TOKYO — When the ball sank to the ground for the last time, so did they. Fifty-seven years of Olympic volleyball, 15 quadriennials spent working toward this, six medal opportunities and until Sunday, the U.S. women were left only with disappointment. This year would be different, they told themselves. They had worked so hard. They had suffered so many frustrations. They had heard so many other countries’ anthems.
In the third set, in their second attempt at match point, the ball found outside hitter Jordan Larson. Of course it did. She had carried this weight longer than almost anyone: Larson, 34, joined the national team in 2009.