Team USA concludes the Pan American Games on July 19 in the bronze medal match against the semifinal loser between Peru and Cuba played at 10 p.m. later today. The U.S. finished second in Pool B with a 2-1 record and losing only to Cuba.

Brazil used a 4-0 run to separate away from a 10-8 lead in the first set to win 25-13 as the U.S. gave away eight points on errors. Brazil rallied from a 12-10 deficit in the second set with a 6-1 run to take a 16-13 lead, then withstood a Team USA challenge late with four of the last five points in the period for a 25-20 victory. Brazil took the third set after a close battle early, thanks to a 4-0 run to push away from a 14-13 score in closing the match 25-20.

“Brazil put pressure on us through their serve and kept us out of our offense, which made us predictable,” said Sue Woodstra, who is serving as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team at the Pan American Games. “Still, our young team played well and gained some valuable experience in a great environment.”

Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) topped the U.S. in scoring with 11 points, all on kills and 25 attacks. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) reached double-figure points with nine and a a block. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) added eight points via six kills, one block and an ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in seven points on six kills and a block. Cassie Busse (Prior Lake, Minn.) tallied two kills and a block for three points. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) handed out 18 assists, while Kristen Fenton Michaelis (Marysville, Mich.) contributed a team-high 14 digs and eight excellent service receptions.

“Obviously, Brazil is much more experienced than us,” Scott-Arruda said. “We did a better job on defense today and improved overall from the last match. Hopefully we can takte that into the next match and learn from today.”

Woodstra started Scott-Arruda and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Haneef-Park and Barboza at outside hitter, Busse at opposite and Thompson at setter. Fenton Michaelis is the U.S. designated libero for the tournament. Lindsey Hunter (Papillion, Neb.) and Charnette Fair (Atlanta, Ga.) were subbed into the match in the first set.

“We are creating opportunities and having chances to score, but we are not experienced enough to capitalize on those chances in key times,” Woodstra said.

Brazil’s Paula Pequeno produced a match-high 16 points on 13 kills and three blocks. Sheila Castro added 15 points on 12 kills, two aces and a block. Walewska Oliveira totaled 10 points on seven kills and three blocks.

Brazil held a 10-4 advantage in blocks and a 54-46 margin in digs in a defensive showcase between the two teams. Brazil was credited with four aces to the Americans’ one.

Dominican Republic defeated Costa Rica 25-17, 25-6, 25-15 earlier today and will play the winner of Puerto Rico and Mexico for fifth place on July 19 at 10 p.m.

After a moment of silence prior to the game to honor the tragic plane crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the previous day, Brazil amped the crowd back into a frenzy by scoring the first two points of the match. The U.S. regrouped to tie the set at 3-all after kills from Akinradewo and Scott-Arruda. Brazil recovered with a 4-1 run assuming a 7-4 margin. Team USA collected a kill from Barboza and an attack error from Brazil to close to within one at 7-6. Brazil scored three consecutive points to grab a 10-6 lead. Scott-Arruda picked up a kill and ace to move the U.S. back to within two at 10-8, only to see Brazil chalk up five unanswered points for a 15-8 score. Haneef-Park and Busse scored consecutive kills to break the run and cut the deficit to five at 15-10. Brazil notched points around the second timeout to reach a seven-point cushion at 17-10. Brazil scored three unanswered points to reach a double-digit lead at 22-12. Brazil ended the set with a 25-13 score.

The U.S. picked up an early 2-0 lead to start the second set with kills from Busse and Barboza. Brazil tied the score shortly afterwards at 3-all, then took its first lead of the second set at 5-4. Brazil gained a two-point cushion at 6-4 as it continued on a 3-0 run. After Brazil went into the technical timeout up 8-6, the U.S. gained the serve back on a service error and continued on a 4-0 run to return into the lead at 10-8 on Thompson’s serve. Out of a timeout, Brazil notched the score at 10-all on a service error and overpass kill. Team USA regained its two-point cushion with a Haneef-Park kill and Brazil attack error at 12-10. Brazil answered the U.S. with a four-point run to regain the advantage at 14-12. The Brazilians reached the second technical timeout up 16-13 as part of a 6-1 spurt. Out of the break, Brazil put up a block to increase its margin to four at 17-13. U.S. cut the gap in half at 17-15 as Brazil committed consecutive errors. Barboza and Haneef-Park tallied back-to-back kills to close the U.S. to within one at 18-17, but Brazil upped the lead back to three with consecutive points. Brazil ended back-to-back long rallies with points on its side of the scoreboard for a 23-19 edge, then added a point to gain set point at 24-19. On its second attempt, Brazil notched the set victory at 25-20.

With the set close in the third that included three lead changes early, the U.S. picked up a free point at 6-6 on a yellow card on the Brazilian coach in what appeared to be for passing out a towel to dry the floor in a delay. After Brazil gained a power kill down the line, Akinradewo answered with consecutive kills putting the U.S. back into the lead at 8-6 going into the technical timeout. Haneef-Park sliced a kill past the Brazilian defense out of the break for a third straight point and 9-7 advantage, the first two-point spread for either team in the set. Brazil tied the set at 10-all as Gonzaga served an ace, then went ahead a Busse’s attack went wide at 12-11. Brazil picked up its first two-point lead in the third set at 14-12 as Castro served an ace. Brazil continued the march to victory with consecutive points going into the second technical timeout leading 16-13. Out of the break, Brazil connected for its fifth straight point to take a commanding 18-13 advantage before Scott-Arruda ended the spurt with a kill off the block. Team USA whittled the deficit to three after a Brazil error at 18-15. Haneef-Park and Akinradewo connected for consecutive kills, and that was followed by a block from Akinradewo to cut the gap to one at 19-18. Brazil answered with consecutive points at 21-18 forcing a U.S. timeout. Brazil gained a four-point, 22-18 lead out of the break, and closed out the match on a consecutive points at 25-20.

To view the U.S. Women’s National Team Press Kit for the Pan American Games, go to http://www.usavolleyball.org/media/national/07PanAmGamesPressKit.pdf.

2007 U.S. Women’s National Team Pan American Games Roster
# - Name (Position, Height, College, Hometown
2 – Danielle Scott-Arruda (Middle Blocker, 6-2, Long Beach State, Baton Rouge, La.)
3 – Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Outside Hitter, 6-7, Long Beach State, Laguna Hills, Calif.)
4 – Charnette Fair (Opposite, 5-11, Minnesota, Atlanta, Georgia)
5 – Kristen Fenton Michaelis (Libero, 5-11, Fresno State, Marysville, Mich.)
6 – Foluke Akinradewo (Middle Blocker, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Fla.)
7 – Laura Tomes (Middle Blocker, 6-2, Oklahoma, Sioux City, Iowa)
10 – Cynthia Barboza (Outside Hitter, 6-0, Stanford, Long Beach, Calif.)
12 – Kimberly Noble (Outside Hitter, 5-11, San Jose State, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
13 – Marcie Hampton (Outside Hitter, 6-1, Florida, Gainesville, Fla.)
15 – Courtney Thompson (Setter, 5-8, Washington, Kent, Wash.)
16 – Lindsey Hunter (Setter, 5-10, Missouri, Papillion, Neb.)
18 – Cassie Busse (Opposite, 6-1, Minnesota, Prior Lake, Minn.)

Head Coach: Sue Woodstra
Assistant Coach: Gen Kawakita

Pool A Standings
Brazil 3-0
Peru 2-1
Dominican Republic 1-2
Mexico 0-3

Pool A Schedule
July 14: Dominican Republic def. Mexico, 25-23, 25-18, 25-19
July 14: Brazil def. Peru, 25-15, 25-19, 25-12
July 15: Peru def. Mexico, 25-16, 25-23, 25-17
July 15: Brazil def. Dominican Republic, 28-26, 25-16, 25-15
July 16: Brazil def. Mexico, 25-16, 25-15, 25-17
July 16: Peru def. Dominican Republic, 14-25, 25-13, 23-25, 29-27, 15-8

Pool B Standings
Cuba 3-0
United States 2-1
Puerto Rico 1-2
Costa Rica 0-3

Pool B Schedule
July 14: USA def. Costa Rica, 25-9, 25-19, 25-12
July 14: Cuba def. Puerto Rico, 25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 25-23
July 15: USA def. Puerto Rico, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-22
July 15: Cuba def. Costa Rica, 25-17, 25-12, 27-25
July 16: Puerto Rico def. Costa Rica, 25-14, 25-19, 25-14
July 16: Cuba def. USA, 25-16, 25-23, 25-15

Classification Round

July 18: Dominican Republic (Pool A3) def. Costa Rica (Pool B4), 25-17, 25-6, 25-15. (5th-8th Place Bracket)
July 18: Brazil (Pool A1) def. USA (Pool B2), 25-13, 25-20, 25-20 (Semifinals)
July 18: Puerto Rico (Pool B3) vs. Mexico (Pool A4), 7 p.m. (5th-8th Place Bracket)
July 18: Cuba (Pool B1) vs. Peru (Pool A2), 10 p.m. (Semifinals)

July 19: Semifinal Losers, 1 p.m. (Third-Place Match)
July 19: Semifinal Winners, 3 p.m. (Championship)
July 19: 5th-8th Place Losers, 7 p.m. (Seventh Place)
July 19: 5th-8th Place Winners, 10 p.m. (Fifth Place)