TIJUANA, Baja California, June 3, 2008.- Brazil beat Cuba in straight sets (25-20, 25-11, 25-16) and completed its participation in the preliminary round of the Women’s Pan American Cup with a perfect record in Pool B. The Brazilians advanced directly to the semi final round and qualified to the 2009 World Grand Prix.

The first set was the most disputed of the match with the Cubans leading up to the second technical time-out (16-15). Then the problems with the reception emerged again for the Cubans and Brazil took the set 25-20 with good blocking and effective combinations.

The rest of the match was an easy ride for Brazil allowing coach Luizomar de Moura to use some of the replacement players in the third set.

Brazil will play in the semi finals of Friday while Cuba will meet Trinidad & Tobago in a match between winless teams for the eleventh position.

“We are in a great moment and I can assure you that these two teams will meet again in the future,” said De Moura. “Both teams are very young and talented.”

“This competition has been of a great experience for our young players,” said Luis Felipe Calderon. “We did our best and Brazil is always a very complicated rival.”