Favorites Brazil yesterday stormed into the women’s Olympic volleyball final in Beijing, where they will square off against the US.
Brazil stormed past hosts and reigning champions China 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-14), while the US stunned hapless Cuba in a 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-17) canter.
Brazil’s victory in some way made up for their despair four years ago when they blew five match-points at 24-19 against Russia in the semi-final before eventually coming away empty handed.
PHOTO: EPA
China came out the traps firing and quickly opened up a 5-1 lead. But it is not for nothing that Brazil have yet to drop a set and the favorites dug in hard before dragging themselves back into the set and taking it 27-25.
In a thrilling end, brilliant defense from Brazil allowed Castro to smash home the winning spike after a lengthy rally in which China had several opportunities.
Normal service was resumed in the second set with Brazil in the ascendancy but China stuck doggedly to their task and briefly held the lead before the samba stars finished them off 25-22.
China were not letting Brazil have things entirely their own way but the South Americans simply had too many match-winners all over the court and played with a fluidity that no other side can replicate.
But in the final set it was one-way traffic as the talented Brazilians made the class count.
The Americans had already upset World Cup winners Italy in the quarter-finals and here were up against a side that had won every match so far, dropping only three sets in six matches.
Cuba had thrashed the US in their group meeting with their powerful spikers dominating in a 3-0 victory.
But this win for the US proved a remarkable turnaround based on improved teamwork, Kimberly Glass said.
“I think the team just came together. The first time we played them Cuba kicked our butts but that didn’t deter us,” she said. “We always fight. We came together as one unit. When we first started playing we played individually. It was ugly and we made a lot of errors.”
“The US team played very well, however, we didn’t, especially on service and reception,” Cuba captain Yumika Ruiz said.
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