ROSENTHAL BREAKS OUT LEFTY.Byline: PHIL COLLIN Staff Writer He's right-handed, or so we're led to believe. But every now and then, Sean Rosenthal cracks a shot southpaw, and there's a stadium full of double-takes. Saturday in the AVP AVP arginine vasopressin. Hermosa Beach Hermosa Beach (hûrmō`sə), city (1990 pop. 18,219), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1907. It is a residential suburb and a popular resort noted for its fine, sandy beaches and excellent surf. Open, he pulled one off that surprised even himself. Working off a set from partner Jake Gibb Jake Gibb (born February 6, 1976 in Bountiful, Utah) is a top beach volleyball player from the United States. He is playing on the AVP Tour with current partner, Sean Rosenthal. Gibb has won a total of nine times (the duo won two events in 2007 so far). that could have locked the 6- foot-4 Rosenthal into no-man's land No-Man's land Hand surgery A fanciful term for the fibrous sheath of the flexor tendons of the hand, specifically in the zone from the distal palmar crease to the proximal interphalangeal joint. See Rule of threes. against the block of 6-7 Kevin Wong (UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX ), Rosenthal pulled out the left hand and hit straight down -- seemingly with the same power as his thunderous right-arm swing -- and the ball thudded against the sand right down the line. "Insanity," one fan gasped. "Yeah, that was probably oneof the first," the high-flying Rosenthal said as humbly as possible. "Normally I come across my body, so to go down the line -- I even told some of the fans I haven't done that onebefore. I was actually trying to hit off his hands and have it go out, but it actually worked out better." The play occurred during Gibb and Rosenthal's 21-12, 21-15 win over Karch Kiraly Charles Frederick Kiraly, better known as Karch Kiraly (born November 3, 1960 in Jackson, Michigan), is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport. (UCLA) and Wong, and kept them undefeated on the day. When they resume this morning, the second-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal will take on third-seeded Stein Metzger Stein Metzger (born November 17, 1972 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is a top beach volleyball player from the United States, playing in the AVP. In 2006 he played with his high school teammate, Mike Lambert, and they advanced to the Final Four in fourteen of the fifteen team events, winning (UCLA) and Mike Lambert in their quest to break through and win a tournament after four consecutive second-place finishes. "I think it's the best we've played on an opening day," Rosenthal said. "We're capable of beating (the top teams); we know we can. "Eventually the dam's gonna break and we're going to get ourselves a lot of wins." Metzger and Lambert have won once this year, with top-seeded Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser taking the other threetitles. Rogers and Dalhausser, who also won their three matches Saturday, will face fourth-seeded Matt Olson and Jason Ring in the other winners bracket semifinal. The 46-year-old Kiraly, the sport's all-time winner with 148 career titles, is still alive in his final appearance in Hermosa. Kiraly and Wong, seeded 10th, survived with a victory over George Roumain (Pepperdine) and Larry Witt, and will face sixth-seeded Casey Jennings and Mark Williams this morning. The fans weren't ready to see Kiraly leave. Even "Rosie's Raiders," Rosenthal's personal cheering section, chanted and some had painted a pink KK on their bodies in homage to Kiraly's trademark pink hat. While the top two seeds were sweeping their matches, Metzger and Lambert were forced to outlast out·last tr.v. out·last·ed, out·last·ing, out·lasts To last longer than. outlast Verb to last longer than Verb 1. Jennings and Williams, 21-19, 26-28, 15-13, in a match that lasted 1 hour, 19 minutes. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Sean Rosenthal, right, and partner Jake Gibb celebrate their victory over Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers on Saturday. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images |
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