Boys U17 Wins First Match at 2025 NORCECA Continental Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 18, 2025) – In its first-ever match, the U.S. Boys U17 National Team earned a victory over Mexico 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-13) at the 2025 NORCECA U17 Continental Championship in Nicaragua.

The U.S. will next play Cuba on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 12 p.m. PT. The tournament takes place from Nov. 18 – 23.

The U.S. finished the match with advantages in service aces (4-1), blocking (6-5) and opponent errors (75-55) against Mexico.

“I thought we played a very good Mexico team who passed and played really good defense and made us work for it,” said head coach Brandon Taliaferro. “We got the first-game jitters out – getting used to the travel and getting in the gym, so we are going to get a lot better in this tournament but that’s a great win and I’m proud of these boys.”

Outside hitter Noah Mbaitoloum led all scorers with 16 points all scored on kills. Outside hitter Logan Flores was the second highest scorer in the match, registering ten points with nine kills and an ace. Outside hitter Sid Saikanth rounded out the top scorers for the U.S. with his final tally of eight points on six kills, an ace and a block.

The U.S. also had big contributions from the middle positions. Middle blocker Sean John tallied a kill. Middle blocker Nikodem Opiola added three blocks and four kills to the effort. Middle blocker Frankie Vincent had five kills and a block.

Setter Carter Tchaikovsky made his presence known from the service line with two aces to go along with a kill. Libero Collin Tullis kept the ball off the floor all match, finishing with 16 digs.

Two kills from Mbaitoloum helped the U.S. open the match with a 4-3 lead. Mbaitoloum had five of the first seven points and the score was 7-4 USA before the first timeout taken by Mexico. Key digs from Tullis stopped any early serving momentum gained by Mexico. Mexico closed the gap in the middle of the set with three straight points to make it 10-9 before a big block by Opiola again stopped the momentum. A timeout helped the U.S. regain a three-point lead at 17-14. The team went on to take the first set 25-20. Mbaitoloum led all scorers with seven kills in the first set.

The U.S. kept the wheels rolling in the second, quickly doubling up the score 8-4 on Mexico before a timeout. Vincent accounted for three points on two kills and a block to start the second. Mexico narrowed the score to a three-point deficit, where it stayed until 17-15. An error on the U.S. made it 17-16 with a timeout called by the U.S. bench. The team then traded points all the way to 23-22, maintaining a one-point lead throughout. An error from Mexico and a kill from Opiola gave the U.S. the second set win at 25-22. Mbaitoloum again led the scoring for the set with four kills.

Mbaitoloum stayed hot in the third and had four of the first eight U.S. points off kills. It was all U.S. before a Mexico timeout at 8-3. A Flores kill widened the gap to a seven-point U.S. lead and it soon became a nine-point lead at the next timeout by Mexico at 19-10. At this point in the third set, seven different members of the USA boys squad had gotten on the scoreboard. The team cruised to victory after the timeout, taking the third set by a 25-13 score and winning the match 3-0.

Boys U17 National Team Roster for NORCECA Continental Championship

No. (Name, Position, Hometown, High School, USAV Region)
2 Logan Flores (OH, Cypress, Calif., Cypress HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
3 Collin Tullis (L, Slidell, La., Seton Home Study Program, Southern)
4 Sid Saikanth (OH, Leander, Texas, Rouse HS, Lone Star)
5 Dane Schaefer (S/OPP, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Sean John (MB, Mount Prospect, Ill., John Hersey HS, Great Lakes)
8 Tommy Clifford (OH, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Glenbard West HS, Great Lakes)
9 Gabe Desiderio (OH, Los Altos Hills, Calif., Saint Francis HS, Northern California)
10 Nikodem Opiola (MB, Arlington Heights, Ill., Rolling Meadows HS, Great Lakes)
12C Carter Tchaikovsky (S, Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
13 Frankie Vincent (MB, Schaumburg, Ill., Schaumburg High School, Great Lakes)
15 Noah Mbaitoloum (OH, Rockville, Md., Winston Churchill HS, Chesapeake)
16 Jackson Real (OPP, San Clemente, Calif., San Clemente HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)

Alternates
1 Nate Paige (L, Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Great Lakes)
6 Tyler Berent (S, Mountain View, Calif., Mountain View HS, Northern California)
11 Kekoa Wade (OPP, Kailua, Hawaii, University Laboratory School, Aloha)
14 Jackson Vanderpool (MB, Queen Creek, Arizona, Higley HS, Arizona Region)
17 Kellen Saurer (S, Elgin, Ill., Wheaton Academy, Great Lakes)

Coaches
Head Coach: Brandon Taliaferro (USA Volleyball)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State)
Assistant Coach: Tom Stillwell (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Performance Analyst Noel Carpio (NTDP)
Team Doctor: Dainis Berzins, D.O. (Cedars-Sinai – Los Angeles)
Team Lead: Donovan Martinez (NTDP)

Schedule

All times PT
Nov 18: USA def. Mexico 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-13)
Nov. 19: USA vs. Cuba, 12 p.m.
Nov. 20: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 12 p.m.
Nov. 21: Quarterfinals
Nov. 22 Semifinals and classification
Nov. 23: Medal matches and classification