Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are off to a rocky start at the FIVB World Championships in Rome.
The local pro beach volleyball stars were upset in straight sets Monday night by fellow Americans Casey Jennings and Kevin Wong, 22-20, 21-12, in their first pool-play match.
Dalhausser was playing his first match since suffering a sprained ankle at the Beijing Grand Slam event. He had the right ankle heavily wrapped and didn’t look comfortable moving around and jumping.
That ankle didn’t hurt as much as an official’s call against Dalhausser with the score 21-20 in the first set. Referee Darryl Friesen called a lift on a set by Dalhausser, giving Jennings and Wong the set point.
Dalhausser and Rogers argued the call, and Rogers’ vehement protest led Friesen to issue a red card, costing them a point to start the second set.
The call rattled Rogers for the rest of the match, as he struggled to side out.
The reigning Olympic champions have lost five of their last eight matches (one was a forfeit due to the injury) after they won an FIVB-record 40 straight.
“We’re not exactly in synch; we’re not playing our best ball,” Dalhausser told NBC Universal Sports.
