New champions crowned at AVP Kingston Chicago Open

New champions crowned at AVP Kingston Chicago Open

AVP veterans Jenny Kropp and Ty Tramblie earn first career AVP titles

                                                                       

CHICAGO (August 30, 2015) –  The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour marked its return to Chicago after a five-year hiatus with an exciting weekend of competition, crowning new champions of the AVP Kingston Chicago Open in front of thousands of fans that packed Oak Street Beach on Sunday.

Olympian Nicole Branagh found her way back to the top of the podium alongside teammate Jenny Kropp, as the third-seeded duo won the women’s title with a 21-16, 21-19 victory over second-seededKim DiCello and Kendra Van Zwieten.

Brad Keenan and Ty Tramblie, seeded third in the men’s bracket, earned their first tournament title as teammates while also playing together for the first time. They upset top-seeded and previously undefeated Ryan Doherty and John Mayer, 21-19, 22-20, in the men’s final.

After falling to DiCello and Van Zwieten in the third round of the double-elimination tournament Saturday, Branagh and Kropp battled backed to secure a rematch in the finals. They advanced to a final for the second straight tournament and the third time this season. It was the first AVP tournament victory for Kropp, who joined forces with Branagh – now a 17-time AVP tournament winner – earlier this year.

Branagh and Kropp took down Amanda Dowdy and Heather McGuire, 21-19, 21-19 in the first women’s semifinal of the day, vaulting them to their second consecutive AVP final and third so far this season. The third-place finish marked a career best for Dowdy, who earned her previous career best result (fifth) alongside former partner Branagh.

DiCello and Van Zwieten took down top-seeded Lane Carico and Summer Ross, 21-16, 15-21, 15-13, in the other women’s semifinal to earn their first-ever finals appearance.  Carico and Ross – who entered the tournament by way of the open qualifier – have finished no lower than third in all three AVP tournaments the team has entered this season.

The number two and three women’s seeds had crossed paths earlier in the tournament, with DiCello and Van Zwieten besting Branagh and Kropp in a third-round winner’s bracket match on Saturday (21-17, 17-21, 18-16,) knocking Branagh/Kropp into the contenders bracket. Branagh and Kropp turned the tables in the final, needing only two games to earn the Chicago title over first-time finalists DiCello and Van Zwieten. 

The top men’s seeds, Ryan Doherty and John Mayer, ousted second seeds Todd Rogers and Stafford Slick, 21-15, 22-20, in the semifinals. The second men’s semifinal also went three games, as third seeds Keenan and Tramblie battled the gritty team of Casey Jennings and Billy Kolinske – seeded fifth – to a 21-14, 19-21, 15-10 victory.

The 2015 AVP Tour will continue next weekend with the AVP Kingston Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.  The pro beach volleyball tournament, which has become a Labor Day tradition in Ohio, will feature the return of Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser – a three-time Cincinnati Open champion, Olympic silver medalist Jennifer Kessy – also a three-time Cincinnati Open champion – and many more of the tour’s top players and 2016 Olympic hopefuls.