RIO DE JANEIRO -- When Beijing gold medalist Phil Dalhausser teamed up with Nick Lucena less than one year ago for a longshot run at the Olympics, it was more out of friendship -- and a lack of alternatives -- than anything else.Dalhausser was coming off two straight seasons with injuries. Lucena had never been to the Olympics, struggling to find a partnership that worked.We were playing with the houses money, Dalhausser said Monday after losing in three sets to Brazilian world champions Alison and Bruno in the quarterfinals on Copacabana beach.Its been a lot of fun, Dalhausser added. I couldnt have done it without him. I wouldnt have wanted to do it with anyone else.At 6-foot-9 and already an Olympic champion, Dalhausser is one of the most feared players in the sport. He won his gold medal with Todd Rogers in 2008, and the pair returned to the London Games, finishing ninth.But last August, already a year into the two-year qualification cycle, his partnership with two-time Olympian Sean Rosenthal had stalled -- in part because of Dalhaussers abdominal and calf injuries. So he went back to Lucena, his partner for a couple of dozen events when they were first starting out.Im pretty fortunate to play with him, Lucena said after the 21-14, 12-21, 15-9 loss to Brazil left them in fifth place. Hes one of the best players in the world. I wanted to win this for him.Lucena and Dalhausser first teamed up in 2003, a time when they were travelling all night to play in domestic tournaments and sleeping on the beach outside the gates to save money. After they split in 2005, Lucena played with four different partners that year; Dalhausser went on to become a world and Olympic champion.But Dalhaussers injuries left him with little chance of making it back to the Olympics -- or so he thought.Nobody gave us a chance to qualify, he has repeated often.I gave us a chance, Lucena interrupted playfully, just hours after their Olympic elimination. I dont know what hes talking about.The two played their way to No. 3 in the international standings and a spot on Copacabana beach with a whirlwind of 13 tournaments in 12 months -- just one event above the minimum. They cruised through Olympic pool play with a 3-0 record.And that was the problem.When Alison and Bruno lost in the preliminary round, they wound up second in their group. The blind draw lined them up with the Americans in the quarterfinals in a match that could have easily been the final.In the second quarterfinal match, the Dutch team of Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen advanced with a 25-23, 21-17 victory over countrymen Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst.Fans waving Brazilian flags had to struggle to hold onto them in a stiff breeze that began just as play began on Monday. The Brazil and Olympic flags on the poles ringing the top of the stadium came partially loose and fluttered wildly while the poles shook in the wind.Trash swirled around the arena.The Brazilians dominated the first set against the United States and then -- just as decisively -- struggled in the second. The Americans fell behind 12-6 in the third, and then the 6-foot-8 Alison and the crowd took over.With a block to force match point and then a spike off Dalhausser for the winner, the man known as the Mammoth moved within one win of a second-straight Olympic medal.The fifth-place finish, combined with the 19th-place finish by Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson, ties with Athens for the worst finish by the U.S. men in an Olympics.I have learned so much from the Americans. They are good friends outside of the court, Alison said. Theres respect for them, and they must be celebrated. Adidas NMD Schweiz Sale . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Adidas NMD Schweiz Kaufen Online . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. http://www.schweiznmd.ch/ . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Adidas Schuhe Schweiz .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Adidas NMD Schweiz Outlet . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No.Martin Brundle will make his racing return at Le Mans this year driving the United Autosports LMP3. The car is the one usually raced by Brundles son Alex in the European Le Mans Series in which it won the opening round at Silverstone in April.Brundle will be partnered for the hour-long support race ahead of the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans by Christian England, who shared the car with Alex Brundle at Silverstone. Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Brundle last raced at Le Mans in 2012 when he shared a Nissan powered LMP2 car with his son and Lucas Ordonez.This golden opportunity allows me to drive the full Le Mans circuit again in a Prototype racecar, said the Sky Sports F1 commentator.Its always such a pleasure and privileege to drive that magnificent circuit, so I grabbed the opportunity to rejoin United Autosports, after our last successful adventure in the 2011 Daytona 24 hours, and along with our longstanding sponsor Richard Mille, to once again race a Ligier.ddddddddddddAt 57 years of age I consider this a wonderful and unexpected bonus. The United Autosports car that Brundle will drive The Road to Le Mans event begins on Wednesday 16th June with a 60-minute free practice session. On Thursday, there will be another 60-minute practice session, followed by 30-minute qualifying. The 60-minute race will be held on Saturday 18th June, only a few hours before the feature Le Mans event. 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