After five exhausting sets, the US women’s volleyball team pulled off a huge win against a strong Italian side. Despite a horrid injury to their star player Jordyn Poulter, the rest of the team came through and beat Italy. With this win, they come close to cementing themselves as the first placed team in Pool B at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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US women’s volleyball team survive at the Tokyo Olympics 2020
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TOPSHOT – (L-R) Italy’s Elena Pietrini hits the ball in front of USA’s Foluke Akinradewo and Jordan Larson in the women’s preliminary round pool B volleyball match between USA and Italy during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on August 2, 2021. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
While the men’s volleyball team won’t make it to the quarterfinals, the women’s team sent a loud message against the Italians. Starting setter Jordyn Poulter crumbled to the mat after a supposed twister ankle. She couldn’t compete anymore, and the Italians saw this as their opening.
They clinched the fourth set post Poulter’s injury and leveled the game. With Micha Hancock replacing Poulter, the Italians thought they could pull off a win. However, Andrea Drews played some of the best volleyball of her life to pick up 22 points for herself.
Italy 🇮🇹 takes set 3 vs the U.S. Women 🇺🇸 27-25 and leads the match 2-1 at #Tokyo2020 Starting setter Jordyn Poulter was injured early in the set and has been taken for examination. Micha Hancock is now setting for the U.S. Set 4 coming up. Watch info: go.usav.org/8221USvIT
The win solidifies their standing at the top of Pool B, but the group stage isn’t over. They end up with four wins and one loss which came against the Russian Olympic Committee, but the win over Italy makes them the favorites to clinch gold.
In the quarterfinals, the US women’s volleyball team will have a tough task ahead of them. Although they’ve qualified, they’ll face tough competition in the form of nations like Serbia, Brazil and South Korea. How far will they go at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and will there be a medal around their necks?
Tokyo 2020 Women's Volleyball Olympic Games Preliminary Round - Pool B Match No. 26 Results USA 🇺🇸 (3) : (2) 🇮🇹 Italy 21-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16, 15-12 Best Scorer: Paola Ogechi EGONU 🇮🇹 28 points - 27 attacks, 1 block #Olympics #Volleyball #東京2020 #バレーボール
https://twitter.com/dhenz8888/status/1422053964757958661
Yay #USA won 🥳 what a good match!!! #Volleyball #Olympics
#Volleyball #Olympics This is going right down to the wire!
USA🇺🇸 wins in 5 sets. What a match! Sulit. #volleyball
USA volleyball back on top after losing two top players (including @raptorathletics grad Jordyn Poulter) and going through a marathon 5 sets with previously unbeaten Italy. Now let’s get a nap before we ride again at 2:00am MT ✊🏼😤 #olympics #Volleyball #USWNT
I think there is a @PennStateVBALL connection between Washington and Hancock at the #Olympics ! Go #usa #OlympicGames #Volleyball #GoTeamUSA
Ooo wee. USA won just by a pinky. That was a good match #Volleyball
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/1422054912964313088
Way to Go #TeamUSA Women’s #Volleyball!!! Way to persevere and fight to the end!!!! #Tokyo2020 #OlympicGames #Olympics
USA Volleyball that was stressful as fuck #TokyoOlympics #Volleyball
Were Italy robbed?
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Italy’s Caterina Bosetti dives for the ball in the women’s preliminary round pool B volleyball match between USA and Italy during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on August 2, 2021. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite coming up short, the Italian women’s volleyball team put up an incredible fight. They went one set down after US clinched the third set, but they fought back thanks to the injury to Jordyn Poulter.
However, the match wasn’t without controversy since the judges awarded the match to the US women’s team. The judges caught the ball flick of an Italian player’s pinky finger, which led to an extra touch. After reviewing it, the match went US’ way, but was this fairly decided or have they have robbed the Italians of a deserving victory?