Wacholder, Akers tie for ninth

Laguna Beach’s Rachel Wacholder and partner Angie Akers finished in a

tie for ninth-place at last weekend’s San Diego Open, the sixth stop

on the 2004 Assn. Of Volleyball Professionals Nissan Series.

Wacholder and Akers, the women’s sixth-seed, lost to No. 11 seed

Tanya Fuamata/Heidi Ilustre, 21-17, 19-21, 12-15, in winner’s bracket

play.

Prior to that loss, the pair opened the tournament with a 21-17,

21-11 win over No. 20 seed Kristen Schritter/Helen Reale in

Contender’s Bracket action.

They then defeated No. 19 seed Courtney Guerra/Brooke Niles,

21-18, 21-17, but lost to No. 9 seed Tammy Leibl/Sarah Straton,

17-21, 22-20, 9-15.

In the women’s final Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs defeated

Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 22-20, 20-18.

The match was a repeat of the Manhattan Beach Open women’s final

played the week before, also won by McPeak and Youngs.

The men’s final was won by Karch Kiraly and Mike Lambert, who

defeated Sean Rosenthal/Larry Witt, 218-, 14-21, 15-8.

Kiraly and Lambert also won the men’s title at the Manhattan Beach

Open.

Laguna Beach’s Dain Blanton and partner Jeff Nygaard did not

compete at the San Diego Open. The pair are playing oversees in an

Olympic qualifying tournament.