Exciting Day One of AVP Tour Unfolds at Miami's Sephora Arena

On Friday night, the vibrant energy of Miami's beach scene shifted indoors as Sephora Arena hosted the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Tour. Eight top-tier teams showcased their skills on the opening day of the Week 3 competition, highlighted by the local favorites, the Miami Mayhem.

The first match featured the men's teams from the Austin Aces and the Mayhem. The Aces, consisting of 2024 AVP Ambassador Troy Field and three-time collegiate All-American Ryan Wilcox, faced off against Miami's own Taylor Crabb, a six-time AVP Best Defensive Player, and Paris Olympian Andy Benesh. The Mayhem, riding high on a 3-1 season start, quickly established their dominance. Benesh's impressive performance, marked by three blocks and multiple kills, propelled the Mayhem to a 15-10 victory in the opening set. They continued their success, narrowly winning the second set 17-15. “It was cool to play in front of the Miami fans,” Benesh remarked, appreciating the arena's atmosphere.

The women’s teams from Austin and Miami followed, with 2023 World Champion Kelly Cheng and 2025 AVP Best Server Megan Kraft representing the home side. Their opponents, Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss Cruz, both seasoned competitors from the Paris Olympics, displayed remarkable synergy. In a thrilling first set, the duo from Miami initially led but saw the Aces fight back, with Brasher's timely plays securing a 16-14 win. “The mentality was just to have fun,” Brasher stated, emphasizing the importance of positivity in competition. The second set saw Austin make a comeback, but the Mayhem ultimately triumphed 17-15. The deciding third set saw the Aces pull off a 17-15 victory, marking a strong start to their season.

Later in the evening, the Dallas Dream's six-time AVP Champion Betsi Flint and her partner Kylie Deberg faced off against Palm Beach Passion's Olympic silver medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. After a challenging start, Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson gained momentum, winning the first set 15-13. However, the Dream rebounded, winning the second set 19-17 before the match concluded prematurely due to an injury to Humana-Paredes, granting Dallas the victory by forfeit.

The final match of the night featured Dallas Dream's Paul Lotman, a 2012 Olympian, and the 2024 AVP Most Valuable Player Miles Partain against Palm Beach's defending national champions, Trevor Crabb and Olympic Gold Medalist Phil Dalhausser. Lotman’s exceptional back-to-back blocks led Dallas to an 18-16 win in the first set. Palm Beach rallied to claim the third set 15-11, despite Partain's standout performance, where he led the match in kills and digs.

With an exhilarating start to the AVP Tour, fans can look forward to more action as the tournament continues on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.