Katie Hogan plays a net serve/Mark Rigney photography
HERMOSA BEACH — Opportunity abounded at AVP Hermosa Beach as many of the top dogs competed overseas. Chase Budinger seized the opportunity to capture his first AVP win in front of the home crowd with Casey Patterson, who added his 15th win, his first in three years.
Loyola Marymount products Emily Day and Betsi Flint won their title without dropping a set to give Day her 10th title, Flint her fifth.
There were a number of notable finishes, including a final for Miles Evans, playing in his first event with Ryan Doherty. Former USA middle blocker David Lee not only won his first AVP main draw match, but reached his first semifinal with Sean Rosenthal.
On the women’s side, three teams (Katie Hogan and Megan Rice, Sheila Shaw and Mackenzie Ponnet, and Zana Muno and Crissy Jones) came out of the qualifier to reach the Hermosa semifinals, Shaw after breaking her finger during qualifying.
VolleyballMag.com publisher Ed Chan and contributors Mark Rigney and Jim Wolf were on hand and present the following photo gallery.
Traci Callahan stretches for the dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Matt Olson spikes angle/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Steven Irvin takes advantage of the open line/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Sheila Shaw’s signals are impaired by her broken pinky finger during Thursday’s qualifier play/Jim Wolf photography
Ryan Doherty dives for a touch off the block/Mark Rigney photography
Sean Rosenthal goes to full extension for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Abril Bustamante goes all out for a tape serve/Jim Wolf photography
Carly Wopat hustles to play a ball over/Jim Wolf photography
Aurora Pa’aluhi slides in for the short serve/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Mackenzie Ponnet dives for the high line shot/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Ed Ratledge reacts to a block/Mark Rigney photography
Jayelin Lombard keeps her eyes on the ball/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
David Lee stretches for the outside set/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Stafford Slick lunges to keep the ball alive/Jim Wolf photography
David Vander Meer drives for a dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Amelia Smith reads a shot/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Ben Shassol hits line/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Traci Callahan drives for the dig/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Ty Loomis anticipates a shot/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
Betsi Flint on the FIVB event in Australia: “This this shouldn’t count for Olympic qualification points because we don’t feel safe.”/Mark Rigney photography
Ed Ratledge takes Billy Allen’s line/Jim Wolf photography
Chase Budinger pulls a set out of the net/Ed Chan, VBshots.com
