Olympics volleyball results: August 19
Team USA suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics men’s volleyball tournament, as Italy and Brazil will play for the gold.
The matchups in the medal rounds of the men’s volleyball tournament have been determined following the semifinal round on Friday at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
After losing two straight to open the tournament, Team USA won four straight matches to advance to the semifinals against Italy. The Italians figured to be Team USA’s toughest test yet after beating the Americans earlier in the tournament, and erased an 8-3 deficit in a wild first set to win 30-28.
Errors piled up for the Americans early in the second, as Italy built a 21-18 lead to put the pressure on, but the U.S. tied things up with three straight points including a crucial challenge. After the teams traded set points, the Americans won the second 28-26 on an ace from Matt Anderson.
Team USA kept rolling behind Anderson and Aaron Russell early in the third and opened a 16-4 lead against a stunned Italy squad. The Americans would not relinquish this lead and put the third set away 25-9, as the Italians rested their starters to prepare for the fourth.
With nothing to separate the teams in the fourth, three straight aces from Ivan Zaytsev gave Italy a 25-22 set win to force a winner-take-all fifth. An unforced American error and Italy ace put the Italians up 9-6, and they completed the comeback 15-9 to advance to their third Olympic final. Zaytsev led the way with 21 points on 16 spikes.
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Italy will meet Brazil after the hosts swept Russia in the other semifinal of the night. The Brazilians maintained a slim lead throughout the first, eventually winning the set 25-21.
Russia countered with an early lead in the second, but the Brazilians came back in a 25-20 set win. Once again, the Russians could not quite keep pace in the third set, as a 10-10 tie turned into a 25-17 win and sweep for the hosts.
After looking shaky in pool play, the Brazilians have been strong in their past three matches and will play in their fourth straight gold medal match. Wallace de Souza had 18 points including four blocks to continue his outstanding tournament.