NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana State University was well represented Friday on the first day of play at the AVP Pro Series New Orleans Open, as three former Tigers players won their first two matches of the tournament and advanced to the winners’ bracket quarterfinals.
Taryn Kloth and Metairie native Kristen Nuss, seeded second in the women’s bracket, beat the 15th seeded and seventh-seeded team to set up an 8:35 p.m. Saturday quarterfinals matchup that will see them take on former LSU teammate Toni Rodriguez and partner Savannah Simo. Rodriguez and Simo, seeded 11th, have been the surprise team of the tournament so far, notching upsets of teams seeded sixth and third. In both the women’s and men’s brackets, the top-seeded teams cruised through to the quarterfinals unscathed, as 2020 Olympian Kelly Cheng and Betsi Flint won both their Friday matches, and 2008 gold medalist Phil Dalhausser Olympian Casey Patterson did the same.
Metairie native Evan Cory and teammate Billy Kolinske, seeded eighth, fell in a second-round matchup with top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Casey Patterson, but remain alive and will begin their battle back through the contenders’ bracket Saturday afternoon.
LSU product Kahlee York and partner Megan Gebhard also dropped into the contenders’ bracket after falling to former teammates Kloth and Nuss in the first round. Contenders’ bracket play in the double-elimination tournament begins Saturday at 2 p.m., with the winners’ bracket quarterfinals starting at 6:25 p.m. CT.
The three-day New Orleans Open runs through Sunday and features 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams competing for a $125,000 purse, offering $2 million in prize money – the most comprehensive tournament slate for the AVP since 2009.
Brackets for both the men’s and women’s draw can be viewed here.
Friday’s Notable Results
Men:
First round
• (1) Phil Dalhausser/Casey Patterson def. (16) Noah Dyer/Chase Frishman, 21-19, 18-
21, 15-9.
• (2) Andy Benesh/Nick Lucena def. (15) Lev Priima/Silila Tucker, 21-19, 21-15.
• (3) Taylor Crabb/Taylor Sander def. (14) Cody Caldwell/Adam Roberts, 21-19, 18-21,
15-11
• (4) Chase Budinger/Troy Field def. (13) Dave Palm/Roberto Rodriguez, 21-13, 21-15.
• (8) Evan Cory/Billy Kolinske def. (9) Miles Evans/Ed Ratledge, 21-23, 21-15, 15-6
Second round
• (1) Phil Dalhausser/Casey Patterson def. (8) Evan Cory/Billy Kolinske, 21-17, 21-18
• (7) Miles Partain/Paul Lotman def. (2) Andy Benesh/Nick Lucena, 21-10, 16-21, 18-16
• (3) Taylor Crabb/Taylor Sander def. (6) John Hyden/Logan Webber, 19-21, 21-19, 15-13
• (4) Chase Budinger/Troy Field def. (5) Billy Allen/Jeremy Casebeer, 21-23, 25-23, 15-11
Women:
First round
• (1) Kelly Cheng/Betsi Flint def. (16) Brooke Bauer/Katie Horton, 18-21, 21-14, 15-12
• (2) Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss def. (15) Kahlee York/Megan Gebhard, 21-14, 21-18
• (3) Zana Muno/Brandie Wilkerson def. (14) Macy Jerger/Abby van Winkle, 21-12, 21-16
• (4) Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini def. (13) Mackenzie Ponnet/Chelsea Rice, 24-26,
21-18, 15-12
• (11) Toni Rodriguez/Savannah Simo def. (6) Emily Day/Hailey Harward, 21-19, 19-21,
15-11
Second round
• (1) Kelly Cheng/Betsi Flint def. (8) Jessica Gaffney/Molly Turner, 21-17, 21-18
• (2) Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss def. (7) Corrine Quiggle/Sarah Schermerhorn, 19-21, 21-
19, 15-8
• (11) Toni Rodriguez/Savannah Simo def. (3) Zana Muno/Brandie Wilkerson, 19-21, 21-
18, 15-12
• (5) Megan Kraft/Emily Stockmen def. (4) Larissa Maestrini/Liliane Maestrini, 18-21, 22-
10, 17-15
Saturday’s Winner’s Bracket Quarterfinals Matchups
Women:
• 6:25 p.m. CT: (1) Kelly Cheng/Betsi Flint vs. (5) Megan Kraft/Emily Stockman
• 8:35 p.m. CT: (11) Toni Rodriguez/Savannah Simo vs. (2) Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss
Men:
• 7:30 p.m. CT: (1) Phil Dalhausser/Casey Patterson vs. (4) Chase Budinger/Troy Field
• 9:40 p.m. CT: (3) Taylor Crabb/Taylor Sander vs. (7) Miles Partain/Paul Lotman
{Courtesy: release from AVP Pro Series}
