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USA women sweep Brazilian second team to give Lang Ping first win

Colorado, USA, June 6, 2005 – Nancy Metcalf scored a match-high 16 points to lead four players into double-figures as the USA women’s national Volleyball team defeated a Brazilian No 2 team 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-22) in the finale of the Front Range Tour on Monday at the United States Olympic Training Complex.

The victory was the first for new Team USA head coach Jenny Lang Ping, who was hired by USA Volleyball on Feb. 7.

Metcalf, a 2004 Olympian, blasted 15 kills and one block for the United States, who rebounded from a 3-1 loss in the second match of the series on Saturday.

“Tonight we felt a lot more comfortable than we did on Saturday,” added setter Angie McGinnis, who scored four points as she played the entire match. “We were ready to play; we knew we had to win. We didn’t want to let a junior national team beat us again. So we had to go out there and play hard.”

Team USA won the opening match of the tour 3-0 on Thursday in Denver.

Middle blocker Jennifer Joines scored 11 points on seven kills and a match-high four blocks, while outside hitter Jane Collymore and middle blocker Elisha Thomas added 10 points apiece.

Collymore had eight kills and two blocks, as did Thomas, an alternate on the 2004 Olympic Team.

“Not only did we play better, but I think our energy was a lot more powerful in this match,” said Collymore. “It seemed like we really wanted it out there, and technically our passing and our serving was a lot more consistent.”

Fernanda Rodrigues scored 11 points on 10 kills and one block to lead Brazil while Natalia Manfrin added eight points on seven kills and one service ace.

Both teams will travel to the Dominican Republic later this week to compete in the Pan American Cup beginning on June 10. The United States, a member of Group B, plays Peru to begin the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the 2006 World Grand Prix. Brazil, a member of Group A, takes on Puerto Rico in its opening match.