Kent’s Courtney Thompson starts for injured setter at Summer Olympics | Update

Published 12:15 pm Monday, August 6, 2012

Kent’s Courtney Thompson started at setter Tuesday and helped lead the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team into the semifinals at the London Olympics.

The U.S. defeated the Dominican Republic 25-14, 25-21, 25-22 in the quarterfinals. Team USA, now 6-0 in the Olympics, plays Korea in the semifinals on Thursday. Japan plays defending Olympic Games champion Brazil in the other semifinal.

Thompson, 27, a former star at Kentlake High School and the University of Washington, replaced the injured Lindsey Berg, the regular setter and team captain who hurt her ankle in Sunday’s match. It was the first Olympic start for Thompson, who had a block and an ace for two points.

Coach Hugh McCutcheon expressed his confidence in Thompson after the match, according to an interview on the website www.teamusa.org/USA-Volleyball.

“I thought Courtney did a great job,” McCutcheon said. “I don’t think we missed too many beats tonight.”

Whether Berg returns on Thursday remained uncertain.

“I am still optimistic,” McCutcheon said about Berg’s return to the lineup. “I am very happy for Courtney and her play tonight.”

Berg said she knows Thompson can fill her role if she remains on the sideline.

“Ice, rest, massage and hope for the best and if not, I’m confident Courtney can do it,” Berg said.

The U.S. is in search of its first Olympic Games women’s volleyball gold medal after winning silver medals in 2008 in Beijing and 1984 in Los Angeles. Team USA won the bronze in 1992 in Barcelona.

Thompson also replaced Berg in Sunday’s match after Berg left in the third set in Team USA’s 27-25, 25-16, 25-19 victory over Turkey in preliminary pool play. The U.S. led 9-5 when Thompson entered the set.

The 5-foot-8 Thompson led Kentlake to three high school state volleyball titles from 2000 to 2002 and was the high school player of the year in the state in 2002. As a UW junior in 2005, she earned the Honda Sports Award for best volleyball player after leading the Huskies to their first national championship.