Fansided

Olympics volleyball results: August 20

By Nathaniel Reeves

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20: China celebrates after the Women's Gold Medal Match between Serbia and China on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracanazinho on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20: China celebrates after the Women's Gold Medal Match between Serbia and China on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maracanazinho on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

China won its third ever gold medal with a win over Serbia in the final of the women’s volleyball tournament.

The women’s volleyball tournament concluded on the penultimate day of the 2016 Rio Olympics with the bronze and gold medal matches.

Sixth-ranked Serbia looked to complete its underdog run when it took on No. 3 China in the gold medal match. The Serbians showed they weren’t happy to just be in the match after upsetting the United States in the semifinals, and took the first set 25-19.

China responded with a dominant 25-17 second set victory behind three aces. The Chinese block then got going, forcing Serbia into mistakes to build an 18-10 lead i the third. Serbian stars Milena Rašić and Tijana Boskovic rallied the team to within 23-22, but Zhu Ting’s ace helped China escape to take control of the match.

After opening set four with an ace, the Chinese held off a persistent Serbian effort to secure the match 25-23, aided by a crucial service error. The victory marked the third gold and fifth medal overall for China, while Seriba earned its first medal with the silver.

Ting was the best player of the tournament, and her 25 points paced China on Saturday following a 33-point effort in the semifinals.

After suffering a tough loss in the semifinals, Team USA was back in action playing for a bronze medal against the Netherlands. The underdog Dutch battled back from an 17-13 deficit to tie things at 22, but good play at the net  ensured the Americans won 25-23.

Once again, the United States blew a four-point lead in the second due to some uncharacteristically poor passing. The Netherlands was able to take advantage this time with a 27-25 on an ace after surviving a set point from Team USA.

Four blocks paced the United States in another close set in the third, and Kim Hill’s ace finished a 25-22 victory. Star Jordan Larson-Burbach took over the fourth, as Team USA rolled 25-19 to secure the bronze.

Related Story: Olympics track and field results: August 20

Four different Americans had at least 15 points, led by Hill with 16, four aces, and two blocks. The win marks Team USA’s second bronze to go along with three lifetime silvers in the tournament, but they will have to way until 2020 to get another shot at the elusive gold.

Home/Olympic Results