May-Treanor, Walsh close in on repeat

Misty May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor High product, and partner Kerri

Walsh continued their torrid pace in the Association of Volleyball

Professionals tour, sweeping both of their matches in the women’s

main draw of the Huntington Beach Open Friday on the south side of

the Huntington Beach Pier.

Other Newport-Mesa area players competed Friday as well.

Top-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh, the 2004 Olympic gold medalists

in beach volleyball, swept their first-round match against Christine

Pack and Kamila Pavlaskova, 21-13, 21-9, in 32 minutes. The duo

defeated their second-round foes, Saralyn Smith and Ann Windes,

21-16, 21-13, in 36 minutes.

May-Treanor and Walsh are shooting for their third straight AVP

title and eighth this season. They have won seven of eight events

this year and are the defending champions at Huntington Beach.

The two will play ninth-seeded Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson and Heidi

Llustre in the quarterfinals of the winner’s bracket today. The

women’s final is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday.

Meanwhile, Karch Kiraly of San Clemente and partner Mike Lambert

of Costa Mesa reached the semifinals of the men’s draw after

victories over Jake Gibb of Costa Mesa and partner Stein Metzger of

Manhattan Beach in the winner’s bracket semifinals.

Kiraly and Lambert defeated John Hyden and Adam Jewell in the

winner’s bracket quarterfinals after topping Pepe Delahoz of San

Diego and John Moran of Newport Beach in the first round.

Kiraly and Lambert will play in the semifinals today with the

final scheduled for 1 p.m.

Bumped to the contender’s bracket, Gibb and Metzger reached the

quarterfinals and will play today.

Ty Loomis of Newport Beach and partner Anthony Medel of Newport

Coast reached the fourth round of the contender’s bracket after

playing a total of five matches Friday, including a victory over

third-seeded Matt Fuerbringer -- a former Estancia High standout --

and partner Casey Jennings of Redondo Beach in the third round of the

contender’s bracket.

The Newport pair concluded competition in the quarterfinals of the

contender’s bracket.

-- Chris Yemma