Team USA's Logan Tom returns a serve in a four-set victory against Brazil in the preliminary round Monday at the 2012 Olympic Games at Earls Court.
Elsa, Getty Images
There was no anger behind the gentle but savvy tip from the fingers of Highland High alum Logan Tom that ended the match between the world's two best volleyball teams.
That's because the U.S. players say they're no longer agonizing over what second-ranked Brazil took from them four years ago in Beijing.
On Monday afternoon at Earls Court in London, the top-ranked team proved it by treating the defending Olympic champions like just another squad standing in the way of their goal to be the first U.S. women's volleyball team to earn a gold medal in the sport.
"It's four years ago," said Tom after the U.S. defeated Brazil 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21. "I don't even look past right now."
Tom, a four-time Olympian, isn't alone in that sentiment.
Her teammates are not stewing over a loss four years ago. Instead, they're reveling in this Olympic moment and the fact that they're the world's best volleyball team. In fact, beating Brazil was a necessary part of the Olympic tournament's pool play, but it is the fifth straight time the U.S. squad has bested the Brazilians.
Head coach Hugh McCutcheon, who led the U.S. men's team to a gold medal in 2008, wasn't overly impressed with his team's victory.
"Certainly, it was a strong performance today," McCutcheon said. "But I didn't see a perfect match of volleyball."
Team captain and setter Lindsey Berg said that's the best part of Monday's victory.
"I don't think I've seen our peak yet, the whole quad," Berg said. "And that's exciting and scary, because I think we're amazing."
The team was led by two first-time Olympians, Destinee Hooker (Texas) and Jordan Larson (Nebraska), but Tom was key in the win with stellar serving and great play on the back row. She earned 12 kills and had just a single hitting error.
"As a team we played well and improved from the first match," Tom said. "Brazil is good technically and is fiery, so when they got ahead it was hard to catch up."
Hooker earned a match-high 23 points with 22 kills and a block. Larson added 18 points, 16 kills and two blocks.
"There were some ups and downs, but we played really well," Larson said. "We had a tough start, but we found our rhythm. Brazil is always (a) battle, but we came strong for the win."
