May-Walsh Won’t Play in San Diego

Misty May and Kerri Walsh, the top-ranked women’s beach volleyball team in the world, have withdrawn from the San Diego Open this weekend because of an injury to May.

May pulled an abdominal muscle during the team’s victory in Huntington Beach two weeks ago. She played through it in Manhattan Beach last week, but the team lost to Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the semifinals. It was their first loss in 90 matches, a streak that included 15 consecutive tournament titles.

May tore her abdominal muscle before the 2000 Olympics, when she teamed with Holly McPeak and finished fifth. She has had problems with the muscle ever since.

May and Walsh are scheduled to play in Switzerland, Germany and Norway in the next three weeks. They then will return to play an AVP event in New Jersey on July 10-11 and an AVP event in Hermosa Beach on July 24-25. The Hermosa event is their final tuneup before the Olympics.

“If I don’t take time off now, there won’t be time to rest it,” May said. “We’re on the road for five weeks after this, so I want to be sure it’s rested. I definitely want to be 100% going into the Olympics.”