HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — While the AVP crews put the finishing touches on the stadium court and vendor village for the 2008 AVP Crocs Tour Hermosa Beach Open presented by Bud Light, competition during the qualifier tournament was off and running on Thursday.

"All of our hard work and time on the beach pays off, so getting into the main draw is a great sense of accomplishment," said an out-of-breath Jonathan Acosta after his team won their final point of the day. "We played well enough to win, but we know there are still plays that we are going to get better at and fine tune as we get more repetitions. Today wasn't beautiful or pretty, but on the beach, you do whatever it takes to get the win."

Acosta and his cousin Joaquin Acosta -- who were the No. 6 seeded team in the qualifier tournament -- were one of the eight men's teams to advance to the main draw, which will begin play at 8 a.m. Friday morning.

Teams who qualified today will deservedly catch their breath tonight, but main draw competition will not be any easier than playing in the three-round single elimination format of the qualifier tournament.

"Of course it gets harder throughout the day, as you are playing tougher teams that know how to serve, where to serve, where to stand on defense, and guys that are used to playing on the beach with all of the elements. It definitely gets tougher."

Team Acosta advanced into the main draw after defeating Aleks Dankers and Martins Leikarts 21-15, 21-14, Dan Madden and John Wankner 21-11, 21-18, and Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis 21-16, 21-12.

"A really important thing for all players is to know that you are going to do it," said Jonathan. "This is what we train harder than anyone for. You go in believing you are going to do, so when it happens, it pumps you up and makes you feel even better."

Other teams on the men's side that are advancing to Friday's main draw play include the No. 16 seed, Travis Schoonover and Aaron Wexler; the No. 8 seed, Evan Engle and Dane Jensen; the No. 12 seed, Duncan Budinger and Clint Coe; the No. 4 seed, Joey Dykstra and David Fisher; the No. 14 seed, Connor Hastings and Matt Schroeder; the No. 10 seed, Scott Ayakatubby and Scott Land; and the No. 2 seed, Billy Allen and Braidy Halverson.

New team on women's side advances

After reaching the main draw by chance in Atlanta last weekend, the No. 10 seed of Ashley Groothuis and Christina Hinds are making their first main draw appearance through the old fashion way -- they earned it.

"We are pumped up," said Hinds. "We barely squeezed out of the Atlanta qualifier, so we feel good about taking it to them this time legitimately and really belonging in the main draw. In Atlanta, we got a ninth in the qualifier, but then some teams didn't go, and some teams we played against were already in the qualifier, so we didn't know until the day before that we got in when we got a call letting us know. We went out there, and it was kind of a gamble. This one feels like the first time, as we really fought for this one."

"We are ready and have fire!"

Yet no matter if you are proving it to yourself, your teammates or your opponents that you belong in the main draw, the qualifier tournament is never an easy day on the beach for these hopefuls.

"It started off pretty difficult, as we were on the outside, it was windy, [we] had a poor warm-up and played our game uncontrolled," said Hinds. "Towards the end, as competition got better, we focused and precise, so it got easier. We did everything like we meant it."

For Groothuis and Hinds to make it into a main draw is also impressive considering they have only been partners for two weeks.

"I was playing in Greece and was supposed to go on the world tour when my partner broke her hand. I didn't think I was going to play on the AVP tour until two weeks ago. I struggled as I didn't think I was going to find a partner until a mutual friend gave me Ashley's number. The next day, she called me, and I suggested we go train. Ever since then, we have been partners."

Groothuis and Hinds are advancing after beating Alex Ayers and Megan Tryon 21-14, 22-20, Dana Kabashima and Vladia Vignato 21-18, 17-21, 17-15, and Angie Hall and Lauren Mills 21-18, 21-19.

"Last week we got some nerves, but today it was all out," said Hinds. "We played aggressive and got rid of those nerves, as we had nothing to lose. We are going to have to deal with the fatigue and fight harder, but we learned today that it is mind over matter. The more tired we got, the more we focused. Now we are ready for anyone!"

Other teams on the women's side that are advancing to Friday's main draw play include the No.1 seed, Leilani Kamahoahoa and Catie Mintz; the No. 8 seed, Kristi Martin and Laurel Riechmann; the No. 5 seed, Gabriela Roney and Lenka Urbanova; the No. 4 seed, Jill Changaris and Patti Cook; the No. 3 seed, Courtney Guerra and Kelly Wing; the No. 6 seed, Stacy Nicks and Olivia Waldowski; and the No. 2 seed, Rosalina Masler and Alicia Zamparelli.

Main draw play starts at 8 a.m. Friday morning.