In her first competition since giving birth to her third child in April, three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings wanted nothing more than to win the inaugural Asics World Series of Beach Volleyball (WSOBV) for the United States.
The title did go to the Americans, but not the team of Walsh Jennings and new partner Whitney Pavlik who fell to 2012 Olympic silver medalists Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 18-21, 21-17, 16-14 in the semifinals.
“This event was amazing and I feel fortunate to be back, I just hate the outcome of the match,” said a disappointed Walsh Jennings. “It was fun playing with Whitney and we played against on of the best teams in the world and I was really looking forward to playing against the Brazilian team. Most importantly, it gave me the drive to come back and win.”
Ranked No. 17 in the world, Kessy and Ross advanced to defeat the world’s top team of Taiana Lima and Talita Antunes of Brazil 15-21, 21-18, 17-15 to capture the WSOBV title.
“It’s always fun to play Kerri,” Kessy said regarding the semifinal match up. “She makes you play your best. Trailing in the third set, I knew if we could side out we could get back into the match. April is amazing and always has confidence in me.”
Kessy and Ross rebounded from a disappointing performance in the FIVB Grand Slam when the top seeds were eliminated in the second round by fifth-seeded Agatha Bednarczuk and Maria/Antonelli of Brazil.
The surprise of the FIVB tournament – the first on American soil in 10 years – arguably was the play of Americans Emily Day and Summer Ross.
Seeded 15th and playing without a coach, Day and Ross reached the semifinals where the duo gave eventual champions Taiana and Talita (Brazilian players go by their first names) all they could handle in a 22-24, 22-20, 16-14 loss.
The two teams had faced each other earlier in pool play with the Brazilians winning handily 21-15, 21-18.
In the bronze-medal match, Day/Ross fell to the German team of Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler 21-18, 25-23.
In the championship match, Tiana/Talita defeated fellow Brazilians, the Salgado sisters Maria and Carolina 20-22, 21-15, 15-13 to win their fourth FIVB Grand Slam title this year.
Walsh Jennings and Pavlik were originally slated to play in the FIVB Grand Slam but an abdominal strain forced Walsh Jennings to skip the competition. Pavlik teamed with Annett Davis but the duo failed to advance after dropping two of three pool play matches.
Talking Smack
Featuring numerous athletes from the Beach Cities, the 4-man and 6-man competitions at the WSOBV provided competition for players of all skill levels.
The two-day 6-man competition included $10,000 in prize money and featured past, present and future stars of beach volleyball.
Manhattan Beach native Holly McPeak’s Team America took top honors in the women’s division. The three-time Olympian and holder of 72 career titles teamed with Annett Davis (13 titles) and her longtime partner Jenny Johnson Jordan (12 titles), Redondo Beach resident Rachel Wacholder Scott (8 titles), Lane Carico (Mira Costa, AVCA All-American) and Emily Day (West Torrance, LMU) along with Katie Carter, Christal Engle and Traci Weamer.
“It (the WSOBV) was such an amazing event,” McPeak said. “It was an opportunity to get a group of girls together that was a fun group that represented the present of future of beach volleyball. There was a great connection with the younger players.”
McPeak found herself playing with an unusual handicap – a dislocated finger.
“It was a freak injury,” McPeak said. “I had never injured a finger in 30 years of playing. We had back-up setters on the team but they had to pull out for various reasons, so it was just me. Fortunately we had great hitters and all I had to do was get the ball up for them.”
McPeak was excited to win the championship against a team that included Olympians and All-Americans and is already looking forward to next year’s tournament that she feels will double or triple in teams.
In men’s competition, Team Smack Beat Team Fletch 15-8. Smack included Bill Sigler (Hermosa resident, Smackfest organizer and owner of Smack Sportswear), Olympic team setter Donald Suxho and outside hitter Paul Lotman, UCI national champion Chris Austin and former pros Austin Rester, Curt Toppel, Mark Kerins, and NVL president and AVP Hermosa Open champion Albert Hanneman, along with Kurt Rambis’ son Jesse.
Fletch consisted of FIVB champs Saldano (Brazil) and Janis Smedins (Latvia), WSOBV champion Casey Patterson and South Bay locals Matt Feurbringer, Chris “Geeter” McGee, Luke Walton and Casey Jennings.
In the Budlight/Smack Pro 4’s tourney on Friday, Jose Loiola’s team beat Albert Hannemann’s team for the title. Joining Loiola on his team were Paul Baxter, Ryan Owens, Lauren Fredrick. Hannemann’s teammates included Stafford Slick, John Mesko, and Chelsea Hayes.
In the amateur 4’s competition, Team Rockstar beat team USA. Both teams are from the South Bay.
