Playing for Gold: U.S. Women Defeat Dominican Republic in the Semifinals at 2025 NORCECA Final Six

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 20, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced past Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22) in the semifinals at the NORCECA Final Six in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The U.S. (6-0) will go for gold against either Puerto Rico or Mexico on Saturday, Sept. 21. In the pool phase, the U.S. defeated Mexico, 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20) and Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-13).

As a team, Coach Erik Sullivan’s squad tallied 11 blocks (one more than Dominican Republic) and once again took advantage of 28 opponent errors while conceding only 18.

Reagan Cooper was the high point scorer with 14 kills. Sami Francis accounted for six of the team’s 11 blocks and also contributed six kills and an ace. Khori Louis and Skylar Fields tied for the third leading scorer for the match with 10 points. Louis did so with seven kills and three blocks. Fields did it with nine kills and one block.

Throughout the rest of the lineup, Kendall Kipp set the scoring tone in the early part of the match and finished with six kills and an ace. Norah Sis had two kills and an ace. Madi Kubik Banks had three kills. Kami Miner had one kill and one ace.

In set one, the U.S. took the lead early thanks in part to five kills and an ace by Kipp. Her efforts helped the U.S. build a lead that swung between three and four points until an ace by Dominican Republic made it 19-17. The U.S. let the lead get within one at 21-20, but then hit the accelerator to finish the set at 25-20 with set point scored off a block by Sami Francis and Reagan Cooper.

Set two was all Dominican Republic as they went on several three-point runs and built a lead up to five at 14-9. As the U.S. chased from behind, an ace by Miner cut the lead down to 19-14, but it wasn’t enough to stop the momentum and Dominican Republic took the second 25-16.

Set three was back and forth with the two squads trading points until the U.S. took the lead at 10-9. A 10-4 point scoring run opened the floodgates and allowed the U.S. to coast to the end of the set with a 25-18 score. Fields had three kills and a block while Francis had three blocks and two kills to pace the team.

In the fourth, both teams once again came out hot, trading blows until a timeout at 11-10 Dominican Republic. Two kills and two blocks by Louis, four kills by Cooper and three kills by Fields led the U.S. to a 19-17 lead. Cooper did the honors with the match-ending kill at 25-22 in set four, sending the U.S. on to the gold medal match.

U.S. Women’s Roster for Final Six

Name (Height, Position, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
2 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
3 Mary Shroll (L, 5-8, Tempe, Arizona, Arizona State Univ., Arizona)
4 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State Univ., Florida)
5 Kendall Kipp (OPP, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sami Francis (MB, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California Southern Nevada)
8 Emily Thater (MB, 6-3, Springfield, Mo., Univ. of Missouri, Heart of America)
9 Claire Chaussee (OH, 6-0, Sun Prairie, Wisc., Univ. of Louisville, Badger)
10 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Creighton, Great Plains)
11 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
12 Madi Kubik Banks (OH, 6-3, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
13 Reagan Cooper (OH, 6-2, Rowlett, Texas, Texas Tech/Univ. of Kansas/Washington State, North Texas)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
55 Skylar Fields (OPP, 6-2, Missouri City, Texas, USC/Texas, Lone Star)

Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (LOVB Houston)
Assistant Coach: Brad Rostratter (UC San Diego)
Team Leader: Blake Omartian (Orlando Valkyries)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Sam Schaff (San Diego Mojo)

U.S. Schedule

All times Pacific and contingent on completion of previous match. Watch on YouTube.

Sept. 15: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-19)
Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba, 3-2, (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)
Sept. 17: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 25-13)
Sept. 18: USA def. Mexico, 3-1(25-15, 25-15, 20-25, 25-20)
Sept. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-13)
Sept. 20: Semifinals: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22
Sept. 21: Medal matches