Todd Rogers BLOG : http://toddjrogers.blogspot.com
Todd Rogers WEB  :  http://toddjrogers.com

May 26, 2008

Dalhausser, Rogers win again
Top seeds remain unbeaten during open play
By Josh Cook / Special to avp.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers made it 5-for-5.

Top seeds Dalhausser and Rogers rallied from deficits in the first and third
games to beat No. 2 seed John Hyden and Brad Keenan 22-20, 17-21, 15-13 on
Monday afternoon in the men's final of the AVP Crocs Tour stop in Louisville.

It was the fifth AVP Crocs Tour win this season in as many tournaments for
Dalhausser and Rogers, and the second straight title in Louisville for the
dynamic duo.

Dalhausser and Rogers scored the final three points of the third game to improve
to 25-0 this year in AVP Crocs Tour events.

"At the end of the game we pretty much clutched up and made some big plays,"
said Rogers, who had 30 kills and four digs in the final despite battling the
flu this weekend too. Rogers and Dalhausser trailed 12-10 late in the third
game, but Rogers followed up a cross-court kill with his only ace of the match
to tie the score at 12.

"I'd like to thank Todd for that ace," Dalhausser said as he addressed the
stadium crowd after the match.

"I was kind of pissed off we were struggling, so I told myself to go back and
hammer that serve," Rogers recalled afterwards.

And though Hyden and Keenan scored the next point, Rogers' ace sparked the
tournament's top seeds. Rogers tied the game at 13, then Dalhausser blocked
Hyden to make it 14-13.

Dalhausser's subsequent serve bounced off the net cord, forcing Keenan to
stumble and making him unable to try to block Dalhausser's match-clinching
spike.

"We had a chance to win, but you can't make any mistakes against that team,"
Keenan said.

"You have to sideout about 98 percent of the time and you can't make any
mistakes against them because they'll shove it down your throat."

Hyden and Keenan had beaten Dalhausser and Rogers in three games May 4 in the
semifinals of the Cuervo Gold Crown Championships in Huntington Beach, Calif.
and they employed their same strategy from that match -- going at Rogers -- in
this match too.

The first game featured 14 ties. Dalhausser and Rogers surged ahead 16-14, but
Hyden and Keenan reeled off four straight points -- thanks in large part to
back-to-back aces by Keenan.

But Dalhausser and Rogers rallied to tie the score at 19, then 20 before a net
violation on Keenan gave the top seeds a 21-20 lead. Rogers closed out the game
with a kill down the line, his 12th of the game.

In the second game, Dalhausser and Rogers ran out to a 7-3 lead, but Hyden and
Keenan fought back. Trailing 9-7, they scored six straight points sparked by
Keenan's blocking, to take a 13-9 lead. The No. 2 seeds held Dalhausser and
Rogers at bay the rest of the way in the game.

The third game featured nine ties, the final at 13-all because Dalhausser and
Rogers closed out the match to become the first team to win the first five
events of the season since Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos won the first six in
1988.

Dalhausser finished the match with 12 kills in 12 attempts, three blocks and two
aces. Keenan, who was trying to win his first AVP title, had 23 kills, four
blocks and five aces, while Hyden had 10 kills and six digs.

In the semifinals: Dalhausser and Rogers were pushed in the first game by the
No. 3 seeds, Nick Lucena and Sean Scott, before they prevailed 24-22, 21-12.
Rogers had 19 kills and four digs, while Dalhausser added 11 kills and eight
blocks. Scott had 17 kills and Lucena seven digs in a losing effort.

In the other semifinal, Hyden and Keenan bested the sixth seeds, Matt Olson and
Kevin Wong, 21-19, 21-14. It was a revenge win for Hyden and Keenan after Olson
and Wong had beaten them in two games in April at the Dallas Open. Keenan had 17
kills and three blocks, while Hyden added 12 kills and 10 digs. Olson had 17
kills in a losing effort.

In the contender's bracket: Lucena and Scott knocked off John Mayer and Jeff
Nygaard -- the only double-digit seeds left in the tournament at 12 -- 21-15,
21-18 while Olson and Wong upended the No. 4 seeds Anthony Medel and Fred Souza
21-19, 21-14 to advance to the semifinals for the second straight week.

The AVP Crocs Tour heads to Atlanta this coming weekend.

---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the sport of
volleyball.\

_________________________________________________________________
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What has become of her... after the assistant coaching job at UT?

She played on my team while she was a student at UGA and we won 10 1st
place trophies. She was not on each of these teams... but many of them.
It was great playing with her AND watching her at UGA try to get
the 'Bull Dogs' or rather Lady Dogs attempts to secure so many tight
games. The one they won agains University of Florida and University of
Tennessee and University of of Michigan were great. Julie Pestruchi was
my favoirit player, 2003 (?) 3rd highest in SEC history (she gave me a
ride home one night).

But where is Cindy if not on Barefoot Drive (Florida).

Dear Coaches,
  My name is Tony Fathergill and welcome to PACIFIC COAST VOLLEYBALL
CAMPS! I created PCV camps in San Jose, CA (1997) to use as a
vehicle to reach the growing number of young volleyball athletes and
teach them the essential fundamental skills of our great sport!
Since then we have had 11 successful summers of running great high
school and club camps all around the country.

PCV Camps offers a very unique and valuable learning opportunity
that combines great coaching with quality repetitions and a great
learning environment.  We have many referrences from around the
country and in Georgia to prove that we produce an awesome overall
experience for your entire volleyball program. And the best part is
we travel to your facility, saving your athletes time and money!

I would be happy to get your more information and a brochure about
PCV Camps.  And in the meantime you can check out our website at:

www.pacificcoastvolleyballcamps.com


Best of Luck, Tony

Tony Fathergill
PACIFIC COAST VOLLEYBALL CAMPS
South Lake Tahoe, CA
tonyball50@...

Dear Coaches,
  My name is Tony Fathergill and welcome to PACIFIC COAST VOLLEYBALL
CAMPS! I created PCV camps in San Jose, CA (1997) to use as a
vehicle to reach the growing number of young volleyball athletes and
teach them the essential fundamental skills of our great sport!
Since then we have had 11 successful summers of running great high
school and club camps all around the country.

PCV Camps offers a very unique and valuable learning opportunity
that combines great coaching with quality repetitions and a great
learning environment.  We have many referrences from around the
country to prove that we produce an awesome overall experience for
your entire volleyball program. And the best part is we travel to
your facility, saving your athletes time and money!

I would be happy to get you more information and a brochure about
how to host a PCV Camp.  And in the meantime you can check out our
website at:

www.pacificcoastvolleyballcamps.com


Best of Luck, Tony

Tony Fathergill
PACIFIC COAST VOLLEYBALL CAMPS
South Lake Tahoe, CA
tonyball50@...

looking for adult vollyball for beginners do anyone have any
suggustions?

Hi all,
Just wanted to let everyone know that the City of Alpharetta will be
holding their annual co-ed summer league again this year starting in
May.  Registration begins April 28th and runs through May 9th.  Games
will be played on Wednesday nights and will have start times of 6:30,
7:30 and 8:30pm.  Practice times for teams usually are held on
Tuesday nights for one hour.

Team registration fee is $250 plus $25 per player who resides outside
of the Alpharetta city limits.

Level of play will be decided by the number of teams signing up, but
there is hope to have an "A" division for more experienced players
and a "B" division for beginner and recreational players.

Registration is by team only but if you are an individual needing a
team you can email me and I will forward your info to the director.

coach.hurd@...

Gold Medal Squared Weekend Camps and Club Consulting - www.goldmedalsquared.com

Weekend Camps:  This winter Gold Medal Squared will be running weekend camps for high school and club volleyball teams.  These camps will be available from October through May.  If you're a high school coach heading to the post season, this is a great opportunity for you to bring in a GMS coach to work with your team.  If you are a club director/coach, we would love to work with your team or teams in preparation for the club volleyball season.

Our weekend camps can be tailored to meet your needs.  Our basic schedule will run Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  You can read more information on our weekend camps, and register for a date by clicking on the link below.

http://goldmedalsquared.com/weekend.asp

Club Consulting:  Gold Medal Squared is now offering Club Consultations.  We believe that training all athletes in your club using the same mechanics is very important.  We would like to help your club get this in place.  Gold Medal Squared will train your coaches and athletes at the same time in order to accomplish this goal.  You can read more about this opportunity by clicking on the link below. 

http://goldmedalsquared.com/clubs.asp

If you have any questions, please contact Mike Wall at mikewall@... 

Mike Wall

Gold Medal Squared

858-205-3969

mikewall@...

www.goldmedalsquared.com

Hello Group!  I don't think I've posted here before but wanted to let
you know about volleyball in Greenville, SC.  First off, the website
is greenvillebeachvolleyball.com for information, pictures, results,
etc........

We run regular men's doubles and junior's 4's tournaments from March-
November and occasional women's and social tournaments.  This previous
weekend we had a Malibu Rum sponsored weekend with a men's/women's
doubles tournament and a social 3/4's tournament.

Our only scheduled tournament at the moment is a men's 2's tournament
on Sat Sep 22nd.  All details can be found on the flyer which can be
downloaded from the website.

Come check us out and let us know if you'd like to be added to an
email list for future volleyball tournament announcements!

I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY ON THE WEEKENDS IF ANY OF YOU GUYS ARE MISSING A
PLAYER LET ME KNOW THANKS...

F I V B  FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL
PRESS RELEASE 29.07.2007

AMERICANS SWEEP SWATCH-FIVB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD MEDALS

Gstaad, Switzerland, July 29, 2007 - The only thing that Todd Rogers
mishandled here Sunday was the opening of a champagne bottle after he and
Phil Dalhausser won the men’s finale to give the United States a sweep of
the gold medals this weekend at the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships
powered by 1to1 energy.

After eliminating reigning Olympic champions Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos
of Brazil in the morning’s first semi-final match, Dalhausser and Rogers
joined compatriots Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as USA gold medal
winners this weekend by defeating Dmitri Barsouk and Igor Kolodinsky of
Russia 21-16 and 21-14 in the 45-minute finale.

In addition to sharing the US$60,000 first-place prize in the $1-million
“Beach Volleyball Bash” in the Swiss Alps, Dalhausser and Rogers will
benefit from the 1,000 points towards qualifying for the Beijing 2008
Olympics.  A tandem’s best eight finishes on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour
through July 20, 2008 will count towards qualifying for the 24-team field.

“This weekend was about Beach Volleyball, but not just about Beach
Volleyball,” said the 33-year Rogers, who was named the SWATCH most
outstanding player for the SWATCH-FIVB World Championships.  “For me, these
experiences are what I will remember.  It not only is the competition, but
it is about the fans in the stands, the beautiful surroundings and the
overall atmosphere of good feelings generated this weekend.”

Rogers also added, that his partner “was the real outstanding player for the
event.  I bet Phil that he would be the SWATCH top player for the event
since this was a homecoming for him and his family.  I share this award with
him as he is becoming one of the great players in the world.  I am lucky to
have him as a partner.”

Sunday’s title was the second SWATCH gold medal for the Americans, who won
for the first time on the FIVB tour last August in Austria where Dalhausser
and Rogers defeated Emanuel and Ricardo for the title.  The next stop on the
international circuit is next week in Austria where Dalhausser and Rogers
will be defending their Klagenfurt title as the reigning SWATCH-FIVB World
Champions.

“It is a tremendous feeling to win this title in front of my parents and
relatives,” said the 27-year old Dalhausser, who lived a year in Switzerland
before moving to the United States with his Swiss mother and German father.
“We played two quality opponents today.  Except for the second set against
the Brazilians, we had a great day.”

Rogers and Dalhausser advanced to the gold medal match by posting a 21-16,
13-21 and 19-17 win in 68 minutes over Emanuel and Ricardo, who captured the
2003 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships in Rio de Janeiro before claiming
Olympic gold the next year in Athens.

Barsouk and Kolodinsky, who shared $45,000 for second-place as the first
Russian men’s or women’s team to play in a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal
match in the 20-plus-year history of the International circuit, advanced to
the title match with a 21-13 and 21-19 win in 45 minutes over Andrew Schacht
and Joshua Slack of Australia.

In the bronze medal match, Schacht and Slack ended Brazil’s run of men’s
medals at the SWATCH-FIVB World Championships as the Australians upset
Emanuel and Ricardo 21-17 and 21-19 win in 42 minutes to capture the $35,000
third-place prize.  The Brazilians split $28,000 for fourth-place.

The eighth of 13 double gender stops on the 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, the
women’s 2007 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships ended Saturday with reigning
Olympic champions May-Treanor and Walsh defeating Jia Tian and Jie Wang of
China 21-16 and 21-10 for their third-straight world title.

---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the sport of
volleyball.

FULL DETAILS @ http://Volleyball.ORG/


AVP Pro Beach Volleyball on Television
----------------------------------------------------
Aug. 2 - Aug. 5    Chicago, IL   NBC Live/FSN*
                    Men's Final: 4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday
                    Women's Final: 4:30 p.m. ET, Sunday

Aug. 9 - Aug. 12   Manhattan Beach, CA    NBC Live/FSN*
                    Women's Final: 4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday
                    Men's Final: 4:30 p.m. ET, Sunday

Aug. 16 - Aug. 19   Boston, MA 	  NBC Live/FSN*
	          Men's and Women's Finals: 12 p.m. ET, Sunday

Aug. 23 - Aug. 26   Brooklyn, NY 	  NBC Live
       	         Men's Final: 2:30 p.m. ET, Saturday
                 Women's Final: 2:30 p.m. ET, Saturday

Aug. 30 - Sept. 2   Cincinnati, OH 	  MyNetworkTV Live/FSN *
	 Men's Final: 8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday

Sept. 6 - Sept. 8   Las Vegas, NV 	  MyNetworkTV Live/FSN *
	 Women's Final: 8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday

Sept. 14 - Sept. 16   San Francisco, CA       FSN *


* Check your local listings

---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the sport of
volleyball

STILL DESPERATLY SEEKING A SETTER FOR MY COLLEGE PROGRAM THIS FALL!!!
Small Bible college in North Dakota is looking for a setter (and any
other position at this point) for this falls team. If any of you know
of a setter that has college elgibility and wouldn't mind playing in
a "Christian environment" TBC would love to have you come on board.
Please contact me ASAP if you are interested or know of anyone who
maybe.
Charlotte Snowden
Head Women's Volleyball/Basketball Coach
Trinity Bible College
1-888-822-2329 ext. 2447
www.trinitybiblecollege.edu

Hey fellow volleyball fanatics! My name is Nicole Nilson and I play
year around/every surface volleyball in the Atlanta, GA area.  I work
with/for Pro
Beach Volleyball Player AL-B Hannemann and his sports travel
companies "Volleyball Vacations" and "Ulitimate Sports Vacations".
In February I went on my first "Volleyball Vacation" cruise where we
had amazing clinics and play in Jamaica, Grand Turks, Cozumel and
Grand Cayman.  I have been playing this game for 25 years and I must
say that I saw more improvement of my skills and learned more about
this game in that week than I have over the last 15 years!...And got
to play in beautiful settings to boot!
AL-B has been running "Volleyball Vacations" for 12 years, and if you
are a volleyball enthusiast like me, you will agree that there is
simply no better vacation to take!  I don't know about you, but a
perfect vacation to me is being on the beach, playing ball until I
drop and then having a few (OK, maybe 10?!) drinks and some sort of
fun at night!  However, I find that when I try to get a pick-up game
at the beach, there are usually nothing but "BBQ ballers"
available.....and that is just not the same....or even fun.
Well, AL-B has taken care of that with his new venture "Ultimate
Sports Vacations".  From October 27-November 3rd we will be taking
over the entire club med village in Turks and Caicos.  The best and
most unique thing about this trip is that it will include multiple
other sports/disciplines that will make up the rest of the village.
That means that because we "own" the village there will be nothing
but other like-minded athletic adults to play and party with!
For the volleyball villagers, our day will be a mixture of clinics
and tournament play with AVP pro's.  Last trip the pro's included
Sinjin Smith, "Team Gorgeous" Michelle Moore and Suzanne Stonebarger,
Gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana and of course, AL-B.
They have also lined up amazing nightly entertainment, a huge
Halloween Bash and an end-of-week multiple sports village Olympics.
This is an all-inclusive vacation package, which means that all food,
drinks (yes, even top-shelf liquors), coaching and entertainment is
included in the price!!!!(Yes, that means once you get there, you
won't need to spend another penny!!!)  For the volleyball portion the
cost is $1550 for the land portion.  We have found a very cheap
flights recently.... for example $356.20 out of Atlanta this week.
If you have a friend
that would love to go but doesn't play ball, they can come for $1300
and get a taste of all the sports/disciplines that USV is offering,
or just hang out and enjoy all that club med has to offer.
I can say first hand that there is no better way to improve your game
than to be coached by the pro's.  As they have told me time and time
again, "It doesn't matter how many times you play, the only way you
will get better and really improve your game is to run drills".  It's
true!
I am hoping to get a great turnout from FUN people from all over the
country who love to socialize and play alot of ball!!  You can go to
www.ultimatesportsvacations.com to read up on all the sports offered,
and see a schedule of events for the week.  To read up on AL-B go to
www.alhannemann.com , www.volleyballvacations.com  or
www.myspace.com/alhannemann .  Please also feel free to contact me at
bb2nicole@... or 404-423-9973.
Hope to see you on the beach!!!!
Nicole

FULL DETAILS ON THE AVP Seaside Heights, New Jersey event at -
http://volleyball.org/avp/schedule07.html
---

From July 6 - 8, during the AVP Crocs Tour event being held in Seaside
Heights, NJ, avp.com is offering an exclusive opportunity for registered
users to access live tournament coverage on avp.comTV and avp.com Mosaic
for FREE.  Fans can get their all-access ticket to live video during the
Seaside Heights Open by becoming a registered user for free on avp.com.

https://secure.avp.com/enterworkflow.do?flowId=registration.profile

The avp.com Mosaic product is unique in that it offers live steaming video
from the
browser instead of video that must be downloaded.  The AVP is one of the
first major professional sports to provide such video access to its fans.

---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the sport of
volleyball.

FULL DETAILS @ http://Volleyball.ORG/

June 16, 2007
Williams a matchtime decision Sunday
Aussie questionable with strained left ankle
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com

CHARLESTON, S.C. — For Casey Jennings and Mark Williams to get to the final
four, they'll have to channel Willis Reed.

Williams suffered a strain to his left ankle in the second set of his match
against Fred Souza and Anthony Medel Saturday afternoon but persevered
through a tough third set to advance.

In the 1970 NBA Finals, Reed hauled his body and a torn right-thigh muscle
onto the court for the Knicks' opening tip against the Lakers in Game 7.
While Reed only scored four points in limited action, he provided
inspiration as the Knicks won the title.

Williams and Jennings will face Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong with a berth in
the semifinals on the line at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. The pair will wait until
just prior to matchtime to decide whether or not to play. They're hoping
that ice and Advil will do the trick.

"We're not looking for a bye unless Mark, for some reason it swells up and
he doesn't want to play," Jennings said. "I'll support that decision."

Already earning a berth in the men's semifinal are Todd Rogers and Phil
Dalhausser, who defeated Kiraly and Wong in the last match on Saturday
night. Dalhausser-Rogers will wait for the winner of the Sean Rosenthal-Jake
Gibb and Brad Keenan-John Hyden match.

On target for their second title of the season are No. 4 Mike Lambert and
Stein Metzger.

In a rematch of last week's final in Atlanta, Metzger and Lambert avenged
their loss to Gibb and Rosenthal by upsetting the No. 1 seed to gain a slot
in the semifinals, where they'll await the winner of the match between
Jennings-Williams and Kiraly-Wong.

On the women's side, Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh are looking for some
momentum to propel them into the next two weeks when international play will
hold court as part of the Olympic qualifying process.

As the winners of the first AVP event of the year in Miami, they are the
only women's team this season to win a tournament other than Misty
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

A thrilling, three-set match victory over Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder
on Saturday afternoon vaulted Youngs and Branagh into the semifinals, where
they will play the winner of the Holly McPeak-Logan Tom and Jenny Johnson
Jordan-Annett Davis match.

"Right now, we don't care who we play — we just want to keep our game
smooth, play aggressive and keep the errors down," Youngs said.

Also with a berth in the semifinals is the No. 1 women's team, and that's no
surprise.

May-Treanor and Walsh have appeared in every final four to start the year
and made it a clean 9-for-9 in the first half of the year with a victory
over Holly McPeak and Logan Tom on Saturday.

May-Treanor and Walsh have won seven consecutive titles this season and 20
of the last 23 team events on the AVP Crocs Tour. They'll be going for eight
straight Sunday and will face the winner of the Turner-Wacholder and
Jennifer Boss-April Boss match.

Turner and Wacholder are without a title this season, but they've been to
three finals, including last week in Atlanta. Each time they've lost to
May-Treanor and Walsh, and they sport an 0-6 overall mark against them this
season.

Boss and Ross have been to three final fours this season, including the
Miami final.
---

Saturday's highlights: The weather cleared and the playing surfaces heated
and hardened. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, and Misty May-Treanor and
Kerri Walsh advanced to the semifinals on the women's side while Mike
Lambert and Stein Metzger, and Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser advanced to
the semifinals from the men's side of the draw.

Match of the day: Casey Jennings and Mark Williams upended Fred Souza and
Anthony Medel, 21-14, 17-21, 16-14, in a match that provided a remarkable
finish. Williams injured his left ankle in the second set, and was helped
off, but returned with the ankle heavily taped and he and Jennings rallied
to victory.

Upset of the day: Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong eliminated Matt Olson and
Jason Ring with a 17-21, 21-19, 17-15 victory in the contender's bracket.

Karch watch: Kiraly and partner Kevin Wong lost to Dalhausser and Rogers but
may be in the semifinals anyway. Their opponent is Jennings-Williams, but
Williams' ankle injury may prevent him from playing.

Start/finish: Play will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the women's
final set for 2:30 p.m. and the men's final to follow at approximately 4:00
p.m.

Weather forecast: A high of 88 is expected Sunday with isolated
thunderstorms projected to develop by afternoon with a 30 percent chance of
rain. Wind will be out of the southwest at 11 mph.

Match to watch: Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner against April Ross and
Jennifer Boss with a semifinal berth hanging in the balance.

---
Volleyball World Wide
http://Volleyball.ORG/
Since 1994, the oldest, and largest, internet site dedicated to the sport of
volleyball.

FULL DETAILS @ http://Volleyball.ORG/

June 14, 2007
Gibb-Rosenthal seeded first in men's draw
Dup aiming for third straight event title
By Mike Scarr / AVP.com

CHARLESTON, S.C. — There is a shift afoot on tour and it's reflected in the
seedings of Friday's main draw.

For the first time since the Huntington Beach Open, Todd Rogers and Phil
Dalhausser do not own the No. 1 seed as that honor has been overtaken by
Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb.

Following consecutive titles, after losing their five previous appearances
in finals this season, Gibb and Rosenthal head into the men's side of the
Charleston Open as the top team and one that has a bit of momentum.

Not only did they win their second crown this season, but they defeated
Rogers and Dalhausser in the semifinals to get there and set aside, at least
briefly, a record that had fallen to 3-15 over the last two years.

Rosenthal said last week it's a matter of not focusing on the opponent.

"We have a game plan and we're just playing our game," he said after last
week's victory.

Rogers and Dalhausser have not fallen off much and, with five titles on the
year, even a berth as the No. 2 seed makes them a team to beat come Sunday.

Gibb and Rosenthal will face the winner of the match between Mike
DiPierro-John Mayer and Adam Jewell-Jose Loiola on Friday morning, while
Dalhausser and Rogers will face the winner of Canyon Ceman-Chad Turner and
Jason Lee-Austin Rester.

Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, and Matt Olson
and Jason Ring round out the top five men's seeds.

Advancing out of qualifying and into the men's side of the main draw are
Mike Morrison and Ty Tramblie, David Fischer and Vincent Robbins, Jeff
Carlucci and Dane Jensen, and Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis.

Morrison and Tramblie will face Aaron Wachtfogel and Scott Wong on Friday
while Fischer and Robbins will face Nick Lucena and Will Strickland.
Carlucci and Jensen draw Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus and Corso and Rambis
will face Anthony Medel and Fred Souza.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will look to continue their string and
extend their winning streak to eight straight tournaments. They lost the
season opener in Miami but have been on a roll ever since.

With last week's victory, Walsh moved into second place among women with her
73rd title. May-Treanor and Walsh are the No. 1 seed and will await the
winner of Janelle Ruen-Jennifer Snyder and Alicia Polzin-Claire Robertson.

Second-seeded Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder will play the winner of the
Jenelle Koester-Stacey Rouwenhorst and Keao Burdine-Brittany Hochevar match.

Rounding out the top five women's seeds are Nicole Branagh and Elaine
Youngs, Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, and Logan Tom and Holly
McPeak.

Qualifying on the women's side were Jill Changaris and Tara Kuk, Jennifer
Fopma and Julie Romias, Erin Byrd and Paige Davis, and Tiffany Rodriguez and
Chrissie Zartman.

Kuk and Changaris will play Lauren Fendrick and Paula Roca, Rodriguez and
Zartman will face Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson. Fopma and Romias draw
Angela Lewis and Priscilla Lima while Byrd and Davis will play Ashley Ivy
and Heather Lowe.

---

Thursday's highlights: The top seeds on both the men's and women's sides of
the draw advanced ,while Tara Kuk and Jill Changaris paired for the first
time this season and moved on to Friday.

Match of the day: William Chenoweth and Matt Henderson upended A.J. Mihalic
and Adam Roberts, 13-21, 21-17, 15-13.

Upset of the day: Second-seeded Seth Burnham and Scott Davenport lost to No.
15 Brian Corso and Jesse Rambis, 21-18, 19-21, 10-15, for an early exit.

Record watch: Misty May-Treanor earned her 76th title last week in Atlanta
to move past Mike Dodd for fifth place on the career list. Next up is Kent
Steffes with 110.

Karch watch: After two straight final four appearances, Kiraly and partner
Kevin Wong are seeded third in the Charleston Open and will face the winner
of Paul Baxter-Dain Blanton and Albert Hannemann-Ed Ratledge in their first
match when the main draw begins Friday.

Start/finish: Play on Friday will feature both day and night sessions.
Matches will start at 8:00 a.m. ET and conclude approximately at 6:00 p.m.
with play continuing under the lights at 7:30 p.m. and concluding at
approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.

Weather forecast: A high of 77 is expected Friday with a 40 percent chance
of isolated thunderstorms. Wind will be out of the Southeast at 5-10 mph.

Match to watch: (13) Nancy Mason and Sarah Straton against (20) Katie and
Tracy Lindquist will play in a first-round women's main draw match.

---
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June 10, 2007
Lucky seven for Misty, Kerri
Dominant duo takes home seventh-straight title
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com

ATLANTA — It's seventh heaven for Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.

By sweeping through the Atlanta Open without dropping a game, Walsh and
May-Treanor picked up their seventh consecutive title on the AVP Tour and
put their only blemish of the season in Miami further in their rear-view
mirror.

Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner battled their way back to the final through
the contender's bracket but couldn't provide much suspense at the end as
Walsh and May-Treanor prevailed, 21-9, 21-15.

The beat goes on for Walsh and May-Treanor, who were tested in earlier
rounds but always seemed to find the answers at the right time.

Nearly two months have passed since Walsh and May-Treanor last lost at the
season-opening event in South Florida.

"Miami made us look at ourselves in the mirror," Walsh said. "We've been
able to come back from that with flying colors."

Walsh and May-Treanor set the tone with a dominant first game in the finals.
They raced to a 10-4 lead and never looked back.

"When we play together, it's really pretty," Walsh said.

Turner and Wacholder, who were upset by Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson
Jordan on Friday night and faced a long road back to the final, showed
flickering signs of a comeback in Game 2. But after getting off to a 7-3
lead, Turner and Wacholder saw Walsh and May-Treanor dominate the rest of
the way.

"They came out on fire in the second game," Walsh said. "We made a couple of
mistakes, and that's how easily the momentum can turn. Fortunately, we were
able to stop the bleeding and go from there."

With the victory, Walsh moved into second place in all-time wins with 73,
surpassing Holly McPeak's 72. May-Treanor is at 76 wins and counting.

May-Treanor seemed to be everywhere at once as she turned away one scoring
opportunity after another against Turner and Wacholder.

"She has such an inherent sense of this game," Walsh said.

May-Treanor had 14 digs and 22 kills in the final. The May-Treanor and Walsh
duo was charged with just two errors, compared to seven for Turner and
Wacholder.

Walsh and May-Treanor remain hungry, yet humble. They'd love to run the
table and finish with 15 open titles. But both players expressed respect for
what they feel is a deeper AVP women's field in 2007.

May-Treanor and Walsh have a 40-2 match record this season with 18 straight
wins. The 24 points they allowed to Wacholder and Turner in Sunday's
championship match marked the second fewest they've given up in an AVP
final.

"Obviously, this wasn't the way they wanted to play, but I thought Kerri and
I forced them into doing things they didn't like," May-Treanor said.

Earlier in the day, May-Treanor and Walsh had a more difficult time getting
through their semifinal against Davis and Johnson Jordan. They dug deep to
pull out the first game, 26-24, and then won the second, 21-15. Turner and
Wacholder had a long semifinal battle against Barbra Fontana and Dianne
DeNecochea, but prevailed, 21-18, 30-28.

"We played really well in those extra matches [after Friday's loss]," Turner
said. "We learned a lot and grew a lot as a team. We're just disappointed
that it didn't carry over into the finals."

Turner said it was a case of her team trying to be too fine against Walsh
and May-Treanor.

"We were thinking so far ahead that we forget about the simple tasks,"
Turner said. "We wanted to do so much with the ball. We just have to take a
step back and make sure we do the simple things first. The first game was
all about our errors."

Turner-Wacholder and the entire AVP field will try again to take down the
champions next weekend in Charleston, S.C. But with seven consecutive
titles, Walsh and May-Treanor have the momentum of a locomotive headed
downhill.

"We weren't in the moment, we weren't in the now," Turner said. "When you
play the best, you'd better be in the now."

---
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June 10, 2007

Twice as nice for Gibb, Rosie
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com

ATLANTA #151; No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal were not the same team that
third-seeded Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger saw in the championship round of
the Huntington Beach Open one month ago.

Gibb and Rosie had more confidence than ever before, reeling off of their
second championship victory of the year. But then again, Metzger and Lambert
weren't the same team either, combining for 11 costly errors in the match,
which they dropped, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13.

"We want to serve tough, but we really put ourselves in a bad spot when both
guys are serving out," said Lambert. "Then you just have to keep it in and
serve really easy balls to them. It's hard to score points when you're
serving easy, so we kinda shot ourselves in the foot that first set by not
serving very good and me not passing very good."

The match started out with three straight errors, but Gibb and Rosie stayed
on top throughout the first game. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead after
Metzger executed a set that resulted in two touches, and Lambert ran into
the net while attempting a crosscourt shot.

All errors on Metzger and Lambert's side of the net totaled up to eight in
the first game. Had they exchanged those for points, they would have won the
first game and the match without any need for a decisive set.

After all that, Game 1 came to only a one-point deficit with a score of 4-3
in favor of the higher seed.

From there, Gibb and Rosenthal kept slowly climbing and maintaining
composure amid their opponent's errors, enjoying as much as a six-point lead
with game point at 20-16.

"We played well, so it's easier to smile when you're playing well," said
Rosenthal. "We're hoping we're getting there a lot more, so maybe it's a
little more calm and relaxed out there. We have a game plan and we're just
playing our game."

In Game 2, errors were costly again, but this time for Gibb and Rosenthal.
At 12-11, both teams switched off serving into the net and beyond the court
four times, until a tie at 13-13.

Like the first game, had Gibb and Rosenthal converted more than half of
their seven errors, they could have taken the match in two games.

But then Lambert got back into his 2004 MVP form and turned up the heat.
Block after kill, Metzger and Lambert enjoyed their first lead of the match
at 15-15 and stretched it out to a second game victory at 21-17.

"I'm going to have nightmares about Lambo all night the way he was hitting
me," said Gibb.

Game 3 proved to be more of the same story again, getting off to the same
exact start as the first two, with Gibb and Rosenthal on the board first.
While the two teams did tie up the score four times, Gibb and Rosie hung on
to their overall lead to win their second-straight AVP Open this year.

"The third set we were down 8-4 and then we somehow got back to 9-9, and I
thought that point we were gonna pull it out," said Lambert. "It's just a
quick game to six after that. They just kinda came up clutch when they
needed to, and I thought they played pretty good too."

And both times Gibb-Rosenthal did it without facing No. 1 Phil Dalhausser
and Todd Rogers in the finals.

Instead, they took care of business in the semifinals, sending home the
tour's top team in third place, 21-19, 21-19.

Fountain of youth: Age is only a number as Karch Kiraly, 46, knows. It was a
dogfight for ex-partners Lambert-Kiraly and Kevin Wong-Metzger in Sunday's
semifinals.

"We grew up idolizing the guy, so just to step on court with him was a
pleasure, and I think it really elevates our game," said Metzger.

To close out the first game, the Hawaiian Curtain descended on Kiraly and
Wong, as Lambert drove down two consecutive blocks to end the game 21-11.
Game 2 provided more of the back-and-forth scoring, as Kiraly and Wong came
back from an early deficit to knot the score five times in the game. But
their fate turned out just like the first match despite their 42-minute
heroics.

Metzger and Lambert sealed their championship appearance with a 21-11, 21-16
victory ,and Kiraly-Wong took third place in Atlanta — better than 20 other
teams in the main draw this weekend.

"Like in poker, you gotta be able to call someone's bluff," said Lambert.
"And he's been telling everyone he's gonna retire, but I bet he comes back
next year. If he's getting into the final four, he got a second last weekend
and a third this weekend — that's no reason to retire."

"So I think he enjoys the bantering we give him about not retiring. He's
just out here having fun, getting some good results and playing with a good
partner. It's good to see for the fans and from us players to see him having
a good time."

---
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June 10, 2007
Next stop: Charleston
AVP continues northward to The Holy City

The AVP Charleston Open is stop No. 9 on the tour this year and it also
marks the seventh-consecutive week of touring. Once play concludes in South
Carolina, stops No. 10 and 11 are spread out through the month of July.

But until then, here's a look at the midpoint stop of the 2007 season.

Charleston is a crucial event for some of the teams on tour who've yet to
break through as they would have liked. Teams who do well will have strong
momentum heading into the break, while teams who don't might want to do some
partner and self-evaluation.

For one team, it will be a welcome back to steady play, as Nicole Branagh
and Elaine Youngs took the Atlanta Open off. Branagh has been having issues
with an ankle injury, and the partners have not been able match their
season-opening title in Miami. But they will be back for the Charleston Open
just in time for international travel on the FIVB circuit, as the AVP takes
a two-and-a-half-week break.

Although they were not on a break in Atlanta, April Ross and Jen Boss, also
would like to get back to how they were playing in April. They finished
second in Miami and haven't been able to get back into the finals since.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh look to keep chugging along with their
usual dominance. The duo has won eight of the last nine AVP titles in 2007.
May-Treanor is hoping to tack onto her all-time title record, which stands
at 76. After the win in Atlanta, Walsh moved in to take sole possession as
the second all-time winner with 73, surpassing Holly McPeak's 72.

The men's top team, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, needs to get back into
the finals next weekend if they want to end a two-week skid of losing in the
semifinals in both Tampa and Atlanta.

Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are ecstatic after having won their
second-straight championship final and believe that a three-peat is
possible.

"It's doable," Rosenthal said. "We gotta play well throughout the weekend,
and if we get there, who knows?"

As for Atlanta's runners-up, Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert now have two
finals appearances under their belts. While the second-place finish was not
what they had envisioned, they both agree that they are moving in the right
direction and are ready to keep raising the bar.

"I'm bummed that we didn't win, but at the same time we haven't been getting
to a lot of finals," said Lambert. "The fact that we got to the finals again
was kinda huge for us. We're going in the right direction, baby steps."

Legendary Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong have been a big surprise as of late,
jumping from No. 10 to No. 4 last weekend. They've finished in second and
third place the last two tournaments.

They will be an interesting team to watch in the upcoming weeks, as Kiraly
makes his farewell tour leading up to his retirement at the end of the year.

AVP heads to Charleston for a three-day main draw Friday, June 15 through
Sunday, June 17, with a one-day qualifying round on Thursday, June 14.

---
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June 9, 2007

Who will leave Atlanta as champions?
The top teams are in position to win on Sunday
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com

ATLANTA — Across the city on Sunday, the Braves will wrap up their series
against the Chicago Cubs before jumping headfirst into interleague play, and
the AVP will make its final mark on the 2007 Atlanta Open here at Atlantic
Station.

It will be the last day of this weekend's tournament in Atlanta, the city
which hosted beach volleyball in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Even though they didn't play during the 1996 Games, top-seeded Misty
May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh took the Gold Medal during the Athens Games in
2004.

After two days of main draw action in Georgia's only stop on the 2007 AVP
Crocs Tour, half of the semifinals are set from the winner's side of things.

Before Saturday's night session the first women's team to solidify their
spot in the semis came amidst 95-degree heat in a meeting of mothers. No. 3
Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana emerged victorious and, as a result
don't have to play again until Sunday afternoon.

Once the night session began, No. 1 Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers dropped
Kiraly down to the contender's bracket and secured themselves a semifinals
appearance. They too get to sleep in a little bit with a first-round bye.

The top-seeded women also rolled on Saturday night, as May-Treanor and Walsh
will be back in the final four after defeating No. 4 Jen Boss and April
Ross.

No. 3 Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert were the final pair to advance to the
semifinals from the winner's bracket. The only other time they did so was in
the Hermosa Beach Open, where they they also sent No. 2 Jake Gibb and Sean
Rosenthal into the contender's bracket.

The teams who lost in the night session are not done yet, as they play in
their first match of the contender's bracket at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

After a successful weekend campaign in the contender's bracket, No. 9 Casey
Jennings-Mark Williams and No. 7 John Hyden-Brad Keenan will face Saturday
night's losers — Gibb-Rosenthal and Kiraly-Wong, respectively.

For the women, No. 7 Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan take on No. 9
Angie Akers and Brooke Hanson.

Davis and Johnson Jordan just missed earning an early bye into the
semifinals from the winner's bracket late in Saturday play, as they dropping
an arduous 34-32, 16-21, 16-14 affair to fellow mothers, DeNecochea and
Fontana.

Akers and Hanson earned a season-high finish. They last took fifth place to
kick off the year in Miami as the No. 12 seed.

No. 2 Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder take on Boss and Ross in the final
round of the contender's bracket.

As always, all four of the contender's bracket matches begin at 9:30 a.m.
EDT on Sunday morning. A fifth-place finish awaits the teams that fail to
advance into the semifinals.

The men's semifinals begin first with play at 11:15 a.m., followed by the
women's semifinals at 1 p.m.

All play comes to a climax with the men's and women's finals matches, set
for 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.
---

Saturday's highlights: Karch Kiraly still has a shot at a 149th career win,
but he and partner Kevin Wong will now have to go through the contender's
bracket after losing Saturday night to Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.
Dianne DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana are in position to crack through the
third-place barrier after holding their ground in the winner's bracket on
Saturday. The duo has finished third in five events this year.

Match of the day: It was a test of wills as DeNecochea and Fontana fought
off Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson-Jordan, 34-32, 16-21, 16-14, for a date
in the semifinals. The final game was 14-14 before DeNecochea and Fontana
applied the hammer.

Upset of the day: It was an exciting day for No. 9 Brooke Hanson and Angie
Akers. They managed to take out No. 5 Holly McPeak and Logan Tom, 21-18,
21-19, gaining an invitation to Sunday's competition in the process.

Weather forecast: The Sunday forecast for Atlanta calls for partly cloudy
skies and a high of 92 degrees. There is a 10 percent chance of
precipitation.
Speaking of the Olympics, Karch Kiraly won the Gold Medal that year with
partner Kent Steffes. He will be back on Sunday, looking for another taste
of victory in The Big Peach.

---
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June 8, 2007

Nygaard back, Kiraly, Wong better
Karch and Kevin have night fun at Nygaard's expense
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com

ATLANTA — Disputed calls, players rebounding from injury and more scary rain
storms were only a few of the highlights during Friday's men's main draw
action.

Even though last weekend's Tropical Storm Barry pelted the Tampa Open with
more severe conditions, some players were happy to be back in today's rain,
thunder and lightning. Players, fans, crew and staff were all forced to wait
out the storm for nearly an hour in the covered parking garage behind center
stage, as sirens blared and the premises were evacuated.

No one welcomed the sight more so than Jeff Nygaard, who is back playing
after taking two weeks off to nurse his bicep after underoing a surgical
procedure for melanoma.

"I got lucky and I know I got lucky, so I'm not gonna take anything away
from that fact," Nygaard said. "I'm just happy to be out here, being able to
do what I'm on this planet to do."

A simple cliché arguably never had such a profound meaning.

In their first game of the day, Nygaard and partner Dax Holdren took a
come-from-behind, 19-21, 21-17, 25-23 decision against No. 12 Nick Lucena
and Will Strickland. Holdren and Nygaard won the match on their seventh
matchpoint, while holding off Lucena and Strickland four times.

"The only thing that I feel is I've been out for two weeks and my rhythm is
off," said Nygaard of struggling to put away the match. "My physical
condition is a little off because I was doing beach workouts all day every
day just to stay in shape. I'm not there — I started from zero coming back
from Turkey, and now I feel like I'm coming back from 20 (percent) to come
back for this one.

"There were a lot of plays where ordinarily I'd be more comfortable on where
I just wasn't."

Not even the night game was free of the rainy conditions, but that didn't
stop No. 4 Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong from continuing their tear after
finishing second last weekend. Although Holdren and Nygaard fell in that
match (21-18, 22-20), they aren't out yet. They'll have to try their luck
from the contender's bracket on Saturday.

Partners Hans Stolfus and local boy Ty Loomis, who both sat out the last two
tournaments, were also back in the mix, loving every minute of the confusion
spawned by the beating solar rays and heavy wind and rain.

Although Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert haven't been injured lately, it is
safe to say they're back nursing their mental games.

"Right now we're in a little bit of a mental vortex because we've had so
many bad finishes," Metzger said. "We're trying to overturn every stone and
think of what's the reason why we're having such a poor start to this
season, and so it can really get to you. I'd say, by now, it's 100 percent
mental, and that's really what we're focusing on."

Another team that has not been playing up to par lately is the partnership
of Albert Hannemann and Ed Ratledge. They actually beat Metzger and Lambert
in Dallas but were unable to repeat that feat and fell, 21-17, 21-13, to
land in the contender's bracket for the first time on Friday.

They leave this weekend in 17th place after falling to No. 13 John Mayer and
Scott Wong in the contender's bracket. But it was in their first game, when
they faced 19th-seeded Brent Doble and Ryan Mariano that Hannemann and
Ratledge displayed what they are capable of doing together.

Hannemann and Ratledge ended up losing the first game in the set to
Doble-Mariano on a disputed call as to who actually touched the ball last.
Hannemann insisted that he did not before it fell out, but the referee ruled
in favor of Doble and Mariano. From there they went on to rattle off the
next two sets and take the match.

"I respect these referees and I know they have a hard job, but every once in
a while they'll miss a call that's obvious to everybody but them," said
Hannemann. "That call got us a lot more fired up, so we crushed them in the
second game and then got a lot of fire for the third. So maybe I should
thank the ref for that call."

---
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June 8, 2007

Better weather on tap in Atlanta
Defending champs to play during night session
By Monique Moyal / AVP.com

ATLANTA — Day 2 of both the men's and women's main draw continues tomorrow
with contender's bracket teams aiming to on in do-or-die action.

While Friday's play fluctuated throughout the morning and evening with heavy
humidity, brief rainstorms and temperatures reaching the 90s, Saturday's
conditions don't appear to cause reason for a break in action — for now. The
predicted precipitation is around 6 a.m., four hours before play gets
underway at Atlantic Station.

No. 3 Dianne DeNecochea and Barbara Fontana are still in the winner's
bracket. They take on No. 7 Annett Davis-Jenny Johnson Jordan in the last
match of the day session.

In the men's winner's bracket — all of which takes place during Saturday's
night session — No. 1 Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will play No. 4 Karch
Kiraly-Kevin Wong in one of two night matches.

The second contest of the evening is between No. 3 Mike Lambert-Stein
Metzger and last week's champion in Tampa, No. 2 Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal.

For everyone else, there is still hope.

The day's play begins for both genders at 10 a.m. EDT, with the first half
of Round 2 in the contender's bracket. The teams that are eliminated in that
round will finish in 13th place.

Some notable teams still intact and fighting for the chance to move on
include: No. 10 Anthony Medel-Fred Souza, No. 6 Matt Olson-Jason Ring, No.
11 Ashley Ivy-Heather Lowe and No. 19 Michelle More-Suzanne Stonebarger.

The other half of contending play is scheduled for 11 a.m. That means that
half of Round 3 can commence at noon, with the other half closing out at 1
p.m. Still alive in that half are No. 20 Jason Lee-Austin Rester, No. 8 Matt
Fuerbringer-Sean Scott, No. 8 Angela Lewis-Priscilla Lima and No. 12 Lauren
Fendrick-Paula Roca.

Although that list does not include all that half's teams, two of the
aforementioned pairs are finding success as partners for the first time this
year. They are Lee-Rester and Fendrick-Roca.

Finally, because they lost in the last round of day action on Friday, many
of the higher seeds in the contender's bracket have to wait for the third
round of play. The teams will have to win every match from here on out in
order to make Sunday's semifinals round.

That group includes: No. 5 Holly McPeak-Logan Tom, No. 9 Angie Akers-Brooke
Hanson, No. 2 Tyra Turner-Rachel Wacholder and No. 6 Carrie Dodd-Tatiana
Minello for the women. The men's brackets hold No. 5 Dax Holdren-Jeff
Nygaard, No. 9 Casey Jennings-Mark Williams, No. 7 John Hyden-Brad Keenan
and No. 11 George Roumain-Larry Witt. Each team is guaranteed a share of
ninth place at the least.

If you're in the area and don't have any plans this weekend, come check out
the day's events!

---
Friday's highlights: Ageless Karch Kiraly is at it again. Kiraly and partner
Kevin Wong took care of business on Friday to advance to the winner's
bracket semifinals as a No. 4 seed. Kiraly is looking to add to his all-time
record of 148 wins.

Match of the day: The women's No. 4 versus No. 5 match in the winner's
bracket was supposed to be a back-and-forth tussle. It was just that. After
dropping the first game, Jennifer Boss and April Ross roared back to defeat
Logan Tom and Holly McPeak, 17-21, 21-18, 15-11.

Upset of the day: Rachel Wacholder came to Atlanta as the tournament's
defending champion, but she'll have to get it done through the contender's
bracket now. No. 2 Wacholder and Tyra Turner were upset by No. 7 Annett
Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan in the final match on Friday night.

Weather forecast: The Atlanta forecast for Saturday calls for a partly
cloudy sky and a high of 92 degrees. There's a 20 percent chance of
precipitation.
As they have in many tournaments, things are progressing as planned for the
top women's seeds. No. 1 Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are still alive
in the winner's bracket and are waiting until the final night session of the
weekend, when they will face No. 4 Jen Boss and April Ross.

---
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June 7, 2007

Zartman rises above her height
Four women's teams move on to Friday

By Bill Sanders / Special to AVP.com

ATLANTA — You don't even have to ask Chrissie Zartman how tall — or short —
she is. Just stand there for a few seconds, and she'll spit out the answer
to the most-often asked question she gets.

"Five-three," Zartman said.

Yep, that's short in the world of professional volleyball — even among those
struggling week to week to qualify.

Zartman and her partner Leilani Kamahoahoa won three times Thursday in
Atlanta to advance to Friday's main draw of the Atlanta Open.

"We get to play a few more days," she said. "That's the best part. We're
happy, but not satisfied just to make it."

Zartman, 23, from Hermosa Beach, Calif., starred for UCLA before turning pro
last year, so she's used to being the little one.

"I don't know if I'm the shortest (of the pros)," she said. "Probably.
Leilani played so great that it made it kind of easy for me to scoop up what
was left."

Thursday was a rough day for a couple of the hometown favorites and a couple
of the top seeds as well.

Beth Van Fleet, who played college volleyball at Georgia State in Atlanta
had circled this event on her calendar as one she really wanted to excel in.
And the seedings seemed to be on her side. Four teams would advance to
Friday's main draw and Van Fleet and partner Angie Hall were the No. 4 seed.

Even better, those top four earned byes, and with the temperatures in the
upper 80s before noon, the fewer matches, the better.

At least that's how it was supposed to go.

Van Fleet and Hall lost, 21-17, 21-19, to the No. 13 seeded team of Kealani
Kimball and Rosalinda Masler.

"I don't know, maybe they had gotten accustomed to the heat by their second
match," Van Fleet said. "We're used to playing in sweats in California."

Van Fleet knew her logic about playing more games in these conditions being
a good thing was faulty.

"They just played great," she said of Kimball and Masler. "They deserved
it."

There seemed to be a fair amount of that going on here — lower seeds, the
ones who didn't earn an early-round bye — advancing.

Before noon here, the top-seeded team of Lauren Dickson and Jamie Lee was
sent home by 16th seed Wendy Lockhart and Amber Ramga.

Ramga, who also played her college ball here at Georgia State, and Lockhart
lost to Zartman's team later in the day, 21-19, 21-12.

And by the end of the day, the No. 2-seeded team of Erin Byrd and Paige
Davis had been eliminated.

Other than Zartman's team, those advancing to Friday are the team of Kimball
and Masler, No. 7 seeded Whitney Pavlik and Kelly Wing; and No. 6 seed
Angela Knopf and Catie Mintz. Pavlik and Wing played a total of two hours
and 15 minutes, the most of any team.

No seed higher than No. 6 advanced.

---
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June 7, 2007

Moraes battles field, heat to move on
The heat is the story on Atlanta Day One
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com

ATLANTA — The stifling heat and humidity staggered Leonardo Moraes, but it
couldn't him knock out for the count.

After requiring medical attention because of Atlanta's sizzling conditions
late Thursday afternoon, Moraes refused to give in. Knowing that he was just
one win away from a date in the main draw with partner Vincent Robbins,
Moraes dug in mentally. He cooled himself down with fluids, donned a cap for
a little more protection from the sun and helped his team defeat Adam
Roberts and Brad Torsone, 21-18, 22-20, to gain the privilege of doing it
all again on Friday in the AVP Atlanta Open.

Hopefully for Moraes and all the other AVP competitors, the conditions will
be a little more forgiving over the next three days.

Moraes and Robbins, who were seeded No. 6 in the men's qualifier, looked
sharp in winning the opening game against No. 3 Roberts/Torsone. But midway
through the second game, Moraes began to vomit and medical officials were
quickly called to the scene.

"There's nothing that can happen that can take me away from the court in the
third match," Moraes said. "I can have two broken arms and I'll still be
there."

Moraes is from Brazil and is used to extremely hot weather. But it was the
humidity of the deep South in June that temporarily overwhelmed him.

"We had been in spots on the Tour where the humidity wasn't so horrible and
the body has to adjust to it," Moraes said. "I could still jump out there,
but I just had a weird reaction to it. I wasn't cramping up."

Moraes took his full five-minute time allotment as Robbins offered
encouragement.

"Don't worry about it," Robbins said as an ice pack was applied to Moraes'
neck. "Take five minutes and we'll go win this game."

Robbins proved prophetic with that word.

"I took advantage of the rules," Moraes said. "Those five minutes definitely
helped me out a lot. My partner did an incredible job. He helped me out all
the way through it.

"For us, it was great to be in that position, and I didn't want to lose it
like that (a forfeit). I wanted to finish the game and try as hard as I
could."

Moraes doesn't normally wear headgear, but said he would likely wear a cap
or bandana on Friday if conditions are similar to Thursday's qualifying
round.

The No. 8-seeded unit of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet gained a berth in the
main draw by knocking off No. 1 seed Billy Allen-A.J. Mihalic, 21-17, 21-17.

Marchewka and Zimat had bowed out quickly in the qualifier at Tampa last
week and wanted to bounce back in strong fashion.

"We needed a little redemption after last week," Marchewka said. "This
validates that we are a good team."

Whenever Allen and Mihalic threatened to make a serious push, Marchewka and
Zimat responded to snatch back the momentum.

"There's a reason why Billy and A.J. get in every time," Marchewka said. "We
just felt like we matched up pretty well against them. We feel like we can
beat anybody in a qualifier. When you step on the court, the seeds don't
really matter."

Also advancing to the main draw were No. 2 Mike Morrison-Ty Tramblie and No.
12 Joey Dykstra-Mark Van Zwieten. Morris and Tramblie finished their day by
defeating No. 10 Kyle Denitz-Casey Patterson, 21-17, 16-21, 15-12. Dykstra
and Van Zwieten took down No. 4 David Fischer-Jon Mesko, 20-22, 21-15,
15-13.

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June 7, 2007

Atlanta hosts world-class volleyball
City has loved the sport since 1996 Olympics
By Robert Falkoff / AVP.com

ATLANTA — There's something special about the AVP Crocs Tour stop in
Atlanta. It was just 11 years ago that Atlanta opened its arms to the world
and hosted the Olympics Games. The fans saw great volleyball players then
and will see more of them this weekend at the $200,000 AVP Atlanta Open.

"Atlanta is a great city, period," said AVP women's fixture Tyra Turner, who
comes to the Deep South as a No. 2 seed with partner Rachel Wacholder. "With
the people here being exposed to the sport of volleyball in the 1996
Olympics, that means a lot. Once you see volleyball at such a high level and
get to be around it, you love it.

"Having the opportunity to see our players as we get closer to another
Olympics is something I think can make people here want to come out."

Karch Kiraly, who will compete in the men's main draw, which commences on
Friday, won a Gold Medal with partner Kent Steffes at the Atlanta games.

On the rise?: When the eighth-seeded team of Russ Marchewka and Eyal Zimet
emerged from the qualifier in Atlanta and claimed one of four spots
available for the main draw, Marchewka saw it as a sign of good things to
come.

"We've only practiced together twice," Marchewka said. "We're starting to
understand each other's game more and more. We're picking up on each other's
tendencies."

Marchewka and Zimet decided to form a tandem going into the Louisville stop.
This is their third tournament together.

"Eyal is a phenomenal player," Marchewka said. "We have a blast out there
and we're going to be together for awhile."

One year ago: Most of the players on the AVP circuit probably paid scant
attention to the fact that Major League Baseball held its First-Year Player
Draft on Thursday. But for Brittany Hochevar, it was the one-year
anniversary of a special day in the lives of her family.

Luke Hochevar, the brother of Brittany, was the No. 1 overall selection in
the 2006 draft. He is now pitching for the Kansas City Royals' Double-A team
in Wichita.

Brittany Hochevar is looking to make her own mark in sports. She and partner
Keao Burdine are seeded 16th heading into the main draw of the Atlanta Open.
If Hochevar and Burdine win their opening match on Friday, they would meet
No. 1-seeded Misty May-Trainor and Kerri Walsh.

Representing Atlanta: Bryan Gibson of Atlanta had some thrills in his
hometown during Thursday's men's qualifier, but the party didn't last all
day.

Gibson and partner Keith Jones were seeded No. 9 and won their first match
over Chad Borton and Richard Rainwater, 23-21, 21-16. But then Gibson and
Jones were defeated by Marchewka and Zimet 22-20, 21-16.

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NEXT UP - Atlanta, Georgia

June 3, 2007

Misty, Kerri storm through Gulf
Top team wins sixth straight title in impressive fashion
By Walter Villa / Special to AVP.com

TAMPA, Fla. — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh made sure they didn't go
0-for-Florida.

After failing to win the season opener in Miami, the top-seeded team of
May-Treanor and Walsh has now won six straight titles. Their latest victims
were third-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who lost 21-19, 21-15,
in the AVP Esurance Tampa Open outside the St. Pete Times Forum on Sunday.

Winning in the second and final Florida stop of the year was a relief for
May-Treanor, who lives in Coral Springs, Fla., with her husband, Florida
Marlins catcher Matt Treanor.

In fact, the subject of the Marlins came up during Sunday's final.

"Don't hate me for saying this," May-Treanor said when addressing the crowd
after the match, "but I heard a guy yell 'Marlins suck!' Excuse me, but the
Marlins swept Tampa Bay when they were here this year."

That needle got a mixed reaction from the crowd, although most fans seemed
to take it in stride. But that's May-Treanor, fiercely loyal and a
competitor to the end.

Just ask Youngs and Branagh, who were up 13-8 in the first set. A Branagh
blast bounced off May-Treanor and hit Walsh in the head, taking her cap off.

"I was mad at myself right there," Walsh said. "I should have had my hands
up."

That turned out to be a turning point, however, as May-Treanor and Walsh
battled back to tie the score at 15-15. The set was tied for a 10th time at
19-19, when May-Treanor hit a winner for game point. A Branagh blast sailed
long to give the top seeds the first set.

The second set wasn't quite as competitive as May-Treanor and Walsh proved
relentless. At 9-7, Walsh ran the length of the court to retrieve a ball
deflected high in the air. Her team lost the point, but it showed how far —
literally — Walsh and her partner would go to win.

The end came when Walsh blocked a Youngs block right back at her. It was
Walsh's 72nd career title, which tied her for second place all-time with
Holly McPeak. It was May-Treanor's 75th championship, extending her record.

"I'm proud," Walsh said. "I'm up there with the two top ladies in the world.
I have so much respect for Holly McPeak. She set the standard so high. It's
an honor to be tied with her right now."

May-Treanor said winning never gets boring.

"Sometimes it's not as easy," she said. "But it never gets old because,
Kerri and I have a goal in mind: we want to win on the AVP Tour and we want
to win another Olympic Gold Medal [in 2008]."

Walsh said she didn't feel as if she and her partner played their best
volleyball this weekend. Plus, they had to endure the rain and wind from
Tropical Storm Barry on Saturday and the intense heat on Sunday.

But even in those tough conditions, May-Treanor and Walsh improved to 35-2
this season. In their 35 wins, they have been pushed to a third set only
four times.

One of those three-set thrillers came in Sunday's semifinals, when they
outlasted eighth-seeded Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 21-18, 25-27,
15-9.

It was a classic match, especially in the second set. Davis and Johnson
Jordan raced to a 15-9 lead. Walsh and May-Treanor stormed back and had the
match seemingly tucked away when a call went their way to make it 20-18.

A shot by Johnson Jordan had either hit the back line or missed by an inch.
Johnson Jordan and Davis pleaded their case briefly and relatively quietly
before accepting the decision and returning to their spots on the court.

At that point, it was likely that most everyone in the packed stadium court
felt that the match was over. But Davis hit a pair of winners to bring her
team back.

Walsh and May-Treanor blew four match points in the second set. Davis and
Johnson Jordan, meanwhile, blew three set points before finally winning on a
Walsh blast that went wide right.

"Too many unforced errors," Walsh said. "But they always give us a tough
battle. We beat them twice in this tournament, which is very hard to do."

In the other semifinal, Youngs and Branagh beat fourth-seeded Dianne
DeNecochea and Barbra Fontana, 21-14, 21-12.

Despite the loss in the final, Branagh said she leaves Tampa with a good
feeling.

"Misty is a great defender, and Kerri is a great blocker," Branagh said.
"But we feel that every time we play them, we get better. We're a fairly new
team. We'll get them soon."

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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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