Aug. 22, 2008
Beijing - Associated Press
Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser completed an American sweep of the beach volleyball gold medals, beating Brazil in three sets earlier today.
Dalhausser rejected four straight shots in the decisive set to turn a tight match into a blowout, then did it again on the championship point to give the Americans the sport's first Olympic gold medal sweep.
"I got in a zone, I guess," Dalhausser said. "I blocked it all out. It's just one of those things where you see everything perfectly and it all seems to be in slow motion."
Dalhausser and Rogers beat Fabio and Marcio 23-21, 17-21, 15-4, winning their Olympic debuts in classic beach volleyball weather a day after Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor weathered a driving rainstorm to win their second straight gold.
It is the third beach volleyball gold for the American men in four Olympics since the sport was added in 1996. On Thursday, May-Treanor and Walsh continued a tradition that began when beach volleyball legend Karch Kiraly won the inaugural men's event in Atlanta with Kent Steffes.
"It feels good to bring it home," Dalhausser said.
Spitting out a tough challenge like the sand he washed from his mouth in the second set, Rogers played steady for three sets and Dalhausser came alive in the third.
The tallest player in the tourney at 6-foot-9 with jump that can bring him 109cm above the net, the bald bullet known as "The Thin Beast" had nine blocks in the gold medal match. He had four in a row in the third set.
"When he gets on a roll, I just pull out my pompons and give a little cheer and keep smiling and clapping," Rogers said. "That's what good blockers do: When they get on a roll, good luck to you."
More on Phil Dalhausser:
Beijing marked the first Olympics for the towering 6-foot-9 Dalhausser. Rogers, also making his Olympics debut, began playing on the AVP Tour in 1995, but it wasn't until he convinced Dalhausser (who debuted on the AVP in 2003) to join him in 2006 that Rogers began to win titles consistently. Since teaming up, they've won 27 of the 43 AVP events they entered, including eight of 10 in 2008. Internationally, the duo has won five of the 18 FIVB events they've entered, including three of six in 2008. They also won the 2007 World Championships, becoming the first U.S. men's team to win a world title. In that semifinal, Dalhausser/Rogers defeated defending Olympic champions Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego of Brazil. The Americans earned the most Olympic qualifying points in the world, but will be the No. 2 seed in Beijing because of an FIVB rule that allows the top seed to go to a team from the host nation if it finishes the qualfying period ranked in the top six. China's Xu Linyin and Wu Penggen were ranked fifth.
Dalhausser enjoyed a break-out year in 2006, winning eight AVP tournaments with Rogers along with an FIVB Grand Slam event in Austria. He was named the Most Improved Player by both the AVP and FIVB, and in a testament to his all-around game, was selected as the AVP's Best Offensive Player (for the second straight season) as well as the FIVB's Best Blocker.
Had played only four events with players other than Nick Lucena before the 2006 season. They were the lowest seeded team (16th) to defeat the top-ranked team of 2004, Karch Kiraly and Mike Lambert, when they beat them in Hermosa Beach. Played in five qualifiers in 2003, but their seventh-place finish to start the 2004 season enabled them to make the main draw ever since.
In Austin in 2005 he registered his first title ever, winning three matches in the contender's bracket and defeating each of the top three seeds in the tournament. Led the Tour in blocks in 2005 (405) and was sixth in kill percentage (.588). Dalhausser led the AVP in 2006 in blocks (2.56 per game), hitting percentage (.481) and kill percentage (.627), while ranking fifth in aces (.62 per game). In 2005 he was the most popular men's player in the AVP Fantasy Beach Volleyball Contest.
Dalhausser was born in Switzerland, where he lived for one year. He didn't start playing volleyball until his senior year in high school, where he also played basketball and tennis. He received a business degree from UCF, while starring on the club indoor team.