USA Women’s VB Team reaches final at Tokyo Games

Leading the USA was Annie Drews with 17 points while Jordan Larson had 15 and Michelle ‘Boom-Boom’ Bartsch-Hackley bagged nine. The supreme USA defence limited Serb star Tijana Boškovi to 19 points. Serbia sent the USA to the Bronze Medal match at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Today was redemption day for the USA as they responded by blowing the World and European champions away in straight sets.

Tijana Boškovi’s, Serbian star, is the top scorer in Tokyo Olympics volleyball, Men’s or Women’s but the USA blunted her threat with an organised block co-ordinated between Bartsch-Hackley, Jordyn Poulter, Foluke Akinradewo, and Haleigh Washington.

The USA did their homework and nullified Serbia’s main threat while lining up their top hitter Drews in a mismatch on the other side of the net.

The Americans also targeted outside hitter Bianka Busa all game and despite Serbian Coach Zoran Terzi shuffling the pack they simply couldn’t find a foothold.

The USA didn’t change their setup once, they had a plan and they stuck to it. 24-14 up in the first set, Serbia and Boškovi rallied to score five straight points but the Stars and Stripes put it away and never looked back.

Drews had 22 points against Italy, 21 against the Dominican Republic, and was clutch here again, spiking, blocking and serving aces.

Not bad for someone in the team because of an injury to star opposite hitter Jordan Thompson. Permanently smiling, Drews enjoyed her day as her smile spread across the team as they danced in delight as Serbia couldn’t come up with an answer.

Setter Jordyn Poulter was back in after her ankle injury and was another critical factor in a commanding win.

The USA have never won Olympic Gold, collecting three Silver and two Bronze Medals at past Games but now the Volleyball Nations League champions have eliminated the Rio Silver-Medallists.