Locals upended in semifinals of AVP Huntington Beach Open

With April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings separated by philosophical differences centered around the future of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour, the AVP women’s bracket proved to be an ample opportunity for other contenders to capture the top beach volleyball prize at the Huntington Beach Open.

Ross, who along with longtime friend and emergency partner Whitney Pavlik were the No. 2-seeded team, couldn’t get past the semifinals on Sunday, falling to top-seeded and eventual champions Emily Day and Brittany Hochevar, 23-21, 21-14, to finish third.

Pavlik, the AVP’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, said while she enjoyed playing with her former Orange County Volleyball Club teammate, it was difficult to build cohesion with limited practice time after both lost partners shortly before the season-opening event just north of the Huntington Beach Pier.

“I think we got better as the tournament went along, but we would have a good game, then we’d struggle in the next game,” Pavlik said. “But I loved every minute of playing with one of my best friends. We were figuring it out as we went, but to make the semifinals in the first tournament with so many great teams, was great.”

Ross, a two-time Olympic medalist who along with Walsh Jennings won 12 of 13 AVP events in which they competed together, said after qualifying for the semifinals on Saturday that it was refreshing not to be a prohibitive favorite.

But with Ross saying Saturday she would be teaming with Lauren Fendrick for the final five AVP events, as well as the Federation Internationale de Volleyball tournaments, and likely seeking another partner for the next AVP stop in Austin, Texas , May 18-21, Pavlik said Ross should not grow too accustomed to the underdog label.

“I don’t think that is really going to stick at all,” Pavlik said. “I’m sorry, but I think if you put April with anybody and give her the chance to practice a couple times and get comfortable, I think April is going to be dominant on this tour.”

Dominance was fleeting in Huntington Beach for the 6-foot-1 Ross, a Costa Mesa resident and Newport Harbor High product who has 17 AVP titles and 53 pro beach tournament wins overall.

After winning their first two matches in the main draw, Ross and Pavlik were knocked into the contender’s bracket when No. 6-seeded Betsi Flint and Kelley Larsen earned a 21-7, 21-19 triumph.

The seven points were the fewest she had ever scored on tour, Ross said.

Ross and Pavlik topped No. 5-seeded Kim DiCello and Emily Stockman, 25-23, 12-21, 16-14, on Saturday to reach the semifinals.

Against Day and Hochevar, Pavlik, a Laguna Beach resident who played at Laguna Beach High and UC Irvine, had nine kills and six hitting errors for a .110 efficiency rating. She did have a match-high 13 digs.

Ross, voted the tour’s top server the last four seasons, delivered aces on her first three serves to help claim leads of 4-0 and 6-1. Ross added a fourth ace to make it 8-3 and finished with 12 kills, a .310 hitting percentage, seven digs and matched Pavlik with one block.

But Day led the No. 1-seeded duo back. She finished with 21 kills, 10 more than Hochevar, and had a match-best five blocks.

Day and Hochevar posted a 21-13, 21-19, final victory over Flint and Stockman.

In the men’s bracket, Huntington Beach resident Jake Gibb, who along with new partner Taylor Crabb had garnered the No. 1 seed, sustained a 21-18, 22-20 semifinal loss to No. 7-seeded Ryan Doherty and John Hyden.

Gibb, who paired with Casey Patterson had won the Huntington Beach Open in 2016 and 2014, had won their first three matches entering Sunday.

Gibb had a match-high 21 kills, but made nine hitting errors and hit .293.

Crabb had nine kills and hit .500, with 11 digs. But he missed four serves.

Doherty, a 7-1 former baseball pitcher at Notre Dame, had 18 kills, hit .516 and compiled five blocks.

No. 3-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena topped Doherty and Hyman, 21-16, 15-21, 15-10, in the final.

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Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5

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