The U.S. women’s volleyball team ousted top-ranked Brazil from the World Volleyball Championship on Saturday, advancing to the gold-medal match Sunday with an opportunity to win its first World title.
The U.S., which lost in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold-medal matches to Brazil, prevailed 25-18, 29-27, 25-20 under the tutelage of head coach Karch Kiraly, a two-time Olympic indoor volleyball champion and 1996 Olympic beach volleyball champion.
“It was relentless by us,” outside hitter Jordan Larson-Burbach said on Universal Sports. “We’re not finished yet.”
It will play either Italy or China in the gold-medal match. Italy swept the U.S. on Wednesday.
Brazil entered Saturday 11-0 in Milan, including sweeping the U.S. in a match where both teams rested regular starters last Sunday.
The U.S. women have won three Olympic silver medals and two World Championships silver medals, but a victory Sunday would give the program its greatest title ever.