Youngs, Masakayan Win Portugal Open
Elaine Youngs and Liz Masakayan defeated Lisa Arce and Barbra Fontana, 15-9, in an all-United States final Saturday at the Portugal Open women’s beach volleyball event at Espinho.
Youngs, who graduated from El Toro High, and Masakayan earlier won their semifinal match, 15-12, over Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook of Australia.
The victory moved Youngs and Masakayan into the No. 2 spot in the U.S. Olympic qualification rankings behind Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
Newport Harbor alumna Misty May and partner Holly McPeak fell into third. They missed the Portugal Open because of May’s strained stomach muscle.
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Eighth-seeded Dain Blanton and partner Eric Fonoimoana rebounded from an opening setback to top-seeded Ze’Marco deMelo and Ricardo Santos of Brazil to win their next two matches on their way to a fifth-place finish at the FIVB men’s beach volleyball tour stop at Espinho.
Blanton, a Laguna Beach High graduate, and Fonoimoana scored a 15-7 elimination win over Americans Rob Heidger and Kevin Wong before beating fourth-seeded Jorre Kjemperud and Vegard Hoidalen of Norway, 15-10. Blanton and Fonoimoana then lost a 15-6 decision to second-seeded Emanuel Rego and Jose Loiola of Brazil.
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