BEIJING, August 10, 2008 (AFP) - The mother-in-law of the US men's volleyball coach remained critical Sunday after a stabbing attack that left her husband dead, as the stunned team struggled to come to terms with the murder.

Head coach Hugh McCutcheon's father-in-law, Todd Bachman, was killed on Saturday after being attacked by an unemployed Chinese man at Beijing's Drum Tower monument while sightseeing with his wife and daughter Elisabeth.

Their daughter was not hurt, although police said the Chinese guide who was with them was injured.

The assailant, a 47-year-old man from eastern China, jumped to his death off the second storey of the monument shortly afterwards.

'Mrs. Bachman suffered multiple lacerations and stab wounds in the attack,' the US Olympic Committee (USOC) said in a statement Sunday.

'After undergoing approximately eight hours of surgery on Saturday afternoon and evening, she is in critical but stable condition at a Beijing hospital.

'Family members, including her daughter Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon and son-in-law Hugh McCutcheon, are with her.'

America's Olympic Games volleyball players dedicated their opening Beijing victory on Saturday evening to the family.

'He was one of my closest friends,' said Robyn Mow-Santos who played in the 3-1 win over Japan. 'I lost my mom in February and they (the Bachman family) were there for me. Our hearts go out to them.

'The death gave us more power in the game. It gave us a reason just to go out there and play the game.'

Women's team coach Lang Ping admitted the squad had been stunned by the murder.

'We were shocked,' she said. 'Most of the players called their parents. I told them to be strong.

'It was a very difficult situation. I told the players to concentrate on the game, the game always goes on. We had to be strong and make sure we played our game for the USA.'

McCutcheon will not be with the team when they play Venezuela on Sunday, the USOC added.

The attack occurred despite China deploying massive security in Beijing for the Olympics, with more than 150,000 police and other personnel on patrol across the city.

An estimated 450,000 foreigners are expected to come to Beijing for the Olympics, which opened on Friday night and finish on August 24.