2010 AVP Hermosa Beach Open

In an amazing match, Oxygen4energy athletes Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima upset the #2 rated team on the AVP tour this year, 2 Time Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor and her new partner Nicole Branagh.

The first game of the match was all May-Treanor and Branagh. Lewis and Lima couldn't get into a rhythm and the game ended 21-15 in favor of the AVP's top rated team. It looked like it might be a blowout.

In the second game however, Angela and Priscilla started to click and their defensive strategy started paying off. It was a back and forth game with no team able to get a real advantage until the very end when Lewis and Lima pulled ahead to take it 21-17.

The final game of the match was filled with incredible rallies. Both teams were giving 110% and neither wanted to be handed their first loss of the tournament. Lewis and Lima played great volleyball and kept things close the entire game. As the matched reached a 15-15 tie in the 3rd, tension filled the air. Who would make the first error?... Or who would take the win by force? The serve went to Angela Lewis who made a good pass and was set perfectly by Lima. Lewis made a great high line shot over Branagh to go up 16-17. The next serve surprisingly went to May-Treanor who upon getting what appeared to be a workable set from Branagh, hit the ball wide left. The crowd was shocked, but cheered for having witnessed such a well fought match. Lewis and Lima were ecstatic! They had taken down the #2 Team on the AVP Tour, which included the top rated player in the history of the sport.

According to Lima,"When we closed the second set I knew that if we could keep up with our siding out we would give them some trouble to close the match, and we did! As the third set went by, it was all about staying focused and discipline. I kept telling Ange we needed "This much more...!" as I showed her my hands making a sign of "little". Thankfully we kept up with the high level of play and were able to close the set. This win was great, but more than focusing on who we beat, I'd rather focus on what we accomplished on the court individually and as a team. We still have a lot to learn and it's exciting! "

When asked her thoughts on the match, Lewis said, "What a fun match! The rallies were intense, the crowd was on the edge of their seats, and we played great! It's an honor to beat such an amazing team." Lewis also went on to say that, "using oxygen this season has made a big difference for me. It has taken my energy and endurance to a much higher level, which is helping me big time as I go further into the tournaments. There's no doubt in my mind that it gives me an advantage over my competition."

Watch some highlights from the match:

On an interesting note, the President of Oxygen4Energy, Craig Inaba, is the brother of Dancing with the Stars judge, Carrie Ann Inaba. Anyone who follows Misty May-Treanor knows that  it was her appearance on Dancing with the Stars that led to the torn Achilles that sidelined her for most of 2009. According to Inaba, "Everyone who likes beach volleyball loves Misty. She has become the face of women's beach volleyball and is such a class act. It was tough to cheer against her during this match, but it was really exciting to see Angela and Priscilla play so well. We're really proud of these girls for rising to the occasion under extreme pressure. Now that they know they can play with any of the best teams on the AVP tour, we're looking forward to see what they do the rest of the season. It is victories like this one that carry athletes to the next level."