The Three-Peat is Complete for U.S. Women's Sitting Volleyball

PARIS — Revenge is a dish best served golden.

In search of their third-straight gold medal, the U.S. women's sitting volleyball team flipped the script from its first game against China to end its quest with the ultimate reward. The squad dispatched its rivals, three sets to one, to take the top spot on the podium once again.

“A three-peat is just crazy,” captain Monique Matthews said postgame. “We’re so proud of ourselves. Our family came out for this game and they cheered hard. We just couldn’t be more proud.”

Tied 1-1 entering the third set, the U.S. staved off a rally from China in the third and put the game away on their third match-point attempt in the fourth. Five-time Paralympian and outside hitter Katie Holloway Bridge sent a powerful swing over the net and earned a touch off a Chinese block attempt. The ball flicked out of bounds, sealing the deal.

The U.S.' outside hitters were the difference tonight – one in particular did most of the damage. Five-time Paralympian and California native Heather Erickson tallied 28 points on 57.50 percent efficiency.

“Heather really showed out,” setter Kaleo Kanahele Maclay said. “That was crazy.”

Tied 9-9 in the first set, Erickson set the tone early with a thundering cross-court kill, and the U.S. used that to shift momentum in their favor. Leading 21-20, the squad used a 4-1 run to close out the first set to grab an early lead.

“My swinging felt really good,” Erickson explained. “That made me felt more confident to just swing at every ball as hard as I can. I did a really good job at having vision in seeing what was open and hitting those. But, I think that little bit of success in the first and second set gave me the confidence to keep swinging hard.”

China appeared to have the upper hand in the second set. A 6-0 run to open the scoring put them in a prime spot to run away with the set. However, the U.S.’ battled back. Trailing 6-3, the U.S. used a run of five unanswered, including a monster block from Erickson and Lora Webster, to take an 8-7 lead.

Erickson would later tie China again, this time with a laser beam down the middle of the court. However, China earned a late advantage and eventually took the second set, 25-23. Nonetheless, the resiliency of the U.S. shined in set two, illustrating that the squad would not go down without a fight.

“We love adversity, apparently,” Webster joked about the second set. “That was our moment of ‘Hey, let’s see how hard we can dig back.’”

“Volleyball deals a lot with momentum,” Maclay added. “Even if you don’t win the set, if you gain the momentum, you’ve already won the beginning of the next set. Even if you’re down six, it’s really about the drive and the fight.”

All major runs that occurred in set three belonged to the U.S., with Erickson spearheading the attack once again. The outside hitter tallied three of the final five points of the frame.

Clinching set four did not come without some adversity. Behind a rowdy crowd, the U.S. led 20-17 as China took a timeout. The call appeared to work in China’s favor, as they closed the gap to 22-20. Nicky Nieves and Bridge managed to bring the U.S. within one of the victory. However, China stopped the celebration twice, forcing the U.S. to call a timeout to regroup.

“It’s just reminding us to stay present,” Maclay said of the team’s conversations during timeouts. “That’s what we always try to end timeouts with – being in the moment. You are taking a moment to reconnect with your team, and then go out and do what you need to do.”  

The mindset worked, as the U.S. sealed the deal with Bridge’s slam.

“It was incredible,” Maclay said when she saw the ball hit the floor for the final point. “I still can’t even understand it all yet. I’m just in awe. I’m in awe of our team. I’m in awe of our teamwork, and I really just can’t believe it.”

The crowd was the final piece of the puzzle that fit perfectly for the U.S. Behind chants of “USA, USA,” Maclay and several other athletes stated that Paris has had one of the best atmospheres of their careers.

“It was amazing,” Maclay said. “It was so loud. I think this is what we had always hoped for the Paralympics. It is getting better and better every Games.”

Brendan Rourke is a digital media assistant for the USOPC. Previously, he spent three seasons writing for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.