Americans Net Two SWATCH FIVB World Tour Medals, but Brazilians Golden in Myslowice

For the 20th-time in SWATCH FIVB World Tour history, two men’s teams from the United States placed on an international podium together, but the Brazilian pair of Alison Cerutti and Harley Marques captured the gold medal here Sunday to win the US$190,000 Myslowice Open.

With their 25-23 and 21-17 win over 12th-seeded Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings of the United States, Alison and Harley claimed their second SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medal this season as the Brazilians have medaled in each of the four international events this season.

With six-straight wins at the inaugural Myslowice Open to improve their season match mark to 22-2, Alison and Harley shared the $30,000 first-place prize to increase their season winnings to $96,000 as a team. Harley was also named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the Myslowice Open.

Both of Alison and Harley’s setbacks this season have been to Brazilian rivals as Sunday’s winners lost to Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos in the Brasilia finale last month followed by a semi-final loss to the Pedros (Cunha and Salgado) two weeks ago in Rome.

After winning nine SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medals the past two seasons with Pedro Salgado, Harley was asked about “a new era for me? It’s just started. It’s our second gold medal together internationally. We’re a good team and I’m glad to share this gold with my mate Alison”.

With Fuerbringer and Jennings sharing the $21,000 second-place prize, the United States claimed its second Myslowice Open podium spot when 15th-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal scored a 21-16 and 21-19 win in 50 minutes over third-seeded Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann of Germany. Gibb and Rosenthal split $15,000 for third-place with Brink and Reckermann sharing $11,200.

The last-time the United States placed two teams on a SWATCH FIVB World Tour podium was at a 2006 Mexican event in Acapulco at the end of October when Gibb and Rosenthal captured the gold medal by upsetting Emanuel and Ricardo in the finals with Americans Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers placing third.

The gold medal win Sunday was also the second of the Myslowice Open competition for the Brazilians over Fuerbringer and Jennings, who dropped a 21-17, 20-22 and 15-13 decision in 68 minutes to Alison and Harley Friday in the quarter-finals of the winner’s bracket.

“Playing against such a great team has been an honor, as well having two USA teams on the podium,” said Fuerbringer. “It’s our best result in an FIVB event, but of course next time we hope to beat the Brazilians. Promoters, spectators, I think everyone enjoyed the show.”

While Jennings was playing in his first international finale, his wife (Kerri Walsh) has a 38-10 FIVB gold medal record that includes two Olympic and three SWATCH FIVB World championship titles with Misty May-Treanor. Prior to arriving for this week’s Myslowice Open, Jennings was with his wife as she delivered the couple’s first child (Joseph Michael) May 22 in Los Angeles.

Earlier Sunday in Korea, the women’s Seoul Open finals were held with Talita Antunes and Maria Antonelli of Brazil posting a 22-20 and 21-16 win in 45 minutes over Jen Kessy and April Ross of the United States to capture the $30,000 first-place prize.

Following this week’s international competition, the SWATCH FIVB World Tour will break for more than three weeks before resuming play in Norway for the $1-million SWATCH FIVB World Championships presented by ConocoPhillips June 25-July 5 in Stavanger.