WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Annie Drews will receive her second Olympic medal after helping Team USA down Brazil in a five-set semifinals thriller. A back-and-forth match, which included going point-for-point to begin the fifth set, ended with a 3-2 victory (25-23, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-11).
Brazil entered the Olympics ranked second in the world while the U.S. ranked fourth.
Team USA will look to defend its gold medal on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET vs. Italy, the top-ranked team in the world entering the Olympics. The match will air live on NBC.
Through the first three sets, Drews was hitting .438% behind nine kills. She finished the match one dig shy of a double-double with 17 points and 9 digs to go alongside a .433 hitting efficiency. Her 17 kills were second-most on the team.
U.S. WOMEN'S INDOOR VOLLEYBALL OLYMPIC SCHEDULE
July 29 | vs. China, L 2-3
July 31 | vs. Serbia, W, 3-2
Aug. 4 | vs. France. W, 3-0
Aug. 6 | Quarterfinals vs. Poland, W 3-0
Aug. 8 | Semifinals vs. Brazil, W 3-2
Aug. 11 at 7 a.m. ET | Gold Medal Match vs. Italy (NBC)
Brazil entered the Olympics ranked second in the world while the U.S. ranked fourth.
Team USA will look to defend its gold medal on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET vs. Italy, the top-ranked team in the world entering the Olympics. The match will air live on NBC.
Through the first three sets, Drews was hitting .438% behind nine kills. She finished the match one dig shy of a double-double with 17 points and 9 digs to go alongside a .433 hitting efficiency. Her 17 kills were second-most on the team.
U.S. WOMEN'S INDOOR VOLLEYBALL OLYMPIC SCHEDULE
July 29 | vs. China, L 2-3
July 31 | vs. Serbia, W, 3-2
Aug. 4 | vs. France. W, 3-0
Aug. 6 | Quarterfinals vs. Poland, W 3-0
Aug. 8 | Semifinals vs. Brazil, W 3-2
Aug. 11 at 7 a.m. ET | Gold Medal Match vs. Italy (NBC)