Kessy/Ross, Dalhausser/Rogers Win AVP Event

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 6, 2010) – Jen Kessy and April Ross had won their first AVP Nivea Tour title of 2010 on Sunday, defeating top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Nicole Branagh, 2-1 (14-21, 21-12, 15-11) in the final at Huntington Beach, Calif.

"It means a lot," Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) said in an AVP release. "I’m an Orange County local. My parents both are from San Clemente and went to San Clemente High School, so it’s something huge. I came down here in high school and watched tournaments and always dreamed of being in this final and winning it – my dream has become a reality, which is amazing."

Added Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.), "That’s always on our brains. We’ll take any win… but it’s super tough in Southern California. Everyone wants to win here. Everyone’s from here and trains here, and all our friends and family are here. This is kind of like the grand slam of the AVP – here, Manhattan and Hermosa."

Kessy and Ross were the tournament’s second seeds. They defeated Rachel Scott (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Elaine Youngs (Orange, Calif.), 21-9, 21-11 in the semifinals. Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) beat Angie Akers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Tyra Turner (Fort Myers Beach, Fla.), 21-15, 21-17 in their semifinal match.

Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Phil Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Fla.) won on the men’s side, beating Sean Scott (Kailua, Hawaii) and John Hyden (Pensacola, Fla.), 2-1 (21-16, 18-21, 15-9), in Sunday’s final.

It was the fourth Huntington Beach Open victory for Rogers and Dalhausser in the last five years. The 2008 Olympic gold medalists have teamed to win twice on the AVP Tour this season and 39 times in their career.

Dalhausser led the way with some dominant serving, racking up four aces in the match.

"(When Dalhausser is serving like that), you almost force the other team into a transition set, because they just dug the ball, and now they’re trying to scramble and transition," Rogers said. "Your percentage goes way down when you’re trying to do that."

Dalhausser and Rogers defeated Casey Patterson (Van Nuys, Calif.) and Kevin Wong (Honolulu, Hawaii) in the semifinals, 21-19, 21-15. Hyden and Scott beat Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) and Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 15-13).

Nine U.S. beach teams are scheduled to hit the road for Russia this week for the Moscow Grand Slam, part of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour. The women’s event begins Monday with the country quota matches, which will include the United States’ Brooke Hanson (Woodland Hills, Calif.) and Lisa Rutledge (Vista, Calif.) going up against compatriots Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Ashley Ivy (Arlington, Texas) in hopes of making it into the qualification round. Qualification will take place Tuesday and the main draw will begin Wednesday.

Already in the women’s main draw are Kessy and Ross, Branagh and May-Treanor and Akers and Turner.

On the men's side, Fuerbringer (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Nick Lucena (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) will compete in Wednesday’s qualifying round in hopes of competing in Thursday's main draw.

Already in the men’s main draw are Dalhausser and Rogers, Gibb and Rosenthal and Casey Jennings (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Brad Keenan (Westminster, Calif.).

More information about the AVP Nivea Tour is available at AVP.com.

Tags: Angie Akers, April Ross, Ashley Ivy, AVP, Beach, Beach Volleyball, Brad Keenan, Casey Jennings, FIVB World Tour, Jake Gibb, Jennifer Kessy, Lauren Fendrick, Matt Fuerbringer, Misty May-Treanor, Nick Lucena, Nicole Branagh, Phil Dalhausser, Sean Rosenthal, Todd Rogers, Tyra Turner