COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 26, 2011) - The U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, assisted by UC Irvine head coach, Paula Weishoff, lost to top-ranked Brazil 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 Friday afternoon to conclude the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round pool play at Macau, China.

The U.S., ranked second in the FIVB world ranking and defending FIVB World Grand Prix champions in the premier annual international volleyball tournament, ends Final Round pool play with a 2-1 record and 10-2 mark overall in the tournament. Brazil captured the Pool B title with a 3-0 record and has not lost in 12 FIVB World Grand Prix matches this year.

Both the Americans and Brazilians were assured spots into the semifinals prior to the match, which decided the group winner and seeding into the semifinal round. Brazil will face the second place team from Pool A, while the U.S. will challenge the top finisher out of Pool A. Serbia (2-0, 5 points), the only undefeated team in Pool A, plays Thailand (1-1, 3 points) later today, followed by Russia (1-1, 3 points) taking on host China (0-2, 1 point). Prior to the USA-Brazil match, Japan (3 points, 1-2 record) swept Italy (1 point, 0-3 record) in a Pool B match.

To watch the USA versus Brazil Final Round match, tune into Universal Sports' video stream by clicking here.

The U.S. opened the first set with a dominating 6-0 advantage and the lead reached double-digits at 16-6 before the Americans reached the victory at 25-22 after weathering a 10-3 Brazil scoring run. In the second set, Brazil started with a 5-1 lead and built a 22-14 advantage, only to have the Americans go on a 9-1 scoring run to tie the set at 23-all. Brazil closed out the second set 26-24 to even the match. The third set remained close until the late stages before Brazil used a 5-2 run to close the set with a 25-21 victory. Brazil gained a five-point advantage at 19-14 in the fourth set after a 4-1 run and went on to win 25-20.

Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) each scored team-high 16 points in the loss. Tom notched 12 kills, three aces and a block. Hooker charted 14 kills and two aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed seven kills, four blocks and an ace for 12 points, which was matched by Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) with 10 kills and two aces. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tallied five kills and three blocks, while Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) rounded out the scoring with a kill.

"I'm happy with the way we played today though not with the result," U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. "I think for both teams the match wasn't for anything except for the moment of the competition, but I think it's important for the sport, especially for my team, that we came out and played hard. We wanted to win and did everything we could, but we couldn't turn a couple of plays at the right time. And I think the Brazil team played with the same energy and emotion. I'm very proud of our effort. We made some improvements today that will help us in the upcoming matches, and I hope the two teams can play in the final."

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was credited with 11 assists on 114 set attempts as the Americans converted 29.3 percent of their attacks as part of a .192 hitting efficiency (49-17-167). Brazil converted 38.3 percent of its attacks with a .281 hitting efficiency (64-17-167).

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted 28 excellent receptions on 48 attempts, while Tom produced a team-high eight digs to go with seven excellent receptions on 14 attempts. Larson added 13 excellent receptions on 27 attempts.

"I think we both played a good match, both sides put up a good fight," U.S. Women's National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. "It's tough to lose to any team but we're going to be ready for a battle in tomorrow's semi-final, whoever the opponent will be."

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was used as part of a double switch in all four sets, the first three set along with Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) and the fourth set with Hodge.

The U.S. held advantages of 8-3 in aces and 8-7 in blocks. However, Brazil scored 64-49 advantage in kills and added a 39-16 margin in digs. Team USA produced a 53.9 excellent reception percent on 89 serves as part of a 50.6 reception efficiency. Brazil handled 54 excellent receptions as part of a 56.0 reception efficiency.

Brazil's Natalie Pereira paced the pool champions with 17 kills, three blocks and an ace for 21 points. Thaisa Menezes , Sheilla Castro and Fernanda Rodrigues all scored 14 points in the victory.

"We saw a very good level of volleyball this afternoon," Brazil Head Coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes said. "I'm very happy with the result, and I'm even happier that both teams played well. Natalia Pereira returned to the team, which is very important to us in the future matches. It's always difficult to play against USA, they play consistent volleyball."

For more information on the U.S. Women's National Team in the FIVB World Grand Prix, visit the team's event page at usavolleyball.org/events/7901.

Team USA scored the first three points of the opening set with kills from Hooker, Tom and Larson. The Americans scored a fourth straight point with a Brazil error at 4-0 leading to a timeout. Akinradewo added a block out of the timeout and Larson added a kill to reach a 6-0 advantage on Tom's serve. Hooker served an ace between two Larson kills to extend the lead to 10-2. Team USA stretched the lead to 14-5 with a Tom kill and Brazil attack error prompting a second Brazilian timeout. Brazil committed consecutive errors leading to a 16-6 American lead at the second technical timeout. Brazil went on a 10-3 to close the gap to 20-17. Tom and Hooker upped the American lead to 22-17 with consecutive kills, only to have Brazil answer with back-to-back kills at 22-19. Out of a U.S. timeout, Brazil served an ace to move to within two at 22-20. Hooker finished off the set with a kill at 25-22, her team-leading seventh point of the period. Larson and Tom each added five points in the first set as the Americans held a 3-1 advantage in blocks.

Brazil scored five of the first six points of the second set capped by an ace leading to a U.S. timeout. Team USA came out of the break with an Akinradewo kill an ace around two Brazil errors to knot the score at 5-all. Brazil scored consecutive points to reach the first technical timeout leading 8-6. Brazil added three more points out of the break for an 11-6 advantage. Hooker stopped the 5-0 Brazil run with a kill and Larson served an ace to cut the gap to 11-8. Brazil answered with three straight points of its own for a 14-8 advantage. Brazil served an ace to extend its lead to 18-11. A Brazil service and attack error allowed the U.S. to close to 18-13, only to have Brazil answer with two straight points to regain a seven-point cushion at 20-13. Brazil served an ace to yield a 22-14 advantage. Bown connected for consecutive kills to narrow the gap to 22-16. Tom added a kill, Brazil committed an error and Bown put up a block out of a Brazil timeout to cut the deficit to 22-19. Larson added an ace and Brazil hit long to stretch the U.S. scoring run to seven unanswered points to 22-21. Team USA knotted the score at 23-all with a Tom kill and Brazil error. Brazil ended the set with a block at 26-24 on its second set point opportunity. Akinradewo turned in four points in the second set to lead the Americans, who stayed close in the set with 12 Brazil errors.

Larson hammered consecutive kills to yield a 3-1 lead early in the third set. However, Brazil scored the next two points to level the score at 3-all. Hooker scored a kill and ace to push the Americans to a 5-3 lead. Brazil rolled off four straight points to take an 8-6 advantage into the first technical timeout. Team USA tied the set at 11-all with a Bown block after a Brazil service error. Brazil answered with two straight points to grab a 14-12 advantage. Brazil took the first three-point cushion of the third set at 19-16 following a U.S. error. Team USA answered with a Larson kill and Brazil error to close to within one at 19-18. Brazil regained a three-point edge at 22-19 after winning a long rally, then reached set point at 24-20 after a U.S. error. Brazil gained the 25-21 victory on its second set point opportunity. Hooker totaled five points in the third set, while Tom and Larson added three points. Brazil took advantage of seven U.S. errors in the third set while holding its own miscues to four.

Brazil bolted to an early 5-0 lead in the fourth set. The U.S. gained all five points back with an Akinradewo kill, Brazil error and three consecutive Tom aces at 5-5. Brazil answered with three straight points to regain an 8-5 advantage at the first technical timeout. Akinradewo and Bown connected for consecutive blocks to close to 8-7 out of the timeout. Brazil knocked down three consecutive kills to earn a 12-8 advantage. Akinradewo and Tom hammered back-to-back kills to cut the deficit in half at 14-12. Brazil increased its margin to 17-13 with points on each side of the second technical timeout, then inched the lead to 19-14. Brazil built a 21-15 advantage after a U.S. attack error. Team USA closed the deficit to 22-19 with a Tom kill, Brazil error and Akinradewo block. Brazil scored the final two points to earn a 25-20 victory.