Misty starts strong

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Former Newport Harbor High stars Misty May-Treanor and April Ross began the season with wins with their respective teams in the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Tour’s Fort Lauderdale Open Saturday.

May-Treanor, playing with new teammate Nicole Branagh, went undefeated, as did Ross and Jen Kessy, the reigning world champions seeded No. 2 at Fort Lauderdale. Matt Fuerbringer, a former Estancia High standout, along with Nick Lucena also advanced to the semifinals in the men’s division.

In the day’s most highly anticipated first-round match, two-time Olympic gold medalist May-Treanor made her return to the beach with new partner Branagh as the top seeds and swept No. 32-seeded Capri Hilgendorf and Kelly Schumacher, 21-9, 21-19. May-Treanor and Branagh then beat No. 16-seeded Claire D’Amore and Jen Snyder, No. 8-seeded Dianne DeNecochea and Brittany Hochevar, and No. 5-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, all in two games.

Fuerbringer and Lucena accounted for the only upset over a first- or second-seeded team on either side, edging men’s No. 2 seed John Hyden and Sean Scott, 21-18, 17-21, 17-15, in a fourth-round battle to secure a spot in the semifinals.

Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal finished tied for ninth. Ty Loomis, a Corona del Mar resident, and Matt Prosser finished tied for 17th, along with former Newport Harbor standout Ty Tramblie and Russ Marchewka, who played at UC Irvine.

Whitney Pavlik, who played at UCI, and Jennifer Fopma finished tied for 17th on the women’s side.

The women’s final will be televised by ESPN2 today at 2:30 p.m.

— From staff reports