Minas at the top after five-set win over Osasco

The battle for the top of the standings in the 2024-2025 Women’s Brazilian Superliga had a dramatic chapter on Monday, when defending champions Gerdau Minas retuned to first place with an incredible victory over Osasco São Cristovão Saúde in Belo Horizonte.

Minas won the first two sets of the postponed match of the ninth leg of the second round of the regular season and seemed on pace for a comfortable victory, but Osasco came back and tied the match. After trailing in the tie-breaker, the home team made a strong push in the end to come out on top 3-2 (25-15, 25-22, 26-28, 24-26, 20-18).

Select Brazilian Men’s and Women’s Superliga matches are available live for VBTV subscribers located in Brazil.

The two points earned with the victory elevated Minas’ total to 48, enough for them to pass Dentil Praia Clube, but their in-state rivals, who have 47, can return to the top of the standings as soon as Tuesday, when they host SESC RJ Flamengo. Osasco, who still had hopes of ending the regular season in first place, continue in third place with 44 points and have no more chances of moving up during the last leg of qualification phase, later this week.

It was the third time the teams met this season and, for the third occasion, the match needed a tie-breaker to be decided – Minas had triumphed in the first round of the Superliga while Osasco prevailed in the semifinals of the Brazilian Cup on their way to win gold.

“From now on, every match is going to be like this,” said two-time Olympic champion middle blocker Thaisa Menezes, who scored 18 points for Minas. “Osasco are a great team, with some incredible hitters and it’s really hard to stop them because they have so many options. We managed to reverse a very difficult situation in the fifth set and I’m proud of the team. I kept telling them that, regardless of what happened, we couldn’t give up. We lost a match recently in which our attitude wasn’t good, but today we fought until the end and played for one another. We need to keep this mindset for the playoffs.”

A former Osasco player, Minas’ libero Erica ‘Kika’ Lima produced 17 passes and 20 digs and was selected as the Player of the Match. Offensively, Brazilian national team opposite Kisy Nascimento, with 24 points (17 kills, five blocks, two aces), and Dominican Olympian outside hitter Yonkaira Peña, with 20 (all in kills), were the team’s standouts.

Osasco had the match’s top scorer in opposite/outside hitter Tiffany Abreu, who tallied 27 points, with 24 kills and three blocks. Olympic champion outside hitter Natália Pereira came next, with 22 (21 kills, one block).

“It was a very tough match for us, especially the first set,” Tiffany reflected. “We struggled with our passing, but fought until the end and kept our heads up. Losing the fifth set after having built a solid lead is frustrating, but we know there was an amazing team across the net and the fact that all three matches between us went to five sets is not by chance. Now we need to keep strong for the playoffs.”

Minas will end their regular-season campaign on Friday, at home, against Praia, in the match that will decide the top-seeded team for the playoffs. On the same day, Osasco will be on the road against Brasília Vôlei – they need one point to confirm the third seed for the postseason.

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