AVP Huntington Beach Open boasts some of the top U.S. teams in beach volleyball

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Emily Stockman can’t reach the ball during a match against Whitney Pavlik and Sheila Shaw on Saturday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Casey Patterson keeps the ball in play during a match against the Bomgren brothers at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Saturday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Summer Ross, left, and Lane Carico celebrate thier victory over Kim DiCello and Kendra Van Zwieten on Saturday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson celebrate their victory over the Bomgren brothers at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Saturday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Riley McKibbin kicks up some sand as he unsuccessfully tries to keep the ball in play during a match against Ryan Doherty and John Mayer on Satuday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Madison McKibbin is covered in sand as he prepares to serve to the team of Ryan Doherty and John Mayer at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Saturday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Ryan Doherty, right, tries to block a shot by Riley McKibbin during their match on Saturday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Madison McKibbin makes a pass during a match against the team of Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser during the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Friday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Teammates John Mayer and Ryan Doherty go after a serve during their match against Curt Toppel and Miles Evans on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Miles Evans digs the ball out of the sand during a match against John Mayer and Ryan Doherty on on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Robbie Page celebrates a victory with teammate Todd Rogers over Hudson Bates and Mark Burik at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Friday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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April Ross, left, and Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrate a point against the team of Avery Bush and Carol Welcher on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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April Ross tracks down a shot during a match against the team of Avery Bush and Carol Welcher on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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A beach volleyball player leaps to make a serve under stormy skies during the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Friday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Brian Bomgren reacts after spiking the ball against the team of Billy Kolinski and Casey Jennings on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Spectators look on as Billy Kolinski tries to dig the ball during a matach against the team of Tim and Brian Bomgren at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Friday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Brian Bomgren tries to make a pass during a match against the team of Billy Kolinski and Casey Jennings on Friday at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Nick Lucena tries to power the ball past Madison McKibbin during a match at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Friday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Miles Evans of Manhattan Beach dives to make a dig during a qualifying match at the AVP Huntington Beach Open on Thursday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans watch beach volleyball players attempt to qualify for the main draw during the first day of the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Teams compete on side-by-side beach volleyball courts during the AVP Huntington Beach Open qualifying rounds on Thursday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Danko Iordanov, left, of Lakewood and Miles Evans of Manhattan Beach battle at the net as their teams try to qualify Thursday for the main draw at the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Harry Maskell, a 16-year-old from Sydney, walks past advertisements for the AVP Huntington Beach Open while heading to the ocean to do some paddleboarding on Thursday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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A solitary fan watches Curt Toppel, who is on the beach volleyball tour, spike the ball Thursday during a qualifying match for the AVP Huntington Beach Open.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

By David Wharton

Staff Writer

May 5, 2016 9:21 PM PT

Beach volleyball fans can get a sneak peek at the Summer Olympics with three of the top U.S. duos competing at the 2016 AVP Huntington Beach Open this week.

Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross headline a field that begins opening-round action Friday. The teams of Phil Dalhausser-Nick Lucena and Jake Gibb-Casey Patterson are also scheduled to play.

The action figures to be decidedly airborne.

“Huntington Beach has a little bit more packed sand,” veteran Todd Rogers said. “It’s better jumping sand.”

Thursday qualifying saw 42 men’s teams and an equal number of women’s teams competing for four spots on each side. There were no surprises among the men.

For the women, Avery Bush and Carol Welcher made it through qualifying in their first AVP event.

The main draw of the tournament — the second stop on the eight-city AVP tour — begins with Gibb and Patterson in a 9:30 a.m. match. Dalhausser and Lucena are scheduled for 10:35 a.m.

Walsh Jennings and Ross will put a 41-match winning streak on the line at 12:45 p.m.

david.wharton@latimes.com