Ex-'Bow Scott hunting for beach spot in Olympics
Advertiser Staff
Punahou graduate and former Rainbow Sean Scott and his partner, Todd Rogers, kept their Olympic hopes alive yesterday with three qualifying victories at the FIVB World Tour Berlin Grand Slam in Germany.
After winning a country quota match over Canyon Ceman and Matt Fuerbringer, Rogers and Scott posted two wins over Canadian teams to advance as the fourth American tandem in the 32-team men's Main Draw.
Three of the teams have a Punahou graduate, with Scott, Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong reaching the weekend matches. Metzger is playing with Dax Holdren and Wong with Eric Fonoimoana.
This is the second of four straight events in Europe before the July 11 deadline to determine the 24 men's and women's teams for the 2004 Athens Games.
Nationally, Punahou graduate and two-time indoor Olympian Mike Lambert leads the 2004 Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) points list with beach partner Karch Kiraly.
The team has won the last two tournaments and collected $24,338 this year. Kiraly won Olympic gold indoors in 1984 and '88, and on the beach in 1996.
INDOOR VOLLEYBALL
Hawai'i players set for Olympics
Team USA, the second-ranked women's team in the world, opens the Olympics against top-ranked China on Aug. 14 at Peace and Freedom Stadium in Athens.
The American and Chinese women are joined by three-time defending gold medalist Cuba, Germany, Russia and the Dominican Republic in Pool B.
Former University of Hawai'i All-Americans Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Heather Bown are starters for the United States. The Olympic rosters will be announced soon.
Former Rainbow Clay Stanley has been starting for the U.S. men. The world's sixth-ranked team opens against second-ranked Italy on Aug. 15. The Americans' pool also includes Australia, the Netherlands, Russia and top-ranked Brazil.
The top four teams in each pool advance to quarterfinals the day after their final preliminary match. The women's quarterfinals are Aug. 24, and the men's Aug. 25.
Women's semifinals are Aug. 26, and the bronze medal and gold medal matches will be Aug. 28. Men's semifinals are Aug. 27, with bronze and gold medal matches Aug. 29.
Earlier this month in Switzerland, the U.S. women's national team lost to Italy in the gold-medal match of the Montreux Volley Masters.
The opener of the men's three-match series against Russia will be televised by USA Network on a delayed basis. The match, which will be played tomorrow, will be broadcast July 3.
PAN AM GAMES
Berg guides U.S. to quarterfinals
Punahou graduate Lindsey Berg set the U.S. women to a second-place finish in pool play at the Pan American Cup in Tijuana, Mexico.
The Americans (3-1) lost their final match to top-seeded Cuba, 25-17, 25-19, 25-15. They play Puerto Rico in a quarterfinal tonight. A win will qualify the U.S. for next year's World Grand Prix.
JAYO INVITATIONAL
Olive founded benefit event
The second annual Jayo Invitational, founded by former UH All-American Jason Olive, will be Oct. 2 at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica, Calif.
Olive, an international model and actor, hopes to have Hawai'i pros Mike Lambert, Jason Ring, Sean Scott and Stein Metzger in the 2004 Invitational.
Olive created his Jayo Foundation to raise funds and awareness for underprivileged children through the sport of volleyball. Tournament proceeds are allocated to two charitable organizations. The foundation benefits groups that "work to mentor children and aid them in the advancement of general health and education."
The Invitational brings together the worlds of volleyball and entertainment with teams made up of pros, amateurs and celebrities. Ben Vereen and castmates from Olive's year-long role on "All My Children" participated last year.
For more information and to register, visit Olive's Web site at jayoinvitational.com or call (310)-390-5690 on the Mainland.
