Serbia topped the top-ranked Team USA in the decisive fifth set, winning their semifinal match, 3-2, at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
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First-time semifinalists Serbia will now advance to take on the victor of China and the Netherlands in the other semifinal, looking to claim gold.
Serbia won the fifth set, ending the United States’ bid for its first-ever gold in women’s volleyball. Brazil was a force and had the crowd on its side, and many felt the path to a gold opened up for the US when they were eliminated.
Brankica Mihajlović was dominant for Serbia, particularly in the second and third sets as the Americans struggled to do anything with her spikes and couldn’t seem to get any hits over her block attempts.
In the second set, the USA had no answer for Serbia and Brankica Mihajlovic, who absolutely took over in the middle two sets and finished with 22 points and five blocks. “Everything we have, everything we need is already inside us”.
With its back against the wall, the USA won the fourth set, 25-16, to force a decisive fifth set.
China will face the upstart Netherlands women, who are leaving their mark in Rio playing in their first Olympics in 20 years.
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Download the Team USA app today for breaking news, 2016 U.S. Olympic Team bios, videos and more. Led by Lowe (13 points in the match), United States of America finished 12-of-18 on spikes and picked up four blocks in the fourth set.
