Todd-Phil reach seventh FIVB World Tour final

Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are one win away from tying for the most tournament titles this season on the FIVB World Tour.

The local pro beach volleyball professionals advanced to the final of the Aland Open in Finland on Saturday with a tough three-set semifinal win over Poland’s Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel, arguably the most improved team on the international tour. The set scores were 21-19, 18-21, 15-12.

The top-seeded Rogers-Dalhausser will play Brazil’s Marcio Araujo and Benjamin Insfran in Sunday’s championship match. No. 5 Marcio-Benjamin upset compatriots and second-seeded Emanuel Rego and Alison Cerutti, 21-18, 21-15 in Saturday’s semifinals.

Rego-Cerutti lead the tour with five victories. Rogers-Dalhausser will be looking to match them and inch closer to the Brazilians in the world rankings. They’ve played in seven gold-medal matches this season.

Last season, the East Beach-based team won a tour-record nine gold medals.