Youngs and Masakayan Finish 17th in Germany

Elaine Youngs and Liz Masakayan may have finally lost their grip on the final Olympic qualifying berth in women’s beach volleyball, after losing two matches Friday at the FIVB German Open in Berlin and finishing 17th.

Youngs, formerly of El Toro High, and Masakayan held a 222-point advantage over Misty May and Holly McPeak going into the tournament. But now a fourth-place finish or better probably will move May and McPeak, who won both their winners’ bracket matches in cold and rainy weather Friday, past Youngs and Masakayan.

Youngs and Masakayan were upset in the first round of Friday’s main draw, losing to China’s Zhang Jinkun and Tian Jia, 15-11. Like May and McPeak, Jinkun and Jia had to advance to the main draw from the qualification tournament. Youngs and Masakayan were later eliminated by the U.S. team of Lisa Arce and Barbra Fontana, 15-13.

May and McPeak, who won the last FIVB stop in Chicago two weeks ago, defeated Amanda Jane Glover and Audrey Cooper of England, 15-2, and Daniela Gattelli and Lucilla Perrotta of Italy, 15-11. They’ll face Laura Bruschini and Caterina De Marinis of Italy in today’s winner’s bracket quarterfinal.

The day was marred by an injury to 1996 Olympic silver medalist Adriana Samuel of Brazil, who won her first-round match with Sandra Pires but had to default the last two.

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Laguna Beach High graduate Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana, seeking the final Olympic berth in men’s beach volleyball, finished a disappointing 17th at the FIVB stop Friday in Lignano, Italy.

Blanton and Fonoimoana, who trail idle Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson by 18 points for the final spot, won’t be able to improve on that deficit after losing two of three matches in the main draw Friday.

Blanton and Fonoimoana opened with a 15-5 victory over Oliver Stamm and Nikolas Berger of Austria, but followed with a 15-9 loss to Canadians John Child and Mark Heese and a 15-5 loss to Mariano Baracetti and Sebastian Menegozzo of Argentina.

The U.S. team of Sinjin Smith and Carl Henkel won two matches to advance to today’s winner’s bracket quarterfinals.