Here are the results.
AVP Tempe Open Tournament
Tempe, Arizona
Friday-Sunday, April 22-24, 2005
AVP Women
As they have been doing now for the last three seasons, May and Walsh continue to dominate the tour. However, they did have a few close moments for the first time in a long while.
After breezing into Sunday?s semifinals, they faced a close challenge from Jennifer Kessy and Holly McPeak. Kessy and McPeak stayed close to the No. 1 seeds throughout the match, and even had the lead in the second game, something that had not been done to May and Walsh in a long time.
In the end, May and Walsh called upon that extra "gear" they seem to have and pulled out the match 21-17, 21-19, to get to the finals.
There they faced an even tougher challenge against the same team they played in the Ft. Lauderdale final, Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs. Wacholder and Youngs came out on fire in the championship match, winning the first game 22-20. May and Walsh responded by digging in once again and grinding out a hard fought win in the second game 21-18.
Wacholder and Youngs kept it close throughout the third and deciding game, but May and Walsh were just a little sharper and pulled out the victory 15-13.
Here are the top finishers and stats from the women?s division.
Women?s Top Finishers in Tempe
1. Misty May / Kerri Walsh $20,000
2. Rachel Wacholder / Elaine Youngs $14,000
3. Jen Kessy / Holly McPeak $8,450
3. Linjun Ji / Whenhui You $8,450
5. Carrie Busch / Nancy Mason $4,000
5. Denise Johns / Pat Keller $5,000
7. Angie Akers / Jenny Pavley $3,500
7. Dianne DeNecochea / Liz Masakayan $3,500
9. Katie Lindquist / Tracy Lindquist $2,200
9. Tanya Fuamatu / Heidi Ilustre $2,200
9. Courtney Guerra / Brooke Niles $2,200
9. Suzana Manole / Diane Pascua $2,200
Semifinals
* Misty May / Kerri Walsh (No. 1 seed) def. Jennifer Kessy / Holly McPeak (2) 21-17, 21-19 (45 mins)
* Rachel Wacholder / Elaine Youngs (3) def. Linjun Ji / Whenhui You (7) 21-13, 21-17 (37)
Finals
* May / Walsh def. Wacholder / Youngs 20-22, 21-18, 15-13 (73 mins)
Women?s Statistical Leaders
Aces (aces, games played)
1. Alicia Polzin (11, 9)
2. Misty May (10, 11)
3. Pat Keller (8, 15)
4. Tanya Ruamatu (7, 11)
5. Heidi Ilustre (7,11)
Blocks (blocks, games played)
1. Jennifer Kessy (16, 12)
2. Dianne DeNecochea (14, 11)
3. Elaine Youngs (11, 11)
4. Heidi Ilustre (10, 11)
5. Misty May (8, 11)
Digs (digs, games played)
1. Holly McPeak (87, 12)
2. Liz Masakayan (83, 11)
3. Denise Johns (76, 15)
4. Pat Keller (70, 15)
5. Misty May (63, 11)
Kill Pct. (Kills, Attacks, Games, Pct)
1. Ashley Ivy (26, 39, 4, .667)
2. Alicia Polzin (74, 117, 9, .632)
3. Tanya Fuamatu (75, 121, 11, .620)
4. Elaine Youngs (71, 119, 11, .597)
5. Whenhui You (84, 142, 15, .592)
AVP Men
Coming into the season, the talk was centered around two topics.
First, could Karch Kiraly, now 44 years of age and arguably the greatest player in the history of the game, continue his winning ways with his young teammate, Mike Lambert. After all, last season, they were named the AVP Men?s Team of the Year. However, Kiraly did have offseason surgery. So, would he continue to be able to play at the level he is accustomed.
And, second, if Kiraly and Lambert didn?t stay on top, then who would emerge from the pack since there seemed to be so much parity in the tour?s top 10 teams.
Well, the talk has changed a bit since the start of the season. Kiraly re-injured his shoulder in Ft. Lauderdale and there was talk that he might have to retire. Well, that talk changed when he showed up in Tempe and played fairly well, though not as good as he would have liked. He and Lambert finished in 7th place.
With Kiraly and Lambert not playing as well as last year, the team of Jake Gibb and Stein Metzger has emerged from the pack to reach the top of the AVP tour. They might have been a surprise when they won in Ft. Lauderdale, however, with their solid performance all weekend long in Tempe, they took their second title of the season and have solidified themselves as the men?s team to beat so far this season.
Gibb and Metzger won the AVP Tempe Open by defeating the same team they played for the title in Florida, Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard in two games, 21-19, 21-16.
It will be interesting to see how they do in Austin, Texas this coming weekend, as they will be trying for their third title in a row.
Here are the top finishers and stats from the men?s division.
Men's Top Finishers in Tempe
1. Jake Gibb / Stein Metzger $20,000
2. Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard $14,000
3. Paul Baxter / Aaron Boss $8,450
4. Mark Williams / Scott Wong $8,450
5. Jason Ring / Sean Scott $5,000
5. Matt Fuerbringer / Casey Jennings $5,000
7. Karch Kiraly / Mike Lambert $3,500
7. Jose Loiola / Fred Souza $3,500
9. Dain Blanton / Kevin Wong $2,200
9. Eric Fonoimoana / Adam Jewell $2,200
9. Brent Doble / John Hyden $2,200
9. Scott Lane / Chad Mowrey $2,200
Semifinals
* Dax Holdren / Jeff Nygaard (No. 4 seed) def. Paul Baxter / Aaron Boss (11) 21-8, 21-18 (48 mins)
* Jake Gibb / Stein Metzger (2) def. Mark Williams / Scott Wong (17, Q1) 21-19, 21-18 (48 mins)
Final
* Gibb / Metzger def. Holdren / Nygaard 21-19, 21-16 (60 mins)
Men?s Statistical Leaders
Aces (aces, games played)
1. Fred Souza (12, 13)
2. Mark Williams (9, 17)
3. Hans Stolfus (7, 10)
4. Stein Metzger (6, 11)
5. Jason Ring (5, 15)
Blocks (blocks, games played)
1. Jake Gibb (25, 11)
2. Aaron Boss (23, 13)
3. Brent Doble (23, 13)
4. Phil Dalhausser (20, 7)
5. Matt Fuerbringer (20, 9)
Digs (digs, games played)
1. Stein Metzger (73, 11)
2. Paul Baxter (70, 13)
3. John Hyden (58, 13)
4. Matt Olson (56, 10)
5. Jason Ring (53, 15)
Kill Pct. (Kills, Attacks, Games, Pct)
1. Anthony Medel (18, 27, 4, .667)
2. Canyon Ceman (66, 103, 8, .641)
3. Larry Witt (54, 85, 7, .635)
4. Scott Lane (75, 120, 8, .625)
5. Mike DiPierro (40, 65, 6, .615)
For more information on the AVP Tour, go to the AVP web site at www.avp.com .