Volleyball Tournament

Kelly Webb and Gina Stivers led Saddleback to a 15-7, 15-0, 15-7 victory over Foothill in the first round of the state community college women's volleyball championships Friday. Webb had 13 kills and Stivers had 12. Richelle Danet had 39 assists for Saddleback, the second-ranked team in Southern California. Saddleback is making its second consecutive appearance in the tournament after a 19-year drought.

Parity on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Tour became obvious Saturday as the top-two seeded teams were upset, sending them into the consolation bracket of the $50,000 AVP Open at Seal Beach. The top-seeded team of Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson, winners of three AVP titles this season, were stunned in the semifinals, 15-7, by Jose Liola and Emanuel Rego. Liola and Rego, seeded third and playing together in only their fourth tournament, were flawless early on and took a 12-0 lead.

The Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour is back in Seal Beach this weekend after a two-year absence. The 40-team field in the $50,000 Seal Beach Open is headed by the top-seeded team of Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson, who have won three AVP titles this season. Kiraly is only six AVP tour victories from Sinjin Smith's record of 139, but he has never won at Seal Beach in 12 attempts.

Signaling a return to the days of yesteryear, Manhattan Beach plans to bring back the Manhattan Open volleyball tournament this summer as an amateur event with free admission and a homespun bring-your-own-beach-chair attitude. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to direct city staff to create a nostalgic-style tournament June 13 and 14 with no bleachers, loud music or paid seating. Anheuser-Busch pledged $25,000 to the event and a local businessman offered the same as a co-sponsor.

Laguna Beach's junior varsity team defeated Katella's varsity team, 15-8, to win the Aliso Niguel volleyball tournament Saturday at Aliso Viejo. Laguna Beach's Brett Bond and Maggie Mallarian were named to the all-tournament team. The Artists were 4-2 in round-robin play and advanced to the championship with a 15-10 semifinal victory over Lakewood.

Cal State Fullerton captured the championship of the Southern Mississippi women's volleyball tournament with two victories Saturday at Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Titan setter Carolyn Kittell had 93 assists in two matches and was named tournament MVP. Kittell had 58 assists in a 16-14, 15-9, 16-14 victory over Mississippi (0-2) and she had 35 assists in a 15-6, 15-8, 15-7 victory over Southwestern Louisiana (1-2).

A Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction Friday prohibiting a men's professional beach volleyball tournament on the sand in Manhattan Beach. Judge Robert H. O'Brien ruled that the city of Manhattan Beach did not properly comply with environmental impact laws when it granted a permit authorizing a stop on the men's pro tour, which is run by the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals.

The city of Newport Beach is holding its second in a series of California Beach Volleyball Assn. tournaments this weekend at Corona del Mar's main beach. Check-in time is 10 a.m. Saturday and the tournament concludes Sunday. There will be tournaments held in women's unrated, women's double-A and men's unrated divisions. The entry fee is $30 and annual CBVA membership is $10. Fees can be paid Saturday.