U.S. caps emotional Games with volleyball gold

By John Ruwitch

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States won an emotional Olympic gold medal in men's volleyball on Sunday, beating defending champions Brazil 3-1 after a campaign which was rocked by a murder which left their team in disarray.

The improbable U.S. victory capped a roller coaster Games that started in tragedy when their head coach Hugh McCutcheon's father-in-law was stabbed to death and mother-in-law severely injured in an attack at a Beijing tourist site.

"He has poured his heart and soul into this over the last few years," U.S. player Richard Lambourne said of McCutcheon, who missed the first three games of the tournament after the attack.

"I'm really glad he was here to experience this with us."

McCutcheon briefly retreated from the court, hands over head, to a side corridor to compose himself after the win.

"The only word right now is surreal," McCutcheon said.

"It's a very meaningful moment. Obviously this is the best of times and the worst of times, but I'm going to be able to delve into both of those emotions and embrace them accordingly."

The victory was also particularly sweet for veteran volleyballer Lloy Ball. The 36-year-old left Atlanta, Sydney and Athens without an Olympic medal, and retired twice from the game, only to come back for one more shot.

SERVICE ERRORS

"I don't think until I get home and sit down in my big sofa in front of my TV with the medal still around my neck with a cold beer in hand (I will) realize that after this long time I'm an Olympic champion," he said.

Brazil kicked off the match with a strong 25-20 win in a first set plagued by service errors on both sides.

The United States powered back gaining a 6-0 lead in the beginning of the second set and held on to win 25-22.

In the third, Brazil kept the game tight, but lost it 25-21 on a service fault. The U.S. trailed for much of the fourth set, but pulled even from a two-point deficit near the end and drove ahead to win 25-23 on a spike by Clayton Stanley.

"I just went and swung high and hard. That's what I was hoping for," he said.

Russia beat Italy to win the bronze medal.

(Additional reporting by Lucy Hornby, editing by Greg Stutchbury)