Manhattan Beach Gets Two New Champions

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 28, 2011) – The women’s beach volleyball team of Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik and the men’s team of Sean Scott and John Hyden will be getting plaques on the pier for the first time after winning the Manhattan Beach Open, part of the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series produced by USA Volleyball and IMG, on Sunday.

Winning teams are awarded a plaque on the Manhattan Beach Pier and earn $17,000 each. This was the 41st year of the tournament.

The top-seeded Kropp (Hawthorne, Calif.) and Pavlik (Laguna Beach, Calif.) opened the finals with a 21-13, 22-20 victory over fifth-seeded Jennifer Fopma (Bellflower, Calif.) and Tracy Jones (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

On the men’s side, top-seeded Hyden (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Scott (Redondo Beach, Calif.) beat seventh-ranked Billy Allen (Venice, Calif.) and Brad Keenan (Santa Ana, Calif.), 21-18, 21-13.

“It means a lot,” Hyden said. “The stands were filled. The pier was filled. It was something I haven’t been a part of and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

“We just work hard,” added Scott, who helped make his wife, Rachel (Wacholder) Scott a double winner as she also coached the winning women’s team.

In the first set, Hyden and Scott held a 19-15 lead. Allen and Keenan closed the gap at 20-18, but Hyden and Scott went on to win. In the second set, Hyden and Scott took a 14-7 lead and reached set point at 20-12. Allen scored on a cross-court strike before Scott ended the match with a kill.

For Allen and Keenan, playing in their first tournament as a team, just making it to the final was a victory.

“I’m so glad Brad and I connected,” Allen said. “I was close to not playing. But I would love to keep playing with him.”

Hyden and Scott advanced to the final with a 21-14, 21-18 victory in 47 minutes over third-seeded John Mayer (Culver City, Calif.) and Matt Prosser (Long Beach, Calif.).

Kropp and Pavlik reached the women’s final with a 21-17, 21-18 semifinal win in 47 minutes over second-ranked Kristen Batt (Venice, Fla.) and Brooke Sweat (Estero, Fla.).

“I’m going to cry,” Kropp said. “We’ve both been dreaming about the finals in Manhattan Beach for a long time.”

After Kropp and Pavlik took an easy first-set win, Fopma and Jones took an 8-5 lead in the second set. However, Kropp and Pavlik came back to tie the score at 13-13 and then took a 15-13 lead. Kropp and Pavlik reached match point at 20-19, but a Fopma block tied the score. Kropp and Pavlik scored the last two points on a hitting error and block by Kropp.

“They have a great block and so do we so it’s kind of a battle,” Pavlik said. “We were working so hard, sometimes the ball just falls your way.”

The Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series will move on to Miami Beach on Sept. 16-18, then return to California at Hermosa Beach on Sept. 23-25.

For men’s results, click here.

For women’s results, click here.

Tags: Beach, Beach Volleyball, John Hyden, Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series, Manhattan Beach Open, mobile, Sean Scott