Team USA to face Brazilians in v-ball

   The USA women's national volleyball team will play the world-ranked Brazilian team in the Burleson High School Arena Saturday at 7 p.m.
   The USA team, ranked No. 2 in the world, will go against the sixth-ranked team, which defeated Team USA in the 2000 Olympics to capture the bronze medal in Sydney, Australia.
   This match will allow residents in the area a chance to see the USA team in action live. As well, residents can attend and yell for local favorite, Stacy Sykora, who is from Burleson.
   According to Toshi Yoshida, Team USA head coach, "This tour in Texas will be really good for us. Brazil is one of the top teams in the world."
  Greg Solomon, Burleson chamber of Commerce president, said the event provides an opportunity for people to watch their hometown woman, Sykora, compete at the highest level.
   Team USA will then go to the Dominican Republic to compete in the NOCECA Zone championships.
   This tournament will serve as a qualifier for the first Olympic qualifier, the 2003 World Cup in Japan in November.
   Yoshida said, "This tour will be very good preparation for the World Cup, and we hope we can qualify for the competition."
   Team Brazil will be playing with a new head coach, Jose Guimaraes, who took over after Brazil failed to get into the final round of the World Grand Prix, where the USA captured the bronze medal.
   "He's an experienced coach, and his presence there should make an immediate impact for their team," Yoshida said.
   The USA team will be made up of such notable volleyball players as Logan Tom, Danielle Scott, Keba Phipps, Heather Brown, Sarah Noriega, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Sykora. Team USA has played one domestic tour in the last three years. This match will be the first appearance for the team on American soil this season.
   Tickets for the Saturday match are $12 for adults and $10 for students.
   Phone orders for more than $50 will be accepted with a credit card.
    Volleyball clinics will be available. For information, call 817-295-6121.
   Tickets will be sold at the chamber facility at 1044 SW Wilshire in Burleson.