May, Walsh heading for today’s joy of six

Seeking their sixth title on the Association of Volleyball

Professionals Tour this season, the top-seeded duo of Misty May and

Kerri Walsh continued to shine on the beach Friday on the first day

of the Huntington Beach Open, played on the south side of the

Huntington Beach Pier.

Walsh, who celebrated her 25th birthday Friday, and May, a Newport

Harbor High product, swept through Gracie Santana-Baeni and Paula

Roca, 21-6, 21-13, in 32 minutes in the opening round and followed

with a 21-17, 21-10 victory over Jennifer Meredith and Wendy Stammer

to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the

fourth-seeded team of Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson-Jordan.

May and Walsh improved their streak of undefeated matches to 28

with after play Friday.

Matt Fuerbringer, 29, a decorated two-sport star who graduated

from Estancia, and partner Casey Jennings weren’t as fortunate on the

men’s side Friday.

The top-seeded duo won a first-round match over Anthony Mihalic

and Ryan Cronin, 21-14, 21-13, but was then upset by the 16th-seeded

team of Aaron Boss and Alika Williams, 21-15, 21-19.

To reach the finals for the fifth time in seven events this

season, Fuerbringer and Jennings, the No. 1 team on the AVP money

list this year, will have to win five straight matches just to reach

the semifinals.

Men’s and women’s main draw action begins at 9 a.m. today and

continues until 1:30 p.m., when the women’s championship match is

scheduled to begin. NBC will televise the match. The men’s main draw

will continue at 3 p.m. with the championship match scheduled for

1:30 p.m. Sunday.