Long Beach, USA, July 20, 2017 - After placing fourth in the 2015 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in the Netherlands with Theo Brunner, American Nick Lucena is looking forward to playing in the 11th edition of the event in the Austrian capital of Vienna with Phil Dalhausser.
“There is always a chance to win with Phil,” said the 37-year old Lucena, who will be playing with his fifth different partner in the FIVB World Championships. “I consider him the best player in the world. There are 16 teams that can win the World Championships this year. It will be tough, it will be a grind and we’ll have to play our best ball of the year to make it happen.”
Seeded third in the 2017 FIVB World Championships with two gold medal finishes to their credit this season in Russia and Switzerland, Lucena and Dalhausser play their first match against 22nd-seeded American rivals Ryan Doherty/John Hyden on July 29. The two teams met earlier this season in the bronze medal match at the Fort Lauderdale Major in the United States with Lucena and Dalhausser winning 2-1 (14-21, 21-13, 15-10) in 41 minutes.
Lucena and the 37-year old Dalhausser conclude Pool C action at the 2017 FIVB World Championships against 46th-seeded Luis Garcia/Andy Leonardo of Guatemala on July 31 followed by an August 2 meeting with 22nd-seeded Kacper Kujawiak/Mariusz Prudel.
Since August 2015, Lucena and Dalhausser’s 22-event log features seven gold medal finishes, 13 title match appearances, 15 podium placements and 20 quarterfinal matches where the Americans have posted a 15-5 record. During this stretch, Lucena and Dalhausser have compiled a 118-24 match mark (83.1 winning percentage).
Dalhausser, who missed the 2015 FIVB World Championships due to an oblique strain when he was playing with Sean Rosenthal, will be competing in his sixth World Championships. Playing with Todd Rogers in his first four appearances, Dalhausser topped the 2007 World Championship podium and claimed the bronze medal in 2009.