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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

The Beijing Olympics are still nearly a month away, but beach volleyball fans can catch all of the country's top players at Oak Street Beach this weekend.

All four teams that will be representing the U.S. in Beijing are playing in this week's AVP Crocs Slam McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica, giving the tournament one of the deepest fields of any event on the AVP Crocs Tour this season.

Defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh highlight the 32-team women's field, but will face some stiff competition from Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, who will also be in Beijing next month.

In the 32-team men's bracket, Beijing-bound stars Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are the top-seeded team, and fellow Olympic qualifiers Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal are seeded fifth.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

The AVP Crocs Slam McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica features all four teams representing the U.S. in the Beijing Olympics next month, and each of the four cruised through the first day of action Friday at Oak Street Beach.

Top-seeded Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh swept their two matches in the women's bracket, as did third-seeded Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh. On the men's side, No. 1 seed Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers swept their first two matches and won a third match in three games, and fifth-seeded Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal did the same.

The men's final, which will be televised live on NBC, will be played Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Before that, though, early arriving fans will be treated to a marquee matchup of the United States' two men's Olympic teams, as Dalhausser/Rogers and Gibb/Rosenthal will meet in a quarterfinal match at 8 a.m.

With all four teams that will be representing the U.S. in Beijing playing in this week's Chicago Open, the tournament has one of the deepest fields of any event on the AVP Crocs Tour this season.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

Fans at the AVP Crocs Slam McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica were treated to a men's final of Olympic proportions Saturday at Oak Street Beach.

Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers showed why they're the top-ranked team in the world, knocking off fellow U.S. Olympic team members Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal 21-13, 21-15 for the Chicago championship.

In the first AVP event since the U.S. Olympic teams became official, the top-seeded Dalhausser and Rogers claimed their 30th tournament title together and their fourth straight following a string of three FIVB championships in Europe this past month.

Following the match, Dalhausser summed up the quartet's focus for the month to come.

"I hope this is going to be the gold-medal match in Beijing," Dalhausser told the crowd before he and Rogers accepted the $25,000 winner's check.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

The men aren't the only ones flexing their Olympic muscles this weekend at the AVP Crocs Slam McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica.

Both U.S. women's Olympic beach volleyball teams advanced to the semifinals Saturday afternoon at Oak Street Beach.

In the final match of the day on the stadium court, third-seeded Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs defeated defending Chicago Open champions Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan, 21-14, 21-14. Defending Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh also advanced with a 21-18, 21-13 win over Jennifer Boss and April Ross.

The semifinals will be played at 10:15 a.m., followed by the women's championship at 12:15 p.m.

"We're doing OK," Walsh said. "There are always things we hope to improve on-specifically everything-but we feel pretty good about ourselves. We're not making too many unforced errors. And we're beating great teams."

Should May-Treanor and Walsh make it to the final Sunday, they will be playing for more than just a championship.

With the tournament title, May-Treanor would become the first woman-and fifth beach volleyball player overall-to win 100 career championships. Wins in the semifinal and final also would ensure that the duo breaks its own records of 15 straight tournament wins and 89 straight match wins.

"[May-Treanor] would be the last person to mention that," Walsh said. "We want to keep winning. We don't think about numbers. We don't think about records. But obviously it would be a huge milestone, so we want to make it happen."

The 18 points scored by Boss and Ross Saturday were the most May-Treanor and Walsh have allowed in a game all tournament. Earlier Saturday, the pair defeated Angie Akers and Holly McPeak 21-12, 21-12.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

Misty May-Treanor seemed to be in a festive mood even before the women's final of the AVP Crocs Slam McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica started Sunday at Oak Street Beach.

A grinning May-Treanor boogied with AVP announcer Chris McGee on center court, received a serve from Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs and showed off some smooth dance moves upon her introduction to the championship match against Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs.

After she and Kerri Walsh defeated Branagh and Youngs 18-21, 21-17, 15-12 for the Chicago championship, there was even more cause to celebrate.

May-Treanor became the first woman and fifth player overall to reach 100 career tournament victories Sunday. She is the fastest player ever to reach the century mark, achieving the feat after just 153 events.

"She's an amazing player," Branagh said. "She deserves every award she's ever received. Congratulations to her for all her hard work. She's changed the game."

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UFC 112: Invincible