The Extreme Volleyball Professionals (EVP) Tour came to Hermosa Beach Saturday and the hometown fans were not disappointed when local players took top honors at the fourth of ten events on the 2010 EVP Tour.
With a purse of $2,000, the EVP King and Queen of the Beach Tournament showcased professional beach volleyball players in a fun, yet highly competitive format.
The men’s competition finished in a tie for first with Ticao Araujo, of Redondo Beach, matching points with Hermosa Beach’s Arqum Iqbal. Rick Brandt placed third and Rico Guimares finished fourth.
In the women’s division, Michelle Hughes, 40, of Redondo Beach was crowned Queen edging out Laurel Miller of Los Angeles whose point total fell just short after winning an exciting final match over third-place finisher Jean Mathews of Hermosa Beach. Sherine Ebadi, of Santa Barbara, placed fourth.
Formerly Michelle Morse, Hughes had a 7th-place finish in 2003 at the AVP Ft. Lauderdale Open and represented the United States at the Pan Am Games later that year where she placed 5th. ER
