Volleyball

For the third straight Olympics, Brazil's men's volleyball team will be playing for the gold medal.

With a gold at the 2004 Athens Games and a silver at the 2008 Beijing Games, Brazil has become one of the most accomplished teams in Olympic volleyball history. The Brazilians' two gold medals put them behind only the United States and Russia—Brazil's finals opponent this year—which each have three.

Russia's most recent gold medal was back in 1980, when Russia was still competing as part of the Soviet Union. Since 2000, Russia has been successful but not dominant, as they have two bronzes and a silver in that time span.

Going into tomorrow's final, Brazil holds a 3-2 advantage over Russia in Olympic competition. This will also be the first time both countries are meeting each other in the final.

Where: Earls Court, London, England 

When: Sunday, August 12 at 8 a.m. ET

TV: NBC at 4 p.m. ET

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com 

Rosters

Brazil

Bruno Rezende, Wallace, Sidao, Leandro Vissotto, Giba, Murilo, Sergio, Thiago Alves, Rodrigao, Lucao, Ricardinho and Dante Amaral

Russia

Nikolay Apalikov, Taras Khtey, Sergey Grankin, Sergey Tetyukhin, Aleksander Sokolov, Yury Berezhko, Alexander Butko, Dmitriy Muserskiy, Dmitriy Illinikh, Maxim Mikhaylov, Aleksandr Volkov and Alexey Obmochaev

How They Got Here

Brazil

The Brazilians had been the consensus gold-medal favorites even before the tournament, and they have yet to disappoint.

In the quarterfinals, they easily swept Argentina while winning each match by five or more points. Italy was a little more difficult in the semifinals, yet Brazil still swept them 3-0.

Russia

The Russians are a bit more of an underdog, as they took down Bulgaria, Pool A's top team, 3-1, in the semifinals, before they took down Poland in the quarterfinals, 3-0.

Key Players

Brazil: Murilo Endres

Although he's smaller, at 6'3", Murillo Endres still leads his team in kills. He's also led his team in scoring in both against Argentina in the quarterfinals, with 14 points, and in the semifinals, with 15 points, against Italy.

As one of the veterans from the 2008 Olympics, Endres knows the disappointment of coming so close to a gold medal only to fall flat and finish in second place.

Along with other veterans like Dante Amaral, you can be sure that Endres will try to keep his team in line and not to get two silver medals in a row.

Russia: Maxim Mikhaylov

There has been no volleyball player better in these Olympics than Maxim Mikhaylov. He was crucial to Russia's victory over Bulgaria, against which he had 25 points.

Clearly, for the underdog Russians to win this game, Mikhaylov will have to have a large role.

Alongside Mikhaylov, Russia will have the giant Dmitriy Muserskiy, who stands at 7"2'. Indeed, much of the Russian team is tall, so they may be able to use stature as an advantage in this final.

Prediction

The match should be a close one, with two of the best teams in volleyball. It will also come one day after Brazil's women's team faces off against the United States for the gold medal. That makes this weekend a very important one for Brazilian volleyball, as the country attempts to prove that it is a global powerhouse in the sport.

Even with Russia's impressive height, Brazil has got the deeper team. They also have championship experience, with this being their third consecutive Olympic final.

I expect them to cash in on it and win the final in four sets.  

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Team USA faced Brazil in the final round of indoor volleyball and was able to cap off an impressive run with a gold medal. 

Four years later, the United States and Brazil are in London for the 2012 Olympics and are once again playing each other for the gold in the finals. 

Only this time, it's not the men. It's the women. 

The U.S. men's team was expected to go on a run in 2012 and perhaps bring home a gold medal, but a loss to Italy in the quarterfinals put a damper on its dreams. 

However, the women have stepped in to fill the void in what has been an amazing run through the bracket. 

During the preliminary rounds, the women remained undefeated after taking down Korea and Brazil with 3-1 scores, while sweeping China, Serbia and Turkey. 

The quarterfinals began, and the women were able to continue their undefeated record with a 3-0 victory over the Dominican Republic, despite falling behind 8-6 during the second set. 

The victory sent Team USA into the semifinals for a rematch against the South Koreans. 

South Korea took one set from the US in the preliminary rounds, but it was convincingly swept in the semifinals rematch with a score of 25-20, 25-22, 25-22. 

The U.S. women have won 21 total sets throughout the 2012 Olympic Games while losing only two. 

The remarkably lopsided victories make them a clear favorite over Brazil in the final round, especially since they already defeated Brazil in a 3-1 victory during the preliminary rounds. 

A repeat performance will result in them winning the championship with ease, but overconfidence is also something to be concerned about. 

Frankly, the women haven't been thoroughly challenged up to this point. If things begin to fall apart in the finals and Brazil gets off to roaring start, the U.S. could theoretically struggle to regain its focus since it has yet to be placed in a hopeless situation.

But then again, there's a reason the Americans haven't been in such a situation—they are the best team in London.

If Team USA is able to avoid a mental defeat, then it'll add yet another gold medal to its country's resume.

The final round will take place on Saturday, August 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET.  

Well, the gold medal rematch that many expected would come to pass at the Games of the XXX Olympiad has come to fruition, and while the road traveled by each team to get there wasn't exactly as easy as expected, the United States women's volleyball team will get their chance to avenge their loss in Beijing four years ago when they face Brazil on Saturday.

The American women made quick work of South Korea in their semifinal matchup on Thursday, winning in straight sets, 25-20, 25-22, 25-22.

The match featured the two highest scoring women of the Olympic tournament, and as has been the case since they arrived in London, the Americans were paced by 24-year-old Destinee Hooker. She had 21 kills and three blocks while outdueling Kim Yeon-Koung of South Korea, whose 20 points were her lowest output in London.

The win by the U.S. sets the stage for a rematch of the gold medal final of the 2008 Beijing Games, a four-set affair won by Brazil. The Brazilian women held up their end of the deal as well on Thursday, destroying Japan, 25-18, 25-15, 25-18.

That dominant performance was a far cry from the Brazilian squad that entered the Olympics ranked second in the world but struggled in pool play, losing to the United States and South Korea and requiring five sets to beat Turkey and China. However, Brazilian star Sheilla Castro told the Associated Press, via nbcolympics.com, that her squad is playing much better now than they were earlier in the Games, stating that "now we're finally relaxing."

For the United States, the win over South Korea and shot at Olympic redemption wasn't the only good news they received on Thursday. Starter Lindsey Berg, who missed the quarterfinal match against the Dominican Republic with an injured ankle, returned to the lineup and played well. After the match Berg told the AP that she should be all-systems go for Saturday's showdown.

"It's game time and I feel great, and I don't care how I feel after Saturday. It's hard not to imagine that because this team is a gold medal-winning team," Berg said. "Of course I've dreamed it and it was a beautiful dream."

For the Americans to fulfill that dream and capture their first ever Olympic gold medal, they'll have to once again defeat their nemesis. It would certainly appear the Brazilian team's play has improved as the Games have moved along, but there's also no denying that not only has the United States looked the part of the world's top-ranked team at the London Games, but that they've also played the most consistent volleyball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64p1SRbUbFY

The United States also has an ace of sorts up their sleeves in Hooker, who has been the star of the tournament in London. The San Antonio, Texas native has racked up 147 total points in the London Games, trailing only the aforementioned Kim. While Hooker is a first-time Olympian, she has played like a seasoned pro.

Although the U.S. women's volleyball team hasn't received nearly the fanfare as men's basketball or even beach volleyball, Hooker, Berg and company have been nearly as dominant, winning every game and dropping only two sets total.

The Brazilians, in other words, would need to win more sets in one game than the Americans have lost in seven (including one against this same Brazilian team, who did take one of the two sets the U.S. has lost).

The Brazilians may get one more set, but they're not getting three. By the time all is said and done at Earl's Court Centre in London, the United States will capture that elusive gold medal and get Berg and the other veterans from Beijing a measure of payback in the process.

And really, what's more American than payback?

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 After wins in the semifinal round by both the Brazilian and Russian Men’s volleyball teams, the two powerhouses will face off on Sunday, August 12, in the gold-medal game.

The match will feature an aggressive Russian team with tremendous length against a savvy, battle-tested Brazilian squad that earned a silver at the Beijing Olympics four years ago.

Both teams met at Earls Court on July 31, a match Brazil won in the minimum three games (25-21, 25-23, 25-21). Though Russia got a strong performance from 7’2" middle blocker Dmitriy Muserskiy and 12 points from Maxim Mikhaylov, Mikhaylov recorded six faults in the match, all of which did not help the Russian cause.

Look for a similar result when the two teams meet on Sunday.

Mikhaylov, who has been the tournament’s best player statistically, leads the No. 2-ranked Russian team. He has recorded a staggering 108 kills throughout the Olympic games, and against a surprising Bulgarian team, Mikhaylov put up 25 points, with 21 of them coming on kills. The tournament’s hottest player, however, will be on the other side of the court.

Wallace de Souza, thought to be the best player on the No. 1-ranked Brazilian team, though he registered only one point when Brazil faced Russia at the end of July, is coming off a game against Italy in the semifinal round where he for the most part looked unstoppable.

The 6’6" Wallace de Souza pairs with outside hitter Murilo Endres, a smaller player at 6’3", but nonetheless the leader in kills for the Brazilian team. Endres is a crafty player who had 12 kills to beat out de Souza’s 11 in their match against Italy.

Endres, 31, comes from a volleyball family, as his brother Gustavo and his wife Jacqueline Carvalho are former Brazilian volleyball players.

Coupled with fellow 31-year-old opposite hitter Dante Amaral, the Brazilian team has a veteran quality about it that makes them difficult to beat. Both players, along with Endres' older brother, were members of the 2008 Brazilian squad that lost to the United States in the final.

Endres and Amaral are hungry for gold in 2012. Amaral plays with a hefty amount of tape on his left hand, as the veteran will not let a jammed finger or two slow him down.

This marks the third gold-medal game Brazil has appeared in since the 2000 Athens Olympics, and there is a sense from head coach Bernarndo Rezende that his team should be in the position it is in.

Though they will likely be without injured captain and 6’11" outside hitter Leandro Vissotto Neves for the second straight game, Brazil should be able to handle his absence. Wallace de Souza has stepped into the lead outside-hitter role without the captain present, with his tremendous athleticism making up for the difference in height he has from the Brazilian captain.

Should Vissotto Neves return to the lineup, Brazil will only match up better with the size of Russia, and Wallace de Souza will retain the role that he has been dominant at over the past few matches.

Matching up with Mikhaylov and Muserskiy should be the biggest difficulty for the Brazilians, as both Russians have the size, strength and athleticism to become a handful once the match starts. The two Russian players have impressive statistics, but stats in volleyball similar to theirs are often the result of teams dropping games in matches, and therefore, getting extra opportunities for kills and blocks.

Brazil has dropped only five games in this Olympics, with two coming to Serbia and three in a loss to the United States. Russia has dropped six, with three coming at the hands of Brazil, two in a win over the U.S. and one against Bulgaria.

With only one extra game played, the stat differential mainly seen in Mikhaylov’s 108 kills to the highest Brazilian’s, Endres with 69, is a point of concern for the Brazilian squad. They will counter with the talented Wallace de Souza, who is not afraid of anything, seeing as his favorite hobby is watching scary movies.

Other players to look out for in this match will be the lengthy Brazilian middle player Lucas Saatkamp and the versatile 6’9" Russian Taras Khtey. Each of these players should play a key role setting up the other stars on their respective teams for success.

Ultimately, Brazil will come out playing the same smart, team-oriented volleyball they play at every Summer Olympics. With the Brazilian women also in the final against the United States on Saturday, August 11, Brazil will do its best to cement itself as a known volleyball juggernaut to the rest of the world.

Prediction: Brazil, 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23)

The training regimens and practice sessions for Olympic athletes is, quite simply, gruesome...and that is preparing for just one event. But what about training for events in three different sports?

U.S. star Destinee Hooker is one athlete that could consider doing just that at the 2016 Rio Games.

The attempt would require some creative scheduling during training and especially during the Games.

But the Olympics crave special interest angles. How excited would Bob Costas and NBC be to cover an athlete competing in three different events?

Nike and Visa could create an entire ad campaign around cross-training and having options in life.

Hooker's first event is indoor volleyball. She's led her team to the gold-medal match in London and will look to do the same in Rio.

The second sport is a rather obvious step outside to join the ranks of beach volleyball. The retirement of Misty May-Treanor is leaving a void in the woman's sport that Hooker could attempt to fill.

Joining Kerry Walsh Jennings, who plans to play in Rio, is an intriguing idea, but the two hitters might be challenged sharing ground on the sand. But the three-time Olympic champion would be remiss if she didn't at least entertain the idea and spend some time with Hooker on the beach.

Rounding out the trifecta requires a bit of a jump, but one that is worth considering.

Hooker was a four-time NCAA National Champion high jumper at the University of Texas.

She showed the ability to train for both volleyball and track at Texas, and almost made the U.S. team for high jump in 2008. She was tied for fifth, clearing 6 feet, two and one-quarter inches.

The qualifying height was just one inch higher.

Granted, 6'3" isn't competitive on a national level. It took a jump of 6'4" just to qualify for the finals in 2012.

But Hooker was just 20 years old when she competed at the Olympic trials and was still improving. In 2009 she cleared 6'6" at the NCAA Indoor Championship, setting a collegiate record.

She has the athletic ability to resume training and become a world-class jumper.

Imagine the conundrum Usain Bolt and decathletes would be in if someone medaled in three different sports at the Olympics. The whole balance of what makes the greatest athlete would be flipped on its side.

Trey Hardee in press conference: "Ashton Eaton is the greatest athlete that's ever walked the planet. Hands down." #london2012 #fb

— Track and Field News (@tandfn) August 9, 2012

The idea of competing in both indoor and beach volleyball is perhaps a little extreme, but it is bound to happen at some point. All it takes is an athlete with the cache to push organizers to accommodate the schedule.

Hooker has the pull, particularly if she was paired with Walsh.

Adding in a track and field event makes the trifecta idea even more nuts, but considering the events they throw together for the pentathlon, why not? 

I wonder how fast Hooker could run the 100-meter dash...

The semifinals of the men's volleyball tournament at the 2012 Olympics gave Russia a chance to showcase its power, though it took a little longer and got closer than anyone would have liked against Bulgaria. 

With the finals set for Sunday, there will be ample time to dissect what will happen when Russia and Brazil lock horns. 

For now, here is a look back at what transpired in both men's semifinal matches, as well as grades and top performers from these two games. 

Russia vs. Bulgaria

Russia	25	25	23	25	x
Bulgaria	21	15	25	23	x

Russia used a strong, powerful, overwhelming attack to beat down Bulgaria in the first semifinal. It was a clear mismatch from the start, even though the first set ended with just a four-point margin, 25-21.  A 25-15 second set destruction put Russia in the driver's seat.

As they have throughout these Olympics, Bulgaria battled back by winning the third set, 25-23. Despite the set victory, the hole was too great for Bulgaria to climb out of. Russia battled back in the third set with a 25-23 win to seal a trip to the gold medal match.

Bulgaria was already a surprise semifinalist, so to see the Russians have success was expected, though it did get interesting late.

Russia's confidence, which has not been lacking throughout these Olympics, will never be higher as it prepares to play for a gold medal on Sunday. 

Maksim Mikhaylov: A

The long, lanky 6'8" superstar dominated this match for Russia, proving to be the star of the show. He finished the match with 25 points on 21 spikes, two serves and two blocks. 

Mikhaylov was the difference in this match, as he set the tone early and came through late when Russia needed him the most. 

Taras Khtey: B+

Khtey bounced back after a fairly mediocre performance against Poland in the quarterfinals when he had just five points. He finished with 13 points against Bulgaria, including 12 spikes. 

It was a one-dimensional performance, but it gave Russia the spark needed in order to close out the match. 

Tsvetan Sokolov: B+

Bulgaria needed at least one star-level performance in order to defeat Russia in the semifinals. That never came, though Sokolov was very good in his role. 

At 6'9", he was asked to jump up and spike the ball as hard as possible. He had great success, to the tune of 15 points via spikes, but he did not contribute much of anything else. It was a solid showing against a very good team. It just wasn't enough. 

Todor Aleksiev: C+

Aleksiev took a huge step back following a solid all-around game against Germany in the quarterfinals. He did have a lot of points (15) thanks to spikes, but he was not very efficient with a conversion percentage of 33. 

Perhaps the expectations were too high, but you are hoping to see more since he was such a vital part of what Bulgaria was able to do up to this point. 

Brazil vs. Italy

Brazil	25	25	25	x	x
Italy	21	12	21	x	x

Brazil hasn't exactly had a flawless road to the gold-medal match, but it doesn't matter how you make it there, as long as you're still alive in the end. That is the case for Brazil as it thoroughly dominated an upstart Italian team and will play against Russia for gold in the men's volleyball final.

The Brazilians had to settle for silver in Beijing after winning gold in Athens, and they will look to repeat the feat from 2004 on Sunday. Italy making it to the semis was a great story as they shocked a United States team that was expected to medal, but it was outclassed on Friday.

Italy did its best to put up a fight, but sometimes talent simply wins out over effort. The Brazilians turned in a great effort in their own right, though, so they absolutely deserved the win.

Wallace de Souza: A

Wallace de Souza is considered by most to be the best player on one of the world's best teams, and he proved that to be true on Friday. The 25-year-old, 6'6" opposite hitter is a dominant physical force and he imposed his will on the overmatched Italians with 11 spikes in the match.

De Souza was almost automatic when he went up for a kill, and the front line of the Italians couldn't do anything to stop him. He will have to be equally as good on Sunday when he and Brazil go for gold against Russia.

Dante Amaral: A

Although de Souza may have been the more noticeably dominant player on the court, Brazil couldn't have won as handily as it did without the play of Dante Amaral. The 31-year-old veteran put in his fair share of spikes as well, but he was also one of Brazil's best servers and led the team in blocks with two.

Amaral is one of the team's most important leaders, and that will be huge for them moving forward. He has come to play in this tournament and the younger players are going to follow his lead, which should bode well for Brazil against Russia.

Cristian Savani: B+

Cristian Savani came up huge in Italy's major upset of the United States in the quarterfinals, but he couldn't do it all on his own against Brazil. Savani was truly the only person who came to play for Italy on Friday as he racked up 15 points and did all he could to keep Italy's surprising run alive.

The 30-year-old star represented his country well and took them further than anyone thought they could go, and his work isn't done yet. Italy has a bronze-medal match to play against Bulgaria and should stand a good chance if Savani continues to play like this.

Ivan Zaytsev: F

Savani may have been the driving force behind Italy's win over Team USA, but Ivan Zaytsev had a lot to do with it as well. I'm not sure if he decided to rest on his laurels after a career performance, but he wasn't anywhere near the same player against Brazil.

Zaytsev had a measly four points on the match and was, for all intents and purposes, a non-factor. Italy really wasn't all that competitive against Brazil, and Zaytsev's no-show was one of the main reasons for that. He'll have to be much better if Italy is going to reach the podium, though.

The USA Olympic women’s volleyball team seeks its first gold medal ever in Saturday‘s finale to the London 2012 Games.

There is one problem: it faces No. 2 Brazil, which has become a fierce rival, most recently thwarting US hopes for an elusive gold medal four years ago in Beijing.

Believe it or not, regardless of how dominate Misty May and Kerri Walsh have been in the last 12 years playing in the sand, the Team USA women’s indoor volleyball team has only won three medals since joining the Olympics in 1964, never reaching the top tier of any Olympic podium.

As of July 9, 2012, Team USA is No. 1 in the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) World Rankings, due in large part to its victory in the 2012 Women‘s Volleyball Grand Prix on June 29, 2012.

After beating No. 15 South Korea in three sets in Thursday‘s semifinal, USA enters the final fray against the same, familiar, formidable opponent. They have to be considered the favorites, outside of one important factor: their history against Brazil.

They must forget about the last three Olympic Games. They must avoid getting flustered and remain focused. The health of Lindsey Berg is important. The leadership of Logan Tom will pay dividends. Though ultimately, the experience of the 2012 team is vital.

In the 2008 Olympic Games, the USA women were downed in the finals by Brazil in four sets, earning its second silver medal in its history and the first since the Los Angeles games in 1984. Considering that was the team’s third medal in its 48-year history, that should be seen a positive (the USA women won a bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Still, there is likely a bitter taste in the team’s collective mouth, knowing that 2008 marked the third consecutive time that the US was defeated by Brazil in the Olympics, including a bronze medal match in the 2000 Sydney Games.

Almost every individual on Team USA has relentlessly felt defeat at the hands of Brazil. According to teamusa.org, the USA roster features 10 athletes who have participated in the Olympic games (12 if you include exhibition). All 10 performed in multiple Olympic Games, including seven members with three or more tournaments played.

Three women played in the last three Olympic Games. Then there is Danielle Scott-Arruda. She set a national record with the most appearances in the US Women’s Volleyball Olympic Games with her fifth-consecutive competition.

How these women don’t wake up with cold sweats every night, following recurring nightmares that include visions of the Cristo Redentor coming to life and spiking a ball down their throats is a mystery to me. Then again, maybe they do.

Iron-Women Scott-Arruda will lead the widely experienced US squad to Earls Court in hopes of avenging the loss in Beijing, but it has to be distracting to have their past short-comings looming over them.

It took the Boston Red Sox 86 years to shake the proverbial monkey from off its back. After multiple failures in the Olympics, the US women won’t help but feel the pressure of a nation rooting for it to conquer the pesky Brazilians. The uniforms and faces of each of their individual opponents will be a constant reminder of the high stakes on each incumbent game, set and point on Saturday.

Unless, of course, they consider an Olympic competitor such as Rulon Gardner in the 2004 Games, who was the focus of one of the more memorable moments in recent Olympic memory when he handed Russian wrestler Aleksandr Karelin his first defeat in 13 years of international competition, and his nation’s first gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Team USA defeated Brazil 3-1 in an Olympic preliminary match on Monday, July 30.

There is no question that the US Women’s Olympic team is capable of winning gold. The question is if it will have the mental fortitude to overtake its rival.

My only advice is to set it and forget it.

Four years ago at the Beijing Olympics, Brazil got the best of Team USA for the gold medal. This time the Americans will come away as the world’s top team this year at the London Games.

Team USA wasn’t on its “A-game” back in 2008. It all started when it lost to Cuba in its second pool play matchup, barely putting up a fight. Team USA would finish as the second-best in Pool A behind a 4-1 record and entered the knockout stage as one of the favorites.

Team USA escaped a tightly-contested match against Italy and then got its revenge over Cuba with a win in straight sets. That brought them to the gold medal match to face Brazil, who had yet to be tested in Beijing. Team USA and Brazil split the first two sets, but Brazil would take the next two, leaving the Americans with the silver medal.

Now, Team USA is back with a vengeance, ready to show Brazil what it’s made of.

The Americans have cruised into and through the knockout stage at the London Games. They won their first three matches in straight sets before a matchup against Brazil. Team USA took the first two sets before Brazil would take the third. Team USA battled hard to take the fourth and final set to defeat the Brazilians.

Team USA then defeated Korea in four sets before entering the knockout stage. The Americans beat the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals and then Korea in the semifinals—both in straight sets—to setup a rematch of the Beijing gold medal match against Brazil.

This is not the same team that was in Beijing, though, especially Destinee Hooker. Hooker had 22 spikes and a block against Brazil in pool play.

“She’s really coming into a different game. She’s not only a good hitter now, she blocks and she’s playing some defense,” said U.S. captain Lindsey Berg via NBC Olympics. “She’s really developed her game to be a volleyball player instead of just this great athlete that jumps high and hits the ball hard.”

Hooker, along with Jordan Larson will be key pieces for Team USA to get its revenge over the reigning gold medal winners.

This Brazil team is not nearly as dominant as the team that won in Beijing. The Brazilians only lost one match—that coming against Team USA—but all but three of their seven matches thus far have gone more than three sets. Brazil was nearly eliminated in the quarterfinals against Russia after going into five sets.

Team USA should go into this match as the favorite since it has already beaten Brazil once already. There are both advantages and disadvantages to defeating a team during pool play that you meet later. You know all of their players and their formations, but on the other hand, they know how you play your game too. Confidence and the will to win is what’s going to win the gold medal, and Team USA has that.

Brazil might have won the gold medal in the Beijing Games, but there’s no way that Team USA lets the gold medal get away this time around.

Defeating a team as talented as Brazil once is a difficult challenge. Try doing it twice.

The United States of America will attempt to defeat Brazil for the second time this Olympics when they lock horns Saturday, Aug. 11, in the 2012 Summer Olympics gold medal game for Women's Volleyball.

If the United States are going to win gold this year, these three stars will shine bright under the lights:

Destinee Hooker

Destinee Hooker is putting her name in the history books at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She has been involved in plenty of the action and she leads the Olympics in spike efficiency with 38.91 percent. 

Hooker has 123 spikes in the tournament and she has 147 total points scored.

The United States are very balanced from top to bottom, but Hooker's ability to finish points will be needed in the gold-medal game. 

Lindsey Berg

Setting isn't necessarily an art that garners attention from fans watching across the world, but Berg will play a major role in the outcome of this contest. Berg has recorded 228 sets and is averaging nine per game.

Berg will feed Hooker for several spike opportunities. These two will feed off each other, and Hooker's performance will be based mostly off Berg and the other setters on the team. 

Foluke Akinradewo

Blockers need to get respect, too. Hooker is a great blocker and Foluke Akinradewo leads the way for the Americans in that category. 

Brazil will be a tough challenge on the net, but Akinradewo has what it takes to go toe-to-toe up front, whether that be challenges at the net or blocking the opponent.

Prediction 

United States will win the gold medal in five sets.