Rogers, Dalhausser Win Bronze at A1

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

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2011) -Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser captured the bronze medal Sunday after quickly defeating Bruno Oscar Schmidt and Joao Luis Pianca Maciel of Brazil at the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour A1 Grand Slam in Klagenfurt, Austria.

Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Fla.) and Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.), seeded second, downed the 14th-seeded Brazilians, 21-14, 21-12 in 38 minutes to secure their fourth medal and first bronze medal in the 14th annual Klagenfurt A1 Grand Slam. The pair has won the past two editions, 2009 and 2010 including the title in 2006.

The conclusion of the Grand Slam increased Rogers and Dalhausser’s 2011 FIVB Swatch World Tour record to 57-14. The advancement into the semifinals marked the Americans 37th final-four appearance and the medal-win brought their total to 35 with eight being gold in the 2011 season.

In the semifinals match, played on Sunday, the duo fell to Brazil’s Pedro Henrique Cunha and Ricardo Alex Costa Santos, 21-19, 33-31 in 54 minutes. The loss sent the team into the third-place match while the Brazilians advanced into the title match where they captured the gold medal after defeating Germany’s third-seeded team of Brink and Reckermann, 21-19, 18-21, 15-9 in one hour and five minutes.

“We were very frustrated and angry after all the missed opportunities we had in our semifinal match and I think it showed in our level of play and result in the bronze medal match against Maciel and Schmidt,” Dalhausser said in an FIVB release.

From a player’s perspective this is the best tournament in the world,” Rogers said. “The fans are a big part of this event. We made it to Sunday, a major goal, but we wanted to win our third straight gold medal match here.  Unfortunately, our passing and setting was really very poor in our semifinal loss and we just missed so many opportunities. We are pleased to win the bronze medal though.”

To advance into the bronze medal match the three-time A1 Grand Slam champions and defending Olympic gold medalists fought back from an early loss in pool play to battle through three rounds in dominating fashion, never allowing their opponents to win a set.

In round two the Americans defeated fifth-seeds Marcio Henrique Barroso Arauko and Benjamin Insfran, 21-16, 21-17 in 43 minutes before outplaying Norway’s 21st-seeded team of Tarjei Skarlund and Martin Spinangr 26-24, 21-11 in 42 minutes in round three on Saturday.

The FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour will take a week off for the 24-team women’s only Olympic test event in London before Europe hosts the final two double-gender open events in Finland from August 15-21 and The Hague, Netherlands from August 23-28. 

For more information about the tournament and the FIVB, click here.