Praia challenge Flamengo for the top spot in the Superliga

In great form since their participation in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship, Dentil Praia Clube can practically enter the race for the top spot of the 2025-2026 Brazilian Women's Superliga on Friday.

Currently in third place, the Uberlândia side is set to face leaders SESC RJ Flamengo at 18:30 local time (21:30 UTC) at the UTC Arena and has the ability to close the gap between the teams to a single point.

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With ten wins and three losses, Praia enter the third leg of the second round of the regular season in third place with 30 points. Flamengo, which accumulate 12 wins and only one upset, are first, with 34, two ahead of second-placed Gerdau Minas, which have 11 positive results and two setbacks.

After dropping three of their first five Superliga matches, Praia seem to have found their rhythm under new Portuguese coach Rui Moreira, having secured eight straight victories in the tournament - their last defeat dates back to November. In the period, they also finished fourth in the Club World Championship.

Having Olympic medalist setter Macris Carneiro as their main playmaker, Praia have been relying on American opposite Morgahn Fingall to put the ball down - a new face with the team, she's their leading scorer with 157 points. Olympic champion middle blocker Adenízia Ferreira is seventh in the league in blocks (37), while Olympic medalist libero Natália 'Natinha' Araújo occupies the same spot in the passing efficiency rankings (61.3%).

Flamengo enter Friday's encounter shaken by their first defeat in the Superliga. After winning their first 12 matches in the season, the Rio de Janeiro giants were taken down by crosstown rivals Fluminense in the tie-breaker on Sunday, but were still able to retain the top spot in the standings.

The team's main signing for the season, American outside hitter Simone Lee has been delivering at a high level - she's the Superliga's second-best scorer with 264 points and also ranks second in aces (14). Fellow outside hitter Karina Souza is another individual standout on the team coached by the legendary Bernardo 'Bernardinho' Rezende, ranking fourth in aces (12) and fifth in passing efficiency (63.1%).

The teams were in different moments in the first round of the regular season, in November, when Flamengo triumphed in straight sets in Rio. That match ended a streak of four consecutive Praia victories in duels involving the teams.

Minas face Fluminense on Saturday

Sandwiched between Flamengo and Praia in the table, Minas are positioned to benefit from any outcome in their match if they take care of business and defeat sixth-placed Fluminense on Saturday, at 21:00 local time (00:00 UTC, Sunday), in Rio de Janeiro.

Two other matches will be held on Friday in addition to the duel between Praia and Flamengo, with 11th-placed Tijuca Tênis Clube facing seventh-placed Sancor Maringá Vôlei also at 18:30 (21:30 UTC) and fifth-placed SESI Vôlei Bauru hosting ninth-placed Paulistano Barueri at 21:00 (00:00 UTC, Saturday).

Brazilian Women’s Superliga – Match Schedule & Results

Two other encounters will take place on Saturday at 18:30 (21:30 UTC), with 12th-placed Renasce Sorocaba meeting eighth-placed Batavo Mackenzie and fourth-placed and defending champions Osasco São Cristovão Saúde playing at home against tenth-placed Brasília Vôlei.

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