U.S. Women Return to Gold-Medal Match - USA Volleyball (2024)

PARIS, France (August 8, 2024) – For a second straight Olympic Games, and fourth in the last five, the U.S. Women’s National Team will play for the gold medal. On Thursday, the U.S. Women beat Brazil, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, in a memorable semifinal, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11) in Paris.

The U.S. Women (4-1) will face Italy (5-0) in the gold-medal match at 4 a.m. PT on Sunday, not long before the Closing Ceremony. A win would give the program its second gold in 13 Games. A silver medal would be the program’s fourth. Brazil will play Türkiye for the bronze medal on Saturday.

On Thursday, Brazil was hoping to avenge its gold-medal loss to the U.S. Women at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. But two players who were not on the team in Tokyo helped lead the U.S. Women to Thursday’s semifinal win.

“It’s so fun to see Kathryn and Avery just take this game by the throat,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “They’re giving us some fantastic firepower.”

Outside hitter Kathryn Plummer led all players with 26 points on a match-high 23 kills with two blocks and an ace. She also contributed 16 successful receptions and seven digs. Outside Avery Skinner totaled 19 points on 15 kills, three blocks and ace, while adding a match-best 20 successful receptions and equaling libero Justine Wong-Orantes for the team lead with 10 digs.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Skinner said. “We knew they had not lost a set in this whole tournament. Us coming in after multiple five-set matches, we knew we had been battle tested. I think we did have a lot of confidence in what we could do.”

The U.S. led in kills (67-61) and aces (5-2). Both teams were effective on the block with Brazil holding a slight 15-13 advantage, but the U.S. was only blocked five times in the final three sets. Both teams scored 21 points on opponent errors. Brazil led in digs, 100-94, in a match that featured tremendous defense by both squads.

MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)

Starting opposite Annie Drews scored 18 points on 17 kills and an ace, adding six digs. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu tied for match-high honors with four blocks and added five kills. Backup opposite Jordan Thompson (four kills, one block) and middle Haleigh Washington (two kills, two blocks, one ace) each scored five points. Washington also contributed five digs.

Starting setter Jordyn Poulter and backup Lauren Carlini ran the offense and played major roles in multiple aspects. Poulter totaled nine digs and scored on a block and an ace. Carlini finished with eight digs, making numerous critical defensive plays in the deciding set. Veteran Jordan Larson entered the match in key spots and pitched in with a kill, successful reception and a dig.

The U.S. Women have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. The U.S. Women qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, which the United States boycotted.

The U.S. Women have won one Olympic gold medal (2020), three silver medals (1984, 2008 and 2012) and two bronze medals (1992 and 2016).

PLAY-BY-PLAY

In the first set, blocks by Ogbogu, Plummer and Washington helped stake the U.S. to a quick 8-3 lead, but Brazil scored the next four points to force the U.S. to take its first timeout. Brazil went up 17-17 on its sixth and seventh blocks of the set, prompting the second U.S timeout. Skinner’s sixth kill and a pair of Brazil hitting errors evened the set again at 19, leading Brazil to take a timeout. At 21-21, The U.S. scored after a great defensive rally by both teams ended on a net violation.

An Ogbogu kill made it 23-22 U.S., but a great block cover led to a tying kill for Brazil. Plummer’s off-speed kill ended a long rally to give the U.S. set point. A one-arm stab by Skinner led to a Plummer kill to finish the set and hand Brazil its first set loss in Paris. Skinner led all players with eight points on seven kills and an ace with Plummer adding seven points on five kills and a pair of blocks.

Brazil took a 6-3 lead in the second set. Drews delivered back-to-back kills, the first ending a long rally featuring great defense and hustle by Brazil and the second after a one-arm dig by Washington. The U.S. evened the score 8-8 on an Ogbogu block, but Brazil regained its three-point advantage to force a timeout.

By scoring the first two points out of the timeout, Brazil finished a 5-0 run before a Drews kill. Brazil led 15-9 on its 10^th block. The teams exchanged the next eight points before consecutive points by the U.S. cut the gap to four points, the second on a Thompson kill after a great dig by Carlini, and led to a Brazil timeout.

Brazil scored the first four points out of the timeout, taking a 23-15 lead. Ogbogu and Skinner blocks and a bad pass by Brazil cut the advantage back to five points. Brazil, which hit .405 in the set, scored the final two points to square the match at a set apiece. Drews paced the U.S. with five kills and Plummer added four.

Aces by Plummer and Washington, and a Poulter block led the U.S. to a 7-3 lead to open the third set. A kill and a block on consecutive points by Thompson gave the U.S. a 15-8 lead. Brazil scored the next two points and had a swing to cut the lead to five, but a Skinner block made it 17-10.

Plummer’s fifth kill of the set and an ace from Drews extended the U.S. lead to eight, 22-14. After a Brazil point, Washington posted the fourth U.S. block of the set, a Plummer kill out of the back row, and a Skinner tip ended the set. After being blocked 10 times in the first two sets, the U.S. out-blocked Brazil 4-0 in the third set. Plummer scored seven points on six kills and an ace, Skinner contributed three kills and a block, and Drews added two kills and an ace.

Two Plummer kills helped the U.S. take a 6-4 lead in set four, but two blocks keyed an 8-4 run that put Brazil ahead 12-10 and led to a U.S. timeout. Trailing 14-11, the U.S. pulled to within a point on another Plummer kill and a block by Skinner. A Washington kill, Ogbogu block and a service error kept the deficit at one point as the teams exchanged six points.

Brazil scored two points in a row to take a three-point lead and force the U.S. to take its final timeout of the set. A Drews kill cut the margin to two points, 20-18, but Brazil upped the lead to four with back-to-back points. A rare Brazil hitting error in the set cut the margin back to two points, 23-21 and led to a timeout.

A Drews kill fought off one set point at 24-21 and Poulter drew the U.S. within a point on an ace that led to another Brazil timeout. The U.S. was called for being over the net after a bad pass by Brazil to end the set. Drews recorded seven kills and Plummer added five.

A service error and a kill off the top of the block gave Brazil the first two-point lead of the fifth set, 5-3, prompting a U.S. timeout. Skinner brought the U.S. within one, 6-5, and then tied the match on a kill after a long rally that included a key dig from Washington and multiple big digs by Carlini.

Another strong defensive point from Carlini and a set by Plummer led to a Thompson kill to give the U.S. its first lead of the deciding set, 7-6. After Brazil evened the set, a Skinner kill ended a 4-1 run and gave U.S. an 8-7 lead when the teams switched sides.

Brazil tied the deciding set for the final time, 9-9, but a perfect pass by Skinner led to an Ogbogu kill. The lead grew to three points when Brazil was called for a back row block and hit a ball out. A Drews kill made it 12-8 and caused Brazil to use its second timeout in three points.

Out of the timeout, Brazil scored on a kill off the block and registered a block to cut the deficit back to two points, 12-10. Plummer scored on an off-speed shot that found the middle of the court, and a Washington block gave the U.S. match point. After Brazil scored the next point, Plummer sent the U.S. back to the gold medal match with her 23^rd kill of the match and third of the set. Skinner matched Plummer with three kills.

U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2Jordyn Poulter(S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3Avery Skinner(OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4Justine Wong-Orantes(L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7Lauren Carlini(S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10Jordan Larson(OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11Annie Drews(Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12Jordan Thompson(Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15Haleigh Washington(MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16Dana Rettke(MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22Kathryn Plummer(OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23Kelsey Robinson Cook(OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24Chiaka Ogbogu(MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)

Alternates
1Micha Hanco*ck(S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz(L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13Sarah Wilhite Parsons(OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14Anna Stevenson Hall(MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29Khalia Lanier(OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)

Head Coach:Karch KiralyAssistant Coaches:Tama Miyashiro,Erin Virtue,Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach:Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer:Kara KessansStrength & Conditioning Coach:Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst:Rianne VerhoekTeam Leader:Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach:Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant:Sue Enquist
Dietitian:Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist:Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor:Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill

U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25. 17-15)
Aug. 4 USA def. France, 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-20)
Aug. 6 Quarterfinal: USA def. Poland, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-20)
Aug. 8 Semifinal: USA def. Brazil, 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11)
Aug. 11 Gold medal, USA vs. Italy, 4 a.m. PT