And now the nightcap. The stars just didn't line up right for me to write up the second of the night's three matches, between China and Italy, but I'm ready and raring to go for this one. Both of these teams won on night one, giving this match clear significance.
The Brazilians jumped out to a quick early lead, taking four of the first five points. A service ace by Risa Shinnabe, who much like her opponents goes by her first name only, got the crowd into the match. The homestanding Japanese drew back within a point on 4-3 with that ace, but Thaisa Menezes kept them from coming even on the next rally. A little later, Japan floor captain Saori Kimura (also a mononymous player, at least by her jersey) got the kill from the left side to make it 6-all. A rare unforced error from Gabi Guimaraes gave the Japanese their first lead of the night on 7-6. They led 8-7 at the first technical timeout.
It went sideout after sideout for a little while after that, until the home team edged ahead by two on 12-10. Thaisa went back to serve after the Brazilians sided out, but fresh-faced Riho Otake got the kill from the middle attack to keep the Japanese ahead. 13-11 was then a very long rally, ending with a terrific swing by Saori as she cut around the double block to find the floor for the kill. Brazil called time down 14-11. The three-point margin remained to the second technical, coming at 16-13.
Brazil drew back within one on 16-15, as Dani Lins got the rejection against Risa. Just that quickly, though, the Japanese made it back to three, with a kill from Haruyo Shimamura and an ace by Saori. Thaisa found the floor to end that little run and quiet the crowd a bit, but the girls in black (the Japanese) still stood at a nice advantage. Again the Brazilians drew within a point, on 19-18, but Fabiana Claudino's service error kept the home team in the lead. On 20-19, Thaisa rotated out for a serving sub, Michelle Pavão, and on that rally Gabi and Fabiana put up the double block to tie the match at 20's, the first tie in some time. The Japanese called time there. On the first rally back, the Brazilians put up a good triple block in front of Yukiko Ebata, but she still managed to angle her shot off the block and out for the kill. On the next rally, it was Japan's time to go to a serving sub, but she wasn't as successful as Brazil's, being sided out after just the one attempt. Gabi's kill on the 21-all rally gave Brazil their first lead of the set, and Japan called time again. The ensuing rally was quite long, eventually going to Brazil as the pint-sized Gabi again got the kill. A double block for Gabi and Fernanda "Fe Garay" Rodrigues made it set point, and the latter of those two ended it on the next rally.
The Japanese started off the second set just as they had the first, by claiming four of five. An ace for Nana Iwasaka extended them to that lead. Risa and Otake had two shots to reject Gabi on the double block on the 4-1 rally, but their second block touch landed wide on the other side. Risa came away with a disappointed smirk on her face. But the homesanding Japanese still led 8-4 at the technical timeout, as Otake came up with a big block against Fabiana on the 7-4 rally to provide for the service point and small swing. The Japanese kept up the pressure, getting four of the next six to extend to a six-point lead at 12-6. An exasperated Jose Guimaraes called time there, after Haruka Miyashita's serve completely befuddled the Brazilian passers for an ace.
The Brazilians got back within three after the timeout, on 13-10, and got a little help in drawing even even. Back-to-back hitting errors on the Japanese side made it a one-point set on 14-13, and then a bit of a breakdown in passing and setting led to a weak, easily dug hit. Gabi's response from the Brazilian side drew the match level at 14-all. Risa managed to get the Japanese a sideout to keep the lead from slipping all the way away, but her subsequent serve drilled the net. The double block from Fabiana and Dani Lins gave Brazil their first lead of set 2 on 16-15 — right in time for the second technical timeout.
The Brazilians didn't surrender the lead upon attaining in set 1. They failed to duplicate that success in set 2. Three straight for the home team got Guimaraes to burn his second timeout of the set, as his women stared down an 18-16 deficit. Fabiana quickly got the sideout to make it a one-point set once more, and then a cringe-worthy breakdown on the Japanese side led eventually to a wide and long hit by Saori to tie the set. Brazil went to their serving sub Michelle on 19-all, but the serve didn't seem to matter much as a very long rally ensued. The Japanese eventually got the kill from the right side to take the slender lead. Fe Garay sided right back out to make it 20-all, and then slammed home an overpass to give her team the tiny lead once more. That prompted Japan's final timeout.
It appeared on the first ball after the timeout that Brazil libero Fabi Oliveira had come up with a diving pancake, but the play was whistled dead for a point to the Japanese. The Brazilians didn't challenge, which is probably smart. I doubt there's ever conclusive video evidence on a play like that. The critical point of the set came a couple rallies later, on 22-21. Both sides had a shot to end it, and Gabi eventually did, giving Brazil the huge 2-point lead late. They reached set point on serve at 24-22. On that rally, Fe Garay came up with a terrific diving save of a wide pass, and Fabiana more than repaid her efforts with a solo block up the middle end it at 25-22.
After a full halftime, set 3 commenced. It was different than the first two sets, as this time it was the visiting Brazilians who scored four of the first five. When the run extended to 5-1, Japan called time. To the delight of the home fans, they responded from this early deficit by drawing even before the first technical timeout, a double hit call against Fe Garay making it 7-all. A service error put the Brazilians up a point at the technical timeout, and they briefly led by two on 9-7. A reception miscue as Fe Garay and Gabi both went for the same serve led to an ace for Miyashita. Her next serve fell in between them on the back line, putting Japan on top 10-9. The Brazilians responded with a quick little run of their own, punctuated by a solo block from Thaisa to put them back ahead two on 12-10. The next service point was won by Fe Garay, staking the Brazilians to a 16-13 lead at the second technical timeout.
The Brazilians got their lead to four at 19-15 and then five upon the double block by Thaisa and Dani Lins to make it 20-15. The home team just weren't able to get over the hump. They came back within three points at 20-17, prompting Guimaraes to call time, but Fe Garay emphatically sided out on that rally. An overpass on serve reception at 21-17 led to an entirely too easy chance for Thaisa, re-establishing the South Americans' five-point lead. A double block for Thaisa and Fe Garay made it 23-17, and the end neared. Credit to the home fans, though, they never stopped rockin'. Another double block for Fe Garay and Thaisa made it match point, and Thaisa put home the winner to end it.
Brazil d. Japan (25-21, 25-22, 25-17)
Two things seem clear. Brazil are gonna run away with this championship, and the Americans' eventual date with the Japanese will probably be a rough night at the office.
Brazil had solid advantages tonight in both kills and blocks (especially with Thaisa and Fe Garay going off the rails at the end there), offsetting Japan's 7-1 advantage in service aces. Gabi led all scorers with 16 kills — Fe Garay wasn't far behind, with 13. Excellent totals for a 3-set match, and Fe Garay's consistency between attack and block earned her the nod as Woman of the Match. Ebata led the way for Japan with 11, getting a lot of her team's sideouts in the stretches where the Japanese played more evenly.
With China being extended to five sets in the middle match of the evening (it was already underway by the time I finished up my USA/Serbia report), this now puts Brazil alone into first place in the standings. I imagine they'll remain there. They face Italy tomorrow, while the hosts entertain Serbia.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
