There were plenty of lows, a number of highs and the renewed belief that the U.S. women’s indoor volleyball team can hang with the world’s best.   Relying on its size, power and speed, top-ranked Brazil beat the U.S. 3-2 on Wednesday in the first match of a three-match exhibition series before an announced capacity crowd of 1,200 at the Olympic Training Center.   The No. 4 Americans looked sharp minus 13 service errors in a 25-20, 21-25, 25-23, 21-25, 17-15 loss, a tune-up for the World Grand Prix this month and the Beijing Games in August.   “Brazil has very good ball control,” U.S. coach “Jenny” Lang Ping said. “A strong team, it’s hard to find a weakness. That’s why they’re ranked No. 1. We need to get better. We need to connect better.   The exhibition series continues at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the OTC and concludes at 7 p.m. Saturday at Clune Arena. Friday’s game is sold out. Tickets remain for Saturday’s game and can be purchased at goairforcefalcons. com or by calling 472-1895.   The Americans hadn’t played a match on U.S. soil since May 26, 2006. They are 3-9 against Brazil since the 2004 Athens Games, with a 3-0 loss at the 2006 world championships and a 3-2 win at the 2007 World Cup.   Save for Tayyiba Haneef-Park, the U.S. was at full strength, using a 14-player team led by three-time Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda and two-time Olympians Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Heather Bown, Stacy Sykora and Logan Tom.   Brazil controlled the tempo behind 6-foot-4 middle blocker Fabiana Claudino and 6-3 middle blocker Walewska Oliveira, and Sheilla Castro and Paula Pequeno provided power the U.S. had trouble matching.   The Americans led 15-14 in the deciding fifth game after Tom’s kill. Brazil tied the score on a kill by Oliveira, then won on blocks by Claudino and Oliveira.   “You always want to win,” Tom said. “These matches are more trying to find our group. I’m not happy with the loss, but I’m happy with the outcome as a team.”   Lang said the exhibitions will help her determine the players for the 12-person Olympic roster.   “There are a couple spots we want to check,” she said. “This is a positive competition. You try to play better, and you make your team better, not the other way.”

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