It took 2 hours for Serbia’s women’s team to shatter the USA’s hope of winning a gold medal. Each team had won 2 sets, Serbia teetered on the brink of losing the fifth…..the USA team needed just two points to finish them off. But USA star Rachael Adams served into the net, giving Serbia match point, and the top-ranked Americans couldn’t hold off the final assault.

First-time semifinalists Serbia will now advance to take on the winner of China and the Netherlands in the other semifinal tonight.

The Americans will take on the loser for a bronze medal.

Brankica Mihajlović, 25 years, was dominant for Serbia, particularly in the second and third sets as the Americans struggled to do anything with her spikes and couldn’t seem to get any hits over her block attempts.  

She is now my absolute fave women’s blocker, spiker and server from all the teams I’ve seen. She was THE star player of the match.

Tonight, at 22.15, teams red (China) and orange (Netherlands) played off to the sounds of majorly supportive, if slightly weirdly dressed, fans. You’ve got to hand it to these 2 Dutch folk for hamming (sorry cheesing) it up! ?  The gold/silver playoff will be China vs Serbia.

Can’t wait.!!