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Brazil Wins Volleyball Bronze

ATLANTA -- Brazil won its first Olympic women's volleyball medal Saturday by outlasting Russia in five sets to take the bronze.

Brazil lost a fifth-set tiebreaker to Cuba in the semifinals, but scored six of the final 10 points to close out the 15-13, 4-15, 16-14, 8-15, 15-13 victory.

The winning point came when Ericleia Bodziak hit the ball off a Russian blocker.

Brazil took three of the six women's volleyball medals at these games. Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires won the inaugural beach volleyball gold medal, with Monica Rodrigues and Adriana Samuel taking the silver.

Brazil lost to the United States for the bronze in Barcelona.

The loss knocked Russia off the medals stand for the first time in the eight Olympics it has competed. It won four gold and two silver medals as the Soviet Union between 1964 and 1988, missing only the 1984 Los Angeles Games due to its boycott. The Unified Team won the silver in 1992.

China and defending gold medalist Cuba met for the gold medal later Saturday.