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Hobby Forum Index » Sport - Volleyball » AVP Pro Beach Volleyball New York, July 18-20 -...
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| VolleyballORG at (no spam) hotmail.com... |
 Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 9:30 pm |
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AVP Pro Beach Volleyball, Coney Island, New York, July 18-20, 2008
July 19, 2008
Rogers, Dalhausser win Brooklyn title
Top men's duo ready for Olympics
By Marc Raimondi / Special to avp.com
NEW YORK -- If there was a statement to be made -- a declaration that
top-seeded Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers weren't looking past the
AVP toward next month's summer Olympics -- it took form very quickly.
Dalhausser slammed three straight blocks into the sand to start the
Brooklyn Open final, an impressive opening salvo against the No. 2-
seeded team of Sean Scott and Nick Lucena. Less than 90 minutes later,
he and Rogers were holding the $25,000 check and celebrating a
tournament victory after a 21-16, 21-12 win Saturday afternoon live on
NBC in Coney Island.
"It didn't hurt us, that's for sure," Dalhausser said of the first
three points.
The Olympics-bound team took Scott and Lucena out of the match quickly
-- mentally more than physically. Scott earned a yellow card in the
first game and Lucena in the second. It was clear how difficult
Dalhausser and Rogers are to beat when they're both playing at their
best.
"They're like a snowball heading downhill right now," Scott said.
Rogers has now won 44 open titles and Dalhausser has 32. Together they
have 31 titles. Dalhausser's lone title without Rogers, ironically,
came when he teamed with good friend Lucena in Austin, Texas in 2005.
Scott and Rogers used to team together as well. Two years ago at the
King of the Beach, Rogers picked Scott as his partner. So, there was
plenty of familiarity.
It didn't help Scott and Lucena on Saturday, though.
"I think it neither helps nor hurts anyone," Rogers said. "I think it
makes for a better match."
He and Dalhausser were never really challenged, though. Scott and
Lucena never could string together any significant runs. Dalhausser's
block is probably the best in the world and Rogers' defensive skill is
unmatched in the AVP, where he has been named defensive player of the
year the past four seasons.
Dalhausser had five blocks and seven kills in the final and Rogers
notched 20 kills and 15 digs.
This year, the soon-to-be Olympians have won eight of nine AVP Tour
events they have entered and they have been victorious in 45 of their
47 matches.
In just the second year of their partnership, Dalhausser and Rogers
have already reached the top-10 overall victories -- counting
international and domestic events.
"They make you do things that other teams don't make you do," Lucena
said. "They're unstoppable right now."
That's exactly what the United States wants to hear as Dalhausser and
Rogers get set for Beijing. Rogers said he and Dalhausser spoke over
the winter about Olympics preparation and they came to the decision
that they wouldn't do anything differently -- they would just play the
game that has made them so successful.
"Let's just stay in the same rhythm," Rogers recalls saying months
ago.
It seems to be working for them with a chance to win a gold medal on
the horizon. Neither has played in the Olympics before and they are
certainly one of the favorites to bring gold back to America.
And Lucena won't expect anything less. When asked if Dalhausser and
Rogers can win gold in Beijing, he had a short reply:
"They better!"
---
Todd Rogers Webpage: http://www.ToddJRogers.com/
---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the
sport of volleyball. |
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