Oklahoman Micha Hancock added to Team USA women's volleyball roster before win vs. Serbia

Edmond Memorial graduate Micha Hancock was called up to the main roster of the U.S. women's volleyball team on Wednesday to replace injured setter Lauren Carlini.

Hancock, who was an alternate on the team, was a gold medalist on Team USA's indoor team in the 2020 Olympics, held in Tokyo in 2021.

Hancock was The Oklahoman's All-City Volleyball Player of the Year in 2010 before playing collegiately at Penn State.

Team USA won an important match Wednesday for its medal hopes, getting past Serbia in five sets after blowing a two-set lead.

The final tally: 25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 17-15.

So that's two much-needed points in the standings for an American team that dropped its first match in the Paris Games.

"It just shows the grit that this team has," said Haleigh Washington of the U.S. team. "Obviously, this wasn't an easy win. We knew that we were going to be pushed by Serbia."

More: 'Center myself': How the pandemic helped Oklahoma native Micha Hancock become an Olympian

The U.S. team, reigning Olympic gold medalists and medalists in the past four games, has faced a difficult challenge early in this tournament.  The Americans' four-team pool includes China, Serbia and host France. China is ranked fifth in the world (the U.S. is sixth), while Serbia won the sport's most recent world championship two years ago.

After dropping its Olympic opener to China in five sets, the U.S. needed this result against Serbia. Looked like they were going to get it earlier, too, but then momentum swung to Serbia, giving way to a tense fifth set.

Of the match's 203 points, Serbia won 102 and the U.S. 101.

"I mean, Olympic champion and world champion, we see what we can expect from this game," said Serbia's Maja Aleksic. "... The U.S. team fought really, really, really good. I don't know what to say. I hope we meet again."

The Americans will be favored against their third preliminary opponent. France is 19th in the world rankings and added to the field automatically as the host nation.

"It's kind of like playing Mario, but you start with the Bowser level and then you go to the tutorial level," said Washington, referencing the famous video game. "Not that France is that easy of an opponent, but you're going from the boss battle to a little bit lesser, which is interesting. It’s sometimes reversed. …

“Not to denounce France, though. They are a very good team. Anything can happen. We need to be ready.”

U.S. women's volleyball roster for 2024 Paris Olympics

• No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
• 1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
• 2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
• 3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
• 4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
• 7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
• 10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
• 11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
• 12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
• 15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
• 16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
• 22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
• 23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
• 24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)

• Alternates
• 6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
• 7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
• 13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
• 14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
• 29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoman Micha Hancock added to Team USA women's volleyball roster before win vs. Serbia