Eight U.S. Beach Teams in Quebec Main Draw

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

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 20, 2011) – With the advancement of the U.S. men’s beach team of Sean Scott and John Hyden and the women’s team of Brittany Hochevar and Lisa Rutledge, a total of eight U.S. teams will compete in the main draw of the 2011 $2800,000 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Quebec Open Jeep on Thursday in Canada.

The U.S. men’s team of Scott (Kailua, Hawaii) and Hyden (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) defeated Sam O’Dea and Ben O’Dea of New Zealand, 21-16, 19-21, 15-12 in 51 minutes in the first round of qualification. The Americans then downed Australia’s Sam Boehm and Isaac Kapa in the second round, 21-17, 14-21, 19-15 in 49 minutes.

Hochevar and Rutledge, seeded first in the qualification round, received byes for both the first and second rounds, automatically advancing to the main draw.

The main draw will kick-off Thursday with four U.S. men and four U.S. women’s beach teams in the mix. Joining Scott/Hyden on the men’s side will be 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 representing the U.S. in the men’s event.

On the women’s side 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 compete for the U.S. women in the main draw.

Only 32 teams remain in each gender, whittled down from 102 at the start of the country quota on Tuesday. The top 32 teams will compete in double elimination main draw from Thursday-Sunday at the tournament venue, I’Externat St-Jean Berchmans and Seminaire des Peres Maristes.

This is the eighth time the FIVB World Tour has stopped in Canada but just the first time it has been played-out in Quebec City.

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, Beach, Beach Volleyball, FIVB beach, FIVB World Tour