MIAMI, Fla. (July 3, 2009) - After falling in the first set, Brazil came back to defeat the U.S. 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-14 in the semifinals of the Eighth Women's Pan American Cup being held in Miami.

The U.S.-Brazil match was the first since the two team faced each other in the 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal match with the same result - a four-set Brazil victory. Brazil, the top-ranked team in the FIVB world ranking, will face Dominican Republic in the Pan American Cup final set for 6 p.m. on July 4. Meanwhile, the reigning Olympic silver medalist American team will have a rematch against Puerto Rico for third place at 3:30 p.m.

Brazil's Sheilla Castro scored a match-high 21 points with 19 kills, one block and an ace. Welissa de Souza Gonzaga and Fabiana Marcelino Claudino checked in with 13 points, followed by Natalia Zilio Pereira's 12.

Nancy Metcalf paced the U.S. with 19 points with 16 kills, two blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson added 12 points, while Christa Harmotto produced 10 points.

"Both teams played well and there were some good rallies," Brazil Head Coach J. Roberto Guimaraes said. "In the third and fourth sets in particular, we had good sequences in blocking and serving that was the difference."

"Congratulations to Brazil," U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon said. "Our team gave good effort, but we just did not have a consistent execution for the whole match. While I am not happy with losing, there are some things that we can take from this match and learn from."

Courtesy: Associated Press