U.S. Women Battle Back Before Falling to China in Paris Opener

PARIS, France (July 29, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team made a valiant comeback before dropping its Paris Olympics opener to China, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13) on Monday. China received two points in pool play for the victory, while the U.S. earned one point for going five.

The U.S. entered the Olympic Games ranked fifth in the world, while China came in ranked sixth. The U.S. will face No. 9 Serbia at 8 a.m. PT on Wednesday (July 31).

MATCH STATISTICS

The U.S. ended the match with a 74-68 advantage in kills and 6-1 in aces, while recording just one less block (12-11). China benefitted from 21 U.S. errors, while committing only 11. Each team scored 102 points.

“The statistics highlight how thin the margin is,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We have to take care of some of these little plays.

“The makeable plays have to be made. We made a bunch. I want to give our team a huge amount of credit for fighting back. It’s not easy to come back from 0-2 against a really good China team.”

Kiraly singled out the play of libero Justine Wong-Orantes, who recorded a double-double with a match-high 17 digs and adding 12 successful receptions.

He also lauded setter Jordyn Poulter, who started all five sets after coming back this season from a severe knee injury. Lauren Carlini also helped with setting duties during double substitutions.

Opposite Annie Drews led all players with 26 kills and 29 points, adding three blocks, hitting at a .353 efficiency percentage.

“I think there’s a presence I can bring that inspires those around me if I’m not getting in my own way,” Drews said. “My focus this tournament is on how I can bring the emotional version of my best self out there and let the errors fly in the wind.”

The U.S. Women call their players off the bench “Game Changers” and looked to Avery Skinner and Kathryn Plummer to change the match against China. The pair helped the U.S. win the third and fourth sets to force the tiebreaker.

Skinner scored 17 points on 15 kills and two aces, hitting .400, and led all players with 17 successful receptions. Plummer added 10 points on nine kills and an ace.

“They came in guns a blazing because they had nothing to lose,” middle blocker Haleigh Washington said. “I love that attitude. I love that energy. I think it’s a testament to the depth we have on this team.”

Washington and fellow middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu each reached double digits in scoring. Ogbogu totaled 13 points with nine kills and shared match-high honors with four blocks. Washington finished with 11 points on five kills, three blocks and a match-best three aces.

Outside Kelsey Robinson Cook recorded 15 successful receptions and three kills.

China held a narrow lead, 15-14, in the opening set before a series of runs. Three consecutive points by China raised the lead to four, but the U.S. responded with its own 3-0 run to cut the lead back to one. However, China took control of the set by scoring the next four points. Drews led the U.S. with five points on four kills and a block, and Larson and Cook each registered three kills.

The second set was tied at 10 when China went on a 7-1 run that began with back-to-back blocks. The U.S. never got closer than a five-point deficit for the remainder of the set. Drews totaled seven kills in the set. Ogbogu scored four points on three kills and a block, and Washington added three points on two kills and a block.

With Skinner and Plummer starting in the third set, the U.S. jumped out to an 8-5 lead. Still holding a three-point advantage at 14-11, a great dig by Wong-Orantes led to a Skinner kill and then a Drews tip made it 16-11 and forced a timeout. China came out of its time out by scoring the next three points, but a Drews kill and back-to-back point on overpasses off strong serves by Washington put the lead back to four, 18-14.

With a 20-16 lead, the U.S. ran off four points in a row with Drews, Plummer and Ogbogu all recording kills and Skinner serving an ace. Plummer ended the set with her third kill. Skinner led all players with eight points on seven kills and the ace, Drews scored six more points on five kills and a block, and Ogbogu contributed four points on three kills and a block.

The U.S. continued its momentum by scoring four of the first five points in the fourth set, prompting China to take an early time out. China then went on an 8-3 run to take an 11-9 lead and force the U.S. to take its first time out. Still trailing by three, 13-10, the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to take a 17-14 lead. China fought back by scoring four of the next five points to even the set at 18.

Poulter scored on a tough ball to give the U.S. the lead again. A Plummer kill and a China hitting error made it 21-18. China pulled back within a point at 21-20, but a Skinner kill, a double called on the China setter and a Washington ace made it 24-20. Drews then sent the match to a fifth set with her fifth kill of the set.

A Drews kill completed a four-point run to stake the U.S. to a 6-3 lead in the deciding set, but China went on a 4-0 run of its own. A Skinner kill and a Washington ace made it 8-7 U.S. as the teams switched sides. China scored the first four points after the switch to take a 11-8 lead. The U.S. fought off two match points on a kill by Drews and another by Washington on an overpass before China ended the match on a kill. Drews again led the team, scoring six points on five kills and a block. Washington contributed a kill, block and an ace.

U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)

Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)

Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue,  Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill

U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 China def. USA, 3-2 (25-20, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 15-13)
July 31 at 8 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Aug. 4 at 4 a.m. USA vs France
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals
Aug. 8 Semifinals
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal