The United States women’s volleyball team and former Husker Jordan Larson are heading to the Olympic Gold Medal Match after beating South Korea in three straight sets (25-20, 25-22, 25-22) in the semifinal round at the 2012 London Olympics on Thursday.
Larson, who posted the second-highest kill total on the team, notched 10 kills, three blocks, a total of 14 points and one ace during the three-set match.
The teams traded small leads throughout much of the first set, but the U.S. took control on a 5-0 run with four points on Larson’s serve. South Korea stayed in front of the United States during most of the second set, until two errors by South Korea gave the Americans a 23-22 lead before Larson’s touch kill gave them set point. In the third set, the two teams were tied at 21, but the Americans dominated in the final stretch, winning four of the last five points. A stunning serve by Larson set up match point, where a kill by Logan Tom clinched the match and sent the U.S. to the final.
The U.S. women, who are 7-0 at the 2012 London Olympic Games and are 30-1 overall this year, are in search of their first Olympic Games gold medal after winning silver medals in 2008 in Beijing and 1984 in Los Angeles. Team USA also won the bronze in 1992 in Barcelona. The team will face Brazil. The gold medal match is slated for Saturday, Aug. 11 at 12:30 p.m. CT and will be shown via tape delay on NBC or live on nbcolympics.com.
— Hillary Winter, Nebraska Sports Information