Credit: Reuters Ricardo Moraes
As Anthony Boadle (Reuters) reported from the scene (Rio De Janeiro):
'The Serbian women's volleyball team eliminated the world's top-ranked team the United States on Thursday in a shock upset after the undefeated Americans lost their top player to a leg injury.
Serbia, competing for Olympic medals for the first time, will face China who are playing for their third gold after overcoming the Netherlands in four sets.
The Serbians were riding high after sending Russia home two days earlier and defeated the U.S. 20-25 25-17 25-21 16-25 15-13 in a five-set clash that could have gone either way.
The U.S. team won the first set but Serbia, driven on by their formidable spiker Brankica Mihajlovic, took control after America's top-scoring middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo went off with a left knee injury sustained in the opening set.
"We put ourselves in a position to win the match but Serbia made some great plays down the stretch," U.S. coach Karch Kiraly told reporters. "This loss is deeply disappointing. It cuts deep."
The U.S. were favorites to take their first gold medal in women's volleyball. They won the World
Credit: Reuters Ives Herman
Championship in 2014 and took silver in the last two Olympics, losing both finals to Brazil, who were eliminated by China on Tuesday.
Credit: Reuters Ives Herman
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