Fuerby seeks AVP crown

For at least once a year, the spotlight belongs to Matt Fuerbringer. He ends up on the victory stand, amid cameras flashing and a winner’s check in hand.

But on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Tour it has yet to come this year. The former Estancia High standout and his teammate Casey Jennings believe their time could be this weekend at the Hermosa Beach Open. The No. 7-seeded team want to break through and win on the tour’s last Southern California stop of the season.

They have history at Hermosa. They won it back in 2005.

“It was our third victory together,” said Fuerbringer, who opens against Mike Bruning and Dana Camacho today at 11 a.m.. “It was probably the biggest one we had. Last year we were in the finals in Hermosa. We do well there. We enjoy it. I would really like to get on the victory stand, so we’ll see what happens.”

Last week, Fuerbringer and Jennings finished ninth at the Federation Internationale de Volleyball stop in Austria. Fuerbringer also enjoys the FIVB Tour. His team nearly won in Poland, finishing second.

In Austria, it was exciting to be a part of the party scene the fans created, Fuerbringer said.

But he knows the only fun can truly come from a championship.

“We need to go out and get a victory,” Fuerbringer said. “We won at least one tournament every year. We really want to end this AVP season with a bang.”

Of course, Fuerbringer is no stranger to winning. At Estancia, he was a key part of the Eagles’ 1990-91 CIF State Division III championship boys’ basketball team.

At Stanford, the four-time All-American led the Cardinal to a national championship in men’s volleyball in 1997.

He said he still keeps in touch with friends from the area, which gives him more inspiration to do well at Hermosa.

“It’s the best to play at home or near your home,” he said. “Not only are you with your friends, but in Southern California, it’s the epicenter of beach volleyball. You play in front of fans who know the sport and appreciate it. It’s just a great atmosphere.”

He would love nothing more to add to the atmosphere with an AVP crown.