Brazil’s Eduarda/Elize Maia vs. Brazil’s Juliana/Taiana for Women’s gold at FIVB Fortaleza Open

Fortaleza, Brazil, April 30, 2016 — Making the most of playing a limited international pro beach volleyball schedule, Brazil’s youthful Eduarda Lisboa and her more veteran teammate Elize Maia have earned another spot in a second gold medal match in two months. The fifth-seeded Brazilian duo will be part of an All-Brazilian women’s gold medal match Sunday, challenged strongly by veteran fourth-seeded compatriots Juliana Felisberta/Taiana Lima at the FIVB Fortaleza Open.  Brazil’s Eduarda, just 17 and Elize Maia, 31, advanced to the gold medal match with a two-set semifinal victory Saturday over Vanuatu’s surprising sixth-seeded Miller Pata/Linline Matauatu and Brazil’s Juliana/Taina earned their spot in the finale by winning a thrilling, three-set semi match over their Brazilian compatriots 19th-seeded Rebecca Silva/Liliane Maestrini.Meeting in the women’s bronze medal match Sunday morning prior to the gold medal finale will be Vanuatu’s Pata/Matauatu and Brazil’s Rebecca/Lili. GOLD MEDAL PREVIEWFor Brazil’s Lisboa/Elize Maia, this is just their eighth FIVB World Tour event as a team and they have now earned four final four placements that include one gold medal, one silver medal, one bronze and one fifth place finish. They have a 6-0 in Fortaleza. After her team’s semifinal victory Saturday, Elize Maia commented, “This was the first time we have played against them,” said Elize Maia.  “I have not seen them in action before, but we got some videos to prepare ourselves for this semifinal. We managed to start with a good service that helped us in the first set. They seemed a bit nervoues as it was their first time in a such  an important match. We kept together the whole game and that was the key to get the victory. We played together as a team for just a year, so we still are developing and aiming to reach bigger accomplishments.”For the Brazil’s much-more experienced Juliana/Taiana, they are playing in just their fourth FIVB World Tour team as a team with no final four finishes, but that doesn’t scratch the surface of their illustrious FIVB careers. In Fortaleza, they have a 5-1 record with the lone loss coming in pool play against USA’s Summer Ross/Lane Carico.Both former FIVB World Tour champions, individually Juliana, who won the bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games with Larissa Franca, is playing in her 99th FIVB World Tour final four with 47 gold, 25 silver, 19 bronze medals and seven fourth place finishes. Taiana is playing in her 18th FIVB World Tour final four with six gold, five silver, three bronze medals and three fourth place finishes. Taiana …

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