Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser completed pool play at the FIVB World Championships of beach volleyball with a straight sets win over France’s Andy Ces and Kevin Cés and drew fellow Americans and rivals Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal for their first match in the single-elimination playoffs in Rome.
Rogers-Dalhausser will square off against Gibb-Rosenthal on Friday in the round of 32.They have faced each other 55 times previously, with Rogers and Dalhausser winning 43.
Both teams finished second in the pools with 2-1 records.
Rogers-Dalhausser lost their first match in pool play against compatriots Casey Jennings and Kevin Wong. Gibb-Rosenthal’s lone defeat came against Martins Plevins and Janis Smedins of Latvia.
Rogers-Dalhausser last won the world championship in 2007.
Americans Nick Lucena and Matt Fuerbringer won their pool and open elimination play against Daniel Müllner and Alexander Horst of Austria.
On the women’s side, former UCSB All-American Brooke Niles and Patty Fendrick won their Round of 32 match over ninth-seeded Brazilians Lima-Vivian 25-23, 22-20 and will next play Spain’s Liliana Fernandez and Elsa Baquerizo.
Also advancing were Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and Jen Kessey and April Ross.
