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.
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