Rookies, Veterans Top Podium at Cuervo Shootout

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (July 24, 2011) – Kathryn Babcock and Sheila Shaw won their first domestic beach volleyball title together on Sunday while John Hyden and Sean Scott won their fourth of the season and ninth of their partnership at the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Shootout on Bradford Beach in Milwaukee.

The winning teams each took home $12,000 for their efforts. The Pro Beach Shootout was the kickoff event for the 2011 Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series.

After going 1-2 in pool play on Saturday, Babcock (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and Shaw (Muskego, Wis.), who have only been a team for two months, went 2-0 on Sunday. First they upset top-seeded Annette Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) and partner Jenny Johnson Jordan (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) in the semifinals, 29-27, 21-15 and then they beat Jessica Gysin (Los Gatos, Calif.) and partner Christal Engle (Puyallup, Wash.), 21-15, 21-19.

The pair said they used Saturday evening to review film of their matches and make adjustments and clean up mistakes they made on Saturday.

“We took care of our side today,” said Shaw, who was a fan favorite, having grown up in Muskegon, Wis., and playing indoor volleyball at the University of Wisconsin. “We played calmer and worked together.”

Shaw just started playing beach volleyball in the last few months and admitted there has been a steep learning curve.

“It has been frustrating, to tell you the truth,” she said. “The sand, the wind, the sun; there are so many different variables.

“I was a middle blocker,” she added. “I didn’t pass the ball a lot. I’ve had to practice a lot of ball control.”

For Hyden (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Scott (Kailua, Hawaii), winning in the U.S. wasn’t a new experience. The pair defeated Kevin Wong (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Matt Olson (Carlsbad, Calif.) in the men’s final, 2-1.

“This is awesome,” Scott said of the tournament. “We were happy to have Jose Cuervo, IMG and USAV step up to put on this tournament. Hopefully this is the first step in a long journey.”

Hyden and Scott advanced to the semifinals by defeating Avery Drost (Santa Monica, Calif.) and Steven Vanderwerp (Grand Haven, Mich.), 21-13, 21-13. Wong and Olson advanced with a 21-16, 21-17 victory over Bill Strickland (Malibu, Calif.) and Aaron Wachtfogel (Redondo Beach, Calif.).

The official Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series will begin Aug. 26 with the Manhattan Open.

Scores:
Men
Kevin Wong/Matt Olson def. John Hyden/Sean Scott, 25-23, 21-18
Aaron Wachtfogel/Bill Strickland def. Avery Drost/Steven Vanderwerp, 21-9, 22-20
Drost/Vanderwerp def. Wong/Olson, 21-17, 16-21, 15-13
Hyden/Scott def. Wachtfogel/Strickland, 21-17, 21-19
Wong/Olson def. Wachtfogel/Strickland, 21-18, 21-17
Hyden/Scott def. Drost/Vanderwerp, 21-12, 13-21, 15-10
 
Women
Annette Davis/Jenny Johnson Jordan def. Jessica Gysin/Christal Engle, 21-15, 21-18
Kathryn Babcock/Sheila Shaw def. Kristen Batt/Brooke Sweat, 21-19, 23-21
Gysin/Engle def. Babcock/Shaw, 22-20, 21-15
Batt/Sweat def. Davis/Jordan, 25-23, 22-20
Batt/Sweat def. Gysin/Engle, 21-16, 21-19
Davis/Jordan def Babcock/Shaw, 21-19, 29-27
 
Sunday's semifinals
Babcock/Shaw def. Davis/Jordan, 29-27, 21-15
Gysin/Engle def. Batt/Sweat, 21-19, 12-21, 16-14
Wong/Olson def. Wachtfogel/Strickland, 21-16, 21-17
Hyden/Scott def. Drost/Vanderwerp, 21-13, 21-13

Finals
Babcock/Shaw def. Gysin/Engle, 21-15, 21-19
Hyden/Scott def. Olson/Wong, 2-1

Tags: Beach, Beach Volleyball, Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series