MEXICALI, Baja California, June 6, 2008.- Brazil got a clear victory and a deserved ticket to next year’s World Grand Prix by defeating Argentina in consecutive sets in a battle of South American teams at the Women’s Pan American Cup. The score was 25-14, 25-15, 25-23.

It was a spectacular performance by the Brazilians for the first two sets when they almost completely dominated their rivals with superb blocking and well placed serves. In the third set, they had to come from behind in the final stretch recovering their blocking ability to take the match.

Juliana De Castro and Adenizia Da Silva led the blocking of Brazil with 6 apiece while scoring 16 and 11 points respectively. Reggiane Bidias had 10. Argentineans Georgina Pinedo and Ileana Leyendeker each had 8 tallies.

“Our team has been improving with each match so it is very good to get into the finals playing our best volleyball,” said Brazilian setter Danielle Lins. “The union of our team is the key factor for our performance.”

“We served and blocked very well in the first two sets,” said Luizomar De Moura, the Brazilian coach. “In the third set they went to the court too relaxed and had to accelerate at the end to get the win. This competition is good for their maturation process.”

“Brazil is in another level and it showed today, they did everything right and deserved the victory,” said Horacio Bastit, the coach of Argentina.