Theo Brunner, a former UCSB standout middle blocker, and partner Nick Lucena won the smart AVP Championship at Huntington Beach on Sunday, beating John Hyden and Tri Bourne, 23-21, 7-21, 15-13, in the final.
It is the first career AVP title for Brunner and the first for Lucena since 2010 in Virginia Beach. The pair split $20,000. They were runners-up in the St. Petersburg final, which was played in Santa Barbara three weeks ago.
There also was a surprise in the women’s final in Huntington Beach.
Jennifer Fopma and Brooke Sweat won their first title, beating Lauren Fendrick and Brittany Hochevar, 21-19, 15-21, 15-9.
Fendrick-Hochevar pulled off a huge upset, knocking off top-seeded Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross in the semifinals, 21-15, 21-17. Walsh Jennings was trying to become the winningest women’s player in history. She is tied with her former partner Misty May Treaner with 112 career tournament victories. May Treaner retired after the pair won their third Olympics gold medal in 2012.
Fopma-Sweat defeated No. 2 seed Summer Ross and Emily Day in the other semifinal, 18-21, 21-19, 15-13.
Brunner played with a host of partners on the AVP Tour before hooking up with Lucena, who started his career playing with Phil Dalhausser.
Brunner-Lucena outlasted top-seeded Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson in the semifinals, 19-21, 26-24, 15-12. Gibb-Patterson were seeking their fifth straight tournament title.
