Top Teams Advance in Prestigious Manhattan Beach Open

The top names in beach volleyball came through in the Manhattan Beach Open Saturday to advance to Sunday's final day of competition. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh-Jennings and her partner two-time Manhattan Beach Open champ Whitney Pavlik step on to center court at 3 p.m. and the No. 1 seeded team of Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal begin play at 4 p.m.

Fans unable to make it to Manhattan Beach to view the action in person will be able to catch it streamed live on CBS Sports Network. Find your local CBS TV station via this link: http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.

A new Legends 4’s competition is set for 1:30 p.m. The Legends 4’s will feature beach volleyball greats Sinjin Smith, Tim Hovland and Mira Costa High School alumni Eric Fonoimoana and Mike Dodd against top seeded to-be-announced Manhattan Beach Open competitors. 

This year's tournament features the "old school vibe" of yesteryears, with spectators able to watch professionals up close for no charge. Tournament goers may bring beach chairs, towels, blankets to watch the competition from the sand and may also view it from the pier.

“The Manhattan Beach Open is the oldest running tournament," said Walsh-Jennings. "It has the bigger draw, we have all the great names in beach volleyball competing here and you get your name immortalized on the pier if you win.

“This is my first experience with the old school vibe and I like it! There is so much love in the South Bay and I love the community feel - I feel like I know every person here.”

In an exciting game, Cal State Long Beach alumni Taylor and Trevor Crabb, seeded No. 32, gave Dalhausser and Rosenthal some stiff competition, winning the first match.

Rosie’s R8drs, a group of Rosenthal fans from the South Bay who are well-known for their vocal heckling and spirited cheers, were impressed by the play of the Crabb brothers, who are from Hawaii.

Strategic plays kept the crowd on the edge of their seat, including when the 23-year-old Trevor successfully punched a hit through the outstretched hands of six-foot-nine Dalhausser.

“I was nervous seeing Sean and Phil across the court from us," said the 21-year-old Taylor. "I have only seen them on TV but it was a great experience to play against them. I really didn’t expect to win a game.” 

Said Rosenthal, "There is nothing like playing in front of my hometown crowd. The Manhattan Beach Open is a really special tournament and something that I look forward to every year, but I am really digging the old school vibe and community feel on the sand this year.

“Watching the fans and passers-by spill over the pier railings looks just like the old photos I've seen from the days of Sinjin, Hov and Dodd, and so many others who I looked up to growing up." 

Walsh-Jennings and Pavlik defeated opponents Joy Akins and Jami Gregory to advance. Walsh-Jennings, whose three-time Olympic gold partner Misty may has retired from the sport, has announced her intention to claim a fourth Olympic gold medal in 2016.

The Manhattan Beach Open is the second stop of the 2013 Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour drew. The champions in the men's and women's divisions will receive a plaque on the Manhattan Beach Pier’s Volleyball Walk of Fame and will also earn a piece of the $200,000 prize purse.

For a complete list of Saturday’s results and brackets, visit http://avp.com/stats/mbostats.

For more information about The Manhattan Beach Open, go to avp.com and themanhattanbeachopen.com. You can also follow the tournament on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram @theMBOpen.