Team USA women’s volleyball is in action once again on day five 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 it’s first game to China in a thrilling five setter to come away with one point from the match.
Before the Americans took 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.
Pool B: Poland 3, Brazil 2
This 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 Wilfredo Leon willed his team to a win that has delivered them into the quarterfinals.
Brazil took 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. Poland was able to hold 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 most of the set. It was close at 16-14, but Brazil closed 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 matters into his own hands with two straight aces to kill off a 15-12 win.
The win gives Poland five 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., then hope results fall their way elsewhere to be one of the two best third-place teams in the tournament.
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