Boys U17 in the Semifinals with 3-0 Win Over Dominican Republic at 2025 NORCECA Continental Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 20, 2025) – The U.S. Boys U17 National Team earned its third consecutive victory and third-ever victory as a program, defeating Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-18) at the 2025 NORCECA U17 Continental Championship in Nicaragua.

The team will have a day off and then returns to action in the semifinals on Nov. 22. Watch all matches live.

It was a strong match from the service line where the U.S. held an 18-1 advantage. The team also finished the match with the leading edge in blocks (6-2).

“We are getting better, which is what we want,” said head coach Brandon Taliaferro. “It was great to get the other guys in the game today and get them some match time and the experience. They have been working hard and pushing everybody in practices and games and being supportive. It will be a much-needed day off for tomorrow and then we will get back at it on Saturday for the semis.”

Outside hitter Gabe Desiderio was the leading scorer, tallying 14 points on nine kills, one block and four aces.

Opposite Jackson Real had 13 points on ten kills, two blocks and an ace. Middle blocker Sean John was the third leading scorer, doing damage from the service line with five aces that he paired with two blocks and four kills.

Outside hitter Tommy Clifford had five kills and two aces. Middle Frankie Vincent recorded three kills, two aces and a block. Middle Nikodem Opiola tallied two kills and an ace.

Libero Kyle Tullis finished the match with 16 digs. Setter Dane Schaefer aided the scoring with three aces and four kills.

“It’s a new system playing with a new team, but I feel like it went pretty well playing for the first time,” said Schaefer. “My hitters are really good and I felt like we had a pretty good connection towards the end. We definitely got better throughout the match and I am really happy with how it went.”

The U.S. opened with three unanswered points to begin the match and went on another 3-0 run to begin the first set with a 7-3 lead. Dominican Republic held the line at a five-point deficit up until a timeout at 18-11. The U.S. surrendered only two more points, taking the first set 25-13. Desiderio scored five of his seven points off service aces to lead the first set scoring.

Real had two blocks and a kill to keep the scoring going in the second set. The U.S. went up 9-5 before the first timeout. It was three more points in a row for the U.S. before the next clock stoppage, at which point Desiderio and John had each recorded three kills. The teams exchanged rallies and Dominican Republic cut the lead to seven before a block by Desiderio made it 18-10. The U.S. pulled away to win 25-15, sealing the second set on a Real kill. Real headlined the second set scoring with four kills and two blocks.

Dominican Republic kept up the fight in the third, starting the set deadlocked at 2-2 by forcing opponent errors. The U.S. built a lead with several three-point runs and eventually brought the score to 12-7 before a Dominican timeout. Schaefer led the way with a kill and two aces. Aces from John, Real and Clifford helped widen the gap out of the timeout and it was 21-14 U.S. before the next stop. A final kill by Desiderio made it official to end the third and final set 25-18.

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 def. Cuba 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 25-23, 25-19)
Nov. 20: USA def. Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-18)
Nov. 21: Quarterfinals
Nov. 22 Semifinals and classification
Nov. 23: Medal matches and classification