It wasn't the beginning that Mosad Rashad and his ladies wished for in the Paris 2024 Paralympics as Rwanda Women suffered a 3-0 demolition at the hands of Brazil in the opening match of the Sitting Volleyball competition on Thursday, August 29.
Rwanda and Brazil are both pooled in Group B, which also includes Slovenia and Canada.
Suellen Dellangelica Lima's outstanding performance helped Brazil cruise to a 25-13, 25-10, 25-7 victory over Rwanda in a match held at North Paris Arena.
Suellen contributed a total of 23 points, which included 12 powerful attacks and nine aces. On the Rwandan side, Sandrine Nyirambarushimana led all scorers with seven markers, showcasing her efforts in a challenging match.
The encounter began with Janaina Petit Cunha scoring the first point of the match, but Rwanda quickly responded with two consecutive points to take a 2-1 lead. Brazil soon found their rhythm, surging ahead 9-6 before launching an offensive run led by Nathalie Filomena, Edwarda Oliveira (Duda), and Suellen. Duda's four service aces were the highlight, expanding Brazil's lead to 14-6. Rwanda managed to reduce the deficit to 14-10, but Brazil's intensified offense allowed only three more Rwandan points before closing the first set, with a Rwandan attack error giving Brazil the set at 25-13.
In the second set, Brazil jumped to a commanding 9-0 lead, courtesy of Suellen's masterful serving. Rwanda finally broke the run with Sandrine Nyirambarushimana's attack, scoring their first point at 9-1. However, Brazil continued to dominate both offensively and defensively, leaving Rwanda struggling to get their offence going.
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Suellen's powerful attacks, particularly from the front line, were too much for the Rwandan blockers to handle. A smart decoy move by Duda and Laiana's block helped Brazil reach set point at 24-7. Although Rwanda saved two set points, a ball-handling error eventually handed Brazil the set 25-10. By this point, Suellen had already amassed 17 points.
Rwanda started the third set with a stronger effort but still trailed 6-3. Brazil's defence at the net then took control, giving them an 8-3 lead. This was followed by a barrage of attacks from Nathalie Filomena and Suellen, increasing the lead to 15-3. Claudine Murebwayire momentarily halted Brazil's surge with an attack, and an ace by Alice Musabyemariya gave Rwanda a two-point run, bringing the score to 14-6.
However, Suellen once again led an attack spree, extending Brazil's lead to 17-7. Adria da Silva joined in, bringing the score to 19-7, before Nathalie Filomena's back-to-back aces pushed it to 21-7. After another block by Adria, Brazil reached match point at 24-7, and Bruna Lima sealed the victory with a final attack, closing the set 25-7.
The Rwandan team returns to action against Slovenia on Saturday, August 31.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics' opening ceremony took place at the Place de la Concorde on Wednesday, August 28.
The iconic location was reimagined as an urban park for the Games, hosting events such as skateboarding, freestyle BMX, 3x3 basketball, and breaking.
