Rogers and Dalhausser play like night owls

LONDON -- If Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser want to defend their gold medal in beach volleyball, they’ll have to stay awake. Literally.

Their event at the 2012 London Olympics stretches late into the night, the pair playing their first match on Sunday past 10 p.m.

“I’ve been staying up late, trying getting to bed no earlier than 1 a.m. to get used to the late hour,” Dalhausser said. “And I drank some coffee before the match.”

Whatever he did, it worked as the pair swept past Japan’s Kentaro Asahi and Katsuhiro Shirator,i 2-0 (21-15, 21-16), in a Pool B preliminary match at Horse Guards Parade.

“I was very disappointed,” Asahi said. “But the venue is great.”

Dalhausser was particularly impressive with a series of blocks, saying: “Once I got my feet moving, I was pretty good.”

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