China to play Russia for women's volleyball gold
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-27 07:57

Resilient Russia is going to another gold medal game in women's volleyball, and it will take on a China team that ended Cuba's streak of three straight Olympic championships.

China's Wang Lina (15), Zhang Na (16), Li Shan (6) and Liu Yanan react to their volleyball semifinal round win over Cuba at the 2004 Olympics Games in Athens, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004. China won 25-22, 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 15-10. [Reuters]

Hao Yang killed four of her team's last five points in the fifth set and finished with 23 points for the Chinese, whose powerful attack was ultimately too much for Cuba in a 25-22, 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 15-10 victory Thursday night.

On match point, Hao wound up and whacked a powerful spike from the left side that bounced off the arms of Liana Mesa Luaces and sailed out of the court. The Chinese players hugged and cried at the thought of returning Saturday to play for their country's first gold medal since 1984.

They will face a Russian team that dropped its first two sets and trailed in each of the last three before coming back to beat Brazil 18-25, 21-25, 25-22, 28-26, 16-14.

Ekaterina Gamova scored 32 points to lead the Russians against a frazzled Brazilian team that blew a 24-19 lead in the fourth set and wasted a total of seven match points.

"Even when we fell behind, we had faith in ourselves and we knew that we would be the winners," Gamova said through an interpreter.

The Brazilians were winning by overshadowing the imposing Russian block with an impressive one of their own. Russia is the tournament leader in defense at the net, averaging just under three blocks per set, and Brazil beat them in that category 20-12.

Brazil consistently aligned two or three defenders in perfect spots to stop the 6-foot-8 Gamova's long, high swing.

The quick, efficient offense the Brazilians are known for deserted them when it counted. Five of Russia's last eight points in the fourth set came on hitting errors by Brazil.

After taking a 13-10 lead in the fifth set, the Brazilians let the Russians climb back to tie it at 14. A ball hit by Virna Dias was blocked by Marina Sheshenina, and Marianne Steinbrecher's spike landed long to give the Russia the win.

Stern Russian coach Nikolay Karpol even managed to crack a smile, while a disconsolate Dias hugged friends in the Brazilian fan section for several minutes.

For the third straight Summer Games, the Brazilians — the only unbeaten team in the preliminary round — head to the third-place match.

"We had our chances," middle blocker Valeska Menezes said. "Unfortunately the ball kept stopping on the net, and we could not earn the points we needed."

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