Beach
Big AVP happenings: 8-city league starts in 2024, plus new tour format
November 13, 2023
Main draw set for final 2021 AVP after qualifier upsets in Chicago
Beach
September 2, 2021
CHICAGO — The main draw of AVP Chicago, the final stop of the 2021 tour, begins Friday. The 16 men’s and women’s teams will compete for a $200,000 AVP Gold Series purse. The cast includes all eight Tokyo 2020 USA beach volleyball Olympians: gold-medalists April Ross and Alix Klineman, Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Claes, Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena, Jake Gibb (who will retire following the World Tour Finals in October), Taylor Crabb, and Tri Bourne.
The field also includes Tokyo 2020 Canadian Olympians Sarah Pavan (partnering with Emily Stockman), and Brandie Wilkerson (partnering with Sara Hughes).
Former beach volleyball Olympians include Casey Patterson (USA), Chaim Schalk (Canada), and Ricardo Santos and Larissa Franca (Brazil).
Friday’s first-round matchups are (all times Central):
Alix Klineman/April Ross (1) vs. Macy Jerger/Devon Newberry (16, Q15)—9:10 a.m.
Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss (9) vs. Terese Cannon/Molly Turner (8)—9:05 a.m.
Kelly Claes/Sarah Sponcil (5) vs. Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini (12, Q5)—8 a.m.
Megan Nash/Brittany Tiegs (13) vs. Sara Hughes/Brandie Wilkerson (4)—8 a.m.
Sarah Pavan/Emily Stockman (3) vs. Carly Kan/Chelsea Rice (14, Q9)—10:10 a.m.
Emily Hartong/Corinne Quiggle (11) vs. Kelley Kolinske/Susannah Muno (6)—11:15 a.m.
Karissa Cook/Kelly Reeves (7) vs. Megan Rice/Sarah Schermerhorn (10)—12:30 a.m.
Annika Rowland/Teegan Van Gunst (15, Q11) vs. Emily Day/Betsi Flint (2)—12:25 a.m.
Chase Budinger/Casey Patterson (1) vs. Devon Burki/John Schwengel (16, Q28)—11:20 a.m.
Miles Evans/Troy Field (9) vs. Skylar del Sol/Ed Ratledge (8)—11:25 a.m.
Theo Brunner/Chaim Schalk (5) vs. John Hyden/Ricardo Santos (12)—9:15 a.m.
Chase Frishman/Piotr Marciniak (13, Q2) vs. Tri Bourne/Trevor Crabb (4)—8:10 a.m.
Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb (3) vs. Evan Cory/Logan Webber (14)—12:20 p.m.
Paul Lotman/Miles Partain (11, Q1) vs. Tim Bomgren/Jeremy Casebeer (6)—1:25 p.m.
Billy Allen/Andy Benesh (7) vs. Eric Beranek/Avery Drost (10)—10:20 a.m.
Jacob Landel/Lev Priima (15, Q5) vs. Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena (2)—10:15 a.m.
On the AVP tour, it’s easier to stay in the main draw than to requalify, and that held true Thursday as only one of the top four seeds came through on the women’s side, two of four on the men’s side. Moving from Manhattan Beach’s relatively team-friendly 24-team draw to Chicago’s 16-team draw was a stark reminder of the difficulty of regaining main draw status.
The qualifier’s top women’s seed, Kim Hildreth and Kathryn Hogan, were eliminated in the final match by No. 9 Carly Kan and Chelsea Rice (all scores and results follow). The No. 4 seed, Falyn Fonoimoana and Geena Urango, were eliminated a match early by Manhattan Beach surprise semifinalists Larissa Franca and Liliane Maestrini, who were relegated to the qualifier. Also upset in that final qualifier round were the No. 3 seeds Sheila Shaw and Mackenzie Ponnet, defeated by former Georgia State Panthers Annika Rowland and Teegan Van Gunst.
The No. 2 qualifier seed, Jessica Gaffney and Maria Clara Salgado, fell in round two to No. 15 Macy Jerger and Devon Newberry, who made their first main draw together.
In the men’s qualifier, the top two seeds managed to win through. Top-seeded Miles Partain and Paul Lotman came through without a single team scoring more than 13 against them. Second-seeded Chase Frishman and Piotr Marciniak won despite Marciniak reinjuring his finger, serving left-handed most of the day and frequently blocking with one arm.
In the two men’s surprises of the day, No. 5 Jacob Landel and Lev Priima upset No. 4 Michael Groselle and David Vander Meer in straight sets. Groselle and Vander Meer were the surprise of AVP Atlanta, winning two rounds in winner’s bracket to make it to Sunday, but have been unable to attain the main draw since.
The No. 28 seeds John Schwengel and Devon Burki played impressively throughout the two-day qualifier, winning five matches to reach Friday’s main draw. They reached Friday with an upset of No. 3 seeds David Lee and Kyle Friend, and have lost only one set in qualifying—against No. 60 Zachary Greene and Guille Jimenez.
Results courtesy BVBinfo.com
Women’s Qualifier Round 2
Kimberly Hildreth/Kathryn Hogan (Q1) def. Kylie Bryan/Hannah Wentland (Q36) 21-12, 21-15 (0:38)
Tiffany Creamer/Carolyn Meister (Q16) def. Katie Horton/Hailey Luke (Q17) 15-21, 28-26, 15-12 (1:05)
Carly Kan/Chelsea Rice (14, Q9) def. Courtney Baleiko/Adrianna Nora (Q24) 21-14, 21-18 (0:42)
Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle (Q8) def. Melissa Powell/Jessica Wooten (Q25) 22-20, 21-14 (0:41)
Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini (12, Q5) def. Aly Fox/Lindsey Fuller (Q28) 21-13, 21-5 (0:32)
Aurora Davis/Toni Rodriguez (Q12) def. Ashley Pater/Bree Scarbrough (Q21) 21-16, 17-21, 19-17 (1:12)
Megan Gebhard/Kaitlyn Leary (Q20) def. Katie Dickens/Jennifer Keddy (Q13) 21-19, 21-13 (0:42)
Falyn Fonoimoana/Geena Urango (Q4) def. Jessie Carnes/Kristin Heldt (Q31) 21-18, 21-16 (0:45)
Mackenzie Ponnet/Sheila Shaw (Q3) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Julianna Napoleon (Q33) 21-16, 21-14 (0:38)
Delaney Clesen/Lauren DeTurk (Q14) def. Nicole Drake/Jessica Jendryk (Q19) 21-19, 21-16 (0:44)
Annika Rowland/Teegan Van Gunst (15, Q11) def. Victoria Dennis/Kahlee York (Q22) by Forfeit
Delaney Mewhirter/Sara Putt (Q6) def. Sophie Moore/Natalie Myszkowski (Q27) 21-13, 21-13 (0:39)
Cecilia Agraz/Janelle Allen (Q7) def. Katie Lindstrom/Regan McGuire (Q26) 21-14, 21-18 (0:46)
Iya Lindahl/Lydia Smith (Q10) def. Rachel Krabacher/Tani Stephens (Q23) 21-19, 21-12 (0:41)
Macy Jerger/Devon Newberry (16, Q15) def. Josephine Kremer/Payton Rund (Q18) 10-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:12)
Jessica Gaffney/Maria Clara Salgado (Q2) def. Lindsey Knudsen/Lisa Reed (Q35) 21-18, 21-13 (0:41)
Women’s Qualifier Round 3
Kimberly Hildreth/Kathryn Hogan (Q1) def. Tiffany Creamer/Carolyn Meister (Q16) 21-15, 21-10 (0:44)
Carly Kan/Chelsea Rice (14, Q9) def. Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle (Q8) 21-19, 18-21, 15-11 (1:07)
Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini (12, Q5) def. Aurora Davis/Toni Rodriguez (Q12) 18-21, 21-13, 15-8 (1:06)
Falyn Fonoimoana/Geena Urango (Q4) def. Megan Gebhard/Kaitlyn Leary (Q20) 12-21, 22-20, 15-13 (1:00)
Mackenzie Ponnet/Sheila Shaw (Q3) def. Delaney Clesen/Lauren DeTurk (Q14) 21-9, 21-16 (0:40)
Annika Rowland/Teegan Van Gunst (15, Q11) def. Delaney Mewhirter/Sara Putt (Q6) 16-21, 21-19, 15-12 (1:02)
Cecilia Agraz/Janelle Allen (Q7) def. Iya Lindahl/Lydia Smith (Q10) 21-14, 21-17 (0:38)
Macy Jerger/Devon Newberry (16, Q15) def. Jessica Gaffney/Maria Clara Salgado (Q2) 21-15, 16-21, 15-11 (1:02)
Women’s Qualifier Round 4
Carly Kan/Chelsea Rice (14, Q9) def. Kimberly Hildreth/Kathryn Hogan (Q1) 22-20, 21-19 (0:47)
Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini (12, Q5) def. Falyn Fonoimoana/Geena Urango (Q4) 21-15, 21-12 (0:45)
Annika Rowland/Teegan Van Gunst (15, Q11) def. Mackenzie Ponnet/Sheila Shaw (Q3) 21-18, 21-14 (0:38)
Macy Jerger/Devon Newberry (16, Q15) def. Cecilia Agraz/Janelle Allen (Q7) 21-15, 21-19 (0:45)
Men’s Qualifier Round 4
Paul Lotman/Miles Partain (11, Q1) def. Jake Kurzrock/Rob McLean (Q51) 21-6, 21-11 (0:35)
Tomas Goldsmith/Max Martin (Q16) def. Robbie Page/Hagen Smith (Q17) 21-18, 21-19 (0:45)
Andrew Dentler/Jon Ferrari (Q9) def. Timothy Brewster/Dylan Zacca (Q24) 21-14, 21-15 (0:45)
Cody Caldwell/Dave Palm (Q8) def. Alex Diaz/TJ Jurko (Q25) 21-15, 18-21, 15-11 (1:02)
Jacob Landel/Lev Priima (15, Q5) def. Nemanja Komar/Bryce Mayer (Q31) 21-14, 21-13 (0:37)
Dillon Cox/Jeff Samuels (Q21) def. Travis Mewhirter/Adam Roberts (Q12) 21-19, 15-21, 15-10 (1:06)
John-Michael Plummer/Garrett Wessberg (Q13) def. Raffe Paulis/Aaren Rice (Q20) 21-9, 21-9 (0:36)
Michael Groselle/David Vander Meer (Q4) def. Joshua Bigford/David Evans (Q36) 21-13, 21-13 (0:41)
Kyle Friend/David Lee (Q3) def. Matt Cyr/Oren Zyndorf (Q38) 21-14, 18-21, 15-10 (0:56)
Adam Gustafson/Kyle Radde (Q14) def. Marshall Brock/Spencer Sauter (Q19) 15-21, 21-16, 15-13 (1:00)
Bruno Amorim/Michael Boag (Q11) def. Jonathan Drake/Chris Luers (Q22) 21-18, 21-19 (0:54)
Devon Burki/John Schwengel (16, Q28) def. Peter Connole/Silila Tucker (Q6) 17-21, 21-16, 15-11 (1:02)
Jake Rosener/Christopher Vaughan (Q7) def. Kameron Beans/Kristopher Fraser (Q26) 21-16, 25-23 (0:46)
Caleb Kwekel/Ryan Lehmann (Q23) def. Brian Miller/Ben Vaught (Q10) 17-21, 21-16, 15-12 (0:58)
Bradley Connors/Brett Greiner (Q18) def. Ryan Meehan/Ian Satterfield (Q15) 21-10, 21-19 (0:37)
Chase Frishman/Piotr Marciniak (13, Q2) def. Spencer Loch/Alex Ukkelberg (Q49) 4-21, 21-18, 16-14 (0:57)
Men’s Qualifier Round 5
Paul Lotman/Miles Partain (11, Q1) def. Tomas Goldsmith/Max Martin (Q16) 21-13, 21-12 (0:39)
Andrew Dentler/Jon Ferrari (Q9) def. Cody Caldwell/Dave Palm (Q8) 20-22, 21-19, 15-7 (1:02)
Jacob Landel/Lev Priima (15, Q5) def. Dillon Cox/Jeff Samuels (Q21) 21-18, 21-19 (0:53)
Michael Groselle/David Vander Meer (Q4) def. John-Michael Plummer/Garrett Wessberg (Q13) 21-18, 28-26 (0:49)
Kyle Friend/David Lee (Q3) def. Adam Gustafson/Kyle Radde (Q14) 23-21, 21-13 (0:43)
Devon Burki/John Schwengel (16, Q28) def. Bruno Amorim/Michael Boag (Q11) 21-18, 21-18 (0:43)
Jake Rosener/Christopher Vaughan (Q7) def. Caleb Kwekel/Ryan Lehmann (Q23) 21-18, 21-13 (0:42)
Chase Frishman/Piotr Marciniak (13, Q2) def. Bradley Connors/Brett Greiner (Q18) 22-20, 24-22 (0:51)
Men’s Qualifier Round 6
Paul Lotman/Miles Partain (11, Q1) def. Andrew Dentler/Jon Ferrari (Q9) 21-11, 21-13 (0:41)
Jacob Landel/Lev Priima (15, Q5) def. Michael Groselle/David Vander Meer (Q4) 22-20, 22-20 (0:47)
Devon Burki/John Schwengel (16, Q28) def. Kyle Friend/David Lee (Q3) 21-18, 21-19 (0:47)
Chase Frishman/Piotr Marciniak (13, Q2) def. Jake Rosener/Christopher Vaughan (Q7) 21-18, 21-13 (0:40)
***
