Brazil is still dreamming with WGP Finals in Nanjing
Cuiabá, Brazil, July 21, 2017 – On a warm Friday afternoon Brazil beat the Netherlands in four sets (25-17, 25-14, 18-25, 25-19) in front of the home crowd.
With a great performance by Rosamaria (18 points), the South Americans keep their chances of reaching the finals in Nanjing alive.
The home team started the match full of energy galvanized by the audience. With a good service by Roberta Ratzke, the Dutch reception was broken, allowing the Brazilians to open 4-2. But the Europeans reacted and with efficient service and a solid block, like the one which stopped Natália, they tied up the score at 8-8. Brazilian middle blockers Adenizia (blocking) and Ana Carolina (serving) scored crucial points to give the home team a comfortable advantage at 14-11.The Brazilian block kept the accuracy to stop the opponents' attacks, while Ana Carolina and Natalia stayed sharp to avoid Anne Buijs and Celeste Plak to score. With a counter-strike in the middle by Ana Carolina, the home team won the first set (25-17).
After losing the first set, the Netherlands started with a new vibe in the second and dominated the beginning using their service. The Europeans were two points ahead at 3-5, but afterwards the Brazilian block shone once more with Adenizia and Ana Carolina. A back-row attack by Celeste Plak stopped in the arms of Ana Carolina, her fourth block of the game, for 8-7. Anne Buijs tried to bring her team back on the track, but the Dutch comeback did not last as Rosamaria smashed the ball down to score at 16-12. Team Brazil pushed even harder as Rosamaria put the South Americans at ten points ahead (22-12). The set ended with a missed attack by the visitors (25-14).
The first part of the third set was like the previous two as the Netherlands started with good moves, but two errors in a row, missed attack by Celeste Plak and a bad reception by Anne Buijs, let the hosts take a two-point lead. Still, the visitors manage to build a slender lead before the second technical time-out (14-16). After an ace by Robin De Kruijf they were five points ahead (15-20). Brazil were unable to come back and the Netherlands won the third set (18-25).
As the fans expected, the fourth set started close with the Brazilians opening 3-0, after which the Dutch team scored five points in a row (3-5), and finally, with Adenizia blocking, everything was tied again (5-5). The tension was so high at the Aecim Tocantins Arena that the first technical time-out arrived with a video-challenge that confirmed that Anne Buijs’ attack went out (8-7). In the next part of the set, Team Netherlands did not keep their rhythm as Brazil took off and led 12-8 after Rosamaria’s ace. The advantage on the home team’s side was extended by the second technical time-out when Tandara killed using a back-row attack (16-10). The home team did not let the visitors develop their game and ended the match in the fourth set (25-19).