Andy Benesh was on another planet.
BENESH IN THE ZONE
Andy Benesh wasn't just playing. He was orchestrating. Six blocks and four aces in the first set of the AVP Huntington Beach Open's men's final? That's next-level. And he did it with a sense of ease. “I got into a little bit of a flow state,” Benesh said. “Sometimes the plays seem like they’re coming to you.”
Benesh and his partner Miles Partain didn't just win, they cruised through Chase Budinger and Miles Evans with two 21-14 sets. Straight up dominant. This marks their second title in Huntington Beach, adding to their growing list of victories.
BRASHER & NUSS HOLD FIRM
On the women's side, Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss had a tougher road, but the result was the same. They edged out Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft in a tight three-set battle, 21-17, 21-23, 15-9. Brasher and Nuss are no strangers to success — this was their eighth title together.
The crowd? Electric. “We loved that people were building up the sand to look over the fence,” Brasher said. “There’s just so much support for beach volleyball here.”
THE ROAD AHEAD
With the AVP League season launching soon, Benesh and Partain, along with Brasher and Nuss, are ready to ride this wave into Palm Beach. Theo Brunner, the new coach, has Benesh firing aggressive serves. And it’s paying off.
The AVP League's return to Southern California includes stops in San Diego and Los Angeles, with the heritage Manhattan Beach Open looming in August.
And just like that, the beach volleyball scene is heating up.
Source: latimes.com
