May-Treanor, Walsh win AVP Miami Open

MIAMI, Fla. — Newport Harbor High product Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh picked up where they left off last season, winning the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals’ first tour stop of the season Sunday to split $20,000.

May-Treanor and Walsh defeated defending event champions Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, 21-15, 17-21, 15-13, in an 62-minute title match.

April Ross, another former Sailors standout, and her partner, Jennifer Boss, lost to Youngs-Branagh, 21-15, 21-19, in a 48-minute semifinal and finished tied for third. They split $9,500.

Former UC Irvine player Whitney Pavlik, playing with Jennifer Snyder, finished tied for ninth, which was good for $2,875 for the tandem to split.

In the men’s event, Estancia High product Matt Fuerbringer led the locals, finishing tied for third. He and partner Casey Jennings split $9,500 after falling to eventual champions Phil Dalhauser and Todd Rogers, 16-21, 24-22, 15-11, in a 66-minute semifinal.

Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and partner Sean Rosenthal tied for fifth, splitting $6,000, while Newport Harbor High product Ty Tramblie teamed with Scott Lane to finish tied for 17th. They split $800.

Dalhauser and Rogers defeated Nick Lucena and Sean Scott, 21-14, 21-13, in the title match.

Next up is the Dallas Open, scheduled Friday through Sunday at the Ballpark in Arlington.

— From staff reports