Brazil defeats Canada, advances to gold medal match

GATINEAU, Canada, June 17, 2011 - Canada raised its game but it wasn’t enough against powerhouse Brazil in a 25-20, 29-27, 25-16 loss on Friday in a semifinal match at the Pan Am Cup men’s volleyball tournament.

The Brazilians head to the championship final against the USA set for Saturday at the Centre Robert Guertin in Gatineau. With the loss Canada faces Puerto Rico in the bronze medal match.

Brazil’s Paulo Silva had 18 points and Douglas Cordeiro 12. Gavin Schmitt and Gord Perrin had 14 and 11 respectively for Canada. It was a big night for Steve Brinkman, who played his 200^th international match for Team Canada.

‘’Brazil is a better team right now,’’ said Schmitt. ‘’They are more consistent and more disciplined.  It’s a learning process right now and we saw what we need to work on in this match.’’

‘’They were better in their execution and simply didn’t make many errors,’’ said Canada’s head coach Glenn Hoag.  ‘’Right now it’s important for us to play matches and that’s what is going to help us.’’

‘’We were able to challenge Canada’s strengths which are blocking and serving,’’ said Brazil’s head coach Flavio Marinho.  ‘’We have never won the Pan Am Cup because we have always sent young teams.  It would be an important for our country to win this.’’