USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena capture all-America bronze medal match at FIVB Cincinnati Open

Mason, Ohio, USA, May 21, 2016 – It wasn’t the match they wanted to be a part of, but USA’s Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself in the men’s bronze medal match of the double-gender FIVB Cincinnati Open presented by the AVP.With Rio 2016 Olympic qualifying points at a premium, Dalhausser and Lucena pushed aside their disappointment and made some strides toward their goal with a 21-15, 21-16 victory over American compatriots John Mayer and Ryan Doherty Saturday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.The event, which is one of the last three Olympic qualifiers through the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour ended Saturday at the prominent Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio and was the seventh tournament in the stretch of eight straight events on the FIVB World Tour. Next week the FIVB World Tour returns to Russia for the double-gender FIVB Moscow Grand Slam.“It’s a little bittersweet,” Dalhausser said. “We would have liked to have been playing in the finals but at least we went out with a win, with a bronze, and we’ll take some hardware over to Moscow.“This finish helped us. I’m not going to say we’re a lock, but we’re looking pretty good to qualify.”Dalhausser and Lucena, who only formed a partnership last summer, must still participate in …

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