Afternoon Briefing: Aurora’s Lauren Carlini is battling back from an injury to live her volleyball dream

Good afternoon, Chicago.

When the U.S. women’s volleyball team beat Poland in straight sets yesterday, setter Lauren Carlini threw her arms into the air and ran onto the court, celebrating far more than just advancing to the semifinals.

Nearly 72 hours earlier, the Aurora native’s entire Olympics was in jeopardy because of a back injury that left her unable to bend over or move easily. Carlini had waited so long and worked so hard to be here, but she knew there was only one thing she could do: She had to be honest about her injury with the coaching staff, even if it meant an abrupt end to her Paris Games.

Carlini returned to action yesterday, playing in the win-or-go-home quarterfinal match against Poland. She looked solid each time she subbed into the rotation, appearing to move easily — even diving after a ball.

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