The Chase For A Medal Continues: Olympics Week One Roundup

We are over a week into the 2024 Olympics competition and it has been an exciting ten days of action for our four former student-athletes competing in Paris. Time to check in on how they're doing so far… 

WOMEN'S WATER POLO

Tara Prentice scored a goal as Team USA advanced to the semifinals in the 2024 Paris Olympics in an exciting 5-4 victory over Hungry in the quarterfinals. The Americans were 3-1 in group play, posting convincing victories over Greece (15-6), Italy (10-3), and the host country France (17-5) and suffering a rare loss to Spain (13-11) in a rematch from the gold medal game in the 2021 Tokyo Games. Prentice scored four goals over the four games in group action, along with two rebounds and two field blocks. The center scored two, her highest game total in the Olympic games so far, in the opening match against Greece. Team USA resumes action on Thursday, August 8 at 10:35 a.m. versus Australia.

MEN'S INDOOR VOLLEYBALL

Indoor men’s volleyball concluded group action on Friday afternoon as France and Kevin Tillie finished with a 2-1 record in Pool A. Tillie and the French defeated Canada in three sets (25-20, 25-21, 25-17), but found themselves in five set thrillers against both Serbia (W, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 21-25, 15-6) and Slovenia (L, 20-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-22, 11-15). 

Over in Pool C, Team USA and David Smith completed the opening round with three wins (3-0). Smith and the Americans took down Argentina in a three-set match (25-20, 25-19, 25-16), came out on top against Germany in an electric five-sets (25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 20-25, 15-11), and finished in four over Japan (25-16, 25-18, 18-25, 25-19). 

Both Tillie and Smith represented their countries in the quarterfinals on Monday and are advancing to the semifinals. France pulled off the reverse sweep, 3-2, against Germany (18-25, 26-28, 25-20, 25-21, 15-13) and Team USA used four sets to earn the 3-1 victory over Brazil (26-24, 28-30, 25-19, 25-19). 

Smith plays first on Wednesday August 7th at 7 a.m. PT versus Poland and Tillie will follow at 11 a.m. PT against Italy.

MEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Wrapping up the player action is Thomas Hodges representing Australia in men’s beach volleyball. In a 2-0 loss to Poland, Hodges recorded 15 kills (15-4-22), one ace, and four blocks. The Australian Flame were able to take one set from Germany, but ultimately fell 2-1 where Hodges registered 18 kills (18-6-31), three aces, and four blocks. Early Saturday morning, the Aussies collected their first win of the tournament, 2-0, over France but saw their Olympic run come to an end with a 2-0 loss to Team USA in the Lucky Losers preliminary round.

WOMEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL/SWIMMING

On the coaching side, former assistant coach Jordan Cheng guided Team USA’s duo of Kelly Cheng/Sara Hughes to a perfect 3-0 record in Pool C, advancing to the knockout round in women’s beach volleyball. The Americans defeated the Czech Republic (21-16, 21-11), France (21-16, 23-21), and Germany (21-18, 21-18). Team USA won their round of 16 match against Italy in three sets (21-18, 17-21, 15-12) before falling to Switzerland, 0-2 in the quarterfinal round.

Dave Durden was an assistant coach with USA Swimming who compiled 28 total medals, the most by any nation. The United States garnered three world records and two Olympic records.

#OlympiansMadeHere