Reigning MB Open Champions Honored with Pier Plaques; Play Continues
Aug 14, 2026 09:59AM ● By MB News Staff
(2025 AVP Manhattan Beach Open winners Taryn (Kloth) Brasher and Kristen (Nuss) Cruz at Thursday's ceremony on the Manhattan Beach Pier.)
"Being on the pier is absolutely iconic," said Brasher. "It is so incredible to be included in this list of unbelievable athletes."
"Iconic is the word," agreed Cruz. "To walk along this year and see all the names prior – it’s absolutely insane. So to be entered into history like that; it’s so special."
(Budinger, left, and Evans, right)The men's winners were equally appreciative.
"This means everything," said Budinger. "This was a lifelong goal of mine when I switched over to beach volleyball. Winning this tournament was definitely on the top part of my list of achievements I wanted to do. I’m so happy to finally get my name on the pier - it’s something that I’ll forever be able to walk down here and show my kids and show them something that their dad can be proud of."
"This has been a lifelong dream other than the Olympics," added Evans. "Every year I’ve been slightly getting a better finish toward s it and it’s awesome to finally achieve it - I’m pretty stoked about it."
Thursday AVP MB Open Results
Thursday's results are as follows:
Men:
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Eight men’s teams earned spots in the tournament’s main draw through Thursday’s open qualifier. Their final qualifier match scores are listed below. The complete qualifier bracket is available here.
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(Q1) Brian Miller / Christopher Shaffer def. (Q17) Kyle Bailey /Soren Sotoodeh, 22-20, 21-16
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(Q3) Markus Koppke / Daniel Leathers def. (Q19) Frank Field / John Schwengel, 21-19, 21-13
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(Q4) Dexter Campbell / Skler Kauffman def. (Q13) Owen Karlenzig / Jacob Kim, 19-21, 21-14, 15-12
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(Q5) Chase Frishman / Billy Kolinske def. (Q12) Omid Ghazi / Bryce Mayer, 21-16, 23-21
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(Q10) Malachi Brewington / Ford Harman def. (Q26) Colton Jeffrey / Chicory Roth, 25-23, 21-19
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(Q11) Brian O’Neill / David Updegrove def. (Q70) Nathaniel Dickinson / Nolan Flexen, 21-18, 21-18
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(Q18) Mitchell Keddie / Ben Vaught def. (Q31) Troy Fitzgerald / Dylan Foreman, 21-12, 13-21, 15-8
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(Q25) Ric Cervantes / Jonah Seif def. (Q24) Raffe Paulis / Nathan Pugh, 21-12, 21-16
Women:
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Eight women’s teams earned spots in the tournament’s main draw through Thursday’s open qualifier. Their final qualifier match scores are listed below. The complete qualifier bracket is available here.
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(Q2) Alexis Durish / Audrey Koenig def. (Q15) Kaylie McHugh / Kristi Tekavec, 21-13, 21-13
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(Q4) Megan Gebhard / Katie Lindstrom def. (Q20) Katie Clevenger / Elise Lenahan, 13-21, 21-18, 15-9
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(Q8) Jessica Foster / Michelle Shaffer def. (Q24) Emma Eden / Chloe Hoffman, 21-12, 13-21, 15-9
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(Q10) Delaney Peranich / Sydney Wetterstrom def. (Q26) Faith Bartlett / Emma Zuffelato, 22-20, 21-12
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(Q11) Paloma Bowman / Maria Castillo def. (Q27) Amber Stivrins / Lauren Stivrins, 19-21, 21-17, 15-12
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(Q14) Kate Reilly / Clara Stowell def. (Q3) Kelly Belardi / Charlotta Bell, 21-13, 21-14
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(Q16) Harper Cooper / Alexa Fernandez def. (Q33) Karynn Garrow / Julia Specher, 20-22, 21-18, 15-13
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(Q21) Maddy Byrne / Quinn Perry def. (Q28) Savanna Lau / Amelia Vugrincic, 21-19, 21-11
Friday Schedule Highlights
Times are approximate
Men :
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8 a.m. - Stadium Court: (1) Chase Budinger / Trevor Crabb vs. (32) Ric Cervantes / Jonah Seif
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Budinger is the defending champion with former partner Miles Evans. Crabb has won Manhattan four times.
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8 a.m. - Court 2: (8) Phil Dalhausser / Taylor Sander vs. (25) Markus Koppke / Daniel Leathers
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Dalhausser has won Manhattan seven times.
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8 a.m. - Court 4: (9) Miles Evans / Alex Ranghieri vs. (24) Brian Miller / Christopher Shaffer
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Evans is the defending champion with former partner Chase Budinger.
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9 a.m. - Court 3: (4) Evan Cory / Derek Bradford vs. (29) Skylar del Sol / Jayden Pascua
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9 a.m. - Court 1: (3) Chaim Schalk / James Shaw vs. (30) Brian O’Neill / David Updegrove
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11 a.m. - Court 1: (2) Andy Benesh / Miles Partain vs. (31) Mitchell Keddie / Ben Vaught
Women:
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8 a.m. - Court 1: (1) Taryn Brasher / Kristen Cruz vs. (32) Maddy Byrne / Quinn Perry
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Brasher (formerly Kloth) and Cruz (formerly Nuss) are the two-time defending women’s champions
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9 a.m. - Stadium Court: (3) Melissa Humana-Pardes / Brandie Wilkerson vs. (30) Kate Reilly / Clara Stowell
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Humana-Paredes won Manhattan in 2019. Wilkerson was a runner-up in 2017.
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10 a.m. - Stadium Court: (11) Ally Batenhorst / Sara Hughes vs. (22) Emma Donley / Erin Inskeep
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Hughes won Manhattan in 2022.
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10 a.m. - Court 3: (6) Kylie Deberg / Betsi Flint vs. (27) Jessica Foster / Michelle Shaffer
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Flint won Manhattan in 2023.
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11 a.m. - Court 3: (2) Kelly Cheng / Megan Kraft vs. (31) Harper Cooper / Alexa Fernandez
