MANHATTAN BEACH — After Chase Budinger and Miles Evans lost Friday morning early in the AVP Tour’s Manhattan Beach Open, the pair knew they had a long journey ahead through the contenders bracket.
When the ball dropped in the sand giving Budinger and Evans their fourth win Saturday, the crowd roared.
It isn’t the first time Budinger and Evans have been in this position. Last year at the Manhattan Beach Open, a hurricane caused a scheduling change, which forced them to play four matches in a day.
The difference this year, however, is Budinger and Evans didn’t drop a single set Saturday in making the semifinals.
“We had a couple three-setters that gassed us out (last year) and we didn’t have anything left,” Budinger said.
Budinger and Evans played in Paris last week and said they had to adjust to the ball after using the international ball for so long.
“This tournament has been a new feel for us just getting back used to the AVP ball,” Budinger said.
Evans and Budinger will take on fellow Olympians Andy Benesh and Miles Partain on Sunday.
On the women’s side, Julia Scoles’ game-winning block gave her and Betsi Flint a win against Savannah Simo and Abby van Winkle in a three-set match in which they found themselves down at multiple key points.
The defending Manhattan Beach Open champs came out on top with scores of 21-17, 18-21, and 17-15.
Last year, Scoles and Flint made a run through the contenders bracket after losing their first matchup of the tournament and went on to win the event. This time around, the pairing played among the fewest number of sets possible to reach the fourth round of the tournament.
“My body actually feels fresh not having to play every other hour in the max amount of matches,” Flint said. “We’re trying to take every opportunity we can.”
Before Scoles and Flint won on Court 1, Benesh and Partain dueled against the second-seeded team of Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander. Benesh and Partain pulled out a drawn-out second set for a 27-25 win over the defending champs.
In addition to playing in Paris, where they lost in the quarterfinals, Benesh and Partain are competing in their fifth tournament in eight weeks. However, according to Partain, he is “more stoked about volleyball than (he’s) been in a long time.”
“Before the Olympics, I was happy to be here, but not loving it,” Partain said.
Pertain mentioned he wants to stay in beach volleyball and eventually develop a business where he can create content around beach volleyball as a resource for younger players.
“I wish I could have had that (resource) so anyone can have it instead of learning from a specific person,” Pertain said.
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The top-seeded pairing of Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb is the only men’s team to not drop a set through two days. They defeated Cody Caldwell and Seain Cook 26-24, 21-15 to reach the semifinals and will square off against Taylor Crabb – Trevor’s younger brother – and Sander.
The top-seeded women’s team of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss defeated fourth-seeded seed Terese Cannon and Megan Craft 21-16, 21-16. They will take on eighth-seeded Toni Rodriguez and Geena Urango.
Championship play will continue Sunday. Times haven’t been officially announced.
