BEIJING -- Brazil won its first gold medal in women's volleyball Saturday, ending the United States' dramatic run.
Brazil defeated the Americans three sets to one to complete the Olympic tournament undefeated. The final match went 25-18, 18-25, 25-13, 25-21.
|
|
| The U.S. can't keep up with Paula Pequeno and Brazil. (Getty Images) |
Todd Bachman was also the father-in-law of U.S. men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon, whose team will also face Brazil on Sunday for the gold medal.
This is the first time both the men's and women's teams advanced to the Olympic final since 1984.
The competition was also marked by the return of U.S. coach Jenny Lang Ping to her hometown. Lang led the Chinese team to the gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Games with a final-match victory over the United States.
The Americans have never won a gold medal in the event. They won the silver medal in 1984 and the bronze in 1992.
China defeated Cuba 3-1 earlier in the day for the women's bronze medal.
"We all would love the gold," U.S. player Lindsey Berg said. "Who doesn't want a gold medal? But we're all happy with what we got."
The deciding set was tight and tense. Brazil went up 15-13 on Sheilla Castro's spike, but the United States scored three straight points to go ahead. Brazil challenged the lead, but couldn't pull back out front until Marianne Steinbrecher's spike knocked over Logan Tom and made it 21-20.
But Brazil scored the last four points and won it when U.S. wing spiker Logan Tom's spike sailed out of bounds.
The U.S. women gathered in a tight hug, while the Brazilians danced. Tears were in their eyes, but they nonetheless raised their clasped hands upward.
"We have nothing to be disappointed for," Tom said. "You see tears; they're tears of happiness, though. We came a long way this tournament."
Brazil, the No. 1-ranked team in the world going in, rolled undefeated through five preliminary pool matches, before beating Japan in the quarterfinals and host China, the defending Olympic champion, in the semis. The Brazilians had not dropped a set coming into Saturday night's final.
The United States went 4-1 in pool play, then defeated second-ranked Italy in the quarterfinals before a stunning three-set upset of former powerhouse Cuba to advance to the final.
Brazil had never played in an Olympic final. The team won bronze medals in both 1996 and 2000.
After the death of Todd Bachman, McCutcheon immediately left the men's team to be at his wife's side. He returned after Barbara Bachman improved and was taken by air ambulance home to the United States.
Many on the women's team had played with Bachman McCutcheon in the 2004 Athens Games. Her parents were supporters, often accompanying the team to tournaments.
The two teams responded to the tragedy with small but heartfelt gestures. The men wrote the Bachmans' initials on their shoes. The women penned "Wiz" on their arms and shoulders during matches.
In the end, however, Brazil was too fast and talented for the United States.
