International teams rule Huntington Beach Open

When the Federation Internationale de Volleyball and the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals teamed up for the Huntington Beach Open, it opened the door for the world’s top volleyball talent to descend upon coastal Orange County.

Given the newfound global nature of the event, it is only fitting that international teams dominated.

The final day was completely absent of Americans. Teams from Brazil, Germany and Canada reached the semifinals on the women’s side, while the men’s final four pairs represented Latvia, the Netherlands, Brazil and Spain.

With a packed house on the beach releasing raucous cheers throughout the afternoon, it was clear that it didn’t matter that a loaded U.S. field failed to produce a Sunday competitor. Fans from one of the meccas of beach volleyball showed up in droves and displayed their appreciation for the game’s finest.

Brazil’s Barbara Seixas and Fernanda Alves took home gold on the women’s side, while the Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen were crowned the men’s champions.

“The fact that there has always been an AVP event in Huntington for however many successive years, clearly there’s an appetite for it here,” said Donald Sun, the AVP managing partner. “I just like that we get to show off Orange County. Show the world what it’s like to live here, and what is beach volleyball. The fact that there are no Americans in the finals, and it’s packed, that’s a testament to the fact that these people really just enjoy good volleyball.”

Barbara and Fernando stormed back after dropping the first set of their final match against fellow Brazilians Maria Antonelli and Carolina Solberg Salgado. While their opponents struggled to adjust to shifting winds, Barbara and Fernando rattled off big runs early to set the tone in both the second and third sets.

One of the key moments of the 16-21, 21-15, 15-9 victory came late in the final set, as Fernanda recorded four consecutive blocks to win the 13th point. The crowd erupted, and two points later, the pair clinched their gold medal.

“The energy here is very good,” Fernanda said of playing in Huntington Beach. “The American people, they like beach volleyball. We feel that inside the court. You make a great play and [you can hear the crowd go], ‘Ahhhhh.’ It’s so nice to play with this.”

“And the Americans always know how to make a show,” Barbara added.

As for the men, there was significantly less drama in the tournament finale.

Brouwer and Meeuwsen never felt the heat from Brazil’s André Stein and Evandro Gonçalves in the final match, cruising to a 21-16, 21-15 sweep. The comfortable nature of their match was hardly indicative of the weekend.

“It was so up and down,” Meeuwsen said. “We didn’t start well at all. We lost our second game, had some good conversation and changed some things. We really knew how we wanted to play this, and it was just one big fight. Two or three games in a day is a lot, but we knew we were fit and strong and could handle it. Now we’ve played nine games in this tournament, and we’re feeling pretty good at the moment.”

While the final day was comprised solely of international teams, the event featured some local flavor — including a pair of top contenders on the women’s side.

Costa Mesa’s Sara Hughes and partner Summer Ross showcased their status as one of the best young duos in the sport.

Hughes, who grew up training in Huntington Beach with legendary coach Bill Lovelace, developed a name for herself with an illustrious career at Mater Dei High, followed by a record-setting run at USC.

The pair finished tied for fifth overall, missing out on a trip to the semifinals with two consecutive losses to veteran teams on Saturday. The eventual champions, Barbara and Fernando, handed them one of these losses.

Still, the future is undoubtedly bright for Hughes, 23, and Ross, 25, who swept their first three matches.

Fellow Costa Mesa native April Ross, a graduate of Newport Harbor High, also competed alongside Mira Costa alum Alix Klineman. The pair finished ninth, winning their first two matches before being eliminated with back-to-back losses on Saturday.

JOSH CRISWELL is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @joshccriswell