Posted on: Monday, June 14, 2004

Metzger, partner close in on Olympic berth

Advertiser Staff

Despite losing a pair of matches at the Carolina Open at Carolina, Puerto Rico, yesterday, Punahou alum Stein Metzger and Dax Holdren moved within one event of earning their Olympic qualification as the provisional No. 2 from the United States for the 2004 Athens Games.

By placing fourth in the $180,000 event, Metzger and Holdren earned 252 points to increase their Olympic qualifying point total to 1,764. 

The pair must compete in eight SWATCH-FIVB World Tour events since the start of the process in January 2003, and Holdren and Metzger will play in their eighth international tournament next weekend in Switzerland. 

Seeded sixth in the 32-team main draw, Metzger and Holdren shared $11,000 for their fourth-place finish. 

Carolina Open champions Pedro Cunha and Parai Ferreira of Brazil scored a 21-15, 15-21, 15-10 win over the Americans, who dropped the bronze medal match to second-seeded Franco Neto and Tande Ramos of Brazil, 22-20, 21-19.

For eight events, Punahou and University of Hawai'i alum Sean Scott and Todd Rogers have compiled 1,624 points to rank second on the U.S. list behind Dain Blanton and Jeff Nygaard (2,296 points).