Santo Domingo.- "The Queens of the Caribbean" on Sunday again showed why they are prophets intheir own land, with another memorable moment for the Dominican Republic, beatingPuerto Rico in a heart-stopping match to take the gold in the 15thPan American Volleyball Cup.

In a dignified end for the two sister nations, but with theregion’s main decades-long sport rivalry, the local women prevailed 23-25,25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 15-6 in a packed Olympic Center arena.

The teams staged their first final since 2005, when Cuba strippedthe gold from the Dominicans, who two years earlier, had snatched the gold in anail-biting match in the PanAm Games of 2003.

Puerto Rico has beaten the Dominican Republic only fourtimes in the last 22 years. The last in the World Grand Prix in 2012.