Brazil Beats Japan, Cuba Plays for 11th
By Circles Robinson
HAVANA TIMES, Nov. 13 — Brazil is one step away from winning the Women’s World Volleyball Championship after a tough 3-2 victory over host Japan on Saturday that lasted over two and a half hours. Cuba, which lost to China earlier in the day, will play The Netherlands for 11th place.
Before a packed stadium of 11,000 home fans, the Japanese squad opened by winning the first two sets 25-22 and 35-33. However, Brazil regained its top seeded status and fought out the next two by identical 25-22 scores and then took the tie-breaker 15-11.
On Sunday, the last day of the tournament, the match ups are as follows:
Brazil and Russia play for 1st place; USA and Japan meet for 3rd place; Italy and Turkey play for 5th place; Serbia and Germany for 7th; China and Poland for 9th place and Cuba and The Netherlands for 11th.