Walsh, Wacholder out at Hermosa Beach Open

Rachel Wacholder stood on the stadium court at the Hermosa Beach Open after she and Kerri Walsh were eliminated from competition, equal parts upset, optimistic and understanding. She knows no one has done what they tried to do. She was disappointed in her play. But things are changing.

“It’s not going to be like that again,” she said. “We’re going up. Quickly.”

Wacholder and Walsh lost to Angie Akers and Tyra Turner, 21-11, 21-10. The loss in the contender’s-bracket game knocked Walsh and Wacholder out, while Akers and Turner advanced to the semifinals.

Walsh and Wacholder both recently had babies, Walsh in late May and Wacholder in early April. Wacholder, however, had a C-section, meaning her recovery time was much longer than Walsh’s. Combine that with the four matches, two of them three-gamers, that they played on Friday, and fatigue took its toll.

“When I was thinking about doing this, my biggest concern was stamina, making it through a tournament,” Wacholder said. “And I guess I was right.”

Update from Hermosa Beach Open

In Kerri Walsh's first tournament back since she had a baby in May, she's hanging around. She, along with partner and fellow new mother Rachel Wacholder, advanced to the quarterfinals by winning her first three matches.

They defeated qualifiers Dana Fiume and Shayna Munson, then beat Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger in the second round. In the third round, against Lauren Fendrick and Ashley Ivy, they lost the first game but won the second, 22-20. They were down in the third game but came back to win.

Next, they face Jen Kessy and April Ross, the new world champions, who also won their first three matches.

Top seeds Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs have won their first three games and advanced to the quarterfinals, as have Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan. Top men's seed Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers won both their matches and face Ty Loomis and Casey Patterson at 9 a.m. Saturday.

-- Bill Brink

Photo: Kerri Walsh makes her comeback at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open on August 7. Photo credit: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times.

Beach volleyball queen Holly McPeak retires

The Association of Volleyball Professionals just announced that Holly McPeak has retired.

McPeak, who will turn 40 later this month, is among the most decorated beach volleyball players in history, having played in three Olympics, winning what was then a record 72 consecutive matches during one span, and with career tour earnings of more than $1.5 million.

McPeak and partner Jenny Kropp finished in ninth place at the AVP tour stop at San Diego last week.

No reason was given for her decision, though a segment on her website said McPeak had "not been happy with her own play" during three consecutive ninth-place finishes this year. McPeak is married to Leonard Armato, former chief executive of the AVP tour.

--Mike Hiserman

Photo: Holly McPeak, shown here during an exhibition match at the Hermosa Beach Open, has decided to retire. Credit: Holly Stein/AP Photo.