AVP Cleveland, Ohio - June 27-29, 1997

SUNDAY RESULTS

STEFFES AND LOIOLA'S DOMINATION ON THE SAND CONTINUES WITH VICTORY AT $100,000 MILLER LITE OPEN AT CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND (June 29, 1997) - For the fourth time this season, No. 1 seeds Jose Loiola and Kent Steffes have been too much for No. 2 seeds Randy Stoklos and Troy Tanner as they notched a 10-6 victory as time expired in front of a sold-out crowd at the $100,000 Miller Lite Open at Cleveland.

Stoklos and Tanner, who finished second to Steffes and Loiola at last week's Miller Lite Grand Slam event in Chicago, advanced to their fifth final of the season after defeating No, 5 seeds Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson 15-12.

Kiraly and Johnson recorded a third-place finish for the third time this season as they defeated No. 6 seeds Rob Heidger and Brian Lewis, 16-14 in overtime, before falling to Stoklos and Tanner. No, 4 seeds Dain Blanton and Canyon Ceman took home a fifth-place finish, along with No. 20 seeds Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers, who set a career high finish for their effort.

The Miller Lite/AVP Tour resumes on the Fourth of July as the best beach volleyball players in the world travel to Cape Cod for the Miller Lite/AVP Championships of New England (July 4-6).

SATURDAY RESULTS

TOP SEEDS TO MEET IN SUNDAY'S WINNER'S BRACKET FINAL AFTER TWO DAYS OF PLAY AT THE MILLER LITE OPEN AT CLEVELAND

SIX TEAMS REMAIN IN SEARCH OF $20,000 FIRST PLACE PRIZE

CLEVELAND (June 28, 1997) - No. 1 seeds Jose Loiola and Kent Steffes and No. 2 seeds Randy Stoklos and Troy Tanner advanced to Sunday's winner's bracket finals as both teams remain undefeated after two days of play at the $100,000 Miller Lite Open at Cleveland's Nautica Complex.

Steffes and Loiola, who have teamed up to win eight out of 11 tournaments so No. 8 seeded team of Bill Boullianne and Ricci Luyties in their first match of the day. They later went on their former partners, and No. 5 seeds, Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson, 15-4 in the double elimination tournament.

Stoklos and Tanner, who finished second to Steffes and Loiola at last week's Miller Lite Grand Slam event in Chicago, posted their first win Saturday with a 15-12 decision over No. 7 seeds Eric Fonoimoana and Bryan Ivie. They then edged out No. 6 seeds Brian Lewis and Rob Heidger, 15-6.

Olympic silver medalists and No. 3 seeds Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh were eliminated from play Saturday after they suffered a 15-10loss to Heidger/Lewis and a 15-11 setback to No. 4 seeds Dain Blanton and Canyon Ceman.

Action at the $100,000 Miller lite Open at Cleveland resumes Sunday at 11:30 am with tickets still available at the ticket booth or by contacting Telecharge at (800) 432-7470.

Steffes and Loiola will meet Tanner and Stoklos in the winner's bracket final scheduled for a 12:40 pm start. Kiraly and Johnson will face Blanton and Ceman while Heidger and Lewis will take on No. 20 seeds Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers in contender's bracket semi-final action at 11:30 am.

$100,000 total prize money
32 Teams

1st - Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)           $20,000

2nd - Randy Stoklos/Troy Tanner (2)          $11,400

3rd - Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly (5)          $ 9,030

4th - Rob Heidger/Brian Lewis (6)            $ 7,130

5th - Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (20)        $ 5,700
5th - Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (4)          $ 5,700

7th - Bill Boullianne/Ricci Luyties (8)      $ 4,280
7th - Eric Fonoimoana/Bryan Ivie (7)         $ 4,280

9th - Raul Papaleo/Kevin Wong (19)           $ 3,090
9th - Ian Clark/David Swatik (10)            $ 3,090
9th - James Fellows/Lance Lyons (23)         $ 3,090
9th - Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (3)           $ 3,090

13th- Henry Russell/Eric Wurts (11)          $ 2,130
13th- Eduardo Bacil/Daniel Cardenas (16)     $ 2,130
13th- Dan Castillo/Jason Ryan Pursley (17)   $ 2,130
13th- Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (22)       $ 2,130

17th- Aaron Smith/David Smith (28)           $   950
17th- Bruk Vandeweghe/Chris Young (27)       $   950
17th- Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (9)           $   950
17th- Scott Friederichsen/Wayne Seligson (18)$   950
17th- John Brajevic/Brian Gatzke (15)        $   950
17th- Matt Lyles/Greg Shankle (24)           $   950
17th- Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (12)      $   950
17th- Brent Doble/Albert Hannemann (14)      $   950

25th- Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (13)            $   500
25th- Aaron Boss/Nick Hannemann (21)         $   500      
25th- Andre Gomes/Kevin Martin (25)          $   500
25th- Paul Baxter/Jerry Graham (32)          $   500
25th- Nathan Heidger/Scott Murdoch (31)      $   500
25th- Mark Paaluhi/Jason Stimpfig (26)       $   500
25th- Leland Quinn/Todd Ahmadi (30)          $   500
25th- Stein Metzger/Sean Scott (29)          $   500

NOTES: Number in brackets "(#)" reflects the teams seeding
        * = New Team (from previous week)

PLAYERS

Seedings announced on June 24th:

Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)
Randy Stoklos/Troy Tanner (2)^3
Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (3)^4
Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (4)^5
Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly (5)v2
Rob Heidger/Brian Lewis (6)^7
Eric Fonoimoana/Bryan Ivie (7)^8
Bill Boullianne/Ricci Luyties (8)*
Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (9)
Ian Clark/David Swatik (10)^11
Henry Russell/Eric Wurts (11)v10
Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (12)^15
Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (13)v12
Brent Doble/Albert Hannemann (14)^17
John Brajevic/Brian Gatzke (15)v13
Eduardo Bacil/Daniel Cardenas (16)
Dan Castillo/Jason Ryan Pursley (17)^19
Scott Friederichsen/Wayne Seligson (18)*
Raul Papaleo/Kevin Wong (19)^22
Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (20)
Aaron Boss/Nick Hannemann (21)^23
Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (22)^25
James Fellows/Lance Lyons (23)^24
Matt Lyles/Greg Shankle (24)^29
Andre Gomes/Kevin Martin (25)^26
Mark Paaluhi/Jason Stimpfig (26)^27
Bruk Vandeweghe/Chris Young (27)^32
Aaron Smith/David Smith (28)*
Stein Metzger/Sean Scott (29)*
Mike Minier/Leland Quinn (30)*
Nathan Heidger/Scott Murdoch (31)*
Paul Baxter/Jerry Graham (32)*

NOTES: Number in brackets "(#)" reflects the teams seeding
       * = New Team (from previous week)
       ^ - movement up from last week    ## seed last week
       v - movement down from last week  ## seed last week

DATE

June 27-29, 1997

LOCATION

   Nautica Complex
   Cleveland, Ohio

PRIZE MONEY

$100,000

TELEVISION

Fox Sports Net

TICKETS

   Telecharge  800-432-7470

NUMBER OF TEAMS, FORMAT

32 Teams
Double Elimination

PAST CHAMPIONS


YEAR EVENT BEGAN: 1996