Wacholder, Turner finish seventh in Chicago

Rachel Wacholder (Laguna Beach High, 1993) and playing partner Tyra Turner reached the quarterfinal round of the women’s tournament of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Crocs Tour Chicago Open last weekend.

Wacholder and Turner, the No. 8-seed in the event, won three of their first four matches before being eliminated by the No. 7-seeded team of Dianne DeNecochea/Barbra Fontana, 21-11, 22-20.

Wacholder and Turner began the weekend with a pair of winner’s-bracket victories, defeating No. 27 Kristen Batt/Megan Wallin (21-12, 21-17) and No. 22 Paige Davis/Jenelle Koester (22-20, 21-12). The pair then dropped their first match of the tournament, falling 21-16, 21-12, to the No. 3 team of Elaine Youngs/Nicole Branagh.

They stayed alive by picking up a 21-13, 21-17 win over No. 9 Jenny Kroop/Nancy Mason in contender’s-bracket play but lost their next match and bid for the title by falling to DeNecochea/Fontana.

Their seventh-place finish (they tied for seventh with No. 14 Lauren Fredrick/Paula Roca) earned Wacholder and Turner a split of $4,600. The No. 1 team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the open by coming back to beat Youngs/Branagh, 18-21, 21-17, 15-12.

On the men’s side, the No. 1 team of Phil Dalhausser/Todd Rogers took the Chicago Open title by defeating No. 5 Jake Gibb/Sean Rosenthal, 21-13, 21-15, in the final.

The next AVP tournament, the Crocs Slam Brooklyn, begins today on Coney Island, NY.

“” Mike Sciacca