Smack Sportswear Athletes Continue Domination Of The Jose Cuervo Beach Volleyball Series

Online, July 23, 2012 (Newswire.com) - True to its reputation, the Hermosa Beach Open was again an event to remember, drawing a weekend crowd of over 50,000 volleyball lovers, who witnessed a seemingly endless number of spectacular battles on the sand. Chants of "pro volleyball is back" echoed throughout the tournament. The weekend began with the largest opening day to-date, in the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series, with 32 women's teams and 41 men's teams slugging it out in the qualifying rounds. In the mix, were over 75 local athletes, with 33 who call Hermosa Beach home. But even with all the extra talent on the beach, it became clear very early on that the Smack athletes would once again own the tournament.

Smack athlete Jenny Kropp and her partner Whitney Pavlik, along with Smack athlete Brooke Sweat and her partner Jenny Fopma marched through their games on Saturday undefeated. Smack athlete Tyra Turner and her partner Priscilla Lima won all of their matches except for one, which they barely lost in three games to Sheila Shaw and Kathryn Babcock. The streaks continued on Sunday, with basically the only teams able to beat the Smack athletes were Smack athletes. Turner and Lima lost to Kropp and Pavlik in the semi-finals taking 3rd place. Brooke Sweat and Jenny Fopma faced Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik in the finals and what a match it was! Lively fans buzzed with thunder sticks, cheers and heckling from the moment the women stepped on the court. Kropp and Whitney won the first game 21:15, but Sweat and Fopma came back and took the second game 22:20. The final game was a spectacular fight from both teams, with the lead bouncing back and forth the entire time. But in the end, Smack athlete Jenny Kropp and her partner Whitney Pavlik won 17:15, taking home their fourth straight win, in front of local friends and family. For the second tournament in a row, the Smack girls took first, second and third place! Definitely a reason to be proud of these amazing athletes.

Smack male athlete, Avery Drost and his partner Ty Tramblie, weren't able to repeat their amazing performance from the prior weekend in Chicago. While giving us some great volleyball, they didn't make it into the main round on Sunday. Smack, however, is confident more great finishes are coming from this talented young player in the near future.

If you weren't able to catch the live action in Hermosa Beach (or simply want to re-live it), make sure to tune in on August 5th at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Network. Of course, if you're looking to buy the same bikinis or board shorts worn this past weekend by Team Smack by go to www.SmackSportswear.com.

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