Team USA women's volleyball is in action once again on Day 5 of the 2024 Paris Olympics volleyball tournament. They face the two-time defending world champions, Serbia, in a crucial match in Pool A. Team USA dropped its first game to China in a thrilling five-setter to come away with one point from the match.
Before the Americans take the court, top-ranked Poland faced No. 7 Brazil on the men's side of the tournament in a marquee matchup to start the day. Also on the slate, Japan faces Argentina on the men's side and Poland's women's team is up against Kenya in Pool B action.
Men's Pool B: Poland 3, Brazil 2
This matchup had all the makings of an instant classic and it lived up to the billing. The top-ranked team in the world, Poland, and the six-time Olympic medalists, Brazil, delivered what was arguably the match of the Olympics so far.
Brazil pushed Poland to the brink and gave them everything they had, but Poland's Wilfredo Leon willed his team to a win that has delivered the Poles into the quarterfinals.
Leon absolutely dominated the match with 26 points on 21/49 attacking and three aces. Two Brazilians, Cavalcante and Lucarelli, had 18 while Darlan Souza added 17 of his own, but even that three-headed monster was not enough to overcome the Polish superstar.
Brazil won a rollercoaster first set, flying out of the gates to a 19-13 lead. Poland had a response, though, as it quickly went on a 9-2 run, taking its first lead at 22-21 before Brazil threw the final punch with four straight points, including a thundering ace from Leal to close out the set 25-22.
In a surprise to nobody, Poland responded quickly to dropping the first set with six of the first seven points in the second to open up a five-point lead. Brazil dragged things back within a point at 10-9 but Poland answered right back with a 7-2 run to open up a six-point advantage. The Polish held that lead and Bartosz Kurek capped it off with an ace through the Brazil defense to win the set 25-19.
The third set was all Brazil with the underdogs in control for the duration. It was close at 16-14, but Brazil closed on a 9-5 run behind some dominant attacking to take a 2-1 sets lead.
Poland scored three straight points early in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead, then neither team scored back-to-back points until Brazil scored two straight to take a 14-12 lead. Neither side held a lead bigger than two until Poland took a 23-20 lead. Brazil made a late push and survived two set points, but a serving error on the third set point gave Poland a 25-23 win to force a fifth.
Poland scored six of the first eight points and held a four-point lead when the teams traded sides halfway through the set. Poland looked to be in control but Brazil stuck with it and chipped away, eventually tying the set at 12. Poland got the lead back, then Leon took matters into his own hands with two straight aces to kill off a 15-12 win.
The win gives Poland five points in Pool B, meaning they are through to the quarterfinals and will play Italy Saturday at 11 a.m. ET to determine who wins the pool. Brazil comes away with its only point of the tournament so far, putting them in a dire position. They will have to beat Egypt Friday at 7 a.m. ET, then hope results fall their way elsewhere to be one of the two best third-place teams in the tournament.
Men's Pool C: Japan 3, Argentina 1
Japan suffered a brutal upset in its first game of the tournament, as the second-ranked team in the world fell to No. 11 ranked Germany.
From the jump in this one, it was clear the Japanese were out to prove that game was just a blip, and they should still be considered one of the favorites in the tournament.
The teams traded the first 19 points of the match, with the first two-point lead coming when Japan went ahead 11-9. From there, they completely took over behind the booming left arm of Yuji Nishida, easily winning the set, 25-16. Nishida was simply unstoppable with 10 points on 5/7 attacking and five aces.
Argentina dusted itself off, winning seven of the first eight points in the second set and growing its lead to as big as seven points at 16-9. Japan would put together a furious rally and frustrate Argentina, so much so that Facundo Conte picked up the first red card of the entire Olympic tournament so far. Japan finished the set on a 16-6 run to win 25-22 and take a two-set lead.
The Argentines once again managed to pick themselves up off the mat, showing the resolve that earned them a bronze medal in Tokyo. They grabbed control of what was initially a tight third set, taking a 19-13 lead that they never looked back from, winning 25-17 to keep the match alive.
The fourth set was much like the first, with the teams rarely separated by more than a point until the middle of the set when Japan began taking control. Argentina made a late push, but Japan found its way to a 25-23 win to take all three points from a 3-1 win.
After two matches in Pool C, the U.S. leads with five points, Germany and Japan are tied with four, while Argentina has been eliminated after failing to grab a point from its first two games.
Japan will take on the United States in the final game of pool play Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, while Argentina will try to play spoiler against Germany Thursday at 3 a.m. ET.
Women's Pool A: Team USA 3, Serbia 2
The Team USA women mirrored their counterparts' questionable strategy by blowing a two-set lead and being forced into a decisive fifth.
The U.S. dominated the first two sets behind an incredible defensive effort led by Chiaka Obogwu's eight blocks and Haleigh Washington's four.
The team's defense played a huge part in keeping reigning World Championships MVP Tijana Boskovic in check through the first two sets.
The Serbian superstar would not stay down for long, though, and neither would the rest of her team. A sleeping giant seemed to awaken in the middle sets and suddenly Serbia was on the forefoot in attack and also playing incredible defense to throw the U.S. out of whack.
Maja Aleksic led the way defensively for Serbia with six blocks on the night and that helped get Boskovic going. That rough start was long forgotten by the end of the match as she posted 31 points on 27/56 in attack.
The U.S. had just enough left to weather the storm and hold off the Serbian charge. Things were extremely tight, but the U.S. finally closed it out on their fifth match point to take the set 17-15 and the match 3-1.
The U.S. is now in great position to advance with four points and a favorable matchup against France coming next Sunday at 7 a.m. Serbia still leads the group with four points and will face China in a giant match for both sides Sunday at 11 a.m.
Women's Pool B: Poland 3, Kenya 0
Kenya gave Poland everything it had for three sets on Wednesday, but the all-around play of the No. 4-ranked team in the world was too much for the Kenyans to overcome.
Poland was strong offensively and defensively through the first two sets, coming up with six blocks and six aces. It won the first two sets by scores of 25-14, 25-17.
The Polish squad rattled off five straight points to start the third. The lead grew to 7-1 after a hit by Malwina Smarzek went across the court and fell just in bounds for a point that forced a timeout by the Kenyans. Out of the timeout, Kenya got back in it with four straight points, including an ace by Veronica Adhiambo Oluoch, to get within two.
Poland outscored Kenya 18-10 the rest of the way, and never let its opponent get closer than four. Oluoch had an ace to get Kenya within eight, 22-14. It didn't matter. Two straight errors by Kenya gave Poland the third set win, 25-15, and overall match sweep.
Poland had 49 digs in the match to just 22 by Kenya. Defensively, Kenya finished with just one block. Poland's Magdalena Stysiak had team-high eight attack points. Kenya's Pamella Adhiambo Owino led the game with 13 attack points, and Oluoch added 11.
At 2-0, Poland leads Group B with a matchup against Brazil next up on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Kenya (0-2) will take on Japan on Saturday at 7 a.m. ET.