Two down. The rest still have work to do.
On Saturday in Manhattan Beach, Paul Lotman and Miles Partain swept Derek Bradford and Evan Cory in the men’s final, and Kylie DeBerg and Betsi Flint edged Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft 16-14 in a third set to win the women’s bracket — each earning automatic berths into the 2026 AVP League. They join the teams already qualified through 2025 results, and with two qualification events remaining, the field is tightening fast.
The second qualifier returns to the same beach this Saturday. All four courts stream live on the AVP YouTube Channel. Men begin at 8:00 AM. Women follow at 10:00 AM.
Here’s what happened — and what’s coming next.
Men’s Final — (3) Lotman / Partain def. (8) Bradford / Cory | 2-0
Lotman and Partain won the men’s final in straight sets, closing out the match 15-9 in the second set behind strong serving and consistent sideout play. Lotman mixed jump spin serves with disguised jump floats throughout, keeping Bradford and Cory out of system for much of the final. Partain contributed on both sides of the ball, and the pair’s option offense was effective all day.
“Paul and Miles were unbelievable from the service line,” AVP commentator Richard Lambourne said. “There was just constant pressure.”
Bradford and Cory reached the final as the 8-seed after upsetting top-seeded Budinger and Evans in the quarterfinals and sweeping 4th-seeded Bomgren and Drost in the semifinals. Lotman and Partain’s serving and efficiency in the final proved to be the difference.
Women’s Final — (3) DeBerg / Flint def. (1) Cheng / Kraft | 2-1 (16-14)
DeBerg and Flint defeated top-seeded Cheng and Kraft in three sets, winning the third 16-14 to earn their League berth. Flint, a three-time AVP Best Server and 2023 Manhattan Beach Open champion, was competing for the first time since giving birth to her second child six months ago. She closed the match with an ace on match point.
DeBerg’s blocking was a factor throughout the day, and Lambourne noted the level she played at in the final. “I think what’s impressive to me is she (Betsi Flint) seems to really draw something extra out of Kylie as well,” he said. “I don’t know if we’ve seen Kylie be that sort of enthusiastic and imposing as she can be, maybe ever.”
Cheng and Kraft forced the third set behind serving from both Kraft and Cheng, but DeBerg and Flint held on in a back-and-forth decider that was tied at 9-9 and again at 13-13 before Flint’s ace sealed it.
“Kelly and Meg played well,” Lambourne said. “But they weren’t maybe quite as sharp as we saw them the rest of the day. And Betsy and Kylie took advantage of that.”
Other Notable Results
The bracket produced several results worth noting beyond the finals.
On the men’s side, 15th-seeded LaBouliere and Rivera upset 2nd-seeded Schalk and Shaw in the first round — the second straight international or domestic event where Jacob LaBouliere has knocked off a higher-seeded opponent. Twelfth-seeded Perez and Priima swept 5th-seeded Field and Wilcox. And Pickett and Schachter, who beat Cook and Miller in the first round, pushed eventual champions Lotman and Partain to three sets in the quarterfinals before falling.
On the women’s side, 15th-seeded Fonoimoana and Sparks stunned 2nd-seeded Rodriguez and Shaw in straight sets — one of the most surprising results of the day. Loreen and Quiggle, the 5-seed, beat Urango and Rice in the quarters before falling to Cheng and Kraft in the semifinals. And 11th-seeded Evans and Van Winden knocked off 6th-seeded Ferch and Van Gunst to reach the quarterfinals.
Single elimination doesn’t care about seeds. Saturday proved it.
Qualifier 2 Preview — What to Watch This Saturday
The bracket resets. The pressure doesn’t.
With Lotman/Partain and DeBerg/Flint now in the League, the remaining qualification spots are fewer and the margin for error is smaller. Here’s what stands out in Saturday’s draw.
Cheng/Kraft vs. Graudina/Stivrins — Again. For the second straight qualifier, the top-seeded Cheng and Kraft will open against 16th-seeded Graudina and Stivrins. Cheng and Kraft handled the matchup in straight sets last Saturday, but Graudina — a two-time Olympian and World Champion — and Stivrins — a three-time indoor All-American at Nebraska — are not the kind of 16-seed that gets easier the second time around. Lauren Stivrins in particular drew attention at qualifier 1, with multiple observers noting she looked like one of the most physically impressive players on the court.
Benesh/Crabb Enter as the 2-Seed. Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh make their qualifier debut this Saturday after sitting out the first event. As the 2-seed, they’ll open against 15th-seeded Siragusa and Ukkelberg. If they advance, a potential quarterfinal matchup looms against Caldwell/Harrison or Connole/Klasnic on the bottom half of the bracket. For a partnership with this much expectation, Saturday is the first real test on the sand together in a competitive setting.
Bradford/Cory Are Back. After their run to the men’s final as the 8-seed last week — including an upset of top-seeded Budinger and Evans — Bradford and Cory return in the same position. They drew Basey/Hurst in the first round, with a potential quarterfinal against the 1-seed Budinger/Evans again if both teams advance. Can they replicate last week’s run, or does the field adjust?
Repeat Matchups. The bracket features several familiar first-round draws. Pickett/Schachter face Cook/Miller for the second consecutive qualifier — Pickett and Schachter won in straight sets last week. Field/Wilcox draw Perez/Priima again after being upset in the first round last Saturday. And on the women’s side, Fonoimoana/Sparks meet Rodriguez/Shaw once more after pulling off last week’s 15-vs-2 upset.
View the full Qualifier 2 brackets: Men’s Bracket | Women’s Bracket
Two teams are in. The rest have two chances left — and for some, the path is already getting familiar.
Saturday. Manhattan Beach. Streaming live on the AVP YouTube Channel.