China Defeats USA Women to Begin 2004 Olympics

ATHENS (usavolleyball.org) -- The first day of women’s Olympic volleyball competition was capped off by a heavyweight match-up between world powers China and the United States Saturday night at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

China, the world’s No. 3 team, overcame after a disappointing start to the match to play inspired volleyball the rest of the way and walked away with a 3-1 win over No. 1 Team USA.

Hao Yang scored a match-high 20 points and Ping Zhang added 17 points as China recovered from the loss of star Ruirui Zhao to a fractured right leg on the second play of the first set to post a big result.

Yang had 19 kills and one block for China in the 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-18 victory in Pool B. Zhang, who entered the match after the injury to Zhao, had 14 kills, two blocks and one ace.

"Our players played very well," said Chinese head coach Zhonghe Chen. "Everyone was very concentrated and they all gave their best."

Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) scored a team-high 14 points on 10 kills, two blocks and two aces and Danielle Scott (Baton Rouge, La.) added 11 points on nine kills and two blocks for Team USA, which finished fourth at the 2000 Olympic Games.

"It’s definitely disappointing to lose; we feel like we could be the team to beat China," said opposite Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa), who scored four points on four kills. "We know we can play better. We played tentative at times. I thought China came out, played really well and stuck to their game plan.

"But I think we can execute a lot better," added Metcalf. "We have to stick to our plan and stay aggressive and I think we’ll definitely be able to play a lot better the next time we meet."

Zhao was playing in her first match since originally injuring her leg back in May. After she limped from the court, was carried away on a stretcher and taken to the hospital, China came on strong and led by as many as eight points in the set.

The Americans held fast, however, and closed to within one point at 21-20 after a kill and an ace by Tom. But China outscored the Americans, 4-1 the rest of the way and secured the first set by a 25-21 score.

In the second set, China jumped out to a 5-2 lead and looked like it was going to run away with the match. Team USA head coach Toshi Yoshida called a quick timeout, put outside hitter Ogonna Nnamani (Normal, Ill.) into the match for Keba Phipps (Las Vegas, Nev.) and watched the young Stanford star energize her team.

Two quick Nnamani kills and a block by Tayyiba Haneef (Laguna Hills, Calif.) quickly evened the scored and forced Chen to call a timeout of his own. The lead went back and forth between the teams until China used a kill by Yang and a block by Kun Feng to take a 21-19 lead.

Once again, Nnamani came to the rescue. She blasted two kills to tie the score, then watched as Haneef put away two balls and Tom posted a block as the U.S. took a 24-22 lead. China blocked a shot by Tom, but then hit a ball wide to lose the second set, 25-22.

But the Americans could not maintain their momentum and would not win another set in the match.

Nnamani finished with nine points while Haneef and Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) each added eight.

Up next for the United States is Germany on Monday, Aug. 16 at 12:30 p.m. (CDT). Germany upset three-time defending gold medalist Cuba in five sets earlier on Saturday.