Dalhausser, Rogers beat familiar foes

Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal undoubtedly compose the best beach volleyball team not to have won a tournament this year.

They consistently battle into the finals but have not been able to clear a major hurdle that is the first-place tandem of Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers.

The trend continued Sunday when Dalhausser-Rogers defeated second-seeded Gibb-Rosenthal, 22-20, 21-17, in the final of the AVP Crocs Tour Huntington Beach Open.

It was the third time in five tournaments the teams had squared off in a final -- and the third time Dalhausser and Rogers, the Olympic gold medalists, prevailed.

On the season, Gibb and Rosenthal have four second-place finishes and one third-place finish, and their only solace is that they did beat Dalhausser-Rogers once: in a fourth-round match two weeks ago in San Diego, in a tournament won by Jeff Nygaard and John Mayer.

“It’s pretty hard to win when Phil’s the best and the most dominant player ever to play this game, and when Todd is the best defensive player,” Rosenthal said. “We’re happy with our consistency, but it’s tough being the bridesmaid.”

Dalhausser and Rogers have won four of five tournaments and aren’t suffering a post-Olympics letdown. “We’re just trying to win as many tournaments as we can,” Rogers said.

After a women’s final in which top-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs defeated Jennifer Kessy and April Ross to win their fourth tournament, Gibb-Rosenthal mounted a spirited effort against Dalhausser-Rogers.

Serving to the shorter Rogers -- Dalhausser is 6 feet 9 -- Gibb-Rosenthal played evenly throughout the first game.

They had leads of 6-3 and 13-11, and even served for match point, 20-19, after Gibb scored off a block at the net.

But then Dalhausser scored on a successful block of an attempted Gibb spike, and won the game with a powerful spike after a diving dig by Rogers.

The second game was close initially, but Rogers and Dalhausser scored six of seven points to lead, 20-15, and prevailed, 21-17.

In the women’s final, Branagh and Youngs were consistent and took advantage of poor serving from Kessy-Ross to win, 21-19, 21-17.

Afterward, Youngs referred to the absence of Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor: “There’s no other Kerri and Misty. . . . But they’re not here, and being the top dog is something I’m enjoying.”

--

pete.thomas@latimes.com