PARIS — Four-time U.S. Olympians Matt Anderson and David Smith are medalists once more.
They came back for this chance.
The Americans are taking home men’s volleyball hardware from the Paris Olympics, outlasting Italy in a wild, back-and-forth battle for bronze on Friday.
It went 25-23, 30-28 — a sensational second set in which each country had multiple chances — and 26-24 at a rocking South Paris Arena.
Once Torey DeFalco’s clincher point was scored, longtime libero Erik Shoji’s arms shot into the air in triumph as others fell to their knees. Then after shaking hands with Italy, they all took turns giving long hugs to the coaches and support staff.
No doubt, No. 4 Italy vs. the fifth-ranked U.S. made for quite a matchup.
Facing a match point, Italy tied it up at 24 in the third in a long rally in which both teams made great plays to keep it going. Then, after a service error by Italy, the Americans closed it out on their next chance.
Both teams were vying for their first medal in eight years, since the Rio de Janeiro Olympics where the Americans also took home bronze and Italy lost to Brazil in the championship.
The Americans had to regroup in a hurry from the heartbreak of a five-set loss to No. 1 Poland two days earlier. And this was a long time coming after they failed to even advance from group play in Tokyo three years ago.
Members of one of the youngest teams in Brazil, a handful of the U.S. players decided to return for another run after the disappointment of their early exit in Japan.
Italy led 21-20 in the opening set, and the U.S. needed two set points to close it out after being up 24-22.
Then the Americans led 20-17 in the second set before Italy rallied to go ahead 21-20. Italy had a 24-23 lead, but Roberto Russo’s serve sailed long, only for Taylor Averill to also miss his serve.
France will face world No. 1 Poland in Saturday’s gold medal match.
The Americans won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and finished fifth in London before the bronze in Rio.
Anderson and Smith led an experienced group on the Olympic stage.
Might Anderson consider making another run at the Olympics in Los Angeles four years from now at age 41?
“We’ll see,” he said this week. “We’ll see.”
