Women's Club World Championship 2021

Praia complete hat-trick against Minas to win South American title

The Brazilian rivals will play the Women’s Club World Championship in December

Published 07:52, 26 Oct 2021

Dentil Praia Clube's Brayelin Martinez in action (Photo: Wander Roberto/Inovafoto/CBV)

The club season may only be beginning, but Dentil Praia Clube have already celebrated their third title in 2021-2022 after the team’s victory against rivals Itambe Minas in the final of the 34th edition of the South American Women's Club Championship on Monday, in Brasilia.

Praia defeated rivals Minas for the third time in a final in just ten days, following up on victories in the Mineiro Championship and the Brazilian Supercup, to claim their first continental title. After losing to Minas in the tournament’s finals in 2018 and 2019, the Uberlandia-based club finally came out on top, winning 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-7) at the Sesi Taquatinga Stadium.

“I’m very happy that we won another gold medal,” Praia’s opposite Brayelin Martinez said. The top scorer of the match with 22 points added: “I think we really deserved it as we work hard and played as a team the entire time, always believing we’d come out on top. We’re thrilled to have already won three titles so early in the season.”

The Brazilian rivals are now guaranteed places at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship, which will be played in Ankara, Turkey, from December 15-19. They will represent South America in the event for a third consecutive time. Italy’s Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano, Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Opet and VakifBank and Kazakhstan’s VC Altay are the other teams qualified.

Dominican star Brayelin Martinez scored 22 points in the final and made it to the tournament's Dream Team (Photo: Matheus Veloso/CSV)

Praia’s setter Claudinha Bueno received the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. The South American Championship’s Dream Team included Praia’s Martinez (best opposite), Anne Buijs and Kasiely Clement (best outside hitters), Minas’ Leia Nicolosi (best libero), Carol Gattaz and Thaisa Daher (best middle blockers) and Brasilia Volei’s Ana Cristina Porto (best setter).

Brasilia Volei finished third in the event with two wins in four matches. Uruguay’s Club Olimpia ranked fourth with one victory and winless Club Deportivo San Martin of Bolivia were fifth.

Praia and Minas now turn their focus to the 2021-2022 Brazilian Superliga, which begins this weekend. The teams will debut on Friday against Esporte Clube Pinheiros and Country Club Valinhos, respectively.