Penn State picked up its fifth Rio medal Sunday morning, as Nittany Lion men’s volleyball greats Matt Anderson, Aaron Russell, and Max Holt helped Team USA deliver a comeback for the ages to capture bronze over Russia 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-13).

#BRONZE!! Congratulations @MattAnderson_1, @MaxwellHolt & @FatRonRussell on winning bronze w/ @usavolleyball! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/JfFBhFKQKm

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) August 21, 2016

The Americans pulled off one heck of a rally by absolutely dominating the third and fourth sets to tie things up after going down 2-0 early. Anderson led Team USA with 21 points, while Holt and Russell added 13 and two, respectively. Italy, who stunned the U.S. in the semifinals, and host-nation Brazil will battle it out in the gold medal match at 12:15 p.m. ET. Its the first Olympic medal for the trio, as Anderson’s U.S. squad failed to reach the podium in London four years ago.

Penn State women’s volleyball alums Christa Harmotto Dietzen and Alisha Glass set the precedent Saturday in their 3-1 bronze victory over the Netherlands. Anderson, Russell, and Holt join their fellow Rec Hall compatriots, as well as Miles Chamley-Watson, Monica Aksamit, and Joe Kovacs as Nittany Lions to hear their National Anthem in Rio.

About the Author

Ethan Kasales

Ethan’s a senior journalism major who grew up in Lemont, a few minutes from campus. When he’s not covering Penn State sports, you can usually find him golfing or teaching snowboarding at Tussey Mountain. Feel free to email him at ethan@onwardstate.com.

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