Women’s volleyball is a sport that Team USA expects to medal in. In a lot of team sports at the Olympics, coming home with anything less than gold is seen as a program setback. And while those aren’t quite the expectations compared to other events in which the United States should comfortably win, silver, or not making the podium would be equally disastrous. Luckily, group play provides an opportunity for setbacks, and anyone can afford an early loss. Especially against another quality opponent, it’s about learning, and racking up enough wins to move on past the initial stage. After that, then it becomes a loser-goes-home scenario, or at least fails to compete for the top spot.
Competitive game ends in defeat
It was a match that lived up to the hype of two volleyball powerhouses going at it. However, for Team USA, their efforts proved to not quite be enough as they fell to China in five sets. The victors grabbed an early 2-0 cushion (25-20, 25-19). The abilities of both rosters were on full display. However, the mistakes and mental lapses favored the eventual winners, especially early on. A couple of unforced errors led to easier points, but the poise and ability to keep the rally going, even when not necessarily playing at their best, led to the lead. It was clear that this was a strong initial performance by the 2016 gold medal finishers in Rio de Janeiro.
Team USA got things going
Avery Skinner and Kathryn Plummer were able to get things going for themselves and provided the needed spark. Sets three and four showed how dangerous this American side can be. Great play at this level can force talent, even on this Olympic court, into errors. And these two pressed the issue with their spectacular play. Through their efforts, especially, the United States was able to tie things up after four sets, scoring 17-25 and 20-25, respectively, on the backend.
It showed the versatility and strength of this roster. Particularly for coach Karch Kiraly, it showed that a spark can be found anywhere and that the depth can be leaned on throughout the tournament. When having an embarrassment of riches, particularly in a loss, it’s easy for fans to second-guess a coaching decision. However, this is only the beginning, and this team will continue to grow and develop chemistry with one another.
Point salvaged
Regardless of how valiant the comeback attempt was, it proved to be just short. While the deciding set ended 15-13 in China’s favor, it easily could have gone anyone’s way at that point. However, being down early proved to be too much to overcome. But there is clearly room for optimism. As mentioned, this is a team that showed that even when not at their best, they can hang around and challenge good competition.
Ultimately, this is a sign of a great collection of athletes. Being able to adjust, and push through rough stretches, while staying competitive is something that every program strives for. Of course, Coach Kiraly would have liked to be in the winners column. But leaving with a hard-fought earned point is something to build on. The effort and pride were on full display, and the skill levels on both sides were clear for all to see. If these two faced each other 100 times, 50 wins each would not be a shock. This may very well be a matchup that viewers will see down the road again. Team USA proved that they are going to be a top-tier contender; the aspect that remains to be seen is if any more hiccups will happen along the way.
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