Two Beach Teams Pass Quebec’s Country Quota

Becky Murdy
Assistant, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: becky.murdy@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 19, 2011) – The U.S. men’s beach volleyball team Sean Scott with John Hyden and the U.S. women’s team of Brittany Hochevar with Lisa Rutledge advanced past the country quota round Tuesday at the 2011 $280,000 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Quebec Open Jeep on July 19- 24 in Canada.

Scott (Kailua, Hawaii) and Hyden (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) defeated compatriots Casey Patterson (Van Nuys, Calif.) and Brad Keenan (Santa Ana, Calif.), 21-16, 21-12 in 32 minutes to advance to Wednesday’s qualification round.

Hochevar (Fowler, Colo.) and Rutledge (Vista, Calif.) defeated Summer Ross (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Tara Roenicke (Alta Loma, Calif.), 21-17, 21-11 in 25 minutes to win the country quota. Ross and Roenicke defeated Heather Hughes (Fallbrook, Calif.) and Emily Day (Torrance, Calif.), 10-21, 21-17, 18-16 in 47 minutes earlier in the day to reach the final match of the U.S. country quota. 

Three U.S. men’s teams have already secured spots into the Quebec Open main draw including Phil Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Fla.) with Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) who most recently captured the bronze medal on July 17 at the Moscow Open.

Matt Fuerbringer (Costa Mesa, Calif.) with Nick Lucena (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) with Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) will also be competing for the U.S. men in the main draw.

Jen Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.) are slated to return to the sand after withdrawing from the Moscow Grand Slam on July 12 due to injury. Angie Akers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) with Nicole Branagh (Orinda, Calif.) and Lauren Fendrick (Carlsbad, Calif.) with Brooke Hanson (Woodland Hills, Calif.) will also represent the U.S. women in the main draw.

The FIVB Swatch World Tour returns to North America for the first time since 2007. The duel-gender event marks the eighth time the world tour has stopped in Canada and the first time in Quebec City.

Following Tuesday’s country quota will be single elimination qualification rounds Wednesday to finalize the 32 teams for each gender for the main draw, set to begin Thursday.  Semifinals will take place Saturday with both medal matches for each gender being played on Sunday.

A total of 103 teams from 29 countries entered to play on the sands of the I’Externat St-Jean Berchmans and Seminaire des Peres Maristes in the Quebec borough of Sillery.

For more information on the 2011 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour, please visit www.fivb.org or visit the event website at www.quebecopenjeep.com.

Tags: 2011 FIVB World Tour, 2011 SWATCH World Tour, Brittany Hochevar, Casey Patterson, FIVB beach, FIVB World Tour, Jake Gibb, Jennifer Kessy, John Hyden, Matt Fuerbringer, Philip Dalhausser, Sean Scott, Todd Rogers