LONDON (Aug. 5, 2012) - The U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team, assisted by UCI coaches Paula Weishoff and Jamie Morrison, started slow and finished strong to defeat Turkey 27-25, 25-16, 25-19 Sunday evening to finish the Olympic Games Pool B undefeated at Earls Court in London.
Team USA, which had already sewn up the top seed in the pool regardless of the outcome with Turkey, concludes Pool B with 15 points and a 5-0 record. The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world, will face NORCECA rival Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. PT). Dominican Republic finished Pool A with a 2-3 record and in fourth place.
Turkey, ranked eighth in the world, finished Pool B with a six points and a 2-3 record. Turkey needed to win to assure a spot in the quarterfinals. After Brazil (7 points, 3-2) defeated Serbia (0 points, 0-5) in straight sets to conclude all group play, Turkey was eliminated and the defending Olympic Games champion gained the last spot into the quarterfinals.
Other quarterfinal matches will have Pool A winner Russia (15 points, 5-0) facing Pool B fourth-place Brazil (7 points, 3-2) at 3 p.m. local time (7 a.m. PT), Pool B second-place China (9 points, 3-2) challenging Pool A third-place Japan (9 points, 3-2) at 1 p.m. (5 a.m. PT) and Pool A second-place Italy (13 points, 4-1) versus Pool B third-place Korea (8 points, 2-3) at 9 p.m. local time (1 p.m. PT).
Team USA dug itself out of a 13-7 deficit in the opening set to Turkey with an 11-3 scoring spurt to take a 17-16 lead, but had to save two set points before winning 27-25. The Americans used six blocks and only two errors to fuel the comeback. The U.S. ran off five straight points to take a commanding 19-12 lead in the second set and finished it 25-16 on four unanswered points. Team USA erupted for an 8-3 lead early in the third set and continued to push hard through the set to finish the match 25-19.
"To me one of the important characteristics of a great team is how they perform when there is nothing on the line," U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. "I thought our team really honored the moment of competition tonight. Like the true Olympians they are, they came and battled tonight. I am really proud of that and happy with the performance. I think we even got a little better tonight in a few areas. That is what we are always trying to do with each match - get better."
Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with a match-high 19 points via 17 kills on 38 attacks and two blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in nine kills on 12 attacks, five blocks and an ace for 15 points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) totaled nine points with six kills on 12 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) pocketed nine points with eight kills and a block. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) turned in five kills and a block for six points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with one kill.
Berg provided 24 running sets and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) added 11 running sets mainly in the third set replacing Berg. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed 11 excellent receptions on 14 attempts to go with five digs. Larson added a team-high 11 digs and 11 excellent receptions on 16 errorless chances. Tom charted a team-high 17 excellent receptions on 26 attempts aside from nine digs.
"We played for ourselves," Berg said in regards to having already qualified as the top seed into the quarterfinals regardless of tonight's match. "We didn't want to dilly-dally because there would be no benefit in that. We needed to keep in our rhythm."
McCutcheon started Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Berg at setter and Hooker at opposite. Davis is the designated U.S. libero for the Olympics. Thompson and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) were subs in all three sets, while Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) came off the bench in the first two sets.
Team USA held an 11-6 margin in blocks and a 46-42 advantage in kills. The Americans limited their errors to nine for the entire match and benefited from 18 Turkey errors. The U.S. converted 43.0 percent of its attacks with a .336 hitting efficiency (46-10-107). Turkey converted just 33.6 percent of its attacks with a .160 hitting efficiency (42-22-125). Turkey managed a 48-40 advantage in digs, but only a 62.7 excellent service reception percent.
"We have got better with each of the five matches," said Team USA five-time Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.). "Turkey came out strong, but we were able to regroup whenever we went behind. I've played in four overseas Olympic Games and never heard such huge support from American followers in the crowd - it's given us a great lift."
Earlier in the tournament Team USA defeated No. 15 Korea (3-1), No. 1 Brazil (3-1), No. 3 China (3-0) and No. 7 Serbia (3-0) in pool play.
"We've seen bits of them," McCutcheon said of the impending quarterfinal match with Dominican Republic. "I know their results have been a little sporadic throughout the year, but they have a lot of experience and have weapons that can hurt you. They are all legitimate teams at the Olympic Games."
Dominican Republic will offer Team USA all the challenges they could ask for in a quarterfinal match.
"They're going to be coming to get us," Berg offered on USA's NORCECA rival Dominican Republic. "They are emotional, aggressive and physical. We're going to have to serve tough and keep the ball away from their libero (Brenda Castillo)."
