Costa Mesa’s Lambert, legend win

There was no doubt who the fan favorites were, as it was here on

Saturday, where Surf City USA fell in love with beach volleyball.

And the story line couldn’t have played out any better, as an

estimated 5,500 fans beating yellow thunder sticks cheered at every

point Karch Kiraly and partner Mike Lambert gained during the men’s

final of the Association of Volleyball Professionals Huntington Beach

Open.

Arguably the most popular beach volleyball player in the world,

though none could argue he was not the most accomplished, Kiraly

reunited with Lambert -- a Costa Mesa resident -- and the pair fought

back from a first-game loss to win the championship on the south side

of the Huntington Beach Pier.

The seventh-seeded duo, which split up after the first three AVP

events this season, was playing together for the first time since the

Austin Open concluded in early May.

“When I’m blocking balls and he’s digging balls we’re good, we’re

really good,” said Lambert, who contributed eight blocks in the

15-21, 26-24, 17-15 victory over sixth-seeded Sean Rosenthal and

Larry Witt. “It’s so nice to be back with [Kiraly]. He’s so easy to

play with. We’ve been taking little breaks from each other for a

little while, but coming back together was easy.”

The pair did not shy away from the dramatics Saturday, winning

three matches after losing the first game in each. It was the

combination of Lambert’s net presence and Kiraly’s mobility that

ultimately proved successful.

Lambert, known as “Lambo” among the fans -- the moniker is also

stitched into his playing shorts -- totaled 12 blocks in the 17-21,

22-20, 15-12 semifinal victory against the second-seeded team of

Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and partner Stein Metzger.

And, fittingly, Lambert blocked the opponents’ kill attempt on

championship point to clinch the final.

It was Lambert’s sixth AVP title and the team’s fourth.

Kiraly, 44, the oldest player on the tour, racked up a

record-extending 148th championship.

“It never gets old,” said Kiraly, who also extended his record of

being the oldest player to win a title. “It gets sweeter after every

[title]. This one meant a lot more because they don’t come as quickly

as they used to ... I think one of the great things we accomplished

this week is we beat two great teams twice.”

Kiraly and Lambert reached the semifinals with a 14-21, 21-18,

15-11 victory over Rosenthal and Witt in the winner’s bracket

semifinals early Saturday morning -- the first of the two heated,

three-game matches between the two teams. Rosenthal and Witt were

bumped to the contender’s bracket, but were able to climb back and

reach the final.

Kiraly and Lambert, however, gained the upper hand, as the veteran

player, who is notorious for his Day-Glo pink cap, recorded match

highs in kills (31) and digs (14).

“How does [Scottie] Pippen feel playing with [Michael] Jordan?”

Lambert asked, comparing Kiraly to the retired basketball phenom.

“This is Jordan right here. He has won everything, done everything

and he’s still fun to play with. There’s no one more clutch than

Karch. Maybe there are guys that can jump higher and hit harder, but

when it’s 18-all, you don’t have the confidence like you do with

Karch.”

The pair split $28,000 in prize money, putting Kiraly’s career

earnings at nearly $3.1 million.

Throughout his career, Kiraly has earned many accolades, including

AVP Best Offensive Player in 1990, 1993 and 1994; AVP Comeback Player

of the Year in 1997; AVP Most Valuable Player from 1990 to 1998; AVP

Sportsman of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 1998; and AVP Outstanding

Achievement in 2004.

He is the only volleyball player in Olympic history to win three

gold medals -- indoor in 1984 and 1988, along with beach in 1996 with

partner Kent Steffes in Atlanta.

Lambert, a two-time Olympian (1996 and 2000), was named 2004 AVP

Best Offensive Player and Most Valuable Player. He was part of the

AVP Team of the Year last season with Kiraly. Lambert has won about

$150,000 in his AVP career, which began in 1997.

A former college star, Lambert led Stanford to a national

championship and was a three-time All-American.

On the women’s side Saturday in Huntington Beach, Misty

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

advanced to today’s semifinals following two victories Saturday.

Top-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh defeated ninth-seeded Tanya

Fuamatu-Anderson and Heidi Ilustre, 22-20, 21-10, in the winner’s

bracket quarterfinals and fifth-seeded Carrie Busch and Leanne

McSorley in the winner’s bracket semifinals.

The defending Huntington Beach Open champions, May-Treanor and

Walsh are shooting for their third straight AVP title and eighth this

season. The pair, which won the gold medal in beach volleyball at the

2004 Olympics, has won seven of eight AVP events this season.