Las Vegan ousted from pro volleyball tourney
Casey Jennings almost posted identical results to the two men’s qualifiers Thursday during the first day of the AVP Crocs Tour Gods and Goddesses of the Beach volleyball tournament at Caesars Palace.
However, because the results weren’t identical, Jennings, a Las Vegas native, won’t claim a championship in his hometown this year.
Sean Rosenthal and Fred Souza both qualified with 2-1 match records in Pool A. When they were teamed together, they won their match 21-17, 21-17 over Jennings and Brad Keenan. Jennings, despite also going 2-1 overall, was eliminated from the competition along with Keenan.
If Jennings had tallied 19 points to go along with his 17 with Keenan, he would have entered a playoff with Rosenthal, who won 21-19, 21-17 with Keenan. Souza was a 21-17, 22-20 winner with Keenan.
“I want to win this tournament,” said Jennings, a Clark High graduate. “I want to come back (to Las Vegas) and show people that you could do great things if you put your mind to it.”
Besides Rosenthal and Souza, the men who qualified for the second round Pool B were John Hyden and Matt Fuerbringer.
The women who qualified for today’s second round of pool play were Tyra Turner, April Ross, Jennifer Boss and Jenny Johnson Jordan
Turner and Ross qualified with 2-1 match records in Pool A. When they were teamed together, they won their match over Barbra Fontana and Brooke Hanson 22-20, 21-17. With Hanson unable to claim a 2-0 win, despite going 2-1, she and Fontana (1-2) were eliminated from the competition.
Boss advanced with a 3-0 mark, and Johnson Jordan went 1-2 but won tie-breakers against Dianne DeNecochea and Annett Davis, who were 1-2.
Boss and Johnson Jordan beat Davis and DeNecochea 21-15, 21-16 in Thursday’s last match.
The top four players in the AVP regular season are guaranteed the top four spots, which meant a bye in Thursday’s first round of pool play.
On the women’s side, that group includes Kerri Walsh, Nicole Branagh, Elaine Youngs and Rachel Wacholder. Misty May-Treanor, who would have been the top seed, pulled out of the tournament to rest her sore knees.
On the men’s side, the top four are defending champ Todd Rogers, Phil Dalhausser, Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger.