Brazil earns five spots in Women’s quarterfinals at FIVB Fortaleza Open

Fortaleza, Brazil, April 29, 2016 — Three rounds of exciting compassion-driven matches resulted in five teams from host country Brazil and one each from the Netherlands, the United States and Vanuatu emerging as the ‘elite eight’ to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals at the FIVB Fortaleza Open. The event is the fourth and final regular season Brazilian stop on the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.On Saturday at the double-gender $150,000 FIVB Fortaleza Open, the quarterfinals and semifinals for both genders will be played. The medal matches for both genders will all be played on Sunday with the awarding ceremony following the last gold medal match concluding the event. The FIVB Fortaleza Open is being played at the purpose built stadium at Praia do Futuro in Fortaleza, site of last week’s regular season finale of the Brazilian National Tour.QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPSStarting off Saturday’s schedule will be the quarterfinals with the pairing finalized under the lights on Friday night. The schedule will see Netherlands’ third-seeded Marleen Van Iersel/Madelein Meppelink facing Vanuatu’s sixth-seeded Miller Pata/Linline Matauatu, Brazil’s fifth-seeded Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia taking on USA’s 24th-seeded Amanda Dowdy/Emily Stockman, Brazil’s 19th-seeded Rebecca Silva/Liliane Maestrini  playing Brazil’s 22nd-seeded Angela Lavalle/Rachel Nunes and Brazil’s fourth-seeded Juliana Felisberta/Taiana Lima playing compatriots in Brazil’s 18-seeded Carolina Horta/Ana Patricia Ramos.FIVB FORTALEZA OPEN PURSE/POINTSThe gold medal teams at the FIVB Fortaleza Open will split $11,000 and 500 points, the silver $8,000 and 450 points, the bronze $6,000 400 points and fourth place $4,500 and 450 points.ROUND OF 16 RESULTSThe third round of women’s action on Friday was the Round of 16 matches that saw more exciting finishes and five Brazilian teams advancing to the quarterfinals, guaranteeing the South American powerhouse at least two teams in the finals as four teams will play each other in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Breaking down the Round of 16 into four groups, in the first group Brazil’s Eduarda/Elize Maia continued their impressive run, defeating  Argentina’s 20th-seeded Maria Julia Benet/Virginia Zonta, 21-7, 21-9 in just 25 minutes, Netherlands’ Van Iersel/Meppelink struggled some but overcame Germany’s 12th seeded Isabel Schneider/Teresa Mersmann, 23-21, 21-18 in 39 minutes, Vanuatu’s Pata/Matauatu beat USA’s 14th-seeded Kim Dicello/Kendra Vanzwieten, 21-15, 24-22 in 38 minutes and Brazil’s Carol/Ana Patricia hung on to defeat compatriots in Brazil’s 25th-seeded Josemari Alves/Vanilda Leao in three sets, 21-19, 25-27 and 15-10 in 50 minutes.  In the second segment, Brazil’s Angela/Rachel beat USA’s 13th-seeded Summer Ross/Lane Carico, 21-14, 21-13 in 31 minutes, USA’s Dowdy/Stockman stunned Brazil’s top-seeded defending FIVB World Champions Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas in three sets, 21-17, 18-21 and 15-13 in 50 minutes, Brazil’s Rebecca/Lili defeated USA’s 10th-seeded Brittany Hochevar/Jennifer …

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