BEIJING — In its post-match elation, the U.S. women's Olympic volleyball team was unanimous in its belief that a fighting spirit was at the root of a comeback win over China yesterday.

The American players can thank the Chinese for helping to force them into such a combative frame of mind.

Being on the brink of defeat had that power for the U.S. at the Capital Gymnasium, where a 23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 15-11 win over the defending Olympic champions was viewed by a noisy partisan crowd of 13,000.

"I felt like we fought really hard the entire night and it finally came together, we finally got our transition together, our blocking together in that fifth game," said middle blocker Heather Bown, a three-time Olympian out of the University of Hawai'i.

"We kept the momentum from the fourth game and played really hard in the fifth. I was really proud of our girls."

The U.S. raised its record to 3-1 and clinched passage into the quarterfinals with one pool match remaining tomorrow against Poland.

China is 2-2 and was beaten by a team coached by its former star player, "Jenny" Lang Ping. She coached China to a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

"Lang Ping is the model for every Chinese volleyball player," China's Liu Yanan said. "However, we don't have any special feelings when we play against the USA."

Lang said that playing against China was no different personally than playing anyone else. But China's Zhao Ruirui suggested Lang's knowledge of the Chinese team may have benefited the U.S.

The Americans exhibited more balance among their hitters, as Kimberly Glass, a former University of Arizona All-American, had 15 spikes, Danielle Scott-Arruda and Logan Tom managed 14 and Bown had 11.

They had a difficult time thwarting China's 6-foot-3 Wang Yimei, who had 22, but were more effective blocking the last two games.

"We are absolutely thrilled," said setter Lindsey Berg, a Punahou alum. "We knew it was going to be tough playing China at their home. All we wanted to do was fight and that's what we did. We continued to fight every point, every game."

They had no choice after China took a 2-1 lead.

"We had a meeting before the match and I told the players not to think about the final result but to concentrate on each point," Lang said. "They played very brave and very aggressive, especially down 2-1."

The U.S. also had to overcome that crowd.

"It's always fun, whether they're for you or against you," Bown said. "That's volleyball and this venue. We knew coming in that some of them would be with us, some would be against us, because of our coach. So you take the emotions and you play with them and just try to focus on the fundamentals."

Bown, 29, relished the Olympic experience.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be here and compete with these girls and represent our country," she said. "Day in and day out we work so hard that it's fun to come out here to play and really show everybody what is we do, what it is we love."

UH alums, outside hitter Kim Willoughby (three kills) and setter Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, also saw action for the United States.