On Tuesday, China shocked the volleyball world by upsetting two-time defending gold medalist Brazil on its home court. Can the upstart Chinese team keep that momentum moving and punch its ticket to a guaranteed medal by beating the Netherlands on Thursday?
Olympics 2016, volleyball schedule: Time, TV schedule and live stream for semifinals
Was China’s upset of Brazil the start of a Cinderella story? Can the U.S. claim its first ever women’s gold?
Matt Kryger-USA TODAY Sports
Somehow, a team that went 2-3 in pool play found the composure to eliminate the two-time defending champions from the Olympic tournament. Zhu Ting put her nation on her back, firing spikes down upon the Brazilian side with abandon. The home team knew it was coming each time, but still struggled to stop it. Ting’s finger-smashing hits often found their way to the floor and onto China’s side of the scoreboard.
Now they’ll await a semifinal showdown with the Netherlands, Pool B’s No. 2 seed. The Dutch dispatched South Korea to advance to the final four, running out to an easy 2-0 lead before letting off the gas and cruising to a 3-1 victory.
On the other side of the bracket, the United States will continue its quest for a first-ever women’s volleyball gold medal when it faces a dangerous Serbia team.
The Americans dispatched their quarterfinal opponents in straight sets -- 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 -- to keep their undefeated streak alive at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Team USA came into the Games as the world’s No. 1 ranked team. It hasn’t lost yet in the competition and has only dropped five sets against the world’s best teams. A win against the Serbs on Thursday would put them one win from making history on the court.
Women’s volleyball semifinals for Thursday, Aug. 18
All times Eastern, click for streaming link
Semifinal No. 1: Serbia vs. United States, noon (NBC), NBC Sports Stream
Semifinal No. 2: China vs. Netherlands, 9:15 p.m. (NBCSN), NBC Sports Stream
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