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NEXT UP - Atlanta, Georgia

June 3, 2007

Sixth time's a charm for Gibb, Rosie
No. 2 seed upsets Kiraly's bid for sentimental victory
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com

TAMPA, Fla. -- In the end, it wasn't about magic.

It wasn't sentimental, either.

It was about power, redemption and a sprinkling of youth as Sean Rosenthal
and Jake Gibb were simply too much for Karch Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong.

Five finals appearances on the year by Gibb and Rosenthal heading into
Sunday and one big goose egg to show for it proved to be no problem, either,
as they vaulted to a 21-18, 21-17 victory in the AVP Esurance Tampa Open.

The legend of Kiraly presented an emotional hurdle, but it was one they
easily cleared as Gibb collected career win No. 8 and Rosenthal earned No.
5.

Kiraly was searching for his 149th victory to extend his all-time record.

"It's the craziest thing playing against that guy, especially in a final,"
Gibb said. "I want him to win. I just love the guy and look up to him and
admire him. It makes it special and I'll remember that for the rest of my
life."

Rosenthal was equally deferential to Kiraly, who is playing in his last
season on the AVP Crocs Tour.

"Playing Karch any time is awesome, let alone in the final," Rosenthal said.
"In my opinion, he's playing so well in tournaments and competing that I
think he's coming back next year. He says he's retiring but I wouldn't be
surprised to see him play next year."

Kiraly was playing in his fifth tournament this season, skipping Glendale
and last week's tournament in Louisville. He describes Wong as the easiest
partner he's had in a pro career that started in 1978. The two have a pair
of fifths this year to go along with Sunday's second-place finish.

But Kiraly is not in the tournament to place and said that he and Wong
played their worst match of the weekend.

"I don't get these opportunities to win tournaments very often," Kiraly
said. "It's the first time in close to two years that I've been in a final,
so I don't like to let those slip through my fingers, but they were a great
team today."

Kiraly and Wong built an early 5-2 lead in the first game on a Kiraly dig
and a Wong put-away, but Rosenthal forged an 11-11 tie with a shot past
Wong's blocking attempt. Both sides then continued to trade points with Wong
hitting a winner to the back line for an 18-18 tie.

A shot long by Wong and another by Kiraly set up game point. Rosenthal
delivered with the kill crosscourt to capture the first set.

The second set was equally close and Wong hit a winner to the back line to
tie the score, 17-17. Gibb and Rosenthal then each scored a point and Wong
followed with a ball long and then another wide as Rosenthal and Gibb took
home their first title of the year.

"They're just really athletic. They take a lot of different angles than a
lot of other teams and I wasn't blocking," Wong said. "We'll have to go back
to the drawing board and work on some blocking practice. Karch sided out
great and I blocked two balls."

After his Saturday match victory to reach the semis, Kiraly said the path to
the final would go through Dalhausser and Rogers. He was right.

The first set in their Sunday morning semifinal was close through the early
going. Kiraly and Wong held a tenuous 13-12 lead before they ran off five
straight points. Dalhausser hit a serve long to set up game point and then
Rogers hit long to hand the game to Kiraly and Wong, 21-14.

Rogers and Dalhausser then tightened up their play in the second. Wong hit a
winner at the net for a 17-14 lead, but Dalhausser scored consecutive blocks
and he and Rogers tied the game at 19-19. Wong then scored a put-away after
a solid rally that featured a save and dig by Kiraly, who then powered one
past Dalhausser for the win.

"We saved Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal a little work today," Kiraly said.
"They have yet to go through Dalhausser and Rogers and win a tournament. We
were the ones that put that team out."

In the other semifinal, Matt Fuerbringer and Sean Scott took on Gibb and
Rosenthal. It was the second semi this season for Fuerbringer-Scott, and the
second against Gibb-Rosenthal and it produced a similar result.

Fuerbringer and Scott prevailed in the first set, but needed a 22-20
overtime victory to get there. Their ticket to the final was nearly punched
at triple match point in the second set, but Gibb and Rosenthal tied the set
at 20-20. Gibb then finished it with a pair of blocks for a 24-22 win.

Gibb and Rosenthal then won the third set of the match, 15-11.

"It's disappointing," Fuerbringer said. "We had a great chance to play Karch
in the final, which is everyone's dream."

Dalhausser and Rogers got past George Roumain and Larry Witt to advance to
the semifinals, but it took three sets. After swapping the first two sets,
Dalhausser and Rogers ran off seven straight points to open the third and
never looked back in a 15-5 victory.

"It's a good team," Witt said. "You got to keep them off balance to even
have a chance. They took us out right away."

Gibb and Rosenthal defeated John Hyden and Brad Keenan, 21-18, 21-18 in
their earlier match. Keenan-Hyden and Roumain-Witt finished fifth.

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