RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — So stung by a devastating defeat to Brazil in the championship match of the London Games four years ago, silver medalists Foluke Akinradewo and Jordan Larson contemplated walking away for good from the U.S. national team and skipping another Olympic cycle.
One by one, something slowly pulled each woman back to join new coach Karch Kiraly and support his plan for Rio de Janeiro.
"I took the summer off for the most part to re-evaluate and make sure I still loved the game, and I did, so I came back," Akinradewo said, "and I'm really happy I did.