May-Treanor tops list with Hermosa win
We know all about death and taxes, but the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour apparently is ready to add victories by Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh to that inevitable list.
May-Treanor became the women’s all-time leader in beach volleyball victories Sunday when she and Walsh overcame an early-morning loss and defeated third-seeded Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner, 21-15, 21-11, in the final of the Hermosa Beach Open.
It was May-Treanor’s 73rd career victory, one more than Holly McPeak, and the result was such a shoo-in that AVP tournament staff members began passing out T-shirts commemorating May-Treanor’s historic victory during the first game of the final match.
But there was no premature T-shirt jinx as May-Treanor and Walsh overcame a 9-6 deficit in the first game and cruised the rest of the way.
“It’s quite an honor,” May-Treanor said. “All the players on that list are players that I look up to. It’s a list that a lot of volleyball players dream of being on top of.”
The record, however, became secondary early Sunday when May-Treanor and Walsh dropped into the loser’s bracket after a 21-23, 24-22, 15-10 loss to No. 5 April Ross and Jen Boss.
It served as a wake-up call for the top-seeded team, which gave up more than 15 points only once in its next three matches.
“We were motivated to win,” Walsh said. “Honestly, we never talked about the record. We were focused on winning the tournament, and the record took care of itself.”
There is no guarantee that the record will remain May-Treanor’s because McPeak is still active. She and partner Logan Tom finished ninth at Hermosa Beach, and while she applauded May-Treanor for setting the record, McPeak said she has no intention of letting May-Treanor get too far ahead.
“I knew she’d get me soon, but not this soon,” McPeak said. “I at least wanted to fight her in the final and defend my title, but I guess I’m chasing her now.”
It could be a tough chase because of the pace at which May-Treanor and Walsh are winning. It took McPeak 235 tournaments to win 72 times but it has taken May-Treanor only 123 tournaments to win 73.
Walsh’s victory left her two behind McPeak.
May-Treanor said she was happy that the record chase was over, simply because she was uncomfortable stealing the spotlight in a team sport.
“I’m like, ‘Yes, I don’t have to hear about the record anymore,’ ” she said. “I don’t like being the center of attention unless I’m on the dance floor or on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ ”
Maybe she doesn’t have to hear about the record anymore, but she does have to see the T-shirts, which have a large 73 printed in the middle of a volleyball.
May-Treanor and Walsh said they did not know about the T-shirts and did not see them getting passed around during the match, but Walsh said if she had, she would have been knocking on wood.
“I’m glad I didn’t see it,” Walsh said. “I would have been knocking on everything.”
And at the same time victories by May-Treanor and Walsh have become predictable, so have those by top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers on the men’s side. They cruised past fourth-seeded Jason Ring and Matt Olson, 21-17, 21-12, in the final and won for the fourth time in five tournaments this year.
Second-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal dropped two matches Sunday and shared fifth with Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong.
It was the first time this season that Gibb and Rosenthal failed to reach the final.