U.S. Women's Volleyball Will Try For Back-to-Back Golds After Defeating Rival Brazil in Five-Set Thriller

PARIS – This was the challenge they had savored. The U.S. Women’s Volleyball team found itself in a grueling five-set semifinal battle against a Brazil team that had swept each of its previous opponents in three clean sets. Now, in South Paris Arena 1, before a pro-Brazil crowd, the match would come down to the final set with the winner moving on to contend for Olympic gold.

The U.S., defending Olympic champions, came away with the 3-2 victory to advance to the gold-medal match for a second consecutive Olympics, a feat only achieved one other time in the team’s history.

"This is what you play your sport for," oustide hitter Kathryn Plummer said postgame. "You want to play in a five-set semifinal match at the Olympics. That’s what you grow up wanting to do.”

“It felt like we were in Brazil a little bit today,” said setter Lauren Carlini. “We had a look at that earlier in Volleyball Nations League this year. We heard it during warmups with the boos and we're used to that. This is why you play the game, though. These big moments and this type of atmosphere is incredible.”

The final set was as full of tenacity as to be expected with a trip to the gold medal match on the line. Brazil and the U.S. traded leads throughout the first half. With the score at 8-8 the Americans began to build, delivering some heat from the outside to establish a lead.

The Americans led 12-10 when they scored three of the next four points, with Haleigh Washington responsible for one on a block and Plummer scoring the other two, including the clinching spike to win the set, 15-11.

A high-stakes match-up between the two countries is a common occurrence at the Olympics. Three of the last four gold-medal matches at the Games have been contested between the U.S. and Brazil in 2008, 2012 and 2021. Despite the storied history between the teams, Thursday’s match marked the first time they have ever faced off in an Olympic semifinal.

“Two historical programs,” said Carlini. “We have such big respect for Brazil, and I just want to keep applauding them even after the match because we have amazing matchups and incredible battles with them. But we know our road has not been the easiest. We had a really tough pool play and were ready for this. We were primed for it.”

The U.S. came out hot in the first set, notching an early lead through the first few rallies before Brazil caught up to tie it at 13-13. The two traded leads throughout the rest of the set until Plummer came up big with back-to-back attacks to help the U.S. take the first set, 25-23. Set two proved a little more challenging for the Americans as Brazil established a 15-9 lead. Ana Cristina Menezes Oliveira de Souza carried Brazil with 12 points to help take the second set, 25-18.

Team USA came out firing in set three to dominate the Brazilians, who struggled defensively. The 25-15 set appeared to reenergize the U.S.

But Brazil answered with renewed fight in the fourth set, gaining a slight lead to keep the U.S. chasing a few points behind throughout most of the set. A crucial ace from captain Jordyn Poulter got the U.S. to within 24-23. But a net touch by the U.S. gave Brazil the point to take the fourth set, 25-23.

The U.S. had begun its competition with a loss in the opening match of pool play against China. A five-set victory over Serbia and three-set win over France led to a quarterfinal sweep of Poland. That momentum appeared to carry over into Thursday’s semifinal.

Despite the status of defending gold medalists, the Americans considered themselves underdogs heading in the Games. They concluded VNL play in June ranked seventh, behind No. 1 Italy and No. 2 Brazil.

“Just having to scratch and claw our way through,” said Carlini. “We need all of us. All 13 of us. Last quad we knew who our starters were, it was like ‘These are our seven.’ This time, every single person is needed in order to win these matches.”

Hanna Barton is writing for Team USA as a graduate student in the Sports Capital Journalism Program at Indiana University Indianapolis.