LONDON (Aug. 7, 2012) - The top-ranked U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team advanced to the 2012 Olympic Games semifinal round for the fourth straight time with a 25-14, 25-21, 25-22 victory over NORCECA rival Dominican Republic in the knockout quarterfinal round on Tuesday at Earls Court in London.
The U.S. Women, which is 6-0 at the 2012 London Games and 29-1 overall this year, will now face Korea on Thursday at 3 p.m. local time (7 a.m. PT). Team USA, the only undefeated team in the Olympic Games women's volleyball competition, topped Korea in four sets to open the 2012 Olympic Games.
The other semifinal will pit Japan against defending Olympic Games champion Brazil. Both teams won extended five-set quarterfinal matches as the lower seed over China and Russia, respectively.
The U.S. Women are in search of its first Olympic Games gold medal after winning silver medals in 2008 in Beijing and 1984 in Los Angeles. Team USA also won the bronze in 1992 in Barcelona. Aside from the Olympics, the U.S. has not won a major season-ending tournament including the FIVB World Championship and FIVB World Cup. However, the Americans have won the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual international women's volleyball tournament, the last three years and five times overall.
In their only previous Olympic Games meeting, the Americans lost to the Dominicans during the 2004 preliminary round. Dominican Republic finished 11th at the 2004 Olympic Games, its only other appearance in the Olympics. Team USA is now 4-0 against the No. 11 ranked Dominican Republic in 2012.
Team USA bolted an 11-2 lead in the opening set and used seven blocks to win 25-14. The U.S. rattled off a 6-0 run to overcome a 10-8 deficit in the second set and proceeded to a 25-21 victory. The Americans put together an 8-1 spurt in the third set to take a 13-7 advantage and held on for a 25-22 victory after a late Dominican Republic charge.
"There was a lot on the line tonight," U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon said. "The Dominican Republic was a different team to play for us, so I had to manage the team well and they had to do their best. I am very happy with the group. We have had a good level of play throughout the whole tournament. We can now look forward confidently."
Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) ignited the U.S. offense with 19 points via 15 kills on 38 attacks and four blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added 10 kills on 13 errorless attacks and a block. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted nine kills and two blocks for 11 points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) contributed five kills on 10 swings and two blocks for seven points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) tallied four kills and an ace for five points. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.), who received her first Olympic Games start, rounded out the scoring with a block and ace for two points.
Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) recorded 16 excellent receptions on 18 errorless attempts to go with 12 digs. Tom added 14 digs to lead the back-row defense and added 11 excellent receptions. Larson provided 11 digs in the victory. Thompson ran the offense to a 43.0 kill percent and .360 hitting efficiency (43-7-100) with 34 running sets.
