The United States rallied from two sets down to beat Brazil 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-12) to win the women’s gold medal at the 2025 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Cup at the Turnstone Center on Saturday.
Playing in front of a home crowd, the Americans staged a dramatic comeback to claim World Cup gold and build on their Paralympic three-peat achieved in Paris 2024. Brazil, who finished third in Cairo in 2023, earned silver after the tournament’s only defeat in the final.
Emma Schieck led the United States with 21 points, including 15 attacks, three blocks and three aces, while Nicky Nieves added 15 points on 11 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Suellen Dellangelica Lima followed Brazil with 22 points, and Janaina Petit Cunha followed with 20.
Brazil set the tone early behind Janaina and Suellen, scoring a combined 13 points in the opening set. Suellen’s three aces and strong net defense kept Brazil in check, but the United States stayed close, with Raelene Elam and Nieves contributing five and four points respectively. The exchange continued point by point until 24-all, when Brazil scored the final two points to take the first set 26-24.
The South Americans maintained their momentum in the second frame, relying on a balanced attack and patient play to withstand the Americans’ early aggression. Emma Schieck led the American attack from the middle and helped her side take the lead, but Brazil recovered from 18-18 to seize control. With a stable defense and accurate distribution, they managed to come back 25-20 and lead 2-0 in the match.
With an eye on elimination, the United States regrouped in the third. Brazil opened with an 8–4 lead, but Schieck’s run from the service line turned the tide, putting pressure on the Brazilian defense and putting the hosts ahead 12–10. The set became tense with long rallies and several lead changes, until Elam’s strong service run and Nieves’ fast mid-range attack increased the margin. Brazil struggled to recover, and an out-of-bounds error gave the US a 25-18 win to stay alive.
The Americans carried that momentum into the fourth. Brazil leaned on Suellen’s nine-point effort, but the American attack became more balanced and Schieck, Nieves and Gia Cruz found their rhythm. Consistent serving and solid blocking kept Brazil on the defensive, and the Americans maintained control down the stretch to win 25-20 and force a fifth set.
The decider opened level at 3-3 before Schieck’s play in the front line pushed the United States into a 6-3 lead. Janaina’s clean strike down the right closed the gap to 7-5, but a quick response from Tia Edwards and a Brazilian attacking error increased the US lead to 11-6. Supported by the Fort Wayne crowd, the home team reached the championship point at 14-7.
Brazil refused to give in and scored consecutive points to make it 14-12, forcing a US timeout. On the next rally, Nieves closed the match with a decisive mid-range attack, sealing the 15-12 set and the World Cup crown.
The victory gave the United States home gold and capped a resilient performance after a slow start. Brazil’s silver medal marked another step forward from their 2023 finish, but their unbeaten run ended at the final hurdle.
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