By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Taryn Brasher and Kristen Cruz captured their third consecutive AVP Manhattan Beach Open title Sunday, sweeping Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft to cement their place in the tournament’s recent history.
It was the tournament’s first women’s three-peat since Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings won four straight Manhattan Beach titles from 2005-08.
Brasher and Cruz, the top-ranked women’s professional beach volleyball team out of Louisiana State University, rolled past Cheng and Kraft 2-1, winning 21-18 and 21-16 in the championship match.
The LSU duo set the tone early, jumping to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. The teams traded runs throughout, with Cheng and Kraft eventually tying the set at 15. Brasher and Cruz responded by pulling away late to secure the 21-18 victory.
The championship capped a dominant weekend for Brasher and Cruz. The duo swept all six of its opponents and won all 12 sets, with an average margin of 4.7 points per set.
Perfect Run Through the Tournament
Brasher and Cruz opened Sunday by defeating Maddie Anderson and Alaina Chacon 21-18, 21-15 in the semifinals.
They then returned to the court for the championship match and maintained the pressure against Cheng and Kraft.
Brasher and Cruz jumped ahead 8-6 and continued to control the match, building a 17-12 advantage before closing out the title.
The victory gave the LSU teammates another Manhattan Beach championship and extended their remarkable run at one of beach volleyball’s most prominent events.
Benesh and Crabb Claim Men’s Title
On the men’s side, Andy Benesh and Taylor Crabb captured the tournament championship with a straight-set victory over Thomas Hurst and Gage Basey, 21-14, 21-13.
Crabb had previously earned a Manhattan Beach Pier bronze plaque, but the victory marked Benesh’s first Manhattan Beach Open title.
Benesh and Crabb took control immediately, racing to an 8-3 lead in the opening set as the momentum and energy remained on their side.
Hurst and Basey battled back to cut the deficit to 8-7, but Benesh ended the scoring run with a monster block, helping the team regain control.
From there, Benesh and Crabb continued to apply pressure and closed out the first set 21-14 before completing the championship sweep with a 21-13 second-set victory.