7/28 1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 20 25 KOR 19 17 25 21 U.S. Women Block Korea in Olympic Opener LONDON (July 28, 2012) – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team started its 2012 Olympic Games campaign by defeating Korea 25-19, 25-17, 20-25, 25-21 with a 15-1 block advantage on July 28 at Earls Court in London. The U.S. came back from a 9-8 first set deficit with a 7-0 scoring run to establish a 15-9 advantage and went on to win 25-19 with a 5-1 block margin. Team USA steadily pulled away to a 14-9 lead in the second set and closed out the stanza on a 7-3 run and 25-17 victory. Korea rallied from a 10-6 deficit with an 8-1 scoring run to establish a 14-11 lead and went on to win 25-20 by taking seven of the final 10 points. Team USA pulled away from a slim 15-14 advantage in the fourth set with a 7-1 scoring run to take a 22-15, but needed to hold off Korea down the stretch for a 25-21 victory.
Team USA photo for the 2012 Olympic Games. (FIVB photo)
First-time Olympians Destinee Hooker, Jordan Larsonand Foluke Akinradewo carried much of the offense weight for Team USA in their first Olympic match. Hooker provided a team-high 21 points with 19 kills on 42 attacks and two blocks. Larson chipped in 16 points via 14 kills on 33 attacks, one block and one ace. Akinradewo contributed nine kills on 17 attempts to go with a match-high six blocks for 15 points. Christa Harmotto, another first-time Olympian in her first Olympic Games match, tacked on six kills on eight swings, three blocks and an ace for 10 points. Logan Tom, competing in her fourth Olympic Games, totaled nine points on eight kills and a block. Tayyiba Haneef-Park charted three points including two kills off the bench. Lindsey Berg rounded out the scoring with a kill. Both Haneef-Park and Berg are playing in their third Olympics. “I was definitely nervous,” Larson said of her first Olympic Games contest. “But it was fun to go out there and compete in front of a large crowd was great. Playing at the Qwest Center in Omaha certainly helped. We have been here training all last week and it was good to finally put someone else on the other side of the net to play.”
(Left) Foluke Akinradewo takes a swing against Korea. (Right) Destinee Hooker (19) and Foluke Akinradewo (16) put up a block against Korea as Nicole Davis (6) is ready for a dig attempt. (FIVB photos)
Berg provided 40 running sets on 95 assist attempts in pacing the U.S. offense to a 41.1 kill percent and .312 hitting efficiency (58-14-141). Nicole Davis, back for her second Olympics, tallied 16 digs and 15 excellent receptions on 22 errorless attempts. Larson tallied 21 excellent receptions on 25 attempts and nine digs on the back-row, while Hooker added nine digs. Tom was credited with 20 excellent receptions on 24 errorless attempts to go with eight digs. McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis is the designated libero for the tournament. Haneef-Park, Courtney Thompson and Tamari Miyashiro were subs in all four sets.
USA fans showed their support. (FIVB photo)
“We have beaten a tough and fast team and I am really happy for that, especially for those players who were celebrating their debut at the Olympics,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “I think that Jordan (Larson) and Destinee (Hooker) played superbly, but you know, they are so composed when they step out on the court that I even do not realize that this is their first time in the Olympic Games. They just look and appear like real vets. We have a day off to rest and regroup and get ready for the next match.” In addition to hold a commanding 15-1 margin in blocks, the U.S. edged Korea in aces 2-1. Korea was held to a 35.3 kill percent and .186 hitting efficiency as it committed 28 faults on attacks (15 blocks, 13 errors). Korea managed a 61-50 margin in digs and its excellent reception efficiency was slightly higher at 77.4 to 76.7 over the U.S. Korea was paced in scoring by standout Yeon-Koung Kim’s 29 points that included 27 kills on a match-high 63 swings. Song-Yi Han and Youn-Joo Hwang each added 12 points in the loss.
Logan Tom (center facing) is all smiles surrounded by her teammates after defeating Korea in the Olympic opener. (FIVB photo)
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