RIO DE JANEIRO -- Strong. Capable. Enough.Those words, written on Rachael Adams water bottle, serve as a reminder. Along with the words below: Dont Dare Tell Yourself Differently.Its her affirmation, a message she heeds each day, and one she would like to share with girls and women everywhere.Just last summer, Adams wasnt sure she would be playing volleyball at the Rio Olympics. On Saturday, she will play for a bronze medal.With star player Foluke Akinradewo injured early, the top-ranked Americans (7-1) rallied from a 2-1 deficit before falling in five sets to Serbia on Thursday -- 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13.Not chosen as one of the four American middle blockers for the World Cup in Japan, Adams knew she was out of the Olympic mix at that moment. Yet she also realized she had a supportive coach in Karch Kiraly, who would not give up on her, provided she committed to being a more consistent player.It hurt a lot, but deep down there was a trust and a belief, Adams said Wednesday. I didnt know where that would take me, but I knew that I had to embrace my journey. Everybody when times are tough is like, `I dont want to go through this, but I was like, `OK, What do I need to be learning, why am I going through this, what are the lessons I need to take? Last summer was very difficult. Everything shaped me for this moment and for this goal.Adams had eye surgery. She wasnt quite herself. Doubts crept in.Its not like I didnt believe in myself. But our thoughts become a reality, said Adams, who has embraced the mental side of sports and the expertise of high-performance psychologist Michael Gervais.Now, she has worked her way back so brilliantly Kiraly calls her the most-improved player in the U.S. program this year and named her an Olympic starter. Adams came through Thursday against Serbia, the very team that beat the Americans at the World Cup last year. That meant the U.S. had to earn its berth from a January qualifier in Lincoln, Nebraska.She made three leaping blocks in the middle during the decisive fifth set and a kill for a 12-10 lead, but she also had a costly serve into the net down the stretch. Adams scurried some 15 feet behind the baseline to save a ball in the must-win fourth that led to a kill by Jordan Larson.Over the past two years, Adams would be selected to travel for some tournaments and not others. Away in Italy with her club team last summer when her American teammates were elsewhere, Adams pledged to make progress. Her professional coach also challenged her to chase her Olympic ambitions.I set out to improve, she said. I had to think things through, `You want to go there, but you have to grow here.The 26-year-old Adams does much behind the scenes, too. Just this past spring, she launched her Proceed With Courage T-shirts featuring the hashtag journeystrength. The motto is To remind girls stay with it.Just the way Adams was determined. Kiraly noticed. Everybody did.Rachaels had a tremendous 2016, her coach said. They all have a special story and all of them have adversity that lots of people dont know about. Rachael is an example of that, fighting through some ups and downs and some real challenges to become part of this. Theres no player in our program more improved than Rachael in this 2016 season. Thats been phenomenal for her. Shes worked herself into a starting role.Adams, who figures she goes through more athletic tape for her fingers than anybody on the team, earned a spot on the 12-player roster from a deep pool of talented middle blockers.Her teammates are thrilled to have her.Shes steady. We trust her, libero Kayla Banwarth said. Theres no doubt whether or not shes going to get it done.As she celebrates each step toward the goal of the Americans first gold in womens volleyball, Adams takes pride in how far she has come in a year.It made me a stronger person, she said. There are lessons to deal with, hard and difficult times that you have in life. You have the capability to take on that mission that you want to take on. Authentic Baseball Jerseys . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Supply MLB Jerseys 2018 . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. http://www.cheapjerseysmlbchina.com/ . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. 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The only thing I can really do or say right now is make things worse. Im really trying not to do that.But it was pretty clear that it was a devastating night for Kenseth, who won a championship in 2003 and still seeks another in a career that likely has only a few more years left.Disappointed would put it lightly, Kenseth said. It finished our season. Five minutes before that, it looked like we were going to have a chance to go race for a championship.Kenseths spotter, Chris Crazy Osborne, took the blame for the accident, saying he had cleared Kenseth to the inside.Its a team effort, Kenseth said. We win as a team; we lose as a team. I cant blame Chris. I didnt really see what happened. He said I was clear, so I started looking toward the corner. I got turned around.Things happen in a hurry. I dont know if Alex just drove in there in front of me or I wasnt clear.Bowman was apologetic but didnt think he did much wrong. Kyle Busch was critical, saying that Bowman chopped down on him, so he tagged Bowman, who then was in position to be inside Kenseth when Kenseth thought he was clear.There is not really anything I can do when the spotter clears you and Im inside of you, Bowman said. I hate that it happened. Its very disappointing. I never would intentionally do that. I was just running my line and got turned sideways by the 18 [of Kyle Busch] and the next thing I know the 20 [of Kenseth] is driving across my nose.Its unfortunate. I dont think many people will be that hung up on it. If people were going to be that hung up on it, hed be down here screaming at me now.Kenseth wasnt screaming much. He was devastated.It probably hurts more in a way, but what are you going to do? Kenseth said. You dont know how many chances you are going to have [to win another championship]. We had a really good car and a really good chance.Xfinity Series: A close call with lug nutsElliott Sadler advanced to the championship but will be without his crew chief after NASCAR officials found two loose lug nuts after the race at Phoenix.The penalty for having them loose is a $10,000 fine and a one-race crew chief suspension. Sadler crew chief Kevin Meendering likely will be replaced by Ryan Pemberton.If three lug nuts were loose -- meaning with a lug not touching the wheel -- Sadler would have been docked 35 points and missed the cut. Both Sadler and Xfinity Series director Wayne Auton said there never was discussion of a third lug nut loose.Its going to be tough, man, Sadler said. No driver wants to go to Hoomestead with a chance of legitimately winning a championship and not have your right-hand man sidekick with you.ddddddddddddBut we still have a chance to go win it. We cant count ourselves out.Sadler now has a shot at the title along with Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones and Justin Allgaier.Jones leads the finalists with four wins this season; Sadler has three.Everybody is going to be on top of their game, and you just have to do what you can to have a fast car and be up there running with them and then put yourself in a position to a least have a chance at it, Jones said.Suarez, who has an average finish of 3.1 in the Chase, is optimistic.There are a lot of people that are going to start thinking about how cool it is going to be, Suarez said. I have to think about how Im going to make it happen. I have to do the work, and thats exactly what Im going to do.Allgaier doesnt have a win this year but still has a shot at the title.We all four have run together all [year] long, Allgaier said. Homestead is going to be no different.Advancing to the owners championship were the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 team (Matt Tifft to drive at Homestead), Team Penske No. 22 (Ryan Blaney) and the Suarez and Sadler cars.Camping World Truck Series: Three veterans, one rookieWhile three veterans (Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Timothy Peters) and one rookie (Christopher Bell) advanced into the championship hunt, the driver with six wins this year -- rookie William Byron -- didnt advance as his engine blew while leading with 11 laps left at Phoenix.Byron will move from Kyle Busch Motorsports to join JR Motorsports next year as a Hendrick development driver.I would never take back the wins weve had, Byron said. Its gotten me to a new level, its gotten this team to a new level with confidence and performance.I would never trade those. Those were awesome moments for my team. I was hoping to share another one of those tonight, and it just didnt happen.Sauter, with two wins and a second-place finish in the semifinal round, has to feel like a favorite.Id like to think [were the ones to beat], he said. Anything can happen. ... Youre going to have to go down there and be aggressive and also be a little bit smart.Crafton has won two titles and seeks a third. Crafton: I dont think theres anybody that has an advantage, its whoever has the best truck and the best man will win that night.Peters is looking for his first title.Weve been lucky a lot of times and maybe finished some races that we probably shouldnt have, he said. Homestead is a pretty decent track for us, so [were] looking forward to going down there and seeing what weve got.Bell also is looking for his first title and got in thanks to Byrons engine failure.In the owners championship, it will be the Byron (the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 9 team made it in because the Red Horse Racing team of Peters didnt make the owners Chase), Sauter, Crafton and Bell trucks. China Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys NFL Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL T-shirts Camo China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys China NFL Hoodies ' ' '