Follow
A career-best Olympic performance from Matt Anderson was not enough to put the United States in the gold-medal match.
The four-time Olympian led all players with a career-high 23 kills on a .459 attack percentage as the United States lost to Poland 25-23, 25-27, 14-25, 25-23, 15-13 in the semifinals on Wednesday in Paris.
Anderson committed a combined three attack errors in the first four games and led all players with eight kills in the fourth game. Poland, though, in the final game limited the former Penn State All-American to two kills and a negative attack percentage.
The United States led the fourth game 20-18 and was within five points of reaching its first gold-medal match since 2008 before Poland rallied to force a decisive fifth game. Poland earlier in that game also overcame a four-point U.S. lead to tie the game.
Poland after losing the first point in the fifth game never trailed the rest of the match and finished the game hitting .667 en route to advancing to the gold-medal match against France.
Despite the loss, the United States out-hit Poland .419 to .377. This was the fourth time in five matches at the Olympics that former USC setter Micah Christenson led the U.S. offense to more than a .400 attack percentage.
The United States had two players with more than 15 kills against Poland. Along with Anderson, former Penn State outside attacker Aaron Russell finished with 18 kills on a .517 attack percentage.
Former Penn State middle attacker Max Holt added nine kills and zero errors on a match-best .750 attack percentage. In addition, former Loyola outside attacker Thomas Jaeschke came off the bench and contributed nine kills.
Pin-hitter Wilfredo Leon in the victory led Poland with 22 kills and hit .463, including having three kills in the decisive fifth game.
The United States with this loss will advance to play Italy in the bronze-medal match on Friday. Italy lost in three games to the host-nation France in its semifinal match on Wednesday.
The United States is 2-1 all-time in bronze-medal matches and most recently beat Russia to win the bronze medal in 2016.