May 4, 2018

FIVB HUNTINGTON BEACH OPEN, PRESENTING SPONSOR, AVP: DAY 4

ABC’s of beach volleyball advance to women’s quarterfinals while Brazilian, Latvian, Spanish, and American teams net quarterfinal berths on the men’s side

American, Brazilian, and Canadian women’s teams are the first pairs to advance to the quarter-finals of this week’s FIVB World Tour event after posting two victories each Friday at the $300,000-purse FIVB Huntington Beach Open, presenting sponsor, AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals). Americans Sara Hughes/Summer Ross paced the U.S. effort Friday and are joined in the quarter-finals of the winner’s bracket with Brazilians Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas, Maria Antonelli/Carolina Salgado, and Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan.

Pavan during The FIVB Huntington Beach Open, Photo credit: Mpu Dinani/AVP

With the FIVB Huntington Beach Open featuring “double-elimination” play, the ninth-seeded Hughes/Ross will play fifth-seeded Fernanda/Barbara while sixth-seeded Antonelli/Salgado will challenge second-seeded Humana-Paredes/Pavan in matches to be played Saturday morning on the courts just north of the Huntington Beach Pier. Hughes and Ross posted a pair of wins Friday over American rivals starting with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-18) win in 34 minutes over 25th-seeded Kelley Larsen/Emily Stockman (U.S.) followed by a 2-0 (21-13, 22-20) victory in 33 minutes over top-seeded Lauren Fendrick/Brooke Sweat (U.S.). Fernanda and Barbara, who are seeking their second gold medal on American sand this season, posted wins over 12th-seeded Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider of Germany 2-0 (21-18, 21-15) in 40 minutes and 13th-seeded Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson of Canada 2-0 (21-19, 29-27) in 52 minutes. Antonelli and Carolina opened play Friday with a 2-1 (21-17, 16-21, 15-13) win in 50 minutes over 11th-seeded Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre of Switzerland before upsetting third-seeded Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude of Germany 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) in 36 minutes. Humana-Paredes and Pavan, scored a 2-0 (22-20, 28-26) victory in 46 minutes over 18th-seeded Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova of Russia to start play Friday and ended the day with a 2-1 (27-29, 21-19, 15-12) center court win in 62 minutes over seventh-seeded Alix Klineman/April Ross of the United States. As of today, a total of 12 women’s team still remain in the tournament. Women’s Winner’s Bracket Results: Round 3

• Lauren Fendrick/Brooke Sweat United States (No. 1-seeded team) def. Karla Borger/Margareta Kozuch Germany (17) 27-25, 21-19 (44 minutes)

• Sara Hughes/Summer Ross United States (9) def. Kelley Larsen/Emily Stockman United States (25) 21-16, 21-18 (34)

• Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (5) def. Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (12) 21-18, 21-15 (40)

• Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (13) def. Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (4) 21-16, 21-19 (37)

• Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (3) def. Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (14) 21-12, 19-21, 15-13 (55)

• Maria Antonelli/Carolina Salgado Brazil (6) def. Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (11) 21-17, 16-21, 15-13 (40)

• Alix Klineman/April Ross United States (7) def. Carolina Horta/Taiana Lima Brazil (10) 21-19, 21-12 (34)

• Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (2) def. Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (18) 22-20, 28-26 (46)

Round 4

• Sara Hughes/Summer Ross United States (9) def. Lauren Fendrick/Brooke Sweat United States (1) 21-13, 22-20 (33)

• Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas Brazil (5) def. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson Canada (13) 21-19, 29-27 (50)

• Maria Antonelli/Carolina Salgado Brazil (6) def. Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude Germany (3) 21-18, 21-16 (36)

• Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan Canada (2) def. Alix Klineman/April Ross United States (7) 27-29, 21-19, 15-12 (62)

Women’s Contender’s Bracket Results:

Round 2

• Kelly Claes/Brittany Hochevar United States (16) def. Ali McColloch/Geena Urango United States (35) 21-14, 21-18 (36)

• Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda "Duda" Lisboa Brazil (8) def. Miki Ishii/Megumi Murakami Japan (24) 21-15, 21-18 (36)

• Brittany Howard/Kelly Reeves United States (37) def. Briana Hinga/Bre Moreland United States (42, Q3) 21-14, 21-13 (33)

• Katarzyna Kociolek/Kinga Kolosinska Poland (20) def. Amanda Dowdy/Irene Pollock United States (29) 21-19, 21-13 (38)

• Alexandra Jupiter/Alexia Richard France (30) def. McKenna Thibodeau/Madison Witt United States (48, Q20) 21-19, 19-21, 15-11 (47)

• Jenny Kropp/Kendra VanZwieten United States (40) def. Katie Jameson/Tracy Jones United States (43, Q5) 21-13, 24-22 (37)

• Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez Spain (23) def. Emily Day/Betsi Flint United States (26) 21-19, 21-18 (40)

• Lane Carico/Caitlin Ledoux United States (34) def. Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova Czech Republic (15) 21-16, 21-19 (34)

Round 3

• Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (18) def. Kelly Claes/Brittany Hochevar United States (16) 21-19, 21-16 (31)

• Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda "Duda" Lisboa Brazil (8) def. Carolina Horta/Taiana Lima Brazil (10) 22-20, 21-13 (35)

• Brittany Howard/Kelly Reeves United States (37) def. Joana Heidrich/Anouk Verge-Depre Switzerland (11) 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 (51)

• Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (14) def. Katarzyna Kociolek/Kinga Kolosinska Poland (20) 27-25, 21-17 (43)

• Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (4) def. Alexandra Jupiter/Alexia Richard France (30) 21-13, 21-11 (29)

• Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (12) def. Jenny Kropp/Kendra VanZwieten United States (40) 21-14, 17-21, 15-10 (40)

• Kelley Larsen/Emily Stockman United States (25) def. Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez Spain (23) 21-16, 21-15 (36)

• Lane Carico/Caitlin Ledoux United States (34) def. Karla Borger/Margareta Kozuch Germany (17) 21-12, 21-13 (36)

Round 4

• Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda "Duda" Lisboa Brazil (8) def. Svetlana Kholomina/Nadezda Makroguzova Russia (18) 21-15, 21-12 (30)

• Brittany Howard/Kelly Reeves United States (37) def. Nina Betschart/Tanja Huberli Switzerland (14) 17-21, 21-18, 15-9 (50)

• Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider Germany (12) def. Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova Czech Republic (4) 16-21, 23-21, 15-13 (47)

• Kelley Larsen/Emily Stockman United States (25) def. Lane Carico/Caitlin Ledoux United States (34) 21-18, 21-12 (37)

Teams from Brazil, Latvia, Spain, and the U.S. gained spots in the men’s winner’s bracket quarter-final round Friday too, after posting two wins each at this week’s event held at the Huntington Beach Pier courts. “Roaring” into the quarter-finals with the biggest wins Friday were Aleksandrs “The Lion King” Samoilovs and Janis “Simba” Smedins as the ninth-seeded Latvians posted upset wins over eighth-seeded and reigning Olympic champions Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt of Brazil and top-seeded Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena of the United States.

Samoilovs celebrates win over Dalhausser/Lucena, Photo credit: Robert Beck/AVP Other teams posting two victories in the winner’s bracket Friday were second-seeded Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola of Brazil, 12th-seeded Adriana Gavira/Pablo Herrera of Spain and 14th-seeded Theo Brunner/John Hyden of the United States. While the Spaniards are the most experienced team in the competition (96 FIVB World Tour events together), the 46-year old American, Hyden, ranks as the oldest player in the men’s field. With 11 other teams still in contention for the FIVB Huntington Beach Open men’s gold medal, Samoilovs and Smedins will play Gavira and Herrera in the first men’s quarter-final with the Latvians holding a 5-3 edge in FIVB World Tour meetings between the two teams. The Brazil-U.S. winner’s quarter-final match will be the first meeting between the two pairs. After posting a 2-1 (19-21, 21-10, 15-12) win in 49 minutes over Alison and Bruno Friday morning, Samoilovs and Smedins scored a 2-0 (24-22, 21-18) victory in 43 minutes over Dalhausser and Lucena. The Latvians have now won six of 11 FIVB matches with Alison/Bruno and snapped a three-matching losing streak with Dalhausser/Lucena. Gavira and Herrera opened play Friday with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) win in 35 minutes over 28th-seeded Julian Azaad/Nicolas Capogrosso of Argentina before upsetting fourth-seeded Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak of Poland 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 15-10) in 50 minutes.

Brunner and Hyden started Friday with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) victory over third-seeded Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst of Austria before advancing in the winner’s bracket with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) win in 36 minutes over 27th-seeded Marco Caminati/Enrico Rossi of Italy. The Italians joined Azaad/Capogrosso as the most surprising men’s winner’s bracket contestants this week. Evandro and Loyola’s advancement to Friday’s quarter-finals were highlighted by a 2-1 (19-21, 32-20, 15-11) win in 66 minutes over 18th-seeded Anders Mol/Christian Sorum of Norway. The Brazilians advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-0 (2-18, 21-18) victory in 38 minutes over compatriots Pedro Solberg/George Wanderley. The inaugural FIVB Huntington Beach Open continues through the weekend where the men’s and women’s semi-finals and medal matches will be played Sunday with the winning teams netting the $20,000 first-place prizes. The event showcases, for the first time ever, a groundbreaking new partnership between the AVP, America’s premier beach volleyball tour, and the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), the international governing body responsible for all forms of volleyball. Men’s Winner’s Bracket Results: Round 3

• Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (No. 1-seeded team) def. Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (16, Q2) 21-18, 15-21, 15-11 (53 minutes)

• Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (9) def. Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (8) 19-21, 21-10, 15-12 (49)

• Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (12) def. Julian Azaad/Nicolas Capogrosso Argentina (28) 21-18, 21-16 (35)

• Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (4) def. Gustavo "Guto" Carvalhaes/Vitor Felipe Brazil (13, Q1) 21-14, 21-15 (36)

• Theo Brunner/John Hyden United States (14) def. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (3) 21-13, 21-16 (31)

• Marco Caminati/Enrico Rossi Italy (27) def. Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (11) 21-15, 21-15 (33)

• Pedro Solberg/George Wanderley Brazil (10) def. Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (7) 21-19, 21-19 (40)

• Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (2) def. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (18) 19-21, 32-30, 15-11 (66)

Round 4

• Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena United States (1) vs. Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins Latvia (9)

• Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera Spain (12) vs. Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak Poland (4) • Theo Brunner/John Hyden United States (14) vs. Marco Caminati/Enrico Rossi Italy (27) • Pedro Solberg/George Wanderley Brazil (10) vs. Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola Brazil (2)

Men’s Contender's Bracket Results: Round 2

• Trevor Crabb/John Mayer United States (35) def. Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb United States (17) 23-21, 21-16 (40)

• Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen Germany (24) def. Ed Ratledge/Eric Zaun United States (38) 21-13, 21-11 (29)

• Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (5) def. Jasper Bouter/Christiaan Varenhorst Netherlands (21) 21-19, 23-21 (40)

• Casey Patterson/Stafford Slick United States (29) def. Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen Mexico (20) 25-23, 21-19 (42)

• Miles Evans/Billy Kolinske United States (30) def. Grant O'Gorman/Ben Saxton Canada (19) 21-16, 13-21, 15-5 (43)

• Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Igor Velichko Russia (6) def. Adam Roberts/Spencer Sauter United States (41) 21-17, 21-15 (34)

• Oscar Brandao/Ricardo Santos Brazil (37, Q6) def. Billy Allen/Ryan Doherty United States (23) 16-21, 21-15, 15-9 (46)

• Jeremy Casebeer/Reid Priddy United States (36) def. Sam Pedlow/Sam Schachter Canada (15) 16-21, 21-19, 15-12 (53)

Round 3

• Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (18) def. Trevor Crabb/John Mayer United States (35) 21-19, 21-16 (33)

• Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (7) def. Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen Germany (24) 21-16, 17-21, 25-23 (59)

• Match 73: Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (11) def. Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin Russia (5) 21-19, 10-21, 15-13 (49)

• Match 74: Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (3) def. Casey Patterson/Stafford Slick United States (29) 23-21, 21-18 (38)

• Gustavo "Guto" Carvalhaes/Vitor Felipe Brazil (13, Q1) def. Miles Evans/Billy Kolinske United States (30) 21-17, 21-19 (43)

• Julian Azaad/Nicolas Capogrosso Argentina (28) def. Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Igor Velichko Russia (6) 21-17, 10-21, 15-13 (46)

• Oscar Brandao/Ricardo Santos Brazil (37, Q6) def. Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt Brazil (8) 20-22, 29-27, 15-10 (66)

• Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (16, Q2) def. Jeremy Casebeer/Reid Priddy United States (36) 21-19, 19-21, 15-11 (59)

Round 4

• Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen Netherlands (7) def. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum Norway (18) 21-18, 19-21, 15-10 (46)

• Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs Latvia (11) def. Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst Austria (3) by Forfeit

• Gustavo "Guto" Carvalhaes/Vitor Felipe Brazil (13, Q1) def. Julian Azaad/Nicolas Capogrosso Argentina (28) 21-18, 21-16 (35)

• Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho Brazil (16, Q2) def. Oscar Brandao/Ricardo Santos Brazil (37, Q6) 21-17, 21-19 (44)

For more on today’s results and brackets: (including scoring, player brackets, match-ups, and more) please visit www.AVP.com. Photos from today’s event are accessible via https://thesocialpresskit.com/avp-media. For media on editorial assignment: please visit http://www.AVP.com/press-registration to apply for credentials. Tickets: General admission to the FIVB Huntington Beach Open is free to the public with VIP tickets featuring upgraded viewing and hospitality available at www.AVP.com/tickets/. Social Media: Follow @AVPBeach on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat to stay up-to-date and get behind-the-scenes access to your favorite athletes. About AVP Established in 1983 and currently headquartered in Southern California, the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) is the world's premier beach volleyball organization. The AVP today is comprised of four divisions: AVP Academy, AVPNext, the AVP Pro Tour, and their non-profit 501(c)3 organization, AVPFirst. With a 35-year rich history in creating, staging, and marketing some of the most

innovative and engaging sporting events in North America, the AVP has successfully developed an annual circuit that is not just a sporting event, but a lifestyle as well. The AVP has been the home of some of the most respected athletes in professional sports, including: gold medalists Karch Kiraly, Kent Steffes, Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Todd Rogers, and Phil Dalhausser. For more information, please visit www.AVP.com. About FIVB The FIVB is the governing body responsible for all forms of volleyball on a global level. Working closely with national federations and private enterprises, the FIVB aims to develop volleyball as a major world media and entertainment sport through world-class planning and organization of competitions, marketing, and development activities. The FIVB is part of the Olympic movement, contributing to the success of the Olympic Games. For more information, please visit www.FIVB.com.

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