BEIJING, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Americans Philip Dalhausser and Todd Rogers survived an extended second set Monday to become the first team in the men's beach volleyball Olympic semifinals.
Dalhausser and Rogers defeated Germans Eric Koreng and David Klemperer 21-13, 25-23, moving them within one win of earning a medal and within two victories of making that medal a gold one.
They will meet Jorge Terceiro and Renato Gomes of Georgia on Wednesday. The pair hold dual citizenship with Brazil.
After steadily pulling away in the first set, the United States' team fell behind by four points early in the second. Dalhausser and Rogers had to fight off set points at 19-20 and 20-21 before inching in front. They let two set points of their own disappear before Dalhausser put the winning point away.
The first team to 21 points wins the set in beach volleyball, but the victory margin must be by two.
Later in the day the other American men's team in the quarterfinals was eliminated. Jacob Gibb and Sean Rosenthal fell to Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego of Brazil 21-18, 21-16.
Semifinals will be held Tuesday in the women's tournament, where Misty May-Treanor and Kelli Walsh of the United States will meet the Brazilian duo of Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro. The Americans have won 106 straight matches and are seeking their second straight Olympic gold.
