USA vs. Brazil volleyball results: Team USA tops Brazil in five-set thriller to advance to Olympic gold medal match

Emily Dozier

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USA vs. Brazil volleyball results: Team USA tops Brazil in five-set thriller to advance to Olympic gold medal match image

Not done yet.

USA women's volleyball will defend its Olympic gold medal after defeating Brazil in a five-set thriller.

The rivalry only got hotter after the teams' first semifinals meeting. It was a back-and-forth game with no team winning two sets in a row. While the U.S. took Set 1, it looked like Brazil had the momentum to take it all the way. But the U.S. kept on the gas, digging deep in the 15-point fifth set to take the match.

Through the first half of the match, Brazil's block was too big, outscoring the U.S. 10 to six through two sets. But it didn't last forever as U.S. hitters found their way around the Brazilian walls.

Leading the way was Kathryn Plummer. The Olympic rookie pushed through her battle with the flu to lead Team USA with 26 points (23 kills), including the final swing to make it official. Avery Skinner, also playing in her first Games, added 19 points, while Annie Drews played like the veteran she is, knowing when and where to swing to come up with 17 timely kills in the match.

Only one more win is needed for USA to be golden for just the second time. 

The Sporting News live tracked updates and highlights from the Olympic women's volleyball semifinal match between the U.S. and Brazil. Scroll below for results.

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS
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USA vs. Brazil score

 Set 1Set 2Set 3Set 4Set 5Final
USA25182523153
Brazil23251525112

USA vs. Brazil results, highlights from Olympic women's volleyball semifinal game

All times Eastern.

End of Set 5: USA 15 (3), Brazil 11 (2)

12:12 p.m. – Plummer finishes it! USA beats Brazil in five to advance to its second straight gold medal match.

12:10 p.m. – Blocked by Washington! Match point USA.

12:08 p.m. – One thing guaranteed! Drews will put it away when push comes to shove. The veteran swings deep to give USA a 12-8 lead.

12:06 p.m. – Roberta is called for an illegal backrow attack, giving the U.S. a 10-8 advantage. Timeout Brazil.

12:05 p.m. – USA leads 8-7 at the side change.

12:03 p.m. – AVERY. SKINNER. After multiple back-and-forths, including a few hard digs from Carlini, the outside puts it away to tie it up at 6.

11:59 a.m. – Back and forth. Drews serves it into the net to give Brazil to a 4-3 lead.

End of Set 4: Brazil 25 (2), USA 23 (2)

11:52 a.m. – Ogbogu is called over the net, giving Brazil the set win 25-23. Let's go to five.

11:50 a.m. – Poulter with the ace! The setter snags the line on the serve, and USA is within one. Brazil will play its third set point after the timeout.

11:49 a.m. – Rosamaria sends it ever so slightly out of bounds down the line, giving USA two straight points. Brazil still leads 23-21.

11:43 a.m. – Timeout. The U.S. trails just 19-16, but every point matters in this fourth set. They need to find a way to slow down the Brazilian hitters if they want to finish the match now.

11:40 a.m. – Perfect kill. Carlini finds Washington for much-needed middle involvement in the match. USA trails 15-14.

11:34 a.m. – Too easy for Skinner. The set is too fast for the Brazilian block, leaving the outside plenty of space to put it straight down. USA ties it up at 9.

11:32 a.m. – Gabi doing Gabi things. The Brazilian gets back-to-back kills to tie it up at 6.

End of Set 3: USA 25 (2), Brazil 15 (1)

11:23 a.m. – Skinner with the smart tip to the corner for the set win! USA takes set two 25-15. It's all gas, no breaks as the defending gold medalists are 25 points away from another title match. But they can't let up as Brazil is only going to come back swinging harder.

11:22 a.m. – ROOF. Washington denies Gabi to get the USA within two points of a second set win.

11:14 a.m. – Seven-point lead for USA! Thompson and Washington combine for a block on Gabi, making it a huge 15-8 differential.

11:07 a.m. – 6-3 lead, USA! Washington scores her team's ace of the set to keep the momentum going after the U.S. regained possession on a challenged net fault.

End of Set 2: Brazil 25 (1), USA 18 (1)

10:57 a.m. – Back with vengeance. Brazil takes set two easily, 25-18, to tie up the match. It continues to lead at the net, outblocking the U.S. 10 to 6 through two sets, though Ogbogu, the tournament's leading blocker, began to find a rhythm near the end of the set. Ana Cristina leads Brazil with 13 kills, hitting an unreal .546 percent. Plummer has 11 kills for the USA despite battling the flu.

10:52 a.m. – One at a time the U.S. is clawing its way back into this set. It still trails 19-15, but a Thompson kill forces a Brazil timeout.

10:47 a.m. – Brazil continues on a 7-1 run. Larson subs in for Skinner for the vet's first appearance this match.

10:43 a.m. – Timeout, USA. Brazil's ninth block of the match, this time against Skinner, gives them a 11-8 lead.

10:39 a.m. – Drews grabs her fourth kill of the game after three diving saves by the Brazilians to get the ball over. But it's not enough to stop the Purdue product. USA trails 7-5.

End of Set 1: USA 25 (1), Brazil 23 (0)

10:30 a.m. – Kathryn Plummer, terminator! The outside puts away the final two points for the U.S., a tip to the middle for set point and a tool off the block to call it. USA digs out of the hole to win set one 25-23. Brazil drops a set for the first time at the Paris Olympics.

10:23 a.m. – Brazilian errors give three straight points for USA! Tie game at 19.

10:19 a.m. – Back-to-back blocks by Brazil give them the 17-15 lead. Timeout, USA.

10:15 a.m. – Tie game. Brazil records its fourth block of the game to make it 12 all.

10:09 a.m. – USA challenges a tough on the block off a Washington tip. It's unsuccessful, and Brazil keeps rolling. It grabs the next point, too, on a block, forcing a USA timeout as it now leads by one, 8-7.

10:02 a.m. – Ace! Skinner puts up the first serve of the match, and Brazil calls timeout. U.S. leads 5-0.

10:01 a.m. – It all starts now. Brazil serves first.

9:40 a.m. – Here's how the USA lines up:

9:25 a.m. – One more. The gold medal defense begins in just 30 minutes with first serve vs. Brazil.

What channel is USA vs. Brazil volleyball on today?

  • TV channel: NBC
  • Live stream: Peacock, Fubo

The USA-Brazil match will be broadcast on NBC.

Cord-cutters can stream it live on Fubo, which offers a free trial and has access to every NBC network. Peacock will also be streaming the semifinals match.

MORE: Watch USA vs. Brazil in the Olympic women's volleyball semifinals live on Fubo (free trial)

USA vs. Brazil volleyball start time

  • Date: Thursday, Aug. 8
  • Time: 10 a.m. ET

The semifinal match between the U.S. and Brazil is set for Thursday, Aug. 8. First serve will be at 10 a.m. ET.

Emily Dozier

Emily Dozier Photo

Emily Dozier is a live events and lifestyle writer at The Sporting News, covering everything from sporting events and music festivals to broadway shows and stand-up comedy. Based out of New York, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. When not covering the SN tickets beat, Emily enjoys playing volleyball and cooking. Prior to joining The Sporting News in 2023, Emily covered the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup for the Associated Press.