a day at the beach.
Tropical Storm Barry halted play for two hours Saturday morning and wreaked havoc on a few courts by dumping a high volume of rain, but it also brought high and unpredictable winds.
Windy conditions are certainly normal along the Southern California coastline where many of the players learned, train and compete, but it all effects players in different ways.
A master of most things related to the sport, Karch Kiraly prefers to spin what could be perceived as a negative in his favor.
"I kind of like the wind and most players don't. You might as well like it and use it to your advantage," Kiraly said. "It is a little more difficult to play in so you have to try and take the mentality that most players are thinking: 'Oh, no, it's windy today.' So I just try to use a little reverse psychology and say: 'Cool, it's windy today.' It is going to be more challenging but if I can play better than I have a good shot."
Mix in some rain and the situation becomes even more predictable. Casey Jennings figures you might as well roll with it.
"It's raining, it makes it fun and you can relax," Jennings said. "You should be able to relax all the time but when the conditions are like that you can go out and play like you did when you were kids out in the rain. You still want to win but it is a little less intense."
Isolated thunderstorms are in the forecast for Atlanta this weekend, the next stop on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Eye opener: Matt Henderson and Joe Cash figured, "what the heck" last weekend in Tampa.
With the tour in their own backyard, the two long-time friends and occasional partners in sand put pen to paper and opted to enter the one-day qualifier.
It was only the third time for Cash to try and advance to the main draw and the fourth for Henderson, but they made it and pulled down a $1,700 payday in the process with a 13th-place finish.
But aside from getting a boost of confidence in their own game, they also gained a newfound respect for the players that do it full-time.
"It wasn't too bad because it was a small draw and not a lot of courts," Henderson said. "The games were spaced out so it wasn't too bad but playing three days in a row anything is going to be tough and you're going to get sore and tired."
Henderson, who said he's used to playing in tournaments that last only one day, admitted that he and Cash were a bit stiff by the time Saturday rolled around and they were still alive in the tournament.
With an increase in points and some newfound cash to throw at travel expenses, Henderson had hoped to enter the next event, but duty calls. Henderson, who is a firefighter, and Cash, who is a partner in a title firm, will not be in Atlanta.
Progressing: Larry Witt and George Roumain have only been together for three tournaments but they're headed in the right direction.
After two straight ninth-place finishes, Witt and Roumain placed fifth in Tampa and were a game away from advancing to the semifinals before Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser took control in the third set of their match last Sunday morning.
Witt paired with Ryan Mariano through the first four events this season and placed third in Dallas but followed that with a 25th and a 13th. But in Tampa, Witt formed a powerful duo with Roumain and the two got past Jennings and Mark Williams and then Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger before dropping their next two matches.
"We played a lot of good volleyball. It was good for us," Witt said. "We had a few lumps in there. It's fun playing with George; he's exciting up there."
Inner game: Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb upended Kiraly and Kevin Wong in the final in Tampa for their first crown this year, ending an 0-10 string in title appearances. Their previous tournament victory was the 2006 season opener in Ft. Lauderdale.
They gave a lot of credit to their coach Mike Dodd, who helped them maintain focus leading into the Tampa Open.
"He works on all the mental stuff. He talks us through stuff. He's been there. He's won 75 times and won a silver medal. That is where he helps us the most," Gibb said. "We're young and we're stupid. We do stupid things all the time. And he let's us know."

Beth Van Fleet insisted on following dream

Beth Van Fleet(left);Diane Pearson(cntr);Cinta Preston (right) Click Here To Play Video
TEAM VOLLEYCHICK

Georgia State grad struggles on beach circuit
By BILL SANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/06/07
It's hardly the sentence every parent dreams of hearing out of their brand-new college grad.
"We got out there and realized we had no idea what we were doing," Georgia State graduate Beth Van Fleet said about her passion-chasing trip to California.
It had nothing to do with Georgia State not preparing her for the real world. Nothing to do with Hollywood saying she wasn't pretty enough or a director not liking her performance.
Van Fleet's stage was the beach. She was a professional volleyball player, doggone it, and professional volleyball players live in California.
"The first words out of my dad's mouth were, 'This is the worst financial decision of your life.' He was right about it being a bad financial decision, but he's come around on it. It's what I love."
Van Fleet will be here this week to participate in the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour stop, the AVP Atlanta Open. She'll have to qualify today in order to participate in the weekend tournament. Basically, that means she and her partner, Angie Hall, will have to win probably two or three matches to keep playing.
"It's emotionally and physically draining to have to qualify each week. But until we get to the point where we're consistently faring well, that's what we have to do," Van Fleet said.
Van Fleet's initial naiveté ("We had no idea what we were doing") was about just how talented professional volleyball players were. After all, there weren't many better than Van Fleet in Georgia. But go outside and take a good look. See many big-time beach volleyball games going on?
In other words, conquering Georgia was one thing. Heck, even becoming one of the better players on Florida's beach wasn't enough.
Van Fleet had to see where she stood against the real players, the ones who do their thing on West Coast beaches.
So far, here's what she's learned: She and her partner are somewhere in the top 50 or so teams. If they are really lucky and spend their money wisely and stay at friends' houses, they might be able to cover their expenses during a tournament.
In four years, she's made just over $6,000 playing volleyball. Thus, her "most-of-the-time job" is in marketing.
"The top five or so can probably make a living playing volleyball," she said. "You have to be at the top consistently to do that. You can't just qualify, then come in 17th every week and do much more than cover your expenses."

Former Panthers fall in qualifying

Beth Van Fleet sets her partner Angie Hall Atlanta 2007
By BILL SANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/08/07
Beth Van Fleet's homecoming party was short-lived.
The Georgia State graduate and her partner, Angie Hall, were upset in the second round of the qualifying day of the second AVP Atlanta Open professional beach volleyball tournament, losing to 13th-seed Kealani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler.
Georgia State graduate Beth Van Fleet hits the ball as her partner, Angie Hall, goes toward the net during their match at the AVP Atlanta Open at Atlantic Station.
The Kimball-Masler team had already won once in blistering heat before playing the No. 4-seed team of Van Fleet and Hall, who had a bye in the first round.
Van Fleet showed to be a pretty good digger. She had game when it came to finesse and power, too.
But in the end, it wasn't enough, as Van Fleet's team lost 21-17, 21-19.
"This has been a tough year," she said.
"It's a bummer I couldn't do better here, but it seems like whoever we play plays great that day. And they did play great."
Van Fleet said the heat, in the upper 80s with humidity more than 50 percent, was hard to adjust to.
"We've been playing in California in the 60s, playing in sweats," she said. "Being from Florida, I should've done better because of my roots."
Fellow Georgia State alum Amber Ramga fared better but still did not advance to play today. Teamed with Wendy Lockhart, the No. 16 seeds won twice, but then lost later in the day.
The main draw of the tournament begins at 8 a.m. today at Atlantic Station.

Kiraly defies sands of time
Volleyball legend still competing
By BILL SANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/07/07
In so many ways, the mantel has been passed.
Karch Kiraly isn't the best professional volleyball player out there anymore.
At 'Atlanta Beach' in Jonesboro in 1996, Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes won the first Olympic gold in beach volleyball.
But remember Michael Jordan on the Wizards? Remember Jack Nicklaus at his twilight?
Kiraly still is the face of his sport, the one people recognize (of course shaving the head again would help) and the one who still is credited as making beach volleyball the heartland's pastime.
OK, so maybe Kiraly's sport is still kind of a California thing instead of a heartland thing.
But it was right here in Atlanta where Kiraly had perhaps his greatest moment.
Kiraly won his third Olympic gold medal in 1996, but his first in beach volleyball.
"There's only one opportunity to be the first at something," Kiraly said. "It was the first time they had beach volleyball as a medal sport, and I played with one of the greatest players [Kent Steffes] of all time.
"It was special time. No one really knew what to expect from it. And I haven't been back to what was called Atlanta Beach since a couple of days after the Olympics."
After this year, there will be no question that Kiraly isn't the best, but only because he is retiring at age 46. He has won at least one tournament in 24 of the 27 seasons he has played on the AVP tour.
His farewell tour — including the AVP Atlanta Open beginning today at Atlantic Station — is nothing like a sentimental public goodbye. There's too much competitive juice still flowing for that.
Just last weekend, Kiraly and Kevin Wong, the No. 5 seeds, came in second place in the Tampa stop.
"It was our first appearance in the finals this year," Kiraly said. "Rather than being sentimental about this being my last year, I'm trying to help us be the best team we can be. We really want to win one."
As far as being compared to folks like Jordan, Kiraly sees it from both sides.
"Anytime you get compared to an athlete like Jordan, it's an honor, but Jordan wasn't playing at 46 years old, going for championships."
(Of course, Nicklaus was, as he grabbed his last green jacket at Augusta at age 46 in 1986.)
This summer Kiraly will launch the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy, a comprehensive training program for high school girls.
Joining Kiraly at this summer's academy sessions in Anaheim, Calif., and Virginia Beach, Va., are eight former Olympians and volleyball legends.
"I'm not leaving the sport by any means," Kiraly said. "Just the pro tour."

Nygaard passes biggest test

Veteran of AVP circuit ready to resume competition

By Mike Scarr / AVP.com

Jeff Nygaard got the news he wanted Tuesday, when doctors gave him a clean bill of health.

Nygaard had outpatient surgery May 24 to remove a tumor from his left biceps that was diagnosed as Stage One melanoma. The pathology report indicated the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor was cancer-free and no further treatment has been prescribed. Nygaard has been cleared to play in the Atlanta Open, the main draw of which begins Friday.

"I didn't even think that I'd be playing beach volleyball to begin with and I'm making a comeback that from the doctor's standpoint is probably a little early," Nygaard said. "There are all kinds of perspectives that you can take, but the one I'm taking is I'm going there and I'm going there to win."

Nygaard, who missed both the Louisville and the Tampa opens, had stitches removed Tuesday. He said the only pain he has experienced was the main stitch that dug into his arm when he practiced and also some tenderness at the site of the incision. He added that he is not risking injury but will probably wrap the arm to help isolate the muscle.

Despite mild encouragement by the medical staff to take it slower to allow the area to heal, and also possibly to wait until next week's tournament in Charleston, S.C., to return, Nygaard accelerated his progress and said it helped.

"I was probably pushing it before I should have, simply because that is what I do. I'm an active person. I play AVP, but also I didn't want to lose what I had gained," Nygaard said.

"If you just sat there and wallowed in it, it probably would have lasted longer and taken longer to heal," he continued. "I'm a firm believer on the mental side of things. If you can talk yourself into getting sick then you can talk yourself out of being sick."

Nygaard has been participating in full practices for the last five days with partner Dax Holdren. The two had back-to-back third-place finishes before Nygaard's surgery. Holdren also reached the semifinals with Kevin Wong in Louisville but sat out last week's tournament.

Friendly confines: Atlanta has been the site of five previous men's tournaments and Karch Kiraly is the holder of four of those titles.

Kiraly also won his third Olympic Gold Medal in Atlanta, where he teamed with Kent Steffes in 1996 to win the Games' inaugural beach volleyball competition.

On the rebound: Putting aside a rough weekend was Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. After falling to a seventh in Louisville, Youngs and Branagh raced back to the final in Tampa, where they lost to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

It was the fourth final of the year for Youngs and Branagh, but first since losing to May-Treanor and Walsh in Huntington Beach last month.

In unfamiliar territory last week was the No. 1 men's seed. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser lost their first match Saturday and fell into the contender's bracket for the first time this season. They then lost to Kiraly and Wong in the semifinals.

Set to defend: The winners of the 2006 Atlanta Open were Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger on the men's side, and Youngs and Rachel Wacholder on the women's side.

Bracketology: Qualifying rounds in Atlanta will be held Thursday, when 32 men's and women's teams will compete for one of four slots into the 24-team main draw. Play will be contested on six courts.

Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on avp.com Sunday, June 10. The Mosaic video player will also provide coverage from four courts on Friday and Saturday. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, June 12, and will replay the men's final Saturday, June 16.

Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday with Friday and Saturday featuring both day and night sessions. Competition will begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday and 10:00 a.m. Saturday for the day sessions and then at 7:30 p.m. ET both Friday and Saturday for the night sessions. Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the men's final scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and the women's final set to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET.

Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour moves up the Atlantic seaboard to South Carolina for the first-ever Charleston Open, June 14-17, beginning Thursday the 14th with qualifying rounds for the 24-team main draw.

Hot Bodies Hit Atlanta Beach For Fun In The Sun Competition
By Nelson Hicks, wsbtv.com reporter/photographer

UPDATED: 12:44 pm EDT June 8, 2007

ATLANTA -- Grab the bikini and some sunscreen too, Pro Beach Volleyball returns to Atlanta this week. The AVP Crocs Tour stops at Atlantic Station from now until Sunday. This is the second year in a row the city has played host to the event. Two thousand tons of sand were brought in to transform the bottom floor of Atlantic Station into 17th Street Beach.
Video: Grab The Bikini, Sexy Sport Returns To Atlanta Beach
The best men and women beach volleyball players in the world will dig, hit, and slam through their eighth event of the season. The event also marks the final beach volleyball competition for Karch Kiraly in Atlanta. The superstar is retiring from the competition at the end of the summer. He's the only male player to winner three Olympic gold medals. He's won more tournaments and prize money then anyone else in the history of Pro Beach Volleyball. At age 46, he's simply ready to move on, but don't let the retirement phase fool you, he's got plenty of plans, most of which include volleyball. Video: The King Of The Beach Leaving Sand Behind
Television simply doesn't do an AVP tour event justice. The atmosphere is unlike most sporting events out there. Sure, there's a volleyball match going on, but the Tour has billed their events as a huge beach party as well. You'll find a great family atmosphere, yet plenty of sun and fun to soak up. The main draw springs into action on Friday. Friday and Saturday features both a morning and evening session, with the finals on Sunday. Don't miss the slideshow and videos from the event.

Beach volleyball: Skilled finesse, yet controversial
By David Quick (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, June 7, 2007
In the 19 years I have lived here, I have found it difficult to get excited about attending sports events in Charleston.
Like many people 'from off,' it may be because I grew up with teams that make ESPN highlight shows and Sports Illustrated. I spent the first half of my childhood in college basketball's hallowed ground of Tobacco Road, watching Duke, Carolina and N.C. State in that rivalry triangle. The second half was in Detroit, where I gravitated toward the Tigers and Lions, as well as Michigan football.
My lack of enthusiasm for local sports events probably also stems from the fact the Lowcountry has so many things 'to do' and fairly decent weather to do them in.
But last December, when I heard the announcement that the AVP professional beach volleyball tournament was coming to the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, I immediately thought, 'I'm going to that.' The AVP Charleston Open starts a week from today. (See familycirclecup.com for more.)
Beach volleyball is set to take off in the United States and the world. It originated in Santa Monica, Calif., in the 1920s and sputtered along as a California sport until the 1990s. The 2004 Olympics in Athens raised its profile enormously, and the AVP is keeping interest stoked with its tournaments.
I think part of the appeal of beach volleyball taps the same appeal that helped create the ancient Olympics in Greece. Athletes were celebrated not only for their skill but for their beauty.
Olympic-level beach volleyball athletes are the Greek athletes of today. Tall, strong and, in modern terms, "ripped." They perfectly merge elite physical feats of leaping and diving, as well as the finesse of working as a team in competition, with bodies that seem carved from marble by Michelangelo.
Internationally, beach volleyball has been controversial, especially among fundamentally conservative Islamic nations. Athletes compete in what more closely resembles swimwear, long shorts for the men and athletic bikini combos for women. It's considered too "sexualized." But what are they supposed to wear? It's a sport played on beach sand in an often hot, sun-drenched arena.
I find it a shame that some don't want to celebrate the beauty of the human form, and in some cases, want to deny it to others. It is as mind-boggling as people who complain about art exhibits featuring nudes.
The support of the AVP Charleston Open will be interesting because the area is conservative and gravitates toward traditional sports.
The Lowcountry has strong golf and tennis communities willing to pay good money to watch tournaments such as the recent Family Circle Cup, Senior PGA and the Ginn Tribute tournaments. By comparison, very few play beach volleyball. And this is the time of year people tend to like to head out to the beach, on the boat or go to the mountains.
It is my hope that we will support the tournament and that it will help generate more year-round interest in the sport. Beach volleyball is a perfect fit for the Lowcountry, in part because we have such a bounty of beaches and yet surprisingly have few venues for play.
Jeff Hefel, organizer of the Charleston Beach Volleyball and Social Club, helped serve on a focus group for determining the level of interest in the tournament and thinks it will boost interest in participation in the league and free play because of the AVP's exposure and marketing in Charleston.
Besides inspiring weekend warrior types, maybe — just maybe — one of our talented female high school volleyball players (there are no boys teams) will be inspired to be the next generation of Olympians, such as Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
Regardless, I'll be among the paying customers next weekend. While it won't compare to sitting in Cameron Indoor Stadium watching the Blue Devils and Tar Heels duke it out on the hardwood, the action and excitement on Daniel Island may just equal it and create a new tradition for Charleston.

Atlanta qualifying underway
Women's top seed knocked off
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — The hometown advantage showed up early in the AVP Atlanta Open women's qualifier. Amber Ramga of Atlanta and partner Wendy Lockhart knocked out No. 1 seed Lauren Dickson-Jaimie Lee, 21-19, 21-15, as 27 teams on the women's side battled for four spots in the main draw.
Lockhart, from St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., was teaming with Ramga as the No. 16 seed. The duo started their day with a 21-11, 21-14 triumph over No. 17 Jenn Hoft and Nicole Midwin.
The No. 1 seed on the men's side was faring much better. Billy Allen, from Venice, Calif., and partner A.J. Mihalic from Hermosa Beach, Calif., looked strong in their first competition, taking down No. 33 Brandon Nelson and Mark Suter, 21-9, 21-15.
There were 37 teams in the men's qualifier with four advancing to Friday's main draw.
The eighth event on this year's Crocs Tour is being held in midtown Atlanta. Competition began under stifling heat as the high temperature in Atlanta on Thursday was expected to top 90 degrees.
Lockhart and Ramga faced a battle against No. 8 Leilani Kamahoahoa and Chrissie Zartman for the right to advance to the main draw.

Wacholder finds partner in Turner
Duo has sights set on Atlanta title
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — Rachel Wacholder arrived at the stadium court at Atlantic Station in Atlanta with nary a grain of sand or a drop of sweat on her.
Defending champs have to show up to Thursday's qualifying round. But that's about it.
"I can't even remember these," Wacholder said of qualifying rounds. "Maybe my first year?"
Wacholder won the first-ever Atlanta Open last year with partner Elaine Youngs. Since then, she's played and won with Jennifer Boss and Kerri Walsh.
But the revolving door is over, Wacholder said. She and her new partner, Tyra Turner, have serious plans.
"We're in the courting stage now," Turner said. "It's a bit like a second marriage."
Wacholder is convinced Turner's the one she wants to spend the rest of her professional life with.
"The thing with Elaine was not really planned," Wacholder said. "Jen and I had great run in AVP but struggled internationally. With the Olympics being very important to us, we both thought we might be stronger with other people. The switching is over now. I hope to play with Trya the rest of my career.
"Every week it gets better. It gets better when you don't have to say things, you just know, because you've been in that situation together. That takes time though. There's nothing you can do to make up for time and we haven't had a lot of it. It would have been nice to have a year prior to this, but we're both up to challenge."
What makes this such a potentially dominant team, Wacholder said, is far more than the meshing of skills. Sure, Wacholder is a defensive whiz and Turner is a big net presence. But more of it has to do with common goals and values, Wacholder said.
"We really have the same goals," she said. "We're close to the same age and we're at the same spot in our lives. We both really want to do this and have dedicated the time, money and our heart into this. It makes it easier when you feel the person you're working with is putting in as much as you are.
"We spend so much time together. I'm fortunate that she is such a pleasant person to be around."
Last week's stop in Tampa wasn't a great one for the Wacholder-Turner team. They are simply too good to be taking fifth places. And Wacholder knows it.
"The conditions were horrible, the rain made the sand so hard, it was like playing indoor volleyball," she said. "But we're still learning each other, getting better every tournament."
For Turner, it's about communicating and learning exactly what Wacholder expects from her.
"You just can't figure that all out in training," she said. "Every tournament, there's something new. Our goal is to not let what we learn one week slip away the next. We've moved up to second seed and our communication still isn't perfect."
Being a No. 2 seed is impressive, but Wacholder knows the gap between them and the No. 1 team of Misty May-Treanor and Walsh is huge.
"Ask anyone, and they'd tell you they are the definitive favorites, every week," Wacholder said. "Kerri's 6-3 and moves like the best small girl out there. They are the best team. By far."

Heat is on at volleyball event
By BO EMERSON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/08/07
Beach volleyball was more like microwave-oven volleyball Thursday, when qualifying matches for the AVP Atlanta Open began at 8 a.m. in a refitted parking deck at Atlantic Station, then continued into the frying pan of midday.
The competition was rare and, by the time they came off the sand, the competitors were well-done.
AVP ATLANTA OPEN
Men's and women's main-draw competition in the AVP Atlanta Open at Atlantic Station begins at 8 a.m. Friday and continues through Sunday. $20-$35. 404-586-8510, www.avp.com.
Crispy," Wendy Lockhart of St. Pete Beach, Fla., said with a smile. Lockhart and partner Amber Ramga of Atlanta won their first- round match in the Association of Volleyball Professionals qualifiers.
The temperature in Atlanta was in the high 80s around midday, but in the temporary stadium/reflector oven, lined with 4 million pounds of sand, it was closer to 92, Ramga said. A sprinkle of rain did little to cool off the players.
Given such conditions, the regulation bikinis worn by the female volleyballers count as sensible attire. Plus, the fans don't mind.
"It's a draw," admitted spectator Eric Huisman, a student at Kennesaw State University, commenting on the abbreviated outfits.
"Not for me," countered his friend Natasha Lapatinskaya. A native of Stary Oskol in central Russia, Lapatinskaya and her fellow countrywoman Marina Nefedkova, who play court volleyball back home, wanted to catch some games while in Atlanta. The two have summer jobs at an area country club.
"We play six against six," said Nefedkova. "This is more difficult."
Indeed, play featured nail-biting volleys and heroic saves, distinguished by defenders flinging themselves full-length into the hot sand.
Those who came up well-powdered with the abrasive could be seen discreetly hosing off between games at a spigot set up near the five practice courts.
To compete in a bathing suit takes self-assurance, said freelance photographer Ellen McRaney, sitting at courtside with a long lens. "I think it's great that they have that much confidence. I'd be too self-conscious."
Thursday's modest-size audience, wandering amid the banners for José Cuervo tequila and Croc shoes, included families with young children, a few soldiers in dress fatigues, college students and AVP volunteers.
A Marietta mom and her friend, with five daughters between them, brought the girls to entice them to take up the game.
While Atlanta has some beach volleyball credentials from the days of Atlanta Beach and the 1996 Olympics, the sport is still dominated by Californians.
"It's a warm-weather climate here, but we've still got to bring in the sand," said Doug Lehman, who plays on a club-level coed team and stopped to watch a few practices.
Dom Bonvissuto, a yellow-shirted volunteer who spent the afternoon retrieving errant balls for the players, said the club-level beach volleyball scene here is developing.
"It's not bad for a land-locked city."

Zartman rises above her height
Four women's teams move on to Friday
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — You don't even have to ask Chrissie Zartman how tall — or short — she is. Just stand there for a few seconds, and she'll spit out the answer to the most-often asked question she gets.
"Five-three," Zartman said.
Yep, that's short in the world of professional volleyball — even among those struggling week to week to qualify.
Zartman and her partner Leilani Kamahoahoa won three times Thursday in Atlanta to advance to Friday's main draw of the Atlanta Open.
"We get to play a few more days," she said. "That's the best part. We're happy, but not satisfied just to make it."
Zartman, 23, from Hermosa Beach, Calif., starred for UCLA before turning pro last year, so she's used to being the little one.
"I don't know if I'm the shortest (of the pros)," she said. "Probably. Leilani played so great that it made it kind of easy for me to scoop up what was left."
Thursday was a rough day for a couple of the hometown favorites and a couple of the top seeds as well.
Beth Van Fleet, who played college volleyball at Georgia State in Atlanta had circled this event on her calendar as one she really wanted to excel in. And the seedings seemed to be on her side. Four teams would advance to Friday's main draw and Van Fleet and partner Angie Hall were the No. 4 seed.
Even better, those top four earned byes, and with the temperatures in the upper 80s before noon, the fewer matches, the better.
At least that's how it was supposed to go.
Van Fleet and Hall lost, 21-17, 21-19, to the No. 13 seeded team of Kealani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler.
"I don't know, maybe they had gotten accustomed to the heat by their second match," Van Fleet said. "We're used to playing in sweats in California."
Van Fleet knew her logic about playing more games in these conditions being a good thing was faulty.
"They just played great," she said of Kimball and Masler. "They deserved it."
There seemed to be a fair amount of that going on here — lower seeds, the ones who didn't earn an early-round bye — advancing.
Before noon here, the top-seeded team of Lauren Dickson and Jamie Lee was sent home by 16th seed Wendy Lockhart and Amber Ramga.
Ramga, who also played her college ball here at Georgia State, and Lockhart lost to Zartman's team later in the day, 21-19, 21-12.
And by the end of the day, the No. 2-seeded team of Erin Byrd and Paige Davis had been eliminated.
Other than Zartman's team, those advancing to Friday are the team of Kimball and Masler, No. 7 seeded Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing; and No. 6 seed Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz. Pavlik and Wing played a total of two hours and 15 minutes, the most of any team.
No seed higher than No. 6 advanced.

Moraes battles field, heat to move on
The heat is the story on Atlanta Day One
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — The stifling heat and humidity staggered Leonardo Moraes, but it couldn't him knock out for the count.
After requiring medical attention because of Atlanta's sizzling conditions late Thursday afternoon, Moraes refused to give in. Knowing that he was just one win away from a date in the main draw with partner Vincent Robbins, Moraes dug in mentally. He cooled himself down with fluids, donned a cap for a little more protection from the sun and helped his team defeat Adam Roberts and Brad Torsone, 21-18, 22-20, to gain the privilege of doing it all again on Friday in the AVP Atlanta Open.
Hopefully for Moraes and all the other AVP competitors, the conditions will be a little more forgiving over the next three days.
Moraes and Robbins, who were seeded No. 6 in the men's qualifier, looked sharp in winning the opening game against No. 3 Roberts/Torsone. But midway through the second game, Moraes began to vomit and medical officials were quickly called to the scene.
"There's nothing that can happen that can take me away from the court in the third match," Moraes said. "I can have two broken arms and I'll still be there."
Moraes is from Brazil and is used to extremely hot weather. But it was the humidity of the deep South in June that temporarily overwhelmed him.
"We had been in spots on the Tour where the humidity wasn't so horrible and the body has to adjust to it," Moraes said. "I could still jump out there, but I just had a weird reaction to it. I wasn't cramping up."
Moraes took his full five-minute time allotment as Robbins offered encouragement.
"Don't worry about it," Robbins said as an ice pack was applied to Moraes' neck. "Take five minutes and we'll go win this game."
Robbins proved prophetic with that word.
"I took advantage of the rules," Moraes said. "Those five minutes definitely helped me out a lot. My partner did an incredible job. He helped me out all the way through it.
"For us, it was great to be in that position, and I didn't want to lose it like that (a forfeit). I wanted to finish the game and try as hard as I could."
Moraes doesn't normally wear headgear, but said he would likely wear a cap or bandana on Friday if conditions are similar to Thursday's qualifying round.
The No. 8-seeded unit of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet gained a berth in the main draw by knocking off No. 1 seed Billy Allen-A.J. Mihalic, 21-17, 21-17.
Marchewka and Zimat had bowed out quickly in the qualifier at Tampa last week and wanted to bounce back in strong fashion.
"We needed a little redemption after last week," Marchewka said. "This validates that we are a good team."
Whenever Allen and Mihalic threatened to make a serious push, Marchewka and Zimat responded to snatch back the momentum.
"There's a reason why Billy and A.J. get in every time," Marchewka said. "We just felt like we matched up pretty well against them. We feel like we can beat anybody in a qualifier. When you step on the court, the seeds don't really matter."
Also advancing to the main draw were No. 2 Mike Morrison-Ty Tramblie and No. 12 Joey Dykstra-Mark Van Zwieten. Morris and Tramblie finished their day by defeating No. 10 Kyle Denitz-Casey Patterson, 21-17, 16-21, 15-12. Dykstra and Van Zwieten took down No. 4 David Fischer-Jon Mesko, 20-22, 21-15, 15-13.

Atlanta hosts world-class volleyball
City has loved the sport since 1996 Olympics
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — There's something special about the AVP Crocs Tour stop in Atlanta. It was just 11 years ago that Atlanta opened its arms to the world and hosted the Olympics Games. The fans saw great volleyball players then and will see more of them this weekend at the $200,000 AVP Atlanta Open.
"Atlanta is a great city, period," said AVP women's fixture Tyra Turner, who comes to the Deep South as a No. 2 seed with partner Rachel Wacholder. "With the people here being exposed to the sport of volleyball in the 1996 Olympics, that means a lot. Once you see volleyball at such a high level and get to be around it, you love it.
"Having the opportunity to see our players as we get closer to another Olympics is something I think can make people here want to come out."
Karch Kiraly, who will compete in the men's main draw, which commences on Friday, won a Gold Medal with partner Kent Steffes at the Atlanta games.
On the rise?: When the eighth-seeded team of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet emerged from the qualifier in Atlanta and claimed one of four spots available for the main draw, Marchewka saw it as a sign of good things to come.
"We've only practiced together twice," Marchewka said. "We're starting to understand each other's game more and more. We're picking up on each other's tendencies."
Marchewka and Zimet decided to form a tandem going into the Louisville stop. This is their third tournament together.
"Eyal is a phenomenal player," Marchewka said. "We have a blast out there and we're going to be together for awhile."
One year ago: Most of the players on the AVP circuit probably paid scant attention to the fact that Major League Baseball held its First-Year Player Draft on Thursday. But for Brittany Hochevar, it was the one-year anniversary of a special day in the lives of her family.
Luke Hochevar, the brother of Brittany, was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2006 draft. He is now pitching for the Kansas City Royals' Double-A team in Wichita.
Brittany Hochevar is looking to make her own mark in sports. She and partner Keao Burdine are seeded 16th heading into the main draw of the Atlanta Open. If Hochevar and Burdine win their opening match on Friday, they would meet No. 1-seeded Misty May-Trainor and Kerri Walsh.
Representing Atlanta: Bryan Gibson of Atlanta had some thrills in his hometown during Thursday's men's qualifier, but the party didn't last all day.
Gibson and partner Keith Jones were seeded No. 9 and won their first match over Chad Borton and Richard Rainwater, 23-21, 21-16. But then Gibson and Jones were defeated by Marchewka and Zimet 22-20, 21-16.

May-Treanor, Walsh looking for No. 7
Top-seeded duo has been on a tear since Miami
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — Since they came up short in the AVP Crocs Tour opener at Miami, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have put it in overdrive. Will Atlanta prove to be a speed bump for the heralded duo?
The fans who come out to the AVP Atlanta Open main draw beginning on Friday will have a chance to see for themselves whether May-Treanor and Walsh can keep it going.
May-Treanor and Walsh will begin play in their customary No. 1 seed and dare someone in the field to take them down.
Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder are seeded-second and will take their best shot. Thursday's highlights: It was tough being a No. 1 seed in Thursday's qualifier. Top seed Billy Allen and A.J. Mihalic were upset by Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet on the men's side. Top seed Lauren Dickson and Jaimie Lee were bested by Wendy Lockhart and Amber Ramga on the women's side.

Match of the day: Leonardo Moraes overcame heat exhaustion and, along with partner Vincent Robbins, prevailed 21-18, 22-20, over Adam Roberts and Brad Torsone to reach the main draw.
Upset of the day: Atlanta product Ramga and Lockhart were just the No. 16 seed but managed to take down Dickson and Lee.
Weather forecast: Friday's forecast calls for a mostly sunny sky and a high of 89 degrees. There is a 10 percent chance of precipitation.

"They have seven years of experience together and there's a lot of unspoken communication between them," Turner said. "They can give each other a certain look and know instinctively where the other person is going to be.
"In order for Rachel and I to crack their dominance sooner rather than later, we have to figure everything out and make the most of our opportunities. The margin for error against them is not great. When you get the chance to make a play, you have to make it."
Since Miami, May-Treanor and Walsh have roared back for six consecutive titles.
"When you lose, it gives you that drive to win again," Turner said. "Sometime you need to feel that polar opposite to kick into the next gear."
On the men's side, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers will be looking to bounce back from a semifinal loss last week in Tampa.
Dalhausser and Rogers, seeded No. 1 in Atlanta, watched Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb take out Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong in the championship match at Tampa. Kiraly is back again this week and the fans will learn whether the beach volleyball legend can make another spirited surge toward a 149th victory, which would extend his all-time record.
Gibb and Rosenthal had made five finals appearances on the Tour this year before breaking through in Tampa. Now, that duo wants to prove it has championship consistency.
After this weekend's tournament, the AVP Crocs Tour will stay in the South next week with a June 14-17 event in Charleston, S.C.

Van Zwieten, Dykstra youngest at AVP Atlanta
Published June 8, 2007
Former South Florida Sun-Sentinel Indoor Volleyball Player of the Year Mark Van Zwieten of Pompano Beach and Joey Dykstra of Hermosa Beach, Calif., became the youngest beach volleyball team to qualify for the main draw of the AVP CROCS tournament at Atlanta.
The duo won three matches to qualify including a 20-22, 21-15, 15-13 hourlong final qualifying match. Today they play No. 9 seeds Casey Jennings and Mark Williams.

Hope for Kiraly in ATL
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the few players on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour who doesn't mind playing in the elements. Wind, rain, it makes no difference to Kiraly.
But the beating sun of Hot-lanta offers another familiarity for Kiraly: it's here that he won a gold medal at the Atlanta summer games in 1996 with partner Kent Steffes. Atlanta is also the city where beach volleyball made its Olympic debut.
Kiraly, who is retiring from the AVP after this season, will compete in the main draw today with current partner Kevin Wong. The pair lost in the windy finals at the Tampa Open to Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. Play was stopped for two hours last Saturday because of tropical storm Barry, which brought high winds and rain to the St. Petersburg Times Forum.
Kiraly has won four out of five men's events that have been held in Atlanta. He didn't compete here last year.

MAY, WALSH SEEK MORE
Newport Harbor alumnus Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will be looking to win their seventh straight title this weekend. The pair hasn't lost a tournament since falling to Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in the season opener in Miami. They finished second here last year behind Rachel Wacholder and Youngs.
This year, the biggest challenge May-Treanor and Walsh face is from No. 2 seeded Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
"They have seven years of experience together and there's a lot of unspoken communication between them," Turner told AVP.com. "They can give each other a certain look and know instinctively where the other person is going to be."
"In order for Rachel and I to crack their dominance sooner rather than later, we have to figure everything out and make the most of our opportunities. The margin for error against them is not great. When you get the chance to make a play, you have to make it."
May is now the AVP's winningest female player, amassing 75 tournament titles.

COSTA MESANS CHALLENGE
Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers have dominated this year's men's tour, much the same way May-Treanor and Walsh have on the women's side.
However, in both tournament losses this season, the pair has finished behind a Costa Mesa resident. Mike Lambert, who lives in Costa Mesa, and partner Stein Metzger, fought their way through the losers' bracket to win the men's final at Huntington Beach, where Dalhausser and Rogers finished third. Lambert and Metzger were tournament champions in Atlanta last year.
Gibb and Rosenthal won the Tampa Open when Dalhausser and Rogers were upended in the semifinals by Kiraly and Wong.

Playing the No. 1 teams no picnic
Turner-Ceman, Hochevar-Burdine play to the inevitable
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — Somewhere between really thinking they could win and simply wanting to put up a decent fight is where Chad Turner and Canyon Ceman call home on days like this.
Playing Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, the dominant No. 1 men's team, does that to the mere mortals on the AVP tour.
You have to go out there believing you can win. But then again, you're no dummy. You know, barring something really strange happening, you're not going to win.
It's a feeling that was dealt to Keao Burdine and Brittany Hochevar as well. They drew the No. 1 women's team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
It's hard to put any positive spin on starting a Friday morning against either of those No. 1 teams.
"While I'm not conceding anything — our goal was to see if we could scrap our way to somehow force a third set," Turner said. "We were real close to doing that, leading 14-11 in the second set. But they were awfully tough after that."
Here's what it's like playing Dalhausser and Rogers: "We made them have to call a timeout," Turner said. And that wasn't tongue-in-cheek. It was validation that, for at least a moment, the goliaths were sweating it.
Turner knew they'd be playing the No. 1 seed if they won their first match on Friday. So he and Ceman had some serious strategy meetings on Thursday night.
"We told each other to just have fun and don't over-analyze this," Turner said. "Hopefully some[thing] weird happens."
Ceman, a more experienced winner than Turner, wasn't ready to call anyone unbeatable, even after the loss.
"They're not indestructible," he said. "I think you'll see people starting to get some wins against them. Sometimes they sleepwalk."
Ceman did admit that no matter what, Dalhausser and Rogers have the mental edge every time they step foot on the beach.
"It inherently puts pressure on you because you know they are not going to make mistakes," Ceman said. "If you make a mistake or two, you're in a bad place. Those might be the mistakes that cost you a chance."
Added Turner, "They don't make mistakes. When I say that, I mean none, zero, period."
Hochevar felt the same way after losing to May-Treanor and Walsh.
"Look, when you play them, its almost like you've got nothing to lose," she said. "Except this is a double-elimination tournament and you don't want to start right off with your backs against the wall.
"On the other hand, you've got the world to gain when you play Misty and Kerri. We were just looking to compete and swing hard, and I think we did that."
Competing against the best in the world might have taken a little too much out of Hochevar and Burdine. They were eliminated in the contender's bracket later in the afternoon after a grueling 21-19, 22-20 match against Janelle Ruen and Jennifer Snyder.
Hochevar and Burdine are brand-new partners, still trying to learn each other's needs and communication style.
"We'll get better," Hochevar said. "Hopefully by next week, things will shake out a little and we won't be playing Misty and Kerri in the second round."

Three things on Boss' mind
Weather, Wacholder and Walsh are all concerns
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — Jennifer Boss will wake up Saturday morning with three things on her mind: the weather, her former partner Rachel Wacholder and the No. 1 ranked team in the world.
As for the weather, she'll admit that it's hot once during the day, then refuse to worry about it.
As for Wacholder, what's done is done. Wacholder said earlier this week that she and Boss went their separate ways so that both could be better prepared for international play.
"Jen and I had great run in AVP, but we struggled internationally," Wacholder said Thursday. "With the Olympics being very important to us, we thought we might be stronger with other people."
Wacholder went on to praise her new partner, Tyra Turner, for having a great work ethic and sharing a single-mindedness.
Boss remembers the break-up a little differently.
"She dumped me," Boss said. "She thought I didn't have the heart and that I wasn't in good enough shape."
But even that will have to put aside now, as Boss and April Ross prepare to play Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh on Saturday.
On Friday, Boss-Ross beat Logan Tom and Holly McPeak in what was perhaps the marquee matchup of the day. It took three long games — 17-21, 21-18, 15-11 — for Boss and Ross to advance to their Saturday date with May-Treanor and Walsh.
"We gave them a lot of points early and you can't do that," Boss said of their 1:10 p.m. match. "I also don't think we were prepared for how warm it was. It's so hot that it works against some people mentally. This heat is my favorite actually. I'll say it once — it's hot — then I don't say it again."
Somehow, everyone got thrown for a really hot loop in Atlanta this week.
Temperatures on the pavement just off the stadium court were 110 degrees. The official weather conditions were closer to 90, with a heat index of 96.
It has been that way from the start of play on Thursday. The Atlanta Sports Council successfully moved the tournament up a month from last year's July date, hoping cooler temperatures would make it more pleasant for everyone.
"No such luck," said Matt Garvey of the Atlanta Sports Council. "It's hotter this year than last. It never got as hot last year as it is right now."
As for Boss, any rivalry with Wacholder will be put on hold for at least a day. As for any intimidation about playing the No. 1 team — well, she hasn't been phased by an opponent in a long, long time.
"I cannot wait," she said. "It's so much fun when we play them. We've done it before, so we can do it again. I guess we'll do some preparing tonight, but basically, we'll stick to what we do. If we can serve tough and dig well, it'll be a good game. I'll tell you this, I don't get psyched out by playing anyone."
Then, one last dig at Wacholder: "I definitely have the heart for this and I'm definitely in shape. I think we're in good shape for international play too."

Nygaard back, Kiraly, Wong better
Karch and Kevin have night fun at Nygaard's expense
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ATLANTA — Disputed calls, players rebounding from injury and more scary rain storms were only a few of the highlights during Friday's men's main draw action.
Even though last weekend's Tropical Storm Barry pelted the Tampa Open with more severe conditions, some players were happy to be back in today's rain, thunder and lightning. Players, fans, crew and staff were all forced to wait out the storm for nearly an hour in the covered parking garage behind center stage, as sirens blared and the premises were evacuated.
No one welcomed the sight more so than Jeff Nygaard, who is back playing after taking two weeks off to nurse his bicep after underoing a surgical procedure for melanoma.
"I got lucky and I know I got lucky, so I'm not gonna take anything away from that fact," Nygaard said. "I'm just happy to be out here, being able to do what I'm on this planet to do."
A simple cliché arguably never had such a profound meaning.
In their first game of the day, Nygaard and partner Dax Holdren took a come-from-behind, 19-21, 21-17, 25-23 decision against No. 12 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland. Holdren and Nygaard won the match on their seventh matchpoint, while holding off Lucena and Strickland four times.
"The only thing that I feel is I've been out for two weeks and my rhythm is off," said Nygaard of struggling to put away the match. "My physical condition is a little off because I was doing beach workouts all day every day just to stay in shape. I'm not there — I started from zero coming back from Turkey, and now I feel like I'm coming back from 20 (percent) to come back for this one.
"There were a lot of plays where ordinarily I'd be more comfortable on where I just wasn't."
Not even the night game was free of the rainy conditions, but that didn't stop No. 4 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong from continuing their tear after finishing second last weekend. Although Holdren and Nygaard fell in that match (21-18, 22-20), they aren't out yet. They'll have to try their luck from the contender's bracket on Saturday.
Partners Hans Stolfus and local boy Ty Loomis, who both sat out the last two tournaments, were also back in the mix, loving every minute of the confusion spawned by the beating solar rays and heavy wind and rain.
Although Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert haven't been injured lately, it is safe to say they're back nursing their mental games.
"Right now we're in a little bit of a mental vortex because we've had so many bad finishes," Metzger said. "We're trying to overturn every stone and think of what's the reason why we're having such a poor start to this season, and so it can really get to you. I'd say, by now, it's 100 percent mental, and that's really what we're focusing on."
Another team that has not been playing up to par lately is the partnership of Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge. They actually beat Metzger and Lambert in Dallas but were unable to repeat that feat and fell, 21-17, 21-13, to land in the contender's bracket for the first time on Friday.
They leave this weekend in 17th place after falling to No. 13 John Mayer and Scott Wong in the contender's bracket. But it was in their first game, when they faced 19th-seeded Brent Doble and Ryan Mariano that Hannemann and Ratledge displayed what they are capable of doing together.
Hannemann and Ratledge ended up losing the first game in the set to Doble-Mariano on a disputed call as to who actually touched the ball last. Hannemann insisted that he did not before it fell out, but the referee ruled in favor of Doble and Mariano. From there they went on to rattle off the next two sets and take the match.
"I respect these referees and I know they have a hard job, but every once in a while they'll miss a call that's obvious to everybody but them," said Hannemann. "That call got us a lot more fired up, so we crushed them in the second game and then got a lot of fire for the third. So maybe I should thank the ref for that call."

Hochevar bred for athletic success
Digs for Kids continues to make a coast-to-coast mark
By Robert Falkoff and Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ATLANTA — It's hard to imagine anyone coming from a more athletic family than Brittany Hochevar.
Her father, Brian, once played for the Denver Nuggets. Her mother, Carmen, played Division II volleyball and basketball at Southern Colorado. A year ago at this time, brother Luke was celebrating his selection by the Kansas Royals as the No. 1 overall pick in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft. He's a right-handed pitcher currently playing for Double-A Wichita.
Younger brother Dylan Hochevar is primed for a banner baseball career at the University of Tennessee and in the pros.
And Brittany? She's living her dream as a pro athlete, too. An alternate for the 2004 Olympic team, Hochevar has been battling her way back from injury and re-establishing herself on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Hochevar, 26, went into the Atlanta Open with partner Keao Burdine as the No 16 seed. The duo was eliminated in Friday's competition, but maintains high hopes for the remainder of the season.
Though Luke has grabbed more headlines than Brittany by virtue of his No. 1 overall draft selection, the siblings each face the prospect of climbing the pro sports ladder going forward. Luke has to work his way through the Minors, while Brittany's goal is to reach elite status on the AVP Tour.
"Last year, I was actually staring the end of my career in the face," Brittany Hochevar said. "I have an eight-millimeter disk bulge and a 19-millimeter fragment in my low back. It shut off my left leg to the point where it was paralyzed. I couldn't walk without a significant limp. I lost 20 pounds."
When she was physically able to move freely again, Hochevar threw herself into the comeback.
"I had to attack it with every ounce of determination that I had," Hochevar said. "The body I've built back now is completely different than where I was as an alternate for the Olympics."
While Luke Hochevar has secured his future with a multi-million-dollar deal in baseball, Brittany faces a different set of economic challenges. Leading up to Atlanta, she had earned $7,763 on the tour this year.
"Each match, we're fighting to make rent," she said. "But it makes this sport so pure, and it's so much fun to compete. I want to play until the body won't let me play any longer."
Dig for kids: In the world of volleyball, Albert Hannemann is the quintessential renaissance man.
As he has been doing all year long, Hannemann is spearheading the Dig for Kids book drive on-site, and this weekend is no different. By Friday morning, local Northview High School had teamed up with D4K, going door-to-door trying to collect books and helping out at the Atlantic Station site.
"What we do is every stop we donate in that city to a school that we partner with," said Hannemann. "I would say 1,000 books is a pretty good number, but we're trying to get as many as we can."
By 10 a.m. on Friday, Dig for Kids already had collected 800 books. That's only one day into the main draw.
Hannemann estimated that to date in 2007, he and Dig for Kids has collected nearly 2,000 books.
Allie Schleisman and Ashley Veach, girls' volleyball players for Northview High School, were among the volunteers from this weekend's local partnering school.
"I think that the Dig for Kids is a great way to get books for inner-city schools," Schleisman said.
The girls are also helping sell raffle tickets for AVP Cares to fund volleyball clinics at Northview.
Not only is Hannemann partnering with the AVP Cares charity, but he's also putting in some time to help out and give back to his sponsors. Reggae One Enterprises — a Florida-based independent musician management and promotion company — are putting on a show for Saturday's night session entertainment with Hannemann.
He has already signed on international reggae star Pato Banton and is trying to get Shamrock, from VH1 reality television fame, to team up and make a joint appearance with Banton.
"I'm wondering if there's any synergy there between Pato and him, because Pato's kind of like the good, reggae rep, where he is all about health and God and he's not like a big partier guy," Hannemann said. "He is a positive influence, loves kids and everywhere he goes you see a really different demographic than a normal reggae concert.
"You get a lot of people that are parents and kids, because everyone respects the guy. I'm really excited because in high school and college I used to listen to him all the time. I haven't met him so I'm really excited about it."
Rain and lightning: Friday's play at the Atlanta Open was halted for a little under an hour in the late afternoon because of lightning and rain.
The brief thunderstorm cooled things down considerably after another morning of extreme heat and humidity.

Ivy-Lowe, new force on women's tour
Duo has risen from No. 21 to No. 11 here in Atlanta
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — When the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour opened in Miami in mid-April, Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe were the No. 21 seed. Ivy and Lowe slowly but surely worked their way to earn a No. 11 seed in Atlanta and now hope a big breakthrough to elite status is right around the corner.
So far, so good for Ivy and Lowe this weekend. The duo held up in Friday's contender's bracket and earned a ticket to Saturday's AVP Atlanta Open action by defeating Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, 27-25, 21-11.
Ivy and Lowe have a trio of ninth-place finishes, two 13th-place finishes and two 17th-place finishes this year. Can they go from good to great?
In the winner's bracket on Friday, Ivy and Lowe lost to No. 6 Carrie Dodd-Tatiana Minello, 21-14, 21-19.
"It's a different feeling when you're supposed to win as the higher seed," Ivy said. "There's a target on your back, and you can't let down mentally. I think that has helped us stay focused."
Ivy and Lowe have continued to believe in each other while moving up the seeding ranks.
"It wasn't working out right in the beginning," said the 26-year-old Ivy. "But instead of saying 'That's it, new partner,' we knew there was something there. We were able to get better and better. After a while, it's not always us going for the upset but another team trying to get the upset on us."
Making the jump to the top eight teams on the tour is a huge undertaking, but Ivy is confident it can be done.
"I feel the improvement in my game, and my partner is carrying me up there," Ivy said. "I definitely think we're ready to break through. We've been playing the top eight teams really tough. All the teams that you usually see on Sunday — we're right in the matches against them."
According to Ivy, the key in jumping to elite status is confidence and aggressiveness.
"Heather and I are both hitters," Ivy said. "We have to go out hitting and not just back down. I've found myself a couple of times, when playing upper seeds, going out and being in situations where I shot the ball. That's not my game. I go aggressively and then I can shoot when I start to see the court better."
The team seeded directly above Lowe-Ivy also fared well on Friday. No. 10 Nancy Mason and Sarah Straton advanced to Saturday play with a 21-11, 21-15 victory over Kealani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler.
"They are an awfully good team," Kimball said. "Nancy was digging a lot of balls. They made it really hard for us to side out and they put balls away."
The top seed rolled through the winner's bracket. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, bidding for their seventh consecutive title, played two matches and didn't lose a game. Their closest win was 21-17.
The No. 4 versus No. 5 match was hotly contested as No. 4 Jennifer Boss and April Ross held off Logan Tom and Holly McPeak, 17-21, 21-18, 15-11.
The evening ended on a surprising note as the No. 2 unit of Rachel Wacholder-Tyra Turner was upset by No. 7 Annett Davis-Jenny Johnson Jordan in the winner's bracket, 21-13, 21-19.

Better weather on tap in Atlanta
Defending champs to play during night session
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ATLANTA — Day 2 of both the men's and women's main draw continues tomorrow with contender's bracket teams aiming to on in do-or-die action.
While Friday's play fluctuated throughout the morning and evening with heavy humidity, brief rainstorms and temperatures reaching the 90s, Saturday's conditions don't appear to cause reason for a break in action — for now. The predicted precipitation is around 6 a.m., four hours before play gets underway at Atlantic Station.

Friday's highlights: Ageless Karch Kiraly is at it again. Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong took care of business on Friday to advance to the winner's bracket semifinals as a No. 4 seed. Kiraly is looking to add to his all-time record of 148 wins.
Match of the day: The women's No. 4 versus No. 5 match in the winner's bracket was supposed to be a back-and-forth tussle. It was just that. After dropping the first game, Jennifer Boss and April Ross roared back to defeat Logan Tom and Holly McPeak, 17-21, 21-18, 15-11.
Upset of the day: Rachel Wacholder came to Atlanta as the tournament's defending champion, but she'll have to get it done through the contender's bracket now. No. 2 Wacholder and Tyra Turner were upset by No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the final match on Friday night.
Weather forecast: The Atlanta forecast for Saturday calls for a partly cloudy sky and a high of 92 degrees. There's a 20 percent chance of precipitation.

As they have in many tournaments, things are progressing as planned for the top women's seeds. No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are still alive in the winner's bracket and are waiting until the final night session of the weekend, when they will face No. 4 Jen Boss and April Ross.
No. 3 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbara Fontana are still in the winner's bracket. They take on No. 7 Annett Davis-Jenny Johnson Jordan in the last match of the day session.
In the men's winner's bracket — all of which takes place during Saturday's night session — No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will play No. 4 Karch Kiraly-Kevin Wong in one of two night matches.
The second contest of the evening is between No. 3 Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger and last week's champion in Tampa, No. 2 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal.
For everyone else, there is still hope.
The day's play begins for both genders at 10 a.m. EDT, with the first half of Round 2 in the contender's bracket. The teams that are eliminated in that round will finish in 13th place.
Some notable teams still intact and fighting for the chance to move on include: No. 10 Anthony Medel-Fred Souza, No. 6 Matt Olson-Jason Ring, No. 11 Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe and No. 19 Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger.
The other half of contending play is scheduled for 11 a.m. That means that half of Round 3 can commence at noon, with the other half closing out at 1 p.m. Still alive in that half are No. 20 Jason Lee-Austin Rester, No. 8 Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott, No. 8 Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and No. 12 Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca.
Although that list does not include all that half's teams, two of the aforementioned pairs are finding success as partners for the first time this year. They are Lee-Rester and Fendrick-Roca.
Finally, because they lost in the last round of day action on Friday, many of the higher seeds in the contender's bracket have to wait for the third round of play. The teams will have to win every match from here on out in order to make Sunday's semifinals round.
That group includes: No. 5 Holly McPeak-Logan Tom, No. 9 Angie Akers-Brooke Hanson, No. 2 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder and No. 6 Carrie Dodd-Tatiana Minello for the women. The men's brackets hold No. 5 Dax Holdren-Jeff Nygaard, No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams, No. 7 John Hyden-Brad Keenan and No. 11 George Roumain-Larry Witt. Each team is guaranteed a share of ninth place at the least.
If you're in the area and don't have any plans this weekend, come check out the day's events!

Break time for the No. 1 seed
Rogers-Dalhausser have fun at the movies
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — By the time Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser take the stadium court Saturday night, they'll have eaten a half dozen meals, walked what must've been a handful of miles and seen one really funny movie since their last match.
Some 30 hours between matches is pretty good for the body, Rogers said. But it's pretty tough on the psyche.
"I don't like it," he said. "This format gives the No. 1 seeds too much time between matches. By 2 p.m. Friday, we're done until Saturday night. That's like playing in two different tournaments.
"It gives you a chance to do things like go to the movies though."
There are movie theaters a couple hundred yards away from the stadium court at Atlantic Station, home of the Atlanta Open this weekend. Rogers' choice: "Knocked Up."
"It was hilarious," he said. "Not a bad way to spend some off time."
Rogers is nowhere near being ready to do what Holly McPeak has done in announcing his retirement. But the 33-year-old — who has 24 career wins to his career — admits that there are times when he thinks that day might be coming sooner rather than later.
"Right now, I think three to five years," Rogers said. "I know I don't want to do what Karch has done and play well into my 40s. A lot depends on my body and family, but some has to do with sponsorships too. If I'm getting $500,000 from a sponsor, it's going to be tough to walk away and start coaching.
"But if I'm getting $50,000 from sponsors, sure I could make some money from the AVP, but if a coaching opportunity came around, maybe as early as 2009, I'd consider it."
Rogers and Dalhausser lost in Tampa last week. But you won't find anyone out here that thinks there's any team close to them. Canyon Ceman said that when you play the top seed, you know that your first mistake will be one too many.
It's a reality that Rogers doesn't mind admitting.
"Our consistency is there," he said. "You've really got to earn points against us. We're a good ball-control team. I should be that kind of player, but Phil, even at his height, is really good at that too.
"Plus, he's the best blocker and one of the best defenders out here, and when he gets in his groove serving, he's a real bomber."
Against Ceman and Chad Turne onr Friday, Rogers-Dalhausser led one of the games 15-14 before Dalhausser hit three straight winning serves.
"When he does those runs, snotting the ball like that, we're hard to beat. Suddenly a 15-14 game was 18-14. And I'm sure we've lost games when we had leads like that, but not often."
Saturday's playing conditions were much windier than the first three days. Rogers hopes that doesn't last.
"Wind's an equalizer," he said. "It makes guys who aren't great bombers good bombers with the wind. Phil's so good at that without the wind — it helps me — but for our team, I think we like no wind."

Loomis' home-court advantage
Georgia native comes up short in front of rowdy crowd
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — It wasn't on the stadium court, and it didn't involve a top-ranked crowd. So why was this contender's bracket match the hottest thing going on Saturday morning?
Ty Loomis, a Georgia native a big cheering section, and Fred Souza, a big Brazilian with a bit of a flair for playing to the crowd, were facing each other.
"C'mon Ty, shake it off," was the rally cry after every point loss.
"Yeah, Ty. That's it. One more," was the encouragement after a good play.
No. 15 Loomis and Hans Stolfus lost to No. 10 Souza and Anthony Medel, 21-17, 11-21, 24-22, and were eliminated.
But the crowd got a show during the 74-minute match.
Both teams had match points during the third set. With his team up 20-19, and Loomis serving for the match, Stolfus hollered: "Is Ty Loomis' family here? Let's hear some noise!"
The crowd responded. Loomis didn't.
A couple of points later, Souza hit the winner.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that," he hollered to the crowd as he and Medal walked off the court.
But none of it was meant as poor sportsmanship, everyone agreed.
"Fred's from Brazil where they have great crowds for everything — soccer, volleyball, whatever," Medal said. "His blood gets boiling when the crowd is into it, whether they are for or against us."
Souza agreed, saying Loomis' support helped everyone.
"It's good for the match," he said. "Everyone got more fired up, and everyone plays better when the crowd is into it like this. I enjoy the give and take with the crowd. I love it when people are into the game. I love Ty and I think his team will do great at the Pan Am games."
Loomis and Stolfus will represent the U.S. in those games next month. The anticipation of that helps ease the sting of losing so close to home.
"It's going to be the best experience of my life, I think," Loomis said. "It's the same format as the Olympics, the weather is great this time of year in Rio, so what's not to love.
"I had great support out here this week, just like I have ever since I was 12. When a lot of fans are into it, it helps the level of play. It definitely helped us for a while, but we let up, and it got away from us."
Medel, a former partner of Loomis', said Saturday's marathon match was pretty typical for whenever the two meet.
"Ever since we broke up as a team, it seems they are always dogfights," he said. "We're still good buddies and I give those guys a lot of credit for how they played."
Souza also thought the heat and humidity of Atlanta might have favored him, because of his roots.
"This feels like Brazil," he said. "For a lot of people, this makes them tired. I love it."
Loomis is going home to Warner Robins, about 90 minutes south of Atlanta to spend the next three days before the tour stops in Charleston.
"Going home," he said. "No beaches."

Atlanta Live: Saturday special
Day session done in Atlanta
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com

UPDATE 4:59 PM ET
We have concluded daytime play and are awaiting the night session, which begins at 7:30 p.m.
On the men's side, order is restored from previous weeks with all of the top four seeds remaining in the Winner's Bracket. Still vying for a semifinal spot are Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, who defeated Medel-Souza, 21-12, 21-15, and Brad Keenan-John Hyden, who defeated Fuerbringer-Scott, 23-21, 21-16.
For the women, Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea earn a spot in the final four after three grueling matches, the last of a which 34-32, 16-12, 16-14 win over Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Stay tuned for the night session beginning at 7:30 where Dalhausser-Rogers will face Kiraly-Wong followed by May-Treanor-Walsh vs. Boss-Ross. The session concludes under the lights with Gibb-Rosenthal vs. Lambert-Metzger. (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)

UPDATE 4:02 PM ET
Here's an interesting match-up for the day. Four mothers are facing off right now in the first winner's match of the day, as No. 3 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana are taking on seventh-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in 95 degree heat. In the first game of the match, the score knotted at 24-24, with no signs of either team willing to slow down and drop into the contender's bracket.

UPDATE 3:17 PM ET
The contender's bracket is now down to less than four men's and women's teams. One of the biggest surprises thus far is the departure of No. 5 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. They walk away in seventh place after being on the wrong end of a 21-13, 21-19 match against Akers and Hanson.
About to start is the other match between Turner-Wacholder and No. 6 Carrie Dodd-Tati Minello. The two teams got this far after defeating Fendrick-Roca and Ruen-Snyder, respectively.
Still in it for the men are Medel-Souza and No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams, who are in their second game on center stage. Williams and Jennings have match point at 20-13. The other match features No. 7 John Hyden and Brad Keenan taking on No. 8 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott. Fuerby and Scott defeated No. 11 George Roumain and Larry Witt to land in this position, as Hyden-Keenan sent home Lucena-Strickland in ninth place.

UPDATE 1:46 PM ET
Much to everyone's delight, the clouds are starting to roll through Atlantic Station with a slight breeze and a welcome change in temperature.
In the first half of contender's bracket Round 3 play, Medel and Souza kept hot in their match against No. 5 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard. Holdren and Nygaard's two weeks off finally took its toll as they fell, 21-19, 21-15, to Medel-Souza and leave Atlanta in ninth place.
On the women's side, fifth-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom continue to steadily make their way up the ranks in their first contender's match this weekend, after a short 21-13, 21-12 decision over Koester/Rouwenhorst. Also making quick work out of their time in the heat, No. 9 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson put an end to Ivy and Lowe's hopes of making the weekend's Cinderella story. Ivy and Lowe also leave in ninth.

UPDATE 12:41 PM ET
While the temperature hasn't yet reached 90, it sure feels like it! Players are noticing the heat as well, and these long matches don't bode well for their longevity on this muggy afternoon.
In the last half of Round 2 in the contender's bracket, No. 18 Janelle Ruen and Jen Snyder upset the dancing duo of Lewis and Lima in exhausting fashion, 22-24, 24-22, 15-13. Ruen and Snyder secured themselves at least a ninth-place finish — which will be the best in both of their individual careers.
No. 12 Lauren Fendrick and Paula Roca personally packed 13th-seeded Jenny Kropp and Jenny Pavley's bags with a 21-15, 21-16 victory to give the latter the other women's 13th-place finish.
The men are also falling victim to the heat. In a match between No. 20 Jason Lee-Austin Rester and No. 12 Nick Lucena-Will Strickland, the 87 degree weather took a toll on Rester and Lee in the second game. However, before this weekend the pair hadn't picked up a ball together in the past four months, so their 13th-place finish was a good starting point. Maybe it's not as high as they would like to have ended up, but all things considered, they rocketed well above their seeding. No. 8 Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott also prevailed in that round with a 21-14, 21-14 victory over No. 18 Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola.

UPDATE 11:37 AM ET
Because two matches have gone well beyond 15 points in the third game, these updates will not necessarily be on the hour. Nevertheless, the longest match of the last round saw the departure of Georgia-native Ty Loomis and his partner Hans Stolfus in a 24-22 third game loss to No. 10 Anthony Medel and Fred Souza. The game could have been won earlier on match point at 19-18, when Souza blocked a ball that the referee thought grazed Loomis's head on the way out of the court. Instead, he overturned the call and Medel-Souza had even more fire and incentive to take the match, which they did.
The other long match for the women featured a 21-17, 19-21, 18-16 decision in favor of No. 11 Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe. They knocked off 19th-seeded Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger, who take a 13th place finish away from Atlanta.
Also moving on are No. 6 Matt Olson-Jason Ring over No. 13 John Mayer-Scott Wong and No. 17 Jenelle Koester-Stacy Rouwenhorst who upset No. 10 Nancy Mason-Sarah Straton.
At the conclusion of Olson and Ring's victory, No. 8 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima received the musical equivalent of the red carpet in preparation for the match currently in play. The stage crew knows that the partners require a warm-up dance to pump themselves up, so they changed the pace in musical selections to cater to that need. Another important "warm-up" for Lewis and Lima in the city known as Hotlanta included an unconventional pre-shower — with clothes on.

UPDATE 10:07 AM ET
No fog to report this morning, just lots of hot, bright sunshine! And for the players starting play at 10 a.m., the pressure is on right now.
Contender's bracket play is underway and the teams are competing for a chance to move into ninth place with hopes of finishing higher than that. Four men's and four women's teams square off right now, with the other half of contender's bracket Round 2 play set for around 11 a.m. Check back in about an hour to see how they fared.

From intern to instant hit
Kimball transitions from the office to the beach
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — Kealani Kimball is based out of Redondo Beach, Calif., but she had a built-in fan section for the AVP Atlanta Open. That's because Kimball once worked for the AVP as a marketing intern.
Little did Kimball know when she worked to promote the product that she would one day become the product. The AVP staff members who used to work with Kimball keep close tabs on her performance in the sand and Kimball didn't disappoint this weekend.
Paired with Rosalinda Masler as the No. 13 seed in the qualifier, Kimball had a big day on Thursday. The Kimball-Masler duo took down Catie Carter-Michelle Cook, 21-6, 21-15, and then bested Angie Hall-Beth Van Fleet, 21-17, 21-19, to claim one of the four spots for the main draw.
From intern to instant hit.
Although Kimball and Masler lost to the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds when the competition intensified in Friday's main draw, Kimball has high hopes of making an even bigger impact the remainder of the AVP season.
"I was an intern in 2005 and getting credits for my master's degree," Kimball said. "I decided to join the AVP and helped out with promotions and some sponsorship work in the office. The people were amazing and I had such a fun summer."
Working in the AVP front office gave Kimball a chance to learn about the business aspects of pro sports and develop a greater understanding for how the AVP works from the inside.
"It was a great experience," Kimball said. "I learned a lot, got to watch a bunch of volleyball and met some fabulous people."
As an AVP intern, Kimball had dreams about eventually trying to play on the Crocs Tour.
"I had never played beach before," Kimball said. "Just this past October, I decided I wanted to try."
Kimball has now played in five tournaments and Atlanta has been her best to date.
"It was great to qualify," she said. "Unfortunately we had two losses [on Friday]. But I'm real happy with the partnership and hungry for more success. We tested the higher level of competition and know what we have to work on."
Kimball's former co-workers will follow her progress again next week when the AVP Crocs Tour moves on to Charleston, S.C.
"I'm lucky to have the staff behind me," Kimball said with a laugh.
Nine is devine: Jennifer Snyder and Janelle Ruen continue along the comeback trail. The duo finished in a ninth-place tie at the Atlanta Open, which equals its best finish this season.
After temporarily moving down to qualifier status at Glendale, Snyder and Ruen came to Atlanta as the No. 18 seed in the main draw. They proceeded to move well past their seeding before they were eliminated in the contender's bracket by No. 6 Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello, 21-11, 21-17.
Birthday bash: Jenny Johnson-Jordan celebrated her 34th birthday on Friday and she couldn't have asked for a better present than the one she received in the evening session finale.
Johnson-Jordan and partner Annett Davis, seeded No. 7, blew out the candles with a victory over No. 2 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in the winner's bracket. Johnson-Jordan and Davis are still in the running after narrowly losing a three-game match to No. 3 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana on Saturday afternoon.
Around the net: Coming into the Atlanta Open, 300 teams had played this season and 64 had made money. On the women's side, 180 different teams had played and 53 had earned money. ... The Atlanta event marks the halfway mark in the AVP Crocs Tour for Open competitions. There are 16 open events, and Atlanta was the eighth stop. The final two competitions in Las Vegas and San Francisco are specialty events. ... By the time the Atlanta Open is over, Fontana may feel like she has been visiting a water park instead of a beach volleyball venue. She has a strategy for how to beat the heat. "I'm always trying to cover myself with water," Fontana said. "I put it over my head during side changes and timeouts. Otherwise, I get too hot and start to lose my mental game."

Akers alive after marathon Saturday
Victory over McPeak-Tom a highlight of day
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — It may not have been as draining as the 26th mile of the Boston Marathon, but it was close.
For Angie Akers, the marathoner and beach volleyball player, taking down Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in stifling heat and humidity represented a test of will and skill. Akers and partner Brooke Hanson defeated No. 5 McPeak-Tom on Saturday, 21-18, 21-19, to move within one triumph of an appearance in the Atlanta Open semifinals.
Akers and Hanson, seeded No. 9, could break new ground for themselves this season if they win their opening match on Sunday morning to reach the semifinals. They have one fifth-place finish, one seventh-place finish and two ninths on the AVP Crocs Tour this year.
Akers, a physical fitness guru, once finished the Boston Marathon in three hours, 23 minutes. She needed a lot of stamina against McPeak and Tom as well.
"We're really excited because that was high-level volleyball," Akers said. "That's a great team. They've made it to the finals. To beat them really gives us confidence. We're doing the right stuff and we know we can get there. It's a matter of putting it all together."
Akers and Hanson just want to emulate what they showed against McPeak and Tom on Sunday morning. They'll face a formidable task going against No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
"This match, I think we played our best," Akers said. "It takes a lot out of you, but we were really able to zone in and focus."
With the mid-afternoon sun beating down and little or no breeze, Akers just wanted to stay as tough mentally as she did running marathons.
"To run a marathon, I think the hardest part is the mental part, not the physical part," Akers said. "Here, you have to deal with the heat by putting it aside mentally and telling yourself to deal with the elements that are given. It's about being able to persevere. We were determined to win this match no matter what it took."
Akers had plenty of vocal support as the match against McPeak-Tom unfolded.
"I have a great cheering section here," Akers said. "My husband and I used to live here in Atlanta. A lot of our friends from when we lived here came out."
This marks the first time Akers and Hanson have made it to the third day of a three-day tournament.
"We have nothing to lose," Akers said. "We're going to come out aggressive and just give it all we've got. It feels great to play on Sunday."
Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana were the first team to reach the semifinals. They survived a grueling three-game match against Davis and Johnson Jordan to stay unblemished in the tournament. The first game was one to remember as DeNecochea and Fontana pulled out a 34-32 triumph. After Davis and Johnson-Jordan evened the match, 21-16, DeNecochea and Fontana scored the final two points of the third game to prevail, 16-14.
"They are playing great volleyball," Fontana said of Davis and Johnson Jordan. "That team is always challenging. We gave it our all in that match, and it was incredibly physical."
For DeNecochea and Fontana, it's the first time this year they have stayed in the winner's bracket going into the final day.
"It means we get to rest one more match tomorrow," Fontana said. "We'll be fired up and ready to go."
Meanwhile, the Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh victory machine kept rolling along. May-Treanor and Walsh got a battle from No. 4 April Ross and Jennifer Boss on Saturday night, but the top-seeded team prevailed, 21-19, 21-17, to move on to the semifinals on Sunday.

Disputed calls highlight men's action
Players question officiating in two matches
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ATLANTA — Week after week on tour, factors like parity and weather have the potential to definitively affect a match. Referee interpretation was the factor at work during Saturday's leg of the Atlanta Open. No. 10 Anthony Medel and Fred Souza did not have a call go their way yet still went on to win their match, while No. 12 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland were begging the refs to make calls against their opponents all morning and afternoon.
"I don't think I've ever had a call on matchpoint let alone in the 20s be taken away from us," Medel said. "It really did look like it went off his head. It looked like a true call. But I think at that point, if we would have let that get to us, we could have lost that match."
In the third game of their match against No. 15 Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus, Medel and Souza were down 14-10. They eventually caught up and went on a 5-0 run, to put the score in their favor at 15-14. From there, it was back and forth until matchpoint at 19-18.
Souza went up for another one of his huge signature blocks, but it landed short of the backcourt tape. The referee ruled in favor of Medel and Souza, claiming that the ball grazed Loomis' head. After discussing it with another official, the referee reversed his call and gave the point to Loomis-Stolfus, making it 19-19. Loomis-Stolfus subsequently went up 21-20, but could not hold on to the game.
Medel and Souza ending up winning the match, 21-17, 11-21 24-22.
A referee controversy surfaced again in the match between No. 20 Austin Rester-Jason Lee and Lucena-Strickland. Lucena repeatedly asked the refs to make calls, particularly after Rester executed what appeared to be an illegal set to Lee.
Lucena and Strickland still went on to take the match, 21-16, 21-13, giving Rester and Lee a 13th-place finish. In Lucena's next match against No. 7 John Hyden-Brad Keenan, he finally got the call he was seeking, yet it came against himself.
On matchpoint, Lucena tried to make a set for his partner, but he touched the ball twice in the process, earning a whistle.
"It's a tough call to make because it is matchpoint and it's such a close game, but it needs to be called," Hyden said. "You can't let it go because it was a bad set, clearly a bad set and you just gotta make that call. I mean, you're gonna get dumped on either way, but you gotta make the right call."
Hyden and Keenan are one of four men's teams still left in the contender's bracket who will kick off Sunday play at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
As for Medel and Souza, they rode their momentum to win their next match, 21-19, 21-15, against No. 5 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard. However, it was the fourth round of the contender's bracket where their weekend ended. The pair dropped a 21-12, 21-15 match to No. 9 Casey Jennings and Mark Williams for a seventh-place finish.
Nightcap: No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers continue to show why they are the hardest team to beat on tour. On Saturday night, the pair repaid No. 4 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong for last weekend's upset in the semifinals with a 21-17, 21-16 victory. Now Kiraly and Wong will have to try to get back into the finals by winning two straight matches in the contender's bracket.
The night session's second match featured No. 2 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal and No.3 Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger. The first two games were as close as possible, with both teams losing a game apiece by only two points.
But in the third game, Metzger and Lambert seemed as if they were going to run away with the match, reaching half of the points necessary to win, with Gibb and Rosie only at three on the scoreboard. Gibb and Rosenthal made it close but still dropped into Sunday's contender's bracket by losing the game, 15-11.
Rollercoaster effect: Since the start of the 2007 season, Matt Olson and Jason Ring have had drastically high and low finishes, and their seedings have reflected those results.
Only three tournaments after their only finals appearance of the year at Hermosa Beach, Olson and Ring entered Atlanta with a sixth seed, yet could not hang on long enough to finish that high. The only win they could muster this weekend came in the contender's bracket against No. 13 John Mayer and Scott Wong.
"We're having a lot more conversations off the court, trying to figure out ways to win, because it's not coming as easy," Olson said. "I think we've had some great wins early on, and we kinda hoped it would keep coming that way. It's been a struggle, so I think we're just groveling like everyone else out here."

One-on-One with Misty May - Treanor
By Jeff Hartsell (Contact)
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Misty May-Treanor turns 30 next month and already has established herself as one of the most successful beach volleyball players in history. An All-American indoor player at Cal State-Long Beach, she teams with partner Kerri Walsh to dominate on the AVP Tour, which comes to Daniel Island this week for the AVP Charleston Open at the Family Circle Tennis Center. She went One-on-One with The Post and Courier’s Jeff Hartsell:
Misty, you grew up in Santa Monica and are the daughter of an Olympic volleyball player (father Butch). Were you destined to be a volleyball player?
“No. My mother was a tennis player at UCLA, then made the transition to volleyball.
I loved soccer and participated in track. My parents let me try everything. Volleyball just happened to be the sport of choice. Up until my junior year in high school, I juggled with soccer and volleyball.”
How does your husband, Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor, react when his teammates call him “Matt May?”
“He will laugh just to humor them, but really he gets tired of it. The only time he hears it any more is when he is playing in other stadiums.”
Seriously, it must be difficult for you guys to spend time together when you are on tour and he’s playing baseball. How do you manage, and how often do you see each other?
“Communication, trust and knowing that we’ll be together soon. It definitely isn’t easy and I wouldn’t recommend it for most people. We talk all the time and realize that with our career paths that we have chosen, this is how it has to be right now. From Feb. 15 to May 27, we saw each other for only 2½ days.
So as you can see, we don’t see much of each other during the summer, but it is great that we share the same off-season.”
The 2004 Olympics in Atlanta were a special moment for you and Kerri.
You sprinkled your mom’s ashes on the court before one match, and went on to win the gold medal. What do you remember the most about that time?
“ The last point, and listening to the National Anthem being played. I still get goose bumps seeing our flag being raised as we stood on top of the podium. It felt as if everything was going in slow motion. I looked up at my dad, and he was wiping his eyes.”
Talk about the chemistry you and Kerri have on- court.
Is that tough to find, and are you guys close off the court, as well?
“We are close. I believe that our experience on the court together definitely helps our chemistry. We have been through a lot and had our ups and downs. It’s a matter of how you work through those times. Communication is also a key factor on and off the court.”
Why do they call you “ The Turtle?”
“Kerri’s husband Casey gave me that nickname, and it has stuck. I really don’t have an answer to this question. Only he knows.”
Lindsay Davenport says you should have been a tennis player. Were you good?
“I enjoyed tennis and always wonder if I would have stuck with it, where would I be? My cousin is Taylor Dent, who is a pro tennis player. We used to hit together and play at his court. I stopped playing when I was about 14.”
Do you plan to compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing? What are the chances of a repeat?
“Kerri and I are going to start the process of qualifying for the 2008 Games. We have our goals set on getting another gold medal. It is going to be tough, because there are so many countries that have gotten better but we are working hard and are ready for the challenge.”
At the Family Circle Cup stadium, there is a huge picture of you playing in a bikini. Do you ever get used to that kind of thing?
“No. I get embarrassed.”
You turn 30 in July. Have you started thinking about
life after volleyball?
“Yes, Matt and I would like to have a family. I would still like to play, though. There are many moms on our tour, so I think it can be done. Matt and I also have a large support system around us, so it would be possible. It would nice to spend time with my husband and travel with him for a while. When I am done, I’d like to teach and coach. As for now, though, the furthest I am looking ahead is the journey we are taking towards another gold medal.”

Fans flock for Karch's Atlanta finale
No. 1 seed becomes an afterthought
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — The top two men's teams in America squared off in the semifinals on Sunday — on an outer court. Maybe next year the Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers machine will warrant top billing on days like this.
But this year, the crowd still wants to see the legend. That's Karch Kiraly, the all-time great, who is retiring after this year. That merits center stage wherever he goes.
Rogers admitted as much earlier this week.
"I'm not sure how much the fans care about seeing us play Karch," he said. "They want to see Karch."
Leonard Armato, the AVP commissioner, said that whenever Kiraly makes the semifinals, it's a no-brainer to put him on center court.
"This is his farewell tour, a chance to see the legend play," Armato said. "It's a special moment in every city, and we really see it as an obligation and duty to let him play on center court, so the fans can see the Michael Jordan of volleyball play one last time."
When Kiraly was introduced, he got a standing ovation from the crowd. Kiraly waved his trademark pink hat to acknowledge the cheers. Every time Kiraly scored a point, the crowd responded.
Meanwhile, over on Dalhausser and Rogers' court, fans — mostly serious volleyball devotees — watched perhaps the best match of the tournament. But the crowd never quite reached the size of the one at Kiraly's final match in Atlanta, the city where he won his Olympic Gold Medal in 1996.
Ultimately, it might've been a good thing Rogers wasn't playing on the stadium court. Midway through the second game of his match against Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, Rogers, irritated with a heckler in the stands, made an obscene gesture to the crowd. He was warned by an official and his gesture was noted in the scorekeeper's comment section.
Though no one would admit it, of course, the day didn't exactly go the way Atlanta organizers would have liked, with neither Kiraly nor the No. 1 team advancing to the finals.
Armato gave the venue, the city and the crowds a passing grade.
"Last year so far exceeded our expectations that we raised them pretty high," Armato said. "This year, we're happy with the turnout too. It's been warmer than expected, but we really think Atlanta can become one of the top stops on our tour."

Rester, Wachtfogel switch things up
Former teammates try out new partners in Atlanta
By Monique Moyal and Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — For the second time this year, former partners Austin Rester and Aaron Wachtfogel spent their weekend on different courts.
Rester partnered with Jason Lee and Wachtfogel paired with Paul Baxter. The last time the two parted ways, Wachtfogel played with Kevin Wong when Wong's partner, Karch Kiraly, took a break in Glendale. The two finished in fifth that weekend, while Rester and then-partner Jose Loiola finished 17th.
While neither finished as high as fifth here at Atlantic Station, Rester and Lee ended faring better as the No. 20 seed earned a 13th-place finish. No. 17 Wachtfogel and Baxter matched their seeding with a 17th-place finish.
"[Austin] needs to get a little more comfortable with me. I get used to where he passes the ball, so my setting might be a little better," Lee said. "Hitters get more confident if they know how the other guy sets. You start to feel a rhythm with each other.
"I'd say overall I'd give us a "B." We played OK, but you're never happy losing."
On Lee's end, he was looking for a partner because his usual teammate, Dain Blanton, a communications major at Pepperdine, took the week off for a broadcasting gig. It was an easy call for Lee to make, because he and Rester are not only good friends but also former partners.
The new partners did well considering the limited amount of time they had together in preparation for this tournament — none whatsoever.
"It's funny because we haven't played together in about four months, not even a single day on the court," Lee said. "So we literally just stepped on the court together and we beat Scott Wong and John Mayer in the first round, which is a really good team. I have to say, for the fact that we haven't practiced at all in a long period of time, I thought we played pretty well."
But will the pair partner up again in future tournaments?
Rester was unavailable for comment as to whether or not he and Wachtfogel broke up for good or are just taking a break, but Lee seemed willing to entertain the idea.
"It depends — if you're not winning, there's always the possibility of mix-ups," he said. "I like playing with Austin. We get along really well, so we'll see. My hopes are that we do [keep playing together]. I'd like to play with one guy and try to get better, but you never know."
Third's the word: The losing teams in the women's semifinals had to settle for a share of third place in the Atlanta Open. It marks the sixth time in eight tournaments that Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea have finished third on the 2007 Crocs Tour.
Fontana remains confident that she and DeNecochea will get past that barrier and land in a championship final in the near future.
"I feel like we're very close," Fontana said. "We're working every week, trying to fine-tune a couple of different areas, so that we can get over that hump and get into the finals.
"There's no magic to it. You just have to keep working hard and putting yourself in position. When I step back and look at it with perspective, a third-place finish on the AVP Tour is a great finish. But we know we can take it farther, and I really think we will."
Fontana and DeNecochea finished where they were seeded at No. 3. No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan also grabbed a share of third.
This makes two weeks in a row that Davis and Johnson Jordan have cracked the semifinals.
"We're playing much better volleyball," Johnson Jordan said. "If you keep putting yourself in the semifinals enough times, you're eventually going to break through."
Cut shots: The top four men's seeds closed out the winner's bracket and also moved on to the semifinals, marking the fifth time since 2001 that this has happened. It is also the third time that's happened in the past year ... Either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed has won each of the last 59 men's Opens. In those 59 events, the winning team came through the contender's bracket three times, including Hermosa Beach last month.

Cuervo's hotness fires up Atlanta
Two more named Ultimate Beach Girl, Guy
By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com
ATLANTA — Modesty takes a backseat to a little exhibition every time Cuervo asks a city to show off its finest.
Atlanta was no different.
The Big Peach's Ultimate Girl and Guy both will go to Las Vegas for a shot at the national crown.
Katherine Payne, from Marietta, Ga., and Harley Van Hyning, of Destin, Fla., claimed the sashes and the free trip.
Without a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the 90s, you could hardly blame anyone for showing up in the skimpiest of attire. As long as you're dressed that way, why not go for a title?
Five men and five women entered for the opportunity to head to Vegas and show off. They answered silly questions about dream jobs — most had none — and what gets them going. Most of them claimed Cuervo as their inspiration — imagine that.
Payne had one complaint after the competition.
"I think I got third degree burns on my feet," she said after walking on the stage barefoot.
Payne, sporting a red and white bikini, had no reservations about strutting her stuff for the crowd.
"I love doing competitions," she said. "I model and do fitness competitions. It's what I love to do."
And, yes, the Vegas trip was a draw for her.
As for Van Hyning, who made the seven-hour trip to Atlanta to watch the tournament, he was simply walking past the Curevo tent when fate intervened.
"The girls grabbed me and told me I should enter," the surfer-looking guy said. "I'd had a few margaritas and thought, why not?
"There was more applause for some of the other guys, so I told them I didn't think I'd win."
But the text page votes went his way.
At least for once, saying, "I had a few margaritas" and thinking, "why not?" turned out to be an OK thing.

Twice as nice for Gibb, Rosie
Former bridesmaids take second straight
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
ATLANTA — No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal were not the same team on Sunday that No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger saw in the championship round of the Huntington Beach Open one month ago.
In Atlanta, Gibb and Rosie had more confidence than ever before, reeling off their second championship victory of the year. But then again, Metzger and Lambert weren't the same team either, combining for 11 costly errors in the match, which they dropped, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13.
"We want to serve tough, but we really put ourselves in a bad spot when both guys are serving out," Lambert said. "Then you just have to keep it in and serve really easy balls to them. It's hard to score points when you're serving easy, so we kinda shot ourselves in the foot that first set by not serving very good and me not passing very good."
The match started out with three straight errors, but Gibb and Rosie stayed on top throughout the first game. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Metzger executed a set that resulted in two touches, and Lambert ran into the net while attempting a crosscourt shot.
Metzger and Lambert committed eight errors in the first game. Had they exchanged those for points, they would have won the first game and the match without any need for a decisive set.
After all that, Game 1 came to only a one-point deficit with a score of 4-3 in favor of the higher seed.
From there, Gibb and Rosenthal kept slowly climbing and maintaining composure amid their opponent's errors, enjoying as much as a six-point lead with game point at 20-16.
"We played well, so it's easier to smile when you're playing well," said Rosenthal. "We're hoping we're getting there a lot more, so maybe it's a little more calm and relaxed out there. We have a game plan and we're just playing our game."
In Game 2, errors were costly again, but this time for Gibb and Rosenthal. At 12-11, both teams switched off serving into the net and beyond the court four times, until a tie at 13-13.
As in the first game, had Gibb and Rosenthal converted more than half of their seven errors, they could have taken the match in two games.
But then Lambert got back into his 2004 MVP form and turned up the heat. Block after kill, Metzger and Lambert enjoyed their first lead of the match at 15-15 and stretched it out to a second game victory at 21-17.
"I'm going to have nightmares about Lambo all night the way he was hitting me," said Gibb.
Game 3 proved to be more of the same story again, getting off to the same exact start as the first two sets, with Gibb and Rosenthal on the board first. While the two teams did tie up the score four times, Gibb and Rosie hung on to their overall lead to win their second-straight AVP Open this year.
"The third set we were down 8-4 and then we somehow got back to 9-9, and I thought that point we were gonna pull it out," said Lambert. "It's just a quick game to six after that. They just kinda came up clutch when they needed to, and I thought they played pretty good too."
Both times Gibb-Rosenthal did it without having to face No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in the finals.
Instead, they took care of that business in the semifinals, sending home the tour's top team in third place, 21-19, 21-19.
Fountain of youth: Age is only a number as Karch Kiraly, 46, knows. It was a dogfight for ex-partners Lambert-Kiraly and Kevin Wong-Metzger in Sunday's semifinals.
"We grew up idolizing the guy, so just to step on court with him was a pleasure, and I think it really elevates our game," said Metzger.
To close out the first game, the Hawaiian Curtain descended on Kiraly and Wong, as Lambert drove down two consecutive blocks to end the game, 21-11. Game 2 provided more of the back-and-forth scoring, as Kiraly and Wong came back from an early deficit to knot the score five times in the game. But their fate turned out just like the first match despite their 42-minute heroics.
Metzger and Lambert sealed their championship appearance with a 21-11, 21-16 victory, and Kiraly-Wong took third place in Atlanta — better than 20 other teams in the main draw this weekend.
"Like in poker, you gotta be able to call someone's bluff," said Lambert. "And he's been telling everyone he's gonna retire, but I bet he comes back next year. If he's getting into the final four, he got a second last weekend and a third this weekend — that's no reason to retire.
"So I think he enjoys the bantering we give him about not retiring. He's just out here having fun, getting some good results and playing with a good partner. It's good to see for the fans and from us players to see him having a good time."

Lucky seven for Misty, Kerri
Dominant duo takes home seventh-straight title
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
ATLANTA — It's seventh heaven for Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
By sweeping through the Atlanta Open without dropping a game, Walsh and May-Treanor picked up their seventh consecutive title on the AVP Tour and put their only blemish of the season in Miami further in their rear-view mirror.
Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner battled their way back to the final through the contender's bracket but couldn't provide much suspense at the end as Walsh and May-Treanor prevailed, 21-9, 21-15.
The beat goes on for Walsh and May-Treanor, who were tested in earlier rounds but always seemed to find the answers at the right time.
Nearly two months have passed since Walsh and May-Treanor last lost at the season-opening event in South Florida.
"Miami made us look at ourselves in the mirror," Walsh said. "We've been able to come back from that with flying colors."
Walsh and May-Treanor set the tone with a dominant first game in the finals. They raced to a 10-4 lead and never looked back.
"When we play together, it's really pretty," Walsh said.
Turner and Wacholder, who were upset by Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan on Friday night and faced a long road back to the final, showed flickering signs of a comeback in Game 2. But after getting off to a 7-3 lead, Turner and Wacholder saw Walsh and May-Treanor dominate the rest of the way.
"They came out on fire in the second game," Walsh said. "We made a couple of mistakes, and that's how easily the momentum can turn. Fortunately, we were able to stop the bleeding and go from there."
With the victory, Walsh moved into second place in all-time wins with 73, surpassing Holly McPeak's 72. May-Treanor is at 76 wins and counting.
May-Treanor seemed to be everywhere at once as she turned away one scoring opportunity after another against Turner and Wacholder.
"She has such an inherent sense of this game," Walsh said.
May-Treanor had 14 digs and 22 kills in the final. The May-Treanor and Walsh duo was charged with just two errors, compared to seven for Turner and Wacholder.
Walsh and May-Treanor remain hungry, yet humble. They'd love to run the table and finish with 15 open titles. But both players expressed respect for what they feel is a deeper AVP women's field in 2007.
May-Treanor and Walsh have a 40-2 match record this season with 18 straight wins. The 24 points they allowed to Wacholder and Turner in Sunday's championship match marked the second fewest they've given up in an AVP final.
"Obviously, this wasn't the way they wanted to play, but I thought Kerri and I forced them into doing things they didn't like," May-Treanor said.
Earlier in the day, May-Treanor and Walsh had a more difficult time getting through their semifinal against Davis and Johnson Jordan. They dug deep to pull out the first game, 26-24, and then won the second, 21-15. Turner and Wacholder had a long semifinal battle against Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, but prevailed, 21-18, 30-28.
"We played really well in those extra matches [after Friday's loss]," Turner said. "We learned a lot and grew a lot as a team. We're just disappointed that it didn't carry over into the finals."
Turner said it was a case of her team trying to be too fine against Walsh and May-Treanor.
"We were thinking so far ahead that we forget about the simple tasks," Turner said. "We wanted to do so much with the ball. We just have to take a step back and make sure we do the simple things first. The first game was all about our errors."
Turner-Wacholder and the entire AVP field will try again to take down the champions next weekend in Charleston, S.C. But with seven consecutive titles, Walsh and May-Treanor have the momentum of a locomotive headed downhill.
"We weren't in the moment, we weren't in the now," Turner said. "When you play the best, you'd better be in the now."

Next stop: Charleston
AVP continues northward to The Holy City
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Much as the All-Star break is a welcome rest for Major League Baseball players who endure the marathon season, volleyball players will get their mid-season treat after the next stop on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
The AVP Charleston Open is stop No. 9 on the tour this year and it also marks the seventh-consecutive week of touring. Once play concludes in South Carolina, stops No. 10 and 11 are spread out through the month of July.
But until then, here's a look at the midpoint stop of the 2007 season.
Charleston is a crucial event for some of the teams on tour who've yet to break through as they would have liked. Teams who do well will have strong momentum heading into the break, while teams who don't might want to do some partner and self-evaluation.
For one team, it will be a welcome back to steady play, as Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs took the Atlanta Open off. Branagh has been having issues with an ankle injury, and the partners have not been able match their season-opening title in Miami. But they will be back for the Charleston Open just in time for international travel on the FIVB circuit, as the AVP takes a two-and-a-half-week break.
Although they were not on a break in Atlanta, April Ross and Jen Boss, also would like to get back to how they were playing in April. They finished second in Miami and haven't been able to get back into the finals since.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh look to keep chugging along with their usual dominance. The duo has won eight of the last nine AVP titles in 2007. May-Treanor is hoping to tack onto her all-time title record, which stands at 76. After the win in Atlanta, Walsh moved in to take sole possession as the second all-time winner with 73, surpassing Holly McPeak's 72.
The men's top team, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, needs to get back into the finals next weekend if they want to end a two-week skid of losing in the semifinals in both Tampa and Atlanta.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are ecstatic after having won their second-straight championship final and believe that a three-peat is possible.
"It's doable," Rosenthal said. "We gotta play well throughout the weekend, and if we get there, who knows?"
As for Atlanta's runners-up, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert now have two finals appearances under their belts. While the second-place finish was not what they had envisioned, they both agree that they are moving in the right direction and are ready to keep raising the bar.
"I'm bummed that we didn't win, but at the same time we haven't been getting to a lot of finals," said Lambert. "The fact that we got to the finals again was kinda huge for us. We're going in the right direction, baby steps."
Legendary Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong have been a big surprise as of late, jumping from No. 10 to No. 4 last weekend. They've finished in second and third place the last two tournaments.
They will be an interesting team to watch in the upcoming weeks, as Kiraly makes his farewell tour leading up to his retirement at the end of the year.
AVP heads to Charleston for a three-day main draw Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17, with a one-day qualifying round on Thursday, June 14.

Atlanta a big hit for AVP
By BILL SANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/11/07
Some of the best volleyball players in the world battled for the second Atlanta Open championship Sunday, playing to a full house and under a blazing sun.
Kerri Walsh signals strategy to Misty May-Treaner before the serve during Sunday's finals, which they won.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal beat last year's champions, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13 in a 1-hour, 20-minute marathon.
In the women's final, 2004 Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the No. 1 seeds, beat Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 21-9, 21-15.
If there was a downer at the Atlantic Station site, it was that Karch Kiraly, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, wasn't in the championships. Neither was the current No. 1 men's team, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers. They all lost in the semis.
Rosenthal was happy those other guys weren't in the finals.
"We beat Todd and Phil in the semis," he said. "It doesn't really matter who we play in the championship; it's just great to play. I had some big blocks that might have rattled them a little.
AVP commissioner Leonard Armato praised Atlanta as a host city. "We think Atlanta can become one of our premier tour stops," he said. "Last year totally exceeded our expectations, and this year has been great, too."
Sunday's crowd of close to 5,000 was the largest of the event. From a player's perspective, Atlanta was great, Rosenthal said. "It was hot, but that's perfect weather for this. The crowds were great; it was just perfect."
Atlanta Sports Council president Gary Stokan said the fan response was enough that the council might make a bid for the 2008 Olympic qualifying event.

Bikinis & The Beach Bid Adue, AVP Atlanta Tour Event Concludes
Nelson Hicks, wsbtv.com reporter/photographer
POSTED: 6:19 pm EDT June 10, 2007
UPDATED: 11:48 pm EDT June 10, 2007
ATLANTA -- The AVP Crocs Tour Atlanta Open concluded Sunday at Atlantic Station. Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal took home the Men's Championship, while Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh captured yet another Women's Championship.
Sunday's finals concluded four days of volleyball action. This is the second year in a row the AVP Tour has visited Atlanta and currently plans call for the event to return in 2008.
The AVP Tour stop is much more then just volleyball. Sure, there's a world-class competition going on with some of the best athletes in the world, many of them have a few Olympic medals in their trophy cases, but the event is half party, half competition.
Video: Bikinis, Board Shorts, Beach Volleyball Wraps Atlanta Event
Several fans told wsbtv.com that this was really one of those, you had to be there events. From doing the wave, super fast or ultra slow, getting hosed down with water guns, giveaways, it was a party atmosphere most had never experienced before.
Don't miss the video and slideshow from the event showing all the action on and off the court.

May-Treanor, Gibb win Atlanta Open titles
ATLANTA — It was a case of some déjà vu for locals Misty May-Treanor and Jake Gibb Sunday.
Top seed May-Treanor (Newport Harbor High) and Kerri Walsh continued their domination of the Assn. of Volleyball Professional Crocs Tour, winning the women's title at the Atlanta Open.
It was their seventh consecutive title of the year. The defeated second seeds Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 21-9, 21-15 in the final. With the win, May-Treanor, the winningest female beach volleyball player of al time, registered 76th title.
On the men's side, Gibb, a Costa Mesa resident, and his teammate Sean Rosenthal won their second consecutive title of the season with a 21-16, 17-21, 15-13 win over the third-seeded team of Mike Lambert, also a Costa Mesa resident, and Stein Metzger.

U.S. Beach Teams Take on AVP Tour
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
BJ.Evans@USAV.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 11, 2007) – Three teams that will represent the United States in upcoming international beach volleyball competition competed at the AVP Atlanta Open this past weekend (June 7-10).
Featured in the men’s tournament were the duo of Joey Dykstra (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) and Mark Van Zwieten (Pompano Beach, Fla.), who will compete in the U-21 Championships, Sept. 4-9, in Modena, Italy along with 15th-seeded Ty Loomis (Warner Robins, Ga.) and Hans Stolfus (Solon, Iowa), who will represent the U.S. on the sand July 21-29 at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.
On the women’s side, Angie Akers (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Brooke Niles Hanson (Ventura, Calif.), who will compete in the Pan American Games for the United States, finished tied for fifth overall.
Dykstra and Van Zwieten opened the tournament working through the qualifiers bracket, defeating the team of Jonathan Acosta and Matt McKinney 21-18, 21-19, and Reuben Danley and Lucas Wisniakowski 21-18, 21-15. The pair advanced into the winner’s bracket with a three-set victory over David Fischer and Jon Mesko (20-22, 21, 15, 15-13).
In the first round of winner’s bracket competition, Dykstra and Van Zwieten suffered a 21-17, 21-12 setback to the ninth-seeded team of Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. With the loss, the pair entered the contender’s bracket and bowed out of competition with a 21-17, 23-21 defeat by 10th-seeded Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
Loomis and Stolfus began the tournament with a first-round winner’s bracket 21-16, 21-17 victory over Adam Jewell and Jose Loiola. The pair then met up against second-seeded and eventual champions, Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, but were dropped into the contender’s bracket with a 21-18, 24-22 loss.
Loomis and Stolfus defeated Paul Baxter and Aaron Wachtfogel in the first round of the contender’s bracket 21-18, 21-18. Like Dykstra and Van Zwieten, Loomis and Stolfus were unable to get past Medel and Souza, falling in three sets, 21-17, 11-21, 24-22.
The championship match saw second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal win their second consecutive title and found revenge against third-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger in a back-and-forth battle, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13. These two teams are familiar championship foes. At the Huntington Beach Open in early May, Lambert and Metzger finished first with a 21-17, 21-18, win.
In the women’s bracket, Akers and Niles made it to the third round of the winner’s bracket where they lost to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 21-14, 21-12. They then won two matches in the contenders bracket before falling to Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 30-28, 21-16.
Walsh and May-Treanor went on to win the women’s bracket for the seventh time in a row on the AVP Tour, defeating Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner in the final, 21-9, 21-15.
Next on the AVP Crocs Tour Schedule is the AVP Charleston Open, June 14-17, in Charleston, S.C. For more information, got to www.avp.com.

For Tour's mothers, joy in balance
Double life as mom, pro worth every moment
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com
There are hectic and stressful days when Barbra Fontana could use more than the allotted 24 hours to do all that she needs to do.
She's a mother of two young children. She's a highly successful beach volleyball player on the AVP Crocs Tour. Put those two together and you need more energy than the Energizer Bunny. But Fontana wouldn't have it any other way. While the challenges of motherhood can be imposing for those who are simultaneously trying to compete on Tour, the rewards from having two labors of love are even greater.
"You need to stay really balanced and I think you have to have a lot of support at home," said Fontana, the mother of Lucas, 4, and Giovanni, 2. "My husband (Gil) is totally supportive and a hands-on dad. When I'm not home, he's with the children. And when he's working, I have immediate family to baby-sit. I think I'm very lucky to have that support."
Fontana focuses on staying in the moment. Family obligations prevent her from training as long as those who don't have parental duties, so she makes every minute count in training sessions.
"I go through my workouts quickly," Fontana said. "I don't have a lot of down time because I want to spend afternoons with my kids. I'll wake up early, train on the beach, drive to the gym immediately and work out.
"Before I had children, I'd come home for lunch and take a rest before going back in the afternoon. Now I stack my workouts so I can have all afternoon and evening at home."
Being a working mom as a professional athlete means tradeoffs. While a 9-to-5 working mom may not have to travel, Fontana can arrange her schedule for flexible hours when she's at home.
"If I had a regular 9-to-5 job, I would see my children less than I do now, even though I do travel," she said. "I get every afternoon with the kids when I'm home. I'm off Mondays and maybe a Thursday if it's only a Saturday-Sunday event. The hardest thing is when you finish a tournament, all you want to do is get home. It's usually a mad dash to the airport."
Although the competitors on the women's Tour who aren't mothers may have more free time, Fontana said the happiness factor in having children has a direct effect on how well she performs on the sand.
"I'm more fulfilled in my life than I ever have been," she said. "When my kids are sick and I'm up at night, is it more challenging? Yes. But the other side is that I'm incredibly fulfilled. That reflects in my play."
Fontana and partner Dianne DeNecochea, who's also a mom, have turned in six third-place finishes in eight events this year. Although Fontana was initially frustrated by a semifinal loss to Tyra Turner/Rachel Wacholder at the Atlanta Open on Sunday, the thought of catching a Sunday night flight back to southern California and getting welcome-home hugs from the kids brought a smile to her face.
Jenny Jordan Johnson, who also made it to the Atlanta semifinals with partner Annett Davis, shares Fontana's view about the challenges of motherhood on the AVP Tour. Jordan Johnson and husband Kevin are the parents of daughter Jaylen, 5, and son Kory, 2.
"You have to have perspective about it," said Johnson Jordan. "I love volleyball. It's a passion. But it's my job, it's not who I am. It's more about who we are with our families. That's the priority."
Johnson Jordan said Kevin watches the children when she's on the road for a tournament and both families offer babysitting support when needed.
"It's great to have that balance where you play a game you love and then you have your kids waiting for you when you leave the court," Johnson Jordan said. "In that way, I think it's an advantage. We're not so involved in the sport that we lose sight in what else is out there.
"I think it's great that we have so many moms on the Tour who are having success. It shows that you can do both. If you do it the right way, you can have a great career in volleyball and you can also have a great family. There are times when I might have to go pick up my daughter and can't do all the extra reps. But it's well worth it. The happiness that comes from balancing both a family and a career can't really be measured."

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Note*: AVP on DVD disc may be shipped separately from your order and is simply our GIFT to you,you are purchasing the nutritional supplement only and not the DVD.

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AVP $200,000 Charleston,South Carolina Open June 14th-17th, 2007

Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour
Date: June 14-17, 2007
Location: Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island
The island’s tennis center will transform into a southeastern mecca for volleyball enthusiasts this June, as 1,400 tons of beach sand are brought in to create six world-class beach volleyball courts for the newest stop on the AVP Tour. This event will pit twenty-four teams of the best men's and women's volleyball players in the world against each other to serve, dig, spike and block for a total purse of $200,000. For more information visit www.avp.com.
Get your tickets today to experience the best in professional beach volleyball when the AVP Crocs Tour comes to Charleston. Grab tickets for individual sessions or see all the action with an exciting all-inclusive weekend package. The the 2007 AVP Charleston event will mark the AVP's first appearance in Charleston as the world's top volleyball stars, including US Olympic champions and legends of the game, come to the Family Circle Tennis Center, June 14-17, 2007
Surrounded by lush landscape and old oaks, the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island is host to the Family Circle Cup. Located along the banks of the Wando River, this 17 court complex includes 13 composition and four hard surface courts. One of them can seat 10,000 fans! Around the courts there is a handsome two-story clubhouse with an expansive pro shop, cherry-wood floors, locker rooms and a small fitness room. Although it looks like a private club, it is, in fact, a public facility, open to all. So you can schedule a tennis vacation and get instructed on the perfect serve. And when you're not hitting those forehands, seize the opportunity to explore the historic and cultural nuances around Charleston.
(wcities.com)

Event Information:

Main Draw
• 24 Teams, 6 Courts
• 18 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 32 Men's and Women's teams
• 4 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• WOMEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 6/17
• MEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 6/17

* Click here to register now!
Charleston Player Information Page

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics:
Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18.
Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Complete Clinic & Registration Information

Schedule:

All times are EDT

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Men's and Women's Qualifier Competition
Gates open at 8:00 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Friday, June 15, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:30 a.m.
Competition start time 8:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 6:00 p.m.

Friday, June 15, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 16, 2007 (DAY SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
Competition start time 10:00 a.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 16, 2007 (NIGHT SESSION)
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 7:00 p.m.
Competition start time 7:30 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 17, 2007
Men's and Women's Main Draw Competition
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Competition start time 9:30 a.m.
Women's Finals 2:30 p.m.
Men's Finals 4:00 p.m.
Competition End Time (Approx) 5:30 p.m.
Ticket Info

Venue:

Family Circle Tennis Center
161 Seven Farms Drive
Charleston, SC 29492

The Family Circle Tennis Center is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston
and operated by Family Circle Magazine that hosts a variety of events including
concerts, festivals, tennis events and other special activities throughout the year.
In June, this world class tennis facility will transform into a southeastern mecca for
volleyball enthusiasts as our center court stadium (seating capacity: 10,200) is filled
with tons of high quality beach sand, and lit for day or night action. Two additional world
class beach volleyball courts will be erected adjacent to the stadium on our Grand Lawn
spanning over 21,000 square feet of lush green grass beautifully landscaped in the shadows
of majestic live oak trees. Finally, three outer courts, also of world class
construction, will be laid out in the area where Family Circle Cup Valet Parking is typically
located (along Seven Farms Drive), transforming this lush locale into prime beachfront property!

AVP Host Hotel:

HGI Charleston Airport
5265 International Blvd.
North Charleston, SC 29418
TEL: (843) 308-9330
Book Online

Directions:

From I-85 Southbound
Head south on I-85 exit 17th Street.
Turn right on 17th Street.
Turn right just past the Wachovia building and the parking deck will be on your right.
From the Charleston International Airport:
Take I-526 East to the Daniel Island Exit (#24)

From I-95:
Take I-26 to Charleston

Taking I-26 East to Charleston:
Take the Mark Clark Expressway (I-526) East towards Mt. Pleasant.
Turn off on Daniel Island Exit (#24).
Follow to red light (Seven Farms Drive) and turn left.
Family Circle Tennis Center is on the right.

From Mt. Pleasant:
Take the Mark Clark Expressway (I-526) West and turn off on the Daniel Island Exit (#24).
Follow ramp and Family Circle Tennis Center is on the left.

From Charleston:
Take I-26 West to the Mark Clark Expressway (I-526) East towards Mt. Pleasant.
Turn off on the Daniel Island exit (#24).
Follow to red light (Seven Farms Drive) and turn left.
Family Circle Tennis Center is on the right.
Map

Charleston's Newest Attraction
Charleston made history on December 8th, 2006 when AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato came to town for a press conference at the Family Circle Tennis Center accompanied by volleyball legends Holly McPeak and Stein Metzger to announce that Charleston was selected to host the newest event on the AVP Tour. The 2007 AVP Charleston Open event will mark the AVP's first appearance in Charleston as the world's top volleyball stars come to the Family Circle Tennis Center, June 14-17, 2007.

Twenty four teams will compete in both men's & women's competition for a total purse of $200,000, awarding each championship team a check for $33,000 ($16,500 each player).

Schedule of Events:

2007 AVP Charleston Open Schedule of Events

Wednesday, June 13
7:00 pm: Celebrate the AVP’s official arrival to Charleston! We’ll be at Girls Night Out at J Paulz
with AVP Players in attendance. B92.5 will be broadcasting live! Stop by for autographs, AVP
ticket giveaways, drink specials, manicures and much, much more!

Thursday, June 14
8:00 am: Gates Open
8:00 am: Qualifying Round Play Begins
5:00 pm: Qualifying Round Play Ends
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm: The first Party on the Patio of the summer at Just Fresh in Seaside Farms
(Isle of Palms Connector) will feature AVP players, a live broadcast from 95SX, AVP ticket
giveaways, food specials and much more!
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: Join us for a Meet and Greet with AVP Players at Alltel Wireless, located at
5070 International Drive in North Charleston. Stop by for autograph signings and enter to win
tickets to the AVP Charleston Open!

Friday, June 15
7:30 am: Gates Open
8:00 am: Day Session Play Begins
11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Join B92.5 as they broadcast live from the main gate
6:00 pm: Day Session Play Ends
7:00 pm: Night Session Gates Open
7:30 pm: Night Session Play Begins
9:30 pm: The Official AVP After Party at Lana’s Mexican Restaurant on Daniel Island begins.
Join AVP Players and VIP’s for drink specials, music and more!
10:00 pm: Night Session Play Ends

Saturday, June 16
9:30 am: Gates Open
10:00 am: Day Session Play Begins
11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Join 96Wave as they broadcast live from the main gate
5:00 pm: Day Session Play Ends
7:00 pm: Night Session Gates Open
10:00 pm: Night Session Play Ends
10:00 pm – 12:00 am: Mark your calendars for the Official AVP after party at City Bar downtown.
Join AVP Players and VIP’s as they celebrate the 2007 AVP Charleston Open

Sunday, June 17: FATHER’S DAY AT THE AVP CHARLESTON OPEN
9:00 am: Gates Open
9:30 am: Play Begins
11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Join 95SX as they broadcast live from the main gate
2:30 pm: Men’s Final Begins
4:00 pm: Women’s Final Begins

Date
Day

Session

Round
Gates Open

Play
Begins

Box
Seats

Terrace
Seating

Grounds
Pass

June 14 Thursday Day Qualifying 8:00am 8:00am
-

-

Free

June 15 Friday Day Main Draw 7:30am 8:00am
$35

$20

-

June 15 Friday Night Main Draw 7:00pm 7:30pm
$35

$20

-

June 16 Saturday Day Main Draw 9:30am 10:00am
$35

$20

-

June 16 Saturday Night Main Draw 7:00pm 7:30pm
$35

$20

-

June 17 Sunday Day Semis - Finals 9:00am 9:30am
$35

$20

-

Weekend Package Allxxxxxxx Allxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx $140 xxxxx-xxx
-

Ticket Information
Ordering tickets is easy as ever! Tickets are now available on www.avp.com for individual sessions ( schedule ). If you don’t want to miss a day of excitement, click to order a weekend package. The weekend package includes tickets for each session Thursday, Qualifying through Sunday, Finals. The seats are located in the 1st Tier so you are right there in the action.   While you're anxiously awaiting the event, you can become an official member of the “AVP Charleston Fan Club” where you'll receive e-mail updates and be able to participate in a special "members only" activities by simply e-mailing our Ticketing Coordinator with your name and e-mail address.

Cool Off-Court Sponsor Activities
Jose Cuervo: Can you leap like the pros? Put your vertical jump to the test at the Jose Cuervo tent and have your picture taken with the Cuervo Girls while you’re there!

Paul Mitchell: Get your summer hair-do during your visit to the AVP Charleston Open. The expert stylists at the Paul Mitchell will shape up your style and show you the latest line of Paul Mitchell hair care products.

X-Box: Take a break from the action on the court and check out the latest X-Box games and gaming accessories by visiting the X-Box tent in the AVP Sponsor Village.

Wilson: Speed is the name of the game at the Wilson tent. Test the speed of your best volleyball serve and see if you have what it takes to ace the competition.

Nautica: Kick-off summer in style by entering to win an impressive collection of Nautica apparel at their tent in AVP Sponsor Village.

Off-Site Activities / Player Appearances - open to the public!

Date
Day

Time

Event / Party

Location

Cost

June 13 Wed. 7 - 9pm Girls Night Out J Paulz Free to attend

June 14 Thur. 4 - 6pm Party on the Patio Just Fresh Free to attend

June 14 Thur. 5:30 - 6:30pm Meet & Greet Alltel Wireless Free to attend

June 15 Fri. 9:30pm - close Official AVP After Party Lana's Free to attend

June 16 Sat. 10pm - midnight Official AVP After Party City Bar Cover Charge

xxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

*For a detailed outline of the events listed above, click here.

World's Greatest Players
The best volleyball players in the world compete on the AVP Tour! Get to know the stars of the game that include internationally known US Olympic gold medalists and AVP superstars who play with intensity and ferocity while looking like models before you get to rub shoulders with them at the event! AVP players are among the most accessible and friendly athletes in the world, so check them out!

World Class Tennis & Volleyball Facility
The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup and the AVP Charleston Open, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Family Circle Magazine that hosts a variety of events including concerts, festivals, tennis events and other special activities throughout the year.  This world class tennis facility transforms into a southeastern mecca for volleyball enthusiasts as our center court stadium (seating capacity: 10,200) is filled with tons of high quality beach sand, and lit for day or night action.

Two additional world class beach volleyball courts are placed adjacent to the stadium on our Grand Lawn spanning over 21,000 square feet of lush green grass beautifully landscaped in the shadows of majestic live oak trees. Finally, three outer courts, also of world class construction, are laid out along Seven Farms Drive, transforming this lush locale into prime beachfront property!  This beach volleyball paradise is only few minutes from the Atlantic ocean, but it will have the look and feel of historic west coast volleyball events.

Come for world class action, stay to enjoy a world class city!
When you think of beach volleyball in Charleston, you should imagine a high-energy action-packed weekend of Olympic class athleticism combined with a world class beach party in a city by the sea offering limitless opportunities for fun, food, shopping, and nightlife. If you haven't been to Charleston, please check out the many opportunities to relax or live life to its fullest here. If you haven't been to an AVP Pro Tour event, or seen one on television, then check out the video clips below that really illustrate the action, excitement, and incredible energy that the 2007 AVP Charleston Open will bring to the Family Circle Tennis Center!

Volunteers:
Come be a part of the AVP Tour when it comes to town. From kids serving as ballshaggers to scorekeepers and beyond, we need your help! All volunteers receive an autographed t-shirt and beach visor, lunch, drinks and plenty of time to interact and get autographs / pictures with the pro athletes. We accept volunteers of ages 12 & up (or 8 & up with a parent)! As of June 6th, we still need more than 30 adult volunteers to join us - so apply today...

Youth Clinics:
Are you an indoor or outdoor volleyball player? Are you between the ages of 12-18? The Hilton AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinic is just for you! This season the Hilton AVP Clinics will be onsite, on the days of the qualifier, and are free. Sign up to transition your indoor volleyball game to the beach volleyball game or just to improve your beach skills!
*Registration available now!

Fun Facts:
If you're new to the game of pro beach volleyball, check out some AVP Tour Fun Facts!

AVP Rules:
*Beach volleyball rules are specific to the game, so check out a brief overview here.

More Info:
**For in-depth content including AVP photo galleries, ticketing, Blogs, fan forums, additional videos, player bios, the AVP Tour Newsletter, and developing stories about the players on tour, visit the official AVP web site www.avp.com.

AVP Charleston Open History:
December 8th, 2006
Formal press conference was held at the Family Circle Tennis Center featuring Holly McPeak, Stein Metzger, AVP Commissioner Leonard Armatto, and Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. where Charleston was named the newest event on the AVP Crocs Tour .

March 31, 2007
First ticket was sold to the AVP Charleston Open.

May 21, 2007
200 Railroad ties are put in place to outline each of the 6 match courts on the grounds of the Tennis Center. Each tie is 10" wide, 10" thick, and 10' in length, and weighs 400 lbs.

May 24, 2007
Courts #2 & #3 constructed on the Grand Lawn, and Courts #4, #5, & #6 are constructed near Seven Farms Drive (each receiving 225 tons of sand* to form a 12" playing surface).

June 1, 2007
A brand new giant 40' x 47' AVP Charleston Open banner (below) was hung from Family Circle Magazine Stadium depicting Misty May-Treanor, a top star from the AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour!

June 5&6, 2007
342 tons of PGA Bunker Sand are placed in Family Circle Magazine Stadium to create a 12" deep playing surface. This sand was placed on top of 250 4' x 8' sheets of plywood that was laid down over a gigantic tarp used to cover and protect the world class clay tennis court below during the AVP event.

*In total, 1472 tons of PGA Bunker Sand (2.94 million pounds) were delivered to the Family Circle Tennis Center to construct all of the courts.

June 8, 2007
Over 80 AVP personnel begin to arrive on-site to start construction of various structures, tents, and other items needed to put on the show. They will work through the weekend making sure everything is ready for the June 14th qualifying round action.

Check out these hard-hitting video clips provided by the AVP Tour

Men's Entries:

Men's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 1
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 2
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 3
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 4
Matt Olson Jason Ring 5
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 7
John Hyden Brad Keenan 8
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 9
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 11
Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus 12
Aaron Wachtfogel Scott Wong 13
Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 14
Canyon Ceman Chad Turner 15
Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 16
Mike DiPierro John Mayer 17
Jason Lee Austin Rester 18
Paul Baxter Dain Blanton 19
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie Q1
Seth Burnham Scott Davenport Q2
AJ Mihalic Adam Roberts Q3
David Fischer Vincent Robbins Q4
Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q5
Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q6
Kevin Dake Gaston Macau Q7
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q8
Jeff Murrell Tony Pray Q9
Ivan Mercer Justin Phipps Q10
Casey Brewer Danko Iordanov Q11
Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q12
Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q13
William Chenoweth Matt Henderson Q14
Brian Corso Jesse Rambis Q15
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q16
Erik Gomez Yariv Lerner Q17
Curt Toppel Jesse Webster Q18
C.J. Denk Robert Jackson Q19
Pete DiVenere James Fellows Q20
Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q21
BJ Cook Paul McDonald Q22
Eben Meyer Bill Schultz Q23
Guy Hamilton Bradley Tharington Q24
Richard Rainwater David Woolsteen Q25
Jason Harris Kevin Wong Q26
Oguz Degirmenci Ethan Roseborough Q27
Pete Kucera Scott Terry Q28
Adrian Carambula Mike Morales Q29
Scott Bray Reo Sorrentino Q30
John Bell Tim Chittenden Q31
Bradley Hinson Doug Smith Q32
Heath Griffin Benji Hatchell Q33
Jonathan Guida Bob Massee Q34
Ben Lee Jacob Narayan Q35
Jody Corn Chris Varner Q36
Bryan Frost Daniel Meade Q37
Coley Kyman Mark Presho

Men's Results:

Men's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 4 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 2 $15,000.00 324.0
3 John Hyden Brad Keenan 8 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 9 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 1 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 3 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 7 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus 12 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Aaron Wachtfogel Scott Wong 13 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Paul Baxter Dain Blanton 19 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Matt Olson Jason Ring 5 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Mike DiPierro John Mayer 17 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jason Lee Austin Rester 18 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Albert Hannemann Ed Ratledge 14 $800.00 72.0
17 Canyon Ceman Chad Turner 15 $800.00 72.0
17 Adam Jewell Jose Loiola 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 20, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen 21, Q6 $800.00 72.0
17 David Fischer Vincent Robbins 22, Q4 $800.00 72.0
17 Brian Corso Jesse Rambis 23, Q15 $800.00 72.0
17 Coley Kyman Mark Presho 24 $800.00 72.0
25 Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q5 $.00 36.0
25 Kevin Dake Gaston Macau Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Jeff Murrell Tony Pray Q9 $.00 36.0
25 William Chenoweth Matt Henderson Q14 $.00 36.0
29 Seth Burnham Scott Davenport Q2 $.00 18.0
29 AJ Mihalic Adam Roberts Q3 $.00 18.0
29 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q8 $.00 18.0
29 Ivan Mercer Justin Phipps Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Shigetomo Sakugawa Jon Stalls Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Matt Davis Jon Mackey Q13 $.00 18.0
29 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q16 $.00 18.0
29 BJ Cook Paul McDonald Q22 $.00 18.0
37 Casey Brewer Danko Iordanov Q11 $.00 12.0
37 Erik Gomez Yariv Lerner Q17 $.00 12.0
37 Curt Toppel Jesse Webster Q18 $.00 12.0
37 C.J. Denk Robert Jackson Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Pete DiVenere James Fellows Q20 $.00 12.0
37 Jonathan Acosta Matt McKinney Q21 $.00 12.0
37 Eben Meyer Bill Schultz Q23 $.00 12.0
37 Guy Hamilton Bradley Tharington Q24 $.00 12.0
37 Richard Rainwater David Woolsteen Q25 $.00 12.0
37 Jason Harris Kevin Wong Q26 $.00 12.0
37 Oguz Degirmenci Ethan Roseborough Q27 $.00 12.0
37 Pete Kucera Scott Terry Q28 $.00 12.0
37 Adrian Carambula Mike Morales Q29 $.00 12.0
37 Scott Bray Reo Sorrentino Q30 $.00 12.0
37 Bradley Hinson Doug Smith Q32 $.00 12.0
37 Jonathan Guida Bob Massee Q34 $.00 12.0
53 John Bell Tim Chittenden Q31 $.00 8.0
53 Heath Griffin Benji Hatchell Q33 $.00 8.0
53 Ben Lee Jacob Narayan Q35 $.00 8.0
53 Jody Corn Chris Varner Q36 $.00 0.0
53 Bryan Frost Daniel Meade Q37 $.00 0.0

Men's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Bradley Hinson / Doug Smith (Q32) def. Heath Griffin / Benji Hatchell (Q33) 21-6, 21-13 (0:35)
Match 10: Pete Kucera / Scott Terry (Q28) def. Bryan Frost / Daniel Meade (Q37) by Forfeit
Match 15: Adrian Carambula / Mike Morales (Q29) def. Jody Corn / Chris Varner (Q36) by Forfeit
Match 18: Scott Bray / Reo Sorrentino (Q30) def. Ben Lee / Jacob Narayan (Q35) 21-12, 21-9 (0:38)
Match 31: Jonathan Guida / Bob Massee (Q34) def. John Bell / Tim Chittenden (Q31) 21-16, 21-18 (0:37)

Round 2
Match 33: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (20, Q1) def. Bradley Hinson / Doug Smith (Q32) 21-10, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 34: Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q16) def. Erik Gomez / Yariv Lerner (Q17) 21-16, 14-21, 15-11 (0:54)
Match 35: Jeff Murrell / Tony Pray (Q9) def. Guy Hamilton / Bradley Tharington (Q24) 22-20, 24-22 (0:56)
Match 36: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q8) def. Richard Rainwater / David Woolsteen (Q25) 21-15, 21-12 (0:38)
Match 37: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (Q5) def. Pete Kucera / Scott Terry (Q28) 21-18, 21-18 (0:51)
Match 38: Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q12) def. Jonathan Acosta / Matt McKinney (Q21) 21-19, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 39: Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q13) def. Pete DiVenere / James Fellows (Q20) 21-15, 17-21, 15-7 (0:50)
Match 40: David Fischer / Vincent Robbins (22, Q4) def. Adrian Carambula / Mike Morales (Q29) 21-15, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 41: AJ Mihalic / Adam Roberts (Q3) def. Scott Bray / Reo Sorrentino (Q30) 19-21, 21-17, 15-10 (0:54)
Match 42: William Chenoweth / Matt Henderson (Q14) def. C.J. Denk / Robert Jackson (Q19) 21-8, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 43: BJ Cook / Paul McDonald (Q22) def. Casey Brewer / Danko Iordanov (Q11) 22-20, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 44: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (21, Q6) def. Oguz Degirmenci / Ethan Roseborough (Q27) 21-11, 21-12 (0:34)
Match 45: Kevin Dake / Gaston Macau (Q7) def. Jason Harris / Kevin Wong (Q26) 21-13, 21-12 (0:37)
Match 46: Ivan Mercer / Justin Phipps (Q10) def. Eben Meyer / Bill Schultz (Q23) 21-16, 15-21, 15-8 (1:00)
Match 47: Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (23, Q15) def. Curt Toppel / Jesse Webster (Q18) 21-15, 16-21, 15-13 (0:55)
Match 48: Seth Burnham / Scott Davenport (Q2) def. Jonathan Guida / Bob Massee (Q34) 21-19, 21-12 (0:43)

Round 3
Match 49: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (20, Q1) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q16) 21-15, 21-15 (0:41)
Match 50: Jeff Murrell / Tony Pray (Q9) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (Q8) 21-17, 15-21, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 51: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (Q5) def. Shigetomo Sakugawa / Jon Stalls (Q12) 21-16, 21-19 (0:48)
Match 52: David Fischer / Vincent Robbins (22, Q4) def. Matt Davis / Jon Mackey (Q13) 21-19, 23-21 (0:42)
Match 53: William Chenoweth / Matt Henderson (Q14) def. AJ Mihalic / Adam Roberts (Q3) 13-21, 21-17, 15-13 (0:57)
Match 54: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (21, Q6) def. BJ Cook / Paul McDonald (Q22) 21-12, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 55: Kevin Dake / Gaston Macau (Q7) def. Ivan Mercer / Justin Phipps (Q10) 21-19, 21-18 (0:53)
Match 56: Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (23, Q15) def. Seth Burnham / Scott Davenport (Q2) 18-21, 21-19, 15-10 (1:08)

Round 4
Match 57: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (20, Q1) def. Jeff Murrell / Tony Pray (Q9) 21-10, 21-9 (0:41)
Match 58: David Fischer / Vincent Robbins (22, Q4) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (Q5) 21-19, 21-18 (0:52)
Match 59: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (21, Q6) def. William Chenoweth / Matt Henderson (Q14) 21-9, 21-19 (0:44)
Match 60: Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (23, Q15) def. Kevin Dake / Gaston Macau (Q7) 21-16, 21-19 (0:45)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Mike DiPierro / John Mayer (17) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (16) 21-23, 25-23, 15-13 (1:05)
Match 2: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Coley Kyman / Mark Presho (24) 21-4, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 3: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (21, Q6) 21-12, 21-17 (0:45)
Match 4: Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (13) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (20, Q1) 21-19, 21-23, 15-10 (1:06)
Match 5: Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (19) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 18-21, 21-15, 15-10 (1:14)
Match 6: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. David Fischer / Vincent Robbins (22, Q4) 21-15, 21-14 (0:35)
Match 7: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (23, Q15) 21-14, 21-10 (0:35)
Match 8: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (18) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (15) 21-19, 29-27 (0:57)

Round 2
Match 9: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (1) def. Mike DiPierro / John Mayer (17) 21-16, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 10: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 15-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:57)
Match 11: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (5) 22-20, 21-18 (0:55)
Match 12: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (4) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (13) 21-18, 21-10 (0:42)
Match 13: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (3) def. Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (19) 21-15, 21-17 (0:51)
Match 14: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 15-21, 21-17, 15-8 (0:58)
Match 15: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-17, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 16: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (18) 21-13, 21-17 (0:38)

Round 3
Match 17: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (1) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) 13-21, 21-16, 15-11 (0:57)
Match 18: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (4) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) 21-15, 21-23, 15-11 (1:08)
Match 19: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (3) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 23-21, 21-17 (0:50)
Match 20: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) 21-19, 21-14 (0:53)

Round 4
Match 21: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (4) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (1) 17-21, 21-15, 15-10 (1:06)
Match 22: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (3) 21-15, 21-13 (0:37)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (18) def. Adam Jewell / Jose Loiola (16) 17-21, 21-17, 15-11 (0:55)
Match 24: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Coley Kyman / Mark Presho (24) 21-13, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 25: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (21, Q6) 21-19, 21-17 (0:43)
Match 26: Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (19) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (20, Q1) 21-16, 21-13 (0:46)
Match 27: Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (13) def. Albert Hannemann / Ed Ratledge (14) 16-21, 21-16, 17-15 (1:02)
Match 28: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (5) def. David Fischer / Vincent Robbins (22, Q4) 22-20, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 29: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (23, Q15) 21-17, 21-14 (0:37)
Match 30: Mike DiPierro / John Mayer (17) def. Canyon Ceman / Chad Turner (15) 24-22, 17-21, 17-15 (1:09)

Round 2
Match 31: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (18) 22-20, 21-18 (0:52)
Match 32: Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (19) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 21-15, 14-21, 15-13 (1:12)
Match 33: Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (13) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (5) 17-21, 21-19, 17-15 (1:09)
Match 34: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Mike DiPierro / John Mayer (17) 21-15, 21-13 (0:35)

Round 3
Match 35: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) 21-14, 19-21, 17-15 (1:17)
Match 36: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (19) 21-16, 23-21 (0:55)
Match 37: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (13) 21-17, 16-21, 15-11 (1:07)
Match 38: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 21-13, 23-21 (0:41)

Round 4
Match 39: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-14, 17-21, 16-14 (1:03)
Match 40: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (7) 21-13, 21-19 (0:52)

Round 5
Match 41: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (3) 21-19, 21-9 (0:43)
Match 42: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (1) 21-19, 19-21, 16-14 (0:55)

Semifinals
Match 43: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (4) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (9) 21-19, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 44: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (8) 21-18, 18-21, 16-14 (1:10)

Finals
Match 45: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (4) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (2) 21-19, 21-15 (0:59)

2007 Men's Charleston,South Carolina Open Tournament Champions >>Mike Lambert/Stein Metzger

                                 Mike Lambert                                                                                    Stein Metzger

Women's Entries:

Women's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 2
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 3
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 5
Jennifer Boss April Ross 6
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 7
Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 8
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 9
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 10
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 11
Lauren Fendrick Paula Roca 12
Nancy Mason Sarah Straton 13
Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 14
Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 15
Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 16
Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 17
Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar 18
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 19
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 20
Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias Q1
Jill Changaris Tara Kuk Q2
Tiffany Rodriguez Chrissie Zartman Q3
Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q4
Erin Byrd Paige Davis Q5
Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet Q6
Leilani Kamahoahoa Angela Knopf Q7
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q8
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q9
Marla O'Hara Kirstin Olsen Q10
Bonnie Levin Nicole Midwin Q11
Wendy Lockhart Amber Ramga Q12
Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q13
Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q14
Skydra Orzen Colleen Smith Q15
Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q16
Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q17
Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q18
Jen Pue-Gilchrist Christina Webb Q19
Lindsay Rust Vicki Waldsmith Q20

Women's Results:

Women's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
1 Misty May-Treanor Kerri Walsh 1 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 3 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 2 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 7 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 5 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Jennifer Boss April Ross 6 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $4,650.00 180.0
7 Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 15 $4,650.00 180.0
9 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 9 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 11 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Lauren Fendrick Paula Roca 12 $2,875.00 144.0
9 Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar 18 $2,875.00 144.0
13 Carrie Dodd Tatiana Minello 8 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 10 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 14 $1,700.00 108.0
13 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 19 $1,700.00 108.0
17 Nancy Mason Sarah Straton 13 $800.00 72.0
17 Alicia Polzin Claire Robertson 16 $800.00 72.0
17 Janelle Ruen Jennifer Snyder 17 $800.00 72.0
17 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 20 $800.00 72.0
17 Jill Changaris Tara Kuk 21, Q2 $800.00 72.0
17 Jennifer Fopma Julie Romias 22, Q1 $800.00 72.0
17 Erin Byrd Paige Davis 23, Q5 $800.00 72.0
17 Tiffany Rodriguez Chrissie Zartman 24, Q3 $800.00 72.0
25 Nicki Fusco Gina Kirstein Q4 $.00 36.0
25 Angie Hall Beth Van Fleet Q6 $.00 36.0
25 Leilani Kamahoahoa Angela Knopf Q7 $.00 36.0
25 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q9 $.00 36.0
29 Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q8 $.00 18.0
29 Marla O'Hara Kirstin Olsen Q10 $.00 18.0
29 Bonnie Levin Nicole Midwin Q11 $.00 18.0
29 Wendy Lockhart Amber Ramga Q12 $.00 18.0
29 Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q14 $.00 18.0
29 Katie Carter Michelle Cook Q17 $.00 18.0
29 Yolanda Munoz Joanna Rathbun Q18 $.00 18.0
29 Lindsay Rust Vicki Waldsmith Q20 $.00 18.0
37 Johanna Lehman Vladia Vignato Q13 $.00 12.0
37 Lara Beutler Shelby Moneer Q16 $.00 12.0
37 Jen Pue-Gilchrist Christina Webb Q19 $.00 12.0
37 Skydra Orzen Colleen Smith Q15 $.00 0.0

Women's AVP $100,000 Charleston Open
June 14th-17th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q17) def. Lara Beutler / Shelby Moneer (Q16) 21-14, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 7: Lindsay Rust / Vicki Waldsmith (Q20) def. Johanna Lehman / Vladia Vignato (Q13) 21-19, 21-16 (0:47)
Match 10: Kimberly Harrison / Lisa Marshall (Q14) def. Jen Pue-Gilchrist / Christina Webb (Q19) 21-16, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 15: Yolanda Munoz / Joanna Rathbun (Q18) def. Skydra Orzen / Colleen Smith (Q15) by Forfeit

Round 2
Match 17: Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (22, Q1) def. Katie Carter / Michelle Cook (Q17) 21-13, 21-18 (0:42)
Match 18: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q9) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (Q8) 21-18, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 19: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (23, Q5) def. Wendy Lockhart / Amber Ramga (Q12) 21-18, 21-16 (0:43)
Match 20: Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q4) def. Lindsay Rust / Vicki Waldsmith (Q20) 19-21, 21-17, 15-11 (0:59)
Match 21: Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q3) def. Kimberly Harrison / Lisa Marshall (Q14) 21-19, 21-14 (0:39)
Match 22: Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (Q6) def. Bonnie Levin / Nicole Midwin (Q11) 21-16, 21-11 (0:37)
Match 23: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Angela Knopf (Q7) def. Marla O'Hara / Kirstin Olsen (Q10) 21-15, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 24: Jill Changaris / Tara Kuk (21, Q2) def. Yolanda Munoz / Joanna Rathbun (Q18) 21-12, 21-8 (0:33)

Round 3
Match 25: Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (22, Q1) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (Q9) 24-22, 18-21, 15-9 (1:02)
Match 26: Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (23, Q5) def. Nicki Fusco / Gina Kirstein (Q4) 17-21, 29-27, 15-13 (1:15)
Match 27: Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q3) def. Angie Hall / Beth Van Fleet (Q6) 21-17, 21-14 (0:41)
Match 28: Jill Changaris / Tara Kuk (21, Q2) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Angela Knopf (Q7) 21-19, 21-19 (0:54)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (17) 21-19, 21-19 (0:40)
Match 2: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q3) 30-28, 21-12 (0:50)
Match 3: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Jill Changaris / Tara Kuk (21, Q2) 21-15, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 4: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (20) def. Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (13) 21-19, 25-23 (0:50)
Match 5: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 17-21, 21-18, 15-11 (0:55)
Match 6: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (11) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (22, Q1) 21-19, 21-13 (0:40)
Match 7: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (23, Q5) 21-14, 23-21 (0:40)
Match 8: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (18) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (15) 21-14, 21-18 (0:33)

Round 2
Match 9: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) 21-12, 21-8 (0:31)
Match 10: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) 21-19, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 11: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) def. Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) 21-16, 15-21, 15-12 (1:03)
Match 12: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (20) 21-16, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 13: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) 21-11, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 14: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (11) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 21-18, 21-15 (0:44)
Match 15: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) 21-14, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 16: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (18) 21-18, 18-21, 15-11 (0:53)

Round 3
Match 17: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) 21-15, 21-9 (0:36)
Match 18: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-19, 21-14 (0:51)
Match 19: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (11) 21-10, 21-10 (0:32)
Match 20: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) 21-18, 21-16 (0:39)

Round 4
Match 21: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) 21-15, 21-15 (0:39)
Match 22: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 21-16, 17-21, 15-13 (0:59)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 23: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (18) def. Janelle Ruen / Jennifer Snyder (17) 21-14, 21-14 (0:31)
Match 24: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) def. Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (24, Q3) 21-13, 21-14 (0:32)
Match 25: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jill Changaris / Tara Kuk (21, Q2) 21-9, 21-11 (0:33)
Match 26: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) def. Nancy Mason / Sarah Straton (13) 21-17, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 27: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (20) 24-22, 21-15 (0:52)
Match 28: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Jennifer Fopma / Julie Romias (22, Q1) 21-16, 16-21, 15-13 (0:54)
Match 29: Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (23, Q5) 21-13, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 30: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (15) def. Alicia Polzin / Claire Robertson (16) 21-16, 17-21, 15-13 (0:47)

Round 2
Match 31: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (18) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) 33-31, 21-13 (0:45)
Match 32: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (14) 21-12, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 33: Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (19) 21-19, 19-21, 15-13 (1:10)
Match 34: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (15) def. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello (8) 21-19, 18-12 retired (0:38)

Round 3
Match 35: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (18) 21-14, 21-17 (0:37)
Match 36: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (9) 21-17, 27-25 (0:58)
Match 37: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Lauren Fendrick / Paula Roca (12) 27-25, 21-15 (0:53)
Match 38: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (15) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (11) 21-15, 21-19 (0:35)

Round 4
Match 39: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-12, 23-21 (0:49)
Match 40: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (15) 22-24, 21-16, 15-8 (0:53)

Round 5
Match 41: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (6) 21-14, 14-21, 15-13 (1:05)
Match 42: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (5) 21-19, 21-17 (0:47)

Semifinals
Match 43: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) 21-12, 14-21, 15-12 (0:53)
Match 44: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) 21-18, 14-21, 15-10 (1:03)

Finals
Match 45: Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh (1) def. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) 21-13, 21-12 (0:51)

2007 Women's Charleston,South Carolina Open Tournament Champions >>Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh

                   Misty May-Treanor                                                          Kerri Walsh

Articles 2007:

Next stop: Charleston
AVP continues northward to The Holy City
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Much as the All-Star break is a welcome rest for Major League Baseball players who endure the marathon season, volleyball players will get their mid-season treat after the next stop on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
The AVP Charleston Open is stop No. 9 on the tour this year and it also marks the seventh-consecutive week of touring. Once play concludes in South Carolina, stops No. 10 and 11 are spread out through the month of July.
But until then, here's a look at the midpoint stop of the 2007 season.
Charleston is a crucial event for some of the teams on tour who've yet to break through as they would have liked. Teams who do well will have strong momentum heading into the break, while teams who don't might want to do some partner and self-evaluation.
For one team, it will be a welcome back to steady play, as Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs took the Atlanta Open off. Branagh has been having issues with an ankle injury, and the partners have not been able match their season-opening title in Miami. But they will be back for the Charleston Open just in time for international travel on the FIVB circuit, as the AVP takes a two-and-a-half-week break.
Although they were not on a break in Atlanta, April Ross and Jen Boss, also would like to get back to how they were playing in April. They finished second in Miami and haven't been able to get back into the finals since.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh look to keep chugging along with their usual dominance. The duo has won eight of the last nine AVP titles in 2007. May-Treanor is hoping to tack onto her all-time title record, which stands at 76. After the win in Atlanta, Walsh moved in to take sole possession as the second all-time winner with 73, surpassing Holly McPeak's 72.
The men's top team, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, needs to get back into the finals next weekend if they want to end a two-week skid of losing in the semifinals in both Tampa and Atlanta.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are ecstatic after having won their second-straight championship final and believe that a three-peat is possible.
"It's doable," Rosenthal said. "We gotta play well throughout the weekend, and if we get there, who knows?"
As for Atlanta's runners-up, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert now have two finals appearances under their belts. While the second-place finish was not what they had envisioned, they both agree that they are moving in the right direction and are ready to keep raising the bar.
"I'm bummed that we didn't win, but at the same time we haven't been getting to a lot of finals," said Lambert. "The fact that we got to the finals again was kinda huge for us. We're going in the right direction, baby steps."
Legendary Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong have been a big surprise as of late, jumping from No. 10 to No. 4 last weekend. They've finished in second and third place the last two tournaments.
They will be an interesting team to watch in the upcoming weeks, as Kiraly makes his farewell tour leading up to his retirement at the end of the year.
AVP heads to Charleston for a three-day main draw Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17, with a one-day qualifying round on Thursday, June 14.

Volleyball clinic on tap for youths
By Charles Bennett (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
When AVP beach volleyball pro Phil Dalhausser helps put on a volleyball clinic, it's all about having fun, and not just for the kids.
"We start out with the basics, passing and setting and then we go right into playing," he said. "Sometimes we jump in and play with them. It's fun for the kids and fun for us."
Dalhausser, along with fellow pros Sean Scott and Todd Rogers, will put on a free clinic for kids ages 12-18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Family Circle Tennis Center. Held in conjunction with the AVP Charleston Open, which runs Thursday through Sunday, the clinic is open to the first 50 to register. If it overfills, youngsters are encouraged to stay and watch and perhaps get autographs from the pros afterward.
Designed to teach youths how to transition from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball, it's a chance for locals to learn the game of beach volleyball from top touring pros.
Before the pros get down to business in this week's tournament, they plan to share their sport with the younger generation. "I've done a few clinics this year," Dalhausser said. "The kids have a great time at the clinics. There probably aren't many times they get a chance to get instruction from pros. Some of the kids are super stoked about it and it's just a great time."
This is the AVP Tour's first stop in Charleston, not exactly a volleyball hotbed, but Dalhausser suspects most kids who turn out will be fairly familiar with the game.
"We put on a clinic in Tampa and even though Florida is not really that much of a volleyball state, all the kids basically knew how to play," he said. "Even those that don't know are usually able to pick it up fast. It's a great way to promote the sport, so maybe we'll get a bigger following out of it."

No. 1 women look to run the table
Can anyone beat Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh?
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
The AVP Crocs Tour is breaking new ground again this week when it holds the Charleston Open.
With a single-elimination qualifying round Thursday followed by a three-day main draw, the tour will set foot in historic Charleston for the first time. Fort Sumter, which guards Charleston Harbor, saw the beginning of the Civil War on April 12, 1861.
Beach volleyball's best will battle on the sand in search for a title this weekend before the tour takes a two-week break with the opening of the summer season.
The issue facing players on the women's side of the draw is whether any team will take down, if not simply slow down, the steamroller that is Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
The women's dominant team has won seven straight events and appears to be peaking with Olympic qualifying events on the international horizon in the two succeeding weekends after the Charleston Open.
May-Treanor and Walsh have dropped just two matches this season and have won 20 of the last 23 AVP team events. They've also won three of their last eight FIVB tournaments, with two seconds and two third-place finishes.
The No. 1 women's duo has failed to win only one tournament on the AVP Tour this year, the opener in Miami, and they're looking to run the table the rest of the season.
"That's our goal," May-Treanor said. "We're doing everything in our power to reach that goal, but it's still about focusing on each tournament as it comes."
Looking to maintain momentum is Karch Kiraly, who has teamed with Kevin Wong to reach the last two final fours, after not previously getting there since 2005.
Hitting their stride: Hottest team on the men's side of the draw? Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser? Try Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb.
Gibb and Rosenthal needed six finals appearances before breaking through this season, but they've claimed the last two tournaments on tour and roll into Charleston as the team to beat. They've already eclipsed their win total from last season and upended Rogers and Dalhausser to get there.
Gibb and Rosenthal have split their last four matches with Rogers and Dalhausser, after losing 13 of their previous 15 matches against them.
Moving up: Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner finished second last week in Atlanta, their third runner-up of the season. All three defeats in the final have come at the hands of May-Treanor and Walsh. ... Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan have placed third in each of the last two tournaments. ... Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana have six third-place finishes this season, including three straight and four in the last five tournaments.
Getting dizzy: Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert were runners-up in last week's final to Gibb and Rosenthal. Their finishes this season: third, 17th, first, seventh, third, fifth, ninth and second.
Remember when?: Charleston is holding its first AVP event but the Women's Professional Volleyball Association held two tournaments in the state of South Carolina — 1991 and 1994. Fontana paired with Lori Forsythe to win in '94 for the second of her 20 open titles.
Bracketology: Qualifying rounds in Charleston will be held Thursday, when 32 men's and women's teams will compete for one of four slots into the 24-team main draw. Play will be contested on six courts. Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on avp.com on Sunday, June 17. The Mosaic video player will also provide coverage from four courts on Friday and Saturday. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, June 19, and will replay the men's final Saturday, June 23.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, with Friday and Saturday featuring both day and night sessions. Competition will begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday and 10:00 a.m. Saturday for the day sessions and then at 7:30 p.m. ET both Friday and Saturday for the night sessions. Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the women's final scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and the men's final set to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will take a two-week hiatus as play on the international side moves onto the calendar. Immediately following the July 4th holiday is the Seaside Heights Open on the shores of New Jersey, July 5-8. Qualifying begins Thursday, July 5, with 40 teams competing for one of eight slots each on the men's and women's sides of the 32-team main draw.

Dig in for some beach volleyball & meet the AVP Charleston
By TOM RATZLOFF
Jun 14, 2007, 12:30
Family Circle Stadium looked like a sun-drenched Zen garden last week, filled with 2.94 million pounds of fine South Carolina sand. But its stark tranquility will vanish June 14-17 with the opening of the inaugural AVP Charleston Open professional beach volleyball tournament.
Action begins Thursday, June 14, with qualifying action featuring top local and regional beach volleyball players. The main draw, which boasts some of the foremost pro players in the world, commences Friday, June 15, and concludes Sunday afternoon with a nationally televised broadcast on Fox Sports Net.

Top Women’s Teams
Misty May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh celebrate on court. The pair won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. They compiled a record-breaking 89-match winning streak in 2003-04 and then collected 50 straight match victories from the Olympic competition until July 2005.
1. Misty May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. They compiled a record-breaking 89-match winning streak in 2003-04 and then collected 50 straight match victories from the Olympic competition until July 2005. They were named AVP Team of the Year four years in a row.
Nicknamed "Turtle," May-Treanor was named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006 and was Best Offensive Player three consecutive years, 2004-2006. She also won Best Defensive Player in 2006.
May-Treanor attended Long Beach State where she was part of the 1998 NCAA Championship, defeating Penn State and was awarded the NCAA Championship Co-MVP. In addition to the victory, May-Treanor received several other collegiate accolades including the 1998 Honda Broderick NCAA Athlete-of-the-Year Award and was an NCAA First-Team All-American in the years 1996-1998. Her 1998 team was one of just three college teams to go undefeated in a season. She graduated with a BA in Kinesiology.
May-Treanor was born in Los Angeles but spent her high school years in Costa Mesa where she attended Newport Harbor High School. She grew up alongside her two brothers Brack and Scott. Her cousin is tennis Olympian Taylor Dent. When she’s not training, she is the assistant coach at Irvine Valley Junior College. May-Treanor currently splits time between Long Beach, Calif. and Coral Springs, Fla. with her new husband Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor. She enjoys playing with her boxers Gruden and Boogie
Kerri Walsh’s nickname is "Six feet of sunshine" and experts say she’s fast becoming the best female beach volleyball player of all time.
Walsh comes to the beach with impeccable indoor credentials. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in American Studies. While there, she became only the second player in NCAA history to receive First-Team All-American honors all four seasons (1996-1999). She was also the first player in PAC-10 history to record 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502). Walsh is considered to be one of the best all-around players in collegiate history.
Born to Margie and Tim Walsh, Kerri grew up playing sports with her older brother Marte and her younger sisters Kelli and KC. She comes from an athletic background as her father played minor-league baseball for the Oakland A’s and her mother was named two-time MVP in volleyball at Santa Clara. Marte played basketball at Cal Poly SLO, while Kelli played volleyball at Santa Clara and KC is a setter at Loyola Marymount.
Before her successful transition to the beach, Walsh had a thriving indoor career where she was a member of the United States National Team for two seasons (1999-2000) and was a right side hitter on the 2000 Olympic Team, helping the team play in the medal round and finish fourth in Sydney.
Walsh currently resides in Redondo Beach, California with her husband Casey Jennings, one of the top men’s volleyball players on the Tour. The two were married December 4, 2005.
Rachel Wacholder, who teams with Elaine Youngs, dives to make the play.
2. Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs won three tournaments in 2005: the Cincinnati Open, the Huntington Beach Open and the Boulder Open. Their victory in Cincinnati ended the 50-match win streak by the No. 1-rated May-Treanor-Walsh team.
Rachel Wacholder has established herself as one of the top AVP Women on the Tour, as her 17 championship appearances since the start of 2005 are the third most of any player. She also has finished the last two seasons as the third-ranked player.
In 2005, Wacholder was named the Best Defensive Player and the Most Improved Player of the AVP women after posting the second most kills and second most digs on the Tour. In 2006, she again ranked second in kills (7.71 per game) and seventh in digs (5.17 per game). Wacholder won two FIVB Grand Slam events in 2004 alongside Olympic gold medal winner Walsh, filling in for an injured May-Treanor.
Wacholder graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Communications where she was also named Big 12 All-Conference twice. She was born and raised in Laguna Beach, Calif., and now resides in Redondo Beach with boyfriend Sean Scott, a player on the AVP Tour.
She played volleyball in high school and was a California State Player of the Year. She occasionally does commercials and sports modeling in the off-season.
Elaine Youngs or "EY" as she’s known on the sand, was named 2002 AVP MVP, Best Offensive Player and Best Blocker, but her greatest accomplishment was winning the Bronze Medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens alongside her former partner Holly McPeak. The two made history as the first U.S. women to medal in beach volleyball.
She has won at least one title in all nine of the seasons she has played professional beach volleyball in which there was a domestic tour. She currently ranks fourth among U.S. women in international victories, with 11. In Seaside Heights in 2006, Youngs became the third American woman to surpass $1 million in career earnings.
EY was born in El Toro, Calif. on Feb. 14, 1970 and grew up alongside four brothers, Ricky, Roy, Roger, and Ryan.
EY attended UCLA and graduated in 1993 with a degree in history. While in college, she was a four-time All-American and her team took home the National Championship in 1991.
Before her transition to the beach, EY spent three years on the National Indoor Team and competed at the Olympics in Atlanta. She went on to live in Rome and played in an Italian professional indoor league and then moved to Ankara, Turkey to play indoor professionally for an additional year.
Youngs currently resides in Durango, Colo. with her three dogs Piggy, Zach, and Mesa.

Top Men’s Teams
1. Former high-school teammates Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger collaborated last year to win AVP Team of the Year. They advanced to the Final Four in 14 of the 15 team events, winning five times. Their team was the only one to not have a losing record against any other team last season.
Stein Metzger, who teamed with his former high-school teammate Mike Lambert (below right) to win last years AVP Team of the Year, gets some air.
Mike Lambert has two AVP Tour nicknames: "Lambo" or the "Hawaiian Curtain." He is the only player to capture multiple AVP wins in each of the last three years and has played in 20 championships with four different partners. He has won championships with each partner.
Lambo" or the "Hawaiian Curtain" as he is fondly known by his rivals on the AVP Tour, has taken the beach volleyball community by storm and became one of the sports most promising players in his short career on the AVP Tour. He is the only player to capture multiple AVP wins in each of the last three years (2004-2006). In that span, he has played in 20 championships with four different partners, winning titles with each of them.
The 2004 AVP season will be known as "the year of Mike Lambert," after he was named AVP Best Offensive Player, AVP Most Valuable Player and part of AVP Team of the Year with his legendary partner Karch Kiraly. He was again part of the AVP Team of the Year in 2006 with Stein Metzger.
When off the beach, Mike Lambert is a musician at heart and enjoys writing, singing, and playing guitar. He wrote and performed the official anthem of the Tour in 2004 and 2005: "We are the AVP" and "I Love the AVP. " Lambert was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii and grew up alongside sisters Mia and Debbie, both of whom won national championships (Mia at UCLA in 1990 and Debbie at Stanford in 1996 and 1997). He graduated from Stanford in 1997 with a degree in Political Science. While there, he was a three-time All-American and with AVP player Matt Fuerbringer led the Cardinal to their first and only NCAA National Championship in 1997.
Before he transitioned to beach, Lambert was a member of the U.S. National Team for five seasons (1995-1996 and 1998-2000) and was an Olympian in 1996 and 2000. He also played professionally in Italy for four years. Lambert currently resides in Costa Mesa, California with his wife Deborah and their newborn child.
Mike Lambert
Stein Metzger has been called one of the most colorful and popular players on the AVP tour. He made his Olympic Beach Volleyball debut at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens and has been the top-ranked individual player on the AVP for the past two seasons. He has been part of the AVP Team of the Year for two straight seasons, each time with a different partner.
Originally from Honolulu, Metzger grew up surfing and playing beach volleyball at the Outrigger Canoe Club in Honolulu. He played indoor volleyball at Punahou High School. Metzger was a three-time National Champion at UCLA where he earned All-American for three consecutive seasons including the 1996 NCAA MVP and William G. Morgan Award for most outstanding player. He graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies and currently lives in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
2. Phil Dallhausser and Todd Rogers teamed up last year to win eight AVP tournaments. They also won a European event in Austria.
Phil Dallhausser was selected AVP Most Improved Player and Best Offensive Player in what was a break-out 2006 season. He teams with Todd Rogers.
Phil Dallhausser was selected AVP Most Improved Player and Best Offensive Player in what was a break-out 2006 season. He led the AVP in 2006 in blocks (2.56 per game), hitting percentage (.481) and kill percentage (.627), while ranking fifth in aces (.62 per game). In 2005, he was the most popular men’s player in the AVP Fantasy Beach Volleyball Contest.
Dalhausser was born in Switzerland, where he lived for one year. His father is German and his mother is Swiss. Has one brother, and his father is his role model. He didn’t start playing volleyball until his senior year in high school, where he played basketball and tennis. "Federalie" received a business degree from University of Central Florida, playing on the club team there.
Todd Rogers has been named the Best Defensive Player on the AVP for the past three seasons (2004, 2005 and 2006). He also collected the AVP’s MVP and FIVB’s Best Defensive Player honors in 2006. The 22 wins in his career make him the second-winningest player among active American men.
Playing with Sean Scott, he won the last three team events in 2005, winning titles in Boulder, Chicago and Hawaii, then won four of the first five of 2006 with Phil Dalhausser. He and Dalhausser won a season-most eight AVP events in 2006, as well as an FIVB Grand Slam event in Austria, becoming the first American men to win an FIVB title in 51 events. Combined with his God of the Beach title in Las Vegas, Rogers won 10 titles in 2006, the most of any player since 1998. His 2006 resume included wins in back-to-back weeks in Austria and Manhattan Beach, along with a long-awaited victory in his hometown of Santa Barbara.
Attended University of California Santa Barbara where he earned All-American volleyball honors (1995-96). Holds the school record for career digs (783) and is second on the season-best list with 246. Ranks second all-time in assists (4,831), ninth in total blocks (270) and eighth in block assists (222).
Rogers holds a degree in Religious Studies and a minor in coaching from UCSB, where he was the assistant men’s volleyball coach from 2000 to 2005. He enjoys soccer, reading sci-fi books and hiking. He is married to wife Melissa and has a daughter, Hannah, and a son, Nate.

Todd Rogers talks about fatherhood and the AVP tour
Jun 14, 2007, 12:20
Todd Rogers is one of the top male players on the AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. With his partner Phil Dalhausser, who cut his proverbial beach volleyball teeth on the sand in Myrtle Beach, they have managed to solidify themselves as the No. 2 men’s team in the league. Rogers, who has been named the Best Defensive Player on the AVP for the past three seasons (2004, 2005 and 2006), took a few moments from competition last weekend in Atlanta to speak with us about what it’s like being both a world-class athlete and a family man on the AVP Crocs Tour.

Q – Charleston is 2627.7 miles away from your home in Solvang, Calif., and the finals of the AVP Charleston Open are scheduled for Father’s Day. Will you bring your family (wife Melissa, daughter Hannah, and son Nate) to Daniel Island? If not, how will you feel being so far away from them on this special day?
Rogers – No, I’m not bringing my family. I have to continue straight on to Europe after the Charleston event. It’s a bummer to be away but I don’t even remember the last Father’s Day I was actually home. I’m just happy Mother’s Day is earlier, so I can do something with my family then.

Q – Does your whole family play beach volleyball? Which child has taken to the sport the most?
Rogers – My wife is very good. She could play pro if she wanted to. My kids are eight and six, so they’re not quite pros yet. But they’re actually pretty good. My daughter is a good athlete and I can play pepper with her. My son is not bad for six. We can bump and hit a little bit. He’s still so young.

Q – Every fan that will come out to watch you compete on finals Sunday either has a father or is a father himself. What are some of the best reasons that should motivate these "dads" to plan a family outing at the tournament?
Rogers – It’s a great family atmosphere. It’s a good way to spend quality time with your family. If you’re a fan, what better way to then to see the best players in the world?

Q – What do your children do at tournaments while you’re competing on the sand?
Rogers – I brought my daughter to Hermosa Beach last month and she hung out right by the players’ box on the court. She was our coach. My wife and son came down on Sunday (in Hermosa) and hung out at the VIP tent. They ate and cheered.

Q – Charleston is filled with rich history, beautiful architecture, and top culinary offerings. Will you have time to be a "tourist" during the event?
Rogers – I get in Thursday morning. I have a Hilton Clinic that afternoon, but if I can get downtown, I’d love to. I’ll definitely try to eat at a few good restaurants. I’ve never been there before but I’ve heard great things. My partner Phil (Dalhausser) is the local (from Myrtle Beach) so he’ll take me around. If we have any night games in Charleston, and the days off, we’ll definitely get out and explore.

Q – At 33 years old with a wife and family, do you miss the wild nights out on the town that the younger players seem to revel in?
Rogers – I was never really into all that. I got married my first year on tour when I was 23. I’ve been married 10 years now. I’ve always been really focused. I’m out here to do a job and that job is to win games. If you’re out partying too much, you won’t be winning. Once you’ve been successful, you have to keep working and can’t go out and party.

AVP volleyball tour uses dual-display kiosks
13 Jun 2007
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — SeePoint Technology, provider of interactive self-service kiosk systems, announced that the AVP Volleyball tour will use SeePoint’s ADVantagePoint kiosks at all 18 tour stop locations.
AVP chose SeePoint’s ADVantagePoint kiosks with a 40-inch secondary screen that broadcasts live event coverage. All systems are literally installed on the sand for every event. The kiosks allow the AVP to gather sales leads while pushing its branding campaign. In addition to generating sponsorship opportunities, the AVP-themed kiosks offer the ability to integrate sponsors into the fabric of events and effectively reach consumers.
The ADVantagePoint kiosk includes bright viewing panels that are enhanced for clear viewing in beach sunlight. Steel fasteners added to the kiosks significantly reduce corrosion.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Crocs Tour Makes Stop in Massachusetts With AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open
AVP Partners With Fenway Sports Group to Host Event at WaterWorks
BOSTON, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Crocs Tour (AVP) in partnership with Fenway Sports Group (FSG) today announced the arrival of professional beach volleyball to New England for the first time in more then 10 years with the introduction of the AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open. The event will take place Aug. 16-19 at WaterWorks in Quincy, Mass. More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes in the world, including the women's world No. 1-ranked team of Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, will compete in the tournament televised nationally on NBC.
"The AVP is excited at the opportunity to bring the sand, the beach environment and Olympic caliber volleyball players for the Tour's stop in Boston," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "We are thrilled to introduce New England fans to our athletes and the excitement of AVP Crocs Tour events."
The qualifying rounds for the AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open, part of the AVP Crocs Tour, will begin on Aug. 16 with main draw competition through the weekend with the men's final on Saturday, Aug. 18 and the women's final on Sunday, Aug. 19. Ticket prices range from $20 for general admission to $75 for courtside seating. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.avp.com/.
The qualifying rounds start on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 8 a.m. with the main draw competition starting at 8 a.m. Friday with a night session starting at 7:30 p.m. Competition starts at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday with the men's final slated for approximately 4:30 p.m. Saturday's evening session starts at 7:30 p.m. Competition continues on Sunday beginning at 8:30 a.m. with the women's final slated for approximately 12:00 p.m. Both finals will be televised on NBC. For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.avp.com/boston.
"As the premier leader in activewear, teamwear, and casual apparel in New England, we're thrilled to be the title sponsor of the AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open," said David Farrell, President of Bob's Stores. "The event features some of the world's best athletes in a fun and exciting environment that aligns well with our target customers."
"Professional beach volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and we're proud to give fans the opportunity to view AVP matches live," said Mike Dee, President of Fenway Sports Group. "New England has some of the most passionate and enthusiastic sports fans and we look forward to introducing AVP, its athletes and its sponsors to this high-energy sports environment."
Sponsorship packages offering significant national and regional exposure along with unique client hospitality opportunities are currently available. For updated 2007 event information including sponsorships, hospitality, tickets, schedules and general announcements throughout the year visit http://www.avp.com/.
ABOUT THE AVP, INC
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP is set to stage 18 events throughout the United States in 2007. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit http://www.avp.com/.
ABOUT FENWAY SPORTS GROUP
FSG, a subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Boston Red Sox and eighty percent of New England Sports Network (NESN), is a strategic sports marketing firm with experience in professional and collegiate sports. FSG's core strengths include property representation and acquisitions, entertainment marketing, sponsorships and consulting services. For more information please visit http://www.fenwaysportsgroup.com/.
ABOUT BOB'S STORES
Bob's Stores, which was acquired by TJX in 2003, is a value-oriented, casual clothing and footwear superstore. Bob's Stores offers customers casual, family apparel and footwear, workwear, activewear, and licensed team apparel. Bob's Stores operated 36 stores in the northeastern U.S. at 2006's year-end, and we have no new store openings planned in 2007, as we continue to focus on our existing store base at Bob's Stores
Website: http://www.avp.com/
Website: http://www.fenwaysportsgroup.com/

AVP NOTEBOOK:
Gibb, Rosie eye three in a row
Gibb and Rosenthal seek third straight title, while Boss and Ross still seek No. 1.
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
It's the sort of thing that interrupts sleep and causes wrinkle-inducing frustration, consistently being good but just not good enough.
Even when the difference is measured in just a few points, bounces or ball shanks, the narrowest of margins between first and second are often the most irritating.
So it's good for partners Jake Gibb, of Costa Mesa, and Sean Rosenthal, that two straight Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament wins have begun to ease away the acidity of five second-place finishes this season.
Gibb and Rosenthal defeated defending champions Mike Lambert, also of Costa Mesa, and Stein Metzger last weekend at the Atlanta Open, and will look for their third straight title this weekend in Charleston, S.C. The pair recorded their first tournament victory of the season over Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong at the Tampa Open.
They've lost in the final round four times to AVP stalwarts Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, and once at Huntington Beach to Lambert and Metzger. Their fifth-place finish at Hermosa was the worst this season.
"Lambo is scary at the net but we pulled it off at the end," Gibb said after the pair defeated Lambert and Metzger 21-16, 17-21, 15-13.
Kiraly, often referred to as the Michael Jordan of the AVP, played the final match of his career in Atlanta last weekend, where he and Wong lost to Lambert and Metzger in the semifinal round.
TITLE ELUDES ROSS, BOSS
It looked like Newport Harbor High product April Ross was going to have a breakout year with new partner Jennifer Boss early in Ross' sophomore season on the AVP tour. After two ninth-place finishes in 2006, Boss and Ross opened 2007 with a second-place finish at the Miami Open, where they lost in the final round to Nicole Branaugh and Elaine Youngs. However, the rest of the season hasn't shone as brightly for the pair, and since then, they've always finished third or lower. Boss and Ross teamed up after Boss split with former partner Rachel Walcholder and Ross with Nancy Mason, before the season started.
Newport Harbor alum Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh are still turning in peak performances. May-Treanor and Walsh won their seventh straight tournament of the season, marking win No. 76 for May-Treanor, the winningest female, and No. 73 for Walsh. They defeated Tyra Turner and Wacholder 21-9, 21-15 Sunday.
May-Treanor and Walsh are 40-2 this season, their last loss coming to Ross and Boss at Hermosa Beach May 20.
TOUR ADDS BOSTON STOP
There's sand in Boston?
Well, it's not as though the New England coastline is covered in baked beans.
Evidently, there's enough sand to hold a beach volleyball tournament there, New England's first AVP event in more than ten years. The Boston Open takes place Aug. 16-19 at Marina Bay in Quincy, Mass., AVP officials announced Wednesday.

The ABCs of the AVP
By Jeff Hartsell (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Branimir Kvartuc/AP
Kerri Walsh bumps the ball during the women's final at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open volleyball tournament in Hermosa Beach, Calif., Sunday, May 20, 2007.
The 2.9 million pounds of sand have been dumped, the bikinis have been packed and some of the world's best beach volleyball players are ready to descend on the Lowcountry for the first AVP Tour Charleston Open at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
For those who don't have a Karch Kiraly poster on the bedroom wall, here are the ABCs of the AVP:

A — Armato, Leonard. The commissioner of the Association of Volleyball Professionals, Armato was already a high-powered sports agent (he's represented one-name NBA stars Kareem, Hakeem and Shaq) when he bought the AVP Tour in 2001, consolidated the men's and women's tours and essentially saved the sport.

B — Beach. Thanks to its "Have sand, will travel" philosophy, the AVP is no longer limited to beach locales. The AVP dumped 1,472 tons of sand at the Family Circle Tennis Center to bring the beach to Daniel Island, and has performed similar feats of engineering this year in such land-locked locales as Dallas, Louisville and Atlanta.

C — Couples. Put young, fit athletes in bathing suits and ask them to tour

the country playing in the sand, and there's bound to be some off-court action, as well. Among the off-court partnerships on tour are Armato and AVP star Holly McPeak, a three-time beach volleyball Olympian. Kerri Walsh, half of the top-ranked women's team (along with Misty May-Treanor), is married to men's player Casey Jennings. And players Chad and Tyra Turner form another off-court duo.

D — Dalhausser, Phil. At 6-9, he's one of the most imposing players on tour and broke out last year by teaming with partner Todd Rogers for eight AVP tournament titles. He was born in Switzerland, didn't start playing volleyball until his senior year in high school and earned a business degree from Central Florida. He honed his beach volleyball skills in Myrtle Beach.

E — Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. They are the only women's team other than the powerful Misty-May Treanor/Kerri Walsh duo to win an event on the AVP Tour this season. Walsh and May-Treanor will be going for their eighth straight title at the Charleston Open.

F — Fan base. According to a sports marketing firm, the AVP is the "fastest growing sports property in the U.S." Its fan base grew 48 percent in 2004-05.

G — "Geeter." Otherwise known as Chris McGee, "Geeter" is the announcer for the AVP, introducing the players at the finals and hosting the FSN show "Dig."

H — Height. A requirement on the AVP Tour. On the men's tour, the 6-9 Dalhausser is rivaled by 6-8 Brad Keenan and Jeff Nygaard and 6-7 Matt Fuerbringer and Jake Gibb. On the women's side, 6-4 Dianne Schumacher DeNecochea towers above the competition.

I — "I Love the AVP," One of the songs written about beach volleyball by AVP player Mike Lambert. Here are the words to "We Are the AVP," another Lambert tune: "We are the AVP, it's a sexy sport, on a little court, the AVP. We've got Chicago and Manhattan, comin' live and direct on NBC. It's an Olympic sport, we've got the matching shorts, we are the AVP."

J — Jake Gibb is half of the hottest men's team on the AVP Tour. He and partner Sean Rosenthal have won two straight titles and are seeded No. 1 in the Charleston Open.

K — Karch Kiraly. The most recognizable name in volleyball is retiring after this year. The 46-year-old Californian is the only volleyball player to win three Olympic gold medals and has won pro titles with 13 different partners in his career.

L — Local players. Two local teams will play in qualifying matches today, trying to earn a spot in the main draw. On the men's side are Bradley Hinson of Mount Pleasant and Doug Smith of Charleston. In the women's qualifying are Lindsay Rust of Mount Pleasant and Vicki Waldsmith of Summerville.

M — Moms. There are mothers among the bikini-clad athletes on the AVP Tour. Among them are 42-year-old Barbra Fontana; her on-court partner, Dianne Schumacher DeNecochea; and Jenny Johnson Jordan. "I think it's great that we have so many moms on the Tour who are having success," says Johnson, who has two kids. "It shows that you can do both."

N — Nygaard, Jeff. This 6-8 veteran learned recently that he had skin cancer. The good news — doctors removed the malignant cells and discovered that the melanoma had not spread. Nygaard had to skip two tournaments, but is seeded sixth along with partner Dax Holdren in the Charleston Open. "I'm so stoked to be alive," he says.

O — Olympics. Beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1996. The three countries to win Olympic gold in beach volleyball are Brazil, Australia and the U.S. There are give gold medal winners on the AVP Tour: Kerri Walsh, Misty May-Treanor, Karch Kiraly, Eric Fonoimoana, and Dain Blanton.

P — Prize money. There is $200,000 in total prize money on the line at the Charleston Open. The AVP Tour is offering a record $4 million in prize money this year, up 14 percent from last year.

Q — Qualifying. Thirty-seven men's and 20 women's teams will try to qualify for four slots in each of the the 24-team main draws beginning at 8 a.m. today. Action will run to about 6 p.m., and admission is free.

R — Rules. A brief rundown: Matches are best of three rally-scoring sets. The first two sets are to 21 points, and the third to 15. Teams must win by two points. Sunscreen is advised.

S — Snow. It snowed for the first time at an AVP event on Sept. 15, 2006 in Lake Tahoe. Odds are it won't happen this weekend.

T — TV. The AVP Tour has television deals with NBC and Fox Sports Net. The Charleston Open women's final will be broadcast by FSN on tape delay on June 19, and the men's final on June 23.

U — Undefeated. AVP stars Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won 89 consecutive matches in 2003-04, then won 50 more in a row from the 2004 Olympics to July 2005.

V — Vertical leap. The AVP Tour's best jumper, has a vertical leap measured at 47 inches. Take that, Michael Jordan (a mere 41 inches.)

W — Women's Professional Volleyball Association. The Charleston Open is the AVP Tour's first event in South Carolina, but the Palmetto State actually hosted two WPVA events in 1991 and 1994. Barbra Fontana teamed with Lori Forsythe to win the 1994 event.

X — Xbox 360 is one of the sponsors of the AVP Tour, along with Crocs, Nautica, McDonald's, Bud Light and Jose Cuervo Tequila, among others.

Y — Year's biggest event is the Manhattan Open in August, held in Manhattan Beach, Calif. It is considered the "Wimbledon of beach volleyball" and is the title most coveted by players, according to Karch Kiraly. "There's an extra fire among all the players," he once said of Manhattan.

Z — Zero chance this reporter will enter the Cuervo/AVP Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy Contest. You, however, should feel free.

Pirates, pro volleyball set for Sea Festival
Summer's 88 planned events include jet ski races, sailing clinics, swimming.
By Kristopher Hanson, Staff writer
Article Launched: 06/13/2007 09:43:23 PM PDT
LONG BEACH - Sea Festival promoters have finalized their summer schedule and included youth sailing clinics, professional beach volleyball and a pirate festival in this year's series of events.
The Sea Festival, stretching from June to late August, encompasses 88 separate events held primarily on city beaches.
The AVP Beach Volleyball tournament, scheduled July 16-22 in a temporary stadium downtown and featuring Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, will likely be the event with the highest profile.
Other new additions this year include diving and swimming competitions, jet ski races and sailing matches.
"We're building every single year," Long Beach 1st District Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal said Wednesday during a kickoff luncheon. "There's more energy and more of our kids and families are coming down and participating."
Returning events include the July 4 Fireworks show, Long Beach to Catalina water ski race, kite festival and concert in the park series.
This year, the city and county are funding trips to Sea Festival events for about 4,000 Long Beach youth, according to L.B. Parks, Recreation and Marine Director Phil Hester.
Through programs
offered by the Parks Department, children across Long Beach will have the opportunity to sail tall ships in the harbor, participate in tennis tournaments at El Dorado Park and climb aboard yachts in Rainbow Lagoon as owners prepare for the mid-July TransPac race to Hawaii.
Participation includes free lunch and transportation.
Apparently seeking to capitalize on the success of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise, a pirate festival is scheduled June 30-July 1 on the beach in Belmont Shore. The event includes a "pirate ship attack" of the Belmont Pier, costume contest, beer garden and boat rides.
Sea Festival officially kicks off June 22 with Bayou Festival - a three-day, New Orleans-style music and food party in Rainbow Lagoon Park.
This summer's events, of which the Press-Telegram is a sponsor, are funded by $280,000 in donations from city agencies and $250,000 in private support - which includes in-kind donations.
City sponsorships include $120,000 from the public Tidelands and other waterfront funds, $50,000 from the Port of Long Beach, $25,000 from Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine, $19,750 from Long Beach Airport, and $15,000 from Long Beach Public Works.
For information or a complete list of events, visit www.seafestivallongbeach.com or call (562) 426-7670.

Bump, set, spike: AVP Tour hits Boston
Professional volleyball returns to New England after 10 years
By Mike Petraglia / Special to MLB.com
• AVP Tour home page
• Boston Open ticket information
• AVP Tour shop
• AVP Tour schedule
• AVP Tour scores, stats and brackets
BOSTON -- Cloudy skies and 55-degree temperatures Wednesday afternoon didn't make many people think of a sandy beach with pro volleyball players.
But baseball and volleyball were brought together at Fenway Park for a one-of-a-kind partnership as the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and AVP announced the return of professional beach volleyball to New England for the first time in over 10 years.
The AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open will take place this Aug. 16-19 at WaterWorks in Quincy, Mass. More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes in the world will be on hand, including the women's No. 1 ranked team of Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
"We are obviously thrilled to be bringing the AVP to the region," said Jay Monahan, FSG Vice President. "We were attracted by many things the AVP has going for it and has demonstrated, most notably, the active healthy lifestyle it attracts and candidly, it's a great event experience.
"Our plans are to continue to grow this partnership and continue to take a bigger stake in the AVP Tour going forward."
From the sponsor's point of view, this event was a natural.
"If the sponsorship we've enjoyed with the Red Sox is any indication, and I think we're going to enjoy through the AVP, it's really a no-brainer," Bob's Stores president David Farrell said. "We sell all the merchandise necessary to take on the beach and other activities for that matter. Just can't wait for the warm weather."
While names like David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling rule Fenway, names like Olympic gold medalist Holly McPeak and four-time All-American Logan Tom rule the AVP world.
"Just in general, if you're a fan of sports, our athletes, beach volleyball players, are some of the best athletes in the world," Tom said. "It's a beach environment. We're kind of bringing the beach to the city. I think any type of beach environment attracts people.
"To use a baseball [analogy], it's a home run," Tom added.
The Boston stop is one of two new events on the AVP Crocs Tour this year, bringing to 18 the number of venues on the growing circuit.
"The AVP is excited at the opportunity to bring the sand, the beach environment and Olympic-caliber volleyball players for the Tour's stop in Boston," said Leonard Armato, CEO and tour commissioner.
Total prize money for the season is $4 million, with the Boston purse totaling $280,000. The event will be one of seven this year and will be nationally televised, with NBC Sports picking up coverage of the final day of competition.
Qualifying rounds begin on Aug. 16 at 8 a.m. with main draw competition through the weekend. The men's final is Saturday, Aug. 18, with the women's final the next day. Tickets range between $20-$75 and can be purchased online at www.avp.com.
The AVP does have history in New England. In 1995, there were two events locally, one at the old Boston Garden and one held at The Tent, which was located on the current site of WaterWorks, which will host this summer's tour stop.
McPeak is expected to compete and is no stranger either to New England, having captured the last women's event on Cape Cod in 1993.
FSG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures, the organization founded by Red Sox principal owner John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino in 2001.

Charleston hosting AVP for first time
Historical southern city full of charm
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Charleston is home to antebellum mansions, graceful churches dating back to the 1700s and ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss. This weekend, it is home to the best beach volleyball players in the world as the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour makes its first stop in the Holy City.
It's an interesting combination of the volleyball culture of Southern California and Charleston's Southern etiquette.
"That's the great thing about beach volleyball," said Brian Corso of Hermosa Beach, Calif., who teamed with Jesse Rambis in Thursday's qualifying action at the Family Circle Magazine Stadium. "The lifestyle is so attractive, so fun, and, truly, Southern California embraces that real well. It's awesome to have events like this set up all throughout the U.S. country. Do people put beach volleyball and Charleston, South Carolina, together? Not necessarily. But it's awesome to be here and enjoy the state."
Charleston is one of the oldest and most historic cities in the United States. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union leading up to the Civil War, and the first shots of the war were fired at Fort Sumter, which is located in Charleston's Harbor.
Corso is impressed with the city's history and beauty.
"There's trees," he said. "A lot of places we play, there's not a lot of foliage, I should say. I didn't know there were so many bridges. I didn't know the city is so disjointed."
The Charleston Open is being contested on Daniel Island, which is home to the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center, which has hosted tennis greats such as Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, and Venus and Serena Williams. The transformation to a volleyball facility was no day at the beach as 1,472 tons of sand were imported. Workers used 250 4-foot-by-8-foot sheets of plywood as the foundations for the courts, and the sand is kept in place with 200 10-foot railroad ties that weigh 400 pounds each.
Bradley Hinson, who lives in nearby Mount Pleasant and played in Thursday's qualifying round, has attended the Family Circle Cup as a spectator. He was stunned when he walked through the gates of the facility and saw the beach volleyball courts.
"It was very weird," said Hinson, who played basketball at the University of South Carolina in the early 1990s and started his volleyball career in 1995. "It's kind of breathtaking actually, but I don't think the neighbors are used to seeing all this brought in here."
The 36-year-old Hinson never expected to see Charleston host an AVP Crocs Tour event.
"I didn't even know what volleyball was until 1995," he said. "After seeing some of the stops they've been too, I think the Charleston area is a good choice. I've played in a lot of local events and tournaments but nothing at this level. This is a treat to come here and play and watch great players. I feel it will benefit Daniel Island and the Charleston area."
This is the first time the AVP Crocs Tour has stopped in the Palmetto State, although the Women's Professional Volleyball Association held two tournaments in the state in the early '90s.
Family Circle officials became interested in hosting an AVP event after seeing the sport's popularity grow after the 2004 Olympics. The AVP also holds a tournament in Cincinnati in a complex that also hosts a major tennis tournament. So officials on both sides knew the logistics of bringing a tournament to the Lowcountry was possible. Serious negotiations began two years ago and a three-year contract was signed last year

Qualifying underway in the Holy City
Top seeds have advanced in early action
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The AVP Crocs Tour reached the halfway point Thursday, with a single-elimination qualifying round here on Daniel Island.
A total of 57 teams, 37 men's and 20 women's, are battling for one of four spots on each side of the 24-team main draw of the Charleston Open that will begin play at 8:00 a.m. on Friday at the Family Circle Tennis Center.
It's the inaugural AVP event for the historic city and only the third time a major beach volleyball tournament has been held in the state. Myrtle Beach hosted a pair of Women's Professional Volleyball Association events, first in 1991 and again in 1994.
Early action on the men's side Thursday saw the top seeds advancing out of the second round. No. 1 seed Matt Morrison and Ty Tramblie upended No. 32, Bradley Hinson and Doug Smith, 21-10, 21-15, while the second-seeded team of Seth Burnham and Scott Davenport took out No. 34 Jonathan Guida and Bob Massee.
A.J. Mihalic, who has paired with Billy Allen to qualify in seven of eight events this season, teamed up with Adam Roberts in Charleston and faced a tough match in the second round Thursday. Mihalic and Roberts, seeded third, needed three sets to take out the No. 30 seed, Scott Bray and Reo Sorrentino, and earn a 19-21, 21-17, 15-10 victory.
On the women's side, Julie Romias and Jennifer Fopma drew the No. 1 seed and moved past the 17th-seeded team of Katie Carter and Michelle Cook, 21-13, 21-18.

Rust, Waldsmith enjoy experience
South Carolina locals compete in qualifying round
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The team of Lindsay Rust and Vicki Waldsmith lived their dream, even in defeat.
They lost to Nicki Fusco and Gina Kirstein, 21-19, 17-21, 11-15, on Thursday in the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour's Charleston Open qualifying second round, but they were still able to smile and share hugs with well-wishers. While Friday's competition includes former Olympians, All-Americans and fan favorites, Thursday's competition was for players whose names are somewhat foreign to the fans of the sport. It was their time to shine, and that included Rust and Waldsmith.
Rust is a resident of Charleston and Waldsmith is from nearby Summerville, and the players were more than happy to have the opportunity to play in the 10,200-seat Family Circle Magazine Stadium, which has hosted some of the best female tennis players in the world and will host the best volleyball players in the world this weekend.
"It definitely is a great feeling, we had a lot of fans here and it was a lot of fun," said Rust, a 28-year-old medical supplies saleswoman. "We were happy we got past the first match. After that, we just wanted to come out, nothing to lose, and have fun. So, it definitely was worth it. We had fun.
"It was a little nerve-racking at first, getting to play where the big girls play on the AVP," Rust said. "We lost, but it was great. I love it. I love playing under pressure and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Said Waldsmith, a 29-year-old school teacher, "It was exciting. I never thought I'd be on the main center court. Charleston is a nice place, and they supported us."
Only 20 women's teams participated in Thursday's qualifier, making it the fourth-smallest qualifier since 2001 and the smallest since 17 teams entered in Birmingham last year. Four teams advanced to the main draw, which begins Friday.
The teams that survived Thursday include No. 1 seed Jennifer Fopma and Julie Romias, the No. 2 seeded team of Jill Changaris and Tara Kuk, No. 3 seed Tiffany Rodriguez-Chrissie Zartman, and No. 5 seed Erin Byrd-Paige Davis.
Rust and Waldsmith were seeded 20th out of 21 and advanced to the second round with a victory over the No. 13 team of Johanna Lehman and Vladia Vignato. But their day was done when they lost to the No. 4 seeded team of Fusco and Kirstein.
"They're big girls, so blocking hurt us a little bit," Rust said. "We tried to dig and defend the ball, but they played a better match than us."
Waldsmith said the competition was strong, and that should help her team.
"It's the first time we beat a team that was seeded above us," Waldsmith said of the victory over Lehman and Vignato. "There's not a lot (of talent) in South Carolina, and playing the girls from California should help us."
Four teams advanced to the main draw, including the No. 1-seeded team of Fopma and Romias. They defeated Katie Carter and Michelle Cook, 12-13, 21-18, and then held off the No. 9-seeded team of Kealiani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler.
"It was good for us," said the 6-foot-3 Fopma, who was born in Leiden, Holland, because her father played professional basketball abroad. "We're a new team and we needed a couple of wins. We haven't been doing that well in the main draw and got kicked down to the qualifier. Winning two games, that's a sign that we played well."
Fopma, who began her career at Pepperdine and then transferred to Cal State-Northridge where she earned All-American honors, said she and Romias have been teammates for only four matches and that they should improve by the end of the season.
"It's such a learning process when you pick up someone new," she said. "It's tough to know someone's tendencies when you've seen them play only a couple of times. We practiced maybe four times for this event."
There are 24 teams in the main draw and Fopma and Romias were seeded No. 22.
"It will be a little more competitive because everyone's gunning for the top spot," Fopma said. "We were the No. 1 seed in the qualifier, and everyone was gunning for us. Tomorrow, it's everyone wanting to kill everyone else."

AVP pros hit the road
Players see the nation, save money by driving
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — By its very nature, the AVP Crocs Tour is a road show and some players put the idea through its paces.
One is David Fischer, who makes his way around the nation in a 31-foot, 1983 Airstream trailer. With the Charleston Open setting up shop at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, Fischer and his traveling band are able to reside in the parking lot with full access to power.
Fischer, who will be heading to Europe, sans Airstream, for a six-week trek with Jack Quinn following the Charleston event, believes staying on the road is the essence of the sport.
"People commute from event to event using L.A. as the hub but I think part of it is getting out and traveling and seeing the world and getting paid to do it," Fischer said. "I'll take breaking even. I have a lot of friends that work really hard and can't get the vacation days, but they haven't seen what I've seen."
Fischer is not alone. Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, while not as ambitious as Fischer and making the road more the exception than the rule, channeled their vagabond nature over past few weeks.
Following the Louisville Open in late May, Morrison and Tramblie played in a pro-am in Nashville. Morrison described the three-court setup carved out of a Tennessee forest, a "volleyball oasis."
From there the two traveled south for the Tampa Open and then home to Southern California before heading back east to Atlanta. Morrison and Tramblie used the last few days to practice in Myrtle Beach at Adam Roberts' place before entering the tournament here as the No. 1 seed in the qualifier.
The training paid off as they advanced out of qualifying Thursday, but staying on the also road took its toll, Morrison said.
"We're not out drinking and partying but, just being on the road and out of our routine, we don't get the sleep we need," Morrison said. "To play at this level, you need your eight hours sleep each night and stay hydrated and keep yourself well rested like any other professional athlete."
Morrison's group included Jeff Carlucci, Matt Olson and Jason Ring for a couple of legs. Morrison said they rented cars and stayed in cost-effective hotels but also reflected on the relative cost.
"It was cheaper than flying back and forth but after a few weeks I'm not sure which is more affordable," Morrison said.
One advantage, though, was playing in conditions that featured high temperatures, high humidity and thunderstorms in recent tournaments.
"You're going to overheat in this weather, especially when you're getting served a lot and running around," Morrison said. "But after a few weeks it helps and gives you an edge over the people going back to the cooler weather in California."
Ready to play: Fischer is paired with Vincent Robbins this week, and the duo successfully navigated through qualifying to get to Friday's main draw. Robbins is Fischer's fourth partner this season, but the troubadour, like with being on the road, doesn't see that as an issue.
"Staying with a partner long term is a bit overrated," Fischer said. "Most people learn to play volleyball to be adaptable to play with other people. One of the best parts of the game of volleyball is to see how well you adapt to other people — the king of the beach format."
Robbins said that he and his regular partner Jason Wight are still together, but Wight has had job commitments the last two weeks.
Puppy love: Colleen Smith did not play in the qualifying round here due to a shuffle in player partnerships, but she's not alone. Smith travels with Fischer, et al, but has added a homier touch with a pair of nine-week old rat terriers in tow, Tatiana and Little Bling.
Smith said she'll be in Seaside Heights, N.J., when the tour resumes after a two-week break.

Robbins, Fischer qualify Thursday
Duo is one of four men's teams to advance
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jason Wight doesn't need to be losing any sleep even though his partner is on the road and making some money.
Wight has been unable to play in the last two tournaments as his job in the corporate media development department with Jack in the Box has kept him busy in California.
He normally teams with Vincent Robbins, but seeing Wight's commitments have been elsewhere, Robbins has been making connections and the result has been two straight advancements out of the qualifying round and into the main draw.
On Thursday, Robbins paired with David Fischer and the two proceeded through the single elimination portion of the Charleston Open, using a 21-19, 21-18, victory over Eyal Zimet and Russ Marchewka in their final match of the afternoon to move on.
Robbins said, however, the last couple of weeks have not caused him to consider changing partners.
"Jason is still my guy, but he has a real job," Robbins said. "This gives me an opportunity to play with some great players."
Joining Robbins and Fischer with a ticket to Friday's main draw were Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen, and Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis.
Last week in Atlanta, Robbins teamed with Leonardo Moraes and the pair qualified and placed 17th after losing two straight matches in the main draw, first to Anthony Medel and Fred Souza and then to Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott.
It was the fourth different partner for Fischer this season but despite having never played, practiced or peppered together, the two found common ground early in the day and did not drop a set.
"It was probably early in the first match — we each got our serve in and got a dig and we looked at each other and said, 'Hey, this might be something good,'" Robbins said. "When you get two ball-control guys together it doesn't take long."
Robbins said that he and Fischer were frequently communicating throughout their matches to be sure they were each setting the other in the right spot and getting in the right position.
Fischer gave credit to Robbins for counter-acting a shift in momentum in their second set with Marchewka and Zimet.
"We got a big lead in the second, but they took it right back," Fischer said. "Vincent is great at updating his strategy to the present situation. Basically, if they find a groove, he'll find a way to take them out of it."
Fischer and Robbins will play Nick Lucena and Will Strickland on Friday.
"It comes down to passing and setting, and the level of play goes up," Robbins said. "Hopefully our ball control can carry us."
Morrison and Tramblie parlayed their No. 1 seed into a relatively easy roll through their portion of the bracket.
The two have been mostly on the road over the last few weeks of the season and admit it's taken its toll, but Thursday they had their full repertoire of shots working.
They used 21-10, 21-15 and 21-15, 21-15 scores in their first two matches of the day and then dispatched Jeff Murrell and Tony Pray, 21-10, 21-9, to advance to Friday's main draw.
"Today we were on top of our game; we played about as good today as we could in a qualifier. It just seemed to work out," Morrison said. "We were just being smart. In my offense, I hit the ball high and aggressive, and Ty is more smooth and smart, and that is what is making the difference for us. When Ty is making those smart shots, he's pretty unstoppable."
Morrison and Tramblie will face Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong on Friday but feel they're getting close.
"We're still trying to make that push — we've been on the road a lot. We're making it into the events and getting close to winning some matches in the main draw," Morrison said. "We're taking teams to three, and hopefully we start winning those matches in the draw."
A.J. Mihalic didn't have his regular partner in Billy Allen and paired with Adam Roberts for a No. 3 seed. They won their first match of the day but then were upset by William Chenoweth and Matt Henderson.
Henderson, who qualified in Tampa, was looking for his second berth in the main draw, but Carlucci and Jensen ended that with a 21-9, 21-19 victory. Carlucci and Jensen will play Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus on Friday.
Corso and Rambis used an upset of second-seeded Seth Burnham and Scott Davenport in the third round and then got past Kevin Dake and Gaston Macau, 21-16, 21-19, to get to Friday. Corso and Rambis will face Medel and Souza.

Gibb-Rosenthal seeded first
Dup aiming for third straight event title
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — There is a shift afoot on tour and it's reflected in the seedings of Friday's main draw.
For the first time since the Huntington Beach Open, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser do not own the No. 1 seed as that honor has been overtaken by Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb.
Following consecutive titles, after losing their five previous appearances in finals this season, Gibb and Rosenthal head into the men's side of the Charleston Open as the top team and one that has a bit of momentum.

Thursday's highlights: The top seeds on both the men's and women's sides of the draw advanced ,while Tara Kuk and Jill Changaris paired for the first time this season and moved on to Friday.
Match of the day: William Chenoweth and Matt Henderson upended A.J. Mihalic and Adam Roberts, 13-21, 21-17, 15-13.

Upset of the day: Second-seeded Seth Burnham and Scott Davenport lost to No. 15 Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis, 21-18, 19-21, 10-15, for an early exit.

Record watch: Misty May-Treanor earned her 76th title last week in Atlanta to move past Mike Dodd for fifth place on the career list. Next up is Kent Steffes with 110.

Karch watch: After two straight final four appearances, Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong are seeded third in the Charleston Open and will face the winner of Paul Baxter-Dain Blanton and Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge in their first match when the main draw begins Friday.

Start/finish: Play on Friday will feature both day and night sessions. Matches will start at 8:00 a.m. ET and conclude approximately at 6:00 p.m. with play continuing under the lights at 7:30 p.m. and concluding at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.

Weather forecast: A high of 77 is expected Friday with a 40 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms. Wind will be out of the Southeast at 5-10 mph.

Match to watch: (13) Nancy Mason and Sarah Straton against (20) Katie and Tracy Lindquist will play in a first-round women's main draw match.

Not only did they win their second crown this season, but they defeated Rogers and Dalhausser in the semifinals to get there and set aside, at least briefly, a record that had fallen to 3-15 over the last two years.
Rosenthal said last week it's a matter of not focusing on the opponent.
"We have a game plan and we're just playing our game," he said after last week's victory.
Rogers and Dalhausser have not fallen off much and, with five titles on the year, even a berth as the No. 2 seed makes them a team to beat come Sunday.
Gibb and Rosenthal will face the winner of the match between Mike DiPierro-John Mayer and Adam Jewell-Jose Loiola on Friday morning, while Dalhausser and Rogers will face the winner of Canyon Ceman-Chad Turner and Jason Lee-Austin Rester.
Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, and Matt Olson and Jason Ring round out the top five men's seeds.
Advancing out of qualifying and into the men's side of the main draw are Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, David Fischer and Vincent Robbins, Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen, and Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis.
Morrison and Tramblie will face Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong on Friday while Fischer and Robbins will face Nick Lucena and Will Strickland. Carlucci and Jensen draw Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus and Corso and Rambis will face Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will look to continue their string and extend their winning streak to eight straight tournaments. They lost the season opener in Miami but have been on a roll ever since.
With last week's victory, Walsh moved into second place among women with her 73rd title. May-Treanor and Walsh are the No. 1 seed and will await the winner of Janelle Ruen-Jennifer Snyder and Alicia Polzin-Claire Robertson.
Second-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will play the winner of the Jenelle Koester-Stacey Rouwenhorst and Keao Burdine-Brittany Hochevar match.
Rounding out the top five women's seeds are Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, and Logan Tom and Holly McPeak.
Qualifying on the women's side were Jill Changaris and Tara Kuk, Jennifer Fopma and Julie Romias, Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, and Tiffany Rodriguez and Chrissie Zartman.
Kuk and Changaris will play Lauren Fendrick and Paula Roca, Rodriguez and Zartman will face Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. Fopma and Romias draw Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima while Byrd and Davis will play Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe.

Beach volleyball, anyone? It’s all about having fun in the sun
By PATRICK OBLEY - pobley@thestate.com
COURTESY OF AVP/HOLLY STEIN
Professional beach volleyball comes to Charleston this weekend.We get it.
We understand.
You’re baffled as to how professional beach volleyball has become the nation’s fastest-growing spectator sport.
You don’t know the rules. You don’t know the players (although chances are you have come across Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in a commercial or two).
Know this: Ignorance is bliss. Come to the first AVP Charleston Open this weekend at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
Enjoy the sun. Dig the music while your kids dig into the 567 tons of sand that have been dumped on the center’s famous tennis courts.
Know that the person standing next to you could very well be one of the brightest names in the sport. That’s what sets the AVP Tour apart from other pro sports; when they aren’t playing, the athletes often take part in the festivities as well.
We promise you’ll have fun. When you’re hanging out with a gregarious crew, you will realize it’s not about the rules or even the matches. It’s about having fun.
Perhaps you think we’re overselling the silliness. Consider these factoids offered up by some of this weekend’s top players:
• Matt Fuerbringer calls himself “Fuerby” and claims he would be the governor of California if he weren’t playing volleyball.
• Jake Gibbs is more specific ... sort of: “I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything or process anything as a career,” he said. “I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought or processed, or repair anything sold, bought or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.”
• May-Treanor will always have that gold medal, but when she finally hangs it up, “I hope that I would still get my spot on ‘SNL.’”
Local volleyball players are encouraged to compete as well. During this week’s qualifying tournament, dozens of two-person teams from across the region have competed for wildcard entries into the main draw.
Spectator tickets range from $20 to $35 per day, while a weekend pass goes for $140. But if you just want to roam the grounds or play a little beach volleyball yourself, that’s free.
After the action tonight and Saturday, the AVP Tour throws open the doors for the After Party. Tonight’s fete will be at Lana’s Mexican Restaurant; Saturday’s goes down at City Bar.
It all culminates Sunday with nationally televised championship matches.
Got it?
Good.
Reach Obley at (803) 771-8473.
Where to spike it
While the professional beach volleyball players compete on Daniel Island this weekend, recreational players will be serving and spiking all along the coast all summer.
In most cases, somebody brings a net and sets up on a public beach. Those sorts of games pop up everywhere. Others show up at established public courts, where the mood runs from laid back to structured, often depending on how many people are waiting to play.
Here’s a list of some of the public courts:
Windjammers, 1008 Ocean Boulevard, Isle of Palms: This is a beach bar court, meaning games can range from silly to serious. Check out the action from home at www.jammercam.com.
Station 22, Sullivan’s Island: Station 22 is one of the roads leading to the beach (they’re all called Station and a number). The Columbia Beach Volleyball and Social Club set up nets on the beach. They run competitive leagues at this site, but there are pickup games at 5 p.m. Sundays.
Isle of Palms County Park, 14th Avenue, between Palm Boulevard and Ocean Boulevard: Not as organized or competitive as Station 22 or Windjammer, but the court is part of a great park.
Myrtle Beach Tennis Center, 3302 Robert Grissom Parkway: Two sand courts are available for free. There’s no scheduled time for pickup games, but people generally show up on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Remedies Bar & Grill, 4803 U.S. 17 Bypass, Myrtle Beach, and The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill, 201 Outlet Blvd., Myrtle Beach: These two bars have courts that get a good bit of play.
Hilton Head Holiday Inn, 1 South Forest Beach: The court here gets plenty of use, with a wide range of skills and competition.
— Compiled by Joey Holleman

Locals get their shot at big time
By Charles Bennett (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, June 15, 2007
The action in today's AVP Charleston Open beach volleyball tournament at Daniel Island is all about big-time players with California roots and resumes that boast of college All-America honors and Olympic gold medals.
Thursday it was about players like Lindsay Rust, a 28-year-old medical supply salesman from Mount Pleasant and Vicki Waldsmith, a 29-year-old teacher from Summerville.
The two locals, volleyball regulars at the Windjammer on Isle of Palms, played in Thursday's qualifying round trying to battle their way into the main draw of the tournament.
"We just won a local tournament last weekend, and we thought we should try this since it's in our backyard," Rust said. "We're underdogs with nothing to lose."
Rust and Waldsmith needed to run off three victories to reach the main draw. They got off to a good start, winning their opening match 21-19, 21-16 on one of the outside courts at the Family Circle Tennis Center.
But playing on stadium court with the local fans yelling their support, Rust and Waldsmith lost a tough three-setter to Nicki Fusco and Gina Kir-stein 21-19, 17-21, 11-15. Fusco and Kirstein were the fourth-seeded team among the qualifiers.
"It was our first time playing in an event like this, so to be able to play against California girls and compete was good," Waldsmith said. "We didn't know if we could because we've never done it."
Fellow locals Doug Smith of Charleston and Brad Hinson of Mount Pleasant didn't fare quite as well. Smith, a 37-year-old who works in sales for a local construction company, and Hinson, a 36-year-old real estate agent and liquor store owner, won their opening match 21-6, 21-13, but that put them up against Mike Morrison and Ty Tramble, the top-seeded team in the qualifying round.
Smith and Hinson were dispatched 21-6, 21-13. "We were just trying to 'Tin Cup it,' " said Smith. "We were really excited about playing this event. There are probably about four or five guys from South Carolina who have made the AVP Tour, so it's kind of a big deal."
Smith is believed to be the first. He played on the tour 10 years ago, moving to California to pursue the dream, but gave it up and moved to Charleston when he found it difficult to make a living.
Hinson, a former walk-on basketball player at South Carolina, got hooked on the sport when he saw it while attending a friend's bachelor party at Myrtle Beach. "I just kind of plugged away with it. The sad thing is it took 10 years to get kind of decent and now I'm 36."
Like Rust and Waldsmith, Hinson and Smith are regulars at the Windjammer, playing mostly on the weekend.
But for one day at least, they were AVP Tour participants. "We're just local guys who live five minutes from here and we thought we'd come out and give it a shot," Hinson said. "It was fun. Now we'll just sit around here the rest of the weekend and have a good time."

A 'throwback' is back
VOLLEYBALL | Former WW South star Rooney returns to give U.S. a boost
June 15, 2007
BY LARRY HAMEL lhamel@suntimes.com
If U.S. men's volleyball is to rekindle its glory days of the 1980s, it's a cinch that Sean Rooney will play a significant part in its resurgence.
When the United States won Olympic gold medals in 1984 and '88, the legendary Karch Kiraly was a devastating outside hitter who stood 6-2. Since then, players in the international game have gotten much bigger. At 6-9, Rooney brings the physical tools necessary to side-out consistently.
Called a ''throwback'' by former national-team coach Marv Dunphy because ''he has the ability to play all facets of the game,'' Rooney is an outside hitter with middle-hitter size who is a dead-eye passer.
After a couple of summers competing on the beach, Rooney has hit the hardcourt in pursuit of Olympic gold. A former two-time NCAA player of the year and four-time All-American who led Pepperdine to the national title in 2005, Rooney joined the national team in April after playing indoors in South Korea and in short order is competing for a starting spot at outside hitter.
Even if he was getting burned out on kimchi, the money was great in South Korea, and he was moving up the ladder on the beach, but Rooney longed to play indoors at home and represent his country in international competition.
''It was a difficult adjustment going back and forth from overseas. It seemed like I was losing two months every year,'' said Rooney, 24, a former Sun-Times Player of the Year at Wheaton Warrenville South. ''With the 2008 Olympics coming up, when I considered what was best for myself, my team and my country, it was an easy decision to rejoin the national team. I'm committed to playing with the national team at least through 2008.''
Rooney will enjoy a homecoming this weekend when Team USA plays Italy in FIVB World League matches at 7 tonight and 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Chicago State's new Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center. If Chicago lands the 2016 Olympics, that will be the volleyball venue.
The World League is the highest level of international competition outside of the Olympics and World Championships. The Italians are ranked second in the world and the Americans eighth.
''I'm excited about what I've been seeing in the gym,'' Rooney said. ''We've got a lot of great players, and there's been tremendous competition. In our World League matches, it's important to look at all the players and find lineups that work.''
Rooney is confident that earning a starting spot at outside hitter ''is very reachable.'' He is battling 6-4 Reid Priddy, 6-6 Jim Polster and 6-6 Riley Salmon. Priddy, a 2004 Olympian, leads the team in scoring with 88 kills, 12 blocks and eight aces in World League competition. Rooney has played in four of the team's six matches, recording 20 kills and two blocks.
The last Olympic medal for the U.S. men was a bronze in 1992. Team USA was ninth in the 1996 Olympics and 11th in 2000, but rose to fourth in the 2004 Athens Games.
''We were a game away from the gold-medal round, so we're not that far off,'' Rooney said. ''Obviously, it will be a challenge for us to beat Russia and Brazil. But last year, we beat Brazil in Brazil, so it's not impossible. We just have to be more consistent.''
The U.S. globetrotters lead the four-team Pool B with a 4-2 record after splitting with France last weekend in Lyon. Italy is third at 2-2 in pool play. It's important for the U.S. team to win one match here because its last two weekends of pool play are on the road in Japan and Italy.

Beach Volleyball: America's Fastest-Growing Spectator Sport
Posted Jun 15th 2007 9:48AM by Michael David Smith
Here's something I didn't know: Professional beach volleyball has become the nation's fastest-growing spectator sport.
I don't know for sure why it's the fastest-growing spectator sport in the United States, but I have a feeling that Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the players in the picture, are a big reason. They're Olympic gold medalists and the two most popular players on the AVP tour.
So, if you're wondering what you're going to do with yourself between the end of the NBA season and the start of the NFL season, give the AVP a try. The AVP Charleston Open is on Sunday.

No present for birthday girl Wacholder
Tour veteran has gone 0-for-3 in 2007 finals
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Life on the AVP Crocs Tour isn't always glamorous. Just ask Rachel Wacholder.
She turned 32 on Friday and her boyfriend, Sean Scott — also a player on the tour — didn't get her a birthday gift. If that weren't enough, Wacholder played a day match at the AVP Charleston Open and was scheduled to play another match at 9:30 under the lights at the Family Circle Tennis Center. That meant no candlelight dinner to mark her birthday.
But the 32-year-old native of Laguna Beach, Calif., has reason to smile. She has a new teammate for 2007 — Tyra Turner — and the duo has fared well.
They're the No. 2 seed in Charleston, hoping to knock off the No. 1 team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. They started well in Charleston, posting a 21-18, 17-21, 15-11 victory over No. 18 Keao Burdine and Brittany Hochevar in rainy weather. They will take on No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan later tonight.
Wacholder laughed when asked about her birthday celebration, or lack thereof. There was a good reason her beau didn't have a present to present to her.
"He was kind of sick this week, so we spent a couple of mornings in the emergency room," Wacholder said. "So, he's got a pretty good excuse. He's very nice to me always, and he's a really good guy. But I didn't get anything for my birthday. I'm sure he'll do something. I saw a really cute dress by the hotel, and I asked him if he got me anything. So I gave him a hint. I said, 'Hey, I put this really cute dress on hold.'"
But what Wacholder really wants is that big winner's check of $20,000 that is awarded to the winning team in Charleston.
Wacholder has made 17 appearances in championship matches, and she teamed up with Elaine Youngs to win three titles in 2005. Last year, they claimed another two championships before splitting up. She also won a title last year with Kerri Walsh.
This year, Wacholder and Turner have reached three finals — Glendale, Hermosa Beach and Atlanta — but haven't yet been able to claim the top spot.
"The first final, we played well," said Wacholder, who graduated with a communications degree from the University of Colorado. "There were a few finals where we lost early and then had to come through the loser's brackets, so it meant playing a lot of matches. That makes it hard when you're playing in warm places.
"We haven't won any championships yet this year, but I love playing with my new partner," Wacholder said. "We've worked our way up to the No. 2 seed, which is pretty good for a new team. We've been in a few finals but we haven't played our best in the finals. But getting there is encouraging."
Wacholder said her team has the physical ability to knock off May-Treanor and Walsh, who arrived in Charleston with seven straight titles to their credit.
"I think we have a better mindset, one that's 'We're here to win' over a 'We're just glad to be here.' So I think we can do that. I think we can win one.
"They're a great team," Wacholder said of May-Treanor and Walsh. "But they've been beaten by other teams, and I've beaten them before. It's possible."
Wacholder has experienced success at every volleyball level. In high school, she was the California Player of the Year, and she was twice an All-Big 12 selection while playing for the Buffaloes in Boulder.
Boulder was also the site of one of her most memorable days in the professional ranks. She claimed the championship in Boulder in 2005 and then watched her boyfriend win the men's title later in the day.
Saturday night, they'll go to an Indian restaurant to celebrate her birthday, albeit belatedly. On Sunday, if her mindset is right, Wacholder might be able to celebrate her first championship of the season.

Olson, Ring battling back from loss
Duo lost first match of the day
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — As the No. 5 seeded team in the AVP Crocs Tour's Charleston Open, Matt Olson and Jason Ring didn't want to leave town two and done.
Olson and Ring were upset in their first match of the day, as the No. 12 seeded team of Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus pulled off a surprising 22-20, 21-18 victory Friday morning.
Olson and Ring survived the exit ramp by disposing of the No. 22-seeded team of David Fischer and Vincent Robbins by a 22-20, 21-13 margin in a match that lasted 38 minutes and was played in a steady rain.
It marked the third straight tournament that Olson and Ring lost their first match. They lost at Tampa and Atlanta, and finished ninth in both events.
Ring said losing early wasn't psychological.
"It's just preparation," said Ring, whose team received a first-round bye. "There was no warm-up match, everybody's good and we come in cold and play against a good team.
"And also, I don't think a 24-team draw is a good idea," Ring added. "I don't think playing in a parking lot is a good idea. We need to be back on the beach with 32-team draws. The events are never the same because the sand is never consistent. I think Charleston has a great future (on the tour), but we come to these great cities near the beach and play in tennis centers."
Olson said having only 24 teams in the main draw makes playing in the contender's bracket a little easier.
"And, playing in the loser's bracket makes you grovel," he said. "The loser's bracket isn't that big, so if we win a couple of games, we'll be back where we would have been. And to tell you the truth, we're the kind of players who like to grovel a little. We're two little guys who work hard for our wins."
Olson and Ring's best finish this spring was a second-place finish at Hermosa Beach. They were down after the Friday morning loss, but were definitely not out. They're one of the fastest rising teams in the country and one of the reasons for their success was the underdog role they played to the hilt. But now, they are the hunted, not the hunter.
"It's frustrating to lose that first match," Olson said. "We've done it a few times lately. We've never been here before, and we get a bye while our opponent is warming up with a match. We're in a foreign city with weird weather and then have to jump out there and play. We sort of had to talk ourselves into it. We were coming in flat."
Ring said upsets are part of the game and bouncing back wasn't that difficult.
"Once you get a couple of games going, try to get used to the new conditions, new time zones, new weather, everything will be O.K.," he said. "Everything is different and once you get a couple wins, you gain confidence and score a few points. That's half the battle — scoring points against great teams."
Ring and Olson are interesting teammates. Ring has a 44-inch vertical jump and has played professionally since 2000. He's advanced to the semifinals of tournaments with three different partners since 2003. Olson had a memorable season in 2006. He finished the year eighth in kill percentage (.589) and 10th in hitting percentage (.429).

Charleston Live: A Lewis-Lima show
No. 11 seed through to the winner's third round
By AVP.com Staff
Men's Results | Women's results | Charleston Open Central
UPDATE 3:58 PM ET
The weather let up for a while, but now there is a continuous soft rain. However, the show goes on!
In Round 2 women's play, the big upset was No. 11 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima taking down No. 6 Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 21-17, 21-15.
Six of the other top eight seeds advanced to the third round. The only other loss was in the eight vs. nine match, where No. 9 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson defeated No. 8 Carrie Dodd and Tati Minello, 21-19, 21-18.
The Lindquist sisters, who pulled the big upset over Nancy Mason and Sarah Straton in the first round, fell victim to the small draw and finished 17th by losing to Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana -- 21-16, 21-13 -- then to Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger -- 24-22, 21-15 -- in the contender's bracket.
In men's play, the big upset was No. 12 Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus over No. 5 Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 22-20, 21-18.
Five of the other top eight seeds made it through to Round 3. No. 11 Nick Lucena-Will Strickland defeated No. 6 Dax Holdren-Jeff Nygaard, 15-21, 21-17, 15-8, and No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams beat No. 8 John Hyden-Brad Keenanm 15-21, 21-17, and 15-12.
Mosaic is still running through the rain, so tune into avp.com to see all the action. (Dennis Wagner / AVP.com)
UPDATE 12:55 PM ET
Well, the weather has caught up to us and play is suspended until the rain stops. As for us, we are huddled in the media area trying to keep our laptops dry. Stay tuned for updates! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 12:20 PM ET
The first upset has shown up on the women's tournament board. The Lindquist sisters (No. 20 Katie and Tracy) sent No. 13 Nancy Mason-Sarah Straton into the contender's bracket with a 21-19, 25-23 sweep.
No. 14 Jenny Kropp-Jenny Pavley defeated No. 19 Suzanne Stonebarger-Michelle More in a three-game match, 17-21, 21-18, 15-11.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are going strong on their quest for an eighth straight title with a sweep over Polzin-Robertson, 21-12, 21-8 in a speedy 31-minute match.
No. 10, 11, and 12 seeds Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe, Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca all advanced to Round 2 with wins over Erin Byrd-Paige Davis, Jennifer Fopma-Julie Romias, and Jill Changaris-Tara Kuk, respectively.
In Round 1 men's action, No. 19 Paul Baxter-Dain Blanton pulled an upset over No. 14 Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge in three games, 18-21, 21-15, 15-10. No. 10 Anthony Medel-Fred Souza held off qualifiers Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis, 21-14, 21-10, in 35 minutes.
On the heels of back-to-back titles, No. 1 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal defeated No. 17 Mike DiPierro-John Mayer, 21-16, 21-17. No. 4 Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert sent new partners No. 13 Scott Wong-John Mayer to the contender's bracket with a 21-18, 21-10 victory.
Watch Mosaic on avp.com for the battle between Olympic Gold Medalists Karch Kiraly (1996) and Dain Blanton (2000) as Kiraly-Wong and Blanton-Baxter will face off in Round 2. (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 9:55 AM ET
Round 1 of the main draw is underway.
On the men's side, No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams defeated No. 24 Coley Kyman-Mark Presho, 21-4, 21-15, in a very short 33-minute match.
No. 12 Ty Loomis-Hans Stolfus knocked No. 21 Jeff Carlucci-Dane Jensen into the contender's bracket with a 21-12, 21-17 victory.
On the women's side, No. 16 Alicia Polzin-Claire Robertson defeated No. 17 Janelle Ruen-Jen Snyder, 21-19, 21-19. Sailing through the qualifier, No. 24 Tiffany Rodriguez-Chrissie Zartman will now face elimination in the contender's bracket after losing to No. 9 Angie Akers-Brooke Hanson, 28-30, 12-21.
Stay tuned for the rest of Round 1 and 2 action with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh facing Polzin-Robertson in Round 2. Action can be watched all day on avp.com! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 8:10 AM ET
We begin play main draw competition at the AVP Charleston Open, the ninth stop on the 2007 Crocs AVP Tour. The forecast calls for a high of 74 degrees with a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms later in the day. But as long as there's no lightning, play will go on!
Our venue for the Charleston Open is the beautiful Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. Family Circle is also home to the WTA Family Circle Cup tennis tournament. Past champions of the tournament include Steffi Graf, Venus Williams, Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis.
The gates are open from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m. and then again at 7:30 p.m. for the night session! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)

Charleston Live: No. 4 seeds advance
Metzger-Lambert brave rain delay
By AVP.com Staff
Men's Results | Women's results | Charleston Open Central
UPDATE 8:22 PM ET
After a 35-minute rain delay, the day session is finally over and it's already 7:30, so it looks like there won't be any break before the night session.
In the women's play, top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh breezed past Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, 21-15, 21-9, while fifth-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom handled fourth-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana 21-19 and 21-14.
All four of the top men's seeds are still undefeated. In three back-to-back-to-back matches on Court 1, 4th-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger defeated 12th-seeded Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus in three tough sets 21-15, 21-23, 15-11, 3rd-seeded Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong beat 11th-seeded Nick Lucena and Will Strickland 23-21, 21-17, and the last match of the day session featured seconnd-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers knocking off seventh-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott 21-19, 21-14. The top-seeded team plays in the night session.
The night session features two women's matches: third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs play 11th-seeded Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima to kick off the session at 7:30 and second-seeded Tyra Turner along with birthday girl Rachel Wacholder take on seventh-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan at approximately 9:30.
The men's matchup of top-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal vs. 9th-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams is sandwiched between the two women's matches.
All three matches are available on Mosaic with four different camera angels on each match, so tune in and watch all the action. (Dennis Wagner / AVP.com)
UPDATE 3:58 PM ET
The weather let up for a while, but now there is a continuous soft rain. However, the show goes on!
In Round 2 women's play, the big upset was No. 11 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima taking down No. 6 Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 21-17, 21-15.
Six of the other top eight seeds advanced to the third round. The only other loss was in the eight vs. nine match, where No. 9 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson defeated No. 8 Carrie Dodd and Tati Minello, 21-19, 21-18.
The Lindquist sisters, who pulled the big upset over Nancy Mason and Sarah Straton in the first round, fell victim to the small draw and finished 17th by losing to Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana -- 21-16, 21-13 -- then to Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger -- 24-22, 21-15 -- in the contender's bracket.
In men's play, the big upset was No. 12 Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus over No. 5 Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 22-20, 21-18.
Five of the other top eight seeds made it through to Round 3. No. 11 Nick Lucena-Will Strickland defeated No. 6 Dax Holdren-Jeff Nygaard, 15-21, 21-17, 15-8, and No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams beat No. 8 John Hyden-Brad Keenanm 15-21, 21-17, and 15-12.
Mosaic is still running through the rain, so tune into avp.com to see all the action. (Dennis Wagner / AVP.com)
UPDATE 12:55 PM ET
Well, the weather has caught up to us and play is suspended until the rain stops. As for us, we are huddled in the media area trying to keep our laptops dry. Stay tuned for updates! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 12:20 PM ET
The first upset has shown up on the women's tournament board. The Lindquist sisters (No. 20 Katie and Tracy) sent No. 13 Nancy Mason-Sarah Straton into the contender's bracket with a 21-19, 25-23 sweep.
No. 14 Jenny Kropp-Jenny Pavley defeated No. 19 Suzanne Stonebarger-Michelle More in a three-game match, 17-21, 21-18, 15-11.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are going strong on their quest for an eighth straight title with a sweep over Polzin-Robertson, 21-12, 21-8 in a speedy 31-minute match.
No. 10, 11, and 12 seeds Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe, Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca all advanced to Round 2 with wins over Erin Byrd-Paige Davis, Jennifer Fopma-Julie Romias, and Jill Changaris-Tara Kuk, respectively.
In Round 1 men's action, No. 19 Paul Baxter-Dain Blanton pulled an upset over No. 14 Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge in three games, 18-21, 21-15, 15-10. No. 10 Anthony Medel-Fred Souza held off qualifiers Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis, 21-14, 21-10, in 35 minutes.
On the heels of back-to-back titles, No. 1 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal defeated No. 17 Mike DiPierro-John Mayer, 21-16, 21-17. No. 4 Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert sent new partners No. 13 Scott Wong-John Mayer to the contender's bracket with a 21-18, 21-10 victory.
Watch Mosaic on avp.com for the battle between Olympic Gold Medalists Karch Kiraly (1996) and Dain Blanton (2000) as Kiraly-Wong and Blanton-Baxter will face off in Round 2. (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 9:55 AM ET
Round 1 of the main draw is underway.
On the men's side, No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams defeated No. 24 Coley Kyman-Mark Presho, 21-4, 21-15, in a very short 33-minute match.
No. 12 Ty Loomis-Hans Stolfus knocked No. 21 Jeff Carlucci-Dane Jensen into the contender's bracket with a 21-12, 21-17 victory.
On the women's side, No. 16 Alicia Polzin-Claire Robertson defeated No. 17 Janelle Ruen-Jen Snyder, 21-19, 21-19. Sailing through the qualifier, No. 24 Tiffany Rodriguez-Chrissie Zartman will now face elimination in the contender's bracket after losing to No. 9 Angie Akers-Brooke Hanson, 28-30, 12-21.
Stay tuned for the rest of Round 1 and 2 action with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh facing Polzin-Robertson in Round 2. Action can be watched all day on avp.com! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)
UPDATE 8:10 AM ET
We begin play main draw competition at the AVP Charleston Open, the ninth stop on the 2007 Crocs AVP Tour. The forecast calls for a high of 74 degrees with a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms later in the day. But as long as there's no lightning, play will go on!
Our venue for the Charleston Open is the beautiful Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. Family Circle is also home to the WTA Family Circle Cup tennis tournament. Past champions of the tournament include Steffi Graf, Venus Williams, Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis.
The gates are open from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m. and then again at 7:30 p.m. for the night session! (Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com)

"Go" time for Branagh, Youngs
The two have regrouped after recent struggles
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Elaine Youngs knows one gear, and that's "go," so hitting the brakes last weekend was a bit unsettling.
With partner Nicole Branagh nursing a sore right ankle, the two opted out of Atlanta and engaged in some light practice before a little R & R. Outside of the final tournament last season when she was unable to find a partner for Lake Tahoe, Youngs has not missed a tournament in 11 years.
"It's tough when we do, because, of course, we take it in the wallet. I have sponsors and Nicole isn't quite there with them yet," Youngs said. "I have a little more of a luxury of missing a $10,000 weekend, but like I said, I've never done it before and I don't plan to make a habit of it, but it just seemed like the right thing to do."
Branagh initially injured the ankle in Dallas and then re-injured it during the final in Tampa. She's been undergoing therapy 2-3 times a week and aside from practice and playing, she's generally staying off her feet. Branagh agreed with her partner that the layoff was the right call.
"It's a long season and I really needed to rest it. I've been playing on it since I did it and it was pretty serious," Branagh said. "It was good timing, though, to get it rested with this week in Charleston and two [international tournaments coming up]. We don't have any off time really."
There was more than money on the line for Youngs and Branagh, too, which is the only team other than Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh to win on the women's side this season.
Youngs and Branagh defeated May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinals in the season opener in Miami but have lost their subsequent four matches against the No. 1 women's team, including the final in Tampa.
That second-place finish set aside their disappointing seventh the previous week in Louisville when they sat for about a half-hour courtside, after being eliminated by Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, and reflected on the loss.
With Olympic qualifying on the horizon, it also solidified their resolve to stick together.
"At this point you can't even let those thoughts enter your mind," Youngs said.
May-Treanor and Walsh look poised to defend their Olympic Gold Medal next summer in Beijing with Youngs and Branagh joining a group that includes Turner and Wacholder, Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, and Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea as hopefuls for the second of two U.S. berths.
Keeping pace: Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed, their highest of the season, and lived up to their billing through Friday with a pair of victories to keep them in the winner's bracket.
It also kept them on course to play Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers with a berth in the semifinals at stake. Last week in Atlanta, Kiraly and Wong lost to Rogers and Dalhausser under the same circumstances as they will face Saturday, but two weeks ago in Tampa, Kiraly and Wong defeated Rogers and Dalhausser to get to the final.
Mother nature: The last two tournaments have been halted by weather, so why should the Charleston Open be any different?
It wasn't.
Heavy rain halted play at 12:42 p.m. ET on Friday as a drizzle turned into a downpour, sounding the horn and bringing a flurry of action on the courts.
Tarps were brought out to cover the playing surfaces that already had taken a beating from a storm Wednesday night before the tournament got under way.
After some requisite maintenance work, play resumed on stadium court at 1:45, and while the rain returned for a good portion of the afternoon, play continued without further interruption.
"It is very hard," Misty May-Treanor said of stadium court surface. "We need knee pads and tennis shoes."

Dalhausser at home in Palmetto state
AVP star learned the game at Myrtle Beach
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Most people go to Myrtle Beach for a vacation. Phil Dalhausser went there for a volleyball education.
A few years ago, a couple of professional players who lived in the city asked the 6-foot-9 Floridian to move to the Grand Strand to train against them.
"They actually showed me the ropes of the AVP," Dalhausser said. "They were my introduction to pro volleyball."
Dalhausser learned the volleyball lesson well. In August 2005, he earned his first Crocs AVP Tour title and followed it up with a breakout season last year with eight AVP titles, teaming with Todd Rogers. He was named the Most Improved Player and Best Offensive Player on the AVP Tour.
Friday, Dalhausser was 100 miles south of Myrtle Beach, playing in the Charleston Open. He and Rogers breezed through two matches. They beat Jason Lee and Austin Rester in a 38-minute match that was played in a steady rain in the Family Circle Magazine Stadium. Later in the day, the dynamic duo swept the seventh-seeded team of Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott.
Dalhausser and Rogers are on a collision course to meet the top-seeded team of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. They beat Mike DiPierro and John Mayer, 21-23, 25-23, 15-13, in a day match and then topped No. 9 seed Casey Jennings and Mark Williams in the featured men's night match. The score was 13-21, 21-16, 15-11.
Dalhausser has high hopes in Charleston and is ready for a possible showdown against the top-seeded team.
"I'd like to win it," he said. "My friends from Myrtle Beach are down here, cheering me on, so I want to do well."
Dalhausser was born in Switzerland and lived there for a year. He didn't start playing volleyball until his senior year in high school, and played the sport at the club level when he attended Central Florida.
"I tried to pick things up quickly, I'm a fast learner," Dalhausser said. "I played a lot of beach volleyball. I did skip a lot of classes to play, but I graduated. It took me 4 1/2 years."
There were few surprises during the first round of the main draw. The highest seed to slip into the contender's bracket was the team of Matt Olson and Jason Ring, who were stung in their first match of the day by Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus.
For a while, it looked like Rosenthal and Gibb might be upset in the nightcap. They struggled in the first game against DiPierro and Mayer but recovered in time to win their second match of the day.
Rosenthal said the sand on the stadium court was "so different" because the rain made it compact.
"It felt like we were playing indoors. We had to get used to it. We've never played indoors. We've been dealing with the rain for how many weeks, and the conditions affect everyone. So you just have to deal with it and tell yourself you like it. If you adjust your game to it, you'll be fine."
Rosenthal credited the other team with a strong showing, adding, "They came out and took it to us. In the first game, he had to make some adjustments. If you get challenged early in the tournament, it can help you focus all the way through the tournament, every match."

No stopping May-Treanor, Walsh
AVP's best breezes through Friday
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — They weren't about to take no for an answer.
Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh faced a mid-afternoon match Friday with Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson that at a glance would have appeared to be a candidate for cancellation.
A thunderstorm that had earlier caused an hour-plus delay in the stadium and slightly less on the outer courts, scattered about the Family Circle Tennis Center, resumed, and the steady rain created puddles along the edges and wet, hard-packed sand on the playing surface.
Officials at the Charleston Open presented the four players with the option of waiting, but their response was simple: game on.
"They wanted to hold off but Kerri and I have been waiting since we won our first match so we were like, 'Let's just play and get this thing going,'" May-Treanor said. "The longer you wait around your body gets cold."
Up and running, the No. 1 women's team didn't wait long, as May-Treanor and Walsh dispatched Akers and Hanson in a brisk, 36-minute, 21-15, 21-9 victory to advance to Saturday, when they will play Logan Tom and Holly McPeak for a berth in the semifinals.
Also remaining in the winner's bracket are Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who advanced with a 21-10, 21-10 victory over Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima under the lights, while Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder upended Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, 21-18, 21-16, to conclude Friday night's proceedings.
Youngs and Branagh were equally efficient, requiring barely more than an hour's total running time to complete their two matches Friday. They got past Jenny Kropp and Jennifer Pavley in their first match of the day and then turned in a crisp effort against Lewis and Lima in the evening.
Branagh injured her right ankle in Dallas and hurt it again during the final against May-Treanor and Walsh in Tampa. That prompted the pair to take last week off in Atlanta, and both feel it helped during their Friday matches.
"We're communicating well and we're having fun," Branagh said. "Our serving has been on, and we played to our strengths today."
In the last match Friday night, Wacholder and Turner playing one step ahead throughout both sets against Johnson Jordan and Davis. Wacholder put away the first game with a shot down the line and then finished off the second with a cross-court winner.
Wacholder and Turner will face Branagh and Youngs in their Saturday match with a semifinals berth on the line. Johnson Jordan and Davis will play the winner of the match between Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger and Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca.
The afternoon matches were played in generally soggy conditions with the one advantage being a pass for the rest of the day.
"It was fine, it just took awhile just because of everything going on," May-Treanor said of the conditions on Daniel Island. "With the rain delay and all, it felt like a baseball game."
Earlier in the day, April Ross and Jennifer Boss got past their surprise loss to Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima that dropped them into the contender's bracket. Boss and Ross ousted qualifiers Jill Changaris and Tara Kuk from the tournament with a 21-9, 21-11 victory.
The loss to Lewis and Lima was the first initial-round loss for Boss and Ross this season.
Also avoiding elimination Friday was the team of Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello, who lost their first match of the day to Akers and Hanson but came back to defeat qualifiers Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, 21-13, 21-16, to move on.
The two other women's qualifiers also took an early exit from the tournament.
Julie Romias and Jennifer Fopma lost first to Lewis and Lima and then to Fendrick and Roca, while Tiffany Rodriguez and Chrissie Zartman dropped their first match to Akers and Hanson and then were eliminated by Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe.

Kiraly focused on title run
McPeak-Tom to meet women's best
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Weather played a role for the third straight tournament when rain halted part of the action Friday, but conditions are expected to be drier for the weekend.
Rain interrupted the action in Tampa two weeks ago and again in Atlanta last weekend. On Friday, play was delayed for about an hour and rain continued through the afternoon, but by nightfall the skies were clear.
Projecting a similar forecast is the dominant team on the women's side of the draw.

Friday's highlights: Play was interrupted by an early-afternoon thunderstorm with stadium court experiencing a delay of slightly more than an hour. But the rain picked up shortly thereafter, and play continued without another interruption. Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb stayed on course toward their third straight tournament title.
Match of the day: Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger were extended to three sets by Hans Stolfus and Ty Loomis but emerged with the 21-15, 21-23, 15-11 victory.
Upset of the day: Earlier, Stolfus and Loomis, the No. 12 seed, upended No. 5 Jason Ring and Matt Olson, 22-20, 21-18, to send Olson and Ring to the contender's bracket.
Record watch: With a victory Sunday, Misty May-Treanor would match Kathy Gregory with her 50th domestic title, which is third highest among women's players. Karolyn Kirby leads with 61 domestic victories.
Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong continued their solid play with a pair of victories to keep them in the winner's bracket by first defeating Paul Baxter and Dain Blanton and then Nick Lucena and Will Strickland.
Start/finish: Play on Saturday will again feature both day and night sessions. Matches will start at 10:00 a.m. ET and conclude approximately at 5:00 p.m. with play continuing under the lights at 7:30 and concluding at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.
Weather forecast: A high of 84 is expected Saturday under partly cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms projected at 30 percent. Wind will be out of the east at 10-15 mph.
Match to watch: Kiraly and Wong will play Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers with a berth in the semifinals on the line.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh expended little energy Friday despite playing through rain in their afternoon match and are well on course for their eighth straight title.
A semifinal loss in the season opener in Miami is their only blemish on the year and Saturday night, they'll play Logan Tom and Holly McPeak for a berth in Sunday's final four.
Tom and McPeak reached the final in Louisville and are looking to return. They lost in Louisville to May-Treanor and Walsh to finish second and have dropped both of their matches this season to the No. 1 team on the women's side of the draw.
McPeak also has some added motivation. May-Treanor passed her earlier this season and is now the career leader in tournament victories among women players while Walsh earned her 73rd title last week to go one up on McPeak and into second place.
Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, who lost to May-Treanor and Walsh to fall into the contender's bracket, will await the winner of the match between April Ross and Jennifer Boss. Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, losers to McPeak and Tom, will wait for the winner of the Keao Burdine-Brittany Hochevar and Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe match.
Also advancing in the winner's bracket was the duo of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. They took off last week in Atlanta due to Branagh's sore right ankle and it paid off as they quickly dispatched Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima to set up a match with Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder for a berth in the semifinals.
Lewis and Lima will wait for the winner of the match between Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello on Saturday, while Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis will play the winner of the Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger and Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca match.
On the men's side, Karch Kiraly and his partner Kevin Wong are keeping the pace they've set for themselves. They've appeared in two straight final fours and Friday, they remained in the winner's bracket to set up a match with Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
Kiraly and Wong lost to Rogers and Dalhausser last week but eliminated them two weeks ago. Rogers and Dalhausser are leading the men's tour this season with five tournament victories.
Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb have won the last two tournaments and upheld their No. 1 seed at the Charleston Open with a pair of victories Friday, including a three-set, 13-21, 21-16, 15-11, thriller over Mark Williams and Casey Jennings under the lights.
Rosenthal and Gibb will face Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger for a berth in the semifinals. Jennings and Williams will wait for the winner of the match between Dax Holdren-Jeff Nygaard and Paul Baxter-Dain Blanton.

Women’s top seeds cruise through
Opening day goes mostly according to form in first three rounds
By From Staff Reports
CHARLESTON — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh showed no signs of vulnerability on Friday, the first day of the AVP’s Charleston Open.
The tour’s top-ranked women’s team marched through the event’s first three rounds at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
May-Treanor and Walsh enter this week’s event having won seven tournaments in a row this season. The team’s only event loss came in the season-opening Miami Open.
On Friday, May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Alicia Polzin and Claire Robertson, 21-12, 21-8 and ninth-seeded Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson 21-15, 21-9. The latter match took place in a steady rain following a one-hour weather delay.
“They wanted us to hold off, but Kerri and I have been waiting since we won our first match, so we were like ‘Let’s just play and get this thing going,’æ” May-Treanor said.
Walsh and May-Treanor were scheduled to face fifth-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in the fourth round today. At stake will be a berth in the semifinals.
The rest of play in the women’s draw went according to seed except for a second-round upset by Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lime of the sixth-seeded team of Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 21-17, 21-15.
Rachel Wacholder celebrated her 32nd birthday by teaming with Tyra Turner to beat Keao Burdine and Brittany Hochevar 21-18, 18-21, 15-11 in the morning.
There was no time for celebrating since Wacholder and Turner, the event’s second seeds, also played under the lights Friday night. Wacholder and Turner advanced by beating Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, 21-18, 21-16. The other prime time women’s match was Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh’s 21-10, 21-10 victory against Lewis and Lane.
In the men’s field, the biggest upset came from Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus against fifth seeded Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 22-20, 21-18.
The top-seeded men’s team of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal defeated Mike DiPierro and John Mayer 21-16, 21-17 and were scheduled to face ninth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams Friday night.
Headlining the night men’s matches, Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong defeated Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 23-21, 21-17. In the other winners’ bracket night match, the second-seeded team of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers beat Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott 21-19, 21-14.
The tournament continues through Sunday.
This report contains material from AVP.com, the Web site of the AVP Crocs Tour.
Match 19: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (11) 21-10, 21-10 (0:32) Match 20: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (2) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (7) 21-18, 21-16 (0:39)

Why beach volleyball is harder
By Ken Burger (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Beach volleyball is harder to play than regular volleyball because, well, it's softer.
Tour professionals competing this weekend at the AVP Charleston Open at the Family Circle Tennis Center know full well that playing in the sand is much tougher than most people think.
Another big difference, of course, is that indoor volleyball uses six players on a side while beach volleyball uses only two to cover the same area.
And that's just the beginning.
"You have way more responsibility," said Kerri Walsh, one half of the U.S. Olympic gold medal team (2004 Athens) after her match Friday on Daniel Island. "So if you have a weakness it's glaring out here. You get picked on a lot more and there's no where they can hide you.
"With only two people covering the whole court you need a lot more skills. You also have the elements — the wind, the sun, the sand, the travel — so it gets tough."
These women (and men) are as tough as it gets in a game many think of as a beach bar sport, but actually demands much more athleticism than some other sports.
"We don't play in an air-conditioned gym," said Misty May-Treanor, the other half of the gold medal duo. "The heat can be tough at times. The sand gets hot, your feet will burn because you don't have shoes on. There are a lot of things you can't control."
Sand legs
For one thing, think how much traction and leaping ability you lose when you try to maneuver in deep sand instead of on a hard surface.
Beach volleyball players refer to it as getting your "sand legs."
"Timing is the biggest issue when you go from indoor to beach volleyball," May-Treanor said. "After you play indoor and come back out to the beach for the first time, you're wondering where it is.
"But if more indoor players were to come out to the beach on their off time and play, even if it was four-on-four, it really makes indoor a whole lot easier because you have to develop all your skills."
Watching the teamwork as Walsh and May-Treanor dispatched yet another challenger Friday at center court showed why these two ladies are considered the best in the business of beach volleyball.
And it's also obvious after watching the action on all the courts that these people are not playing around. From a fitness standpoint, they're probably among the best in sports.
Body conscious
But stamina and timing aren't the only things that separate beach volleyball from the kind of volleyball played in high school and college.
"The other biggest difference is the uniforms," Walsh said as she stood there in her tiny bikini outfit after the match. "It's a challenge just because we're girls and we're body-conscious."
Which is why the sport has gained the reputation of being a "skin game" as it tours the country, attracting a male audience as well as plenty of enthusiastic young female athletes.
"You know, it's the uniform," Walsh said with a sigh as she finished signing autographs for a gaggle of young girls who just watched her play. "Now, I can't imagine playing in anything else."

Still king of the beach
By Jeff Hartsell (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Saturday, June 16, 2007
As rain soaked the sand on court 1 on Friday afternoon, beach volleyball legend Karch Kiraly ducked under a nearby tent and plopped down in a seat between two fans.
Decked out in his trademark pink Speedo hat, Kiraly signed an autograph or two and posed for a couple of pictures as he patiently waited out a rain delay at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
That kind of accessibility — and three Olympic gold medals and 148 professional titles — have made Kiraly in many ways the face of beach volleyball. At age 46 he is still a competitive force on the AVP Tour.
Just ask the team of Paul Baxter and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Dain Blanton, who succumbed to Kiraly and teammate Kevin Wong by a score of 21-15, 21-17, in the second round of the AVP Charleston Open on Friday.
Kiraly and the 6-7 Wong made the finals two weeks ago in Tampa and the final four last week in Atlanta. But for Kiraly, who's won more than $3 million in prize money during a 27-year career, there's no second-guessing his decision, announced in March, to make 2007 his final season of competitive volleyball.
"No, it wasn't a tough decision," Kiraly said after munching a post-match sandwich. "I've gotten to play 10 or 15 years more than I thought I would, so now it's all icing on the cake."
But that doesn't mean that Kiraly, who began playing volleyball on the beaches of Santa Barbara 40 years ago, takes the game any less seriously. If anything, he works harder than ever in order to compete with men half his age.
"He's built like a tank," Wong said of his partner recently.
Kiraly's fitness regimen includes plyometrics, intense drills designed to load muscles with heavy weights over a short period of time. Performing the drills in the sand increases the difficulty. "You have to work out really hard to stay out here," he said. "I can't out-physical a lot of the guys out here, so I have to stay in better condition and be better prepared, if I can.
"I have to try to earn an advantage in other ways. A lot of these tournaments can be hot and humid, so you have to be in better shape and have better endurance."
Good genes help, too. Kiraly's dad, Laszlo, played volleyball for a junior national team in Hungary. Now 72, Laszlo gave up recreational volleyball only in the last few years.
The sport has been good to Kiraly. He won three national championships at UCLA, and was a star on the 1984 indoor team that ended Russian dominance in the Olympics by winning a gold medal. He won another gold medal in 1988, and then earned $1 million for playing a year of volleyball in Italy.
In 1996, Kiraly won gold for a third time, this one in beach volleyball, to become the only volleyball player with three golds.
But Kiraly also wants to give back to the game. His Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy opens this summer, and he's also working on grassroots programs for adults, including the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball in September in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Kiraly also coached his own sons, Kristian and Kory, on their high school team last year. "That was a great time, a lot of fun. They both have picked up the game just in the last two years, and they are having a lot of fun with it."
Kiraly has done more than his share to increase the popularity of beach volleyball through the years, but said the AVP Tour treads a fine line when bringing the sport to new areas such as Charleston.
"It's important to go into new places," he said. "But it's also important to stay in places that have supported us through the years. The only way to build up a following is to go to the same place at the same time every year for four or five years, so that everybody knows, 'Hey, the AVP is coming back to town.'
"We left a place this year, Santa Barbara, that is one of the greatest supporters of volleyball in the country. I think Charleston can be that kind of place; it's a great site here. But we have to keep coming back and not switch around. We have a lot of new sites this year, and there's a risk in constantly playing in new places."
Though his final season on the AVP Tour has turned into a farewell tour of sorts, Kiraly makes it clear he's not showing up each week just to say goodbye.
"We'd love to win one more," he said. "We were close a couple of weeks ago. It'd be great, and that's what we are trying hard for this year."

Wong ready for coaching career
Pepperdine alumn prefers indoor game to the beach
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Scott Wong spends his time on the court but believes his calling is actually on the sidelines.
Armed with a master's in education from Loyola Marymount (Calif.) University, Wong yearns to be a college coach and already coaches in the scholastic ranks during the offseason.
"I love coaching and I love teaching other players and having an impact on them. So that is the goal for the future," Wong said.
The 28-year-old has been an assistant coach for the men's indoor volleyball team at Pepperdine — his alma mater — where he was a three-time All-American. Last season, Wong coached the women's team at the University of Hawaii.
While he makes a living on the beach, Wong prefers the hardcourt game. In practical terms, he sees a broader career arc there.
"I love indoor. I love beach, too, but I think there is a lot more opportunity to coach indoor at the collegiate ranks as opposed to beach," Wong said. "Unless they start collegiate beach volleyball, it will be indoor."
At the Charleston Open this week, Wong paired with Aaron Wachtfogel. It's the first time the two have teamed together and followed a bit of shuffling for both players.
Wachtfogel played with Austin Rester in six tournaments this year, with Paul Baxter in another and with Wong's brother Kevin in Glendale. Scott Wong played with Hans Stolfus in the first five events of the year and then teamed with John Mayer for the next three before hooking up with Wachtfogel.
Scott Wong said he's heading home to Hawaii for the two-week layoff before returning to the mainland when the AVP Crocs Tour resumes in Seaside Heights, N.J., July 5-8. He's hoping to lure Wachtfogel to Hawaii for some practice before then, but is also looking forward to forming a lasting partnership.
One possibility next season is pairing with his brother. With Karch Kiraly retiring, Kevin Wong will be looking for a teammate, and the two have joined forces before. Last season, Scott and Kevin Wong played in the first five events of the year.
But Scott Wong said, given that both he and his brother are blockers and they've found success teaming with a defensive player, the chances of hooking up are remote. He still wouldn't rule it out, however.
"You never know what is going to happen. I go one tournament at a time and one year at a time," Scott Wong said. "He's having a great year with Karch. I'm happy for him, but I'm happy to play with Aaron right now."
Trainer's room: Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello were forced to retire from their match Saturday, when Minello was unable to continue due to a strain of her right quadriceps.
Down a game to Jenelle Koester and Stacy Rouwenhorst and behind in the second, 18-12, Minello aggravated the injured muscle and was carted off by medical attendants.
Minello initially suffered the injury two weeks ago in Tampa, but she and Dodd returned to play last week in Atlanta, where they finished seventh.
Dodd and Minello do not plan to play in the two FIVB events coming up in the next two weeks and will wait to make a decision about returning for the Seaside Heights tournament.
Rising: Koester and Rouwenhorst are paired this week, marking their fourth-straight tournament together. They also earned their highest placement on the year.
With a 21-15, 21-19 victory over No. 11 Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima, No. 15 Koester-Rouwenhorst moved up to seventh in the tournament, but fell to No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 24-22, 16-21, 8-15.
Sliding: Jason Ring and Matt Olson continued their decline since finishing second in Hermosa Beach.
A three-set loss in the contender's bracket to Wachtfogel and Wong on Saturday morning put them in 13th, tying their lowest finish of the year. In their last four tournaments, Olson and Ring have finished seventh, ninth, ninth and 13th.

Williams went down but not out
Recovers from ankle injury to move on
Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Mark Williams was too sore to celebrate his dramatic victory Saturday in the AVP Crocs Tour's Charleston Open.
Williams, who teams up with Casey Jennings, suffered a sprained left ankle midway through Saturday's contender's bracket match against Anthony Medel and Fred Souza. For a couple of minutes, it appeared Williams wouldn't be able to play through the pain. But it was gut-check time, and Williams and Jennings pulled out a thrilling 21-14, 17-21, 16-14 victory at the Family Circle Magazine Stadium.
"I'm going to shower, go to the medical tent and cut the tape off to see how swollen it is," said Williams, whose team is scheduled to play again at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. "I'm going to elevate it tonight and hope for the best tomorrow." Williams went down with his team trailing, 14-12, in the second game. He said his legs collided with Souza's near the net.
"It was a good, clean play," Williams said. "I landed on top of Freddy's ankle and sprained my own ankle. It hurts tremendously. Right away, when I looked down, it was already swollen up to the size of a golf ball on the side of the ankle. I thought to myself, 'Gosh, it's over and that at least I have the next two weeks off to recover.'"
But Williams asked the trainer to tightly wrap his ankle and then resumed play. Williams and Jennings lost the second game, but rallied in the third for the victory.
Williams said his injury worked to his team's advantage.
"That team was getting all of its points by jump serving aggressively," said Williams, who resides in Pasadena, Calif. "When I hurt myself, they went to a floating serve and served it right at me. That helped." Souza and Medel declined to be interviewed.
"I don't feel like talking," Medel said. "That's usually not my attitude, but I don't want to talk right now."
Jennings also noticed a difference in their opponents after Williams' injury.
"Sometimes, it's really hard as a team to play against somebody who is injured," Jennings said. "You really don't know what to do or what to expect. Sometimes, you just think they're going to give it to you, and that's the last thing Mark and I are going to do — give someone a freebie. So, we hung in there until the end, and it was amazing."
Jennings told his teammate not to risk further injury and, if he didn't want to play, he understood.
"But he told me he'd give it a shot," Jennings said. "After the second game, he told me he was going to be all right. He was actually able to jump a little bit, and he has those long arms. It was one of those lucky things."
Both players say Sunday's match is a go. But if Williams' ankle is too swollen, they will not play.
"Hopefully, he ices it, takes a little Advil to get the swelling down, comes out and tries to battle," Jennings said. "I guarantee you one thing — nobody's going to get anything for free."
Williams is a native of Australia and played college ball at UCLA where he earned All-American status. He also played on the Australian Olympic teams in 2000 and '04. Now he's one of the rising stars on the AVP Tour.
"Today was awesome," said Williams. "There was a chance that we weren't going to be able to finish the match. Now we're playing tomorrow. It's strange, it's amazing."

Charleston Live: Day session done
Branagh-Youngs win stirring match
By AVP.com Staff

UPDATE 5:50 PM EDT
Saturday's day action is complete with an outstanding three-game match between No. 2 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder and No. 3 Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs with EY and Nicole getting the three-game victory and extending their advantage to 4-1 over Turner and Wacholder this year. In all four matchups that Branagh and Youngs have won, they have either won 15-12 or 15-13 in game three.
Branagh and Youngs advance to the final four while Turner and Wacholder fall to the fifth-place match and will face No. 6 seed Boss and Ross for the seventh time this season with Turner-Wacholder holding a 6-0 advantage in the series.
We'll have a brief break before another outstanding night session with the top four men's teams in action along with top seed May-Treanor and Walsh and McPeak and Tom, the fifth seed, in women's action. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 5:03 PM EDT
We're down to the final match of the day as Turner-Wacholder vs. Branagh-Youngs are in action on the stadium court.
The seventh-place matches and thus the contender's side of things are done for the day as Davis-Triple J came back to defeat Koester-Rouwenhorst in three games after losing the first game, 24-22. Davis and Triple J will face the loser of tonight's match with May-Treanor-Walsh against McPeak-Tom at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
In men's action, Brad Keenan and his partner John Hyden did what his girlfriend April Ross and her partner Jen Boss did on the women's side by running through the contender's bracket and winning three matches in the day to advance to the fifth-place match. Hyden and Keenan will face the loser between Gibb-Rosenthal and Lambert-Metzger Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 4:15 PM EDT
The stadium court saw what you never want to see when Mark Williams went down to the sand for an extended period of time after injuring his left ankle. Jennings and Williams won the first game 21-15 and were down to Medel-Souza 14-12 in game two when the injury occurred. Williams showed how tough he is by continuing with a heavily taped ankle but Medel and Souza took the second game 21-17 with Williams regulated to jumping on one foot and Jennings taking over the blocking duties. Game three was close throughout and the ankle seemed to loosen up a little with Williams and Jennings both playing inspired volleyball and winning over the crowd, but things looked grim when Medel and Souza took a 14-12 lead with double-match point upcoming. Jennings sided out and then Williams then dug deep and got a kill to tie the game at 14 all. Then mainly jumping on one leg, Williams ended the match with two straight blocks, getting the win, 16-14.
In women's action, Boss and Ross rolled back DeNecochea and Fontana 21-12, 23-21 to finish their Saturday winning three matches working through the consolation bracket. DeNecochea-Fontana finish in seventh while Boss and Ross advanced to the fifth place match Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. where they will face the loser of Turner-Wacholder and Branagh-Youngs. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 3:28 PM EDT
The ninth place matches are complete as Davis and Triple J defeated Fendrick-Roca 27-25, 21-15 and Koester-Rouwenhorst defeated Lewis-Lima 21-15, 21-19, meaning in their fourth tour event this year together they will have their highest finish of at least seventh. Davis/Triple J will face Koester-Rouwenhorst in a little over an hour.
DeNecochea-Fontana and Boss-Ross will square off in the other seventh-place match to round out the contender's side of things for Saturday. The only other match of the day session will feature No. 2 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder against No. 3 Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs for the chance to go to the Final Four. No. 1 Misty May-Treanor will face No. 5 Holly McPeak-Logan Tom in Saturday's night session in the other semifinal of the winner's bracket.
In men's action, Fuerbringer-Scott defeated Wachtfogel-Scott Wong in three games while Hyden-Keenan continued to roll in the contender's bracket defeating Lucena-Strickland. Fuerbringer-Scott will face Hyden-Keenan in the seventh-place match in an hour or so. Medel-Souza is facing Jennings-Williams on the stadium now in the seventh-place match.
Both winner's bracket semifinals on the men's side will take place tonight with No. 1 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal against No. 4 Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger in a rematch of last week's finals set to begin at 7:30 p.m. and No. 2 Phil Dahlhausser-Todd Rogers taking on No. 3 Karch Kiraly-Kevin Wong in the nightcap. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 2:09 PM EDT
We're half way through the ninth-place matches as DeNecochea-Fontana defeated Burdine-Hochevar and Boss-Ross defeated Akers-Hanson in women's action and Medel-Souza defeated Loomis-Stoflus and Jennings-Williams defeated Baxter/Blanton in men's action.
Fuerbringer-Scott and Wachtfogel-Scott Wong are in action on the stadium court while Hyden-Keenan are facing Lucena-Strickland on the men's side and Fendrick-Roca is taking on Davis-Triple J and Koester-Rouwenhorst is playing Lewis-Lima in women's action.
The weather is holding nicely as opposed to 24 hours ago and we've passed the half-way point in matches played for Saturday.
In the seventh-place matches, DeNecochea-Fontana will face Boss-Ross on the women's side and Medel-Souza will face Jennings-Williams on the men's side. The other seventh place matches will feature the winning teams from the current matches. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 12:26 PM EDT
Round two of the contender's brackets is now finished and we will be playing the third round, or ninth-place matches, for the next couple of hours.
Hyden-Keenan took care of business against DiPierro-Mayer, winning 21-15, 21-13 in men's action while the stadium saw an impressive match between Olson-Ring and Wachtfogel-Scott Wong go three games with Wachtfogel-Scott Wong winning 17-15 in the third game for the victory, meaning both the five and six seed of the men's side are out with 13th place finishes. Wachtfogel-Scott Wong advance to face No. 7 Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott while Hyden-Keenen will face No. 11 Nick Lucena-Will Strickland in the ninth-place matches in about an hour or so.
In women's action, Tati Minello tweaked her right quad and was forced to retire in the second game against Koester-Rouwenhorst, who held a 21-19, 18-12 lead over Minello and her partner Carrie Dodd at the time of the injury. Fendrick-Roca advance past More-Stonebarger in a three-game match that was 15-13 in the third game. Koester-Rouwenhorst will now face No. 11 Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima while Fendrick-Roca advance to see Annett Davis-Jenny Johnson Jordan in the ninth-place matches in about an hour.
The top half of the ninth-place matches are now underway with Medel-Souza taking on Loomis-Stoflus and Baxter-Blanton facing Jennings-Wiliams. Medel-Souza and Loomis-Stoflus also faced each other last week in Atlanta in one of the best matches of the week as Medel-Souza came out on top in that one 24-22 in the third game. This is the first-ever match-up between Baxter-Blanton and Jennings-Williams.
On the women's side, the ninth-place match-ups will see Burdine-Hochevar against DeNecochea-Fontana on the stadium court and Boss-Ross against Akers-Hanson. This is the first match-up between Burdine-Hochevar and DeNecochea-Fontana and the second of the season for Boss-Ross vs. Akers-Hanson, as they also met at Hermosa Beach a month ago with Boss-Ross winning in two games. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 11:23 AM EDT
With half of round two of the consolation bracket done with an upset took place in both men's and women's action. No. 18 seed Burdine and Hochevar defeated No. 10 seed Ivy and Lowe, 33-31, 21-13, while in men's action, just finished is No. 19 seed Baxter and Blanton defeating No. 6 seed Holdren and Nygaard, 21-15, 14-21, 15-13. No. 6 seed Boss and Ross took care of Kropp and Pavley, 21-12, 21-13 on the stadium court in women's action, while No. 10 seed Medel and Souza defeated No. 18 Lee and Rester, 22-20, 21-18.
Burdine and Hochevar will face No. 4 seed Diane DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana while Boss and Ross will face No. 9 Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. Medel and Souza will face No. 12 seed Ty Loomis and Hans Stoflus while Baxter and Blanton look to continue their run against No. 9 seed Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. Those four matches will take place after the remainder of the second round in about an hour.
The second half of the second round features No. 12 seed Lauren Fendrick-Paula Roca against No. 19 seed Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger and No. 8 Carrie Dodd-Tati Minello against No. 15 Jenelle Koester-Stacy Rouwenhorst in women's action in two more first-ever match-ups.
In men's action, No. 5 Matt Olson and Jason Ring are in action in the stadium against No. 13 Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong while No. 8 John Hyden and Brad Keenan are facing No. 17 Mike DiPierro and John Mayer. Keenan and Mayer have played together in 15 tournaments in their career's while Ring and Scott Wong have played together in five times, including a third place finish in Belmar in 2003. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

UPDATE 10:06 AM EDT
Play is about to get started Saturday at the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center on Daniel Island for the 2007 Charleston Open. The weather outlook looks better for today with a 30 percent chance of rain (compared to 40 percent yesterday). The temperature is already higher than it was all of yesterday and the skies are clear ... for now.
The second round of the consolation bracket is up first with four men's and four women's matches set to get underway in the first two hours of the day. Interestingly, only one of the eight match-ups features teams that have ever faced each other before, but in seven of the eight match-ups, players from different sides of the net have been teammates, so it won't be like they are unfamiliar with each other.
To start the day on the stadium court, Jen Boss and April Ross will face Jen Pavley and Jenny Kropp, and that match marks the only one of the eight that have faced each other before. Boss and Ross defeated Pavley and Kropp last week in Atlanta, 21-17, 21-11. Boss and Pavley have played together in five tournaments before. In the other women's match this morning, Keao Burdine and Brittany Hochevar square off against Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe.
In men's action, Jason Lee and Austin Rester face Anthony Medel and Fred Souza in one match-up while Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard will see Paul Baxter and Dain Blanton. Both teams are facing each other for the first time. Lee and Rester are playing together for the second tournament this season but Lee teamed with Medel way back in 2000 in Lee's second-ever tour event. Baxter and Blanton are teaming up for the first time ever this event but Nygaard has been teammates with both Baxter and Blanton and he's won championships with both, as well. Nygaard and Blanton were the 2003 AVP team of the year, winning five championships that year. (Curtis Snyder / AVP.com)

Williams matchtime decision Sunday
Aussie questionable with strained left ankle
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — For Casey Jennings and Mark Williams to get to the final four, they'll have to channel Willis Reed.
Williams suffered a strain to his left ankle in the second set of his match against Fred Souza and Anthony Medel Saturday afternoon but persevered through a tough third set to advance.

Saturday's highlights: The weather cleared and the playing surfaces heated and hardened. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, and Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh advanced to the semifinals on the women's side while Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, and Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser advanced to the semifinals from the men's side of the draw.
Match of the day: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams upended Fred Souza and Anthony Medel, 21-14, 17-21, 16-14, in a match that provided a remarkable finish. Williams injured his left ankle in the second set, and was helped off, but returned with the ankle heavily taped and he and Jennings rallied to victory.
Upset of the day: Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong eliminated Matt Olson and Jason Ring with a 17-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory in the contender's bracket.
Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong lost to Dalhausser and Rogers but may be in the semifinals anyway. Their opponent is Jennings-Williams, but Williams' ankle injury may prevent him from playing.
Start/finish: Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the women's final set for 2:30 p.m. and the men's final to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Weather forecast: A high of 88 is expected Sunday with isolated thunderstorms projected to develop by afternoon with a 30 percent chance of rain. Wind will be out of the southwest at 11 mph.
Match to watch: Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner against April Ross and Jennifer Boss with a semifinal berth hanging in the balance.

In the 1970 NBA Finals, Reed hauled his body and a torn right-thigh muscle onto the court for the Knicks' opening tip against the Lakers in Game 7. While Reed only scored four points in limited action, he provided inspiration as the Knicks won the title.
Williams and Jennings will face Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong with a berth in the semifinals on the line at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. The pair will wait until just prior to matchtime to decide whether or not to play. They're hoping that ice and Advil will do the trick.
"We're not looking for a bye unless Mark, for some reason it swells up and he doesn't want to play," Jennings said. "I'll support that decision."
Already earning a berth in the men's semifinal are Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, who defeated Kiraly and Wong in the last match on Saturday night. Dalhausser-Rogers will wait for the winner of the Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb and Brad Keenan-John Hyden match.
On target for their second title of the season are No. 4 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.
In a rematch of last week's final in Atlanta, Metzger and Lambert avenged their loss to Gibb and Rosenthal by upsetting the No. 1 seed to gain a slot in the semifinals, where they'll await the winner of the match between Jennings-Williams and Kiraly-Wong.
On the women's side, Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh are looking for some momentum to propel them into the next two weeks when international play will hold court as part of the Olympic qualifying process.
As the winners of the first AVP event of the year in Miami, they are the only women's team this season to win a tournament other than Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
A thrilling, three-set match victory over Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder on Saturday afternoon vaulted Youngs and Branagh into the semifinals, where they will play the winner of the Holly McPeak-Logan Tom and Jenny Johnson Jordan-Annett Davis match.
"Right now, we don't care who we play — we just want to keep our game smooth, play aggressive and keep the errors down," Youngs said.
Also with a berth in the semifinals is the No. 1 women's team, and that's no surprise.
May-Treanor and Walsh have appeared in every final four to start the year and made it a clean 9-for-9 in the first half of the year with a victory over Holly McPeak and Logan Tom on Saturday.
May-Treanor and Walsh have won seven consecutive titles this season and 20 of the last 23 team events on the AVP Crocs Tour. They'll be going for eight straight Sunday and will face the winner of the Turner-Wacholder and Jennifer Boss-April Boss match.
Turner and Wacholder are without a title this season, but they've been to three finals, including last week in Atlanta. Each time they've lost to May-Treanor and Walsh, and they sport an 0-6 overall mark against them this season.
Boss and Ross have been to three final fours this season, including the Miami final.

Lambert blasts team to semis
Hawaiian spikes and blocks at will around the net
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal's bid for a third-straight AVP Crocs Tour championship is in limbo thanks to "Big Lambo."
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger entered the Charleston Open as the No. 4 seed, but sent out a shockwave Saturday night with a 17-21, 21-15, 15-10 victory over the top-seeded team of Gibb and Rosenthal, who won titles in Tampa and Atlanta the last two weekends. But the 6-foot-6 Lambert was a skyscraper around the net at the Family Circle Magazine Stadium. The Hawaiian spiked, blocked and blasted at will around the net to keep his team undefeated in Charleston.
"He was a scoring machine tonight," Metzger said. "We call him 'Lambo P.I.' when he plays like that. It's passive income for me. I just sit back there and watch him facilitate. He was unbelievable."
Lambert said the synergy from the crowd fired him up for the big match.
"This arena is fantastic," Lambert said. "It's a double-decker stadium and the seating is awesome. It's fun to be here. This is going to turn out to be a great event on our tour. The first time you come to a city, you think of it as a seedling that's going to grow. But here, it's got a green thumb already. You can tell South Carolina will make it grow into a great success."
Lambert and Metzger are seeking their first title since they won in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 3. They seemed to be headed to the contender's bracket until they turned things around in the second game of the match.
"I think we showed really good maturity by not getting too frustrated or too upset after getting closed out that first game," Metzger said. "We stayed calm and clawed and scratched the next game, and ended up winning the next two games."
Last weekend, Lambert and Metzger beat Gibb and Rosenthal in the Saturday night game. But Gibb and Rosenthal rallied to defeat Lambert and Metzger in the championship.
"It's great to win, this one," Lambert said. "But you don't get a medal or trophy for winning this one. All you get is a little more rest. But we're locked in the final four."
Lambert and Metzger reached the final four in every event last year, but haven't been as steady in 2007.
"We hit some speed bumps last year, and some of it was technical and some was mental," Lambert said. "Hopefully, we got our mojo back."
In the final match of the night, No. 2 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers sent crowd favorite Karch Kiraly and his teammate Kevin Wong to the contender's bracket with a 21-15, 21-13 victory. Dalhausser and Rogers are seeking their six AVP title of the year and first since they claimed Louisville Open on May 27.
"We played pretty well tonight," Rogers said. "We haven't won in a couple of weeks, so we want to right that situation. We missed a lot of serves tonight, but made up for it in other areas."

Youngs rebounds to reach semis
Spike in the head sends EY on a tear
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — It was a throw down, but all Elaine Youngs did was get fired up.
Rachel Wacholder drilled a shot off the top of Youngs' head and sent her former partner's visor aloft Saturday afternoon, opening a late one-point lead in the third set of their quarterfinal match.
Embarrassed, perhaps, but certainly undaunted, Youngs gathered her cap, gathered her thoughts and took control.
"I pictured in my mind something that Nancy Reno told me at the beginning of the year," Youngs said. "She said, 'You want to be the team like Kerri [Walsh] and Misty [May- Treanor] that, when it is a clutch situation, you guys are the ones making the plays. You're the team to beat.' That is exactly what I thought of in those last few points, and it really helped today."
Down 12-11 at the time, Youngs and partner Nicole Branagh scored four unanswered points for a 21-16, 17-21, 15-11 victory over Wacholder and Tyra Turner and a berth in Sunday's Charleston semifinals at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
Youngs scored three of those points with two by service ace.
"I said [to myself], 'I can serve this team off the court,' and that is exactly what I did," Youngs said.
Also advancing to the semifinals is the AVP Crocs Tour's top team on the women's side of the draw. May-Treanor and Walsh dropped Holly McPeak and Logan Tom into the contender's bracket with a 21-15, 21-15 victory.
McPeak and Tom will play Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan for a berth in the semifinals, while Wacholder and Turner will play April Ross and Jennifer Boss to fill the remaining slot.
In their afternoon match, Youngs and Branagh took control of the first set midway through with Branagh hitting a shot down the line for a winner to go up by one.
While their serve was effective in the first game, Youngs and Branagh found trouble in the second and Turner-Wacholder opened a six-point lead down the stretch and coasted to even the match.
The third set was back and forth, and Wacholder seemingly seized the momentum when she scored a point off Branagh's block for an 11-11 tie and then domed Youngs for the lead. But she and Turner didn't record another point.
"Nicole made a great dig on Tyra. I set her, and she put it down," said Youngs, who along with Branagh improved her record to 4-1 against Turner and Wacholder this season. "I hit a great angle hit in the corner. That is the team [we] want to be."
Under the lights, May-Treanor and Walsh took control early. The match's highlight was a thunderous kill shot by May-Treanor that followed a spirited rally, giving the top seed a 12-9 lead. May-Treanor later hit a crosscourt shot for matchpoint at 20-14 and Tom hit a serve long to end the first game.
Walsh then effectively salted the match away early in the second set, when she hit a winner down the line to tie the score, 8-8, and followed with an ace. McPeak then hit a shot long and May-Treanor and Walsh won going away as May-Treanor hit a soft cut shot at the net for the match.
"When you pull away from teams by one point, it gets in their head and they start changing things," Walsh said. "Us taking the lead changed the momentum, and they got a little more defensive instead of being offensive the whole time. That was a huge turning point."
On Friday, Boss and Ross fell into unfamiliar territory when they lost their initial match of the day, the first time they've faced the contender's bracket that early this season.
They recovered to eliminate qualifiers Tara Kuk and Jill Changaris and then roared through Saturday, winning all three of their matches. In their last match, they upended Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea, 21-12, 23-21, to advance to Sunday morning.
Fontana and DeNecochea came into the tournament on the heels of three straight third-place finishes and six thirds this season, but the loss to Ross-Boss handed them a seventh-place finish.

AVP men reflect on fatherhood
Biggest stars on tour have proper perspective
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C, — Mike Lambert will never forget Father's Day 2005. That's the day he became a dad.
He was in the delivery room when his wife Deborah gave birth to their daughter Svea Jay. Lambert had the easy job that unforgettable day.
"I cut the umbilical cord and held my wife's hand," said Lambert, who is spending this year's Father's Day weekend away from his family in Charleston, competing in the AVP Crocs Tour's Charleston Open. He's in the Lowcountry, but home is where his heart is.
The 6-foot-6 Hawaiian, who resides in Costa Mesa, Calif., travels across the country, and that's the tough part of his job. In addition to Svea Jay, the Lambert family also includes Jack Dillon, who is 7 1/2 months old. The children are too young to travel and a little too young to understand what dad does for a living. But when Svea Jay sees the silhouette of the volleyball player in the AVP logo, she says "Papa."
Being a father involves juggling schedules, time and activities. For Lambert, that means less time to surf, less time to play the guitar. It gives him more time for what's important in life.
"Being a dad is great," the 33-year-old Lambert said. "They grow up fast. That's what I tell everyone I see who has a newborn. They grow up fast, that's why I love spending time with my kids. It's tough being away from my family on Father's Day. The tough part is not Father's Day itself, but being gone. That's the tough part."
For 34-year-old Jeff Nygaard, today's the first time he will experience Father's Day as a dad. He and his wife Renee celebrated the birth of their daughter Sophia Justine on Jan. 7.
Nygaard lives in Long Beach, Calif., and hopes to be home by the end of the night.
"This Father's Day carries another level that I never knew," Nygaard said. "I'm going to call my dad (Neil) and see how he's doing and to let him know that I'm thinking of him. I'm going to let him know what I'm experiencing as a dad even though being a dad is still surreal. It still hasn't hit home."
Having children brings much more responsibility. Lambert got married, bought a house and had a child in about a year.
"Those were big life changes," Lambert said. "I did them all pretty quickly. One moment you're downsizing, by getting a smaller stereo and stuff like that, and at the same time, your adding things to you life. Being a father makes you want to make your family as secure as possible. Being a father makes you feel like a man because you're taking care of the people who love you. You have to give them attention and give them values. There's nothing like being a father."
Karch Kiraly celebrated Father's Day with his parents who were in town to watch him play. Once play concludes Sunday, the 46-year-old Kiraly will leave the Holy City and head to Sin City.
"I'm going to meet up with my family about an hour outside of Las Vegas," said Kiraly, who coaches his two sons in volleyball. "I probably won't get there until midnight, so we won't celebrate until Monday. Being away is part of the tour. You're always on the road on Father's Day, and you're always on the road for Mother's Day. I feel worse about Mother's Day because I want to give my wife and mom the proper celebration. But we're on tour that day."
Kiraly's father, Laszlo, taught him how to play volleyball. Kiraly said his father led by example.
"I don't know if there's one thing that he said that's stuck in my head," Kiraly said. "He's just been a great role mode in terms of how much hard work and effort he puts into being the best he can be at what he does."
Kiraly said he didn't pressure his sons, Kristian and Kory, to play volleyball. He doesn't have aspirations for them to play in the Olympics or become members of the AVP Tour.
"I just want them to enjoy life," Kiraly said.
Nygaard is a native of Madison, Wisc., and his father instilled Midwestern values in him. "My dad taught me life's about actions, not words," Nygaard said. "You can say one thing, but if you don't follow up, you're a liar. Being a father opens up areas that you didn't think of. You're taking care of your family and slipping into roles you never thought of. You worry about the financial aspects and you might seem a little overprotective of your family. But being a father is great."

Top seeds roll into women’s final
At Charleston Open, May-Treanor, Walsh take aim at eighth consecutive title
By From Staff Reports
CHARLESTON — At this rate Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh might never loser again.
The top-seeded duo advanced to the women’s semifinals of the Charleston Open with a 39-minute victory against Holly McPeak and Logan Tom Saturday night at the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center on Daniel Island.
The 21-15, 21-15 victory moved May-Treanor and Walsh two wins away from their eighth consecutive title on the AVP Tour
Third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs also advanced to the semifinals. Branagh and Youngs needed an hour to defeat second-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13.
Turner and Wacholder will face April Ross and Jennifer Boss with a berth in the semifinals at stake. McPeak and Tom will face Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan for the last semifinal berth.
The teams of Davis-Johnson and Ross-Boss reached the quarterfinals through the contenders’ bracket, which dominated Saturday’s schedule.
On the AVP Tour, contenders’ bracket matches consist of those teams that lost Friday and were trying to play their into today’s fifth-, seventh- and ninth-place matches.
In the women’s contenders’ bracket, Davis-Jordan won three matches, the last against Jenelle Koester and Stacy Rouwenhorst 22-24, 21-16, 15-8. Boss and Ross also won three matches, the last against Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana 21-12, 23-21.
The women’s final is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
In the men’s draw, the fourth-seeded team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger and the second-seeded team of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers advanced to the semifinals.
Lambert and Metzger defeated Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, 17-21, 21-15, 15-10.
Dalhausser and Rogers defeated Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 21-15, 21-13. Dalhausser and Rogers are seeking their sixth tour title this season but their first since the Louisville Open on May 27.
Kiraly and Wong are scheduled to face Mark Williams and Casey Jennings for a berth in the semifinals. However, Williams badly sprained his ankle in the team’s final match Saturday and his ability to play today is in doubt.
Remaining quarterfinal matches, followed by those for seventh, fifth and third are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The men’s final is scheduled for 4 p.m.
John Hyden and Brad Keenan advanced to the fifth-place match with a victory against Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, 21-13, 21-19.

Men’s top seed bounced
By Jeff Hartsell (Contact)
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Lambert-Metzger team upends Gibb-Rosenthal for berth in semifinals
Lambo, P. I, was on the case Saturday night at the AVP Charleston Open.
“ That’s what we call him when he gets like that,” Stein Metzger said of teammate Mike Lambert. “It’s ‘Passive Income’ for me. I just sit there and watch and facilitate.”
Lambert, a 6- 6 jumping jack from the Hawaiian Islands, ruled on Daniel Island this night, dominating the net as his fourth-seeded squad knocked off beach volleyball’s hottest male duo, top-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, in front of a crowd of about 2,000 at the Family Circle Tennis Center’s stadium court.
Lambert, also known as the “ Hawaiian Curtain,” racked up 20 kills and six blocks, including three straight facials in the crucial third game, as he and Metzger rallied for a 17-21, 21-15, 15-10 victory and a spot in today’s final four.
In the process, they sent Gibb and Rosenthal to the contenders’ bracket, where they will have to win three straight matches today to claim their third straight AVP Tour title.
No. 2 seed Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, five-time winners on tour this year, also made today’s final four with a straight-set win over No. 3 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong.
The top- seeded women’s team, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, stayed on track for their eighth straight AVP Tour title with a 21-15, 21-15 win over No. 5 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom. May-Treanor and Walsh earned a berth in today’s final four alongside third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
It looked as if Metzger and Lambert, who played high school volleyball together in Hawaii and won on the AVP Tour earlier this year at Huntington Beach, Calif., were destined for the elimination side of the bracket after Gibb and Rosenthal took the first game without much trouble.
“I think we showed really good maturity by not getting too frustrated by getting hosed down in that first game,” said Metzger, who teamed with Lambert for five wins last year. “ That’s happened to us before, and you see it a lot on this tour.
“But we just stayed calm and realized we were starting from scratch the next game, and we could still win the next two.”
The showdown was a rematch of last week’s final in Atlanta, won by Gibb and Rosenthal.
“We beat them at this same point last week, on Saturday night,” said Metzger, who was a three- time All-American at UCLA. “And they came back to beat us in the finals. Now, we have to make sure that if they make a move (today), that we beat them in the finals.”
On the women’s side, the thirdseeded duo of Branagh and Youngs is the only team to claim an AVP title this season aside from MayTreanor and Walsh, taking the year’s first event in Miami. But the pair had to skip last week’s event in Atlanta because of Branagh’s sore ankle.
Youngs had not missed a tournament in 11 years.
Lambert, a three-time All-American at Stanford, was impressed with the Saturday night crowd at the Family Circle Tennis Center, which is hosting the AVP Tour for the first time.
“ This arena is fantastic,” Lambert said of stadium court. “It’s a double- decker, and the seating is awesome. It’s a great venue, fun to be here.
“ This is going to turn out to be a great event on our tour. The first time you come to a city, you think of it as a city that is going to grow. But here, it’s got a green thumb. You can tell South Carolina is going to grow this into a great event.”
The ninth-seeded team of Mark Williams and Casey Jennings gutted out a dramatic win Saturday, but could be iffy for today’s contenders’ bracket match with Kiraly and Wong.
Williams, a 6-7 Californian, sprained his ankle during the second game of a match with Fred Souza and Anthony Medel. Williams collided with Souza at net and had to be carried off the court. But he got taped up and hobbled through a 21-14, 17-21, 16-14 victory.
“ Today was awesome,” Williams said. “ There was a chance we weren’t going to be able to finish the match. Now we’re playing (today). It’s strange, it’s amazing.”
Jake Gibb graduated from Utah with a degree in business, but sounds like he’s determined not to put it to use.
“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything or process anything as a career,” he says. “ I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought or processed, or repair anything sold, bought or processed.”
Good thing volleyball is working out.

Roca hopes third partner's a charm
Brazilian teams with Fendrick to finish ninth
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Time.
Paula Roca says it's the only thing she and new teammate Lauren Fendrick need to challenge for a championship on the AVP Crocs Tour.
Roca and Fendrick joined forces in time to play in the Atlanta Open and finished in ninth place. It was more of the same in Charleston when they were eliminated Saturday afternoon in a 27-25, 21-17 loss to Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Roca began the season with Alicia Polzin as her teammate and then switched over to Sarah Straton. She's hoping her third partner's a charm.
"It's hard to change anytime," the 35-year-old Brazilian said. "I think there's a process of adjusting to a new partner. It's especially hard in the middle of the season. I'm happy with our ninth-place finish. I'm satisfied because we've had no time to train. Our goal is to get better.
"I want to go to Sunday. I want to go to fifth place and have a chance to play for the championship. Our goal is to always win the next game. One game at a time is our goal. We just want to keep winning and get better."
Roca is impressed with Fendrick's athletic ability. Fendrick, 25, was a three-sport star in high school and attended UCLA, where she was on the Pac-10 All-Freshman volleyball team. She was also a reserve pitcher on the Bruins' NCAA runner-up softball team. She was strong in the classroom, too, earning Academic All-American honors three different years.
"Lauren is a very easy-going player and she's making the process a lot easier for us," Roca said. "She's got the talent and the right attitude."
Roca finished 2006 ranked in the top 32, making it the fourth-straight year she's accomplished that. She used to play professionally in Brazil and still goes there before the AVP Tour kicks off each year to train with the top Brazilian players. Off the court, she's working to become a U.S. customs broker.
Fendrick, who began the season with Brittany Hochevar as her teammate, says Roca's experience allows her to learn more about the sport she's been playing professionally since 2003.
"She's great," Fendrick said. "She's easy to play with. She's an athlete who has a lot of experience. It's a lot of fun. A successful team definitely has to have the right chemistry. It's just you and the other person and there are moments when things don't look pretty and don't go well. That's when you have to play together and not as two individuals.
"A lot of teams have that honeymoon period where they come out on fire even though they don't practice that much," Fendrick said. "After that, they seem to go flat. Our goal is to keep getting better and better." Roca and Fendrick will benefit from the tour's upcoming two-week break. They will recover from their transition, practice and prepare for the next stop on the tour, which begins July 5 in Seaside Heights, N.J. "Most teams on the tour know how to play the game," Fendrick said. "So it's a matter of whether you gel or not. I think we will."

Misty, Kerri make it a holy eight
Defeat EY-Branagh in women's final for fourth time
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON. S.C. -- They're not perfect, but they're awfully close.
Aside from a third-place finish in the season opener, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have won every tournament this season on the AVP Crocs Tour. On Sunday, the top women's team made it eight straight with a dominating 21-13, 21-12 victory over Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh.
Their performance was the opposite of their semifinal match earlier in the day, when Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder extended them to three sets and ended their string of nine-straight two-set matches.
It was the first three-set match for May-Treanor and Walsh since June 3, when Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan took the duo to three sets before losing in the Tampa semifinals.
But Youngs and Branagh saw no indecision, mental errors or misplayed shots from May-Treanor and Walsh. Instead they were handed a solid dose of mistake-free volleyball as the No. 1 seed methodically strode through the match, scoring points in bunches.
"We were just more aggressive. We talked it out and didn't worry about their side," May-Treanor said. "As long as we stayed in our groove we knew that everything would be OK. But we talked about bringing more fire."
That was clearly evident in the first set as May-Treanor and Walsh raced to a 4-0 lead. After seeing Branagh trim the lead to a single point with an ace, May-Treanor and Walsh steadily pulled ahead.
Walsh put down a kill off a quick set by May-Treanor to go up 8-4, and later posted consecutive blocks for an 11-7 lead. A cut shot by May-Treanor made it 16-10, and then she scored a point off Branagh's block to go up 20-13. Branagh was then called for two hits on a set and the first game was in the books.
Youngs and Branagh put their pride on the line in the second set and appeared to be getting back into the match. Branagh got a kill to side out and Youngs added one of her own to trail by one, 7-8.
Consecutive points by May-Treanor made it 10-7, but Branagh sided out and Youngs hit a shot down the line to trim the deficit to one, 9-10.
They wouldn't get any closer.
Walsh hit a cross-court shot for a point, Branagh committed a hitting error, May-Treanor drilled a winner and the match was in hand. May-Treanor later hit a cut shot to set up championship point and Branagh followed by hitting a ball out to end it. Youngs and Branagh then left to catch a flight before they could comment on the loss.
Walsh was dominant at the net throughout the match, but didn't give credit to the unusually hard surface. She said that she and her partner were just consistent.
"Everyone is getting up higher and I thought it would be more beneficial for those girls because they're such high fliers and I'm not known for my jumping ability, but we played really steady, solid volleyball," Walsh said. "We didn't try and do too much."
From the outset, their semifinal match earlier in the day against Turner and Wacholder appeared anything but competitive as May-Treanor and Walsh rolled to a nine-point victory with May-Treanor scoring the winner in the first game.
But in the second, Wacholder and Turner switched up their offensive attack, splitting the court to force May-Treanor to one side or the other on defense and setting the ball higher to counter-act Walsh's blocking.
It worked, as Turner and Wacholder took control of the match with a 21-14 victory, highlighted by Wacholder's dig that floated over the net and to the back line for a 19-12 lead. Turner hit home the winner for the set.
"Tyra put up a solid block and I got tentative and kind of lost," May-Treanor said.
The third set went down to the final points as Wacholder hit a winner down the line to side out for a 12-12 tie, but May-Treanor scored off Turner's block. Walsh followed with a block and a quick put-away and then Turner was called for being over the net on matchpoint.
"It is disappointing because we could have scored a point there," Turner said. "It is difficult to end a game when you feel that both teams are working hard and then an outside influence comes into the middle of the game. Sometimes you need to be able to play."
Branagh and Youngs disposed of Davis and Johnson Jordan in the other semifinal, but it took them three sets to do so.
No. 7 Johnson Jordan-Davis played the No. 3 seed in the women's draw tough through the first set before losing, 18-21. In the second, they rolled to a 21-14 victory. Branagh and Youngs pulled away midway through the third set to take a 15-10 win and reach their fifth final this season.
April Ross and Jennifer Boss saw their tournament come to and end at the hands of Wacholder-Turner. The first two sets were mirror images as Wacholder and Turner controlled the first, but Boss and Ross took the upper hand in the second. Yet Wacholder and Turner prevailed in a tight third set to win 21-14, 14-21, 15-13.
Logan Tom and Holly McPeak were also looking to return to the final four, but ran into the increasingly consistent play of Davis and Johnson Jordan, who rattled off a 21-19, 21-17 victory.
Boss-Ross and McPeak-Tom shared fifth place as both teams head to Europe to play in Olympic qualifying events along with Turner-Wacholder, Youngs-Branagh and May-Treanor and Walsh.

Williams leaves mark on tourney
AVP star overcomes injury to place third
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Casey Jennings said it ranked in his top five, while Mark Williams said he didn't know what happened.
What transpired, though, was a team fighting the odds and a player fighting through pain to put an indelible mark on the AVP Charleston Open.
Following a night of therapy and ice and another round of treatment Sunday morning, Williams tossed thoughts of forfeit aside and took the court with a heavily-taped left ankle and paired with Jennings to pull off an unlikely victory.
Facing Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong with a slot in the semifinals for the winners and a fifth-place finish for the losers at stake, Williams and Jennings emerged from a match that seemed to tip every point their way.
"Even though it is just a game, we put all of our energy and hearts and minds into it," Jennings said. "I was amazed that he could show so much courage and still win. It takes so much to play through pain and lose, but we won. It was one of the greatest matches we ever played."
Williams sprained his ankle during the second set of his match with Fred Souza and Anthony Medel on Saturday afternoon. He was helped from the court but returned and — despite laboring through pain and hobbling to his position at the net — Williams and Jennings came from behind in the third set to win the match.
X-rays taken Saturday night proved negative and Williams said he got a psychological boost knowing the injury was just a sprain.
The pain increased Sunday morning, though, and Williams said he was questionable to play. The adrenaline that helped in Saturday's match was no longer flowing, but Williams was confident he wouldn't cause any further damage.
When the injury first happened, they swapped assignments with Jennings going to the net and Williams staying back, but they scrapped that idea when it caused more pain. On Sunday, they played their regular spots and it worked.
Williams held his own at the net, and he and Jennings pulled off the 21-19, 21-9 victory.
"This is actually just a lucky game. They started out serving me and I passed a couple to Casey and he put the ball away so I wouldn't have to," Williams said. "We got lucky on three or four plays at least where it touched the blocker and went out of bounds."
Williams felt that he and Jennings had the mental edge but his partner thought the weekend and the hard playing surface took a toll on Kiraly's 46-year-old body.
"I know he was hurting and I hate to see that, but he was our opponent and we have to play him like anyone else and he would have it no other way," Jennings said.
The magic did not carry into the next round, though, as Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger won the semifinal match, 21-19, 21-19. Williams will get to rest his ankle as the tour goes on a two-week hiatus and the team will not be playing in the Olympic qualifiers.
Gold standard: The Charleston Open was the 58th straight tournament won by a team that included Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh or Elaine Youngs. The last time one of those three did not claim victory was 2002 in Chicago, where Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan took the crown.
Cut shots: May-Treanor and Walsh are 71-15 in championship matches and 46-6 on the AVP Tour. ... Partners Jenny Pavley (31) and Jenny Kropp (28) both celebrated birthdays Sunday. ... Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic have a 21-2 match record in the qualifying round this season and have advanced to the main draw six times. Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie have successfully qualified four times this season, and have posted a 13-1 match record in qualifiers.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will take a two-week break as a pair of FIVB Grand Slam events for both the men and women are held in Europe. The tour will resume July 5-8 with the Seaside Heights Open in New Jersey.

Lambert, Metzger back on title track
Former No. 1 team wins in Charleston
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The city of Charleston is all about manners and etiquette. It prides itself on being the most polite city in the United States. But on Sunday, about 4,000 of its residents let their hair down and found time to get a little rowdy.
The reason?
The AVP Crocs Tour's Charleston Open championships were contested at the Family Circle Magazine Stadium, and before the main event, it was part discotheque, part best body contest and part celebrity sighting. In other words, it was all fun.
Where else could you do the wave or have the winning team spray champagne on you on a Sunday afternoon in Charleston?
And yes, there was volleyball too. The No. 4 seeded team of Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger topped No. 2 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, 21-19, 21-15, in 59 minutes to win their second title of the year. Their first title came on May 6 at Huntington Beach, Calif.
The victory by the No. 4 seed snapped a streak of 16 straight tournaments in which the championship wasn't won by a No. 1 or 2 seed.
Dalhausser and Rogers lead the series 6-5, including 3-2 in the finals. But on this day, Lambert and Metzger were on top.
"We got over the hump," Lambert said in reference to losing the championship last week in Atlanta to Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal. "We haven't played [Dalhausser and Rogers] since the first tournament of the year when they beat us in two close sets. They've been the leaders of the pack, the top team on the tour, and we wanted to play them in the final to see how we stack up."
Lambert and Metzger will split the $20,000 winner's check. Dalhausser and Rogers, who were seeking their sixth title of the year, will split $15,000.
"It is so sweet when you struggle to get them," Metzger said. "We've been struggling to win at times, and when you're not getting as many as wins as you expect, it makes it that much better when you battle and fight and turn over every stone to find a win. Now, it's time to enjoy this."
Lambert and Metzger leave for Paris in the morning to compete on the FIVB Tour. "This will make the flight that much better," Metzger said.
Lambert and Metzger have combined for seven titles. Sunday's victory gives Lambert 14 titles, while Metzger has 15, which is good for 30th place on the career winner's list. He also topped $700,000 in prize money.
It was the first time the AVP Crocs Tour stopped in Charleston, and Lambert said he felt welcomed.
"I'm just glad we can bring the game that we love to you guys who might not have ever seen a match. We got a lot of love here."
Lambert recorded nine kills, three digs, two blocks and two aces. Metzger logged 15 kills and seven digs.
Dalhausser recorded five kills, three blocks and an ace, while Rogers tallied 15 kills, eight digs and two aces.
Dalhausser and Rogers reached the championship with a 21-18, 18-21, 16-14 victory over No. 8 John Hyden and Brad Keenan on Sunday morning.
While Lambert and Metzger are the champions, Mark Williams gets the captain's courageous award.
Williams, who teamed up with Casey Jennings, injured his ankle midway through Saturday's victory over Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.
He woke up Sunday morning with a left ankle that was "a little sore and tender, pretty swollen and black and blue." But the show went on for Williams and Jennings.
They defeated No. 3 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong in the first match of the day, but fell to Lambert and Metzger, 21-19, 21-19, in the semifinals.
"I was pumped up yesterday, so I didn't feel much pain," Williams said. "This morning, that's all I felt. But the adrenaline was pumping in the first game, I felt pretty good out there. We got kind of lucky out there. Karch is 47 and he played to 11:30 last night and then had to play at 9:30 this morning, so that might have been a factor.
"We lost, but it was an awesome experience," Williams continued. "The tournament was a little bit of everything. It was too hot at times, and it was too rainy at times. I've played in pain and I was pain-free. So, there's been some ups and downs, some great wins and tough losses. I kind of experienced it all."

Crocs Cup points system announced
Best 14 finishes determine standings
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The points system for the Crocs Cup has been approved and was officially announced on Sunday.
The top men's and women's teams will be crowned Crocs Cup Champion and will win a Tiffany trophy with the award, based on the best 14 finishes of the regular season.
The Charleston Open was the ninth event of the year and the regular season will conclude with the Cincinnati Open, Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
Leading on the men's side for the season-ending award are Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser by virtue of their five wins this year on tour in addition to one second- and three third-place finishes. Dalhausser and Rogers have 2,934 points.
Heading the list on the women's side of the draw is the No. 1 duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh with 3,150 points. May-Treanor and Walsh have won eight of nine events this season and the also placed third in the season-opener in Miami.
Rounding out the top 10 women's teams in the Crocs Cup standings are: Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder with 2,484 points; Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, 2,322; Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 2,196; Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 2,052; Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 1,782; Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, 1,764; Carrie Dodd and Tatiana Minello, 1,602; Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson, 1,332; and Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima, 1,296.
Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb are running second on the men's side with 2,772 points and are followed by Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger with 2,196; Casey Jennings and Mark Williams, 1,800; Matt Olson and Jason Ring, 1,692; Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, 1,584; Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, 1,566; Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, 1,512; John Hyden and Brad Keenan, 1,476; and Nick Lucena and Will Strickland, 1,296.

FIVB events highlight two-week break
Tour's elite will participate in Olympic qualifying
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- It will be make or break time over the next couple of weeks for the touring pros.
With the AVP Crocs Tour taking an early summer vacation, some players will be heading home, but for a handful of the elite, the international stage awaits.
Two key FIVB events are taking place this week on both the women's and men's sides of the draw. The Henkel Grand Slam in Paris will be held June 19-24 for the women and June 20-24 for the men.
The following week in Stavanger, Norway, the women's draw of the Conoco Philips Grand Slam will be held June 26-30, and the men's draw will be held June 27-July 1.
The tournaments mark the first opportunity for American players to begin the qualifying process for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing next summer. These upcoming events carry extra significance as well since all Grand Slam events are weighted more heavily and award double points.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh head the group of U.S. women that also includes Elaine Youngs-Nicole Branagh, Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder, Jennifer Boss-April Ross and Holly McPeak-Logan Tom.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who won the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal in Athens, are looking to ride a wave of momentum. Not only are they the defending Olympic champions, but a victory in the Charleston Open on Sunday was their eighth-straight victory on the AVP Tour.
"We're going to go overseas and kick some butt," Walsh said.
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger also got a boost Sunday when the duo upended Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser to win the men's Charleston title. It was Lambert and Metzger's second title this season and also their second-straight finals appearance.
"It is really huge for qualifying for the Olympics," Lambert said. "If Stein and I can take the way we've been playing here over there, we will be in good shape to get a couple of good results."
Metzger was equally upbeat.
"I love Paris. They put on a good event. It is not the AVP, but it is a good event."
The other U.S. men's teams playing in Europe over the next two weeks are Dalhausser-Rogers, Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal, Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott and Kevin Wong-Jason Ring.
Qualification will be based on a team's best eight finishes over the next two years.
For the players remaining stateside, the next two weeks will allow for a break, some needed rest and a chance to reconnect with families.
Two players that will use the time to recuperate from injuries are Mark Williams and Tatiana Minello.
Williams sprained his left ankle during a match Saturday, but played on Sunday and advanced to the semifinals with partner Casey Jennings. X-rays were negative and Williams is confident he'll be able to return.
Minello re-aggravated a right quadriceps strain she initially suffered two weeks ago in Tampa. She and partner Carrie Dodd were forced to retire in their match against Jenelle Koester and Stacy Rouwenhorst.
The AVP Tour will resume July 5-8 with the Seaside Heights Open in New Jersey.

Cuervo hits the Holy City
Two more named Ultimate Beach Girl, Guy
By Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. — As we begin the second half of the quest for the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy, the competition gets more and more fierce.
Charleston stuck true to its reputation of beautiful southern belles and hunky gentlemen.
While we usually have five women and five men competing at every stop, South Carolina provided us with six of each. The winners of each stop's contests will advance to the Gods and Goddesses Tournament at Caesar's Palace this September. There they will compete to become the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy. The winners will receive a feature layout in Maxim or Cosmopolitan magazines and a one-year talent agency contract.
Cameron Hopf of Athens, Greece and Charleston native Michelle Smith were this week's winners and recipients of the trip to Las Vegas to compete for the Ultimate title.
In an army-print bikini with her blonde hair pulled back, Smith beat out real-life Marine officer Madeleine Scarbrough. After competing in the Ultimate Beach Girl competition, she has high hopes to be a movie star.
Cameron, a self-proclaimed professional margarita drinker, will face off with the rest of the Cuervo winners in late September.
When asked what distinguishes him from the rest of the competition, Cameron wrote, "I speak Italian and I'm the best looking guy here."
Hopefully, Cameron will have the same confidence that won the hearts of the Charleston audience in Las Vegas.
"South Carolina is known for its good-looking people. The winners will be strong competitors in Las Vegas," said Karen Linhart, account executive for AVP public relations.
After all of the stiff competition the southern part of the Tour has featured, the two-week break ahead is much needed. The search for the Ultimate Beach Girl and Guy 4th of July weekend in Seaside Heights, N.J.

Finding success in the Lowcountry
By Charles Bennett (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, June 18, 2007
The combination of Charleston and the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour looks like a good fit.
The tour wrapped up its first stop in Charleston with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh winning the Charleston Open women's title and Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger winning the men's title Sunday at the Family Circle Tennis Center.
"This has been a tremendously successful first-time event," said AVP Tour commissioner Leonard Armato. "It was really one of the most successful ever. We faced some challenges at the first of the week with all the rain, but the fans turned out. We've had a great experience here in Charleston. It's a town with great history, great food. It's a town that appreciates the sport. We feel like it's something we can build on for the future."
Attendance figures were not immediately available.
The women's championship match saw May-Treanor and Walsh win their eighth consecutive title in nine tour events this season and their 15th in their last 16 AVP Tour events.
They beat Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs 21-13, 21-12.
After accepting the winners' check for $20,000, Walsh praised the Charleston crowd for being one of the loudest on tour.
"The crowds were great," Walsh said. "It was a lot of fun out there."
Branagh and Youngs beat May-Treanor and Walsh in Miami in the first AVP Tour stop this season, but May-Treanor and Walsh have dominated ever since.
"We don't worry about who is on the other side of the net as long as we stay in our groove," May-Treanor said. "We came out with a little more fire today. We just played really steady, smart volleyball. We didn't try to do too much."
Despite the pair's dominance May-Treaor believes she and Walsh have yet to reach their peak.
"Kerri and I try to work on things each week and we try to incorporate them into each match," she said. It's fun to see when we get better how much easier the game becomes. We're having a lot of fun. We're still getting better. There's still more in our box."
In the men's match, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger beat Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers 21-19, 21-15. Dalhausser and Rogers had won seven of their last 10 events.
"We haven't played them since the first tournament of the year," said Lambert. "They've been the leader of the pack, showing that they're the top team on tour. I've always wanted to play them in a final to see if we could match up."
Lambert also praised the local crowd. "A lot of times the first time you come to a city, word really hasn't gotten around. It's sort of like planting a seedling and it takes awhile to grow. But you could tell the promoters did a fantastic job. We felt really well received here and people were fired up about it."
The AVP Tour will return to Charleston for the next two years under the current contract, but Armato is hopeful that it's just the beginning of a long and successful relationship. "This year exceeded our expectations. We're delighted with the results of the first year. We hope to build it bigger and better in the future. We hope it extends beyond the next two years."

AVP bought out by Walt Disneys nephew, partner
By John McDermott (Contact)
Monday, June 18, 2007
The action at this weekends inaugural AVP Charleston Open beach volleyball tournament wasn't limited to a man-made sand pit on Daniel Island.
As it turns out, AVP Inc., the Los Angeles-based sports entertainment company that owns the event, also is in play. And an investor with a familiar name at the helm is guarding one side of the net.
The friendly matchup went public in April, when publicly traded AVP disclosed it has entered into an agreement to go private via a nearly $37 million buyout with affiliates of Shamrock Holdings Inc.
The sale is expected to close this summer.
"We see this agreement as the right step in the evolution of the company," said Leonard Armato, who is expected to continue as AVPs chief executive officer.
" This transaction with Shamrock allows us to streamline our business operation and focus AVPs precious resources on building the business rather than public company compliance and raising capital. We are at an inflection point in the evolution of the company and Shamrock provides direct access to capital that will accelerate the opportunity for AVP to grow and enable us to take the tour to the next level.
Burbank, Calif.-based Shamrock Holdings was founded in 1978 by Roy E. Disney, a nephew of the late Walt Disney, and longtime business partner Stanley P. Gold. Their firm manages approximately $2 billion of assets on behalf of institutional investors through its five funds.
The fund that is snapping up AVP seeks "exceptional opportunities among domestic media, entertainment and communications companies, said Robert F. Perille, a managing director with Shamrock.
"Lifestyle-based sports entertainment is seeing unprecedented growth due to the unique interactive experience it provides attendees, sponsors and licensees, Perille said in a statement when the AVP deal was announced.
AVP generates most of its revenue through sponsorship and advertising contracts with national and local sponsors and advertisers, along with local event sales.
Last year, it took in $36 million, up 38 percent from 2005, while narrowing its net loss to $340,000 from nearly $9 million.
Disney and Gold, of course, know a thing or two about entertainment, not to mention hard-knuckled competition, with or without a net. They were the investors who led the successful shareholder revolt in 2004 against then-Walt Disney Co.
CEO Michael Eisner.

Charleston to become flagship event
Holy City has potential to become fixture on tour
By Philip Bowman / Special to AVP.com
CHARLESTON, S.C — The AVP Crocs Tour has a three-year contract to host the Charleston Open at the Family Circle Tennis Center. Don't be surprised if it turns out to be a longtime commitment.
"We're looking forward to building a truly first-class, top-notch AVP Crocs Tour here for a long time," said Leonard Amato, the CEO and Commissioner of the AVP. "We hope to continue on for many years to come. We feel this has the potential to become one of our flagship events.
"It's just a matter of introducing the people of Charleston to this sport and lifestyle, which is infectious. Once you experience it, you become an evangelist."
Armato, who has been in the sports representation and marketing business for two decades, couldn't control the weather as Friday, the first day of the main draw, was pretty much a wash because of the rain. Saturday night was more indicative of what Armato expects in the future. The crowd at the stadium court found themselves having a good time and rooting for heroes such as Mike Lambert and the icon Karch Kiraly.
"We're hoping to build on what happened Saturday night," Armato said. "We had a wonderful session, and that will have a lasting impression on those who were here."
The rain caused sand and drainage problems, but the courts were in much better shape for Sunday's play.
AVP player Jason Ring wasn't happy when the sand became compacted because of the rain earlier in the week, but he gave Charleston a passing grade.
He said the Family Circle Tennis Center was a great venue, adding, "I have a feeling this will be a great stop for us in the future.
"This is one we won't put on probation, I'll put it that way," Ring said. "Some of the players, in their minds, put a new place on probation, but this is not one of them. I want to come back."
There are 18 stops on this summer's tour, and nine cities are hosting for the first time, including Charleston, Boston, Miami and San Francisco.
"Charleston is a wonderful town with a lot of history," Armato said. "The people here really enjoy a great sporting event, and they love the full entertainment experience."

AVP volleyball professionals battle Charleston bugs to win first tourney
By STAFF REPORT
Jun 21, 2007, 09:37
More than 12,000 fans attended last week’s AVP Crocs Tour Charleston Open at Family Circle Tennis Center.
Top seeds Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh continued their domination of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, winning their eighth consecutive title of the season with a 21-13, 21-12 victory over third-seeds Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs at the AVP Crocs Tour Charleston Open, the ninth event of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour.
"We had just over 12,000 fans spanning five ticketed sessions, and more patrons who were not counted on Thursday, which was free admission for qualifying action," said Mike Saia, communications manager for Family Circle Cup Tennis Center.
May-Treanor, and her fellow professionals, said that the mosquitoes, fire ants, palmetto bugs added a new dimension to tour competition
May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to Sunday’s final with hard-fought 21-12, 14-21, 15-12 wins over second-seeds Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. The three-set match marked the first time May-Treanor and Walsh dropped a game in this tournament.
Branagh and Youngs reached their fifth final of the season after defeating seventh-seeds Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan 21-18, 14-21, 15-10 in the final four on Sunday afternoon. Champions in Miami earlier this season, Branagh and Youngs are still looking for that elusive second title.
"It’s our first event in Charleston but it feels like we’ve been here for years," said Walsh. "We played really steady and smooth."
On the men’s side, fourth-seeds Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger defeated second-seeds Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers 21-19, 21-15 to win their second title of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. Their win marked the first time in 16 AVP Crocs Tour events that the title did not go to a team seeded first or second.
Lambert and Metzger advanced to Sunday’s final with a 21-19, 21-19 win over ninth-seeds Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. Dalhausser and Rogers advanced to the championship match in Charleston with a 21-18, 18-21, 16-14 win over eighth-seeds John Hyden and Brad Keenan.
"We haven’t played (Dalhausser and Rogers) since the first event in Miami," said Lambert. "They’ve become the leader of the pack and we’ve wanted to play them in a final."

Men’s Standings
1. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers, 2,934
2. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal, 2,772
3. Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger, 2,196
4. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams, 1,800
5. Matt Olson / Jason Ring, 1,692
6. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott, 1,584
7. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong, 1,566
8. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza, 1,512
9. John Hyden / Brad Keenan, 1,476
10. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland, 1,296

Women’s Standings
1. Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh, 3,150
2. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder, 2,484
3. Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs, 2,322
4. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana, 2,196
5. Jennifer Boss / April Ross, 2,052
6. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan, 1,782
7. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom, 1,764
8. Carrie Dodd / Tatiana Minello, 1,602
9. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson, 1,332
10. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima, 1,296

Photos:

Karch Kiraly Charleston 2007 AVP photo by Steven Floyd

Here's a link with his permission to some of the pictures courtesy of Steve Floyd of the KQvolleyball Yahoo Group which he took at the AVP in Charleston last weekend:

http://picasaweb.google.com/spfloyd2000/AVPCharlestonJune2007

Photos From This Week's Social Scene
Charleston City Paper
I got back to my roots this week with a trip to James Island on Wednesday night. A few of the volleyball players in town for the AVP Charleston Open were at J. Paulz for a promotion. I don't drink martinis often, but I wanted one that night — and was told they were only for the women. To feel worthy of such a sophisticated establishment, I busted out my Red Man tobacco, scratched my crotch, and ordered a Budweiser.
On Thursday I hit Cumberland's and saw The Lasso Gospel Choir and A Decent Animal. Cumberland's never disappoints, and the crème de le crème of local musical talent came out for a fun night. I was a little nervous Friday; it poured rain all day, and I hoped the AVP Open wasn't cancelled. It wasn't, and an undercover volleyball enthusiast and I went to the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island for the Tournament. It was so awesome! I had zero knowledge of the volleyball world, but by the end of the night I was talking with two professional players and totally holding my own (as far as I knew). I was very impressed with the event as a whole. It's certainly something that Charleston should support and foster. The afterparty at Lana, just a few blocks from the venue, was a lot of fun, and my willpower was sorely tested with at least 1,000 taquitos on a buffet table within 10 feet of where I was sitting.
On Saturday, after a great day on Folly Beach, I went to a house on the Battery and enjoyed the company of some great folks on a terrace overlooking the harbor. This is just one of the reasons I love Charleston so much. After that, a friend and I drove instead of taking CARTA to West Ashley to see Jesse Janes, a great collection of some of my favorite local female musicians. Cary Ann Hearst was in rare 'shoot 'em up' form and made it not only a great performance instrumentally and vocally, but it was entertaining and funny as well. Where do you want to go next?

Charleston AVP 2007 Photo Gallery

AVP on DVD
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-Buy (1) Veriuni Nutritional Supplement below and get (1) FREE DVD of the 2007 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Charleston,South Carolina Open
June 14th - June 17th, 2007 Men's & Women's Finals on a single DVD disc as our GIFT to you.

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FORMERLY THE BELMAR SUNKIST OPEN

July 18-19,1998 - Belmar, New Jersey - June 26-27,1999 - Belmar, New Jersey
July 21st-23rd 2000 - Belmar, New Jersey-July 20th-22nd 2001 - Belmar, New Jersey
June 28th-30th 2002 - Belmar,New Jersey

NEXT EVENT: July 5th-July8th 2007 !!!!!!

AVP $200,000 Seaside Heights OPEN
Seaside Heights, NJ- JULY 5TH-JULY 8TH 2007
presented by Bud Light

Event Coverage

Casino Pier and Beach, Seaside Heights, New Jersey

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY
"YOUR HOME FOR FAMILY FUN SINCE 1913!"
Official Web Site

Weather:

Event Links:
AVP Tour Event Coverage

AVP Seaside Heights Open
Seaside Heights, July 5th - July 8th, 2007

TICKETS FOR THE AVP SEASIDE HEIGHTS OPEN PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT ARE NOW ON SALE!

*All ticket holders will also be required to purchase a $5.00 Seaside Heights daily beach badge for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday day sessions.

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Event Information:

Main Draw
• 32 Teams, 8 Courts
• 22 automatic entries, 2 exemptions

Qualifier
• 40 Men's and Women's teams
• 8 teams advance via Qualifier

Finals
• WOMEN: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday 7/8
• MEN: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 7/8
Player registration information

* Click here to register now!
Registration ends Mon., July 2 at Noon PT.

AVP Seaside Open
7/5 – 7/8
Qualifier- 7/5
Main Draw – 7/5-7/8
(Men’s at 4:00 pm on Sunday, 7/8; and Women's Final at 2:30 on Sunday, 7/8)
Thursday
Qualifier play starts at 8:00 AM (Registration at 7:00 AM)
Friday
Play starts at 9:30 AM
(4 Men’s courts and 4 Women’s courts)
Saturday
Play starts at 9:30 AM
(4 men’s courts and 4 men’s courts)
Sunday
Play starts at 9:45 am
(4 courts)
--REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JULY 2ND AT NOON PST
--TO HAVE A VALID ENTRY, BOTH MEMBERS OF A TEAM MUST SIGN UP.
--TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION FEE PER PLAYER IS $50
--(IF A LATE REGISTRATION IS ACCEPTED, THE REGISTRATION FEE IS $100 PER PLAYER)
AVP will do it’s best to accommodate all teams that sign up for the qualification tournament. In the event that the qualification tournament will need to be capped due to a limited number of courts, teams will be granted entry into the qualifier based on their AVP entry point ranking.
As a result, until the final qualification bracket is released on Wednesday by 12:00 noon PT of the week of the Seaside event, all entries into the tournament are pending. All teams who are not able to compete due to draw limitations will have their entry fees refunded.

QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT:
--Registration and check in will take place starting at 7:00 AM. Players must bring a form of identification (e.g., Driver's License).
--ALL players must register and check in by 10:00 AM. Check in must be completed before your first match. If you do not check in before the first game in your first match, you will forfeit your first game. If you fail to check in 10 minutes after your match is called up, you FORFEIT your match. Competition play will start at 8:00 AM.
--ALL players who qualify for the main draw MUST sign the AVP Player Agreement. Players who do not sign the agreement prior to start of the main draw will be unable to participate and will be ineligible for future AVP competition.
--APPAREL GUIDELINES: All qualifier participants must be in matching apparel. Specifically, all playing partners are required to wear the same color swimwear. This means the same color shorts for the men and the same color suits for the women. The apparel can be different in design and can be from any manufacturer but must be the same color. Please remember in the case of patterned swimwear, all colors in the pattern must match your partner. Players who DO NOT adhere to this guideline WILL FORFEIT their match.

MAIN DRAW COMPOSITION:
Men and Women:
--32 Team Draw
--22 automatic entries
--Up to 2 wild card spots. Any wild card spots not used will be added to the automatic entries.
--8 teams through the qualifier

EVENT REGISTRATION PROCEDURE AND DEADLINES:
The only valid method of entry for AVP events is online at www.avp.com. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED WITH PAYMENT (VISA/MC/AMEX/DISCOVER) along with an accurate address, phone number, email address, and playing partner's name. Any player who does not have access to a computer or the internet may register in person at the AVP offices. Phone and facsimile entries will not be accepted.
NO ENTRY FEES SHALL BE REFUNDED IN THE EVENT OF A WITHDRAWAL, APPROVED OR OTHERWISE.
If you have questions, please contact AVP at avpreg@avp.com.

What:
AVP 2007 Seaside Heights Open
Where:
Seaside Heights,NJ
The AVP Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light will be held on Fourth of July Weekend (July 5th - July 8th, 2007) at Seaside Heights Beach. The stadium will be located between Blaine and Sumner Avenues, accessible from the boardwalk.

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Youth Clinics:

Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn AVP Youth Indoor to Outdoor Transition Clinics are for all volleyball players between the ages of 12-18. Clinics are held onsite at AVP events and are free.
Complete Clinic & Registration Information

General Directions:

Map

By Car From the North and South:
Garden State Parkway Exit 82 eastbound. Take Route 37 east. Cross the Barnegat Bay. Follow the signs into Seaside Heights.

By Car From Philadelphia:
Route 70 east to Route 37 east at Lakehurst. Take Route 37 east. Cross the Barnegat Bay. Follow the signs into Seaside Heights.

By Car From the Pocono's Area:
Take Route 80 East to Route 287 South to the Garden State Parkway. South on the Garden State Parkway to exit 82. Take Route 37 East. Cross the Barnegat Bay. Follow the signs into Seaside Heights.

By Car From the Pennsylvania Turnpike:
Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike Eastbound to connection with the New Jersey Turnpike. North on the New Jersey Turnpike to exit 7A. Take Interstate 195 east to the Garden State Parkway south. Take Parkway south to exit 82 eastbound on to Route 37.Follow route 37 east. Cross over the Barnegat Bay. Follow signs into Seaside Heights.

By Car From Trenton:
Take Interstate 195 east to the Garden State Parkway south. Take Parkway Exit 82 eastbound. Take Route 37 east. Cross the Barnegat Bay. Follow the signs into Seaside Heights.

Airport:
Atlantic City Airport and Newark Airport.

Train:
NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line service to Bay Head. Taxi to Seaside Heights.

Bus:
NJ Transit No. 67, seasonal service to Seaside Heights.

NJ Transit Information:
In New Jersey 1 (800) 772-2222
Out-of-State 1 (973) 762-5100

Parking:
Free parking and shuttle service will be available from Toms River High School East and from Seaside Heights municipal parking lot on Bay Boulevard.
Directions to High School East from the Garden State Parkway are as follows: By Car From the North and South: Garden State Parkway Exit 82 eastbound. Take Route 37 east. Take the jug handle for Coolidge Avenue. Take Coolidge Avenue and turn left onto Raider Way. Turn left into Toms River High School East at 1225 Raider Way.
The shuttle schedule is Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
When:
Thursday July 5
Qualifier
Gates Open 8am - 6pm

Friday July 6
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 9:30am - 6pm

Saturday July 7
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 9:30am - 6pm

Saturday Night July 7
Main Draw Competition
Gates Open 7:30pm - 10pm

Sunday July 8
Men's / Women's Finals
Gates Open 9:45am - 5:30pm

Outside Activitys:

Click here or on picture......

Television Coverage:
Check Back Soon For TV Times

Webcam:

Click on banner for webcam view

AVP Seaside Heights Open History
2005 Champions: The AVP returns to Seaside Heights for the first time since 1995.
Seaside Heights Facts: 2006 will be the AVP Men's third visit to Seaside Heights. In 1993, Karch Kiraly / Kent Steffes defeated Mike Dodd / Mike Whitmarsh. And in 1995 Adam Johnson / Jose Loiola defeated Dodd / Whitmarsh. 2006 will be the Women's second visit to Seaside Heights. In 1995 Nancy Reno / Holly McPeak defeated Linda Hanley / Jackie Silva.

Men's AVP $75,000 Miller Lite Seaside Heights Open
June 12-13, 1993
Finish Player Partner Winnings
1 Karch Kiraly Kent Steffes $15,000.00
2 Mike Dodd Mike Whitmarsh $9,000.00
3 Sinjin Smith Dan Vrebalovich $7,126.00
4 Adam Johnson Bruk Vandeweghe $5,626.00
5 Eduardo Bacil Jose Loiola $4,500.00
5 Scott Ayakatubby Steve Timmons $4,500.00
7 Brent Frohoff Ricci Luyties $3,376.00
7 Brian Lewis Randy Stoklos $3,376.00
9 Al Janc Craig Moothart $2,438.00
9 John Hanley David Swatik $2,438.00
9 Matt Sonnichsen Troy Tanner $2,438.00
9 John Brajevic Bill Suwara $2,438.00
13 Robert Chavez Chris Young $1,688.00
13 Bill Boullianne Leif Hanson $1,688.00
13 Eric Fonoimoana Tim Walmer $1,688.00
13 Scott Friederichsen Eric Wurts $1,688.00
17 John Child Eddie Drakich $750.00
17 Albert Hannemann Matt Unger $750.00
17 Chris Hannemann Michael Schlegel $750.00
17 Andrew Smith Wes Welch $750.00
17 Mark Eller Jim Nichols $750.00
17 Kevin Waterbury Tony Zapata $750.00
17 Ed Carrillo Carl Henkel $750.00
17 Owen McKibbin Larry Mear $750.00
25 Brian Gatzke Jeff Rodgers $.00
25 Patrick Boyle Michael Long $.00
25 Marcelo Duarte Rob Heidger $.00
25 James Fellows Burke Stefko $.00
25 Eric Boyles Doug Foust $.00
25 Mike Mattarocci Dane Selznick $.00
25 Mark Kerins Kevin Martin $.00
25 Brett Gonnermann Lance Lyons $.00
25 Curtis Griffin Nick Petterson $.00

Women's AVP Women's Tour Seaside Heights
June 12-13, 1993
Finish Player Partner
1 Holly McPeak Nancy Reno
2 Linda Hanley Jackie Silva
3 Rita Crockett Royster Angela Rock
4 Linda Chisholm Cammy Ciarelli

Men's AVP $100,000 Miller Lite Seaside Heights Open
June 17-18, 1995
Finish Player Partner Winnings
1 Adam Johnson Jose Loiola $20,000.00
2 Mike Dodd Mike Whitmarsh $11,400.00
3 Bill Boullianne Brian Lewis $9,030.00
4 Eric Fonoimoana Ricci Luyties $7,130.00
5 Matt Sonnichsen Bill Suwara $5,700.00
5 Lee LeGrande Matt Unger $5,700.00
7 Mark Kerins Andrew Smith $4,280.00
7 Al Janc Michael Schlegel $4,280.00
9 Nick Hannemann Mark Paaluhi $3,090.00
9 Brent Frohoff Rob Heidger $3,090.00
9 Troy Tanner Wes Welch $3,090.00
9 Canyon Ceman Jeff Rodgers $3,090.00
13 Mike Garcia Mike Minier $2,130.00
13 Scott Friederichsen Leif Hanson $2,130.00
13 Rico Guimaraes Wayne Seligson $2,130.00
13 Jim Nichols Pat Powers $2,130.00
17 Daniel Cardenas David Swatik $950.00
17 Lance Lyons Justin Perlstrom $950.00
17 Kevin Martin Chris Young $950.00
17 Albert Hannemann Tim Hovland $950.00
17 Doug Foust Dan Vrebalovich $950.00
17 Henry Russell Burke Stefko $950.00
17 Dain Blanton Ian Clark $950.00
17 Aaron Boss Kurt Dumm $950.00
25 Ednilson Costa Jason Pursley $500.00
25 Eduardo Bacil Randy Stoklos $500.00
25 Brian Gatzke Eric Wurts $500.00
25 James Fellows Tony Zapata $500.00
25 Todd Ahmadi Brennan Robison $500.00
25 Curtis Griffin Dane Hansen $500.00
25 Chris Pliha Jason Stimpfig $500.00

Ian Clark Dain Blanton

Ian Clark
United States
Partner Summary
AVP Pro Beach Tour
Partner Dain Blanton
Played 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 9th 13th 17th 25th
25 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 8 8 1
Money $30,490
Statistics Courtesy of Beach Volleyball Database

Men's Entries:

Men's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1
Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2
Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3
Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 4
Casey Jennings Mark Williams 5
Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6
John Hyden Brad Keenan 7
Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 8
Matt Olson Jason Ring 9
Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10
Nick Lucena Will Strickland 11
Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus 12
John Mayer Chad Turner 13
Eric Fonoimoana Albert Hannemann 14
Aaron Wachtfogel Scott Wong 15
Adam Jewell Matt Prosser 16
Paul Baxter Dain Blanton 17
Canyon Ceman Jose Loiola 18
Jason Lee Austin Rester 19
Ryan Mariano Ed Ratledge 20
Ben Koski Jeff Minc 21
Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane 22
Vincent Robbins Adam Roberts Q1
Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet Q2
Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q3
Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten Q4
Seth Burnham Justin Phipps Q5
Kevin Dake Lucas Wisniakowski Q6
Ivan Mercer Jeremie Simkins Q7
Brian Corso Jesse Rambis Q8
Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q9
Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q10
Adam Minch Ben Parker Q11
Casey Brewer Danko Iordanov Q12
Matt Davis Kevin Gregan Q13
Kyle Denitz Casey Patterson Q14
Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q15
Zachary Franklin Chris Luers Q16
Joe Cash Jeff Soler Q17
Braidy Halverson Jeff Murrell Q18
Brian Duff Guy Hamilton Q19
Brian Post Vince Zanzucchi Q20
Erik Gomez Yariv Lerner Q21
Jon Mackey Curt Toppel Q22
C.J. Denk Bill Schultz Q23
Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q24
Bill Bowe Tim Church Q25
Affonso Canedo Wayne Holly Q26
Tim Chittenden Oguz Degirmenci Q27
Matthew Terrell Peter Weremay Q28
Mark Donaldson Matt Szuter Q29
Connor Hastings Andy Northness Q30
Jon Barnes Leon Lucas Q31
Mike Morales Brian Rutland Q32
Kristopher Fraser Wes Moore Q33
Michael Bleech Luis Gonzalez Q34
Gregory Hunter Tony Yates Q35
Ron Armet Gary Gerns Q36
Mike Buccarelli Michael McAllister Q37
Jason Bartholow Jason Hodell Q38
Mark Burik Pawel Pregowski Q39
Scott Bundonis Chris Hosley Q40
Benjamin Read Brad Vallett Q41
Jason Buckwalter William D'abbene Q42
Chris Patrick Mike Potts Q43
Jason Peifer Derick Smith Q44
Mark Clearwaters John Mack Q45
Jay Flynn Thomas Olson Q46
Bryan Hughes Mark Kavulak Q47
John Leake Justin Stack Q48
Adam Rubel Jeff Schietzelt Q49
Fred Fauhl, Jr. Nathan Lee Q50
Walter Lloyd Dave Pacevich Q51
Danny Carter Ty Hart Q52
Oleksiy Gutor Jonathan Scott Q53
Gaston Macau AJ Mihalic
Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie

Men's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007

Men's Results:
1 Mike Lambert Stein Metzger 3 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Phil Dalhausser Todd Rogers 1 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Jake Gibb Sean Rosenthal 2 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Anthony Medel Fred Souza 10 $9,500.00 270.0
5 John Hyden Brad Keenan 7 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Ty Loomis Hans Stolfus 12 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Matt Fuerbringer Sean Scott 8 $4,600.00 180.0
7 Matt Olson Jason Ring 9 $4,600.00 180.0
9 Karch Kiraly Kevin Wong 4 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Dax Holdren Jeff Nygaard 6 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Jason Lee Austin Rester 19 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Ryan Mariano Ed Ratledge 20 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Casey Jennings Mark Williams 5 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Nick Lucena Will Strickland 11 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Aaron Wachtfogel Scott Wong 15 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Canyon Ceman Jose Loiola 18 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Eric Fonoimoana Albert Hannemann 14 $700.00 72.0
17 Adam Jewell Matt Prosser 16 $700.00 72.0
17 Paul Baxter Dain Blanton 17 $700.00 72.0
17 Ben Koski Jeff Minc 21 $700.00 72.0
17 Tyler Hildebrand Scott Lane 22 $700.00 72.0
17 Mike Morrison Ty Tramblie 23 $700.00 72.0
17 Vincent Robbins Adam Roberts 25, Q1 $700.00 72.0
17 Kevin Dake Lucas Wisniakowski 29, Q6 $700.00 72.0
25 John Mayer Chad Turner 13 $350.00 36.0
25 Joey Dykstra Mark Van Zwieten 24, Q4 $350.00 36.0
25 Russ Marchewka Eyal Zimet 26, Q2 $350.00 36.0
25 Brian Corso Jesse Rambis 27, Q8 $350.00 36.0
25 Gaston Macau AJ Mihalic 28 $350.00 36.0
25 Ivan Mercer Jeremie Simkins 30, Q7 $350.00 36.0
25 Kyle Denitz Casey Patterson 31, Q14 $350.00 36.0
25 Oleksiy Gutor Jonathan Scott 32, Q53 $350.00 36.0
33 Jeff Carlucci Dane Jensen Q3 $.00 18.0
33 Seth Burnham Justin Phipps Q5 $.00 18.0
33 Rico Becker Mike Bruning Q9 $.00 18.0
33 Ihor Akinshyn Tim McNichol Q10 $.00 18.0
33 Matt Davis Kevin Gregan Q13 $.00 18.0
33 Matt Ogin Todd Strassberger Q15 $.00 18.0
33 Joe Cash Jeff Soler Q17 $.00 18.0
33 Jon Mackey Curt Toppel Q22 $.00 18.0
41 Adam Minch Ben Parker Q11 $.00 12.0
41 Zachary Franklin Chris Luers Q16 $.00 12.0
41 Braidy Halverson Jeff Murrell Q18 $.00 12.0
41 Brian Duff Guy Hamilton Q19 $.00 12.0
41 Erik Gomez Yariv Lerner Q21 $.00 12.0
41 C.J. Denk Bill Schultz Q23 $.00 12.0
41 Jack Delehanty Phil St. Pierre Q24 $.00 12.0
41 Bill Bowe Tim Church Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Affonso Canedo Wayne Holly Q26 $.00 12.0
41 Matthew Terrell Peter Weremay Q28 $.00 12.0
41 Mark Donaldson Matt Szuter Q29 $.00 12.0
41 Jon Barnes Leon Lucas Q31 $.00 12.0
41 Mike Morales Brian Rutland Q32 $.00 12.0
41 Gregory Hunter Tony Yates Q35 $.00 12.0
41 Jason Bartholow Jason Hodell Q38 $.00 12.0
41 Mark Clearwaters John Mack Q45 $.00 12.0
57 Casey Brewer Danko Iordanov Q12 $.00 8.0
57 Brian Post Vince Zanzucchi Q20 $.00 8.0
57 Tim Chittenden Oguz Degirmenci Q27 $.00 8.0
57 Connor Hastings Andy Northness Q30 $.00 8.0
57 Kristopher Fraser Wes Moore Q33 $.00 8.0
57 Michael Bleech Luis Gonzalez Q34 $.00 8.0
57 Ron Armet Gary Gerns Q36 $.00 8.0
57 Mike Buccarelli Michael McAllister Q37 $.00 8.0
57 Mark Burik Pawel Pregowski Q39 $.00 8.0
57 Scott Bundonis Chris Hosley Q40 $.00 8.0
57 Benjamin Read Brad Vallett Q41 $.00 8.0
57 Jason Buckwalter William D'abbene Q42 $.00 8.0
57 Chris Patrick Mike Potts Q43 $.00 8.0
57 Jason Peifer Derick Smith Q44 $.00 8.0
57 Jay Flynn Thomas Olson Q46 $.00 8.0
57 Bryan Hughes Mark Kavulak Q47 $.00 8.0
57 John Leake Justin Stack Q48 $.00 8.0
57 Adam Rubel Jeff Schietzelt Q49 $.00 8.0
57 Fred Fauhl, Jr. Nathan Lee Q50 $.00 8.0
57 Walter Lloyd Dave Pacevich Q51 $.00 8.0
57 Danny Carter Ty Hart Q52 $.00 8.0

Men's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Mike Morales / Brian Rutland (Q32) def. Kristopher Fraser / Wes Moore (Q33) 21-14, 21-16 (0:40)
Match 3: Joe Cash / Jeff Soler (Q17) def. John Leake / Justin Stack (Q48) 21-11, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 4: Zachary Franklin / Chris Luers (Q16) def. Adam Rubel / Jeff Schietzelt (Q49) 24-22, 20-22, 15-10 (1:05)
Match 6: Jack Delehanty / Phil St. Pierre (Q24) def. Benjamin Read / Brad Vallett (Q41) 15-21, 21-16, 15-10 (1:03)
Match 7: Bill Bowe / Tim Church (Q25) def. Scott Bundonis / Chris Hosley (Q40) 21-11, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 10: Matthew Terrell / Peter Weremay (Q28) def. Mike Buccarelli / Michael McAllister (Q37) 21-15, 21-17 (0:40)
Match 11: Erik Gomez / Yariv Lerner (Q21) def. Jason Peifer / Derick Smith (Q44) 21-17, 21-19 (0:43)
Match 12: Oleksiy Gutor / Jonathan Scott (32, Q53) def. Casey Brewer / Danko Iordanov (Q12) 21-23, 21-18, 15-13
Match 13: Matt Davis / Kevin Gregan (Q13) def. Danny Carter / Ty Hart (Q52) 21-14, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 14: Mark Clearwaters / John Mack (Q45) def. Brian Post / Vince Zanzucchi (Q20) 21-19, 14-21, 15-12 (0:56)
Match 15: Mark Donaldson / Matt Szuter (Q29) def. Ron Armet / Gary Gerns (Q36) 21-18, 17-21, 15-12 (0:54)
Match 18: Gregory Hunter / Tony Yates (Q35) def. Connor Hastings / Andy Northness (Q30) 15-21, 21-15, 15-12 (0:52)
Match 19: Brian Duff / Guy Hamilton (Q19) def. Jay Flynn / Thomas Olson (Q46) 21-14, 21-16 (0:36)
Match 20: Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (31, Q14) def. Walter Lloyd / Dave Pacevich (Q51) 21-14, 21-12 (0:35)
Match 22: Jon Mackey / Curt Toppel (Q22) def. Chris Patrick / Mike Potts (Q43) 14-21, 21-14, 15-7 (0:43)
Match 23: Jason Bartholow / Jason Hodell (Q38) def. Tim Chittenden / Oguz Degirmenci (Q27) 21-17, 21-10 (0:40)
Match 26: Affonso Canedo / Wayne Holly (Q26) def. Mark Burik / Pawel Pregowski (Q39) 19-21, 22-20, 15-10 (1:03)
Match 27: C.J. Denk / Bill Schultz (Q23) def. Jason Buckwalter / William D'abbene (Q42) 26-24, 21-16 (0:46)
Match 29: Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q15) def. Fred Fauhl, Jr. / Nathan Lee (Q50) 21-15, 21-16 (0:35)
Match 30: Braidy Halverson / Jeff Murrell (Q18) def. Bryan Hughes / Mark Kavulak (Q47) 21-12, 21-14 (0:36)
Match 31: Jon Barnes / Leon Lucas (Q31) def. Michael Bleech / Luis Gonzalez (Q34) 22-20, 15-21, 15-13 (0:56)

Round 2
Match 33: Vincent Robbins / Adam Roberts (25, Q1) def. Mike Morales / Brian Rutland (Q32) 21-9, 31-29 (0:46)
Match 34: Joe Cash / Jeff Soler (Q17) def. Zachary Franklin / Chris Luers (Q16) 21-17, 21-19 (0:47)
Match 35: Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q9) def. Jack Delehanty / Phil St. Pierre (Q24) 21-5, 21-12 (0:32)
Match 36: Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (27, Q8) def. Bill Bowe / Tim Church (Q25) 21-13, 21-16 (0:36)
Match 37: Seth Burnham / Justin Phipps (Q5) def. Matthew Terrell / Peter Weremay (Q28) 15-21, 21-13, 15-6 (0:50)
Match 38: Oleksiy Gutor / Jonathan Scott (32, Q53) def. Erik Gomez / Yariv Lerner (Q21) 21-18, 18-21, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 39: Matt Davis / Kevin Gregan (Q13) def. Mark Clearwaters / John Mack (Q45) 21-10, 21-12 (0:32)
Match 40: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q4) def. Mark Donaldson / Matt Szuter (Q29) 21-8, 21-8 (0:27)
Match 41: Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q3) def. Gregory Hunter / Tony Yates (Q35) 21-17, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 42: Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (31, Q14) def. Brian Duff / Guy Hamilton (Q19) 21-14, 21-14 (0:40)
Match 43: Jon Mackey / Curt Toppel (Q22) def. Adam Minch / Ben Parker (Q11) 20-22, 22-20, 15-10 (1:01)
Match 44: Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (29, Q6) def. Jason Bartholow / Jason Hodell (Q38) 21-12, 21-15 (0:42)
Match 45: Ivan Mercer / Jeremie Simkins (30, Q7) def. Affonso Canedo / Wayne Holly (Q26) 21-8, 21-19 (0:39)
Match 46: Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q10) def. C.J. Denk / Bill Schultz (Q23) 21-11, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 47: Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q15) def. Braidy Halverson / Jeff Murrell (Q18) 25-23, 22-20 (0:45)
Match 48: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (26, Q2) def. Jon Barnes / Leon Lucas (Q31) 21-17, 21-19 (0:46)

Round 3
Match 49: Vincent Robbins / Adam Roberts (25, Q1) def. Joe Cash / Jeff Soler (Q17) 10-21, 21-13, 15-8 (0:46)
Match 50: Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (27, Q8) def. Rico Becker / Mike Bruning (Q9) 21-19, 13-21, 15-10 (1:04)
Match 51: Oleksiy Gutor / Jonathan Scott (32, Q53) def. Seth Burnham / Justin Phipps (Q5) 12-21, 21-19, 15-10 (1:00)
Match 52: Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q4) def. Matt Davis / Kevin Gregan (Q13) 24-22, 21-16 (0:45)
Match 53: Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (31, Q14) def. Jeff Carlucci / Dane Jensen (Q3) 26-28, 28-26, 17-15 (1:39)
Match 54: Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (29, Q6) def. Jon Mackey / Curt Toppel (Q22) 21-19, 19-21, 15-9 (1:01)
Match 55: Ivan Mercer / Jeremie Simkins (30, Q7) def. Ihor Akinshyn / Tim McNichol (Q10) 21-17, 21-15 (0:48)
Match 56: Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (26, Q2) def. Matt Ogin / Todd Strassberger (Q15) 24-22, 21-18 (0:52)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Oleksiy Gutor / Jonathan Scott (32, Q53) 21-9, 21-7 (0:40)
Match 2: Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (17) def. Adam Jewell / Matt Prosser (16) 21-17, 21-13 (0:54)
Match 3: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q4) 21-19, 21-12 (0:58)
Match 4: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Vincent Robbins / Adam Roberts (25, Q1) 21-19, 21-13 (0:46)
Match 5: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Gaston Macau / AJ Mihalic (28) 21-19, 21-15 (0:52)
Match 6: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (21) 21-16, 21-12 (0:43)
Match 7: Ryan Mariano / Ed Ratledge (20) def. John Mayer / Chad Turner (13) 19-21, 21-12, 15-10 (1:06)
Match 8: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (29, Q6) 21-15, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 9: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Ivan Mercer / Jeremie Simkins (30, Q7) 21-10, 21-15 (0:38)
Match 10: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (19) def. Eric Fonoimoana / Albert Hannemann (14) 21-15, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 11: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (22) 24-22, 18-21, 15-11 (1:03)
Match 12: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (27, Q8) 21-16, 21-11 (0:42)
Match 13: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (26, Q2) 21-12, 21-18 (0:42)
Match 14: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23) 21-19, 22-20 (0:52)
Match 15: Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (15) def. Canyon Ceman / Jose Loiola (18) 21-18, 21-18 (0:50)
Match 16: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (31, Q14) 21-14, 23-21 (0:48)

Round 2
Match 17: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (17) 19-21, 21-13, 15-7 (1:04)
Match 18: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 24-22, 21-18 (1:04)
Match 19: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 19-21, 21-18, 15-8 (1:09)
Match 20: Ryan Mariano / Ed Ratledge (20) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) 21-18, 21-14 (0:54)
Match 21: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (19) 21-19, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 22: Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 21-15, 16-21, 15-13 (1:03)
Match 23: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 20-22, 21-18, 17-15 (1:02)
Match 24: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (15) 21-10, 20-22, 15-12 (1:00)

Round 3
Match 25: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) 21-11, 21-17 (0:48)
Match 26: Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) def. Ryan Mariano / Ed Ratledge (20) 25-23, 14-21, 15-10 (1:26)
Match 27: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 21-19, 21-12 (0:46)
Match 28: John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 21-19, 21-10 (0:42)

Round 4
Match 29: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) 21-15, 21-16 (0:49)
Match 30: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) 21-17, 21-12 (0:36)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Adam Jewell / Matt Prosser (16) def. Oleksiy Gutor / Jonathan Scott (32, Q53) 21-10, 21-10 (0:39)
Match 32: Vincent Robbins / Adam Roberts (25, Q1) def. Joey Dykstra / Mark Van Zwieten (24, Q4) 21-18, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 33: Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (21) def. Gaston Macau / AJ Mihalic (28) 21-18, 21-17 (0:38)
Match 34: Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (29, Q6) def. John Mayer / Chad Turner (13) 26-28, 21-19, 15-13 (1:06)
Match 35: Eric Fonoimoana / Albert Hannemann (14) def. Ivan Mercer / Jeremie Simkins (30, Q7) 21-13, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 36: Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (22) def. Brian Corso / Jesse Rambis (27, Q8) 21-12, 21-19 (0:42)
Match 37: Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23) def. Russ Marchewka / Eyal Zimet (26, Q2) 21-18, 18-21, 18-16 (1:15)
Match 38: Canyon Ceman / Jose Loiola (18) def. Kyle Denitz / Casey Patterson (31, Q14) 21-19, 21-19 (0:41)

Round 2
Match 39: Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (15) def. Adam Jewell / Matt Prosser (16) 21-18, 20-22, 16-14 (1:12)
Match 40: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Vincent Robbins / Adam Roberts (25, Q1) 21-12, 21-10 (0:36)
Match 41: Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) def. Ben Koski / Jeff Minc (21) 21-11, 21-17 (0:39)
Match 42: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (19) def. Kevin Dake / Lucas Wisniakowski (29, Q6) 21-17, 27-25 (1:00)
Match 43: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. Eric Fonoimoana / Albert Hannemann (14) 21-19, 16-21, 15-12 (1:12)
Match 44: Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) def. Tyler Hildebrand / Scott Lane (22) 21-15, 21-12 (0:46)
Match 45: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Mike Morrison / Ty Tramblie (23) 21-15, 18-21, 15-12 (1:06)
Match 46: Canyon Ceman / Jose Loiola (18) def. Paul Baxter / Dain Blanton (17) 21-18, 27-25 (0:55)

Round 3
Match 47: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Aaron Wachtfogel / Scott Wong (15) 18-21, 21-15, 15-12 (1:05)
Match 48: Jason Lee / Austin Rester (19) def. Nick Lucena / Will Strickland (11) 21-18, 21-19 (0:46)
Match 49: Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) def. Casey Jennings / Mark Williams (5) 19-21, 21-16, 15-13 (1:15)
Match 50: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Canyon Ceman / Jose Loiola (18) 21-11, 18-21, 15-6 (0:57)

Round 4
Match 51: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Ryan Mariano / Ed Ratledge (20) 21-17, 21-19 (0:52)
Match 52: Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) def. Jason Lee / Austin Rester (19) 21-19, 21-18 (0:53)
Match 53: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Karch Kiraly / Kevin Wong (4) 21-13, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 54: Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) def. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (6) 21-11, 21-19 (0:50)

Round 5
Match 55: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. Matt Olson / Jason Ring (9) 21-15, 21-11 (0:39)
Match 56: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Matt Fuerbringer / Sean Scott (8) 21-19, 21-15 (0:52)

Round 6
Match 57: Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) def. John Hyden / Brad Keenan (7) 19-21, 21-17, 17-15 (1:08)
Match 58: Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) def. Ty Loomis / Hans Stolfus (12) 17-21, 21-15, 20-18 (1:16)

Semifinals
Match 59: Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) def. Anthony Medel / Fred Souza (10) 21-19, 21-15 (0:53)
Match 60: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Jake Gibb / Sean Rosenthal (2) 21-13, 22-24, 15-10 (1:10)

Finals
Match 61: Mike Lambert / Stein Metzger (3) def. Phil Dalhausser / Todd Rogers (1) 23-21, 15-21, 15-13 (1:30)

2007 Men's Seaside Heights,NJ Open Tournament Champions >>Mike Lambert/Stein Metzger

   Mike Lambert                         Stein Metzger

Women's Entries:

Women's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007
Finish Player Partner Seed
Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 1
Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2
Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3
Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4
Jennifer Boss April Ross 5
Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6
Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 7
Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 8
Paula Roca Sarah Straton 9
Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 10
Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 11
Carrie Dodd Nancy Mason 12
Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 13
Alicia Polzin Janelle Ruen 14
Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar 15
Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 16
Tara Kuk Kim Whitney 17
Jennifer Fopma Jennifer Snyder 18
Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 19
Angela Knopf Catie Mintz Q1
Leilani Kamahoahoa Whitney Pavlik Q2
Suzana Manole Beth Van Fleet Q3
Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler Q4
Chara Harris Brooke Langston Q5
Angie Hall Lauren Mills Q6
Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek Q7
Bonnie Levin Nicole Midwin Q8
Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q9
Wendy Lockhart Alev Tugcu Q10
Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters Q11
Hedder Ilustre Jessica Veris Q12
Karen Hoyt Marla O'Hara Q13
Cameo Neeman Colleen Smith Q14
Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q15
Rebekah Johnson Dagmara Szyszczak Q16
Ashley DeNeal Jennifer Leone Q17
Agnieszka Pregowska Aleksandra Wolak Q18
Becca Smith Rachel Smith Q19
Beth Kennedy Sharon Wentworth Q20
Lindsay Dalene Vicky St. Pierre Q21
Christina Hinds Joanna Papageorgiou Q22
Kimberly Vicknair Tanya White Q23
Jocelyn Decker Kristen Decker Q24
Heidi Miller Ginger Schuster Q25
Hilary Pavels Cindie Valeriano Q26
Erin Byrd Paige Davis
Jill Changaris Saralyn Smith
Jaimie Lee Julie Romias
Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge
Tiffany Rodriguez Chrissie Zartman

Women's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007

Women's Results:
1 Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs 2 $20,000.00 360.0
2 Jennifer Boss April Ross 5 $15,000.00 324.0
3 Tyra Turner Rachel Wacholder 1 $9,500.00 270.0
3 Annett Davis Jenny Johnson Jordan 3 $9,500.00 270.0
5 Dianne DeNecochea Barbra Fontana 4 $6,000.00 216.0
5 Carrie Dodd Nancy Mason 12 $6,000.00 216.0
7 Angela Lewis Priscilla Lima 8 $4,600.00 180.0
7 Katie Lindquist Tracy Lindquist 19 $4,600.00 180.0
9 Holly McPeak Logan Tom 6 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Angie Akers Brooke Hanson 7 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Paula Roca Sarah Straton 9 $2,600.00 144.0
9 Ashley Ivy Heather Lowe 10 $2,600.00 144.0
13 Jenny Kropp Jenny Pavley 13 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Keao Burdine Brittany Hochevar 15 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Jennifer Fopma Jennifer Snyder 18 $1,500.00 108.0
13 Chara Harris Brooke Langston 21, Q5 $1,500.00 108.0
17 Jenelle Koester Stacy Rouwenhorst 11 $700.00 72.0
17 Alicia Polzin Janelle Ruen 14 $700.00 72.0
17 Michelle More Suzanne Stonebarger 16 $700.00 72.0
17 Tara Kuk Kim Whitney 17 $700.00 72.0
17 Kealani Kimball Rosalinda Masler 20, Q4 $700.00 72.0
17 Jaimie Lee Julie Romias 22 $700.00 72.0
17 Jill Changaris Saralyn Smith 23 $700.00 72.0
17 Angela Knopf Catie Mintz 25, Q1 $700.00 72.0
25 Erin Byrd Paige Davis 24 $350.00 36.0
25 Tiffany Rodriguez Chrissie Zartman 26 $350.00 36.0
25 Suzana Manole Beth Van Fleet 27, Q3 $350.00 36.0
25 Angie Hall Lauren Mills 28, Q6 $350.00 36.0
25 Leilani Kamahoahoa Whitney Pavlik 29, Q2 $350.00 36.0
25 Angela McHenry Lisa Rutledge 30 $350.00 36.0
25 Jennifer Bowman Stephanie Chapek 31, Q7 $350.00 36.0
25 Bonnie Levin Nicole Midwin 32, Q8 $350.00 36.0
33 Kimberly Harrison Lisa Marshall Q9 $.00 18.0
33 Wendy Lockhart Alev Tugcu Q10 $.00 18.0
33 Hedder Ilustre Jessica Veris Q12 $.00 18.0
33 Karen Hoyt Marla O'Hara Q13 $.00 18.0
33 Cameo Neeman Colleen Smith Q14 $.00 18.0
33 Ashley DeNeal Jennifer Leone Q17 $.00 18.0
33 Agnieszka Pregowska Aleksandra Wolak Q18 $.00 18.0
33 Christina Hinds Joanna Papageorgiou Q22 $.00 18.0
41 Laurel Riechmann Kristi Winters Q11 $.00 12.0
41 Julie Caldwell Jennifer Lombardi Q15 $.00 12.0
41 Rebekah Johnson Dagmara Szyszczak Q16 $.00 12.0
41 Becca Smith Rachel Smith Q19 $.00 12.0
41 Beth Kennedy Sharon Wentworth Q20 $.00 12.0
41 Lindsay Dalene Vicky St. Pierre Q21 $.00 12.0
41 Kimberly Vicknair Tanya White Q23 $.00 12.0
41 Jocelyn Decker Kristen Decker Q24 $.00 12.0
41 Heidi Miller Ginger Schuster Q25 $.00 12.0
41 Hilary Pavels Cindie Valeriano Q26 $.00 12.0

Women's AVP $100,000 Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light
July 5th-July 8th, 2007

Qualifier Bracket
Round 1
Match 2: Ashley DeNeal / Jennifer Leone (Q17) def. Rebekah Johnson / Dagmara Szyszczak (Q16) 19-21, 21-17, 15-13 (1:00)
Match 3: Kimberly Harrison / Lisa Marshall (Q9) def. Jocelyn Decker / Kristen Decker (Q24) 21-19, 13-21, 15-10 (0:55)
Match 4: Bonnie Levin / Nicole Midwin (32, Q8) def. Heidi Miller / Ginger Schuster (Q25) 21-19, 29-27 (0:47)
Match 6: Hedder Ilustre / Jessica Veris (Q12) def. Lindsay Dalene / Vicky St. Pierre (Q21) 21-11, 21-7 (0:29)
Match 7: Karen Hoyt / Marla O'Hara (Q13) def. Beth Kennedy / Sharon Wentworth (Q20) 17-21, 21-17, 15-12 (0:59)
Match 10: Cameo Neeman / Colleen Smith (Q14) def. Becca Smith / Rachel Smith (Q19) 21-16, 21-19 (0:33)
Match 11: Christina Hinds / Joanna Papageorgiou (Q22) def. Laurel Riechmann / Kristi Winters (Q11) 18-21, 21-18, 15-9 (0:53)
Match 13: Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (31, Q7) def. Hilary Pavels / Cindie Valeriano (Q26) 21-17, 21-16 (0:37)
Match 14: Wendy Lockhart / Alev Tugcu (Q10) def. Kimberly Vicknair / Tanya White (Q23) 21-14, 21-8 (0:33)
Match 15: Agnieszka Pregowska / Aleksandra Wolak (Q18) def. Julie Caldwell / Jennifer Lombardi (Q15) 21-13, 21-19 (0:39)

Round 2
Match 17: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (25, Q1) def. Ashley DeNeal / Jennifer Leone (Q17) 21-13, 21-11 (0:33)
Match 18: Bonnie Levin / Nicole Midwin (32, Q8) def. Kimberly Harrison / Lisa Marshall (Q9) 21-19, 21-18 (0:35)
Match 19: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (21, Q5) def. Hedder Ilustre / Jessica Veris (Q12) 19-21, 21-16, 15-13 (1:02)
Match 20: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (20, Q4) def. Karen Hoyt / Marla O'Hara (Q13) 21-9, 21-13 (0:33)
Match 21: Suzana Manole / Beth Van Fleet (27, Q3) def. Cameo Neeman / Colleen Smith (Q14) 21-18, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 22: Angie Hall / Lauren Mills (28, Q6) def. Christina Hinds / Joanna Papageorgiou (Q22) 21-18, 19-21, 16-14 (1:00)
Match 23: Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (31, Q7) def. Wendy Lockhart / Alev Tugcu (Q10) 21-19, 15-21, 15-10 (0:50)
Match 24: Leilani Kamahoahoa / Whitney Pavlik (29, Q2) def. Agnieszka Pregowska / Aleksandra Wolak (Q18) 21-13, 21-19 (0:35)

Winner's Bracket
Round 1
Match 1: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) def. Bonnie Levin / Nicole Midwin (32, Q8) 21-11, 21-11 (0:33)
Match 2: Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (16) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (17) 29-27, 21-12 (0:53)
Match 3: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (9) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (24) 18-21, 21-13, 15-7 (1:00)
Match 4: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (25, Q1) 21-8, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 5: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Angie Hall / Lauren Mills (28, Q6) 21-12, 21-8 (0:31)
Match 6: Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (21, Q5) 21-15, 21-17 (0:42)
Match 7: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (20, Q4) 21-17, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 8: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Whitney Pavlik (29, Q2) 21-11, 21-14 (0:34)
Match 9: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (30) 21-15, 21-16 (0:39)
Match 10: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) def. Alicia Polzin / Janelle Ruen (14) 21-14, 21-17 (0:43)
Match 11: Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) def. Jaimie Lee / Julie Romias (22) 21-16, 21-12 (0:36)
Match 12: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) def. Suzana Manole / Beth Van Fleet (27, Q3) 21-13, 21-13 (0:37)
Match 13: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (7) def. Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (26) 21-13, 21-13 (0:33)
Match 14: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) def. Jill Changaris / Saralyn Smith (23) 21-9, 21-16 (0:34)
Match 15: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Jennifer Fopma / Jennifer Snyder (18) 21-9, 17-21, 15-8 (0:43)
Match 16: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (31, Q7) 21-17, 21-16 (0:39)

Round 2
Match 17: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (16) 21-15, 21-16 (0:41)
Match 18: Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (9) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) 21-18, 21-17 (0:49)
Match 19: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) 21-13, 21-18 (0:46)
Match 20: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) 22-20, 21-16 (0:44)
Match 21: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) 21-17, 21-12 (0:39)
Match 22: Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) 21-9, 21-15 (0:33)
Match 23: Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (7) 21-15, 21-18 (0:37)
Match 24: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (15) 21-18, 21-16 (0:36)

Round 3
Match 25: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (9) 21-17, 23-21 (0:44)
Match 26: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 21-13, 21-19 (0:45)
Match 27: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 23-25, 21-16, 17-15 (1:08)
Match 28: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) 21-17, 21-11 (0:37)

Round 4
Match 29: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) 21-16, 21-15 (0:43)
Match 30: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 17-21, 21-17, 17-15 (1:06)

Contender's Bracket
Round 1
Match 31: Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (17) def. Bonnie Levin / Nicole Midwin (32, Q8) 21-7, 21-11 (0:31)
Match 32: Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (25, Q1) def. Erin Byrd / Paige Davis (24) 21-17, 21-11 (0:43)
Match 33: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (21, Q5) def. Angie Hall / Lauren Mills (28, Q6) 21-18, 21-13 (0:38)
Match 34: Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (20, Q4) def. Leilani Kamahoahoa / Whitney Pavlik (29, Q2) 21-17, 17-21, 15-9 (0:49)
Match 35: Alicia Polzin / Janelle Ruen (14) def. Angela McHenry / Lisa Rutledge (30) 21-17, 21-10 (0:35)
Match 36: Jaimie Lee / Julie Romias (22) def. Suzana Manole / Beth Van Fleet (27, Q3) 18-21, 21-19, 15-12 (0:58)
Match 37: Jill Changaris / Saralyn Smith (23) def. Tiffany Rodriguez / Chrissie Zartman (26) 21-19, 18-21, 15-7 (0:57)
Match 38: Jennifer Fopma / Jennifer Snyder (18) def. Jennifer Bowman / Stephanie Chapek (31, Q7) 21-9, 11-21, 15-11 (0:49)

Round 2
Match 39: Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (15) def. Tara Kuk / Kim Whitney (17) 21-10, 21-15 (0:35)
Match 40: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (7) def. Angela Knopf / Catie Mintz (25, Q1) 21-18, 21-15 (0:40)
Match 41: Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (21, Q5) def. Jenelle Koester / Stacy Rouwenhorst (11) 12-21, 21-18, 15-13 (0:56)
Match 42: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) def. Kealani Kimball / Rosalinda Masler (20, Q4) 21-16, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 43: Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) def. Alicia Polzin / Janelle Ruen (14) 21-19, 21-14 (0:40)
Match 44: Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) def. Jaimie Lee / Julie Romias (22) 21-18, 21-16 (0:42)
Match 45: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) def. Jill Changaris / Saralyn Smith (23) 21-17, 21-14 (0:38)
Match 46: Jennifer Fopma / Jennifer Snyder (18) def. Michelle More / Suzanne Stonebarger (16) 21-14, 10-21, 15-12 (0:55)

Round 3
Match 47: Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (7) def. Keao Burdine / Brittany Hochevar (15) 21-14, 21-14 (0:34)
Match 48: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) def. Chara Harris / Brooke Langston (21, Q5) 21-17, 21-13 (0:39)
Match 49: Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) def. Jenny Kropp / Jenny Pavley (13) 21-11, 21-18 (0:41)
Match 50: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) def. Jennifer Fopma / Jennifer Snyder (18) 22-20, 22-20 (0:49)

Round 4
Match 51: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Angie Akers / Brooke Hanson (7) 29-27, 26-24 (1:06)
Match 52: Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) def. Paula Roca / Sarah Straton (9) 21-19, 24-22 (0:46)
Match 53: Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) def. Ashley Ivy / Heather Lowe (10) 21-18, 21-18 (0:43)
Match 54: Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) def. Holly McPeak / Logan Tom (6) 21-18, 16-21, 20-18 (1:13)

Round 5
Match 55: Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) def. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist (19) 21-19, 21-18 (0:39)
Match 56: Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) def. Angela Lewis / Priscilla Lima (8) 21-15, 21-19 (0:53)

Round 6
Match 57: Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) def. Dianne DeNecochea / Barbra Fontana (4) 17-21, 21-12, 15-10 (1:00)
Match 58: Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) def. Carrie Dodd / Nancy Mason (12) 21-16, 21-17 (0:44)

Semifinals
Match 59: Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) def. Annett Davis / Jenny Johnson Jordan (3) 21-14, 21-13 (0:44)
Match 60: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Tyra Turner / Rachel Wacholder (1) 21-19, 10-21, 15-12 (1:01)

Finals
Match 61: Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs (2) def. Jennifer Boss / April Ross (5) 21-19, 18-21, 16-14 (1:41)

2007 Seaside Heights,NJ Open Women's Tournament Champions >>Nicole Branagh / Elaine Youngs

Nicole Branagh Elaine Youngs

Articles 2007:

Americans advancing in Paris
Men's, women's teams move on
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
PARIS — Two of the four American teams competing in the $600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem here on Tuesday had "successful" World Tour spring-time afternoons in the first of five "major" events on the 2007 international beach volleyball calendar.
The American tandems of Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder and Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott won matches in the women's and men's competition, respectively, to advance to Wednesday's competitions.
Being held on sand courts constructed within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower on the Champs de Mars, the 11th-seeded Turner and Wacholder advanced to the women's "money" rounds after defeating American rivals Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, 17-21, 21-18, 15-8, and sixth-seeded Sanne Keizer and Marritt Leenstra of the Netherlands, 21-18, 21-15.
Turner and Wacholder, who are playing in their first international World Tour event together, will now be seeded 26th in the 32-team Main Draw along with two other teams from the United States, second-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and eighth-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.
The reigning Olympic and two-time world champions, May-Treanor and Walsh have competed in both Paris finales the past two Julys against the top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil. After winning the 2005 gold medal over the Brazilians, May-Treanor and Walsh dropped a three-set title match to Juliana and Larissa last year.
Wacholder and Youngs competed in the first two Paris events together by placing fourth in 2005 and ninth last year. Turner missed qualifying last year's Main Draw with Makare Wilson after eliminating McPeak and Branagh in the country quota playoffs.
In a meeting of two American teams playing together for the first-time on the World Tour, Fuerbringer and Scott posted a 14-21, 21-16 and 15-11 win in 64 minutes Jason Ring and Kevin Wong. Fuerbringer and Scott will be seeded 19th in Wednesday's qualifier.
Led by Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, the United States has already placed three teams in the men's Main Draw. Like May-Treanor and Walsh, Gibb has competed in both Paris finales as he earned silver medals with Stein Metzger in 2005 and Rosenthal in 2006.
Metzger returns with Mike Lambert as the pair finished fifth in last year's event after losing to Gibb and Rosenthal in the contender's bracket quarterfinals. Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, the American domestic leaders with five titles this season, also return after placing ninth on the Champ de Mars last July. The next week in the Austrian Grand Slam, Dalhausser and Rogers defeated reigning Olympic champions Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos of Brazil for the gold medal.

Turner, Wacholder move on in Paris
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
PARIS — Although playing each other in the women's 32-team Qualification Tournament here Tuesday mid-day for this week's $600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem, it felt like a country quota playoff match for two teams from the United States.
After winning a country quota match Monday afternoon in three sets on the Champ de Mars, 22nd-seeded Holly McPeak and Logan Tom could not repeat their first set effort against 11th-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in Tuesday's opening qualification round of the first of five "major" stops on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar.
After posting a 21-17 win in the first set, Turner and Wacholder controlled the next two sets to post 21-18 and 15-8 scores enroute to the victory and advancement to the last round of qualifying where the Americans play sixth-seeded Sanne Keizer and Marritt Leenstra of the Netherlands. McPeak and Tom finished the event with a 1-1 mark after defeating Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 25-23, 16-21, 18-16 in 68 minutes Monday.
"It was like playing a country quota match," said the 32-year old Wacholder, who is playing in her first SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event with Turner after winning a pair of international Beach Volleyball medals with Kerri Walsh in 2004 at Grand Slam events in Marseille and Austria. Wacholder had played the past two FIVB seasons with Elaine Youngs and then Boss.
"We are glad we did not have to play this match yesterday as we were traveling from the States after our last domestic event in Charleston," Wacholder added. "We played awful in the first set today. Thankfully, we got our act together or we would be watching the rest of the weekend."
Turner was excited to play with Wacholder as her new partner "has a lot more experience playing internationally and knows the teams better. I am glad to get this first match on the plus side. We have experience together as a team since this is our 10th beach volleyball event this season. However, playing internationally is a lot tougher due to the travel."
Keizer and Leenstra won their opening match Monday with a 21-19, 21-17 victory over 27th-seeded Asta Baltakys and Bryce Barry of Canada. The Dutch team is playing in its 32nd FIVB event with a 57-58 match mark together. Leenstra was an Athens 2004 Olympian where she played with Rebekka Kadijk.
Eight teams will advance from the women's qualifier to Wednesday's opening pool play rounds where the United States has already placed two teams. Misty May-Treanor and Walsh return to the Champ de Mars courts for the third-straight year after capturing the inaugural Henkel Grand Chelem gold medal in 2005 before placing second last season. Youngs, who placed fourth and ninth with Wacholder in the first two Paris stops, is competing with Nicole Branagh this year.
The Henkel Grand Chelem, which is also the part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, will feature the men's country quota matches Tuesday, the qualifier Wednesday and the opening Main Draw rounds Thursday. The men's and women's finals will be played Sunday when the final two teams in both medal matches compete for the $43,500 first-place prizes.
With the five major FIVB events being held in a seven-week period, the Henkel Grand Chelem will also help finalize the entry list for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad. The $1 million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships, the second-most prestigious beach volleyball event on the planet behind the Olympics, will feature 48-team main draws for both men and women
Following the Henkel Grand Chelem, Norway hosts the next SWATCH Grand Slam stop in Stavanger next week. Berlin is the site of the third major event (July 10-15) followed by the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships. The SWATCH Grand Slam series ends the first week in August at Klagenfurt, Austria.

U.S. Women's Beach Teams Undefeated in Paris
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
BJ.Evans@USAV.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 20, 2007) -- The U.S. beach volleyball teams of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder and Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs each made it through their first two rounds of pool play without a loss on Wednesday at the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem in Paris, France, part of the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour for beach volleyball.
After Thursday morning’s final pool-play matches in the third of 13 double-gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, the top three women’s teams from each group will advance to the 24-team, single-elimination bracket, where the winners of each group will receive a first-round bye into Friday’s competition.
May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Walsh (Santa Clara, Calif.), seeded second, have reached the finals in the first two Henkel Grand Chelem tournaments, where they split a pair of gold-medal matches with top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil. The U.S. team survived a scare in their second Pool B match Wednesday when they posted a 2-1 (18-21, 21-17, 15-11) come-from-behind win over 28th-seeded Vasso Karadassiou and Vassiliki Arvaniti of Greece.
“It is good to be playing internationally again,” said May-Treanor, who has teamed with Walsh to win 24 FIVB titles since forming their partnership at the start of the 2001 season. “The Greeks played very well today with an excellent service game. The competition is excellent and what a great venue. We love playing in Paris.”
While May-Treanor and Walsh are the only unbeaten team in their pool with a spot secured in the Henkel Grand Chelem’s single-elimination bracket that starts Thursday afternoon, Juliana and Larissa must defeat 16th-seeded Lu Wang and Man Zuo of China in their morning match to win Pool A to receive a “bye” to the second-round of elimination play.
Two more teams from the United States along with a pair of Chinese tandems join May-Treanor and Walsh in leading their pools with 2-0 record. Third-seeded Jia Tian/Jie Wang (Pool C) and sixth-seeded Chen Xue/Xi Zhang of China (Pool F) are the Chinese teams in sole possession of their pool leadership.
Turner (Fort Meyers Beach, Fla.) and Wacholder (Laguna Beach, Calif.) made Wednesday’s biggest advance after entering the Main Draw as the last-seeded team (26th) in Pool G. The Americans scored upsets in their first two matches, including a 21-13 and 21-15 victory over seventh-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia.
Eighth-seeded Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) became the third American group leader after posting two Group H wins over teams from the Netherlands and Russia. mark Wednesday to lead Pool E.
The Henkel Grand Chelem also featured men’s qualifying matches Wednesday that determined the last eight teams for Thursday’s opening Main Draw rounds. The first of five major SWATCH events this season, the Henkel Grand Chelem runs through Sunday when the winning teams will share the $43,500 first-place prizes.
The Henkel Grand Chelem will also help finalize the entry list for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad. The $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships, the second-most prestigious beach volleyball event on the planet behind the Olympics, will feature 48-team main draws for both men and women.
19th-seeded Matt Fuerbringer (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Sean Scott (Kailua, Hawai’i) posted a pair of upsets in the qualifier to become the fourth team from the United States in the Main Draw. Fuerbringer and Scott are now 3-0 in the competition after starting play with a country-quota win Tuesday and a 21-15 and 21-17 qualifying win over third-seeded Jochem De Gruijter and Gijs Ronnes of the Netherlands.
More information and photos are available at the FIVB beach web site.

Isle beach volleyball players take aim at '08 Olympics
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
The quest for the 2008 Olympics begins this week in Paris at the Henkel Grand Slam, the first of four Grand Slam events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour.
Punahou graduates Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, who just won their second domestic title this year on the AVP Tour, were one of three U.S. men's teams directly seeded into the main draw. Sean Scott, another Punahou graduate, and partner Matt Fuerbringer scored two upsets in the qualifier today to become the fourth American team in the main draw.
The men's purse is $300,000, with the first-place team getting $43,500. The tournament is played within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.
Scott and Fuerbringer beat Scott's former partner, Kevin Wong, and Jason Ring, 14-21, 21-16, 15-11 in yesterday's men's country qualifying. Wong is also a Punahou graduate and Ring played for University of Hawai'i.
Lambert played in two Olympics on the indoor team. Metzger and Wong each played in an Olympics on the beach.
The Henkel Slam is part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, where 24 teams per gender will compete for gold medals. It will also help finalize entries for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships, July 24 to 29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad. The $1 million World Championships is the second most prestigious beach volleyball event behind the Olympics. It features 48-team main draws for both men and women.

Americans continue FIVB onslaught
AVP star Todd Rogers blogs from belle Paris
Paris, Paris, Paris, a "romantic" city. Unfortunately for me, my romantic one and only — my wife — is at home. I guess Phil (Dalhausser) and I will have to gaze at the lighted up Eiffel Tower. Just doesn't seem like that would be so romantic with a 6-foot-9 bald guy. But he is good as a partner in volleyball.
The American onslaught continued today in Paris. Yesterday the three American women's teams went a combined 6-0 and followed that up today by going 3-0. They are all seeded in the top 8 and received a bye into the second round of the single elimination playoffs after pool play.
The American men have continued what the women started. Four American teams went a combined 7-1 in the first round of pool play today. Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb, Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert, and Phil and I all went 2-0 on the first day of competition. Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott won their first match but lost to the Brazilian team of Marcio Araujo-Fabio Luizin in three hard games. I know Phil and I have already clinched our pool, and I believe that Rosy-Gibb have clinched theirs — Not sure about Stein and Mike though. From what I saw, all four teams are playing at a high level and look to do well here.
For Phil and I, we started off midday against a potent Spanish team in Herrera-Mesa. Pablo Herrera took a silver with Javier Bosma in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He is a very good player. Raul Mesa is young, as is Herrera, but a very good player in his own right. We served Mesa for the most part. In the first game, Phil was very good. He was serving really tough and stuffed Mesa a fistful of times. We won 21-7. The second game they mixed it up on us and were shooting the ball a lot more. Phil did not serve as well and neither of us, particularly me, adjusted our game to shot mode. They took that one in a tight battle, 22-20. The third was tight in the beginning at 6-6, but we gradually pulled away with a couple of digs and putaways, a tough serve by Phil and a big block by Phil. Final score was 15-11.
In our second match we took on the Swiss team of Laciga-Laciga. They are brothers who do not speak a word to one another when on the court. They played for a long time together before breaking up at the end of 2005. Marcus Laciga normally plays with Marcus Egger, but Egger has been hurt this season. Phil and I played very solid volleyball and were able to win 21-14, 21-13. I sided out well and Phil blocked a lot of balls in the first game. The second was closer until I scooped a couple of balls and was able to put them away. At that point we pulled away to win.
All in all a good day for Phil and I. Tomorrow we play the top team in our pool, one from the Netherlands. Never played them before so I am looking forward to it.

Americans romp through pool play
AVP teams 21-1 against international competition
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
PARIS — With the domestic tour on break for two weeks, the top players from the AVP tour have won all of their matches, except one, here Thursday to successfully start the summer while participating in the FIVB Henkel Grand Chelem. The Henkel Grand Chelem marks the first international Beach Volleyball appearance by the U.S. players after competing in nine AVP Crocs Tour events since the start of April.
All three women in the main draw of the third annual Henkel Grand Chelem earned byes into Friday's "Sweet 16" while four men's teams compiled a 7-1 match mark Thursday during the opening pool play rounds of the first of five major events on 2007 the international beach volleyball calendar.
In the women's competition, reigning Olympic and two-time FIVB world champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh assumed the top spot in the single-elimination bracket after edging top-ranked Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca by four points to gain the No. 1 spot among the 24 remaining teams.
Also in the single-elimination bracket for the United States are Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs and Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder. Like May-Treanor and Walsh, the two other American teams in the main draw won their pools with 3-0 marks to earn first-round byes at the tournament venue, which is within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.
May-Treanor and Walsh open play Friday afternoon against 25th-seeded Merel Mooren and Rebekka Kadijk of the Netherlands. The Dutch, who lost their first pool play match to Branagh and Youngs Wednesday, advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 21-16, 22-20 win over 11th-seeded Laura Ludwig and Sara Goller of Germany.
With a 14-1 record in the Henkel Grand Chelem, May-Treanor and Walsh will be seeking to advance to their third-straight finale on the Champs de Mars. Playing both times against Juliana and Larissa in the first two finals, May-Treanor and Walsh won the inaugural 2005 title match before falling in three sets last July.
Turner and Wacholder join May-Treanor and Walsh in the top half of the elimination bracket and will play 19th-seeded Helke Claasen and Antje Roder of Germany on Friday. Claasen and Roder advanced from the opening elimination round with a 21-15, 21-11 win over 20th-seeded Milagros Crespo and Imara Esteves Ribalta of Cuba.
Branagh and Youngs are in the bottom half of the bracket with three teams from both China and Brazil along with the Schwaiger sisters from Brazil. Branagh and Youngs are challenged in their elimination match Friday afternoon by the 14th-seeded Salgado sisters (Carolina and Maria Clara) for Brazil.
In the men's competition, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers have already secured a bye for the first round of the elimination bracket with a pair of wins Thursday over teams from Spain and Switzerland. Dalhausser and Roger play Reindeer Nummerdor and Richard Schuil of the Netherlands to close out pool play Friday.
Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal lead Pool H with a 2-0 record after besting teams from Cuba and Georgia Thursday. Silver medal finishers to Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhes of Brazil in the 2006 Henkel Grand Chelem, Gibb and Rosenthal complete pool play Friday against Jorre Kjemperud and Tarjei Skarlund of Norway.
Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger have already secured an elimination bracket berth, but the Americans must defeat Brazilian Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto to earn a bye. Fifth-place finishers on the Champs de Mars last year, Lambert and Metzger posted wins Thursday over teams from Germany and Switzerland.
Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott won their opening match Thursday over a team from the host country but dropped a three-setter to Marcio Araujo and Fabio to fall a game behind the Brazilians in their pool. Fuerbringer and Scott, who had to win country quota and qualifying matches earlier this week to advance to the Main Draw, challenge Jian Li and Shun Zhou China in their final pool play match Friday.
Overall, the Americans have won 22 of 26 men's and women's matches this week with a 21-1 record against international competition.
The Henkel Grand Chelem is also part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympics where 24 teams per gender will be competing for the Summer Games gold medals. The event will also help finalize the entry list for the 2007 FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad.

Six American pairs remain
Henkel Grand Chelem's elite eight to play Saturday
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
PARIS — The best of American beach volleyball has been on display here this week in the Henkel Grand Chelem where three men's and three women's teams remain in contention for gold medals.
With 118 teams from 34 countries starting competition within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, the Americans will have three teams competing in each gender's elite eight after Friday's schedule featured both pool play and two elimination rounds for men and one elimination round for the women on the Champs de Mars sand courts, within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.
Leading the American charge are Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal. Both tandems claimed silver medals at last year's Henkel Grand Chelem where they were defeated by Brazilian pairs in the finals.
Joining the second-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh in the women's quarterfinals are No. 8 Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs and No. 26 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder. Two teams from China, and one each from Australia, Austria and Brazil form the Henkel Grand Chelem's women"s elite eight.
The top-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal are joined in the men's quarterfinals by No. 12 Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers and No. 14 Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger. Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott, the fourth American men's team in the main draw, were ousted in the first elimination round, finishing 17th in the first of five major events on the FIVB World Tour calendar.
With six opportunities to gain final four berths, the Americans are hopeful of matching their last two Eiffel Tower appearances in reaching the Henkel Grand Chelem podium. May-Treanor and Walsh started the string of Champs de Mars podium placements with a gold medal in 2005. Gibb and Metzger followed the next day with a silver medal to start a stretch of successes in the Paris SWATCH stop.
May-Treanor and Walsh — the reigning Olympic Gold Medal winners who will start defending their FIVB World Championship at this time next month in the Swiss village of Gstaad — play No. 7 Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook in their first match Saturday.
If successful in fending off the newly-formed Australian team in the quarterfinals, May-Treanor and Walsh could face Turner and Wacholder in the semis. The Australian challengers and No. 29 Sara Montagnolli-Sabine Swoboda of Austria stand in the path of a possible American-only women's semifinal match Saturday afternoon.
Branagh-Youngs face a tougher assignment, as the lower half of the women's Henkel Grand Chelem features No. 2 Juliana Felisberta Silva-Larissa Franca of Brazil and two Chinese teams — No. 3 Jia Tian-Jie Wang and No. 6 Chen Xue-Xi Zhang.
Since the last American women's international tour gold medal, the three teams in Branagh-Youngs' bracket have combined to win four of the last six international titles. Barnett and Cook were the fourth team to claim a gold medal by winning the Korean stop three weeks ago in Seoul.
Branagh-Youngs play Tian-Wang in the third of four quarterfinal matches while Xue-Zhang challenge Juliana-Larissa, who captured the last two FIVB World Tour events in Poland and Portugal. After Xue-Zhang claimed the FIVB season finale in Thailand last November, Tian-Wang won the 2007 women's season-opener in Shanghai last month.
The first men's quarterfinals match on Saturday has Gibb-Rosenthal playing No. 3 Pedro Cunha-Franco Neto of Brazil. Gibb and Rosenthal, who placed second to Marcio Araujo-Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil in the 2006 Henkel Grand Chelem, will be playing Cunha-Franco for the first time on the international circuit.
Because No. 21 Pablo Herrera-Raul eliminated Marcio Araujo-Fabio in the last match of the day Friday's, Lambert and Metzger will play the Spaniards. While Lambert and Metzger placed fifth on the Champs de Mars last July, the Spaniards failed to qualify for the Henkel Grand Chelem main draw.
The winner of that match will play either the reigning Olympic champions — No. 2 Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos of Brazil — or Dalhausser-Rogers in Saturday's second semifinal. Emanuel and Ricardo will be seeking their fourth win in five meetings with Dalhausser and Rogers, who posted a 21-19, 21-17 win over the Brazilians in the Austrian grand slam finale last August in Klagenfurt.
The other men's quarterfinal has No. 11 Patrick Heuscher-Sascha Heyer of Switzerland challenging No. 6 Julius Brink-Christoph Dieckmann of Germany. Early Thursday, the Swiss scored a 21-19, 21-15 win over Brink-Dieckmann in a pool-play match. The series is tied 1-1 between the two teams, with the Germans winning last month in Italy.

Local players take nice hiatus in Paris
VOLLEYBALL: FIVB's Henkel Grand Chelem features May-Treanor, Gibb and Lambert, who take a break from AVP Tour.
By Soraya Nadia McDonald
True May-niacs already know why it's been virtually impossible to catch a recent glimpse of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, along with other top beach volleyball athletes.
The Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour is on a two-week hiatus while its top contenders compete in the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball's Henkel Grand Chelem, which features teams from Brazil, Germany, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, and China.
Athens Olympic gold medalists May-Treanor and Walsh, Nicole Branaugh and Elaine Youngs, and Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder are among the womens' teams competing in the Elite Eight today in Paris where the first place prize is $43,500, with a total prize pot of $600,000.
While it's one thing to dominate on the domestic front, Walsh and her Newport Harbor-bred partner have proven themselves internationally as well.
May-Treanor and Walsh are the second-winningest women's team on the FIVB World Tour with 24 gold medals, and the Henkel Grand Chelem is their 48th international start.
Today they're competing against Sydney Olympic champion Natalie Cook and her new partner Tamsin Barnett of Australia, a match thought to be a preview of Beijing competition in 2008, on the Champs de Mars, within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.
The Henkel Grand Chelem is part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and also helps finalize the list of participants for the 2007 FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.
DALHAUSSER, ROGERS CONTINUE
Three U.S. teams on the men's side also advanced to the Elite Eight round of the Henkel Grand Chelem: Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, and Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal.
Lambert and Metzger will face Spain's Pablo Herrera and Raul Mesa.
The 2002 FIVB World champions for players under the age of 21, seeded 21st, upset seventh-seeded Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil, the defending Henkel Grand Chelem champions Friday afternoon 21-16, 16-21 and 17-15. Lambert and Metzer, seeded 14th, placed fifth last year.
Even on the world stage, there's a possibility that Lambert and Metzger won't be able to claim a title without going through the AVP's tour de force coupling of Dalhausser and Rogers. If they defeat the Spaniards today, Lambert and Metzger would have to play either reigning Olympic champions and second-seeded Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos of Brazil or 12th-seeded Dalhausser and Rogers in Saturday's second semifinal match.
Top-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal will face third-seeded Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto of Brazil in today's first quarterfinal match. Gibb and Rosenthal, placed second to Araujo and Magalhaes here in 2006.
The pair has advanced to a FIVB finale in three of their last four events, and struck gold last October in Acapulco over Rego and Santos. Gibb will be seeking his third-straight Henkel Grand Chelem Final Four appearance after placing second with Metzger in 2005.
The AVP tour will resume July 5-8 in Seaside Heights, N.J., and return to California with the Long Beach Open, July 19-22.

WILL THE FIFTH-TIME BE THE “CHARM” FOR BRAZIL’S FRANCO?
Paris, France, June 23, 2007 - The man has been playing Beach Volleyball longer than any other player in the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem, and Franco Neto hopes that tomorrow will be the day he becomes the oldest player to win a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal on the Champs de Mars centre court near the Eiffel Tower.
With a near-capacity centre court crowd cheering him on, the 40-year old Franco teamed with 24-year old Brazilian partner Pedro Cunha to win a pair of matches here Saturday to advance to his 30th SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal match against Brazilian rivals Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos Sunday afternoon.
Before the second-seeded Emanuel and Ricardo advanced to their 36th FIVB gold medal match with a 21-16 and 21-15 win in 46 minutes over 14th-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, Franco and Cunha scored a 21-18 and 21-18 win in 55 minutes over sixth-seeded Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany.
The semi-final wins were the second Saturday for both Brazilian teams, who competed in last week’s SWATCH finale in Portugal where Emanuel and Ricardo stop Franco’s second bid this season with Cunha to win a FIVB title with an 18-21, 21-17 and 19-17 victory in 69 minutes in Espinho.
Facing a 14-12 deficit to top-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal of the United States in their first match Saturday, Franco and Cunha scored five of the last six points in the match to post a 17-21, 21-14 and 17-15 win in 62 minutes. “It was a great comeback against a strong team,” Franco added, who placed fifth with 2006 Henkel Grand Chelem with Cunha after not qualifying with Tande Ramos in 2005.
The winningest men’s team in FIVB history with 25 gold medals, 44 podium placements and over $1.3-million in earnings together. Emanuel and Ricardo will be playing in their first Paris finale after placing ninth and third in the first two Henkel Grand Chelem events.
“First of all, I have always thought about the good of the team instead of individual accomplishments,” said Franco, who played in his first SWATCH stop in 1990 when he placed third with Atlanta 1996 Olympic partner Roberto Lopes in Rio de Janeiro. “However, winning a tournament at my age will be something special.”
During 18 seasons of international competition, Franco has advanced to a “final four” each year with only the 2002 campaign being a non-podium placement season. American Mike Dodd holds the record as the oldest player (39 years, two months, seven days) to win a SWATCH stop when he and his Atlanta 1996 silver medal Olympic partner Mike Whitmarsh won a FIVB event in November 1999 at Fortaleza, Brazil.
Franco’s last title was when he was 38 when he and Tande upset Emanuel and Ricardo in a March 2004 finale in Cape Town, South Africa. Franco has had four chances to take the record from Dodd starting with two gold medal appearances with Cunha last season in China and Poland and twice this season in Bahrain and Portugal. Dodd is coaching Gibb and Rosenthal and watched Franco and Cunha’s comeback win Saturday.
The Henkel Grand Chelem, which staged the women’s semi-finals Saturday, concludes Sunday when the winning teams shared the $43,500 first-place prizes. The Henkel Grand Chelem is also part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games that runs through July 20, 2008.

CHINESE PRESENT PROBLEMS FOR REIGNING OLYMPIC & WORLD CHAMPIONS
Paris, France, June 23, 2007 - What was expected to be the “rubber” match between two women’s teams from Brazil and the United States in the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem here Sunday resulted in a “major obstacle” for reigning Olympic and world champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
As expected, the second-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh continued their winning ways on the Champs de Mars centre court with a pair of wins Saturday to advance to their third-straight Henkel Grand Chelem women’s finale near the Eiffel Tower.
It was expected that top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca would be the other finalists, but the Brazilians could not escape with another win Saturday over a team from China to gain a gold medal spot opposite of their American rivals.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who split the first two Henkel Grand Chelem title matches with Juliana and Larissa with a gold medal in the inaugural Champs de Mars event in 2005, opened play Saturday with a 21-15 and 21-15 win over seventh-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia.
In an All-American semi-final, May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to their 34th SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal match in 48 international starts together since 2001 by posting a 21-16 and 21-12 win over 26th-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder in 40 minutes Saturday afternoon.
The top-seeded Juliana and Larissa survived their first match Saturday against a Chinese team with a 19-21, 26-24 and 18-16 win in 75 minutes over sixth-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang, but the Brazilians could not handle third-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang before losing 21-16 and 21-12 in 41 minutes.
“That was our best match of the season,” said the 26-year Tian, who competed in two Olympics for China. “Juliana and Larissa are a very tough team to play. We’ll face another tough challenge tomorrow against the American championships. They are very competitive and might be looking for some revenge Sunday.
May-Treanor and Walsh won their first two meetings against the Chinese last year in Italy and Switzerland, but Tian and Wang eliminated the Americans from the Austrian Grand Slam last August 21-19 and 22-20. The fifth-place finish in Klagenfurt was the May-Treanor and Walsh’s worst SWATCH finish since July 2002.
In the 2006 SWATCH season finale in Thailand, Xue and Zhang upset May-Treanor and Walsh 21-18 and 21-18 in the Phuket semi-final. Sunday’s finale will be the second China vs. USA women’s SWATCH finale as May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Lu Wang and Linjun Ji in the 2006 Athens gold medal match.
Tian and Wang started play with a 21-12, 29-31 and 17-15 win over eighth-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs of the United States in 70 minutes. Entering their match with Juliana and Larissa, the Brazilians held a 4-2 edge in the series with Tian and Wang.
The Henkel Grand Chelem, which will feature an All-Brazilian men’s gold medal match, concludes Sunday when the winning teams share the $43,500 first-place prizes. The Henkel Grand Chelem will also help finalize the entry list for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad.

Bet on Misty, Kerry in the finals
AVP star Todd Rogers blogs from belle Paris
June 23
America Falls to Brazil
From Thursday, when I last checked in, to Friday was good. From Friday to Saturday it was not so good if you are waving the red, white and blue.
Friday was once again good to the Americans. The women were very strong with all three women's teams receiving byes in the first round of the playoffs. Then all three of them won their matches. EY and Nicole had the toughest draw in the Salgado sisters from Brasil. I was able to catch the latter part of the match and it was a good one. EY and Nicole were able to pull it out in the third, 15-13.
The men were solid as well. Sean Scott and Matty Furbs were the only ones to go down. They went down to the team from Cuba. I did not see the match, but from all accounts, the little guy was digging everything and ripping aces on his jump serve. Phil and I got the winner of that match and faced them in the afternoon. We played very well to take the Cubanos down in two games.
In other matches, Rosy-Gibb took an Estonian team who won just two weeks ago down in two games fairly easily. Metzger and Lambert played the Chinese No. 1 team of Wu-Xu. The Chinese team can be very potent when they get it going, but the American team pretty much dismantled them in two games. At the end of Friday, the total match count for the USA was 24 wins with only two losses.
Saturday was a different story. It started with Gibb and Rosy falling to the Brazilian team of Franco and Pedro in three tough games. They had a swing for game in the third, but were unable to get the point. Then Phil and I had a very good game with the defending gold medalists, Ricardo and Emmanuel from Brazil. We had a chance in the second game after taking the first, but were unable to convert to go up 20-18. They took us down in three games. Stein and Lambert were the only American men to be on the winners side today. They took down Herrera-Mesa from Spain in two games fairly easily. They then matched up with Emmanuel and Ricardo, but came out on the losing end of the stick. It was not the Americans' best game and the Brazilians did play well.
They had a bit more success on the women's side. It started out with Misty-Kerri taking down the Australian team that won a couple of weeks ago in two games. Not very close. Then Rachel-Tyra took down Austria rather easily. The only loss in the fifth-place round was by Nicole and EY. They lost a heartbreaker to China. I was able to watch the third game and it came down to the wire. They played well and it could have gone either way.
Unfortunately for Team USA, they had to play each other. Rachel-Tyra lost in two games to Kerri and Misty. Team USA No. 1 is looking pretty good so far, and if I were a betting man — which occasionally I am — I would put my money on them to defeat the Chinese team in the finals.
Hopefully the Americans can garner 50% of the medals here in Paris with one gold and two bronze medals.
Au revoir,
Todd
June 21
Paris, Paris, Paris, a "romantic" city. Unfortunately for me, my romantic one and only — my wife — is at home. I guess Phil (Dalhausser) and I will have to gaze at the lighted up Eiffel Tower. Just doesn't seem like that would be so romantic with a 6-foot-9 bald guy. But he is good as a partner in volleyball.
The American onslaught continued today in Paris. Yesterday the three American women's teams went a combined 6-0 and followed that up today by going 3-0. They are all seeded in the top 8 and received a bye into the second round of the single elimination playoffs after pool play.
The American men have continued what the women started. Four American teams went a combined 7-1 in the first round of pool play today. Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb, Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert, and Phil and I all went 2-0 on the first day of competition. Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott won their first match but lost to the Brazilian team of Marcio Araujo-Fabio Luizin in three hard games. I know Phil and I have already clinched our pool, and I believe that Rosy-Gibb have clinched theirs — Not sure about Stein and Mike though. From what I saw, all four teams are playing at a high level and look to do well here.
For Phil and I, we started off midday against a potent Spanish team in Herrera-Mesa. Pablo Herrera took a silver with Javier Bosma in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He is a very good player. Raul Mesa is young, as is Herrera, but a very good player in his own right. We served Mesa for the most part. In the first game, Phil was very good. He was serving really tough and stuffed Mesa a fistful of times. We won 21-7. The second game they mixed it up on us and were shooting the ball a lot more. Phil did not serve as well and neither of us, particularly me, adjusted our game to shot mode. They took that one in a tight battle, 22-20. The third was tight in the beginning at 6-6, but we gradually pulled away with a couple of digs and putaways, a tough serve by Phil and a big block by Phil. Final score was 15-11.
In our second match we took on the Swiss team of Laciga-Laciga. They are brothers who do not speak a word to one another when on the court. They played for a long time together before breaking up at the end of 2005. Marcus Laciga normally plays with Marcus Egger, but Egger has been hurt this season. Phil and I played very solid volleyball and were able to win 21-14, 21-13. I sided out well and Phil blocked a lot of balls in the first game. The second was closer until I scooped a couple of balls and was able to put them away. At that point we pulled away to win.
All in all a good day for Phil and I. Tomorrow we play the top team in our pool, one from the Netherlands. Never played them before so I am looking forward to it.

Misty, Kerri just as potent overseas
No. 2 seed advance to final; Lambert-Metzger go for bronze
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
PARIS — As is the case in most double gender events on the FIVB World Tour, reigning Olympic and world champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh paced the American effort here Saturday at the Henkel Grand Chelem.
No. 2 May-Treanor and Walsh will compete in the women's gold medal match Sunday against No. 3 Jia Tian-Jie Wang of China, while the American pairs of Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder and Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger will be seeking bronze medals against teams from Brazil and Germany, respectively.
In their 48th international start together since 2001, May-Treanor and Walsh will be playing in their 34th FIVB World Tour gold medal match after posting a 40-minute 21-16, 21-12 win over No. 26 Turner and Wacholder Saturday afternoon.
With their 15th Paris win in 16 matches, May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to their third-straight Henkel Grand Chelem women's final. The championship will be played near the Eiffel Tower, where the Americans split their first two title matches on the Champs de Mar with Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca.
The top-seeded Brazilians were headed to another Paris title match before they were derailed by Tian and Wang, 21-16, 21-12 in 41 minutes. It was Juliana-Larissa's third match in the Henkel Grand Chelem against Chinese teams as the Brazilians posted three-set wins over No. 6 Chen Xue-Xi Zhang and No. 16 Lu Wang-Man Zuo.
Sunday's finale will be the second gold medal meeting between China and the United States. May-Treanor and Walsh, who have a 2-1 edge in the series with Tian-Wang after losing the last meeting in the Austrian grand slam last August, defeated Lu Wang-Linyin Ji for the Athens 2006 gold medal.
Turner — who is competing in her first international final four — and Wacholder had won their first seven matches in the Henkel Grand Chelem before meeting May-Treanor and Walsh, who had won all seven domestic matches this season against their semifinal opponent Saturday.
Lambert-Metzger entered Saturday's semifinal against No. 2 Emanuel Rego-Ricardo Santos with five-straight wins before dropping a 21-16, 21-15 decision in 46 minutes to the Olympic champions, who will play No. 3 Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto in an All-Brazilian finale Sunday. Lambert-Metzger will play No. 6 Julius Brink-Christoph Dieckmann for the men's bronze medal. The Germans defeated Lambert-Metzger in last July's Henkel Grand Chelem.
Prior to the final four matches, the United States had three teams drop semifinal-qualifying matches to place fifth in the first of five major events on the 2007 International Tour calendar. Sunday's finalist eliminated No. 1 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal and No. 12 Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers.
After Cunha-Franco defeated Gibb-Rosenthal, 17-21, 21-14, 17-15 in 62 minutes, Emaneul-Ricardo posted a 24-26, 22-20, 15-12 win in 74 minutes over Dalhausser-Rogers. Cunha-Franco's only setback in the Henkel Grand Chelem was a 21-19, 21-13 loss to Lambert-Metzger Friday morning.
No. 8 Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs missed their opportunity for their second international final four appearance after losing 21-12, 29-31, 15-13 to Tian-Wang in 70 minutes to gather a fifth-place finish.

May-Treanor and Walsh to Face Chinese Duo in Paris Finals
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 23, 2007) – The second-seeded U.S. beach volleyball team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will play China’s Jia Tian and Jie Wang in Sunday’s finals of the Henkel Grand Chelem, part of the SWATCH-FIVB World Beach Tour, in Paris.
After defeating Australia’s Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook in Saturday’s third round (21-15, 21-15), May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Walsh (Santa Clara, Calif.) defeated the U.S. team of Tyra Turner (Fort Meyers Beach, Fla.) and Rachel Wacholder (Laguna Beach, Calif.) in the semifinals, 21-16 and 21-12. Turner and Wacholder will play Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca in Sunday’s third-place match.
The third-seeded Tian and Wang defeated the eighth-seeded U.S. team of Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and Elaine Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) in the third round on Saturday, then upset top-seeded Larissa and Juliana in the semifinals, 21-16, 21-12.
Fourteenth-seeded Mike Lambert (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Stein Metzger (Honolulu, Hawaii) are the lone U.S. men’s team still alive and they will face sixth-seeded Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany in Sunday’s third-place match. The all-Brazilian men’s finals will pit Franco Neto and Pedro Cunha against Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos.
Facing a 14-12 deficit to top-seeded Jake Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) and Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) in their first match Saturday, Franco and Cunha scored five of the last six points in the match to post a 17-21, 21-14 and 17-15 win in 62 minutes.
“It was a great comeback against a strong team,” Franco added, who placed fifth with 2006 Henkel Grand Chelem with Cunha after not qualifying with Tande Ramos in 2005.
Franco, who is 40, could become the oldest player ever to win a SWATCH-FIVB beach tournament, surpassing American Mike Dodd, who holds the record as the oldest player (39 years, two months, seven days) to win a SWATCH stop when he and his Atlanta 1996 silver medal Olympic partner Mike Whitmarsh won a FIVB event in November 1999 at Fortaleza, Brazil.
The 12th-seeded U.S. team of Phil Dalhausser (Orlando, Fla.) and Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) lost a 1-2 battle to Emanuel and Ricardo in the third round (26-24, 20-22, 12-15).

May-Treanor in final
PARIS — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh had no problem defeating 2000 Olympic champions Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook Saturday, blowing past the pair 21-15, 21-15 in the Federation Internationale de Volleyball's Henkel Grand Chelem Saturday.
The 2004 Olympic gold medalists then moved on to defeat American Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tourmates Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder 21-16, 21-12 to advance to the women's final today.
May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor product, and Walsh, will play Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China today for the gold medal and the $43,000 first-place prize.
The pair won their first two matches against the Chinese last year in Italy and Switzerland, but Tian and Wang defeated them last August 21-19 and 22-20, eliminating May-Treanor and Walsh from the Austrian Grand Slam. The fifth-place finish in Klagenfurt was May-Treanor and Walsh's worst in FIVB competition since July 2002.
Turner— who is competing in her first international final four — and Wacholder had won their first seven matches in the Henkel Grand Chelem before meeting May-Treanor and Walsh.
They will seek the bronze today against Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca.
Mike Lambert of Costa Mesa and partner Stein Metzger will play Germans Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann for the men's bronze medal, the same team they lost to in last year's Henkel Grand Chelem.
Lambert and Metzger had five straight wins before they lost 21-16, 21-15 to Olympic champions Emauel Rego and Ricardo Santos of Brazil.

AMERICANS TURNER & WACHOLDER UPSET BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONS
A SWATCH bronze medal for Rachel Wacholder of the United States
Paris, France, June 24, 2007 - Although it was not the top prize, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder left the Champ de Mars centre court “very satisfied” here Sunday as the “new” American on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour claimed the women’s bronze medal in US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem.
Playing against top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca, the No. 1-ranked team on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour the past two seasons, the 26-seeded Turner and Wacholder posted their “biggest” win of their partnership by defeating the Brazilians 21-17 and 21-16 in 41 minutes.
With the bronze medal and their “biggest” Beach Volleyball paycheck together of $23,000, Turner and Wacholder will share the Champ de Mars podium within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower with fellow Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who will play for the gold medal later Sunday afternoon against Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China.
“It is hard to say if that is our best played match this season, but it is easily our biggest victory,” said the 30-year old Turner, who was competing in her first SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event with Wacholder. “Our side out game was very good and Rachel played great defense behind me. With the Eiffel Tower in the background and this event being in Paris, this is the highlight of my Beach Volleyball career.”
While Turner was claiming her first international medal, Wacholder was capturing her first medal since 2004 when she teamed with Walsh for three podium finishes when May-Treanor was sidelined before the Athens Olympic Games with an abdominal strain. After placing third with Walsh in a Norwegian stop, Wacholder won gold medals in Marseille and Austria for her “biggest: days on the SWATCH tour.
“This win over one of the great teams in the world will give us a lot of confidence,” said the 32-year old Wacholder, who had placed fourth and ninth in the first two Henkel Grand Chelem with Elaine Youngs. “Prior to this week’s event, we felt we could be competitive with the best teams in the world. We proved that today against Juliana and Larissa.”
Despite the win, Turner and Wacholder will have to qualify again for their next SWATCH-FIVB World Tour grand slam event starting Tuesday in Stavanger, Norway. The pair could face a possible country quota match Monday to gain a spot in the qualifier.
Turner and Wacholder had to win two qualifying matches this past Tuesday to gain a Main Draw berth where they upset seventh-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia in their first “money” match followed by wins over teams from France, Japan, Germany and Austria. Their seven-match winning streak ended Saturday in the first-semi-final when May-Treanor and Walsh posted a 21-16 and 21-12 win for their eighth-straight win this season over Turner and Wacholder.
The defending Henkel Grand Chelem champions, Juliana and Larissa struggler in their final three matches this weekend. After surviving their first match Saturday against a Chinese team with a 19-21, 26-24 and 18-16 win in 75 minutes over sixth-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang, the Brazilians could not handle third-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang before losing 21-16 and 21-12 in 41 minutes.
The Henkel Grand Chelem, which will feature an All-Brazilian men’s gold medal match, concludes Sunday when the winning teams share the $43,500 first-place prizes. The Henkel Grand Chelem will also help finalize the entry list for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad.

LAMBERT NETS ANOTHER BRONZE IN FIRST SEASONAL SWATCH START
Paris, France, June 24, 2007 - Mike Lambert is starting a pattern that he hopes does not continue as he teamed with American partner Stein Metzger to claim a men’s bronze medal in the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem by defeating 2006 European championships Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann.
Seeded 14th in their first SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event, Metzger and Lambert also avenged a defeat to their German rivals in the only meeting between the two teams at the 2006 Henkel Grand Chelem with a 21-12 and 21-17 to share the $23,000 third-place prize.
While Metzger has now medaled 14 times with four different partners on the SWATCH Tour, Lambert was earning his second international Beach Volleyball podium placement after winning a bronze medal in his first FIVB event last season in Croatia. After Zagreb, Lambert and Metzger posted three fifths and a 13th to finish the 2006 season.
“This is a good way to start the season with a good finish in a grand slam event,” said Metzger. “We played well internationally last season, but not great. Hopefully, Mike and I will put together a string of medal finishes enroute to earning a spot in the Olympics. We defeated a very good team today and hade a good week against the world.”
Lambert and Metzger won six of their seven matches this week with their only setback being a 21-16 and 21-15 setback to reigning Olympic champions Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos, who will played Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto in the All-Brazilian finale later Sunday.

SUCCESS AT THE EIFFEL TOWER FOR BRAZILIANS EMANUEL & RICARDO
Paris, France, June 24, 2007 - When speaking of “charms” the third-time was a gold medal winner for reigning Olympic champions Emanuel and Ricardo as the world’s No. 1-ranked Beach Volleyball team defeated Brazilian rivals Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto for the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem title here Sunday afternoon before an over-flowing crowd of 7,000 on the Champ de Mars center court.
In securing the $43,500 first-place prize with a 19-21, 21-17 and 15-12 win in 71 minutes over the third-seeded Cunha and Franco, the second-seeded Emanuel and Ricardo captured the first of five “major” stops on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar.
In addition, the Brazilians were winning a gold medal near the Eiffel Tower for the first-time in three attempts after finishing ninth and third in their first two Henkel Grand Chelems the past two years. Sunday’s title was also FIVB gold medal No. 26 for the 2003 SWATCH-FIVB World champions along with Emanuel’s 62nd and Ricardo’s 42nd on the international circuit.
“It is great to play in front of one of the world’s most famous sites,” said the 34-year old Emanuel, who was winning his 108 Beach Volleyball title since 1994. “It is even more special to win in Paris before such a great site. Obviously, the Olympic and world championships are the best, but this one ranks among the best ever on this tour.”
Due to a left heel injury for Ricardo, the Brazilians started the 2007 SWATCH season slowly by placing fifth, ninth, second and fifth in the first four FIVB starts before ending an six-event title drought by defeated Cunha and Franco in last week in Portugal for the Espinho gold medal.
Both teams suffered one defeat each earlier in the week as the Henkel Grand Chelem started with pool play with the top three tandems in each pool advancing to the 24-team single-elimination bracket. While Emanuel and Ricardo had to play only three matches to reach their 36th FIVB finale, Cunha and Franco had to win four contests to reach their sixth SWATCH gold medal match.
Franco, who was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the Henkel Grand Chelem, and Cunha shared $29,500 for their silver medal finish. The 40-year old Franco was also trying to become the oldest player to win a SWATCH title as he was denied for fifth-time in attempting to break the record set by American Mike Dodd (39 years, two months, seven days) in 1996.
In the bronze medal match, 14th-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger of the United States posted a 21-12 and 21-17 win over sixth-seeded Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany to split $23,000 for third-place. The Germans, the 2006 European champions, split $18,400 for fourth-place.
The Henkel Grand Chelem, which staged the women’s finals after the men’s gold medal match Sunday, is also part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games that runs through July 20, 2008. The next “major” event on the SWATCH schedule starts Monday in Norway for the $600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam in Stavanger.

MAY-TREANOR & WALSH GAIN REVENGE & REGAIN PARIS SWATCH GRAND SLAM TITLE
Paris, France, June 24, 2007 - The United States’ Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh “followed their game plan” to gain revenge and to regain the top of the podium in front of Eiffel here Sunday to win the women’s gold medal in the final match of the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem.
With their 21-15 and 21-12 win in 42 minutes over third-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang, the second-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh avenged an elimination setback to the Chinese in the Austrian grand slam last August for the American’s lowest international finish since a 1992 ninth.
In addition, May-Treanor and Walsh regained the Henkel Grand Chelem title after losing the 2006 gold medal match on the Champ de Mars to Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil in three sets. A year earlier on May-Treanor’s 27th birthday, the Americans defeated Juliana and Larissa in the inaugural Henkel Grand Chelem finale.
“We were better prepared for this match,” said May-Treanor, who was winning her 25th SWATCH title with Walsh and 28th FIVB crown overall. “Kerri did a great job at the net that allowed me to defend behind her block. Obviously, we were pointing to this match since Jia and Jie eliminated us in Austria last year. They are a great team, but we put a lot of pressure on them with our game plan today.”
It was the second-time that May-Treanor and Walsh had played a Chinese team for a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal. The reigning Olympic and two-time world champions Americans won the first-ever international Beach Volleyball title meeting between the two countries in June 2006 at Athens by defeating Lu Wang and Linjun Ji.
May-Treanor and Walsh now hold a 3-1 edge in the series with Tian and Wang, who shared the $29,500 second-place prize. The Chinese were competing in their fourth final this season with one goal medal in the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour season opener in Shanghai last month.
“The Chinese field three excellent teams this year,” said Walsh, who was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the Henkel Grand Chelem. “We are excited to win our first international event this season and pleased that Tyra and Rachel joined us on the podium today.”
“Tyra and Rachel” are Turner and Wacholder, who claimed the bronze medal for the United States with a 21-17 and 21-16 win over the top-seeded Juliana and Larissa. Turner and Wacholder split $23,000 for third-place while the Brazilians, who had won the last two SWATCH stops in Poland and Portugal, shared $18,400 for fourth-place.
Not counting the 2006 SWATCH season finale in Thailand, Henkel Grand Chelem podium Sunday failed to have a Brazilian women’s team claiming a FIVB medal for the first-time since August 2005 in Austria. The Klagenfurt event marked the last time Juliana and Larissa missed a SWATCH “final four” as the legendary Brazilian Adriana Behar teamed with Shaylyn Bede (Shelda’s younger sister) to place fourth behind May-Treanor/Walsh, Wacholder/Elaine Youngs and Tian/Fei Wang in the Klagenfurt grand slam stop.
The Henkel Grand Chelem also featured an All-Brazilian men’s gold medal match where Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos captured their 26th FIVB gold medal by defeating Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto in the All-Brazilian finale. The Henkel Grand Chelem also helps finalize the entry list for the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships to be played July 24-29 in the Swiss Alps village of Gstaad.

Wacholder Takes Down World’s No. 1 Ranked Team En Route To Bronze Medal In Paris
Courtesy: Curtis Snyder, special to CUBuffs.com
06/24/2007
PRIS – Their closest call came in the first match of the tournament. Former CU standout Rachel Wacholder and her new partner Tyra Turner, got off to a slow start in Paris at the Henkel Grand Slam, the first of five international majors this season, here in the shadows of the Eifel Tower.
Wacholder and Turner were not seeded in the Top 10 in the main draw. They weren’t even seeded in the Top 10 in the qualifier’s bracket, but nine matches and eight victories later, the duo came away with a trip to the podium and a bronze medal.
“This win over one of the great teams in the world will give us a lot of confidence,” said Wacholder, who just turned 32 earlier this month and who had placed fourth and ninth in her first two Henkel Grand Slam appearances with Elaine Youngs. “Prior to this week’s event, we felt we could be competitive with the best teams in the world. We proved that today against Juliana and Larissa.”
A total of five American women’s teams went to compete and after Holly McPeak and Logan Tom defeated Wacholder’s former partner Jen Boss and her teammate April Ross in the country qualifier, McPeak and Tom gave Wacholder and Turner a run for the money in the first round of the qualifier, but Wacholder and Turner held on to win 15-8 in game three after dropping the first game.
Wacholder and Turner then used the momentum to dismantle a team from the Netherlands in the second round to earn a spot in the main draw alongside two American teams that didn’t have to qualify in eighth-seed Nicole Branagh and Youngs, and No. 2 seed and defending Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
A total of 32 teams then entered pool play with Turner and Wacholder, who earned the No. 26 seed in the main draw. The 32 teams made up eight different pools and each of the three American teams compiled perfect 3-0 records in their respective pools and all earned a first round bye in the 24 team elimination bracket.
Wacholder and Turner dismantled a German team in the second round of the elimination bracket and thus became the furthest reaching qualifying team. All three U.S. teams won in the second round and Turner and Wacholder along with May-Treanor and Walsh each won in the third round to earn Final Four berths. Branagh and Youngs fell in the third round to earn a fifth place finish.
With the bad luck of the draw, Turner and Wacholder faced May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinals. The two teams have met several times on the AVP tour this season, including three times in the championship match, with May-Treanor and Walsh winning each time. They did so again, meaning Turner and Wacholder would play in the bronze medal match, where they would face No. 1 seed Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil.
When the U.S. teams are staying at home to compete in the AVP tour, Felisberta Silva and Franca are the most dominant team on the tour. They are the two-time defending FIVB Tour Champions and Team of the Year and have racked up over a half a million in earnings in just five years on the international tour.
It took Wacholder and Turner just 41 minutes to dismantle the Brazilians, 21-17, 21-16. May-Treanor and Walsh went on to win the Gold Medal, giving the United States two teams on the podium.
But perhaps more important than defeating the No. 1 team in the world was earning a third-place finish over Branagh and Youngs fifth-place finish. The FIVB is the tour in which teams earn points for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Only two American teams can qualify for the Olympics, so in these FIVB events, it’s just as important for the U.S. teams to outdistance each other as it is for their overall placement.
The Olympic qualifying consists of a team’s top eight finishes on the FIVB Tour for the 2007 and ’08 seasons. Each of the five major tournaments are worth more money and more importantly, more points, so most of the U.S. teams may just play in the 11 scheduled majors for the next two years to determine which two teams will represent the United States in Beijing.
Until a year ago, Wacholder and Youngs were clearly defining themselves as the No. 2 team in the United States, winning five AVP tour events over May-Treanor and Walsh over the past couple of years before they split up mid way through last season. Although it’s early and there are still several other U.S. teams in the mix, it seems possible that the second team from the United States alongside the defending Gold medalist will either be Wacholder with her new partner or Youngs with hers.
If nothing else in Paris, Wacholder and Turner proved they were up for the challenge and gave themselves an early boost in the running for the Olympics. May-Treanor and Walsh earned 800 points for winning while Wacholder and Turner earned 640 and Branagh and Youngs 480. The FIVB majors are worth 800 points compared to 600 points in the other events on the tour, thus meaning Wacholder and Turner’s third place finish is worth more than a non-Grand Slam championship.
The next FIVB event the U.S. players will be competing in is this coming weekend in Stavanger, Norway, at the ConocoPhilips Grand Slam.
Most U.S. teams will then return back to the United States for the Seaside Heights, N.J., tour stop on the AVP Tour July 5-8 before heading to Berlin, Germany, July 11-14, for the Smart Grand Slam. The Swatch FIVB World Championships will be held in Gstaad, Switzerland, July 24-28 and the final FIVB Grand Slam will be in Klagenfurt, Austra, Aug. 1-4.
Mixed in there are several other AVP events, in which Wacholder and Turner are currently the No. 2 ranked team on tour behind May-Treanor and Walsh and just ahead of Branagh and Youngs, who are the only team other than May-Treanor and Walsh to win a championship this season.
Tentatively scheduled in 2008 on the FIVB are six Grand Slam events between May 5 and Aug. 3 before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing kick off on Aug. 9, the day after the opening ceremonies.

Boss, Ross take out McPeak, Tom
American women hope to continue FIVB success
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
STAVANGER, Norway — A week after losing in three sets to Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in the American country quota playoff in Paris, Jen Boss and April Ross avenged the setback with a preliminary win here Monday in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam, as teams from Brazil and Germany also competed for spots in this week's FIVB World Tour women's qualification tournament.
Before the Germans' second match Monday and after the Brazilian country quota match, Boss and Ross avenged their country quota setback last week in Paris to McPeak and Tom by defeating their American rivals 21-14 and 23-21 in 42 minutes. In Paris within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, McPeak and Tom won the country quota match 25-23, 16-21, 18-16 in 68 minutes over Boss and Ross.
"I am glad that is over," said Boss. "Now we have an opportunity for a spot in Wednesday's main draw. Hopefully, we will not have to play Tyra (Turner) and Rachel (Wacholder) like Holly and Logan faced last week in Paris in the first qualifying round. I think a week off practicing in Paris helps us prepare for today."
Turner and Wacholder, who claimed a bronze medal this past Sunday in Paris where the Americans defeated top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil for third-place, are seeded 13th in the qualifier and will play a team from Belgium in their first match Friday. A Turner-Wacholder win will see the Americans play either a team from Greece or Mexico for a spot in the 32-team Main Draw.
Boss and Ross challenge a team from Latvia in their first match Tuesday with the winners facing a beach volleyball tandem from either China or Switzerland for a spot in the "money" rounds. The women's event concludes Saturday with the final two teams competing for $43,500 and the gold medal. The men's medal matches are Sunday.
The American teams of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs earned a spot in the women's main draw due to their entry points for the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam. May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Jia Tian and Jie Wang for the Paris gold medal while Branagh and Youngs were fifth after being eliminated by the Chinese.
With three men's teams from the United States, the tandems of Scott Fuerbringer-Sean Scott and Jason Ring-Kevin Wong will play Tuesday afternoon in an American country quota match with the winner advancing to the qualifier with a chance to join Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal, Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers and Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger in the main draw.
Fuerbringer and Scott defeated Ring and Wong in last week's country quota match to net a qualifying berth where the Americans advanced to the Paris main draw enroute to a 17th-place finish. Lambert and Metzger place third in Paris while Gibb-Rosenthal and Dalhausser-Rogers each tied for fifth.

Disagreeable weather in Norway
Todd Rogers blogs from the chilly Norseland
June 27
Cold In Norway
The weather has been anything but nice for the start of the Norway Grand Slam event. The last two days have been rainy, windy and cold — high temperature around 55 degrees or so. Because of the rain and cold, I did not watch very many matches. I was able to see the Wong-Ring match vs. the Netherlands. Kevin and Jason lost the first game, 21-17, but came back strong to start the second game. They jumped out to a 7-3 lead and were able to carry that to the end of the game. The Netherlands did mount a little comeback to close at 14-13, but the Americans sided out and scored three straight points to pull away again. The third game seemed like the Netherlands team won each side switch 3-2. They earned the majority of their points with the exception of one net dribbler that kind of sealed the match for them at about 12-7 or so.
I have not seen any of the women's matches so far. Keep hoping they will be on TV but have yet to see any. I know that Misty and Kerri are seeded No. 1 in the tourney and have a fairly weak pool that they should win. EY and Nicole have a fairly week pool as well. They will have to play Brazil to determine who wins the pool. April and Jen have a very tough pool with 2 Brazilian teams and a solid Italian team. I saw online that they lost their first match to the top brasilian team 16-14 in the third. That might help them if they can beat the other brasilian or italian team in two games.
Hopefully the weather tomorrow will clear up and warm up too. Playing in this weather is just not very much fun.

Five AVP teams still alive in Norway
Misty-Kerri, EY-Branagh close to moving on
Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
STAVANGER, Norway &151; Two women's teams from the United States will seek successful conclusions to their pool play schedules when elimination play begins after each team posted 2-0 marks here Wednesday in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
The American Beach Volleyball tandems of top-seeded Misty May-Treanor-Kerri Walsh and 11th-seeded Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs will challenge teams from Cuba and Brazil Thursday. A win means they'll advance to the second round of play and also earn a bye in the first round of the 24-team elimination bracket.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who won last week's international stop in Paris, opened Pool A play with wins over 32nd-seeded Kristine Wiig and Eydis Dalen of Norway (21-12, 21-15) and 17th-seeded Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany (26-28, 21-15, 15-8).
With nine straight international wins this season and 32 consecutive victories overall, May-Treanor and Walsh play 16th-seeded Milagros Crespo and Imara Esteves Ribalta of Cuba for the Pool A title. The Americans lead the international series with the Cubans, 3-0, with two victories in 2005 in Portugal and Brazil, and a win at the end of 2006 in Mexico.
Branagh and Young, who placed fifth in Paris, posted a pair of three-set wins Wednesday over 22nd-seeded Alexandra Shiryaeva-Natalya Uryadova of Russia, 22-24, 21-15, 15-9, and over 27th-seeded Hana Klapalova-Tereza Petrova of the Czech Republic, 21-8, 18-21, 15-8.
The legendary Brazilian tandem of Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede await Branagh and Youngs Thursday when the two teams play for the first-time internationally. Youngs will be challenging Adriana and Shelda for the 16th time since 2002 with a 7-8 mark against the two-time FIVB World champions with two different partners.
With damp and cool conditions on the Vaagen Harbour sand courts, two other American tandems were not as successful in the ninth annual ConocoPhillips Grand Slam. Competition in the FIVB World Tour event continues through the weekend with the medal matches Saturday for women and Sunday for men.
Jen Boss and April Ross, who had to win a country quota match Monday and a pair of qualifying matches Tuesday, dropped both of their Pool D matches Wednesday to teams from Brazil. The 29th-seeded Americans must defeat 20th-seeded Efthalia Koutroumanidou and Maria Tsiartsiani of Greece Thursday to advance to the elimination rounds.
In the men's qualifier, 19th-seeded Jason Ring and Kevin Wong split a pair of matches Wednesday to place 33rd in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam. After eliminating 14th-seeded Joao Brenha and Miquel Maia of Portugal 21-10, 19-21, 17-15, Ring and Wong were ousted by third-seeded Jochem De Gruijter and Gijs Ronnes of the Netherlands, 21-17, 16-21 and 15-9.
The United States will have three men's teams in the Main Draw starting Thursday morning, including Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal, Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers and Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger. While Gibb-Rosenthal and Dalhausser-Rogers were finishing fifth in Paris, Lambert and Metzger claimed the bronze medal.
Joining Ring and Wong as Americans eliminated from the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam are the teams of Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder, Holly McPeak-Logan Tom and Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott. While McPeak-Tom and Fuerbringer-Scott were eliminated in country quota playoff matches by Boss-Ross and Ring-Wong, Turner and Wacholder were upset by a team from Belgium in the first round of the women's qualifier Tuesday.

AVPers nearly flawless on Thursday
All three women's teams advance to Friday
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
STAVANGER, Norway — It was a near-perfect day here Thursday for AVP beach volleyball players on the Vaagen Harbour courts, as six teams from the United States combined for an 8-1 match mark with three women's tandems advancing to the elimination bracket in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and 11th-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs earned byes for the first round of the 24-team, single-elimination bracket that begins Friday morning in this southwestern Norway port city. Three rounds will be played Friday to determine the final four for the seventh FIVB beach event this season for women.
Jen Boss and April Ross also survived the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam pool play by finishing their group's schedule with a 21-15, 21-12 win over 20th-seeded Efthalia Koutroumanidou and Maria Tsiartsiani of Greece. Boss and Ross face 31st-seeded Dana Cooke and Annie Martin of Canada with the winner playing Branagh and Youngs for a spot in the quarterfinals.
For the United States in the men's competition, second-seeded Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal and fifth-seeded Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers won both of their pool play matches Thursday while sixth-seeded Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger split a pair of confrontations with European teams from Germany and Italy.
May-Treanor and Walsh, who have finished fourth and second in their two previous ConocoPhillips Grand Slam appearances in 2002 and 2003, earned their bye with a 21-13, 21-13 win over 16th-seeded Milagros Crespo and Imara Esteves Ribalta of Cuba.
The Cuban victory protected May-Treanor and Walsh's top-seed for the elimination round where the Americans will play either 19th-seeded Sara Montagnolli-Sabine Swoboda of Austria or 24th-seeded Merel Mooren-Rebekka Kadijk of the Netherlands for a quarterfinal berth.
Branagh and Youngs upset the legendary Brazilian pair of Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede, 21-17, 21-17, to win their pool and earn a first-round bye. A pair of wins Friday would earn Branagh and Youngs a semifinals berth after finishing fifth last week in Paris where May-Treanor and Walsh captured the gold medal.
Gibb and Rosenthal took a pair of three-setters Thursday and will conclude pool play Friday against 15th-seeded Renato "Geor" Gomes and Jorge "Gia" Terceiro of Georgia. After defeating 31st-seeded Stefan Uhmann and Kay Matysik of Germany, 21-17, 17-21, 15-10, Gibb and Rosenthal posted an 18-21, 22-20, 15-13 win over 18th-seeded Andrew Schacht and Joshua Slack of Australia.
Dalhausser and Rogers had an easier time in their opening match with a 21-17, 21-18 win over 28th-seeded Kentaro Asahi and Katsuhiro Shiratori of Japan before defeating 21st-seeded Jochem De Gruijter and Gijs Ronnes of the Netherlands 20-22, 22-20, 15-11. Dalhausser and Rogers play 12th-seeded Kristjan Kais and Rivo Vesik of Estonia in their final pool play match Friday.
Lambert and Metzger, bronze medal winners in Paris last week, were upset by 27th-seeded Eric Koreng and David Klemperer of Germany, 17-21, 21-19, 22-20, to open play Thursday before rebounding with a 25-27, 21-19, 16-14 win over 22nd-seeded Ricardo Lione and Matteo Varnier of Italy in Thursday's longest match (69 minutes).

CHINESE & GERMANS VERSUS USA FOR NORWEGIAN GOLD
Stavanger, Norway, June 29, 2007 - For the second-straight week on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, two women’s teams from the United States have advanced to the semi-finals, but this time, the two American tandems can not play each other until the medal matches in the US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will lead the four teams into the semi-finals as the reigning Olympic and world champions from the United States eliminated a pair of teams from the Netherlands and Brazil here Friday afternoon to advance to their 42nd SWATCH “final four” in 49 FIVB starts together since the start of the 2001 season.
In Saturday’s first morning semi-final, the Americans will play third-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China in a repeat of last week’s SWATCH grand slam gold medal match in Paris where May-Treanor and Walsh posted a 21-15 and 21-12 win over their Asian rivals in the fourth meeting between the two teams. May-Treanor and Walsh lead the series 3-1 with the Chinese’s lone win last August in the Austrian grand slam in Klagenfurt.
Saturday’s second-semi-final match will feature 17th-seeded Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany against 29th-seeded Jen Boss and April Ross of the United States. Both teams will be playing their 10th and 11th matches of the week as the Germans and the Americans starting playing Monday while the first semi-finalists began competition Wednesday.
The second set of “final four” teams had to compete three times Friday after finishing pool play with 1-2 records Thursday. Both Goller/Ludwig and Boss/Ross had to win country quota playoff matches Monday along with a pair of qualifying contests Tuesday to gain Main Draw berths.
May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to Saturday’s action by defeating 24th-seeded Rebekka Kadijk and Merel Mooren of the Netherlands 21-19 and 21-11 and eighth-seeded Leila Barros and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil 21-17 and 21-11. The Americans improved their SWATCH mark for 2007 to 12-0 with 13-straight FIVB wins since the end of the 2006 season in Thailand.
Tian and Wang’s road to the “final four” started with a 21-11 and 21-12 win over 10th-seeded Susanne Glesnes and Kathrine Maaseide of Norway followed by a 21-18 and 21-13 victory over seventh-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia. The Chinese, who captured the season opening FIVB event in Shanghai earlier last month, will be competing in their 14th SWATCH semi-final in 20 FIVB starts together since the start of the 2006 season.
Goller and Ludwig advanced to their second SWATCH “final four” in the past three FIVB events by out-lasting 14th-seeded Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau in an All-German quarter-final match. Earlier Friday, Goller and Ludwig ousted sixth-seeded Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar of Brazil 19-21, 21-18 and 15-11 and fifth-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang of China 17-21, 21-18 and 15-13. Two weeks ago in Portugal, Goller and Ludwig claimed the silver medal.
Boss and Ross, who failed to advance out of the country quota playoffs in Paris in their first FIVB start together, opened played Friday with a 21-13, 19-21 and 17-15 win over 31st-seeded Dana Cooke and Annie Martin of Canada followed by a 22-20 and 21-18 win over American rivals and 11th-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. In the quarterfinals, Boss and Ross ousted 15th-seeded Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karadassiou of Greece 19-21, 21-14 and 15-12.
With the elimination of four Brazilian teams Saturday, including defending ConocoPhillips Grand Slam champions Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca, the South American country will not have a team in a women’s SWATCH “final four” for only the 11th-time in 156 FIVB events since 1992. With Brazilians in the field, the last time the South Americans did not compete in a SWATCH semi-final was at the 2004 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam on Vaagen Harbour.
The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour continues next week in Canada before returning to Europe for the third grand slam event in Berlin July 10-15 followed by a stop in Marseille and the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Two U.S. Women’s Beach Teams Reach Semifinals; Men Wrap up Pool Play
BJ.Evans@USAV.org
Copy by: Cassy Salyer
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 29, 2007) - Two U.S. women’s and three U.S. men’s beach volleyball teams are left standing on the sands of Vaagen Harbour at the US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam in Stavanger, Norway.
The women, a day ahead of the men in tournament play, have narrowed the field to four teams, including two that will represent the United States. Misty May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (Santa Clara, Calif.) are joined in the semifinals by the duo of Jennifer Boss (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Newport Beach, Calif.).
Saturday’s first semifinal will feature a rematch between last week’s US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem finalists in Paris where May-Treanor and Walsh defeated the Chinese team of Jia Tian and Jie Wang, 2-0 (21-15, 21-12).
In the second semifinal match, Boss and Ross will take on Germany’s Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig. Both teams played in country-quota matches on Monday before advancing through the qualification rounds the following day, earning a spot in the main draw.
After running the table in pool play, May-Treanor and Walsh received a bye in the first round of the 24-team single-elimination bracket that began today. A second-round match-up between the American duo and the Netherlands’ Rebekka Kadijk and Merel Mooren ended with a 2-0 U.S. victory (21-19, 21-11). May-Treanor and Walsh earned their 13th-straight FIVB win and a slot in the semifinals with a win over Leila Barros and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil (21-17, 21-11).
Although reaching the semifinals took Boss and Ross two more days than it did Walsh and May-Treanor, the pair has not shown any signs of slowing down.
In the first round of the single-elimination bracket, the U.S. duo defeated Canadians Annie Martin and Dana Cooke 1-2 (13-21, 21-19, 15-17). Facing their second American opponent this week, Boss and Ross then eliminated Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and Elaine Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) in two sets (22-20, 21-28). Finally, in their fifth three-set match of the tournament, the two fought past Greece’s Vasso Karadassiou and Vassiliki Arvanity (21-19, 14-21, 12-15).
The win landed Boss and Ross in the semifinals of their second FIVB event together, one week after being eliminated in the country-quota playoffs in Paris.
On the men’s side, three U.S. teams completed pool play today and will enter the single-elimination bracket set to begin Saturday.
Phil Dalhausser (Orlando, Fla.) and Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) lead the way, going undefeated in Pool N and earning a bye in the first round of elimination play. Partners Mike Lambert (Kaneohe, Hawai’i) and Stein Metzger (Honolulu, Hawai’i) join Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) and Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) in first-round action Saturday morning.
In their first match of the day, Dalhausser and Rogers handled Japan’s Kentaro Asahi and Katsuhiro Shiratori 21-17, 21-18, before taking three sets to defeat the Netherlands’ Jochem De Gruijter and Gijs Ronnes (20-22, 22-20, 15-11). Their final match in pool play was a 2-0 victory against Kristjan Kais and Rivo Vesik of Estonia (21-17, 21-19).
Lambert and Metzger dropped their first match of the day to Germany’s David Klemperer and Eric Koreng in three tight sets, 21-17, 19-21, 20-22. The duo came back to win the next two matches against teams from Italy (2-1) and China (2-0). The Hawai’i natives will face Australia’s Andrew Schacht and Josh Slack in a do-or-die match on Saturday.
In Pool K, Gibb and Rosenthal won back-to-back matches against Germany’s Kay Matysik and Stefan Uhmann (2-1) and Australia’s Schact and Slack (2-1) before dropping two straight sets to a team from Georgia (20-22, 18-21). Gibb and Rosenthal will face Clemens Doppler and Pedro Gartmayer of Austria in the first round on Saturday.
Winners of the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam will split a US$43,000 first-place prize. The women’s tournament concludes Saturday with the men crowning a champion on Sunday.

Americans populate women's semis
Misty-Kerri, Boss-Ross succeeding in Norway
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
STAVANGER, Norway — For the second straight week on the international tour, two women's teams from the United States have advanced to the semifinals. This time, the American duos can't play each other until the medal matches in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will lead the four teams into the semifinals, as the reigning Olympic and world champions eliminated a pair of teams from the Netherlands and Brazil on Friday afternoon to advance. It's the 42nd final four appearance in 49 FIVB starts together for May-Treanor and Walsh since the start of the 2001 season.
In Saturday's first morning semifinal, the Americans will play No. 3 Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China in a repeat of last week's gold medal match in Paris. May-Treanor and Walsh posted a 21-15, 21-12 win over their Asian rivals last weekend in the fourth meeting between the two teams. May-Treanor and Walsh lead the series 3-1, with the Chinese's lone win coming last August in the Austrian grand slam in Klagenfurt.
Saturday's second semifinal match will feature No. 17 Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany against No. 29 Jen Boss and April Ross of the United States. Both teams will be playing their 10th and 11th matches of the week, as the Germans and the Americans started playing Monday, while the first semifinalists began competition Wednesday.
The second set of final four teams had to compete three times Friday after finishing pool play with 1-2 records on Thursday. Both Goller-Ludwig and Boss-Ross had to win country quota playoff matches on Monday along with a pair of qualifying contests on Tuesday to gain berths in the main draw.
May-Treanor and Walsh advanced to Saturday's action by defeating No. 24 Rebekka Kadijk and Merel Mooren of the Netherlands, 21-19, 21-11, and No. 8 Leila Barros and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil, 21-17, 21-11. The Americans improved their world tour mark to 12-0 in 2007, and have 13 straight FIVB wins since the 2006 season ended in Thailand.
Tian and Wang's road to the final four started with a 21-11, 21-12 win over No. 10 Susanne Glesnes and Kathrine Maaseide of Norway. They followed that with a 21-18, 21-13 victory over No. 7 Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia. The Chinese, who captured the season-opening FIVB event in Shanghai earlier last month, will be competing in their 14th international semifinal in 20 FIVB starts together since the start of the 2006 season.
Goller and Ludwig advanced to their second international final four in the past three international events by outlasting No. 14 Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau in an all-German quarterfinal match. Earlier Friday, Goller and Ludwig ousted No. 6 Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar of Brazil, 19-21, 21-18, 15-11, and No. 5 Chen Xue and Xi Zhang of China, 17-21, 21-18, 15-13. Two weeks ago in Portugal, Goller and Ludwig claimed the silver medal.
Boss and Ross, who failed to advance out of the country quota playoffs in Paris in their first international start together, opened play Friday with a 21-13, 19-21, 17-15 win over No. 31 Dana Cooke and Annie Martin of Canada. They followed by taking down No. 11 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Young — their American rivals — 22-20, 21-18. In the quarterfinals, Boss and Ross ousted No. 15 Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karadassiou of Greece, 19-21, 21-14, 15-12.
On the men's side, all three American teams advanced out of pool play to compete tomorrow. No. 5 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser await the winner of the match between No. 3 Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto of Brazil against No. 27 David Klemperer and Eric Koreng of Germany. Rogers and Dalhausser have a bye after finishing 3-0 in pool play.
No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal play the Austrian duo of Clemens Doppler and Peter Gartmayer — seeded 26th — while No. 6 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger take on No. 26 Andrew Schacht and Josh Slack from Australia.

CHINA & USA VIE SWATCH-FIVB WORLD TOUR GOLD
American Jen Boss stretches for Mikasa and seeks a SWATCH gold medal in Stavanger
Stavanger, Norway, June 30, 2007 - Teams from China and the United States won women’s semi-final matches here Saturday in the US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam, but the American representative in the Vaagen Harbour finale will not be Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
Second-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang posted a 21-19 and 21-19 semi-final win in 47 minutes over the top-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh, who had defeated their Chinese rivals last week for the gold medal in the Paris finale.
Jen Boss and April Ross will be the American representative in the finals of the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event after the 29th-seeded team scored a 21-19 and 21-18 win in 45 minutes over 17th-seeded Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany in a match featuring two teams that started ConocoPhillips Grand Slam play this past Monday while the other two tandems began competing Wednesday.
The fourth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, the women’s finalists will be competing for the for the $43,500 first-place prize. While the Chinese will be competing in their ninth SWATCH finale, Boss and Ross have advanced through country quota playoffs, qualifying, pool play and the elimination bracket to reach their first FIVB final together.
“We felt confident that we would play well this week,” said 29-year old Boss, who competed in a SWATCH medal match at the end of the 2005 season with Nancy Mason in Mexico. “We have been focused on each match and not looking ahead. Like the Germans, we have been fighting our way through all the levels of competition to reach the medal rounds. We are excited to be in the finals, now we must play our very best match to defeat the Chinese. They were impressive against Kerri and Misty this morning.”
Tian and Wang are currently the No. 1-ranked women’s team on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour as the 2007 season begins the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Chinese captured the season’s first gold medal early last month in Shanghai before placing second, second, fifth, seventh and second in the next five SWATCH starts.
With their second win in five meetings with May-Treanor and Walsh, Tian and Wang moved into the 10th-place on the FIVB’s all-time team earnings list with $391,600 for 20 SWATCH starts since the start of the 2006 season.
The China-USA match is the third-ever title meeting between the two countries on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour. May-Treanor and Walsh won the previous two meetings, including a 2006 gold medal victory against Lu Wang and Linjun Ji in 2006 at Athens along with last week’s win in Paris.
The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour continues next week in Canada before returning to Europe for the third grand slam event in Berlin July 10-15 followed by a stop in Marseille and the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

BOSS & ROSS STUN SWATCH-FIVB WORLD TOUR LEADERS FOR NORWEGIAN GOLD
April Ross (up) and American gold medal partner Jen Boss
Stavanger, Norway, June 30, 2007 - In “one of the most stunning upsets” in the 15-plus-year history of the women’s SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, Jen Boss and April Ross captured the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam title and the prestigious “Viking” swords here Saturday afternoon before an over-flowing crowd of 5,000 at the Vaagen Harbour centre court.
In becoming the lowest-seeded team (29) to win a SWATCH title since the start of the international Beach Volleyball circuit in 1992, Boss and Ross posted a 21-14 and 21-12 gold medal win over third-seeded Jia Tian and Jie Wang in 44 minutes.
With the gold medal, Boss and Ross shared the $43,500 first-place prize in the second of five “major” events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar. Tian and Wang, who had won their previous six ConocoPhillips Grand Slam matches to advance to their ninth FIVB title match in 20 SWATCH starts, split $29,500 for their second-straight grand slam silver medal.
“Unbelievable, but not unexpected,” said the 29-year old Boss as she left the court after winning her second FIVB gold medal. “April’s service game put us in the position to make the Chinese work extra hard to return her serve. That’s our game and we are sticking with it.”
Boss and Ross were playing their 11th match of the week Saturday afternoon after advancing from Monday’s country quota match through the qualifier with a pair of wins Tuesday to earn a spot in the 32-team Main Draw. After losing to first two pool play matches Wednesday, Boss and Ross won their next six contests to claim the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam title.
After eliminating teams from Canada, the United States and Greece Friday, Boss and Ross earned a spot in the finals earlier Saturday with a 21-19 and 21-18 semi-final win in 45 minutes over Germany’s Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig. The 17th-seeded Germans also had to win country quota and qualifying matches to earn a spot in the Main Draw where Goller and Ludwig also posted a 1-2 pool play mark.
Ross, who was competing in only her fourth FIVB event as compared to Boss’ 26th, was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the event. Her serve of 84.0 km/h in the gold medal match was also the top serve of the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam and the second fastest for the season. Boss had previously won a FIVB Satellite event in 2001 with Heather Lowe in Thailand.
For China, it was their third-straight setback to an American team in a SWATCH final. The previous two setbacks were to reigning Olympic and world champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Tian Wang avenged their Paris gold medal setback to May-Treanor and Walsh to defeat the Americans in Saturday’s first semi-final 21-19 and 21-19 in 47 minutes.
Despite Saturday’s setback, Tian and Wang continue to lead the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour’s points standings by 640 points over Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca (3,620 to 2,980). Tian and Wang also lead the season earnings list with $141,900 for seven SWATCH stops this year.
In the bronze medal match, May-Treanor and Walsh scored a 21-15 and 21-13 win in 36 minutes over Goller and Ludwig, who were competing in their second SWATCH “final four” in the past three weeks after claiming a silver medal in Portugal. It was the Americans second ConocoPhillips Grand Slam win over Goller and Ludwig as the Germans dropped a pool play match to May-Treanor and Walsh Wednesday.
The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour continues next week in Canada before returning to Europe for the third grand slam event in Berlin July 10-15 followed by a stop in Marseille and the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland

Victory in Norway for Boss, Ross
Americans take down Tian and Wang in straight sets
By Tim Simmons / Special to AVP.com
STAVANGER, Norway — If not for a chat with compatriots Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal Thursday afternoon, Jen Boss and April Ross might not have experienced one of the most memorable moments in American women's beach volleyball history here Saturday afternoon.
Due to the chat, Boss and Ross had to forgo their initial plans to leave this southwestern Norwegian city early to continue playing in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam. No. 29 Boss-Ross eventually recovered from their opening two pool-play losses to win their next six matches, capturing the World Tour Gold Medal by stunning No. 3 Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China, 21-14, 21-12.
"We thought we were toast," said the 25-year old Ross, who was named the Grand Slam's most outstanding player. "We only thought the top two teams advanced from each pool. If it wasn't for Jake and Sean, we might have left this beautiful town without knowing that we had qualified for the elimination bracket."
In becoming the lowest-seeded team to win a women's World Tour Gold Medal in the over-15 year history of the international beach volleyball Tour, Boss and Ross shared the $43,500 first-place prize. The Chinese appeared to be locks for their fourth international tour gold medal after upsetting No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States, 21-19, 21-19 in the semifinals.
"Give Kerri and Misty another assist for this win," said the 29-year old Boss, who previously won a FIVB Satellite event in 2001 with Heather Lowe in Thailand and placed fourth at a 2005 international stop with Nancy Mason in Mexico. "They mentioned that our service game could present problems for the Chinese. And, it was a major factor in our success today. It was great to have help from other American teams this week."
Boss and Ross were playing their 11th match of the week on Saturday afternoon after advancing from Monday's country quota match through the qualifier via a pair of wins on Tuesday that earned them a spot in the 32-team main draw. Ross, who was competing in just her fourth international event relative to Boss' 26th, recorded the fastest serve (84.0 km/h) in the gold medal match and the second fastest this season.
After eliminating teams from Canada, the United States and Greece on Friday, Boss and Ross earned a spot in the finals earlier on Saturday with a 21-19, 21-18 semifinal win in 45 minutes over Germany's Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig. The 17th-seeded Germans also had to win country quota and qualifying matches to earn a spot in the main draw, where they also posted a 1-2 mark in pool play.
It was China's third-straight setback to an American team in an international final. The previous two setbacks were to May-Treanor and Walsh. Tian-Wang avenged her Paris gold medal setback to May-Treanor and Walsh by defeating the Americans on Saturday.
In the bronze medal match, May-Treanor and Walsh scored a 21-15, 21-13 win in 36 minutes over Goller and Ludwig, who were competing in their second final four in the past three weeks after claiming a silver medal in Portugal. It was the Americans' second ConocoPhillips Grand Slam win over Goller and Ludwig, as the Germans also dropped a pool-play match to May-Treanor and Walsh on Wednesday.
In the men's competition, all three American teams were eliminated on Saturday. No. 5 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers defeated a team from Germany in their first match Saturday before placing fifth after losing to No. 13 Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil, 19-21, 21-15, 15-8.
Both No. 2 Gibb-Rosenthal and No. 6 Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger dropped their first elimination match Saturday to finish 17th. Gibb and Rosenthal were defeated 19-21, 23-21, 18-16 by No. 20 Clemens Doppler and Peter Gartmayer of Austria, while Lambert and Metzger were ousted by No. 18 Andrew Schacht and Joshua Slack of Australia, 17-21, 25-23, 15-13.

Ross gets first win of season
VOLLEYBALL: Former Newport Harbor standout teams with Boss to claim FIVB tourney crown.
Soraya Nadia McDonald
STAVANGER, Norway — Newport Harbor High product April Ross and teammate Jennifer Boss struck tournament gold together for the first time this season, all the way across the Atlantic.
Saturday, the No. 29-seeded pair became the lowest-seeded team to win a women's World Tour Gold Medal in the history of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball tour when they beat China's Tian Jia and Wang Jie, 21-14, 21-12, to capture the Conoco/Phillips Grand Slam title.
Tian and Wang were thought to be a lock for the gold medal after they defeated top-seeded Misty May-Treanor, another former Sailor, and Kerri Walsh in the semifinals.
Ross was named the Swatch Most Outstanding Player for the event, her fourth FIVB event.
Boss and Ross hung on for 44 minutes before a crowd of 5,000 on the center court at Vaagen Harbor to split the $43,500 first prize.
"Unbelievable, but not unexpected," Boss said in an FIVB release. "April's service game put us in the position to make the Chinese work extra hard to return her serve. That's our game and we are sticking with it."
In the bronze-medal match, May-Treanor and Walsh scored a 21-15, 21-13 win in 36 minutes over Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany.
Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, the No. 2 seed, were eliminated by No. 20-seeded Clemens Doppler and Peter Gartmayer of Austria, 21-19, 21-23, 16-18.
Sixth-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger were eliminated by Andrew Schacht and Josh Slack of Austria, 21-17, 23-25, 13-15.

Kudos to Boss, Ross
Todd Rogers blogs from the chilly Norseland
June 30
Farewell from Stavanger, Norway
The women were once again dominant here in Stavanger, Norway. There is a catch though.
It wasn't Misty and Kerri who were winning, it was Jen Boss and April Ross winning their first tournament ever. Pretty darn good one to win. Comes with a fat payday and a whole lot of points towards the Olympic qualification process. They have been nothing short of on fire the past two days. They squeaked into the playoffs as the third team in their pool. In the first round they played Canada, and again squeaked by them to win in three games, 16-14 in the third.
From then on out it was nothing but high-level play. They defeated EY and Nicole to give them a ninth. Continued on against Greece, which had upset the Brazilian sisters from the qualifier. Took on a good young German team and pretty much waxed them in the semis. Then in the final, crushed the top Chinese team, which had earlier beat Misty and Kerri in the semis. Great tourney by Boss and Ross and kudos to them.
Misty and Kerri did not have a terrible tourney, although knowing those two, they are not happy with anything but the gold. They pretty much cruised through most of the tourney until they met the Chinese in the semis today. They lost a tough one, 21-19, 21-19. They bounced back in typical fashion to trounce the young German team. So the American women once again took home a bronze and a gold.
The men were not up to snuff this tourney. Wong and Ring beat Sean and Furbs in the country quota, but were unable to get through the qualifier. This left the men with just three teams in the main draw. Out of pool play, Jake-Rosy and Lambo-Stein took second, which meant they would have to play a first-round playoff game Saturday morning. Lambo and Stein took on the Australian team of Josh and Andrew. They won the first game handily, but were unable to keep the momentum up. Had a swing for match in the second, but were unable to convert and lost in three games, 15-13 in the third.
Jake and Rosy also lost in three games to the No. 1 team from Austria. In the third, they lost 18-16. Heartbreaking loss. Both teams ended up with a 17th.
Phil and I won our pool and received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. We were set to play the No. 3 Brazilian team of Franco and Pedro, but they were upset in the first round by the third team from Germany. We handed it to Germany in two games. Our next matchup was against another great Brazilian team in Marcio and Fabio. We took them down easily in game one, but were unable to finish them off and lost in three games. We finished with a fifth.
Quick overview on the Olympic Process
MEN
Phil-Todd have a fifth and a fifth.
Stein-Lambo have a third and a 17th.
Jake-Rosy have a fifth and a 17th.
Sean-Furbs have a 17th.
WOMEN
Kerri-Misty have a first and a third.
Jen-April have a first.
EY-Nicole have a fifth and a ninth.
Rachel-Tyra have a third.
I am sure it will just get more interesting in two weeks when all of the above teams hit up Berlin for the third Grand Slam of 2007. But first we will go to Seaside Heights for the AVP event next weekend. See you there.

CAN MARCIO ARAUJO & FABIO PROTECT BRAZILIAN GOLD?
Fabio Magalhaes (left) expresses is excitement to Brazilian partner Marcio Araujo
Stavanger, Norway, June 30, 2007 - It will be up to Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes to “protect” Brazilian gold on Vaagen Harbour as the reigning SWATCH-FIVB World champions joined men’s teams from China, the Netherlands and Russia in advancing here Saturday to the “final four” for this week’s US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
In the previous eight ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Beach Volleyball events, no other country has ever appeared on top of the Vaagen Harbour centre court podium other than Brazilians with either Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos a constant winner of the Norwegian gold and the prestigious “Viking” sword.
Emanuel and Ricardo, who had won the previous four ConocoPhillips Grand Slam gold medals, were eliminated from the ninth annual Vaagen Harbour event after the completion of pool play Friday. Emanuel had been part of seven of the previous eight Norwegian gold medal teams while Ricardo was on top of the podium five times.
Seeded 13th in the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam, Marcio Araujo and Fabio advanced to Sunday’s morning first semi-final match against 11th-seeded Penggen Wu and Linyin Xu of China with a 14-21, 21-19 and 15-12 win in 62 minutes over fifth-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers of the United States.
Wu and Xu, who have only one win in six meetings with the Brazilians, advanced to the third SWATCH-FIVB World Tour “final four” with a 21-13 and 21-15 win over 19th-seeded Mariano Baracetti and Martin Conde of Argentina. The Chinese’s only win over Marcio Araujo and Fabio was in last season’s bronze medal match in Poland for the Asian country’s first-ever FIVB men’s Beach Volleyball medal.
Saturday’s second semi-final will feature two of the up-and-coming teams on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour as 14th-seeded Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil of Netherlands challenge seventh-seeded Igor Kolodinsky and Dmitri Barsouk of Russia. It will be the second meeting this season between the two teams with the Russians posting a 21-19 and 23-21 win last month at Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy.
Nummerdor and Schuil, who placed 25th last week in the Paris grand slam stop, have rebounded with five-straight wins this week, including a 21-19, 19-21 and 15-9 semi-final-qualifying victory in 57 minutes over eighth-seeded Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany. Earlier this season, the Dutch won the Bahrain Open for Netherlands’ first-ever SWATCH gold medal.
Kolodinsky, who is the top SWATCH server with a record speed of 110.0 km/h, and Barsouk earned their fourth semi-final appearance in seven starts this season with a 21-9, 19-21 and 15-12 win in 52 minutes over fourth-seeded Patrick Heuscher and Sascha Heyer of Switzerland.
In developing into their country’s best-ever Beach Volleyball team, Barsouk and Kolodinsky have doubled Russia’s medal effort on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour this season with bronze medal finishes in Italy and Croatia. In the previous 20 seasons of FIVB competition, Russia had medaled once and two “final four” finishes.
Saturday’s ConocoPhillips Grand Slam semi-final lineup marks the second-time this season and the 35th-time in 198 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour men’s events that four different countries will be competing in the “final four”. Both the Chinese and Russians will be vying for their country’s first-ever gold medal appearance.
The fourth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour schedule, the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam women’s competition was completed Saturday afternoon when Americans Jen Boss and April Ross upset Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China 21-14 and 21-12 in the finals to share the $43,500 first-place prize. The men’s medal matches will be played Sunday afternoon.
The 2007 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam is also the seventh qualifying event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the process runs through July 20, 2008. The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour continues next week in Canada before returning to Europe for the third grand slam event in Berlin July 10-15 followed by a stop in Marseille and the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

MARCIO ARAUJO & FABIO NET NINTH NORWEGIAN GOLD FOR BRAZIL
Stavanger, Norway, July 1, 2007 - With four-time ConocoPhillips Grand Slam defending champions Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos eliminated from the competition early, it was up to Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes to secure another Beach Volleyball gold medal for Brazil on the Vaagen Harbour centre court here Sunday.
And the 13th-seeded Marcio Araujo and Fabio made sure the Brazilian streak of winning each of the nine ConocoPhillips Grand Slam gold medals was “safe” for another year as the reigning SWATCH-FIVB World champions posted a 21-14 and 27-25 win in 55 minutes over 14th-seeded Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil of the Netherlands.
Sunday’s win was the second SWATCH gold medal this season and ninth in 35 FIVB starts for Marcio Araujo and Fabio since the start of their partnership in 2005. The Brazilians split $43,500 first-place prize and Fabio was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam.
“We needed this gold medal as we have been struggling to play a complete tournament,” said Marcio Araujo, who was winning his 17th FIVB title in 91 international events. “This was our best tournament since winning last month in Italy. We were winning a lot of matches, but not necessarily the most important matches. Last week in Paris, we won our pool, but could not win our first elimination match. This week, we validated our pool success with three-straight wins to reach today’s final.”
Marcio Araujo and Fabio had to win two matches Sunday to secure their first title since a May 27 gold medal victory over Emanuel and Ricardo in Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy. Since the Italian crown, Marcio Araujo and Fabio had placed 17th, third and ninth in their next three SWATCH starts.
“This win is also special for my daughter (six-year-old Mierla) since she wanted Emanuel’s Viking sword after he won here last year,” Marcio Araujo added. “I told her the sword was Emanuel’s now, but I would get her one next year. Now, I’ll take next week off and return home to Brazil to give her the sword. She’ll be happy to have one of her own.”
Nummerdor and Schuil were competing in their second SWATCH gold medal match after winning the Netherlands’ first international Beach Volleyball title at the Bahrain FIVB stop in May. For their second-place finish, the Dutchmen shared the $29,500 for second-place.
Like the Brazilians, Nummerdor and Schuil rebounded from a 25th-place finish in Paris last week with three-straight pool victories and three more in the elimination bracket to reach the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam finale where Dutch played Marcio Araujo and Fabio for the first-time on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour.
To advance to the finals in the second of five “major” events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, Marcio Araujo and Fabio had to defeat 11th-seeded Penggen Wu and Linyin Xu of China 21-19, 19-21 and 15-12 in 72 minutes Sunday morning. Nummerdor and Schuil followed with a 21-13 and 21-19 victory in 42 minutes over seventh-seeded Igor Kolodinsky and Dmitri Barsouk of Russia.
In the bronze medal match, Wu and Xu held off the hard-serving Kolodinsky and Barsouk with a 21-18, 19-21 and 15-13 win in 66 minutes. It was the Chinese’s second bronze medal as Wu and Xu split $23,000 for third-place. Kolodinsky, who matched his SWATCH record serve of 110.0 km/h this weekend, and Barsouk split $18,400 for fourth-place.
The fourth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour schedule, the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam women’s competition was completed Saturday when Americans Jen Boss and April Ross upset Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China 21-14 and 21-12.
The 2007 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam was also the seventh qualifying event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games as the process runs through July 20, 2008. The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour continues Tuesday in Canada for the Montreal Open before returning to Europe for the third grand slam event in Berlin July 10-15. Following a stop in Marseille, Marcio Araujo and Fabio will open defense of their world title July 24 at the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS MAKE FIRST CANADIAN APPEARANCE TOGETHER
Lausanne, Switzerland, July 2, 2007 - For the first-time in Canada, Olympic champions from the same Summer Games will participate in the same SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event in the North American country as Brazilians Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos are joined in the field for the fourth annual Montreal Open by Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States.
Competition in the US$400,000 Montreal Open begins with country quota matches Tuesday at the Stade Uniprix in Jarry Park to help finalize the field for the men’s and women’s Qualification Tournament Wednesday that will determine the final eight spots in both Main Draws.
Both Emanuel/Ricardo and May-Treanor/Walsh will be seeded among the top teams in the eighth SWATCH-FIVB World Tour stop in 2007 for both men and women. The Montreal Open’s “money” rounds start Thursday and run through Sunday (July 8) when the final two teams in both genders will compete for the $32,000 first-place prizes.
A total of 56 men’s and 54 women’s teams from 32 countries have entered the Montreal Open, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and Venezuela.
The fifth of 13 double gender events this season, the Montreal Open is the only SWATCH-FIVB World Tour in North American at the start of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. May-Treanor and Walsh will be joined in the women’s field by three other Summer Game medalists, including Australian Natalie Cook, and Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede of Brazil.
Cook, who captured the Atlanta 1996 bronze and the Sydney 2000 gold with Kerri Pottharst, is seeking her fourth Olympic berth with Tamsin Barnett. The Australian pair won a May stop in Seoul together. Adriana and Shelda captured the silver medal at both the Sydney and Athlens games where they lost to Cook and Pottharst in 2000 and May-Treanor and Walsh in 2004.
Canadian Mark Heese will join Emanuel and Ricardo as other Olympic medalists in the men’s Montreal Open field Heese and John Child won the first-ever men’s Olympic medal by claiming the bronze spot on the podium in Atlanta. Ricardo, an Olympic silver medalist in 2000 with Ze Marco de Melo, and Emanuel went undefeated in Athens like May-Treanor and Walsh to win the Summer Games gold.
Also competing in the Montreal Open will be several “junior” SWATCH-FIVB World champions, including three members of the Brazilian Salgado family. Pedro Salgado, who won two FIVB under 21 titles, will be in the men’s Main Draw with Harley Marques. The pair won the men’s season opening SWATCH in China this past May and are currently ranked ninth internationally.
Also in the men’s Main Draw are Martins Plavins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs of Latvia, who won the SWATCH-FIVB World Championship for players under the age of 21 on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The young Latvians are currently ranked 18th on the SWATCH points standings.
The Salgado sisters (Carolina and Maria Clara) have combined to win three FIVB under 21 titles, but with different partners. Maria Clara won the first FIVB under 21 title in 2001with Shaylyn Bede, Shelda’s younger sister who will be attempting to qualify for the Main Draw with Agatha Bednarczuk. The Salgados are currently the 18th ranked women’s team internationally.
Australian Becchara Palmer, who captured the SWATCH-FIVB World Championships for players under the age of l9 last September in Bermuda with Alice Rohkamper, has entered the Montreal Open with Eileen Romanowski. Australia has entered a number of junior teams in preparation for next week’s (July 11-15) FIVB under 19 world championships in Myslowice, Poland.

Albie creating new beach vacations
Volleyball Vacations making a mark
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
Now that summer is here, fans and AVP players alike can hit the sandy courts side by side.
Albert Hannemann, a man on tour who never stops giving back to the community, an entrepreneur and founder of VolleyballVacations.com — a company that was established 10 years ago to bring nearly 100 fans worldwide together in tropical destinations to learn beach volleyball from the best in the world.
"With VolleyballVacations.com I take the fans all over the world," said Hannemann. "We go to resorts and a lot of them follow me, and so, I mean, I get tons of people all over."
If you have time to check out an AVP event this season, stop in on one of Hannemann's matches. You will have to fight for a courtside spot, because his fans are so numerous and spread throughout the country.
Typically Hannemann puts on five events with the company, and is already preparing for No. 3 of the 2007 season. The next stop on the VBV tour will coincide with the AVP Long Beach Open next month.
"A lot of fans from around the country want to come and watch an AVP tournament in California, so I decided to do one during the Long Beach Open that they can check out," said Hannemann. "During the weekend, they do all the AVP parties and they get shown around the event. And then on Monday we start our clinics. They run from 9-6 every day. We do tournaments, clinics and we play with a different pro every day out there helping out."
In January the group traveled to Mexico to kick off the year and in February trekked out to the Caribbean for some volleyball in paradise. And after having participated in one of the largest AVP events of the year, as Southern California tops the attendance charts, the next event will take place in October.
As if planning these vacations, running the Dig for Kids book drives and playing on tour every week wasn't enough, Hannemann said that he wanted to take Volleyball Vacations to the next level with his newest company, called UltimateSportsVacations.com.
USV is the same idea as Volleyball Vacations, intersecting with many other professional sports.
A fall vacation to the Turks & Caicos Islands from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 will be the inaugural USV event.
"What we're doing is bringing in not just volleyball but all sports: volleyball, tennis, golf, trapeze, scuba, martial arts, yoga, fitness and tai-chi," said Hannemann. "And then there's some video analysts, bio-mechanical nutritionists, everything. It's a really cool thing so people from all over the world are gonna meet there for the first time and we're running an entire village that's just gonna be our people."
"We're in charge of all the entertainment, the scheduling, everything. It's been taking a lot of time. We have Cirque du Soleil trapeze guy, an ATP tennis guy, a PGA golfer and the best scuba company in the world coming in."
Much of this is possible because of a partnership between Hannemann's company and a Montreal-based company called Vobe.
Vobe is a young company with a large emphasis in dealing in the domain of both travel and sports — especially snow sports. A quick trip to Vobe's website also provides links to tennis and beach volleyball partners and event posters.
Since Vobe is a Quebecois company, the entire website is marketed towards Francophone customers. But no translation is necessary for clicking on the beach volleyball link that provides a poster in English of a sample vacation put on by Hannemann's company.
Below the link is Vobe's own slogan for VBV that essentially sums up the entire experience: "What's better than learning and playing with professional beach volleyball players? Come and meet the players of the professional tournament!"
And so this is only a small sampling of the type of people who travel from many countries to take part in both Volleyball and Ultimate Sports Vacations with Hannemann and Co.
Hannemann said he teamed up with Vobe four years ago, and the original projection for the company included a five-year plan to upgrade the entire experience with all sports.
"We decided that it's time to go ahead and upgrade," said Hannemann. "It's really just a social event, so I'm talking to a lot of sports and social clubs around the country, and they're just coming out, and they get to play every sport for an hour a day and we're teaching everyone. They get to do everything from the best in the world. It's a really cool thing."

Halfway home in historic season
May-Treanor and Walsh look for more records
By Mark Scarr / AVP.com
From one perspective the race to the wire is a runaway while another view presents a photo-finish.
Such is the first half of the AVP Crocs Tour for 2007, as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh not only are running well ahead of the pack on the women's side of the draw but are poised to lap the field, while the men's side has identified three contenders on the lead.
That group includes early front-runners Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, who have been closely pursued by Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal, with Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger also finding their stride in recent weeks.
All of the titles this season, with the exception of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh's in the opener in Miami, have been claimed by one of those four teams this year.
For the women, the push will be for the second slot as May-Treanor and Walsh entered the 2007 campaign as the tour's best. With nine events marked off the calendar, they are poised to improve on 2006.
Last year, May-Treanor and Walsh won 13 of 15 team events with Walsh earning Goddess of the Beach honors.
For an encore this season, they've won eight straight events and can eclipse their mark of a year ago with seven regular season events remaining on the schedule and two postseason tournaments: Gods and Goddesses in Las Vegas, Sept. 6-8, and Best of the Beach in San Francisco, Sept. 14-16.
A record that seemed out of reach when they looked almost ordinary, losing in the semifinals in Miami, is now very much a possibility.
That would be the 13 straight tournaments won by Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes in 1992. By continuing their current streak, May-Treanor and Walsh could equal the mark in Boston, Aug. 16-19, and set a new one the following week in Brooklyn, Aug. 23-26.
They have no intentions of letting up.
"That's our goal," May-Treanor said of winning out. "But we still have to focus on each tournament."
May-Treanor and Walsh have also garnered further acclaim by grabbing the top two slots in overall victories. Holly McPeak was the winningest woman as she opened the season with 72 career wins but May-Treanor now has 77 and Walsh has 74.
McPeak was passed by May-Treanor in Hermosa Beach but she knew it was inevitable.
"She is a great champion for our sport," McPeak said at the time. "It was bound to happen."
Identifying a team to give May-Treanor and Walsh a run this year was task No. 1 when the season opened and Youngs and Branagh appeared ready for the challenge.
Not only did they knock off the top seed in the semis in Miami, but they won the title by defeating April Ross and Jennifer Boss in the final. Youngs and Branagh dropped the two succeeding finals to May-Treanor and Walsh but claimed the $100,000 Cuervo Gold Crown bonus.
But it has been as much down as up for Youngs and Branagh since then. While they've been to two of the last three finals, Youngs and Branagh have also posted a fifth- and a seventh-place finish this season.
That is partly due to a right ankle strain that Branagh suffered in Dallas and then re-aggravated in Tampa, which prompted them to skip Atlanta. But they've also been working through the growing pains endured by all new teams.
"We're playing good volleyball," Youngs said. "We had a real good final against Kerri and Misty in Tampa that I think we could have won if we hadn't given the first set away. But I feel real good about our progress. We just have to get past some of the mental errors we've been making."
Youngs' former partner, Rachel Wacholder, has teamed with Tyra Turner this season and the pair has moved up to the No. 2 seed in the last three AVP tournaments.
They've also made three appearances in finals this season and, despite an 0-7 record against May-Treanor and Walsh, including 0-3 in the finals, the combination of Turner's ability to play the net and Wacholder's defense makes them capable of an upset as evidenced by a tight, three-set loss to May-Treanor and Walsh in the semifinals in Charleston.
"We don't have the luxury of a (multi-year) partnership, so we have to pack as much as we can into every practice," Turner said. "But it's coming together."
Dalhausser and Rogers were every bit as dominant as their women counterparts on the tour after taking five of the first six tournaments to open the year and also claiming the $100,000 Cuervo Gold bonus. But since winning in Louisville on May 27, they've finished third twice and lost in the final last weekend to Lambert and Metzger.
That marked the first time this season they lost a final and was only the fifth match they've lost all year. Three losses this year came in the semifinals and the other was a third-round loss to John Hyden and Brad Keenan in Tampa.
"Philip said he didn't hit well, and I didn't hit well," Rogers said after losing in Charleston. "If we clean that up, we can do well."
For Lambert and Metzger, it was their second title of the year, a win that stabilized a season far different from the last, when they won the Crocs Cup as the best men's team. Their current season is sprinkled with a seventh, a ninth and a 17th-place finish, but two straight appearances in finals put Lambert and Metzger on target to challenge for the rest of the year.
Another team that put its mark on the first half was the duo of Gibb and Rosenthal. They have two wins this season and actually lead the men with seven appearances in a final. A major roadblock for Gibb and Rosenthal has been Dalhausser and Rogers, who have won all four finals matchups this season and are 6-2 against Gibb and Rosenthal this season.
May-Treanor and Walsh are looking like Secretariat at the Belmont while top men will be bobbing for the lead, but with half a season down, it has been a front-runner's race.

Life on sand better than the street
Williams goes from Cali cop to AVP player on the rise
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Rising AVP star Mark Williams was hailed for his courage recently, playing on a badly sprained ankle and still finishing third in last week's Charleston Open. But that was nothing compared to the guts he showed last year when he worked as a California police officer.
"On my first weekend on the job, we got involved in a high-speed chase," said Williams, who at 6-foot-7 must have made a pretty intimidating cop. "The driver was high on drugs, and he was doing over 80 miles per hour.
"Finally, he hit another car and crashed into the center divider. He then got out of the car and tried to run away."
By that time, Williams said, numerous officers were involved, and all of them drew their guns. The suspect was finally subdued by two rubber bullets, which must have "really hurt," Williams said.
Even though Williams was patroling Irvine, Calif. — ranked as one of the safest cities in the nation — the "Training Day" experience helped him figure out that this was not his calling. He lasted just nine months — the first six of them in the academy and the final three on the street.
"I found out that I really missed volleyball," said Williams, 28. "It's an awesome lifestyle."
It's a lifestyle he has known for half his life. Born in Sydney, Australia, he moved to West Los Angeles when he was nine years old. When he was 14, his older brother Raoul — who went on to play at Cal State Northridge — taught him the fundamentals of the game.
The rest is impressive history.
After graduating from University High, Williams stayed in Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where he helped the Bruins win two national titles in four years. Williams was the first man off the bench when UCLA took the crown in his freshman year, and he was the team's star outside hitter when the Bruins won it all again in his junior season.
"When I look back on those times," said Williams, who graduated with a degree in sociology, "I kind of want to go back to college. It was fun."
Williams also had the honor of playing for Australia when that nation hosted the 2000 Olympics. He helped Australia finish a better-than-expected eighth in the indoor version of the game. In 2004, he again played for Australia, this time in beach volleyball. He and Julien Prosser played in the bronze-medal match but lost to Switzerland and finished fouth.
In 2005, he made a breakthrough on the AVP Tour. In Tempe, Ariz., he and Scott Wong finished third, which is still a qualifiers record. Williams made $27,790 that year and was ranked 17th, both career highs.
This year, Williams will very likely eclipse those career highs. Teaming with Casey Jennings, he has already matched his two third-place finishes of 2005. The duo is ranked eighth on the tour, and Williams has already earned over $24,000 — with half the season yet to play.
But the partnership with Jennings almost did not happen. Williams trained with volleyball legend Karch Kiraly for over a month this past offseason. Kiraly offered Williams the chance to team up this season, but the Australian native also had the opportunity to pair with Jennings.
"It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Williams said. "Karch is the Michael Jordan of our sport. I am nervous just talking to Karch. But I had to look at the previous season and see who had performed best — and that was Casey.
"Also, Karch wasn't going to play every event this year, and he is retiring after this season, so teaming with Casey was better for me long-term, too."
After making the incredibly tough decision, Williams had to do something even harder — tell Kiraly.
"I had four or five cups of coffee and looked at the phone for about an hour before I made that call," Williams said. "I called him and said, 'Hi Karch, you are the greatest player ever.' I kept complimenting him for like two minutes before I finally told him."
Everything worked out well as Kiraly, who teamed with Kevin Wong, has had a strong season, making the final in Tampa. Williams and Jennings, meanwhile, were at their best in the most recent AVP stop in Charleston.
It was there that Williams suffered a badly sprained left ankle when he inadvertently stepped on Fred Souza's foot during a fierce battle at the net.
"It was a clean play all the way," said Williams, who teamed with Jennings to beat Souza and Anthony Medel. "That night, I had the ankle x-rayed, and I knew it wasn't broken. So I just went out and played on adrenaline."
The next day, Williams and Jennings beat — wait for the irony — Kiraly and Wong to make the semifinals. Only then did they run out of gas, losing to eventual champions Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger, 21-19, 21-19.
"I got a text message from Casey a couple of days after that, saying he was really proud of us and that it was one of his greatest days in volleyball," Williams said.
Since then, Williams has been resting his ankle and taking advantage of the two-week break between Charleston and the next tour stop in Seaside Heights, N.J.
"My ankle is still swollen and black and blue," Williams said Saturday. "If I had to have played this weekend, I probably would have skipped the event to rest my ankle. So it's a good thing we had the two-week break. I am planning on being ready for New Jersey."
And why not? Volleyball, after all, is easier, less dangerous and more fun than chasing after bad guys on the street.

Sacrifice & Success
Professional beach volleyball players are living the life, so it would seem anyway to casual onlookers witnessing these tanned hard bodies playing in the sand. If you have ever wondered what it takes to become a pro on the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Tour, here is a glimpse at the regimens two of the best players go through to stay on top;
Read more from Max Sports & Fitness, July 2007

Quick hits: Second-half musings
What to look for as the AVP season restarts
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
With nine tournaments in the books, the AVP Crocs Tour will march into the second half of its 2007 season when play resumes next week with the Seaside Heights Open in New Jersey.
A total of seven regular-season events remain on the schedule, concluding with the Cincinnati Open, Aug. 30-Sept. 2. A pair of postseason events will follow: Gods and Goddesses of the Beach in Las Vegas, Sept. 6-8, and Best of the Beach in San Francisco, Sept. 14-16.
To be settled on the women's side is whether or not Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh can eclipse last year's total of 13 victories in 15 team events. They have won eight titles already in 2007.
On the men's side, beach volleyball fans will get one last look at Karch Kiraly in his last season on tour with a sentimental eye cast toward Manhattan Beach in August.
First-half MVPs:
Women: Kerri Walsh; honorable mention, Misty May-Treanor. May-Treanor is the two-time defending MVP on the women's side of the tour, but take away Walsh's ability to control the net and May-Treanor doesn't have as many opportunities to score key points. Walsh is the reigning Goddess of the Beach and recently was named Most Outstanding Player at the FIVB event in Paris.
Men: Phil Dalhausser; honorable mention, Sean Rosenthal. Dalhausser is the most dominant force on the men's side and played the key role in claiming five of nine titles with partner Todd Rogers. The defending MVP, Rogers remains the tour's best defender but owes a lot to Dalhausser's ability seal off large segments of the court. Rosenthal's athleticism is a threat in every match he plays, which has equated to a pair of titles and five appearances in finals this season with partner Jake Gibb.
Greatest strides: It is difficult to accurately assess a new team, but few predicted the quick rise of Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder. As a seven-time winner, Wacholder's credentials are established, but in Turner's four previous seasons, her best finishes were three thirds. Turner's ability to play up and Wacholder's defense are a solid combination, though, and the two have quickly become one of the tour's top women's teams.
Biggest surprise: The up-and-down play of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert. The pair ranked No. 1 on tour last season but placed as high as first and as low as 17th during the season's first half in 2007.
Second-half stories:
Kiraly says good-bye. He is the indisputable king of his sport with 148 tournament victories on the beach and three Olympic Gold Medals, two of which came on the indoor hardcourts. But at 46, Kiraly has decided he's through with life on tour and announced at the beginning of the season that 2007 would be his last. Partnered with fellow UCLA Bruin Kevin Wong this season, Kiraly made it to the final in Tampa and the semifinals in Atlanta.
May-Treanor and Walsh march on. If it weren't for a semifinal loss in Miami, May-Treanor and Walsh may very well be looking to record a perfect mark this season. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh won the season opener and May-Treanor and Walsh have won the rest. They have an eight-tournament winning streak and recently won an FIVB Grand Slam event in Paris. Their goal is to not lose again this season.
Lambert and Metzger make it a three-horse race. They were unpredictable early, but the recent play of Lambert and Metzger has them on course to challenge for position as top men's team. Lambert and Metzger won the Charleston Open to join Gibb and Rosenthal as two-time winners this season. Rogers and Dalhausser lead with five victories but they last won in Louisville. Since then Rogers and Dalhausser have lost twice in the semifinals and were upended by Lambert and Metzger in the Charleston final. Lambert and Metzger also had the best finish of any American men's team at the FIVB event in Paris, third place.
Oh, doctor: Mark Williams — The 28-year-old suffered a left ankle sprain during the Charleston Open but continued to play and should be ready when the tour resumes on July 5 in Seaside Heights, N.J.
Branagh — The 2005 Rookie of the Year suffered a right ankle strain in April at the Dallas Open. Branagh has been playing with the injury for most of the year, but she and partner Elaine Youngs skipped Atlanta.
Tatiana Minello — The 5-foot-6 Brazilian suffered a right quadriceps strain in Tampa and re-aggravated the injury in Charleston.
Jeff Nygaard — The 2003 MVP underwent outpatient surgery for Stage One melanoma May 24 to remove a tumor from his left biceps. Nygaard returned to play in Atlanta and has a clean bill of health from doctors.
He said it: "It's a joke. Like all the great ones, they continue to amaze you. (Kiraly is) there, he makes plays when he has to. I'm real happy for him. He works as hard as anyone on tour, but no one outworks Karchy. There isn't a better ambassador for the sport. More power to him. He's showing everyone with the mind and the heart you can accomplish a lot of things." — Matt Fuerbringer
Mark your calendar: July 5-8, the AVP Crocs Tour opens the second half of the season with the Seaside Heights Open; Aug. 9-12, Kiraly's final appearance in the Manhattan Beach Open; Aug. 16-19, AVP visits Boston; Aug. 30-Sept. 2, regular season finale in Cincinnati; Sept. 6-8, Gods and Goddesses in Las Vegas; Sept. 14-16, Best of Beach in San Francisco.
Fearless second-half prediction: Turner and Wacholder will disrupt the run of May-Treanor and Walsh with a tournament victory.

Beach Volleyball Gets Big-Name Push
By Kelly Garrison
Features Editor
The city of Long Beach is getting special attention from the man many people know as the original “King of the Beach.”
Beach volleyball legend Sinjin Smith has helped line up several youth, college and corporate beach volleyball championships to help promote the sport in Long Beach. The games will give participants of all ages and ability levels the chance to learn and showcase their skills in the sport.
“There really aren’t many beach volleyball programs going on in Long Beach,” Smith said. “I think that in the next few years, Long Beach could be a hotbed for beach volleyball. We want to have people playing at the courts down there and on the beautiful beaches.”
The events were planned after city officials expressed interest in expanding beach volleyball programs and promoting local beaches, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Marine Department Phil Hester said.
“It’s a good recreation opportunity and it’s a good outdoor sport,” said Hester. “We have beaches and we’d like more people to come down to them.”
Events began on Saturday with a Collegiate Open, where college students put their spiking, bumping and serving skills to the test at Granada Beach. The college-level championships will happen from July 13 to July 15, followed by another Collegiate Open on August 25.
“We designed these to be fun for everybody,” Smith said. “There are different events, so that if you lose in one, you can still play in another.”
Businesses will have the same opportunity at a Corporate Challenge, slated for July 7, followed by championships from July 28 to 29.
“We want to involve the businesses in Long Beach and from outside of he area in six-person teams,” he said.
Youth tournaments will supplement youth camps already in place for children ages 7 to 18. Beach volleyball lessons for the general public also may begin later this summer.
“The game has changed dramatically from the time I started playing,” he said. “Now that I have more time, I want to create programs for kids. I was exposed to the sport at a young age. I grew up at the beach in Santa Monica and was able to develop skills at a young age.”
Sinjin Volleyball events in Long Beach are part of the 76th annual Long Beach Sea Festival. The organization promotes and organizes volleyball lessons, classes, leagues, tournaments, and events.
“It takes time to build an event,” Smith said. “I expect this first year will be moderate, but we know that each year the programs will grow.”
For more information about events, call (310) 913-0108 visit www.sinjinvolleyball.com or www.collegebeachvolleyball.com. For youth program information, visit www.beachvolleyballcamps.com.

Karch's name among sports' greats
Kiraly defines the sport for devoted, casual alike
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
Few names can singularly define a sport as well as that of Karch Kiraly.
Even the casual sports fan would likely be able to correctly identify Kiraly's endeavor of expertise.
Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods — pick one — and Kiraly is every bit as synonymous with the sport of volleyball as those four respectively define the sports of baseball, basketball, hockey and golf.
And it's not mere numbers.
Statistics count, certainly, as do titles and career earnings and the requisite honors that are bestowed on those who reach the pinnacles of their sports, but there is another step the greats take that actually places them above excellence and into another realm.
They are the very embodiment of their professions.
Kiraly is that for volleyball, both the indoor and the outdoor disciplines, and over the next few weeks the three-time Olympic Gold Medalist will take his remaining swings on the 2007 AVP circuit, his last season as a professional.
It is a farewell tour that, while short on loot in comparison to other long good-byes, has been rich in respect.
From the keys to the city of Dallas to being named an honorary Kentucky Colonel in Louisville, Kiraly has been the toast of the selected towns he is visiting this season.
Next week in Seaside Heights, N.J., Kiraly will embark on the second stanza of his final year of competition that he hopes to punctuate with only result he considers a success.
That would be a tournament victory, and no other player has more than the 148 that Kiraly has won, a stretch of victories that officially began with the Marine Street Open in 1978 when he paired with Jon Lee for a fifth-place finish on the old Parks and Rec loop.
The recent attention generated by Misty May-Treanor's march into the record books has added perspective to Kiraly's victory haul, which, if he is unable to add to it, will have concluded with the 2005 title in Huntington Beach, is the recent.
May-Treanor eclipsed Holly McPeak for most victories by a woman on tour, when she claimed the title in Hermosa Beach earlier this season. It was the 73rd victory for May-Treanor, who has since increased her total to 78.
That includes eight wins on the AVP Crocs Tour with partner Kerri Walsh this season and another in the FIVB Grand Slam event in Paris last week.
Over the last four seasons, May-Treanor has averaged about 14 wins per year, including those both at home and abroad.
Becoming the career leader in victories is inevitable, perhaps, but it will require that May-Treanor win at least six more times this season and then continue her pace into 2012, when she could conceivably break the mark at the 30th Olympiad in London.
Age shouldn't be a factor.
May-Treanor will be 35 a handful of summers from now, and Kiraly is still competing at the relatively senior age of 46 this season, but therein lies a key attribute that Kiraly shares with those that achieve true greatness.
He has persevered through injuries and partner swaps, rule changes and the influx of new talent. This while the opposition got faster, bigger and stronger as he grew a step slower with a body that didn't quite enjoy the same quick recovery time.
But talent is always only a part of the equation.
As Jordan flew less from the free-throw line for a thunderous dunk and relied more on his jumper from the outside, or as Gretzky let loose fewer wrist shots and set up more teammates, Kiraly let go of some the offensive prowess he showed earlier in his career to become more of a defensive specialist.
This, too, while adapting to the smaller court size (going from roughly 30 feet by 30 feet to 26x26) that would have seemingly shoved a player like Kiraly aside in favor of larger players but instead proved the all-around player still had a place in the game.
It is that ability to progress from young, athletic phenom to prime-of-career star to twilight sage with a game that has allowed Kiraly to not simply have a stellar career but one without equal in his sport.
Kiraly is not planning to fade from view.
He will shepherd the launching of the volleyball academy that bears his name and will be involved in USA Volleyball's U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball in September, but the opportunities to see Kiraly on the court and not to the side are dwindling to the last few.
And with that, like a jersey number that will no longer be worn, the pink hat will be officially retired.

Gabby Reece pregnant with second child
The volleyball star and her surfer husband Laird Hamilton are expecting
NBC News video
Gabby Reece's exciting news
June 29: The volleyball star reveals on TODAY that she is three months pregnant.
Today show
In May, Gabby Reece told TODAY viewers how to get into shape for bikini season. Now, she'll be showing them how to stay in shape while pregnant.
The athlete, model and writer announced that “I'm a little over three months pregnant” to TODAY's Natalie Morales and Hoda Kotb. The due date is Jan. 2.
In the meantime, in addition to sticking to her plans to rejoin the pro beach volleyball tour in August, she'll make periodic visits to TODAY to teach women how to keep fit during each trimester of their pregnancies. Her lessons will be turned into a line of workout DVDs.Among those who will be watching with particular interest will be Weekend TODAY co-host Campbell Brown, who last weekend “came out of the closet” to reveal that she, too, is expecting.“I try to tell women, 'You're not dead. You're not fat. You're pregnant,'” Reece said.
She speaks from experience: Three years ago she gave birth to her first child, Reece Viola Hamilton. She doesn't know the gender of the new baby she is carrying, saying she wants it to be a surprise.
Reece is 37 years old and living proof that a woman can be big and strong and also sexy. She stands 6-3, weighs in at 172 pounds, has six-pack abs and is married to professional surfer Laird Hamilton.
She's the author of “Big Girl in the Middle,” which deals with her life as a professional volleyball player. A hall-of-fame volleyball player at the University of Florida, she also went on to model professionally, and has appeared on the covers of magazines, including Elle and Playboy.
In 1989, when she was a sophomore in college, Elle named her one of the five most beautiful women in the world. In 1997, Women Sports & Fitness named her one of the 20 most influential women in sports. This year, she’s coming out of retirement to compete in four-person AVP Beach Volleyball.
Reece also has a stepdaughter, 11-year-old Izabela Hamilton.

Rester an athlete for all sports
Texan excelled for Texas Tech, Hawaii
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com
Athletically, Austin Rester is the Forrest Gump of the AVP Tour.
In the classic 1994 film starring Tom Hanks, one never knew where the fictitious Gump would turn up next — on the national champion University of Alabama football team, part of the U.S. ping pong squad, or a remarkable long-distance runner.
Meanwhile, the true-life story of Rester, 25, has seen him accomplish similarly amazing feats:
— He briefly made Bobby Knight's first Texas Tech basketball team. Rester, who is 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, admits he had a bad attitude back then and was kicked off the team after arguments with assistant coaches. Ironically, Rester never had a problem with the famously bad-tempered Knight.
"If I had stayed, I really believe I would have started my last two or three years there," Rester said.
— Next, even though he hadn't played since the seventh grade, Rester tried out for Texas Tech's football team and made the squad after running the 40 in 4.65 seconds. He played in six games as a tight end and special-teams ace, helping the host Raiders knock off No. 4 Texas.
"Our fans stormed the field," Rester said. "It was an awesome experience."
— On another lark, he earned his way on to the famed floor at Madison Square Garden, where he participated in the hugely-popular "And 1" Tour.
"Out of 150 guys trying out, I was one of three they picked to come in to Madison Square and play," said Rester, who added that he made a three-pointer during the game. "They gave me the nickname 'Big Red' because I was about the only white guy there, and I had a sun burn."
— Despite having never played organized volleyball, he made the team at the University of Hawaii, which was No. 1 in the nation at the time.
"I overnighted my highlight tape to [Hawaii Coach Mike Wilto]), who called me a half hour after he got it and said: 'If you are going to play college volleyball, we think you should play for us.'"
Rester — a native of Grapevine, Texas who now resides in Manhattan Beach, Calif. — first became interested in volleyball when he was dating a female Texas Tech student who played the sport for the Red Raiders.
"I used to go to all her matches, and I pretended to know everything about the game," Rester said. "But by watching, I really became interested in the sport. I played a co-ed tournament with her, and then I started playing pickup games on weekends and also club volleyball."
Rester, though, said the club/pickup level of volleyball was not enough to satisfy his competitive need. That's when he sent out feelers to two top-notch programs: Hawaii and UCLA. When Hawaii responded immediately, he headed to the Aloha State.
"I decided I wanted to play college volleyball in December of 2003, and a month later — by January 6, 2004 — I was already in Hawaii," Rester said. "That's just how I'm wired. Once I decide to do something, I usually do it."
Although he suited up for matches, Rester never got any playing time at Hawaii. He admits he never got much classroom time, either. It had something to do with the sun, the surf and all the fun places he would rather be in Hawaii as opposed to school.
But that was still a big year for Rester because it was when he made his AVP Tour debut, losing in his first match in Austin, Texas.
"I flew eight hours, lost in about 30 minutes and headed right back to Hawaii," Rester said with a laugh.
Rester, though, stuck with the beach game and now has three top-10 finishes in his career, including two this year — in Miami and Atlanta — with Aaron Wachtfogel.
Rester and Wachtfogel mutually agreed to part ways after the Tampa Open concluded on June 3. Rester paired up with Jason Lee, whom he had played with in 2006.
"Aaron and I had wins over some good teams, but we just never really clicked," Rester said. "I don't know why. So I called Jason, who is my closest friend in Los Angeles and is such a quality guy."
So what will happen next in Rester's unusual athletic career?
Stay tuned. Or, as Forrest Gump would say, "Life is like a box chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

Fonoi goes familiar for stretch run
Veteran eyes career end with cousin, friend Hannemann
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
The commencement of the second half of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour next week marks the return of Eric Fonoimoana since he took a 17th-place finish in Miami with Chad Turner during the season opener.
Fonoi -- who took the gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and the 2002 Most Valuable Player of the AVP -- like Karch Kiraly plans to retire at the conclusion of this season.
Fonoimoana's new partner for the second half of the season will be his cousin, Albert Hannemann.
"[Fonoi's] one of my best friends and we spend so much together," said Hannemann. "We hang out play together, we don't get sick of each other and that's a good thing. With this being his retirement year, it's a little more special for me because I hope that he leaves sport with good taste in his mouth.
"If we continue to play tournaments as well as we've been practicing, he can leave this sport with a really good feeling. I wanna make sure he finishes out the sport strong and he's done so much. I want to be that person that gets him another title."
The last time Fonoi claimed an AVP title came back in 2004, when he took first place in both Santa Barbara and Hermosa Beach with Mike Lambert and Kevin Wong, respectively. And in 17 years, he has claimed 15 beach volleyball titles.
Hannemann, who has been playing on the beach for the past 15 years, has only taken one title. Since the beginning of the 2007 season, he has spent nine tournaments with partner Ed Ratledge and things started out well in Dallas when the pair took a fifth-place finish.
Since then, they've compiled a handful of ninth-, 13th-, and 17th-place finishes together.
"I let Ed know after our last tournament together I felt it was time for a change," said Hannemann. "I called him up and said I wanted to play with Eric. Maybe we'll play again in future, but for now I think it's better we play with someone else and get more fire."
Hannemann said that he notified Ratledge of his need for change early on in the weeks off, so he would have sufficient time to find someone else to play with.
As for the new partnership, Hannemann and Fonoi have been training together for the past month now that Fonoi's knee is fully healed.
"Fonoi wanted to make sure he was ready and he was going play in South Carolina, and was going to wait four weeks to get back in the rhythm," said Hannemann. "We're playing great and now that I moved back to the right side I'm more comfortable. We're one of the smaller teams, but we have more experience than everyone else.
"We have 31 years between us and you have to play your best to beat us," Hannemann added. "I've got his back and he's got mine, so you're going to really have to sneak that win by if you want to beat us."
Hannemann and Fonoi have been spending the past few weeks practicing in Southern California against Anthony Medel-Fred Souza and John Hyden-Brad Keenan. They took three of four games from Hyden and Keenan and Hannemann said that he expects himself and Fonoimoana to regularly place in the top-10 in the next few weeks.
"We did really well against them and we're doing a lot of drills with our coach," said Hannemann. "We've played together so much throughout our lives it's like riding a bike, we don't have to work at it."
With only seven regular-season tournaments left, the opportunities to watch this new partnership are limited with Fonoi's retirement looming at the end of the year.
They will make their debut playing together in the Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light which runs from July 5-8.

Heights awaits volleyball return
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/3/07
BY LAUREN O. KIDD
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — The commissioner of the Association of Volleyball Professionals said his league and the borough have something in common.
"We are both about this lifestyle," AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato said in an interview Monday. "We have this incredibly colorful sport and lifestyle that we combine with the personality of Seaside Heights, and it really works."
For four days starting Thursday, the beaches of Seaside Heights will play host to the AVP Crocs Tour. It marks the second straight year for the tournament here, after years of competition in Belmar.
Maria Maruca, executive director of the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District, said having the tournament, which gets national TV coverage, "gives us a national sporting event to complement our event schedule."
Belmar is a "beautiful town" with "some great qualities," Armato said. But Seaside Heights has "more going on on the boardwalk" and "a little livelier atmosphere," he said.
This year's tournament is the first in a six-year agreement between the league and the borough, said John C. Camera, administrator for Seaside Heights. Last year's event was held under a one-year contract, he said.
Seaside Heights is "happy to have the long-term relationship," with the AVP, Camera said.
The tournament here is the 10th in the 18-stop 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, which runs from April through September. Other stops on the tour include Miami, Las Vegas, Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Brooklyn.
Anticipation level spikes
"I can't wait for the tournament," said Tanya Schank, 31, of Seaside Heights, who was spending time on the boardwalk last week with her children: Kevin, 9; Jason, 7, and Anastasia, 3. "I missed it last year, but my mother went and said it was fabulous. I love beach volleyball, but I've never seen a professional game before."
Armato said the tour visits Seaside Heights during a holiday weekend because "Fourth of July weekend on the Jersey Shore in Seaside Heights is an experience like no other."
Borough businesses hope pro players spiking balls in the sand translate to spikes in profits on the boardwalk. Attendance at last year's event was considered good, but the AVP does not reveal paid attendance figures.
Mike Limongello, an employee at Lucky Leo's Arcade, said the tournament should be good for business.
"Last year it was really helpful. If people come to Seaside to see volleyball, they were going to come up on the boardwalk," he said.
Marc Cardonell, an employee at Balloony's Water Gun 1 on Blaine Avenue said the tournament "helps business, but it also hurts because people pay more attention to the volleyball than to us."
During the tournament, fans will have the opportunity to watch beach volleyball great Karch Kiraly play in his final AVP tournament on the Jersey Shore, Armato said. Kiraly plans to retire at the end of the tour.
Fans also can witness men's teams battling to represent the United States in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, as well as women's teams such as April Ross and Jen Boss, who just won an international event in Norway, Armato said.
72 teams to compete
The tournament is divided into four days with three main levels of competition. The main draw features 32 teams on eight courts; the qualifier features 40 men's and women's teams, in which eight teams advance; and the women's and men's finals.
Michael Borga, president of the Jersey Shore Volleyball Association, which holds beach volleyball tournaments at the Jersey Shore, said the AVP tournament "is a big event for volleyball fans; an extraordinarily big event for fans of the AVP."
He said the sand in Seaside is deep, and not packed down, which makes it challenging for players to move and jump.
"(The tournament) is on one of the greatest beaches on the East Coast," Borga said.

IF YOU GO
The AVP Crocs Tour hits Seaside Heights on Thursday and runs through Sunday.
THURSDAY: Men's and women's qualifier competition; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
FRIDAY: Men's and women's main draw competition; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SATURDAY: Men's and women's main draw competition; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SUNDAY: Men's and women's main draw competition, starting 9:30 a.m.; women's finals at 2:30 p.m.; men's finals at 4 p.m.
TICKETS: Tickets are needed each day, except Thursday; tickets cost $20 for general admission, $40 for courtside seating and $10 for students and youth, 18 and younger, with valid student ID.
ABOUT THE SITE
The main court and stadium will be at Hiering Avenue and Ocean Terrace. Courts will cover about three blocks of beach, from Hiering Avenue south to Kearney Avenue.
The site was moved north from last year's location to make it more convenient for spectators. The new location is close to a municipal parking lot and public restrooms.

MB, AVP may find middle ground
City may approve individual requests that were turned down as a package.
By Andrea Woodhouse
Staff Writer
The Association of Volleyball Professionals is at it again.
Company executives will return to Manhattan Beach tonight to hit the city up for some extra perks at this summer's tournament.
If approved, the special requests could bolster AVP's bottom line: more elevated, private viewing suites to hawk to corporate benefactors and tournament title naming rights to sell off to a sponsor.
The City Council already denied similar requests in May - along with a pitch to serve booze at a beach-side fundraising dinner during the tournament scheduled for Aug. 10-12.
But AVP might find a kinder and gentler council tonight, Mayor Nick Tell said.
"Everything got lumped together and we said no to everything," he said. "It might have been unfair. The goal was not to make them worse off this year than last year."
This time around, AVP has proposed private cabanas perched above bleachers on the stadium's western border as an alternative to pier-blocking tents on the arena's northern edge that the council nixed two months ago.
Offering a view, shade and refreshments, the cabanas draw corporate sponsorships and revenue, which the AVP has long claimed it loses on South Bay tournaments.
The elimination of the suites on the north side of the stadium this year puts us at a financial disadvantage," Dave Williams, AVP's market director, wrote to the city.
The AVP has also asked the council to reconsider naming rights for the tournament's title, which can be a cash boon for the company.
By limiting the tournament's title to "The Manhattan Beach Open sponsored by the AVP," the council in May overlooked that such events for years have had a corporate sponsor in their name, Tell said.
For example, the tournament in Hermosa Beach this year was called "AVP Toyota Hermosa Beach Open Presented by Bud Light."
AVP could still sell a title sponsorship by August, Williams said.
Meanwhile, the association and the city are developing a long-term contract that would meet both groups' needs for future tournaments, Tell said.
He expected the council in coming months would approve a deal, an agreement that would affect the 2008 tournament.

AVP unveils new video feature on Web site
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals - 12:36 PM PDT Tuesday, July 3, 2007
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The AVP Crocs Pro Beach Volleyball Tour has launched a new video feature on its Web site -- avp.com Mosaic, which will allow fans to watch up to four matches at the same time online.
The avp.com Mosaic is powered by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, but, unlike the use of the technology on MLB.com, it offers live steaming video from the browser instead of video that must be downloaded.
The July 6-8 AVP Crocs Tour event being held in Seaside Heights, N.J., will offer an exclusive opportunity for registered users to access live tournament coverage on avp.comTV and avp.com Mosaic for free. Both avp.comTV and the new Mosaic are subscription services.
The AVP Crocs Tour is owned by AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Inc., a subsidiary of Los Angeles' AVP Inc. (OTCBB: AVPI).

It's time to see AVP.com Mosaic
Seaside Heights Open free for registered users
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
You've heard about it and you've read about it but now's your chance to give it a test drive.
This weekend during the AVP Seaside Heights Open, beach volleyball aficionados will get the opportunity to try avp.com Mosaic for free. All that is required is to be a registered user on avp.com (REGISTER NOW) and the plus is that is also free.
The technology allows subscribers the ability to watch up to four live matches at once online. With a broadband connection, a fan can watch four matches simultaneously or isolate and watch one of the four during each tournament's main draw competition.
The service, which rolled out as a beta version for the Louisville Open, is an extension of the technology found on MLB.com but is unique in that it offers live steaming video from the browser instead of video that must be downloaded. A subscription is offered for the entire season or with a four-day pass.
It is also a work in progress and the people behind the technology hope that fans will interact.
"It is an evolutionary process. As things go on, we see what works, and we encourage people to participate on the blogs and tell us what they like and what they don't," said Joe Inzerillo, senior vice-president, multimedia and distribution for MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM). "We designed the avp.com Mosaic gathering site to be as flexible as possible so we can have the ability to move if something is historical or something is happening."
Mosaic will be free throughout the main draw tournament in Seaside Heights N.J., July 6-8, which kicks off the second half of the AVP 2007 season. The AVP Crocs Tour took a two-week break as some of the top teams played in a pair of FIVB Grand Slam events in Europe.
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh emerged victorious in Paris while April Ross and Jennifer Boss won the gold medal in Norway.
Following the free offering of avp.com.tv and avp.com Mosaic this weekend, interested users will be able to lock up the remainder of the 2007 season for a reduced price of $19.95. Weekend passes will remain $4.95.
In addition to watching action from four courts during early round action and fully-produced stadium court play during the men's and women's finals, a subscription to avp.com Mosaic includes the following benefits:
• On-demand, archived event coverage from 2007 tournament finals
• Bonus semifinal coverage from select tournaments
• Classic AVP matches from the past
"We are thrilled with the new avp.com Mosaic the AVP is now able to offer because of the relationship we have formed with MLBAM," said AVP commissioner and chief executive Leonard Armato. "The new technology will offer a combination of deeper content, rich media, community functionality, and will enhance the user experience and make avp.com a daily destination for AVP fans."
Go ahead. Take it for a spin.

AVP Crocs Tour heads to Seaside
May-Treanor and Walsh won't attend
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
SEASIDE, N.J — The AVP Crocs Tour is back in action with play beginning Thursday at the AVP Seaside Heights Open.
A single-elimination qualifying round will be followed by a three-day main draw starting Friday that is set in one of the more popular summer vacation spots in the east, the Jersey Shore.
Pro beach volleyball is not new to New Jersey with Belmar, Atlantic City and Wildwood all hosting events in years past.
The tournament has been thrown wide open on the women's side of the draw as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have chosen to play in the FIVB event in Montreal this week.
May-Treanor and Walsh won the Grand Slam tournament in Paris and finished third in Stavanger, Norway. They are currently eighth in international ranking for the Olympics and are looking to solidify their spot for Beijing next summer before this year is out.
While May-Treanor and Walsh has eight straight victories on the AVP tour, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will step into the void in Seaside Heights to claim the No. 1 seed. Wacholder and Turner have been to three finals this season on the AVP and also finished third in Paris.
Another women's team with considerable momentum is April Ross and Jennifer Boss, who claimed the FIVB Grand Slam title in Norway last weekend. Ross-Boss reached the final in the AVP season-opener in Miami and has been to two other semifinals.
Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert will try to maintain their recent level of play on the men's side.
They were last year's No. 1 duo but struggled to find consistency in the first half of 2007. A victory at the Charleston Open, their second this season, and a third-place finish in Paris, though, is a strong indicator this pair has found its rhythm.
Remember when: It will be the fourth time for the men at Seaside Heights and the third time for the women. Karch Kiraly teamed with Kent Steffes to win in 1993 while Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno took the women's title that same year.
Casey Jennings and Matt Fuerbringer are the defending men's champions while May-Treanor and Walsh won in 2006 but will not be defending their crown.
Bracketology: Qualifying rounds in Seaside Heights will be held Thursday, when 79 teams, 53 men's and 26 women's teams will compete for one of eight slots each into the 32-team main draw. Play will be contested on eight courts.
Cut shots: Five different men's teams have been to a final this season with Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal leading the way with seven. Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers have been to six while Metzger and Lambert have been to three. ... Rosenthal-Gibb, Rogers-Dalhausser and Jennings-Mark Williams have made the top 10 in all nine tournaments this season. ... Three sets of sisters are playing together this week: Katie and Tracy Lindquist, Becca and Rachel Smith, and Jocelyn and Kristin Decker.
Multimedia: The men's and women's finals will both stream live on avp.com Sunday, June 17. The Mosaic video player will also provide coverage from four courts on Friday and Saturday. Streaming video is free this weekend. FSN will replay the women's final Tuesday, July 10 and will replay the men's final Saturday, June 14.
Set your clocks: Play begins at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday and at 9:30 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Play concludes each evening at approximately 6:00 p.m. ET. Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the women's final scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and the men's final set to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET.
Up next: The AVP Crocs Tour will take a one-week break to make way for the FIVB Grand Slam in Berlin, July 11-14. The tour will then return to Southern California with the Long Beach Open, July 19-22, in the first event covered by NBC this season. Qualifying begins Thursday, July 19 with teams competing for one of eight slots each on the men's and women's sides of the 32-team main draw. The women's final will be held Saturday, July 21 with the men's to follow Sunday.

Laval pair at home on sand
Maxwell, Lessard add local flavour to Jarry Park event
ARPON BASU, Special to The Gazette
Published: Thursday, July 05
Sarah Maxwell and Marie-Andree Lessard began preparing for this moment before they realized it.
Maxwell and Lessard were members of the Quebec volleyball team during the mid-1990s, fresh out of CEGEP and eager to begin their university studies.
The provincial team staged a mock beach volleyball tournament for fun that year, providing Maxwell and Lessard their first opportunity to pair up on sand.
The results were immediate, as the two won the mini-tournament easily.
"We both said one day we should play together. Then we laughed," said Maxwell, 30, a Baie d'Urfe native who lives in Laval.
More than 10 years later, Maxwell and Lessard are travelling the world as the top Canadian women's team on the FIVB Beach Volley World Tour, which makes its only North American stop of the season at Jarry Park's Uniprix Stadium today through Sunday's final.
Maxwell was not immediately drawn to beach volleyball, spending two years with the national indoor program after finishing studies at the University of British Columbia.
But Lessard, a LaSalle native who also lives in Laval, knew after completing studies at McGill that the beach was for her.
"I always had a dream of going to the Olympics. I knew my chances were better in beach volleyball," Lessard, 30, said.
Lessard joined the FIVB Tour in 1999, two years before Maxwell, but the two did not become partners until 2002.
Since then, they have steadily climbed the Tour rankings and enter this week's event hot on the heels of a season-best ninth-place finish last month in Portugal. It was a well-timed success, because this is the first year of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics.
Maxwell and Lessard's best career finish came in Montreal, with a tie for seventh in 2005. And they hope to at least match that performance this weekend, considering a trip to Beijing is on the line.
"We definitely have the system and the game to compete against the best in the world. I think our strength is our understanding of the game," Maxwell said.
On the women's side, Maxwell and Lessard are joined by three more Canadian teams in the main draw, including 2004 Olympian Annie Martin of Sherbrooke and her rookie partner Dana Cooke. There are five Canadian teams in the men's draw, led by former Olympic bronze-medallist Mark Heese and his partner Ahren Cadieux.
Maxwell and Lessard see the Montreal stop as an opportunity to see family and friends, but also as an important spotlight on their sport in their home town.
"Historically, we've done so well here, so we're feeding off that energy. But also, when you get that wink from mom or dad, that's comforting," Lessard said.

Pro beach volleyball tour returns to Seaside Heights
By SUSAN LULGJURAJ Staff Writer, (609) 272-7187
Published: Thursday, July 5, 2007
Beach volleyball is back in Seaside Heights and it's here during the height of the summer season.
Look for some of the best athletes to kick up sand this weekend at the AVP Crocs Tour Seaside Heights Open.
The Seaside Heights Open is in its second year at its current location between Hiering Avenue and Ocean Terrace. It starts today with the qualifying round. Forty local teams compete for eight spots (four men, four women) in the main draw. Admission is free today and the qualifier starts at 8 a.m.
Two Press-area players, Walter Lloyd of Mays Landing and Dave Pacevich of North Cape May, will try and qualify as a team.
The top teams such as reigning champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh don't start until Friday. The main draw last two days before the semifinals and finals of the men's and women's competitions on Sunday starting at 2 p.m. Both days of the main draw begin at 9:30 a.m. Tickets cost are $20 for general admission and $40 for courtside seating. Student and youth tickets (18-and-under) are $10.
Karch Kiraly, three-time Olympic gold medalist, is in the last year of his career. Kiraly is one of the most well-known volleyball players in the country. The 46-year-old is retiring at the end of the season and is looking to add to his 148 career championships, by far the most on the AVP tour. He is the only volleyball player to win gold medals in indoor and outdoor volleyball.
Casey Jennings, Walsh's husband, along with partner Matt Fuerbringer won last year's event. Jennings has made New Jersey a second home winning two times and competing in four consecutive finals.
May-Treanor and Walsh have lost just one AVP event this season.
What makes the event exciting aren't just the players, who you can find walking or jogging around the complex at any time, but there are other events and clinics for everyone.

Separate ways
Last year's champs return with new partners
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/5/07
BY ROBERT ZIEGLER
STAFF WRITER
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The sand at the Jersey Shore has been kind to Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings, who have been to the finals of the last four Association of Volleyball Professionals events played in New Jersey, winning two of them.
Together, they captured their first victory at Belmar in 2004 and another last year in Seaside Heights.
However, when Fuerbringer and Jennings begin play this weekend in the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour Seaside Heights Open, they'll do so separately.
"Casey and I joked, "We'll find out who the real Jersey boy is this weekend, who was the one who was carrying the other,' " Fuerbringer said earlier this week.
The duo decided to part ways, not uncommon on the beach volleyball circuit, with the belief that they may have hit their ceiling as a pair. They collected 21 top-three finishes in 53 AVP events together, but just four victories.
Jennings, a Las Vegas native and member of Brigham Young University's 1999 NCAA national championship team, is now playing with Mark Williams. Fuerbringer, who was born in Costa Mesa, Calif., and won a national title with Stanford in 1997, is paired with Sean Scott, who played against Fuerbringer and Jennings in last year's Seaside Heights title match.
Neither team finished better than third in the tour's first nine events, but after its three-week break, the sec-ond half couldn't begin in a better spot for Fuerbringer.
"I didn't feel like it would take quite this long for Sean and I to start clicking, but I've seen glimpses of what we're capable of doing," he said. "I know (a victory) is going to come and I feel like this could be the weekend."
Jennings and Fuerbringer, who remain good friends and haven't ruled out a potential reunion, have faced each other twice this season, Fuerbringer said, with Jennings' team winning both matches, including one in Louisville, Ky., to advance to the semifinals.
"It would be nuts," Fuerbringer said of the possibility of he and Jennings staring at each other across the court late in the tournament. "The second event of the year, Casey had two side outs to get to the semis and we were already there, but we never got that encounter."
Fuerbringer and Jennings have played just nine events with their new partners, but maybe that encounter will come this weekend with a familiar setting negating the absence of a familiar face with which to share the court.
"So much of success is confidence and belief so to be in the final four years in a row, there's no reason to think it won't be a fifth," he said. "Everyone likes to go to places where they've won, they hold a special place in your heart."
Notes
Jersey Shore fans who missed out on seeing Karch Kiraly, the winningest beach volleyball player ever and a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, play in his signature pink hat will have one last opportunity this weekend.
The 46-year-old Kiraly, a six-time AVP Most Valuable Player and the face of his sport, is retiring after this season.
On the women's side, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, winners of the AVP's last eight events and reigning Olympic Gold Medalists, will miss the Seaside Heights event, which they won last year, due to an international competition in Montreal.

Volleyball comes back to the beach
Thursday, July 05, 2007
BY JENNY VRENTAS
Star-Ledger Staff
Scan through the list of the venues for this year's five-month, 18-stop Association of Volleyball Professionals' Crocs Tour, and a few stand out.
Rangers Stadium outside Dallas, for one. And Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The tour has brought beach volleyball to even the most noncoastal places.
But today through Sunday it is back in its natural setting, with the AVP Seaside Heights Open on the Jersey Shore. The competition is the 10th of the tour and the first in the North.
"We're back on the beach. I've been doing parking lots for so long," said AVP player Matt Fuerbringer, who was part of the winning men's team at Seaside Heights last summer.
Eight courts will be set up on the north beach of Seaside Heights for this weekend's tournament. Eight men's and eight women's pairs will advance from today's qualifying rounds, filling out brackets of 32 with pros who have already been seeded. The double-elimination main draw starts tomorrow, culminating with the men's and women's finals Sunday afternoon.
The Open is serious for the competitors. Up for grabs this weekend is $200,000 in prize money, including a $20,000 winner's purse, and points in the overall tour standings. But for shore goers, AVP commissioner and CEO Leonard Armato emphasized the lighter side.
"It's a chance to immerse yourself in the atmosphere: beautiful people wearing small amounts of clothing, and a lot of music," he said. "It's the essence of Southern California."
Karch Kiraly, the triple Olympic gold medalist and essence of beach volleyball, will also be at Seaside Heights this weekend. After Kiraly, 46, announced that this will be his final year of competition, this has become his farewell tour, and this tournament his last in Jersey.
Absent on the women's side, though, will be teammates Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who together have won the past eight events on the AVP Tour and earned gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. The pair is in Montreal to compete in an international event that counts toward qualification for the Beijing Games next year, leaving the women's bracket here without its usual favorite.
This is the second consecutive year the tour has stopped in Seaside Heights, and previously it has been held in Belmar. Fuerbringer counts Jersey fans among his favorites on the tour. They say exactly what they think, he said, and he loves the curious spectators who stumble upon the tournament during a routine trip to the beach.
The sand is deep and natural, Armato added, and the perfect landing spot for SoCal's sport.
"The California beach lifestyle just fits in with the quintessential Jersey Shore lifestyle, and it's a great lifestyle: fun-filled, and there's a really diverse group," he said. "And Seaside Heights represents the essence of the Jersey Shore."

May-Treanor and Walsh Undefeated in Montreal
Contact: B.J. Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
BJ.Evans@USAV.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 5, 2007) – Top-ranked Misty May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (Santa Clara, Calif.) made quick work of their opponents on Thursday in the first two rounds of the main draw competition at the US$400,000 Montreal Open in Canada.
The two-time SWATCH-FIVB World Champions are the only Americans competing in the fifth of 13 double-gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour.
May-Treanor and Walsh started the day with a win over South Africa’s Judith Augoustides and Leigh-Ann Naidoo (21-13, 21-16). The second round saw a similar outcome as the duo defeated Emilia Nystrom and Erika Nystrom of Finland (21-14, 21-15).
On Friday, the U.S. will play the winner of a second-round Canada/Brazil match-up.
The last time May-Treanor and Walsh competed in the Montreal Open was in 2002 when they defeated Brazil’s Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede for the gold medal. Adriana and Shelda also stood below the Americans on the podium in Athens at the 2004 Olympics when the two teams battled for gold. The Brazilian pair, also 2-0 in main draw competition, is seeded fifth in the event.
A new Montreal Open winner will be crowned on Sunday.

USAToday.com Recognizes Boss, Ross and Gardner
Contact: B.J. Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
BJ.Evans@USAV.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 5, 2007) – Jen Boss (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Newport Beach, Calif.), who won their first SWATCH-FIVB title and became the lowest-seeded team to win a SWATCH-FIVB Tour title since 1992 when they won the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam on June 30 in Stavanger, Norway, were named the USAToday.com Olympic Athletes of the Week on Tuesday.
U.S. Men’s National Team member Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.) is also mentioned in the article for his 26-point performance against Italy in the United States’ 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 31-29) FIVB World League victory on June 29. The win put the United States in the World League finals for the first time since 2000.

POSSIBLE ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC REMATCH LOOMING
Montreal, Canada, July 5, 2007 - Could it be that the Beach Volleyball fans in Quebec will be treated to a rematch of the women’s Athens Olympic gold medal match as the 2004 Summer Games finalists each won a pair of matches here Thursday in the US$400,000 Montreal Open?
If top-seeded Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh of the United States and fifth-seeded Adriana Behar/Shelda Bede of Brazil win their opening matches Friday, the two teams will meet later in the day for a spot in Saturday’s first semi-final match in the fourth annual Montreal Open.
Depending on the results of matches later Thursday evening, May-Treanor and Walsh will play either eighth-seeded Renata Ribeiro/Talita Antunes of Brazil or ninth-seeded Sarah Maxwell/Marie-Andree Lessard of Canada in their first match Friday with the winner facing either Adriana/Shelda or fourth-seeded Leila Barros/Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil in the first semi-final-qualifying contest Friday.
Two-time SWATCH-FIVB World champions and winner of 25 international Beach Volleyball events together, May-Treanor and Walsh defeated teams from South Africa and Finland in Thursday’s opening Montreal Open rounds. The Americans are returning to Quebec for the first-time since 2002 when May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Adriana and Shelda for the Montreal Open gold medal.
Adriana and Shelda, two-time SWATCH-FIVB World champions with a pair of Olympic silver medals and 31 FIVB titles to their credit, posted opening wins over teams from Great Britain and the Netherlands. In meeting Leila and Ana Paula for the first-time since last July, Adriana and Shelda hold a 7-2 edge in the SWATCH series between the two teams.
Leila and Ana Paula, who have won two of the last three FIVB meetings with Adriana and Shelda, are the defending Montreal Open champions after upsetting Brazilian rivals Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca in the 2006 finale. Juliana and Larissa withdrew from this week’s event after failing to medal in the past two SWATCH-FIVB World Tour grand slam events in Paris and Norway.
When asked about the possible match up for the 21st-time on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour between the two Olympic finalists, neither May-Treanor/Walsh nor Adriana/Shelda would comment. “We are more concerned about our match against the Canadians or Brazilians,” said Walsh. “No one likes too look to far ahead. Right now, we are concentrating on our next opponent.”
The fifth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, the Montreal Open continues through Sunday when the final two teams in both genders will compete for the $32,000 first-place prizes.
The Montreal Open is the only visit to North America this year during the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The international Beach Volleyball circuit returns to Europe next week for the third of five “major” events in Berlin followed by a stop in Marseille before the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland

FOUR CONTINENTS HIGHLIGHT WOMEN’S MONTREAL OPEN PLAY
Montreal, Canada, July 5, 2007 - The US$400,000 Montreal Open started with five FIVB confederations represented in the women’s Main Draw here Thursday and teams from four of the continents posted “perfect” Beach Volleyball match marks at the end of the day to highlight the play at the Stade Uniprix in Jarry Park.
Three teams from Brazil and two tandems from China each posted 2-0 match marks Thursday in the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event along with pairs from Australia, Greece and the United States in the eighth qualifying event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
The Brazilian trio features fourth-seeded Leila Barros/Ana Paula Connely, fifth-seeded Adriana Behar/Shelda Bede and eighth-seeded Talita Antuntes/Renata Ribeiro as the South Americans compete against top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States, the reigning Olympic and SWATCH-FIVB World champions.
China’s second-seeded Jia Tian/Jie Wang and sixth-seeded Chen Xue/Xi Zhang are in the bottom half of the Montreal Open women’s winner’s bracket with third-seeded Tamsin Barnett/Natalie Cook of Australia and seventh-seeded Vasso Karadassiou/Vassiliki Arvaniti of Greece.
May-Treanor and Walsh will play Talita and Renata in the first winner’s bracket match Friday with the winner facing either Adriana/Shelda or Leila/Ana Paula in the first semi-final-qualifying contest later in the day.
The Americans have a 2-0 mark against Talita and Renata, including a gold medal win last October in Mexico. Adriana and Shelda have a 7-2 edge against Leila and Ana Paula, who have won two of the past three SWATCH meetings with their legendary Brazilian rivals with the last match between the two teams being almost a year ago in Paris.
Barnett and Cook, who captured a SWATCH gold medal at the end of May in Korea, are winless in two FIVB outings against Xue and Chen. Tian and Wang, winner of the 2007 SWATCH season opener in Shanghai at the start of May, have won five of seven meetings with the Greeks, but Arvaniti and Karadassiou won the last match last month in Portugal.
Sixteen other teams remain in the fourth annual Montreal Open with one defeat each in the 32-team double-elimination Main Draw. South Africa’s Leigh-Ann Naidoo and Judith Augoustides, who became the African continent’s first-ever women’s team to advance to a SWATCH Main Draw via a FIVB qualifier Wednesday, dropped both of their matches to May-Treanor/Walsh and 17th-seeded Simone Kuhn/Lea Schwer of Switzerland to place 25th in the competition.
The fifth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, the Montreal Open continues through Sunday when the final two teams in both genders will compete for the $32,000 first-place prizes.
The Montreal Open is the only North American stop on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour this year during the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The international Beach Volleyball circuit returns to Europe next week for the third of five “major” events in Berlin followed by a stop in Marseille before the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Qualifying underway in Seaside
79 teams vying for spot in main draw
By Kelly O'Rourke / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — The AVP Crocs Tour started the second half of the season today, as the single-elimination qualifying round got started here on the Jersey Shore Thursday.
A total of 79 teams, 53 men's and 26 women's, are playing for one of eight spots on each side of the 32-team main draw of this year's Seaside Heights Open that will start play at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at the north end of the boardwalk in Seaside Heights.
This weekend's event marks the second time that the AVP has come to Seaside Heights in recent years. Pro Beach Volleyball has had a long history in New Jersey as tournaments have previously been held in Belmar, Wildwood, and Atlantic City for more than 17 years.
The women's side of the bracket has already seen some of the top-seeded favorites move into the main draw competition. No. 1 seed Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz and No. 5 Chara Harris and Brooke Langston have already moved on to tomorrow's main draw. They will join No. 4 Kealani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler, who will both be making their second career appearance in the main draw competition.
On the men's side there have been a few upsets as No. 53 seed Oleksiy Gutor and Jonathan Scott defeated No. 12 Casey Brewer and Danko Iordanov, as well as No. 21 Erik Gomez and Yariv Lerner. Gutor and Scott will now face the fifth-seeded team of Seth Burnham and Justin Phipps in the final round to determine which team will go on to the main draw competition Friday morning.

Polish spring up in Jersey
Garden Staters have Eastern Bloc connection
By Marc Raimondi / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Maciej Pregowski never pushed his children to play volleyball, but that doesn't mean he didn't give them an early start at the game he grew up loving in Poland.
"As soon as they started walking, they started playing volleyball," said the 10-year veteran of the Polish National League.
It all started in the volleyball hotbed of Europe, and now Pawel Pregowski and Agnieszka Pregowska are excelling in the United States. Both play Division I volleyball at NJIT, and they participated in the AVP Seaside Heights Open qualifier Thursday.
Pawel and teammate Mark Burik were the 39th seed and fell in the first round to 26th-seeded Affonso Canedo and Wayne Holly. Aggie, as her friends call her, and Aleksandra Wolak, seeded 18th, advanced to the qualifying round before falling to No. 2 seed Leilani Kamahoahoa and Whitney Pavlik.
"I'm very happy, because they've fallen in love with the sport," Pregowska said, who moved his family to Bridgewater, N.J., 15 years ago.
The siblings both starred at Bridgewater High and now both are architecture majors at NJIT. Pawel works over the summer at Cosentini, one of the top architecture firms in Manhattan, which means volleyball isn't the only thing they share.
"We're like twins," Pawel, 23, said. "Everything we do is the same."
But, unlike his sister, this was Pawel's first time playing at the AVP's Jersey Shore event. He and Burik met only three weeks ago and this was their first tournament together.
Agnieszka, 20, is a seasoned veteran of the open, playing in her fourth one. She and Wolak, who have been playing together for three years, even earned a spot in the main draw two years ago as a wild card after winning a local tournament.
The pair was seeded 36th, meaning they had to play top-seeded Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
"When she found out she was playing against them, she almost died," Maciej Pregowski said. "She was laughing, smiling and crying at the same time."
The 2005 event was held in Belmar and 1,500 New Jersey natives — and Pregowska fans — came to cheer on her and Wolak, a Jersey City resident. Walsh was quoted as saying it was the first time she and May-Treanor weren't the fan favorites at an AVP event. Pregowska and Wolak ended up taking more points off the pair than any other opponent during that tournament.
"For Aggie, beach volleyball is everything," Maciej said. "She can sleep on the beach."
There were nerves then, but it wouldn't be the first time she had odds stacked against her on the volleyball court. Maciej coached the now-defunct RVDC club team in Jersey and would take his children all over the state for tournaments. One particular time, they were at a women's tournament and one team was missing a player. Agnieszka, 10 years old at the time, stepped right in.
"It was very strange-looking," Maciej said with a smile. "She was never afraid to play."
Same goes for Pawel. He has left the NJIT men's volleyball team to focus on academics and his architecture degree. But his love for volleyball hasn't waned — he'll likely try again next year to make it to the Seaside Heights Open main draw. The weather on the shore — Thursday was particularly cool with blustery winds at times — was to his liking.
"I like playing this," Pawel said. "It's Jersey."
And to think it all started with their early training in Warsaw, Poland. Things are different in Europe — most kids play soccer or volleyball instead of sports more prominent in America.
"Here it's a lot of football, a lot of baseball — (volleyball) is the equivalent of that (in Poland)," Agnieszka said.
But at least for one family from Bridgewater, volleyball is a way of life.

Local duo competes in first AVP event
Hunter and Yates come up short of main draw
By Marc Raimondi / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Greg Hunter and Tony Yates had not played together for awhile. But when they did, they were pretty impressive.
The pair was part of East Brunswick (N.J.) High School's state champion boys volleyball team in 2003 and 2004. On Thursday, they were playing together for the first time in an AVP event in the qualifier of the Seaside Heights Open.
The local team, seeded 35th, beat the 30th-seeded team of Connor Hastings and Andy Northness in the first round, 5-21, 21-15, 15-12, before falling to the third-seeded pairing of Dane Jensen and Jeff Carlucci, 21-17, 21-16.
"There's no reason why we couldn't compete or couldn't win that match," said Hunter, who is now a student at Rutgers University.
The height of 6-foot-6 Jeff Carlucci certainly didn't help. Even with Yates' superior jumping ability, he's only 5-foot-9 and the team was a tough matchup.
"Tony's got some nice hops," Hunter said with a laugh.
"We would have had to play a perfect game against a team like that," Yates said.
Despite its size (Hunter is 5-foot-10), the pair was impressive in the first round coming off a tournament win in Atlantic City, N.J., last weekend.
"Guys expect you're gonna roll everything," Hunter said. "We catch them by surprise."
And maybe next year the twosome will inch a little closer to that elusive spot in the main draw.
"That's basically my life dream," Hunter said.
Notes: Local teams struggled throughout qualifying Thursday, despite conditions that were distinctively Jersey. The sunshine was sparse and overcast skies, and heavy winds ruled the day.
"I wish it was even windier," Hunter said.
The weather should have favored the locals, but it didn't seem to in the women's or men's qualifier. The No. 10-seeded team of Ihor Akinshyn (Mahwah, N.J.) and Tim McNichol (New York City) won their first two matches before falling in the final qualifying round, 21-17, 21-15, to Californians Ivan Mercer and Jeremie Simkins, who were seeded seventh.
Matt Ogin of Turnersville, N.J., and Todd Strassberger of Sewell, N.J., seeded 15th, also fell in a qualifying match to the No. 2-seeded squad of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet, 24-22, 21-18.
Mark Clearwaters of Point Pleasant, N.J., and John Mack of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., seeded 45th, beat 52nd-seeded Danny Carter and Ty Hart, 21-19, 14-21, 15-12, before falling in the second round to the No. 13-seeded team of Matt Davis and Kevin Gregan, 21-12, 21-10.
On the women's side, the No. 18th-seeded pairing of Agnieszka Pregowska of Bridgewater, N.J., and Aleksandra Wolak of Jersey City won their first round match over Julie Caldwell and Jennifer Lombardi, seeded 15th. They then fell to No. 2-seeded Leilani Kamahoahoa and Whitney Pavlik.
All the other area teams lost in the first round.

Dalhausser, Rogers aiming for No. 6
Top-seeded duo looks to get back on track
By Kelly O'Rourke / AVP.com
As the second half of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour begins, the main draw of the Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light kicks off Friday morning with top seeds Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rodgers looking to win their sixth title of the season.
On the women's side, Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, seeded first for the first time this year and just back from a FIVB bronze medal in Paris, aim to win their first title of the season, having reached the finals twice this year.
Also in action Friday is beach volleyball legend Karch Kiraly. Having announced earlier this year that he will retire at the end of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour Season, Kiraly will be playing in his final competitive event in New Jersey.
In qualifying action on Thursday, eight men's teams and eight women's teams advanced into the main draw competition. The women's side did not see any big upsets, as all top eight seeds advanced into the main draw for the first time in Tour history. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was on the men's side, as the 53rd seeded team of Oleksiy Gutor and Jonathan Scott defeated some of the top qualifier teams to move on to Friday's main draw.
Eighteen local players from New Jersey competed in Thursday's qualifying draw. While no New Jersey team advanced through to the main draw, Igor Akinshyn of Mahwah, Matt Ogin of Turnersville, and Todd Strassberger of Sewell advanced into the third round of the qualifier before ultimately falling.
Friday's main draw play begins at 9:30 a.m and continues Saturday and Sunday with 9:30 a.m. start times both days. The women's final will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the men's final at 4 p.m.; both finals will be televised on FOX Sports Net.

Dig for Kids in Jersey
The book drive continues in the Northeast
By Monique Moyal and Jackie Chiuchiarelli / AVP.com
As the AVP kicks off the second half of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, Dig for Kids will continue to team up with AVP Cares to continue the season-long book drive. Book donations will be gladly accepted from fans outside of the main gates at the 2007 AVP Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light.
Fans have been generous in the first half of the season, as they've already donated thousands of books.
Before Dig for Kids started tabling at the AVP tournaments, Albert Hannemann and Eric Fonoimoana said that the program already accepted 90,000 books, which have helped to build classroom libraries for more than 18,000 students in Southern California schools.
Fans can leave their books at the D4K tent in their local AVP market. Whoever donates the most books will win an autographed ball signed by the players on tour. The second-place donor will also receive an autographed ball, just without the personal touch.
The Seaside Heights Open will mark the new partnership of Dig for Kids and Book Drive founders, Eric Fonoimoana and Albert Hannemann. After spending the first half of the season recovering from a knee injury, Fonoi will make his 2007 debut with his cousin, colleague, and now partner Hannemann.
Come and support the debut of the Fonoimoana-Hannemann partnership by donating some books to the D4K-AVP Cares Book Drive this weekend.
Dig for Kids is a non-profit organization which focuses on improving literacy rates among inner-city students and helping them get into colleges

From nobodies to the main draw
First AVP event a success for unknown team
By Marc Raimondi / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Jonathan Scott wasn't even going to make the trip to New Jersey to compete in the AVP Seaside Heights Open with his friend Alex Gutor. The Fort Worth, Texas, native didn't have any time to train or practice, so he decided he wasn't going to use his plane ticket.
Gutor, though, talked him out of it. The friends had not seen each other in awhile and, even if they lost in the first round of the qualifier, it would still be a good chance to hang out.
"More than anything, I just wanted to see him," Scott said.
Scott and Gutor had never entered an AVP event before and didn't have a single point, earning them the final seed: 54th.
Expectations were decidedly low.
But then the pair beat the 12th-seeded team of Casey Brewer and Danko Iordanov in three games. Then they beat the No. 21-seeded pairing of Erik Gomez and Yariv Lerner in three games, putting them in the final qualifying round, one win from making the main draw of the tournament.
And if that wasn't enough, the twosome went to match point against the fifth-seeded team of Seth Burnham and Justin Phipps, prompting Phipps to scream, "I can't believe this!"
Gutor blocked a Phipps kill less than a minute later for a 12-21, 21-19, 15-10 victory and entry into the main draw.
"We're nobodies!" screamed Scott after the win.
In one week, Gutor and Scott went from a team that wasn't even going to show up in Seaside Heights to the Cinderella story of the tournament. The pair is the second-lowest seed to make it the main draw this season.
"Nobody knows us," said Gutor, who was born in the Ukraine but went to high school in Forth Worth, where he met Scott. "You lose, you go home and cry to your mom."
There won't be any tears tonight. The team had played together before in local tournaments but never on a stage like this. It's been awhile since they've played together at all, though, so they came out to the beach Wednesday afternoon to get in some training. When they walked out, Gutor had a parking ticket.
"This trip is turning into a loss already," Gutor said he thought then.
Things have changed already, mostly because no one knew how good these two actually are. Gutor just graduated from Penn State University, where he was on a volleyball scholarship. The Nittany Lions went to the Final Four every year he was there and went to the national championship game last season. Gutor leaves to play pro volleyball in Germany this August.
Scott's résumé isn't too shabby, either. He played Division I volleyball at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne and has played pro ball in Europe for five years, most recently in the Netherlands.
So these nobodies aren't actually nobodies after all — they just needed to make the transition from the indoor hardwood to the beach.
"In indoor, you can be tall and lanky," Gutor said. "Here, you gotta do everything. Here it's not about how big you are." "We're already moving up," Scott joked to Gutor before Thursday.
Gutor and Scott aren't joking anymore, and they certainly are no longer nobodies.
Notes: Gutor and Scott weren't the only two to complete upsets. Kyle Denitz and Casey Patterson, seeded 14th, knocked off the No. 3-seeded team of Jeff Carlucci and Dane Jensen, 26-28, 28-26, 17-15, in the final qualifying round to make their first main draw.
The first two seeds were safe from being upset, though. The top-seeded duo of Vincent Robbins and Adam Roberts defeated 17th-seeded Joe Cash and Jeff Soler, 10-21, 21-13, 15-8, and the No. 2-seeded squad of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet beat the 15th-seeded team of New Jersey products Matt Ogin and Todd Strassberger, 24-22, 21-18.
The teams of Joey Dysktra and Mark Van Zweiten (No. 4 seed), Kevin Dake and Lucas Wisniakowski (6), Ivan Mercer and Jeremie Simkins (7), and Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis (8) will also return to Seaside Heights on Friday to compete in the main draw.

History made in women's qualies
First time in Tour history that top eight seeds advance
By Doug Strauss / AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — The women's qualifier at the AVP Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light will go down in history. All of the top eight seeds advanced into the main draw, a first on the women's side.
The setup was perfect for this to happen, as eight of the 26 teams would move on to Friday's play. The 32-team main draw, just the third one this season, meant a better chance to advance to the money rounds. In addition, the tournament being on the East Coast with open weeks both before and after it, meant that fewer teams were willing to travel from California for their shot at glory.
The top six seeds needed to win just one match to get the chance to play with money on the line, and all six did just that. In fact, the top four seeds swept their opponents by an average score of 21-14. Joining them was a pair of teams that had only a slightly more difficult road; they had to win two matches. None of the eight teams qualifying needed to play more than an hour and a half total, so they should be fresh for Friday's action.
While individually some of the players have played in many main draws, most of the teams are new to this experience. Top-seeded Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, a pair of Colorado State graduates and current Southern Cal residents, are playing in the main draw for the third time this season. The fourth-seeded Hawaiian natives Kealani Kimball and Rosalinda Masler are getting their second taste of an AVP main draw, as is the case for fifth-seeded Chara Harris and Brooke Langston.
Seeds two and three found what is hopefully more than just beginner's luck: Leilani Kamahoahoa and Whitney Pavlik teamed up for the first time ever, as did Angie Hall and Lauren Mills, the sixth-seeded team in the qualifier. Mills will play her first career main draw match of her career on Friday. Originally from Pompton Plains, N.J., this couldn't have come in a better location.
"It was amazing," an elated Mills said, despite the fact that she had no family here to root for her. "I had a bunch of San Diego people cheering me on around my court, but all of my family is in California or Colorado. Tomorrow we've just got to go aggressive."
Jennifer Bowman and Stephanie Chapek, who both hail from Minnesota, are rewarded for winning both of their qualifying matches with an opening round matchup against a Minnesota legend, Nicole Branagh, who tallied the most kills in Big Ten Conference history while playing at the University of Minnesota, and her partner, bronze medalist Elaine Youngs.
On the more experienced side of things, third-seeded Suzana Manole and Beth Van Fleet re-established their 2004-05 partnership, which saw eight of the last nine qualifying tournaments end successfully. Only eight teams in the entire field have played in more tournaments together than Manole and Van Fleet.
The final team to make it past Thursday was eighth-seeded Bonnie Levin and Nicole Midwin. Levin, a 44-year old former triathlete, is partnering with Midwin for just the second time. The duo perhaps get a break as they will get to face a team seeded No. 1 for the first time in their careers, Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
While history was made in the qualifier, the next three days of the Seaside Heights Open offer more chances for individuals to leave their mark on this game.

Lucas, Barnes reunite on sand
Friday, July 06, 2007
BY JENNY VRENTAS
Star-Ledger Staff
Leon Lucas remembers the area where he grew up, near Fort Dix, as a forest filled with pine trees. He felt far removed from the Jersey Shore, despite living a 35-minute drive away.
It wasn't until he was 24 that he was introduced to the coastal town of Seaside Heights. There he learned the sport of beach volleyball, for which his 6-7 frame was well-suited. He began to play in local tournaments up and down the shore every weekend in the summertime, sporadically teaming up with Jon Barnes, a younger, shorter (6-3) player from Medford.
Twelve years later, the two are still friends. They no longer live in New Jersey -- Lucas lives in Boca Raton, Fla., and Barnes, 33, moved to San Diego, Calif. -- and before this weekend, they hadn't seen each other in more than a year. But when the Association of Volleyball Professionals put the Seaside Heights Open on its 2007 schedule, Lucas and Barnes made plans to partner up and return to the town where Lucas first touched a volleyball.
"We've played a lot together, it's chemistry," Barnes said. "Plus he's big, so he takes an area of the court, and I just run around."
Before their first match, the two peppered (casually warmed up) in the open sand adjacent to their court. As they did, a group of their New Jersey beach volleyball friends assembled for an informal reunion: Barnes' former partner, Jerry Mancuso, one of Mancuso's former partners, and so on.
Lucas and Barnes were entered in yesterday's single-elimination qualifying rounds, which fed eight additional teams into today's main draw. To advance, the pair would have had to win three consecutive matches.
"If I come all the way out here and you lose, I'm gonna bust on you all night," joked Mancuso, who has known the pair for more than a decade.
Barnes and Lucas won their first match, but were eliminated from the tournament a few hours later in round two. Red-faced and sweaty, despite colder July temperatures, they paused courtside in undersized white beach chairs.
Two years ago, Lucas played every tournament on the AVP circuit. This year, he has competed in only three, but hasn't yet made it out of the qualifying rounds.
"It's tough, the qualifier is tough," Lucas said. "And sometimes you can lose a heartbreaker, and that's really tough."
Two months ago, Oleksiy Gutor was an outside hitter at Penn State, competing in the NCAA men's volleyball Final Four. Yesterday he was at Seaside Heights, playing outdoors as an unknown, seeded 53rd.
He and partner Jonathan Scott worked their way up, winning all three matches and earning a berth in the tournament's main draw. Gutor first tried beach volleyball a few years ago in Texas and discovered one of the personal benefits of the outdoor, two-man version of the sport.
"On the college scene I wasn't the tallest guy, but over here on the beach, 6-foot-4 is a pretty good size," Gutor said. "That's what I'm trying to do, play with the big boys."
Moments after a victorious afternoon match qualified them for the women's main draw, elated teammates Chara Harris and Brooke Langston noted one major difference between Seaside Heights and the beaches in Sarasota, Fla., where they live.
"They're deeper," Harris and Langston said in unison.
AVP events have standard perimeter court dimensions, but what differs greatly between locales is the depth and condition of the sand. The bottom of the sand at Seaside Heights is impossible to find, competitors jokingly noted.

Beach Volleyball 101
Friday, July 06, 2007
BY JENNY VRENTAS
VOLLEYBALL 101
Under gray skies and fat raindrops, one competitor in the Association of Volleyball Professionals Seaside Heights Open had an inauspicious start to his weekend.
"Aw, man," he said as he lifted himself from the ground. "I got sand in my eyes on the first play."
"That's the way it's supposed to be," the referee called back. "It's sand volleyball!"
Yesterday morning was the beginning of the weekend-long professional beach volleyball tournament on the north end of the Seaside Heights beachfront. The sport's origin is traced to the 1920s in Santa Monica, Calif., when volleyball courts were set up at the beach, but it didn't become mainstream until the 1990s. The AVP tour has stopped at the Jersey Shore since 1991, and the first Olympic beach volleyball competition was in Atlanta in 1996.
As the referee pointed out, sand is essential to the sport -- and despite yesterday's weather, sun usually is, too -- but there is more to it, like rally scoring and jumbo shrimp. Here's a brief tutorial so you have the advantage down the shore this weekend.
PLAY IT
Two teams of two players compete barefoot on an 8x16 meter sand court. The net height is 8 feet for men and 7 feet, 4 inches for women.
Just like indoor volleyball, the object of the game is simple: Ground the ball on the opponents' side before they ground it on yours. Serves may hit the net, as long as they make it over and fall within the lines. A team has three touches to return the ball.
SCORE IT
The main draw of the tournament is double elimination, and matches are best-of-three sets. The first two sets are played to 21 points, and the third is played to 15. The winner must have a two-point advantage.
The AVP now uses rally scoring, so a point is awarded on every serve. There are no side outs; instead, the winner of a rally always earns a point. Teams switch sides every seven points in the first two sets and every five points in the third set.
WIN IT
This weekend, $200,000 in prize money will be awarded to men's and women's teams. Historically in beach volleyball, no one knows how to win better than Karch Kiraly. The man with the trademark pink hat is the sport's most successful player of all time, having won 48 tournaments and more than $3 million in prize money. But this season is his farewell tour, so catch him before he retires.
Misty May-Treanor is the winningest female beach volleyball player of all time, with 78 tournament victories. Kerri Walsh, her current partner, is not far behind with 75 titles. But May-Treanor and Walsh are competing in Montreal this weekend, so look for Holly McPeak, who is third on the female wins list with 72.
SPEAK IT
A guide to the language of volleyball:
Sets -- Upward passes directed toward the hitter.
Spikes -- Powerful downward hits.
Facial -- A spike that hits your opponent in the face.
Spader -- An alternate term for an ace, a serve that cannot be returned by the opponent.
Butter -- A beautiful set.
Chowder -- A terrible set.
Roof -- A flat block that sends the ball straight down.
Jumbo Shrimp -- A rare feat when a player pretends he is going to dink the ball over the net, but instead hits a smooth arc shot over the heads of both opponents and onto the sand.
WATCH IT
If you make it to Seaside Heights this weekend, this is the demographic you will join: the AVP reports that 71 percent of its fans are between 18 and 34 years old, 84 percent attended or attend college, and 70 percent have salaries over $50,000.
And if you can't attend, avp.com streams a live tournament feed, free this weekend with registration through the Web site. Fox Sports Net will also cover the event, with air times depending on regional service.

A love for the sport
Bradley Beach's Wentworth a true volleyball fanatic
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/6/07
BY ROBERT ZIEGLER
STAFF WRITER
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — Sharon Wentworth counts many Shore Conference high school athletes among the clients that visit her during the week for physical therapy. On the weekends, she switches roles and becomes an athlete herself, still playing the game she's loved her whole life.
"I've worked with some volleyball players," said Wentworth, who has treated players from Rumson-Fair Haven, Colts Neck and CBA at her Eatontown office, after losing a first-round qualifier at the 2007 AVP Crocs Seaside Heights Open on Thursday. "I'm hoping to get a chance to maybe even coach a little bit once it starts getting better here, but volleyball in general is a huge passion of mine."
Wentworth, 34, of Bradley Beach, has been around the game her entire life and although graduate school and eventually a career in physical therapy ended a one-year stint as a professional player, volleyball has hardly taken a back seat in her life.
She and partner, Beth Kennedy of Manhattan, play competitively each weekend in beach tournaments at the Jersey Shore and on Long Island and are members of indoor teams during the winter that compete against Division I colleges like Temple, a level of competition not unfamiliar to Wentworth.
"I had a great experience," Wentworth said of her career at the University of West Virginia, where she said she holds the record for games played. "A lot of college athletes leave college burned out and not wanting to do their sport anymore. I left there loving it more than ever."
After graduating in the mid-1990s, Wentworth went to play professionally in California, where she said she played a season in the Women's Professional Volleyball Association, the main women's tour at the time. The AVP had only men's teams from 1987-92 and again from 1995-98.
Wentworth, who played in three AVP events in Belmar, has now lost in the first round of the qualifier at Seaside Heights in consecutive years as she and Kennedy fell, 17-21, 21-17, 15-12 to 13th-seeded Karen Hoyt and Marla O'Hara in a match that lasted 59 minutes.
Wentworth and Kennedy drew the No. 20 seed.
"We just made some unforced errors, they had some good serves and that's the way it is in sports, if the momentum shifts, it's hard to get it to go the other way," said Wentworth, who was the only female in the qualifier from Monmouth or Ocean County. "This is a team (Hoyt and O'Hara) that's played in the AVP main draw over the years and sometimes experience takes hold of the game."
It may not be at the level of Hoyt and O'Hara, who hail from Florida and California, respectively, where they can play beach year-round, but Wentworth is plenty experienced herself. Originally from Iowa, she was constantly around the game. She said her dad coaches a Junior Olympic club program.
Along with Kennedy, who she met about 10 years ago and played collegiately at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., Wentworth also played grass doubles in Connecticut.
Just as she's kept her love for volleyball, no matter the surface, Wentworth has apparently also remembered her roots. She's leaving today to teach a sand volleyball clinic — they don't have beaches in Iowa — to over 50 girls and a handful of boys representing the entire state of Iowa.
"The United States Volleyball Association is really involved with sand and beach volleyball for juniors and I'm trying to be on the front of that wave, and my dad too," Wentworth said.

Volley of the damp on Seaside Heights beach
Qualifying round crowd small, spirited
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/6/07
BY CHELSEA MICHELS
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — Despite unseasonable weather and a scorecard of unknowns keeping attendance down Thursday, spirits were high among those seeking to qualify to play in the main draw rounds of a national, professional volleyball competition.
And though the crowds may have been smaller than if the big-name stars of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour were playing head to head, the spectators who endured the relatively chilly, breezy and sometimes wet conditions were fiercely loyal to friends and relatives competing in the single-elimination qualifying round.
Greg Hunter and Tony Yates, both 21 and from East Brunswick, made up one of the New Jersey teams competing.
"It's difficult to be the short guys," said Hunter, who said his team was the shortest in the AVP qualifier, in which the average height is 6 feet 4 inches. "It's easy to win when you're 6-7 but when you're 5-10 it's a lot more challenging. But we're used to the weather and the beach sand in Jersey. Having the home court advantage helps."
Yates said, "Being short has its ups and downs. You're trading a little on the block for defense. Volleyball is fun on the beach. It's a great culture and you really meet some great people."
In addition to several New Jerseyans battling in the qualifiers Thursday, 12- to 18-year-olds took part in a free youth clinic with professional players Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner.
"I'm so excited to see the whole tournament and the professionals play," said Jordin Fox, 16, of Toms River, one of about 30 who participated in the two-hour clinic on Stadium Court. "Volleyball is so different from any sports I've played before. It's refreshing. The whole atmosphere is great."
Sisters Sarah, 16, and Gabby Burkart, 12, of Brick also signed up for the clinic, sponsored by Hilton Hotels.
"I'm really looking forward to (the clinic)" Sarah said beforehand. "I love it when the tournament comes (to New Jersey) every year." Her favorite professional players are Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
Added Gabby Burkart, "It's good to watch the professionals because I can learn things from them and improve my game."
Wacholder, 32, conducted the clinic with teammate Turner, 30, and their coach, Danalee Corso. The two players live in Los Angeles.
Other clinics are planned through the weekend for ticket holders.
Michael Jones, 48, of Berkeley Heights, who has a summer home in Lavallette, brought his daughter, Lyndsey, 8, of West New York, to see the tournament.
"I'm here all summer. We wanted to check it out," he said. "It's a beach sport, and I'm trying to get her interested in female sports."
"It's awesome," said Lyndsey. "It rocks."

Underdogs making themselves known
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/6/07
BY ROBERT ZIEGLER
STAFF WRITER
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — There will be no shortage of volleyball stars at the main draw of the Seaside Heights Open, the 10th stop on the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour, but along with names like Karch Kiraly and Holly McPeak, fans will see a few that are slightly less recognizable.
That's because they're nobodys. At least, that's what Alex Gutor and Jonathan Scott, the lowest-seeded pair in Thursday's qualifier at 53rd, called themselves after securing a spot in the main draw with a 12-21, 21-19, 15-10 victory over fifth-seeded Seth Burnham and Justin Phipps on the beach between Hiering and Kearney Avenues.
"We were the 54th seed, then somebody forfeited so we moved up to 53rd," joked Gutor, who made two big blocks to spark a 6-1 run to end the third game and his third match of the day. "Every match went three games, I'm dying right now."
The seeding is done based on points each team has earned on the tour and Gutor and Scott had none as this was their first AVP event, but despite getting just one day of practice, the pair, which is hardly short on volleyball credentials, became the second-lowest seed to advance out of the qualifier this season.
Gutor graduated this year from Penn State, where he played all four years and helped the Nittany Lions to an appearance in the 2006 NCAA Championship. He's heading to Germany after the summer to play professionally indoors, joining the 27-year old Scott, who's played in Europe since graduating from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in Indiana.
Burnham and Phipps, who had a first-round bye, closed the first game on a 12-5 run and appeared stronger than Gutor and Scott, in their third match of the day, but then the unknown tandem found its game.
After holding on to win the second game, Gutor and Scott fought back from a 6-2 deficit to even the third game on a Gutor kill before taking their first lead, 9-8.
"It's beach volleyball, it's a different sport than indoor, but pressure situations are pressure situations," said Scott, who had six kills in the deciding game. "He's played in the Final Four, I've played professionally overseas for five years and as a foreigner there all the pressure's on you.
"The first game we got down because we had just played one right before, but we just dug in a little bit and went after it."
Gutor and Scott, who won their first two matches 21-23, 21-18, 15-13 and 21-18, 18-21, 15-13 will be joined in the 32-team main draw by Vincent Robbins and Adam Roberts, Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis, Joey Dykstra and Mark Van Zwieten, Kyle Denitz and Casey Patterson, Kevin Dake and Lucas Wisniakowski, Ivan Mercer and Jeremie Simkins and Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet.
Advancing from the women's qualifier were Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz, Bonnie Levin and Nicole Midwin, Chara Harris and Brooke Langston, Kealanik Kimball and Rosalinda Masler, Suzana Manole and Beth Van Fleet, Angie Hall and Lauren Mills, Jennifer Bowman and Stephanie Chapek and Leilani Kamahoahoa and Whitney Pavlik.

Clearwaters wins one, loses one near home
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/6/07
BY MATT MANLEY
STAFF WRITER
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — While many of Thursday's participants in the AVP Seaside Heights Open Qualification Tournament had to plan their trips from California, Point Pleasant resident Mark Clearwaters made use of his home-beach advantage.
Clearwaters teamed up with partner John Mack, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for a qualifier round win before falling in the second match, one victory short of making it into today's 32-team field.
"I live right up the road so I figured, "Why not spend $60 on a couple of games,' " Clearwaters said. "I wish I was able to compete a little better, but we were able to win a game here and play against some good players."
Clearwaters and Mack beat Brian Post and Vince Zanzucchi 21-19, 14-21, 15-12 in the first round. The tandem was seeded 45th and topped the 20th seed in the first round before falling to the 13th-seeded team of Matt Davis (Burke, Va.) and Kevin Gregan (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) 21-10, 21-12 in the next round.
"Maybe I didn't practice enough," Clearwaters said. "I served as hard as I could, but those guys came up with some big blocks and some good shots."
The 38-year-old Clearwaters has been playing volleyball since he was a student at Trinity College. He has lived in Point Pleasant for nearly a year and is originally from Connecticut.
Toms River resident Mark Kavulak and Bryan Hughes of Milltown fell in the first round to Braidy Halverson and Jeff Murrell. Kavulak, 35, is a graduate of Steinert High School and started playing during his days at Gannon University in Erie, Pa. with the school's club team.
"I love playing close to home," Kavulak said. "It's close to the beach, it brings a lot of people to the area and there is some good competition. It's a fun event to be a part of."
Hughes, 32, competed in the Open for the first time since breaking both of his legs in a motorcycle accident 12 years ago.
Kristopher Fraser of Seaside Heights and Wes Moore of Long Branch also went one and out, falling to Florida natives Mike Morales and Brian Rutland. Fraser is a graduate of Lakewood High School and played four years of volleyball at Ramapo College.
"It's great for me," said Fraser, who just recently moved to Seaside Heights. "I actually walked here today. I didn't like the 8:00 (a.m.) start all that much, but it's nice to be close."
Fred Fauhl Jr., 32, of Toms River and partner Nathan Lee (Venice, Calif.) fell to Matt Ogin (Turnersville) and Todd Strassberger (Sewell) to round out the local action. Fauhl, Jr. is a graduate of Brick Memorial High School.

Small wonder
Zartman proving height not everything on AVP tour
Posted: Friday July 6, 2007 11:14AM; Updated: Saturday July 7, 2007 2:39PM
By Dominic Bonvissuto, SI.com
Among the forest of professional beach volleyball players waiting to check in at the AVP Crocs Tour stop in Huntington Beach, Calif., a freckle-faced girl with sandy blonde hair shuffled through the entrance marked, "Players Registration." Standing 5-foot-3, it would have been easy for her to get lost in the crowd of tall, tanned athletes. One tournament official did notice her, however, and approached. "I'm sorry," he said, "this area is for players only."
"When I told him I was a player, he smiled," Chrissie Zartman said. "I think he thought I was just some kid who played volleyball."
From a statistical perspective, professional beach volleyball is a tall person's game. The average height of the top 40 women on the AVP tour in 2006 is 5-11; the men's average a shade over 6-3. Net height is 7-4 1/8 for women and 7-11 5/8 for men, the same as on an indoor court. But unlike the hard, flat gym floors of the indoor game, beach sand is a wildly inconsistent surface for jumping, inherently suiting the taller players who don't need to leap as high to spike or block. So when Zartman walked her 63-inch, 100-pound frame through the players entrance in Huntington, it was logical for the official to question her status as a professional beach volleyball player.
"I probably look like a little girl that just wants to come and watch," she said. "In a weird way, it was kind of like a compliment that he didn't expect me to be there and I was. So many people have said different things to me to discourage me. I just blow it off or use it as motivation to prove people wrong."
Zartman, 23, first played an AVP event in 2005 and began touring regularly the next summer. As a new player, she and her partner, who changes from week to week, have had to go through a qualifying round on the Thursday of every tournament, needing to win as many as three win-or-go-home matches in order to make it into the main draw Friday through Sunday.
This season, Zartman has qualified in five of nine events, including four of the past five. Her recent run of success has earned Zartman and her current partner, Tiffany Rodriguez, enough points to automatically qualify for this weekend's stop in Seaside Heights, N.J. It's the first time Zartman has earned automatic entry into the main draw, a feat other veteran players say is the first step to becoming a tour regular.
"Even though she's tiny, her skills are way better than anyone else's on tour," said Brooke Hanson, who's in her sixth year on tour. "She puts a lot of pressure on the other team to not make mistakes."
Of the six skills needed to succeed in beach volleyball, Zartman excels at four -- serving, passing, setting, and digging. With a 29-inch vertical and textbook form, she can hit the ball down or spike when she needs to. The one skill difficult for someone 5-3 is blocking, but even there she's making progress. At the Atlanta event in June, Zartman found herself at the net during a long rally. When tour veteran Nancy Mason, who stands 5-10, went up for a kill, she was surprised to see the ball land on her side of the net -- Zartman blocked it clean. Zartman's partner, Leilani Kamohoahoa, exclaimed, "That made my day," to which Mason grumbled, "Glad I could make someone's day."
Another big advantage Zartman has going for her is her encyclopedic knowledge of the game, which she inherited. Born with sand in her blood in Hermosa Beach, Calif., her mother, Sharkie, is a member of the California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame; her father, Pat, is a world-renowned beach coach, training women's beach pioneers Jackie Silva and Karolyn Kirby, among others; and her older sister Teri played collegiately and professionally. In other words, the Zartmans are to beach volleyball what the Alous are to baseball.
Chrissie, however, may be the best Zartman yet. A highly accomplished junior player, both indoor and outdoor, at 13 she became the youngest player to earn a AAA beach rating, the highest level one can achieve. After helping Bishop Montgomery win a state volleyball title in high school, Zartman earned a scholarship to UCLA, where she was three-time All-Pac-10 and a second-team All-America as a senior. Zartman also represented the United States at five different international events, taking home the gold medal at the 2002 World University Beach Volleyball Championships in French Antilles.
It was on the flight home from an international event in France that Zartman first told her father and coach she wasn't planning to quit volleyball after college. "I asked her if this was it, or if she had any aspirations to go on," Pat Zartman said. "She said, 'If I don't try it, I think at some point in my life, I'll regret it.'"
After graduating from UCLA in 2005, Zartman scraped enough money together to enter five events, qualifying in none. The oh-fer didn't discourage her, however, and with the help of a sponsor, Sun Sweeties sun care products, she entered 12 of 16 events in '06. Zartman finally broke through into the main draw in Tempe, Ariz., finishing 17th.
This summer, Zartman has finished in the top-20 three more times. Though she hasn't won much prize money, Sun Sweeties continues to pay her entry fees and is rewarded with a fake tattoo on Zartman's lower back. Another sponsor, SPARQ Training, foots the bill for her flights and hotel rooms in exchange for prime placement on -- where else? -- her rear end. Zartman teamed up with SPARQ through connections at her day job at StudentSports.com, where she's an event and marketing coordinator.
A few other AVP players work alongside Zartman at StudentSports, providing her with a support group of friendly faces when she travels from event to event. Zartman's infectious personality and endearing qualities -- when she's not passing out snack-packs to other players, she's scribbling down sandwich orders for a quick Subway run -- have also played well with some of the tour veterans, who are quick to playfully tease her about her diminutive stature. Said 7-year veteran Jeff Carlucci about the oversized volleyball bag Zartman carries with her at tournaments, "Chrissie is the only girl on tour who can climb inside her backpack and stretch."
Zartman's personality carries onto the court, where she is quick to slap hands with opponents during side changes, something other players rarely initiate. Former AAU beach teammate and current AVP player Tracy Lindquist says Zartman picked up the habit during junior volleyball, when it would noticeably bother her when opponents wouldn't return the innocuous gesture.
But Zartman's friendly demeanor will only take her so far, points out one AVP legend. Holly McPeak received her first formal indoor volleyball coaching at 12 from Chrissie's father. McPeak has watched Chrissie grow up and believes she has what it takes to make it on tour. At 5-7, McPeak faced many of the same challenges as Zartman, and has more than proven it can be done, winning a women's record $1.5 million in prize money over her 20-year career.
"At some point, when she gets more competitive, she has to get after it," McPeak said. "Right now, she's happy to be in the main draw and that's fine. When she's ready to make the next step, her mentality will need to change a little bit."
The next step, Zartman admits, is finding a consistent partner. In 26 career tournaments, she has teamed with nine different women. While during the offseason the AVP community can often resemble a swap meet with all the partner-changing, it's rare to see any movement among the top teams during the season. "My partner and I have had three months of an offseason together, working with coaches that are fine-tuning everything," said Hanson, who teams with Angie Akers on the tour's ninth-ranked tandem. "Once Chrissie gets a partner and they get in a groove and get a coach to work on some things, she could really excel."
The more Zartman succeeds, the easier it will be to find a partner. Rodriguez, who first played with Zartman at Charleston, S.C., in June, is an irregular tour player, entering events only when there's a break in her hectic schedule as a teacher, coach and mom. When she realized she was free the weekend of the Charleston stop, Rodriguez called Zartman and wouldn't take no for an answer. "Now that Chrissie's had success out here, there's a lot more respect for her," said Rodriguez. "I told her I only wanted to play with her and I think it surprised her. She should probably get used to phone calls like that."
One thing Zartman refuses to let hold her back is her height. "I can't change the fact that I'm short," she said. "Complaining about it and feeling sorry for myself because someone was born taller isn't going to help anything." She isn't keeping that message to herself, either. At every AVP event she enters, Zartman participates in the youth clinics that follow qualifying on Thursdays. Eye-to-eye with many of the 13- and 14-year-old girls on the sand, Zartman bounces from station to station, helping kids learn what it takes to walk through the players entrance at an AVP event.
"Little kids go up to someone that is 6-3, 6-4 and they think, 'Wow, I could never be that big,'" Sharkie Zartman said. "With Chrissie, it's different. She provides hope."
At the youth camp in Charleston, Zartman paced the sand, smiling as she watched the under-10 girls struggle to get the ball over the net during a serving drill. As she made her way down the service line, she stopped behind one particular camper, shorter than the rest. Zartman squatted down to the little girl's height, offered a few words of instruction and then stepped away.
The girl turned and gave her new hero a huge grin as her next serve sailed over the net.

A.J. Mihalic destined to play volleyball
Parents instilled his love for the game at early age
By Marc Raimondi / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — You could say A.J. Mihalic was born to play volleyball, because, well, he was on a volleyball court before he was born.
Mihalic's mother Marilyn played in a recreational league with her husband, Tony, while she was pregnant with A.J. in Wall Township, N.J.
The sport became such a part of his life that A.J. walked on to the team at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in college, moved to California five years ago and now plays on the professional circuit. The AVP Tour has brought him back to New Jersey every year for the past eight.
Marilyn knows that doesn't just mean A.J. is returning to his hometown either — he'll have a handful of fellow players with him, as well. There have been as many as 10 AVP participants staying in the Mihalic household in years past. This time around, there are seven.
"We're gonna have to start using other relatives' houses," said Mihalic, 31.
At first, Marilyn and Tony weren't too pleased with the idea of housing a crop of volleyball players, but they've since warmed to it. If anything, they know it means their son will be home for the weekend.
"He's a grown man now, so we don't see him that much," Marilyn Mihalic said. "It's something my husband and I look forward to every year."
The same can't be said for A.J., though. After moving to Hermosa Beach, Calif., the first few times he came back for the New Jersey AVP event he felt a bit like an outcast. There was more pressure as a local product and the other area players weren't too warm to him.
"In years past, it had a lot to do with pressure," said Mihalic, who, along with teammate Gaston Macau was eliminated from the Seaside Heights Open by Jeff Minc and Ben Koski, 21-17, 21-18, in the contender's bracket on Friday afternoon. "It seemed like a lot of the other (local) players didn't like the fact that I moved to California, like I was a traitor or something."
But he wasn't doing anything traitorous when he left Jersey, just following his dream. After his pre-mortem foray into the sport, Mihalic didn't play volleyball again until his senior year at Wall High School and he wasn't very good at first. But he loved the sport and practiced a lot.
He walked on to NJIT's Division III squad and was still a raw product. During Mihalic's sophomore season, though, he exploded. He became the Highlanders' team captain and was named an NCAA small school All-American. The Newark school even went to the NCAA tournament, where it competed with Division I and II teams.
"We were competing to be one of the best teams in the U.S.," Mihalic said.
But then his college career took a turn for the worse. Mihalic missed the postseason his junior year with a broken ring finger on his right hand and was out for his entire senior season with a broken right kneecap that he injured jumping up in — what else — a volleyball game.
He recovered from his injuries, got his degree in mechanical engineering and in 2002 moved to California with his wife, Janet — also a New Jersey native — with a new lease on life. He found a job at Denn Engineers that allowed him to work around his volleyball schedule.
Injuries crept back into his life, though, after about two years living in Hermosa Beach. Doctors said he had tendinitis, but Mihalic knew what tendinitis felt like and the pain in his knee and the back of his right leg was much stronger than what doctors had diagnosed.
The pain was almost enough to quit the sport he had grown to love so much until he found a savior. He found a trainer named Paul Chek on the Internet and, on a whim, went to go see him. Chek was a holistic trainer that placed emphasis on body balance instead of medication. He had also worked with other AVP players, including Mike Lambert, but Mihalic didn't know that at first — this was just an experiment. Anything he could do to keep playing volleyball, he would.
The new age training worked and changed his life. His first tournament back from injury, he and Chad Turner finished 13th and they finished 9th twice more that season — Mihalic's best showings to date.
"I don't trust doctors anymore," he said.
Mihalic has been a qualifier and has made the main draw in most tournaments this season, but had enough points before Seaside Heights to enter right into his home state's tourney. Luckily for Marilyn and Tony, that didn't mean more visitors in Wall, where volleyballers end up sleeping, "wherever they can find room," including the floor, this time of year.
"The hard thing about this trip is it's really expensive," Mihalic said. "[But] if you come with me, it's not that expensive of a trip."

Ex-roommates Branagh, Chapek meet
Volleyball in Minnesota primarily an indoor game
By Marc Raimondi / Special to AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Jen Bowman and Stephanie Chapek were thrilled. The pair, who teamed together for the University of Minnesota, qualified for the main draw Thursday for only the second time in their careers.
But then they found out who they were playing in the first round of the AVP Seaside Heights Open.
Bowman and Chapek, seeded No. 31, had to face off against No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. Branagh also played for the Golden Gophers and was Chapek's roommate her senior year.
"They were excited they made it into the tournament," Branagh said, "and then Steph's like, 'I think we're playing you guys.'"
The two friends have kept in close contact and the experience of playing against one another was decidedly weird, but not bad.
"It was fun," Chapek said after she and Bowman fell to Branagh and Youngs, 21-17, 21-16. "I like playing with her better."
That's because Branagh is one of the more accomplished players on the tour. In 2005, she was voted the AVP's Rookie of the Year and one season later she was named Most Improved Player. Branagh was a member of the U.S. National Team from 2001-2003 and played professionally in Japan and Italy after graduating from Minnesota.
"I always admired Nicole," Chapek said. "It's fun to say we played her."
The biggest difference between the three Golden Gophers aside from experience? Branagh is from California, while Chapek and Bowman are both Minnesota natives. The only beaches in the state are on lakes and the sand is incredibly shallow. For that reason, beach volleyball isn't too big a sport there.
"There just isn't a fan base for it," said Bowman, whose sister, Kelly, was a senior for the Minnesota women's volleyball team this past season. "Everybody who plays volleyball there plays indoor."
And the only time the pair can play outside in Minnesota is from May to September when the weather is manageable. Well, somewhat manageable.
"As soon as it's 50 degrees out, we're like, 'Let's go play,'" Bowman said.
It's not in California or Florida, but the University of Minnesota has produced a few of the best young women's beach volleyball players in the country. The tradition continues, too. Hall of Fame coach Mike Hebert is bringing in the fourth-best recruiting class in the nation next year.
Said Branagh: "It's great for the program there."
All about having fun: Cinderella's horse and carriage turned into a pumpkin Friday at the AVP Seaside Heights Open.
Jonathan Scott and Alex Gutor, at No. 53 the second-lowest seeded team to make it the main draw from the qualifier this season, were eliminated by No. 16 Adam Jewell and Matt Prosser in the contender's bracket.
Scott, of Fort Worth, Texas and Gutor, from Ithaca, N.Y., came to the Jersey Shore on a whim just to hang out with each other, but ended up shocking fans Thursday by winning all three of their matches in three games.
But because they had no AVP points, they were locked into the No. 32 seed — the lowest in the main draw — and had to play the top-seeded team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. Scott and Gutor lost, 21-9, 21-7.
"Between the two of them, they take up the entire court," Scott said.
But the weekend was hardly a loss for the pair, who play indoor volleyball professionally in Europe but have little experience on the beach aside from small local tournaments. Their light-heartedness showed in the second game against Prosser and Jewell when they both fell down to the sand trying for a dig and on the way up Scott poured a handful of sand into Gutor's mouth.
Gutor spit it out as fans looking on laughed.
"We're two guys who love to joke around," Gutor said. "We're all about having fun."
While Gutor, who just graduated from Penn State, goes to Germany in August to play pro, Scott — who played in the Netherlands last year and is a five-year veteran of professional volleyball in Europe — thinks that the AVP could be his next destination.
"It's beach volleyball," he said. "But it's still volleyball."

Boss, Ross gain momentum abroad
Winning FIVB title gives duo confidence for AVP
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — If you're looking for a boost, head overseas.
At least that worked for April Ross and Jennifer Boss, who paired to win the FIVB ConocoPhilips Grand Slam in Stavanger, Norway last weekend. It was the first tournament victory for Ross and the second for Boss, who won an FIVB Challenger and Satellite event in 2001.
"I think we play better internationally," Ross said. "The international game is more of our game."
Not that they haven't been close on the AVP Crocs Tour.
The duo, which is playing in its first season as a team, reached the final in the 2007 season opener in Miami. They've also appeared in two other semi-finals, Huntington Beach and Hermosa Beach.
The difference in Europe, though, was the relative isolation.
"We were just super focused. All we were there to do was to play volleyball," Boss said. "We didn't have family, we didn't have friends. We were just there, the two of us, together all the time for two weeks really focused and I think that made a big difference. There were no distractions."
There was also an adjustment.
A pair of FIVB events created a two-week break on the AVP schedule and the elite teams headed first to Paris and then to Norway for tournaments that award double the point value toward Olympic qualifying next summer.
Ross and Boss were tossed from the country quota in Paris by Holly McPeak and Logan Tom in Paris, which came mere hours after their transatlantic flight following the Charleston Open.
But after being one and done in their first FIVB event together, Boss and Ross stormed through Norway, winning the title by defeating Jia Tian and Jie Wang in the final.
While the victory provided some momentum, it also reinforced their belief they can win on the AVP Tour.
"We knew that we could do it but now we did it," Boss said. "So it gives you that extra bit of confidence knowing that you can do it in a tournament and we did."
Ross and Boss will leave for Germany on Sunday to play in the Grand Slam in Berlin and then will return to the U.S. for the Long Beach Open the following weekend. The pair then will play in the FIVB World Championship in Gstaad, Switzerland. July 24-29.
They also plan to play in the FIVB Grand Slam in Klagenfurt, Austria, Aug. 1-5 if the AVP and its players can come to an agreement over a scheduling conflict. The Chicago Open is that same weekend.
Need a program: While many teams have been switching things up on both sides of the main draw, it can be a bit difficult to track where everyone stands.
For Matt Prosser, this weekend in Seaside Heights marks his return to the AVP Crocs Tour after sitting a few weeks out due to an injury.
"In Hermosa I strained my plantar fascia tendon in my foot. That's the tendon that goes down all the way to your heel that's responsible for your arch," said Prosser. "I stretched it and almost tore it, so I had to rest it. That's why I was out since Hermosa."
Now that he's back on tour, Prosser's former partner John Mayer has played with Scott Wong, Mike DiPierro and now Chad Turner since Prosser's injury.
As for Prosser, he had to find a new partner and take the time to make sure he had enough time to rest and heal.
"I thought about playing in Charleston a little bit, but I didn't wanna rush it especially with the two weeks (off)," said Prosser, who isn't quite yet feeling at 100 percent. "I'm just happy to be out here again. It's not much fun sitting out for four weeks after playing for three. You're just getting started and then you have to sit."
Multi-tasking video: Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan won both of their matches Friday but had issues in their first match as they defeated Angela McHenry and Lisa Rutledge, 21-15, 21-16.
Their coach, Jeff Alzina, noted some flaws, relayed those to his team and they went on to capture their ensuing match. But he wasn't actually present for the match; he was watching Davis and Johnson Jordan playing on Mosaic, avp.com's live streaming video player, and was able to make adjustments from afar.
"Our coach caught some stuff on the Mosaic and texted us to say that we were playing really bad and we'd better cut it out if we wanted to win," Davis said. "We came with that fire with us for the second match."

Top seeds getting back into swing
Teams recovering from international travel
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — After a two-week break in the AVP Crocs Tour schedule, the start of this weekend's main draw was either about seasoned international players or new partnerships putting their practice into motion.
No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, who lead all AVP players on the men's side of the FIVB circuit with 480 points, emerged from their ninth-consecutive week of play and took two sets from the winner's bracket.
"We're doing alright, just a little sluggish," said Rogers. "We got back Monday night, so we're probably on East Coast time right now. But I've got a wife and kids, so I'm not falling asleep. I gotta do stuff with the kids when I have the opportunity."
In their first match over qualifiers No. 32 Oleksiy Gutor — one of Rogers's recruits from his days as assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara — and Jonathan Scott, the top-seeded pair swept their opponents 21-9 and 21-7.
But it was in their second match of the day that the two seemed like they were possibly tired of the ongoing grind that is international volleyball travel. They lost a rare game to No. 17 Paul Baxter and Dain Blanton, 21-19, to start off the match but regained their composure and momentum to take the match in three games.
Similarly the No. 2 and 3 seeds went through some of those same motions.
Second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal had to exert some extra energy and thus points to overcome qualifiers No. 31 Kyle Denitz and Casey Patterson in a final, 23-21 game. They ran into a similar problem in their second match of the day, scratching and clawing to win a three-setter that ended with a final set score of 15-12.
While No. 3 Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger quickly won their first match, they momentarily looked like they were going to drop their second to No. 19 Jason Lee and Austin Rester.
"You just figure that you're gonna be tired for two months straight and you just have to find a way to play like that," said Metzger. "Mike made a good call — we got up early because we didn't have a game until 11. So we came out here and practiced at 7:30 to kind of get things flowing, and we were terrible this morning, so it's good we did that."
"We're in the midst of 21 in a row and right now is the toughest because we're doing cross-Atlantic every week and it really takes a toll," he continued. "You really gotta focus on the positive and wake up every morning and just put one foot in front of the other and just do it."
As for this weekend's new partners, a handful of teams are playing together in one of their first three tournaments as a team.
The best news for first-timers No. 20 Ryan Mariano and Ed Ratledge came during their match against No. 4 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong in the second round of the winner's bracket. The new momentum for the two helped them to a 21-18 and 21-14 victory over Kiraly and Wong.
And while No. 7 John Hyden and Brad Keenan are not necessarily a new team, they just haven't had much time to practice together as they first paired up in the middle of a seven-week stretch.
Now that they've had two weeks to work on their game, the pair really showed off in their match against No. 26 Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet, who, in the first game had difficulty keeping their serves in play. When they did connect for service aces and maintained control, the score was tight and the pair barely let go of a 21-12, 21-18 decision in the winner's bracket.
"They're normally a really tough serving team, so that was good for us," said Keenan. "I think we had to sideout maybe three times that game, but normally they rip their jump serves really well, they just had an off game serving."

Aiming to win wide-open tourney
With May-Treanor and Walsh away, it's anyone's event
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner are on the whirlwind tour that is taking the top AVP pros from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other and back.
They come armed this weekend with a bronze medal won at the Grand Slam in Paris, though, and topped that with the No. 1 seed in the Seaside Heights Open.
That is due, in part, to their solid play of late but also to the absence of defending champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
But they'll take it.
"It's fun. I have to take a picture before I leave," Wacholder said of the perch atop the board that she and partner Turner are enjoying this weekend.
With May-Treanor and Walsh in Montreal for an FIVB tournament, Turner and Wacholder upheld their top rank, moving past both of their Friday opponents to march into a Saturday match with Paula Roca and Sarah Straton, who rejoined forces for the first time since last month in Tampa.
"We were fired up to play with each other again and we got much better after the first game," Roca said. "We're feeling pretty good."
Other top seeds to advance Friday in the winner's brackets were No. 2 Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs; Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan (3); Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea (4); Jennifer Boss and April Ross (5); and No. 6 Logan Tom and Holly McPeak.
In the first round Friday, Turner and Wacholder met qualifier survivors Bonnie Levin and Nicole Midway but had little trouble in a 21-11, 21-11 victory. They followed that with an equally efficient dispatch of Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger, 21-15, 21-16, to move on.
It was a clear departure from the last tournament for Turner and Wacholder, who lost their qualifier in the FIVB event in Norway and were eliminated after one match. Wacholder said travel was a factor but she also said they were riding high from their third-place finish in the Paris Grand Slam the previous weekend and came out flat.
With jet lag less of an issue, Wacholder and Turner were sharp Friday and are aiming for a title Sunday but recognize the No. 1 seeding might take a bit longer to claim on a regular basis.
"It's hard. Misty and Kerri have been pretty consistent," said Wacholder, who along with Turner, will be heading back across the pond to play in Berlin next week. "They've been up there a long time and maybe we will pass them, but that's not going to happen for a while."
Youngs and Branagh also played in Europe the last two weeks, placing fifth in Paris and ninth in Norway. The only team other than May-Treanor and Walsh to win a title on the AVP Tour this season, Youngs and Branagh eased past Jennifer Bowman and Stephanie Chepak in their first match and then defeated Keao Burdine and Brittany Hochevar to advance to a Saturday date with Ashley Ivy and Heather Lowe.
One team that didn't trek through Europe was Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, who took advantage of the two-week break to spend time with their families.
The layoff may have played a factor but Davis said the deep sand of Seaside was a sharp contrast to recent tournaments that featured courts built on parking lots and hardened by rain.
Davis and Johnson Jordan struggled at times in their first match Friday but turned it around against Katie and Tracy Lindquist in their second match to advance. After three straight third-place finishes, Davis and Johnson Jordan have their sights on the final, but up first will be Tom and McPeak.
"That third-place match has been a hurdle throughout our career, not making it to the final a lot of times when we feel we can and we know we should," Davis said. "It is going to be a fight."
Ross and Boss will play DeNecochea and Fontana in the remaining winner's bracket match to open play Saturday.

Deep sand shapes Seaside's play
Eight men's and women's teams remain spotless
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — With two days of play in the books and no rain delays — knock on wood — here at the 2007 AVP Seaside Heights Open presented by Bud Light eight main draw teams remain unblemished for both the men and the women.
The scenery in Seaside is a bit different than past weeks, and players will have to get back in the groove of actual beach play in the next two days, especially with the Long Beach Open coming in two weeks.
Friday's highlights: The women's side saw the top teams advancing as no seed lower than 10th remains in the winner's bracket. On the men's side, though, No. 12 Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus will play No. 20 Ryan Mariano and Ed Ratledge in a winner's bracket matchup of low seeds.
Match of the day: In the first round, No. 11 Nick Lucena and Will Strickland were extended by the 22nd seeded team of Tyler Hildebrand and Scott Lane, 24-22, 18-21, 15-11.
Upset of the day: Qualifiers Kevin Dake and Lucas Wisniakowski, defeated and ousted No. 13 John Mayer and Chad Turner, 26-28, 21-19, 15-13, in a contender's bracket match.
Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong took their first match of the day by upending Dake and Wisniakowski but then dropped their succeeding match to Mariano and Ratledge to fall into the contender's bracket. They will play Eric Fonoimoana and Albert Hannemann on Saturday in the contender's bracket.
Start/finish:Gates will open at 9:00 a.m. ET on Saturday with play beginning at 9:30. Competition will conclude at approximately 6:00 p.m. ET.
Weather forecast: A high of 88 degrees under sunny skies is expected Saturday with chance of precipitation projected at 10 percent.
Match to watch: No. 4 Barbra Fontana and Dianne DeNecochea will face No. 5 April Ross and Jennifer Boss in the winner's bracket on Saturday.
"This weekend is tougher than it has been in the past, being on the beach," said Annett Davis. "We haven't been on a real beach [in a while], the sand is really deep. The parking lots [of previous weeks] are really shallow and thin, and it's been raining so it is really hard-packed. This is really deep and makes it tough to run around."
Since Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are missing from the women's main draw, many teams have a shot at taking only the second title of the year that has not been won by the usual top-seeded pair.
Play begins Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. EDT for half of the contender's bracket, both male and female. About one hour later at 10:30 a.m., the contender's bracket finishes up Round 2.
Then the winner's bracket can begin at 11:30, with eight undefeated teams still left for the men and eight for the women.
Undefeated and poised to grab a title for the women are No. 1 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder, No. 9 Paula Roca-Sarah Straton, fifth-seeded Jen Boss-April Ross and No. 4 Dianne DeNecochea-Barbra Fontana.
Picking up play at 12:30 p.m. will be Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, No. 6 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, 10th-seeded Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe and second-seeded Nicole Branagh-Elaine Youngs.
The No. 7 and 8 seeds, Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and Angie Akers-Brooke Hanson, respectively, are not to be found in the winner's bracket after dropping their Friday matches. They will have to try their hands at the contender's bracket first thing Saturday.
Things are a bit more complicated from the men's side.
Left in the eight remaining winner's bracket matches are the No. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 20 seeds. Top-seeded Phil Dalhausser-Todd Rogers take on No. 9 Matt Olson-Jason Ring and No. 12 Ty Loomis-Hans Stolfus will see 20th-seeded Ryan Mariano-Ed Ratledge at 11:30.
The noon hour features matchups for third-seeded Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger, No. 6 Dax Holdren-Jeff Nygaard, seventh-seeded John Hyden-Brad Keenan and No. 2 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal.
Everyone else still alive lies in the contender's bracket and must win out to avoid elimination.
Already falling victim to premature elimination here on the Atlantic beach were No. 13 John Mayer and new partner Chad Turner. They, like seven other men's teams and eight women's leave New Jersey in 25th place.

AMERICANS & CHINESE REACH WOMEN’S MONTREAL OPEN SEMI-FINALS
Misty May-Treanor of the United States hits against Adriana Behar (Yellow top) of Brazil
Montreal, Canada, July 6, 2007 - It has been five years since Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have played at the Stade Uniprix in Jarry Park, but nothing has changed for the Americans since their last Montreal Open appearance in 2002 when the Beach Volleyball pair won the inaugural event.
With a pair of victories Friday, including an evening 21-12 and 21-13 win over fifth-seeded Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede of Brazil in 36 minutes, May-Treanor and Walsh extended their Montreal Open winning streak to 11-straight matches to gain a spot in Saturday’s first women’s semi-final.
After posting their 12-straight win and 19th SWATCH victory in 26 FIVB matches against Adriana and Shelda, May-Treanor and Walsh watched as sixth-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang of China captured Friday’s second available women’s “final four” spot in the US$400,000 Montreal Open with a 21-14 and 21-17 win in 39 minutes over seventh-seeded Vasso Karadassiou and Vassiliki Arvaniti of Greece.
“We enjoyed playing here five years ago, and nothing has really changed,” said Walsh, who teamed with May-Treanor to defeat Adriana and Shelda for the 2002 Montreal Open title. “Obviously, both teams tonight are older and more experienced than our last match here. It is always an honor to play Adriana and Shelda. They have meant so much to the development of women’s Beach Volleyball world-wide. They are tremendous ambassadors of the sport.”
By increasing their FIVB record to 17-1 this season after placing first and third in their first two 2007 SWATCH starts in Paris and Norway, May-Treanor and Walsh will face the winners from the elimination matches featuring the Greeks, fourth-seeded Ana Paula Connelly/Leila Barros of Brazil and 14th-seeded Kathrine Maaseide/Susanne Glesnes of Norway.
Xue and Zhang, who have now advanced to their third SWATCH-FIVB World Tour semi-final this season, will be challenged by either Adriana/Shelda, third-seeded Natalie Cook/Tamsin Barnett of Australia or 12th-seeded Rebekka Kadijk/Merel Mooren of the Netherlands in Saturday’s second women’s “final four” match.
Friday’s biggest development was the elimination of second-seeded Jia Tian and Jie of China, who dropped back-to-back matches to Karadassiou/Arvaniti (15-21, 21-18 and 15-12) and the Dutch (22-20 and 22-20). Tian and Wang’s ninth-place was their lowest SWATCH placement in 12 FIVB starts since posting a 17th at last July’s stop in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The fifth of 13 double gender events on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, the Montreal Open continues through Sunday when the final two teams in both genders will compete for the $32,000 first-place prizes. The teams of Emanuel Rego/Ricardo Santos of Brazil and Andrew Schacht/Joshua Slack of Australia earned men’s “final four” spots earlier Friday on the Stade Uniprix centre court.
The Montreal Open is the only North American stop on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour this year during the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The international Beach Volleyball circuit returns to Europe next week for the third of five “major” events in Berlin followed by a stop in Marseille before the $1-million SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Family affair for Mihalic
Saturday, July 07, 2007
BY JENNY VRENTAS
Star-Ledger Staff
On the beach volleyball court, 6-4 A.J. Mihalic is easy to recognize: He is one of the few players who doesn't compete with sunglasses.
"I was going to ask, do you need a sponsor?" joked a spectator at the Association of Volleyball Professionals' Seaside Heights Open yesterday.
"Nah, you get used to it," Mihalic said. "(In the last game), I was staring at the sun on every hand set, too."
A graduate of Wall High School in Wall Township, just over 15 miles from Seaside Heights, Mihalic had plenty of people looking for him as the tournament's main draw began yesterday morning. Mihalic now lives in Hermosa Beach, Calif., so he is staying at his parents' house this weekend -- along with (and he paused to count) six others. On his guest list at the tournament were his parents, wife, mother-in-law, brother, aunt and cousins.
"So, I definitely want to get to tomorrow," Mihalic said after his first match.
Mihalic first played beach volleyball when he was a senior in high school, on the beaches of Belmar, which previously hosted AVP events. He then walked onto the volleyball team at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he got hooked on the sport. Now 31, he has been living in California for the last five years after a six-week stay on the West Coast enraptured him.
Yesterday afternoon, though, home-state competition ended for him when he and partner Gaston Macau lost their second consecutive match in the double-elimination main-draw bracket. But this weekend marked a first of the season for Mihalic: After accumulating enough points from tournaments on the AVP circuit, he was given direct entry into the main draw, skipping the single-elimination qualifying rounds.
"I'm just working my way up through the point standings," he said.
Of the 64 female competitors in yesterday's main draw competition, 52 currently live in the state of California. Teammates Jennifer Bowman and Stephanie Chapek, though, came to Seaside Heights from an entirely opposite climate: Minnesota.
They met playing college volleyball at the University of Minnesota and now practice their beach game on the shores of Minnesota's Lake Calhoun, in the summertime of course.
"It's a lake with beaches," Chapek said. "Well, sand. Just sand courts. It's not like this."
Everyone knows courtside seats are enviable. But the accommodations alongside the Seaside Heights Open's main stage court are a different kind of cushy.
In the sand, shaded by yellow tents, sit four plush green couches with pillows. The rights to the living-room-esque boxes have already been given away for today and tomorrow's matches. The cost, along with catering? A cool $7,000.

Kiraly gives pink one last go-round
Saturday, July 07, 2007
BY JENNY VRENTAS
Star-Ledger Staff
The man with the fluorescent pink Speedo hat -- the one called the greatest beach volleyball player of all time -- sat under a beach umbrella in Seaside Heights yesterday morning, sipping from a 64-ounce Gatorade bottle.
Karch Kiraly had just won his opening-round match in the professional Seaside Heights Open, and a trickling of fans waited courtside. In the mix was a replica pink cap, worn by 10-year-old Brandon Mariano of South Brunswick.
Mariano presented Kiraly with a volleyball to sign, and Mariano's father told Kiraly how he and his 4-foot-10 son had competed together in a beach volleyball tournament at Point Pleasant a few weeks ago.
"Your son beat me," said Kiraly, whose first tournament was at age 11.
Thirty-five years after that first match, Kiraly (pronounced Keer-eye) is still playing professionally, and that's the number that will be hard to beat. So are his 148 tournament titles, more than $3 million in winnings, and three Olympic gold medals, two indoors and the first ever in beach volleyball. All are records in the sport.
"I don't know if there's any icon worldwide which represents his sport like Karch does," said Matt Fuerbringer, an opponent on the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour.
But after considering retirement for the past 10 years, and following three shoulder surgeries and arthroscopic procedures on both knees, the icon has decided, for sure this time, that this summer is it. He'll keep playing recreationally -- his dad, who was his first partner, didn't leave the beach until he was nearly 70 -- and he is already working to develop youth and adult volleyball programs in California. Retirement, though, means he can finally take off the pink hat (his trademark since 1992) and give his 46-year-old frame a rest.
"Are there parts of my body that are not saying (it's time)?" Kiraly asked, with a laugh. "Not many. It takes a lot out of me to try to keep up with guys much younger than I am."
The youngest men's player at Seaside Heights is less than half Kiraly's age: Joey Dykstra, age 19. Kiraly's current partner, Kevin Wong, will be 35 in September. Of all the reasons Kirlay has lasted in the sport -- such as training, hard work, focus -- he emphasizes willpower. Note the carnal evidence: His hair is grayed, but his back is still contoured with muscle definition.
The result is Kiraly hasn't just played into his 40s, he has been successful into his 40s. Since 2000, he has won seven AVP tournament titles, including three in 2004, when he and then-partner Mike Lambert were named the 2004 AVP Team of the Year. His most recent tournament victory was in 2005.
"He's been this steadying presence on the (AVP) tour," said Lambert, 33. "And he makes his partners better. He brings out their best. I played right, he played left. I blocked, he defended. And I got a lot of blocks because he played great defense and guys didn't want to try to shoot around Karch."
Kiraly and Wong are seeded fourth at Seaside Heights. Today, they will try to fight their way through the contender's bracket after a second-round loss.
Last season, at an AVP event in Boulder, Colo., Kiraly's friend and former AVP player Brant Lee was refereeing one of his matches late in the tournament. Kiraly's opponent used an illegal hand set, but Lee missed the call, causing Kiraly to be eliminated. Lee said it ate away at him until he had the chance to apologize at the next competition.
"Don't let it get to you," joked Kiraly. "It could have just been the last match of my career."
Fortunately for Lee, that won't come until September of this year. Farewell tours are always bittersweet, but it tinges a little more when it's "Karchie," as he is affectionately known.
"As good as he is, as good as he has always been, he never expected to be treated differently than anyone else," said Matt Gage, the AVP tournament director since the tour's beginning in 1983. "I think he's a, well, a really special person. You're never gonna see another one like him."

Top-rated men's team stumbles slightly before advancing in Ocean Co. tourney
By SUSAN LULGJURAJ Staff Writer, (609) 272-7187
Published: Saturday, July 7, 2007
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — Things weren't easy for the top-seeded men's beach volleyball team of the AVP Crocs Tour $200,000 Seaside Heights Open. While the top three sides didn't lose any matches Friday, they did have their work cut out for them.
No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser lost the first game to No. 17 Paul Baxter and Dain Blanton, 21-19, but took the next two games, 21-13, 15-7, to win the match.
The same problems happened for No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal and third-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.
Both teams won their sides, but the same fate wasn't for the fourth-seeded duo of Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong. No. 20 Ryan Mariano and Ed Ratledge, who were partners for the first time, swept them 21-18, 21-14.
All teams will resume play today in the double elimination tournament. However, a few of the 32 men's and 32 women's teams have been knocked out of the tournament.
The women had an easier day.
Without Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who are competing this weekend in an international tournament in Montreal, the field is wide open for the women. Only one other women's team besides May-Treanor/Walsh has won a title on the AVP Tour this year — second-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. They eased through their first two matches Friday.
The top six teams moved unscathed through to today's action.
No. 1 Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner took out qualifying survivors Bonnie Levin and Nicole Midway in the first match 21-11, 21-11, and then defeated No. 16 Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger 21-15, 21-16.
Play begins today at 9:30 a.m. for half of the contender's bracket, both male and female.
The winner's brackets begin at 11:30 a.m., with eight undefeated teams still left for the men and eight for the women.
Some of the biggest matches will be on the men's side. Lambert-Metzger will face No. 6 Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard while seventh-seeded John Hyden and Brad Keenan face Gibb and Rosenthal around noon.

They serve and volunteer
FANS, YOUNG PLAYERS KEEP TOURNAMENT RUNNING
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/7/07
BY LAUREN O. KIDD
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
About 50 people had just about the best access to professional beach volleyball players Friday, without even buying tickets for the AVP Seaside Heights Open.
Instead, they volunteered their time shagging volleyballs, keeping score, relaying scores from the courts to the technical crew and keeping the players hydrated.
"I don't know of any other professional players you can get this close to," said Chris Rodman, 42, of Columbia, Pa.
Rodman, who has been playing volleyball herself for 15 years, is volunteering as a scorekeeper during the tournament.
"Here you are 12 feet away from them, in the sand," she said.
Rodman brought along her camera and picture frames Friday. She said she was getting her picture taken with greats like Karch Kiraly and then having the players autograph frames. She will display the pictures and signed frames in the sports room in the basement of her home, she said.
"How can you beat this?" Rodman asked.
She said she also attends professional basketball and football games, but in "other sports you have to know somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody that wants to let you help" to get similar access to the athletes, she said.
Without volunteers like Rodman, Association of Volleyball Professionals tournaments would be difficult to hold, AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato said in an interview Friday, the first day of the main draw of the tournament here.
Armato said the AVP Crocs Tour seeks out volleyball enthusiasts from the communities it visits to help run its tournaments. He said the AVP appreciates the work the volunteers do, and hopes the volunteers get a lot out of their experience.
Armato also said the tour wants to expand upon its volunteer program.
"This is an opportunity for people, especially young people, to get close and personal with the athletes they admire," Armato said.
Armato said "nobody else can get closer to a player than a ball girl or boy."
Kevin Buteau, 14, of Brick collected signatures of players on his yellow visor Friday. The visor matched the yellow "volunteer" T-shirt he was given to wear while he shagged volleyballs.
"I get to play with the professionals and hang out with them," said Buteau, who will be a freshman at Brick Township High School in September.
Brittany Steele, 14, of Toms River said she is going to try out for the Toms River High School North volleyball team when she becomes a freshman there at summer's end. She said the coach e-mailed her and told her to watch how the professionals play.
"I came here to watch a couple of teams," Steele said.
She said she liked to watch them play up close.
So did Toni Gomez, 16, of Toms River. Gomez, who wants to try out for the Toms River High School East volleyball team, was keeping score on another court Friday.
"It helps to see people play," she said.
On the other side of the sand court, 16-year-old friends Stephanie Petit of Brick and Kelsey Burke of Howell were using two-way radios to relay scores to people who were updating them and posting them online.
The girls said they were monitoring three courts, and working to keep themselves hydrated in the sun.
Petit, who used to play volleyball, said the volunteer work is part of "service learning for school to get into the National Honor Society" at St. Rose High School in Belmar. The girls will both be juniors come September, they said.
Burke said she liked "being outside and being on the beach, close to everything."
"It is constant volleyball," said Jordin Fox, 16, of Toms River, who will be a junior at High School East.
The ball shagger said she would be at the tournament all week.
"I just think it's awesome," she said.

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June 15	Friday	Day	Main Draw	7:30am	8:00am	$35	$20	-
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June 16	Saturday	Day	Main Draw	9:30am	10:00am	$35	$20	-
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Weekend	Package	Allxxxxxxx	Allxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxxx	$140	xxxxx-xxx	-

Date	Day	Time	Event / Party	Location	Cost
June 13	Wed.	7 - 9pm	Girls Night Out	J Paulz	Free to attend
June 14	Thur.	4 - 6pm	Party on the Patio	Just Fresh	Free to attend
June 14	Thur.	5:30 - 6:30pm	Meet & Greet	Alltel Wireless	Free to attend
June 15	Fri.	9:30pm - close	Official AVP After Party	Lana's	Free to attend
June 16	Sat.	10pm - midnight	Official AVP After Party	City Bar	Cover Charge
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