Erdmann/Dollinger Advance To 2nd Round Of Qualifier In 3 Set Battle

2017 FIVB WORLD TOUR SEASON OPENER

• Tuesday, Feb 7 – Sunday, Feb 12, 2017
• Fort Lauderdale, FL (Eastern Time Zone)
• Swatch Major Series site
• Finals live stream: RedBullTV
• Full event live stream

On both the men’s and women’s side of the qualifying round of the first 2017 FIVB World Tour event, there are a handful of past Olympians fighting to enter the main draw. The qualification rounds of the tournament are only being played on Tuesday, February 7, with a first and second round consisting of around 16 games a piece.

In the first round of the qualification tournament, there are a number of big match ups to watch including German’s Jonathan Erdmann and Armin Dollinger who pair up after Erdmann and former partner Kay Matysik parted ways – the two took ninth at the 2012 London Olympic Games. For the United States, Sean Rosenthal is now partnering with Trevor Crabb, after splitting with Jake Gibb with whom he finished fifth at both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.

Men

Dollinger/Erdmann (GER) def. Sivolap/Velichko (RUS)

• Score: 2-1, (23-25, 22-20, 19-17)

The German squad fought for every point in the three set match to the Russian pair. Each of the three sets went over the normal amount needed to win the set, with the three set going back and forth until the Germans took the set and match 19-17. The pair is set to take on Winter and Seidl of Austria at 3:30 ET.

Rosenthal/Crabb (USA) def. Gerson/Zandbergen (SUI) 

• Score: 2-0, (21-15, 21-17)

Rosenthal/Crabb of the United States ran through Gerson/Zandbergen in a quick two set match up. The pair is set to take on Berntsen/Sorum of Norway in the second round of the qualification tournament at 2:30 ET.

Other First Round Results

• Men
  • Thiercy/Di Giantommaso (FRA) def. Krou/Aye (FRA) 2-1, (14-21, 21-15, 15-13)
  • Krattiger/Beeler (SUI) def. Kissling/Heidrich (SUI) 2-0, (21-12, 21-15)
  • Solhaug/Bergerud (NOR) def. Nolvak/Tiisaar (EST) 2-0, (21-14, 21-18)
  • Schweiner/Perusic (CZE) def. Humana-Paredes/Redmann (CAN) 2-1, (24-22, 14-21, 15-12)
  • B. Poniewaz/D. Poniewaz (GER) def. Finsters/Tocs (LAT) 2-0, (21-10, 21-19)
  • Faiga/Hilman (ISR) def. Appelgren/Boman (SWE) 2-0, (21-15, 21-12)
• Women
  • Stockman/Dicello (USA) def. Suzuki/Sakurako (JPN) 2-1, (21-13, 17-21, 15-13)
  • Gerson/Eiholzer (SUI) def. Sinisalo/Ahtiainen (FIN) 2-0, (21-13, 21-19)
  • Hasegawa/Futami (JPN) def. Jupiter/Lusson (FRA) 2-1, (21-17, 20-22, 15-13)
  • Claes/Reeves (USA) def. Pregowska/Wachowicz (POL) 2-0, (21-10, 21-12)
  • Matic/Milosevic (SRB) def. Mizoe/Hashimoto (JPN) 2-1, (22-24, 21-17, 15-9)
  • Murakami/Miyagawa (JPN) def. Lapointe/Nagy (CAN) 2-0, (21-14, 21-18)
  • Dostalova/Rehackova (CZE) def. Placette/Chamereau (FRA) 2-0, (21-14, 21-17)
  • Fernandez/Lobato (ESP) def. Galova/Olivova (CZE) by forfeit