Mike Morrison Brings Home 7th Place at AVP Fort Lauderdale Open

Team Fuel beach volleyball pro Mike Morrison competed in the first AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) event of the year this weekend, April 16-18, 2010. The AVP Fort Lauderdale Open marked the beginning of the new season, as well as a new partnership between Morrison and his new teammate Matt Olson.

The duo, after skipping Friday’s qualifier round, hit the sand Saturday and wasted no time in fighting their way to the top of the field. Athletes were forced to brave 20 mph winds throughout the day, which eventually saw Morrison and Olson advance to the final round following a grueling 13-game schedule.

The team entered the final day of the competition with high spirits and managed an exciting win to lock down seventh place. “In our best match of the day, we rolled through a team to take us from ninth to seventh,” Morrison says. “Tons of ace serving by both of us, great defense from my partner and a lot of blocking from me.” And their efforts didn’t go unnoticed, with Morrison receiving third place in blocks and Olson getting third in digs overall.

“After competing in and viewing the first event of 2010, I can tell that everyone in U.S. beach volleyball has stepped up their level this off-season, making the field super deep,” Morrison says. “Fortunately, my partner and I have put in more time than the average team and we expect a few final and semi-final appearances this season.”