Kelly Murphy scored seven points -- six kills and one block -- in Thursday's Olympic semifinal against Serbia.
Murphy, Team USA Will Play for Olympic Games Bronze Medal
Thursday, August 18, 2016 | Volleyball
The Americans will play either China or the Netherlands Saturday for Bronze.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Kelly Murphy and the Americans came out on the wrong side of a thrilling five-set semifinals affair against Serbia at the Maracanãzinho in Rio on the second-to-last-day of women's Olympic volleyball action.
A medal is not out of sight: USA will play either China or the Netherlands in the Bronze-Medal Match Saturday.
After Team USA won the first set Thursday, Serbia cruised through the second and third sets for a 2-1 lead before the Americans put the hammer down with a 25-16 fourth to force the fifth and decisive frame (25-20, 17-25, 21-25, 25-16, 13-15). Murphy delivered six kills and one block for seven points in Thursday's semifinal loss against Serbia.
The Americans were previously undefeated through group play and the quarterfinals.
Murphy and Gator Great Aury Cruz made history as the first two Florida volleyball indoor Olympians in program history. They're among a staggering 30 University of Florida athletes competing in Rio, the most in the SEC. Cruz and Puerto Rico exited Olympic play after the preliminary round wrapped up Sunday.
Saturday's matches will air live on NBC, while streaming will be available online.
VOLLEYBALL NOTABLES
A medal is not out of sight: USA will play either China or the Netherlands in the Bronze-Medal Match Saturday.
After Team USA won the first set Thursday, Serbia cruised through the second and third sets for a 2-1 lead before the Americans put the hammer down with a 25-16 fourth to force the fifth and decisive frame (25-20, 17-25, 21-25, 25-16, 13-15). Murphy delivered six kills and one block for seven points in Thursday's semifinal loss against Serbia.
The Americans were previously undefeated through group play and the quarterfinals.
Murphy and Gator Great Aury Cruz made history as the first two Florida volleyball indoor Olympians in program history. They're among a staggering 30 University of Florida athletes competing in Rio, the most in the SEC. Cruz and Puerto Rico exited Olympic play after the preliminary round wrapped up Sunday.
Saturday's matches will air live on NBC, while streaming will be available online.
VOLLEYBALL NOTABLES
- On July 12, four-time Gator All-American Kelly Murphy reached the pinnacle of her career with the USA National Team when she was one of two opposites and just 12 players named to the USA Volleyball Olympic Roster. Murphy was a key cog as Team USA won the 2014 World Championship. She scored a team-high 157 points then and most recently guided USA to a silver medal at the FIVB Grand Prix
- Cruz, the 34-year-old three-time All-American Gator Great on the brink of retiring from the Puerto Rican National Team, guided Puerto Rico to its first EVER Olympic berth played on the world's biggest stage in Rio before hanging up her jersey after 18 years with her National Team
2016 OLYMPIC GAMES VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE & RESULTS | NBC Olympics TV Listings | NBC Olympics Volleyball
| DATE | GATOR | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) RESULT |
TELEVISION COVERAGE SCORE |
| Aug. 6 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | W, 3-0 | (25-17, 25-22, 25-17) 13 kills, 1 block, 14 points |
| Aug. 6 | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | Kelly Murphy (USA) | L, 3-0 | (17-25, 22-25, 17-25) Starter: 8 kills, 8 points |
| Aug. 8 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Netherlands | W, 3-2 | (18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-8) Starter: 15 kills, 3 blocks, 18 points |
| Aug. 8 | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | Serbia | L, 3-0 | (27-29, 18-25, 20-25) Starter: 1 service ace, 8 kills, 9 points |
| Aug. 10 | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | China | L, 3-0 | (20-25, 17-25, 18-25) Starter: 9 kills, 9 points |
| Aug. 10 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Serbia | W, 3-1 | (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19) Starter: 6 kills, 6 points |
| Aug. 12 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Italy | W, 3-1 | (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20) Starter: 5 kills, 1 block, 6 points |
| Aug. 12 | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | Netherlands | L, 3-0 | (14-25, 22-25, 16-25) Starter: 1 service ace, 5 kills, 6 points |
| Aug. 14 | Aury Cruz (Puerto Rico) | Italy | L, 3-0 | (14-25, 13-25, 22-25) Starter: 3 kills, 1 block, 4 points |
| Aug. 14 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | China | W, 3-1 | (22-25, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19) Starter: 11 kills, 2 service aces, 13 points |
| Aug. 16 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Japan | W, 3-0 | (25-16, 25-23, 25-22) Starter: 4 kills, 1 block, 5 points |
| Aug. 18 | Kelly Murphy (USA) | Serbia | L, 3-2 | (25-20, 17-25, 21-25, 25-16, 13-15) |
| Aug. 20 | Bronze Medal Match Kelly Murphy (USA) |
China or Netherlands | ||
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