Scott, Hyden Face Upset in Hermosa Beach Open

In every tournament this season, Sean Scott and John Hyden have ousted John Mayer and Matt Prosser, going 0-8—and Mayer and Prosser haven’t won against the duo in three years, Mayer said.

Scott and Hyden, one of the hottest U.S. beach volleyball teams, have won nine of the 10 tournaments they entered so far this season, but that all changed Saturday.

In the , the duo won the Manhattan Beach Open in August, and at the Hermosa Beach Open on Saturday it looked as if history would repeat itself.

Scott and Hyden won the first game, 21-16, but in the second game, Mayer and Prosser pulled off a thrilling three game upset, 16-21, 22-20, 15-13, in the third round of the tournament.

"The last three years they have been a serious thorn in my side," Mayer said of beating Scott and Hyden. "They’ve ended a lot of tournaments for me, so it’s tough mentally to keep gearing up to play them. There was definitely something in the air this time in terms of things going our way, that usually doesn’t happen when we play them."

During the match, all of Mayer’s players at Santa Monica City College, where he serves as head volleyball coach, were in attendance, cheering loudly.

He continued to say about Scott and Hyden: "I really respect them; they are really hard working guys that are also great athletes and one of the best teams in the United States. So beating them is like our championship."

Prosser, who was a three-time All-American at Long Beach State and former resident of Redondo Beach who now lives in Encinitas, said that Mayer and he "executed our game plan, which was something we haven’t done when we play them.

"We kept it close and didn’t give them those three point cushions that we usually give them," Prosser said.

Mayer and Prosser are just two wins away from the championship match but will not have an easy road as play resumes Sunday morning when they face the No. 2 seeded team of Matt Fuerbringer and Nick Lucena.

Fuerbringer and Lucena defeated Mark Williams and Ty Loomis 21-17, 21-17, in the third round to set up Sunday’s match.

The top-seeded team of Sean Rosenthal (Manhattan Beach) and Jake Gibb was tested in its third round match when the duo went three games with Matt Olson and Steven Grotowski. Olson and Grotowski won the second game, 21-17, but were soundly defeated in third game 15-6.

"It’s nice to finally get to play at home," Rosenthal, who has been playing all abroad summer in the FIVB Tournaments in order to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics, said of playing in Hermosa. "There’s nothing like waking up in your own bed and having your friends and loved ones around to cheer for you when you play."

Rosenthal and Gibb will face the fourth-seeded team of Casey Jennings (Manhattan Beach) and Pedro Salgado who defeated Paul Baxter and Pedro Brazao in the third round.

Women’s play

On the women’s side, the brackets held as the top four seeds all advanced, setting the stage for serious fireworks Sunday.

Whitney Pavlik and Jenny Kropp, who recently won the Manhattan Beach Open in August, will face the top-seeded team of Jen Kessy and April Ross.

While the number two seeded team of Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Hanson will face the third-seeded team of Nicole Branagh and Lisa Rutledge.

"It’s going to be something," Kropp said of Sunday play. "All four of the top teams facing each other with a chance to win the final tournament of the season, it’s going to be a serious fight."

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