It's over...it was a long time coming, but it's finally over. It's not fun knowing that you have to wait another four years to have another experience like this. It's hard to believe that we've been here for 2 1/2 weeks already and in a few days we will be packing our stuff up and leaving for our hometowns.

Our match yesterday was the roughest match to date -- even topping our five-set win over the Dutch. It's really hard to accept that you've come this far and trained for the last four years, and come up short -- so short. It was a battle -- please do not think that we rolled over and let them beat us. It was a hard-fought battle, but China was the better team that day. We were overpowered and out-worked. It's really bittersweet. I am so happy to have the silver medal, but it's very hard to leave on a loss. But the silver feels so good. I just keep thinking that we are number 2 in the WORLD!

I just really want to thank all my teammates. This has been a really hard year for me with my parents separating and my grandfather passing away this June. I was very emotional after every match that we played because I wanted nothing more than to have my grandfather see us win the silver. My teammates have been so supportive of me. It was been a very good experience for me and I have grown so much this past year.

Some members of the team, the coaching staff, and trainers went to the Great Wall today. Many of my teammates stopped at the 3rd tower, but our trainers, George and Mark, and our assistant coach, Denise, and I kept moving on. We ended at the 8th tower -- probably one of my greatest accomplishments in my life. It was spectacular. It was so hard to soak it all up in a matter of two hours.

I will cherish this trip for the rest of my life. Team USA has really made me proud to be an American. Win or lose, we all went out with dignity no matter how hard it was.