Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M F ormer Penn State athletes played prominent roles at the Summer Olympics. Two former Nittany Li- ons helped Team USA win gold in wom- en's soccer, another won his third con- secutive silver medal, and still another became a social-media sensation after his star turn in the gymnastics competition. Here's a look at how PSU's top Olym- pic performers fared in Paris. WOMEN'S SOCCER: Veteran goalie Alyssa Naeher was one of the heroes of Team USA's return to the top of the Olympic podium. The Americans didn't allow a single goal during the tournament's knock- out rounds, defeating Japan, Germany and Brazil by identical 1-0 scores. That amounted to 330 minutes of scoreless soccer for the United States' opponents, and Naeher was largely responsible. The most experienced player on a youth- ful American team, she made 12 saves in those three wins, helping the United States claim its first gold medal since the London Olympics in 2012. "She's amazing," defender Crystal Dunn told reporters. "She's the anchor to this team." Naeher stood tall in Team USA's shut- out of Brazil in the gold medal match Aug. 10. She made 2 saves, the last of which came in stoppage time with Brazil trying to tie the score. A header by Adri- ana Leal da Silva from just outside the goal box seemed headed for the corner of the net, but Naeher lunged and blocked the ball with her right hand, preserving the Americans' lead. "Everyone on the outside looking in is so shocked that she's always coming up big," Dunn said. "I'm like, no, Lyss does this in training every day of the week. And to do it in games — I'm just like, 'Yeah, she's doing that in training the day before.'" In addition to Naeher, Penn State was represented on the national team by mid- fielder Sam Coffey. The former Nittany Lion All-American started five of six matches in the midfield and played all 90 minutes of the gold medal match. A third Nittany Lion women's soccer alumna, Laura Freigang, won a bronze medal as a member of the German team that defeated Spain, 1-0, in the third- place match. Penn State's three women's soccer medalists were its most ever in a single Olympics. This was the second consecu- tive Olympiad in which a former Penn State player brought home a gold medal. Erin McLeod was part of the Canadian team that finished first in the Tokyo Games three years ago. MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: With a sweep of Italy in the third-place match, former Nittany Lion greats Matt Ander- son, Max Holt and Aaron Russell earned their second Olympic bronze medals. The Penn State trio had all been mem- bers of the 2016 team that won bronze in Rio de Janeiro. Russell, Holt and Anderson combined for 25 kills, 7 blocks and a pair of aces against Italy. A 2015 PSU graduate, Rus- sell led Team USA with 15 points on 11 kills, 3 blocks and an ace. "Aaron showed up tonight and played incredibly well," said Anderson, a 2008 grad who was playing in his fourth Olympics. "Max, he's a stud. There's a reason he's been one of the best middle blockers in the world his entire career." In six matches at the Olympics, Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 kills, 1.2 blocks and 0.8 aces per match. WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: For- mer Penn State All-Americans Haleigh Washington and Micha Hancock won their second Olympic medals when Team USA claimed silver in Paris. Washington started at middle blocker and averaged 4.7 kills, 2.2 blocks and 1.0 aces in the Americans' six matches, which included a five-set victory over Brazil in the semifinals before a straight-set loss to Italy in the championship game. Hancock started out as an alternate but was activated due to an injury to set- ter Lauren Carlini and saw action in wins over France and Serbia. She had 11 as- sists and an ace in pool play against the Serbians. Teammates on Penn State's 2014 NCAA championship squad, Washing- ton and Hancock were reunited three years ago on the national team. At the Tokyo Games, they helped the United States win its first Olympic gold medal in women's volleyball. MEN'S GYMNASTICS: Stephen Nedoroscik became one of the breakout stars of the Paris Olympics when he lifted Team USA to third place in the team com- petition with his pommel horse heroics. FRENCH REVELATION Former Nittany Lion athletes take the Paris Olympics by storm M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M OLYMPIC SPORTS With former Nittany Lion standout Alyssa Naeher in goal, the U.S. women's soccer team tallied three con- secutive shutouts en route to the gold medal. PHOTO COURTESY USA SOCCER