PARIS >> Micah Christenson said this was the hardest volleyball game he has ever had to play.
The 31-year-old Kamehameha product, who has been on the U.S. national side since 2013, took to the court with his teammates to battle Italy on Friday, just two days after enduring what he said was the most “gutting” volleyball game of his career — when the squad lost a heartbreaker to Poland in the semifinals.
Trying to bounce back emotionally from such a stinging loss was as tough a challenge as he has ever faced as an athlete, he explained, even topping a similar experience in 2016, when he won bronze in Rio.
So, it was easy to understand why, after the team had beaten Italy in three dramatic sets — 25-23, 30-28, 26-24 — to give him a second bronze medal for his collection, he had an ear-to-ear smile on his face.
“It’s just the highs and lows of sport,” the setter and team captain said. “I mean, to show the resilience of all of these guys individually and collectively as a team, it’s something that I’m super, super proud of, because it’s so hard, man, it’s so, so hard just to play that match. And then to come home with some hardware, an Olympic medal, is something to be so proud of.”
Pausing to reflect on what a well-played match it was, he added: “At this level, men’s international volleyball is so good. I think it’s the best it’s ever been, in history. So for us to be on the podium here is something very special. It’s a testament to all the hard work that we put in throughout these years. Not only these last three, but this core has been together 10 or 11 years. So it’s great.”
A star of the game was Punahou graduate Erik Shoji, the team’s libero. He scored one of the tournament’s most amazing points at a critical moment late in the second set. With the set tied 25-25, an Italian hit came zipping toward him at top speed. Shoji managed to not only dig the ball out before it could hit the floor, but he looped it over the net into a deep corner of the court that was open, landing just inside the sideline and baseline, leaving the Italians in shock they had lost the point, and Shoji going wild in celebration with his teammates.
“I planned it 100%,” the 34-year-old joked. “Defense in men’s volleyball right now is just about deflection, and getting your body on it, and hoping that it (the ball) comes up. We do a lot of scouting to see where we want to be standing, and position on defense, so I thought I was in a pretty good spot. He hit it high and I got pretty lucky.”
Although it took a few more set points for Team USA to finally close out the set, Shoji had a key dig as part of the eventual set- winner, as well.
“I was determined to bring something in this match. I wasn’t very happy with my defensive performance last match. I knew that Italy brought a different dynamic than Poland. I just wanted to be in good spots. My coaches did a great job of telling me where to be and from there I just read the game and tried to dig the ball,” said the Honolulu native, who has played professionally in Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia and Poland.
He echoed Christenson’s thoughts on how tough the challenge was to bounce back from the Poland loss.
“It was really hard, to come back — physically, mentally, emotionally — I don’t even know if I was ready until right when the first point started. We all just wanted to battle as hard as we could, and this group has been together a long time, so we wanted to finish on a high, and that’s what we did. It was a little stressful, but we got it done.”
Shoji was also part of the Rio bronze-winning squad. He said that medal is somewhere in his room at home.
“This one will take a little tour around Hawaii when I get home, and maybe to Mississippi, where my sister (Cobey) lives. And, I don’t know, I play pro in Poland, so maybe I’ll bring it to celebrate with them, whatever medal they get.”
Christenson said his 2016 medal is at home in Hawaii.
“We have a house now in California, where we train, as well. So, this bronze might stay in California for a little bit. So, we’ll have one in Hawaii and one in California. But they’ll both end up in Hawaii after the career is done, that’s for sure.”
It’s a medal he wants to share with a lot of people in Hawaii, as he credits the state support he received with playing a key role in the victory on Friday.
“I get texts from high school buddies that I love so much,” he said. “They’re just like: ‘bring home a medal.’ You know, that stuff brings me out of a tough time, out of the dumps when we lose a semifinal. And all of that support from home, whether it’s an old basketball coach, high school buddies that I haven’t talked to in forever, they’re all keeping up and watching and supporting. My sister’s telling me: ‘Everybody around here is asking how you and the team are doing.’ It really means the world. I can say that for myself, and for the other guys from Hawaii as well. Well, I’ve got the Hawaiian flag wrapped around my waist right now, so I can tell you that there’s a lot of pride here right now.”
Christenson said he is highly motivated to come back in 2028, when the Games will be in Los Angeles.
“I’m not that old. I do have a lot of kids, so I feel a little bit older than I probably should,” he joked. “But at the same time, if they’ll have me, I’d love to be there. I’m going to keep working hard to try to be there for the team in LA, because, I mean, it’s a home Olympics. How can we not want to be part of it?”
Former University of Hawaii star Taylor Averill is another veteran who will want to be back for another shot at a gold medal. The 32-year-old now has his first Olympics under his belt.
“What an emotional roller coaster the Olympics is. I think we’re used to playing one, two, maybe three games at most in a row. To have six games in such a short amount of time, the most emotional games of your life. I couldn’t be more ready for a vacation, to be honest with you.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-09 23:35:00
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