Their quest for a third in Rio de Janeiro is led by coach Jenny Lang Ping, a famous former Chinese volleyball player and also coach of the United States who won silver in 2008 in Beijing.
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Ranked No. 1 in the world coming into the Olympics and with host country and archrival Brazil out of the tournament in the quarterfinals, the US women’s volleyball team was looking primed to win its first-ever Olympic gold in volleyball. The set went back and forth, until US setter Alisha Glass started dictating play, repeatedly setting up Foluke Akinradewo for big spikes.
Akinradewo, 28, suffered an apparent left knee injury and had to leave the match in the second set as Serbia stunned the top-ranked Americans 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13 in the semifinals of the Rio Games. He did not detail the injury, but reporters saw her pressing an ice pack to her left knee.
So Serbia will face the young Chinese squad coached by former US coach Jenny Lang Ping or surprising Netherlands, which is in the Olympic volleyball competition for the first time in 20 years, for the gold medal.
U.S. went into the semi-final match on the back of six straight wins, but were unable to close out a seventh after being three points from victory in the decisive fifth set.
“We are going after the bronze, that’s our goal now”, said USA captain Christa Dietzen, with tears in eyes as she recalled the distraction caused to her team by Akinradewo’s injury. The U.S. made it to the gold medal game in each of the past two Summer Games, but fell to Brazil both times.
“There’s one thing we want to accomplish”, Kiraly said.
Leading no more than three points in the later proved decisive fourth set, the 2015 world cup winners scored a victorious score through Hui’s spike to seal the win.
Serbia now awaits the victor of the semifinal between the Netherlands and China. “Our team has a great culture and dynamic”.
The U.S. will take on a determined Dutch team back in the Olympics for the first time in 20 years. “We’re here for each other”, outside hitter Jordan Larson said.
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“In this important, hard moment we showed that we wanted to win more or we have more courage”, Mihajlovic told reporters. That’s how much he loves his team, the players who are here and so many who aren’t. Its chances for that elusive gold looked even better after Brazil, its toughest rival, was upset in the quarterfinal round by China. I told the team: ‘ We win one point by one point.
