But the same precision wasn’t on display Wednesday.
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Brazil held an early two-point lead before the USA women responded to tie the teams at 4-4. The bronze medal match could provide a clue. This was loser versus loser. They will, however, battle for bronze against top-seeded Brazilians Larissa and Talita.
“Gnarly, so gnarly”, said Ross.
It won’t be a party tonight, as they will meet Brazil’s Agatha and Barbara, the reigning world champions, in the semifinal at 10:59 p.m. (ET) on NBC.
“I am a blessed woman”, Walsh Jennings said. “But we were devastated”.
When asked after the semifinal loss if she could come back in four years, Walsh Jennings replied “I know I can”.
Earlier in the day, the Germans were the first team to derail the Brazilian juggernaut of Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“I was in shock last night, then it slowly got worse”, said Ross.
Brazil took the lead in the second set but the US women rallied back after the first technical time out.
If Walsh Jennings wins gold in Rio, she would be the fourth woman to win four consecutive golds in a team sport.
Resilience happened. Relentlessness happened.
The Americans went 1-2 in the triple jump as Christian Taylor took the gold medal, while teammate Will Claye won the silver.
“I thought about our troops”, said Ross. She hugged a few friends, then walked past a bar on the other side of a fence, where a group of Americans rose and gave her a standing ovation.
“I know that we’re better than that”, Ross said.
That is not to take anything away from the Brazilians, who swept both sets 22-20 and 21-18. The accomplished American had won three straight beach volleyball golds while posting a spotless record on her way to the podium. Faced with the possibility of going back to California empty handed for the first time since her first Olympics in 2000, when she played on an indoor team, she wanted a reminder to take a breath.
Walsh Jennings has been an inspiration to female athletes, mothers and anyone paying attention. Eventually, the sight moved even the Brazilian fans to put down their flags, stand tall, and cheer.
“It’s wonderful what 24 hours can do, what we are capable of doing, what the American spirit is capable of doing when you’re backed into a corner”, said Ross. Just like in Tuesday’s loss, they allowed their opponent to get five aces on them, only this time they hadn’t gotten any in return. But last night, the qualifying rounds to go on and play for the gold didn’t exactly go Walsh’s way. “She never give up”.
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Walsh Jennings played volleyball at Stanford and made her Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as part of the US indoor volleyball team. If so, she said she was not playing alone. “It didn’t make me upset”.
