U.S. Defeats Venezuela in Home Debut at Women's U21 Pan American Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 7, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team never trailed in its first match as host of the 2026 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup, earning a 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-15) win over Venezuela at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday.

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The U.S. plays Mexico tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT. Mexico dropped a heartbreaker in five sets to Canada earlier on Tuesday.

The U.S. more than doubled Venezuela in kills (47-23), while also leading in blocks (5-3) and service aces (4-2). Led by setters Campbell Flynn and Genevieve Harris, who entered in the third set, the U.S. hit nearly .500 as a team for the match.

“We didn’t know much (about Venezuela). We got the roster last night, but we didn’t have a ton of data on them, so it became a matchup about ourselves and how quickly we could get to our U.S.A. systems. That was the fun part, just to challenge the women to pick the lock and also find our rhythm,” said U.S. head coach Tama Miyashiro. “That was ultimately the goal, to keep it about us. It’s fun when you get to play teams from other countries who play such a different style. They have different solutions and provide different problems for us. The women were excited to finally play. We have been training for a while and it’s good to get on the court.”

Ten different players scored for the U.S. with captain and outside hitter Abby Vander Wal reaching double figures with 13 points on 12 kills and a block. Middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie totaled nine points on seven kills and a pair of blocks. Outside Payton Petersen finished with eight points on six kills, one block and one ace, with middle Ayden Ames scoring seven points on six kills and an ace. Henley Anderson produced five kills and Flynn contributed three points on two kills and an ace.

Flynn started the match with a setter dump and served for four points, one on an ace, as the U.S. amassed a 5-0 lead. An Anderson kill pushed the margin to seven, 10-3. Ogbechie and Vander Wal scored on consecutive plays put the U.S. ahead 14-5. Petersen became the sixth U.S. player to score, and Ames followed with an ace for a double-digit lead, 20-10. Ogbechie’s fourth kill made it 23-13 and two points later, Vander Wal delivered her fifth kill to end the set.

Ames put a ball down from the middle to stake the U.S. to a 4-1 early lead in the second set. Vander Wal ended a long rally for an 8-4 advantage. Venezuela scored the next three points to pull within one. Vander Wal made a diving stab to keep a rally going and finished it with a block for a 10-7 U.S. lead. A Petersen kill and Ogbechie block put the U.S. back up by four points, 15-11. Petersoen served an ace with Vander Wal and Ames posting back-to-back kills to make it 19-13. Venezuela scored seven of the next 10 points to cut the deficit to two, 22-20. After a U.S. timeout, Venezuela had a swing to cut the lead to a point but were stymied by a Petersen block. A great up by Hayes led to an Ogbechie kill to end the set and give the U.S. a two-set lead. Vander Wal paced the U.S. with eight points on seven kills and a block.

After the third tie of the third set, the U.S. went on a 5-1 run to take a 10-6 lead capped by a Devyn Wiest kill. Venezuela scored on an overpass to cut the deficit back to two points, 12-10. The U.S. ran off the next three points with an Ogbechie kill stretching the margin to five points. A Genevieve Harris block extended the U.S. lead to seven, 20-13, and led to Venezuela’s final timeout. Wiest’s team-leading fourth point (third kill) of the set gave the U.S. match point, which it converted on the next play off a Venezuela error. Suli Davis and Carly Gilk each added three kills.

2026 Women’s U21 National Team for the Pan Am Cup

Name, Position, Height, Hometown, Current School, USAV Region
2 Ayden Ames, MB, 6-4, Prosper, Texas, Creighton University, North Texas
5 Lily Hayes, L, 5-9, Tampa, Fla., University of Florida, Florida
6 Suli Davis, OH, 6-2, Euless, Texas, SMU, North Texas
7 Manaia Ogbechie, MB, 6-3, Santa Rosa Valley, Calif., University of Nebraska, Southern California Southern Nevada
9 Keoni Williams, MB, 6-4, Fort Worth, Texas, University of Nebraska, Lone Star
10 Taylor Harvey, MB, 6-3, Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Texas, Lone Star
11 Campbell Flynn, S, 6-3, Rochester Hills, Mich., University of Nebraska, Lakeshore
12 Genevieve Harris, S, 5-11, Raleigh, N.C., University of Texas, Carolina
13 Rachel Van Gorp, L, 5-9, Olathe, Kan., Iowa State University, Heart of America
15 Payton Petersen, OH, 6-0, Dike, Iowa, University of Louisville, Iowa
16C Abby Vander Wal, OH, 6-3, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes
17 Carly Gilk, OPP, 6-2, Minneapolis, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country
19 Henley Anderson, OPP/OH, 6-3, Dripping Springs, Texas, University of Texas, Lone Star
20 Devyn Wiest, OH, 6-3, Peoria, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona

Alternates
1 Reese Messer, S, 5-11, Olathe, Kan., University of Kansas, Gateway
3 Jordan Taylor, MB, 6-5, Houston, Texas, University of Minnesota, Lone Star
4 Kalyssa Blackshear, OPP, 6-5, Lomita, Calif., University of Louisville, Southern California Southern Nevada
8 Ayanna Watson, OH, 6-2, Las Vegas, Nev., University of Pittsburgh, Southern California Southern Nevada
14 Abbey Emch, MB, 6-4, New Waterford, Ohio, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley
18 Spencer Etzler, L, 5-7, Coldwater, Ohio, Stanford University, Ohio Valley

Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Alfee Reft (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Alisha Childress (MLV)
Performance Analyst: Will McDonald (LOVB)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (NTDP)

Schedule

All times PT
Streamed live on USA Volleyball YouTube

July 7: USA def. Venezuela, 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-15)
July 8: USA vs. Mexico, 4 p.m.
July 9: USA vs. Canada, 4 p.m.
July 10: Quarterfinals
July 11: Semifinals and classification matches
July 12: Medal and classification matches