Canadian Pavan helps Unilever to the crown in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Brazil – April 16, 2013 - Canadian national team member Sarah Pavan scored a match high 22 points as Unilever of Rio de Janeiro made a spectacular comeback in the Women’s Superliga Final to win the crown for the eighth time. The Brazilian Superliga is considered one of the top women’s professional leagues in the world.

The team from Rio beat out rivals Sollys/Nestlé (SP) 3-2 (22-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-9) in a match that lasted 2 hours and 11 minutes at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium, in São Paulo. The match was played before 9,000 plus fans and on broadcast on Brazilian national TV.

Unilever went 16-2 in the regular season and undefeated in six playoff matches losing only one set before the championship final. The squad includes Natalia Pereira, Valeska Menezes, Fabi Oliveira, and volleyball legend Fofao all Olympic champions with Brazil. The head coach is Bernardo Rezende (aka Bernardinho) the who is also at the helm of Brazil’s men’s national team.

Pavan and Logan Tom of the United States were the only foreign members on Unilever. Pavan, in her first season in the Superliga, was third in league scoring with 325 points.