Together the two women will try to win the United States' first gold medal in the sport when the team faces Brazil in Saturday's final match at the London Games.

Berg, the team's captain, is a three-time Olympian who has been here before: The U.S. team made it to the gold medal match at the Beijing Games, but fell 3-1 to the Brazilians.

That team didn't have Hooker, an Olympic rookie who was a last-minute cut from the team that went to China.

Hooker's been electric at the London Games, where she's second among all players in scoring with 147 points, 123 of them on kills.

As setter, Berg is the one who often feeds the lanky wing spiker for the kill.

"She's incredible," Berg says. "She's playing like a vet right now and it's very easy to play with her. And I'm lucky that's who I have to set up because she makes my balls look good."

Hugh McCutcheon, who guided the U.S. men's team on an undefeated run to the gold medal in Beijing, moved over to the women's side and made Hooker a key component of his offense.

Hooker dissolved into tears when talking about the faith McCutcheon put in her.

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The Americans got an emotional boost from Berg, who returned for a straight-set semifinal victory over South Korea on Thursday after missing the last match with a strained left Achilles.

"It's game time and I feel great, and I don't care how I feel after Saturday," Berg said of the final, when the Americans will face either Brazil or Japan for gold.

The U.S. women made it to the final at the 2008 Beijing Games but settled for the silver medal, falling 3-1 to Brazil. The team has won silver twice and bronze once since volleyball joined the Olympics in 1964.

But the gold has eluded them.

The United States, ranked No. 1 in the world by the sport's international governing body, has rolled undefeated through London, dropping only two sets. Destinee Hooker scored 24 points in the 25-20, 25-22, 25-22 win over South Korea at Earls Court.

Logan Tom spiked for match point to the cheers of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" from the crowd.

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