Brazil continue on a roll and overcome the quarterfinals

The best women’s volleyball national team in the pool phase of the Paris 2024 Games, Brazil carried their excellent form into the elimination rounds and made it past the quarterfinals on Tuesday, when they topped the Dominican Republic at the South Paris Arena 1.

Keeping the same form that led them to get sweeps in all their three pool matches in Paris, the Brazilians controlled the Caribbean from start to finish to move forward with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-17) victory in front of a sold-out, loud crowd.

The victory pushes Brazil to a second-straight semifinal appearance in the Games, following their silver medal-winning campaign in Tokyo three years ago. Before falling in the quarterfinals at the Rio 2016 Games, the South Americans had made six consecutive semifinal appearances.

Their opponents will come from the quarterfinal duel between the United States and Poland, which is scheduled for 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday. The semifinals will be played on Thursday at the South Paris Arena 1 and Brazil will play in the first match, at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT).

"Everything we did so far feels so good, but the hardest part starts now," outside hitter Ana Cristina Souza reacted. "We have a big goal in front of us and we're fighting for it every day. Winning gold here is the dream of each of us, our families and everyone around us, and we're doing all we can to do it. But it's been a real pleasure to play with my teammates. At the end of the day, the result is what counts but I'm very proud of what we've been doing and how we've been doing it. We look each other in the eyes and we know what we want."

Paris 2024 – Match Schedule and Results

With the 3.89 FIVB World Ranking points collected with the victory, the Brazilians now have 410.32 and continue in second place, but that could change later on Tuesday, if Italy lose to Serbia in their quarterfinal match set to start at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) – the winners will face Türkiye, who qualified in the first quarterfinal of the day.

Brazil's star outside hitter and captain Gabriela 'Gabi' Guimarães had another excellent display in Paris and led the team with a match-high 20 points (16 kills, three blocks, one ace). The South Americans also got great production from outside hitter Ana Cristina , who contributed 14 points (10 kills, three aces, one block), and opposite Rosamaria Montibeller, who added another 11 (nine kills, two blocks).

"We've been very determined to approach each match with a lot of attention and put pressure on opponents because we know that we're very difficult to beat when we do it," libero Nyeme Nunes commented. "Today, I thought that we all did exactly what we were supposed to do on blocking and defense and since we served well, that made things easier. We have two finals ahead of us now and we'll continue to approach them with that mindset and also the anger that we've been showing."

Outside hitter Yonkaira Peña was the most effective Dominican player in the match, with 12 points (all in kills), followed by fellow outside hitter Brayelin Martinez and her sister, middle blocker Jineiry Martinez, who registered nine each.

The match against Brazil marked the last time 37-year-old outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz played for the Reinas Del Caribe (The Queens of the Caribbean, in Spanish). She first joined the team in 2004 and leaves with three Olympic appearances and several medals, including five NORCECA Championships.

"I'm really proud of us," De La Cruz said. "We fought a lot to qualify for the Olympics and then to make it to the quarterfinals. Today, we did a very good job in the first set, but then we started making way too many errors and a team like Brazil will always punish you for that. It's the end of my adventure with the national team and I can only be grateful for all that I have experienced in all these years. We have a new generation coming up and I'm excited to see what they can do."

Quick links:
Olympic Games Paris 2024
VBTV
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
Subscribe to Volleyball World's Newsletter