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Brazil top Serbia after dropping first two sets
Brazilian players were euphoric after making a dramatic comeback from 0-2 against Serbia
Toyama, Japan, November 9, 2011 – Brazil came back from dropping the first two sets to edge European champions Serbia 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19, 15-12) in their fifth match of the FIVB World Cup at Toyama City Gymnasium on Wednesday.
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Thaisa Menezes deservedly picked up the Most Impressive Player award after scoring 20 points, including a match-high six blocks. Top scorer for Brazil was Sheilla Castro with 24 while Paula Pequeno and Fabiana Claudino added 17 and 11 respectively. Ana Bjelica was the leading scorer for Serbia with 19 points. followed by Tijana Malesevic, Stefana Veljkovic and Natasa Krsmanovic with 17, 15 and 10. Brazil outblocked Serbia 14-7and both teams scored with three service winners.
Both teams had to go through five-setters on Tuesday. Serbia did well against Germany but lost; Brazil had a mixed performance against Korea but won. Perhaps the crowd singing “Happy Birthday” lightened the mood for Serbia as they were the first team to open up daylight. The two teams were neck and neck through 7-7 when two good spikes by Brizitka Molnar and a block by Ana Bjelica set Serbia on their way. The gap grew to five points before Brazil dug in – for a while, at least. A blistering blast by Paula Pequeno closed the gap to two points at 15-13, but Serbia pulled away again thanks to more Brazilian errors, and they were six points up at 19-13 when Marianne “Mari” Steinbrecher sent a shot long. Tijana Malesevic came up with a block on Sheilla Castro and made a slick drive down the left line as Serbia held on, but Brazil fought back with two stunning strikes by Paula. A double touch by Fabiana Claudino handed Serbia setpoint and a shot by Bjelica put them 1-0 up.
The start of the second set was not much different from the first. Brazil’s Sheilla landed five good shots in the first phase but couldn’t prevent Serbia from taking a two-point lead at the first TTO. But after big blocks from Thaisa Menezes on Stefana Veljkovic and Mari on Bjelica, Brazil led 10-8, at which point Serbia coach Zoran Terzic called a timeout. Two plays later the gap was four points. Thumping drives by Sheilla and Paula saw the score reduced to 14-11, but then Serbia went on a great run. A great block by Natasa Krsmanovic on Fabiana drew the teams level at 14 and a service ace by Velkovic put Serbia two points clear at the second TTO. Brazil coach Ze Roberto had to call timeouts at 16-19 and 16-22 as his team lost the plot in the face of some confident volleyball from Serbia. A monstrous rocket from Malesevic brought up setpoint at 24-18 and after a slight wobble, Veljkovic put Serbia 2-0 up with a shot down the middle.
Serbia couldn’t sustain their form at the start of the third set and Terzic called his players off court when they fell 4-0 behind. Fabiana came up with two good blocks – both down the middle on Veljkovic – and Brazil were five points ahead at the first TTO. Serbia showed good determination as they struggled to draw level and came within a point at 10-9 after a smart shot down the right line by Veljkovic. But Brazil were getting good service from Paula and Sheilla, and they were still three points up at the second TTO. Terzic called a second timeout after a great block by Thaisa on Bjelica put Brazil four points in front at 19-15, but on the next point the Brazilian did exactly the same. Setpoint came from a nice tipover by Sheilla and Fabiana earned Brazil their first set with a first-time spike after Serbia’s Malesevic couldn’t handle a monster serve by Welissa “Sassa” Gonzaga.
Brazil had a slight advantage at the start of the fourth set after more good work by Paula, but Serbia fought back to lead by a point at the first TTO. A disputed point allowed Serbia to move into an 11-9 lead and a big block by Veljkovic on Sheilla made it a three-point gap. Brazil closed the gap; Serbia reopened it. Two huge blocks by Thaisa – on Brizitka Molnar and Bjelica – leveled the scores at 15 and Thaisa then took advantage of a Serbian error to put her team one point up at the second TTO. Hefty slugs by Paula and Sheilla then gave Brazil a three-point cushion and this time they were able to hold on. A Serbian error brought up setpoint and Sheilla sent the match to a fifth set with a trademark spike.
Brazil looked more confident as the tiebreaker started and pulled away from 2-2 with good work from Thaisa, Sheilla and Paula. Terzic called a timeout at 3-6, but more magic from the Brazilian trio stretched the gap to 8-4 at the turnaround. After two Brazilian errors reduced that gap to two points, Ze Roberto called a timeout. Incredibly, Brazil’s star libero Fabi then made successive mistakes on serves by Molnar and the scores were level. They were level at nine, 10, 11 and 12, when Sheilla sent down another missile to make the score 13-12. Matchpoint came after Thaisa blocked Veljkovic and Sheilla broke Serbian hearts with another unreturnable spike.
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