Olympics
August 4, 2024
PARIS — You need fairly?
They’d relatively be gritty.
And that’s the USA girls’s volleyball group in a nutshell on the Paris Olympics, because the People completed pool play with a sweep — not a straightforward sweep, by any means, however a sweep nonetheless — of France and await their Tuesday quarterfinal project.
Of their first Olympics match the People misplaced their first two units to China, got here again, however then misplaced in 5. In opposition to Serbia, they gained the primary two units earlier than holding on to win in 5.
And in opposition to France, these first two units of a 29-27, 29-27, 25-20 victory, properly, sacrelebleu!
This group is definitely laborious to get a deal with on.
“Good,” USA setter Jordyn Poulter mentioned. “Meaning our opponents can’t both.”
In the meantime, the USA males know who they play late Monday night time in South Paris Area. They’re the second seed and play Brazil. A extra detailed have a look at the boys’s quarterfinals follows.
USA girls grind to brush of France
The People merely couldn’t shake winless France within the first two units as Le Bleu thrilled the house crowd by not mailing it in despite the fact that they might not make the quarterfinals.
“France will not be one of many prime 10 groups on the planet, clearly,” mentioned USA coach Karch Kiraly, one of many world’s most embellished gamers on each the seaside and indoors. “Once I was a participant the most important struggles I discovered was enjoying in opposition to that subsequent stage of groups. I might generally of fall into the lure of anticipating issues to return somewhat simpler than they did. The opposite groups may do one thing that’s shocking or unorthodox than that subsequent tier, and I feel we most likely fell into that lure somewhat.”
A blessing in disguise?
“I feel we’re benefitting from it. Nothing has come straightforward for us in three matches for us right here,” Kiraly understated.
“However that’s precisely what’s going to occur in two days and we are able to’t have proven any extra grit than we’ve got proven on this match, and our grit goes to get us so far as we are able to go, two days from now and hopefully loads farther. We don’t know who we’re gonna play but, however it’s going to huge a greatest check, and so that is proper together with this theme. I feel we’re higher ready than if issues had gone simply.”
They definitely didn’t go simply in these first two units.
“Give France credit score,” Kiraly mentioned. “They performed properly. We responded.”
The USA was up 22-17 within the first set however France refused to fold and scored the following six factors, taking a 23-22 lead on a killy by Amandha Sylves. Annie Drews, who continues to glitter in these Video games, had back-to-back kills. The USA had set level at 25-24 and 26-25, however trailed 27-26 earlier than kills by Avery Skinner, Drews after which Skinner once more.
The second set was eerily acquainted. The People had been up 20-14 on a kill by Jordan Thompson, however France wouldn’t go away, taking a 21-20 lead on a kill by Lucille Gicquel.
Drews gave the USA set level at 24-23 however France went forward 25-24. France had set level once more at 26-25 and at 27-26 earlier than Drews tied it with a back-row assault. A French assault error by Helena Cazaute and a block by Poulter of Cazaute ended it.
The third set was tied 13-13 earlier than the USA went on a 6-1 run and by no means led by lower than three after going up 20-15.
Drews led with 15 kills and a match-high 15 digs Center Chiaka Ogbogu had eight kills with no errors in 13 assaults, three blocks and two aces.
“It’s the Olympics,” Ogbogu mentioned. “I feel it’s going to be a grind each time.”
The opposite center, Haleigh Washington, had 9 kills and two blocks.
“These two (middles) have been superb,” Kiraly mentioned.
“We all know the Olympics is a bizarre match and peculiar issues occur,” Washington mentioned. “It was such an unbelievable setting and we knew we had been going to be pushed by France and so they pushed. It was superior, so aggressive. It nearly may we clear up and transfer by way of the muck and I feel we may do this just a bit bit sooner.”
Kathryn Plummer and Skinner began at outdoors hitter. Plummer had six kills, three blocks, 5 digs and two aces, and Skinner had 4 kills and 6 digs. However together with his group down 21-20 within the second set, Kiraly introduced in his veterans to switch them each, Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson Prepare dinner.
Prepare dinner had two kills and a block and made some huge performs on protection. Larson had a block and a key set as each completed the match.
“We’re doing a very nice job of carrying the momentum we had in our first match into now,” Robinson Prepare dinner mentioned. “I feel it’s clear that we’re going to want all people. That’s simply the theme of this match. Now we have such nice gamers on and off the court docket it’s a must to scout each single particular person.”
Setter Jordyn Poulter had a kill, a block and an ace to go along with seven digs. Libero Justine Wong-Orantes had 10 digs.
The USA held a 12-6 blocks benefit
France, which went 0-3 in Pool A and didn’t win a set, performed laborious to the top.
“I think about that they had a number of adrenaline coming into this sport,” Ogbogu mentioned, “and so they responded properly.”
Halimatou Bah led with 12 kills, a block and an ace. Sylves had 11 kills and two blocks, Gicquel had eight kills, a block and an ace, and Helena Cazaute had eight kills and and ace.
“Annie Drews’ line is ‘gritty not fairly,’ and I feel that’s what we did,” Poulter mentioned. “It’s an honor to play in opposition to the house nation of their final match within the Olympics and so they put a number of coronary heart and soul into their efficiency and we’ve got been battle examined going into the quarterfinals.
“We’re proper the place we need to be.”
USA setter Lauren Carlini replace
After the primary USA match, Kiraly changed setter Lauren Carlini with official alternate Micha Hancock as a result of Carlini was injured. Carlini practiced Saturday and is nearly able to return.
“We. haven’t decided but,” Kiraly mentioned. “After observe yesterday she mentioned she wasn’t fairly there and she or he doesn’t need to set herself again by speeding after which perhaps not with the ability to be prepared for the quarterfinals and in addition desires to do what’s greatest for the group with two wholesome setters. Jordyn Poulter has been by way of loads, so whoever is backing her up must (be succesful to) play a complete match. In order that’s a part of the equation, too.”
Kiraly mentioned a group makes a roster resolution and submits at night time. On this case, the following resolution can be made Monday for Tuesday’s quarterfinal.
“I might say it’s extra possible than not she can be again,” Kiraly mentioned. “However we don’t must make that call till earlier than the bulletin goes out tomorrow night time at 10 or 11. The choice is easy. You simply let the right folks know this participant is recovered. It doesn’t require any form of medical certificates. It does require one while you take someone off.”
Italy sweeps Türkiye earlier than two key matches
Within the first match Sunday at South Paris Area 1, Italy (3-0) blasted Türkiye (2-1) in Pool C, attending to 3-0 with the 25-14, 25-16, 25-21 victory.
Italy, 9-1 in units, set itself as much as be the highest seed within the quarterfinals.
Paola Egonu led Italy with 18 kills, a block and an ace, and Myriam Sylla had 10 kills and a block. Melissa Vargas led Turkiye with 13 kills.
Two high-stakes matches had been later Sunday in Pool A, China (2-0 was to play Serbia (1-1) and Brazil (2-0) was to play Poland (2-0) in Pool B. Solely Brazil or Poland can beat out Italy for the highest seed within the quarterfinals.
Monday’s males’s Olympic volleyball quarterfinals
The seeding:
- Italy
- USA
- Slovenia
- France
- Germany
- Poland
- Brazil
- Japan
The USA (3-0) performs Brazil (1-2) at 9 p.m. native time Monday. The USA opened with a Pool C sweep of Argentina, went 5 with Germany after which beat Japan in 4. Brazil completed third in Pool B.
Poland (2-1), second in Pool B, performs Slovenia (3-0), which gained Pool A.
Then it’s Italy (3-0), which gained Pool B, vs. Japan (1-2), which completed third in Pool C.
The third quarterfinal pits France (2-1) and Germany (2-1). France, which gained the Tokyo Olympics, completed second in Pool A and Germany was second to the USA in Pool C.
The USA performed Brazil in Volleyball Nations on June 20 in Manila, Philippines, and got here away with an up-and-down 5 set victory. 25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-9.
TJ DeFalco led the USA with 18 kills and three aces. Max Holt had 9 kills, 5 blocks and two aces, Matt Anderson had 11 kills and a block, and Garrett Muagututia had seven kills and two aces.
Alan Souza led Brazil with 23 kills, a block and two aces and Lukas Bergmann had 17 kills and two aces. Neither has been an element for Brazil in these Olympics.
