Chemistry Lacking, Kirby-Reno Eliminated After Losing Twice

Two of the most esteemed beach volleyball players were spitting sand all day, a woman whose mother recently died won the biggest game of her career, and a mom and a lawyer were among the toughest teams Saturday in the Evian Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. National Championships.

Karolyn Kirby and Nancy Reno lost two matches and will not advance to today’s final four at Huntington Beach, which is significant considering the success they have had in the event. Kirby and Reno won it together in 1992 before Kirby won it with Liz Masakayan in 1993 and ’94. Reno won it last year with Holly McPeak.

Kirby and Reno, seeded second, lost to third-seeded McPeak and Lisa Arce, 15-7, in the championship bracket semifinals, then to ninth-seeded Krista Blomquist and Danalee Bragado, 15-7, in the contender’s bracket semifinals.

For Blomquist, the victory came three weeks after her mother, Daryl, died after a freak swimming accident near their home in Branford, Conn. Blomquist turned to volleyball to help her cope.

Blomquist and Bragado play top-seeded Barbra Fontana Harris, a lawyer, and Linda Hanley, a mother of two, in the semifinals today at 9 a.m. Fontana Harris and Hanley defeated Patty Dodd and Christine Schaefer, 15-10, in the championship bracket semifinals to advance.

Dodd and Schaefer then defeated Gail Castro and Gayle Stammer, 15-13, in the other contenders’ bracket semifinal. They will play McPeak and Arce at 10 a.m. The final is at noon.