Rogers Breaks Through at Home

Todd Rogers had lost Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tournament finals before, but none had hurt quite as much as the four he’d lost in Santa Barbara.

He went to high school in Santa Barbara, moved on to UC Santa Barbara and also coached at his college alma mater, so the 13-time AVP winner yearned for a hometown victory.

He finally got it Sunday when he and Phil Dalhausser swept Jeff Nygaard and John Hyden, 21-18, 21-15, in a light drizzle at the Santa Barbara Open.

Rogers had match highs with 18 kills and 13 digs and ended the final with a kill down the line. He then jumped into the arms of Dalhausser, the weight of four previous second-place finishes in his hometown finally lifting from his shoulders.

“It’s indescribable,” said Rogers, who added that even if the title had come in his first final at Santa Barbara, it “would have been awesome,” but after enduring so many runner-up finishes, he treasured the victory even more.

It continues a trend for Rogers, the fourth consecutive Santa Barbara native to win in his hometown, and Dalhausser. They have won the last two AVP tournaments; and Rogers, who had won three in a row with Sean Scott to end the 2005 season, has been part of the winning team in five of the last six tournaments.

Dalhausser downplayed the idea that the two were favorites.

“I wouldn’t say team to beat,” said the 6-foot-9 Dalhausser, who had 11 kills and five blocks. “We had two good tournaments.”

More impressive is that this was only the fourth tournament in which Rogers, the 2005 defensive player of the year, and Dalhausser, the 2005 offensive player of the year, have been a team.

“They both have the potential to take over a match,” Nygaard said. “And when they are both on, it makes it doubly tough.”