LONDON — The U.S. quest for Olympic gold in women’s indoor volleyball will have to wait another four years.
After a fast start, the top-ranked Americans were outplayed Saturday by world No. 2 Brazil for the second straight time in the Olympic finals, losing 11-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17. The U.S. settled again for the silver medal. At the end of the match, while Brazilian players danced, performed somersaults and posed on the referee’s stand, the U.S. team huddled on the court and consoled each other. Destinee Hooker, the star 6-foot-3 spiker from San Antonio, hugged Megan Hodge of Durham, N.C., who was in tears. For the U.S. it was a bitter rerun of the 2008 final in Beijing, which Brazil also won by three sets to one.The U.S. women had been unbeaten in Olympic play, dropping just two sets in seven matches coming into the final, one of them to Brazil. They had looked sharp in the semifinal match on Thursday, defeating South Korea in three sets and winning a psychic victory with the return of team captain Lindsey Berg, who had missed the quarterfinal match with a left leg injury.For the first 22 minutes Saturday evening it looked like the Americans might coast, taking a quick first set thanks to a fearsome front-court attack led by Hooker and 6-foot-3 blocker Foluke Akinradewo, who combined for nine points.But Brazil, cheered on by a rowdy sea of green-and-yellow-clad fans at Earl’s Court, roared back to take the second and third sets with a much more aggressive style of play. They attempted 75 kills to just 59 for the Americans in those two sets, seizing the momentum of the match and never looking back.The United States has never won gold in women’s volleyball, settling for three silver medals and one bronze since it became an Olympic sport in 1964.It was the second consecutive Olympic volleyball final for the U.S. coach, Hugh McCutcheon of New Zealand, who helmed the U.S. men’s squad that won gold in Beijing in 2008.After losing two qualifying round matches to the U.S. and South Korea, Brazil had improved as the tournament went on, posing an impressive straight-set victory over fifth-ranked Japan in the semifinals.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
