The greatest rivalry in women’s sitting volleyball over the last 20 years wrote yet another chapter Saturday at the Paris Paralympic Games as Team USA took down an undefeated China squad to claim their third straight gold medal and sixth straight Paralympic medal.
Led by out four-time Paralympian and team captain Monique Matthews, Team USA avenged their loss to China in the group stage of the tournament, handing them a 3-1 defeat in a contest worthy of the history these two sides have built since the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.
Saturday’s final marked the fifth straight matchup between the U.S. and China in the Paralympic women’s sitting volleyball gold medal match dating back to the Beijing Games. China took the gold in 2008 and 2012, while Team USA evened the ledger with wins in 2016 and 2021.
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The American side jumped out to a 1-0 lead after a sublime first set performance before dropping a second set that saw multiple lead changes. Team USA was able to pull away in the third set, leading by as much as seven, due to a small collection of errors down the stretch by Team China.
The fourth and final set saw the American come back from an early three-point deficit to win 25-22 and complete the three-peat. The gold medal-winning point came off the hands of five-time Paralympian Kathryn Bridge, one of three Team USA players who’ve been part of every USA-China Paralympic gold medal match, when her attack ricocheted off the hands of China’s Xu Yixiao and landed out of bounds.
The championship difference came down to defense. The Americans used their height advantage at the net to score 17 points off blocks, led by Matthews and six-time Paralympian Lora Webster, Team USA’s blocks leader for the tournament, with five each. Five-time Paralympian Heather Erickson led all scorers with 28 points.
Team USA and China are now tied for most Paralympic gold medals (3) and total medals (6) in women’s sitting volleyball since the sport was officially adopted by the Paralympics in 2004. In addition to their three golds, Team USA holds two silver medals (2008, 2012) and one bronze (2004) all-time.
Additionally, Saturday’s result makes Matthews one of the most decorated out LGBTQ Paralympians ever with three gold medals and one silver to her name. But perhaps more special than celebrating a third-straight Paralympic gold was being able to do so with her transgender husband, Landon Matthews, live in the building.
“Make that 3 in a row,” Thank you Landon for being by my side every step of the way you are my everything I love you so much!”
In an Instagram post, Matthews shared that Landon was able to make the trip to Paris for the final two matches of the tournament and watched his wife and her teammates who’ve been there to support the couple during Landon’s transition accomplish their goal.
