Locals reach AVP finals, but lose

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Corona del Mar resident Sean Rosenthal was all over the sand late in the match, digging up everything that Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers could throw at him.

Rosenthal and Rogers went back and forth with their defensive wizardry, refusing to allow any ball to hit the ground and creating crazy rallies for the fans at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Crocs Tour Huntington Beach Open.

In the end, though, it was a missed dig late in the first game that Rosenthal bemoaned as he and partner Jake Gibb, a Costa Mesa resident, fell to top-seeded Dalhausser and Rogers, 22-20, 21-17, in the men’s championship match Sunday.

Another local, Costa Mesa resident April Ross, suffered a similar fate in the women’s final. The Newport Harbor High product and partner Jen Kessy, seeded No. 2, also fell to top-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, 21-19, 21-17.

Rosenthal and Gibb were decided underdogs against Dalhausser and Rogers, who won Olympic gold last year in Beijing and have won four of the first five events on the AVP Tour this season. But there they were late in the first game, up 20-19 and Rosenthal with a chance to set up a possible game-winning kill.

The dig attempt skidded under the net, though. Then Dalhausser pounced, getting a big block on Gibb’s smash then a kill of his own to take the opening game.

“It was going to be my easiest dig of the match, and I missed it,” Rosenthal said. “I’d love to have that one back. You’ve got to take advantage of any break you can get on those guys. There’s a reason they’re the best team in the world. They prove it, week in and week out, and I don’t like it ... Phil’s the best, most dominant player ever to play this game, in my opinion. And Todd’s the best defensive player. You can’t fall behind on that team.”

Dalhausser and Rogers went up 12-7 in the second game before Rosenthal and Gibb rallied to 13-13 on Gibb’s service ace. But they could never actually take the lead, despite the defensive wizardry both teams showed that created some great action.

“It was all about ‘Rosie’ and I, dig for dig for dig,” Rogers said. “Crazy digs too. Sprawling on cut shots, or just major hammers and popping it up. That’s what makes this game fun for me. I had a lot of fun just battling back and forth with him.”

Ross and Kessy had beaten Youngs and Branagh in the final at Atlanta — the first AVP Tour win of Ross’ career — and wouldn’t have minded starting a winning streak. Youngs and Branagh had other ideas, however. Like the top men’s team, they’ve now won four of five tournaments this season. They’ve established themselves as the big shots with the all-everything team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh not playing this season.

Ross’ serving didn’t help matters. Although she had nine kills and no attack errors, she did commit six service errors in Sunday’s final. It was a serving effort that Ross herself described as “poo.”

“It was stupid,” she said. “I let everybody get to me. Everyone was asking me about my serve and if it was getting better, and blah blah blah. It was stupid. We don’t need my serve to win. I’ve just got to get it in. I was trying way, way too hard. Obviously, I launched like five of them 10 feet out.”

Ross and Kessy, who had swept through the championship match, won’t be traveling with the tour to Atlanta this weekend. Instead, they’ll be playing an international event in Korea.

“Hopefully, someone else will take them down next week,” Kessy said.

Rosenthal and Gibb, who have finished as runner-up four times already this season, know the feeling.

“It’s tough being the bridesmaid every week, but we only take positives out of the whole situation,” Rosenthal said. “We’re playing well.”

Earlier Sunday, Ross and Kessy downed No. 4-seeded Brooke Hanson and Lisa Rutledge, 21-17, 21-13, in the semifinals. On the men’s side, Rosenthal and Gibb outlasted No. 6 Matt Olson and Kevin Wong, 22-24, 21-14, 15-13, to advance.

Olson and Wong had beaten CdM resident Ty Loomis and teammate Casey Patterson to advance to the semifinals. Loomis and Patterson finished tied for fifth and split $6,240.

Both second-place teams split $18,000.