U.S. Boys U17 Finish 2-1 in Pool Play at 2026 Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 6, 2026) – The U.S. Boys U17 National Team dropped its final pool play match, 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 32-30) to Canada on Thursday at the 2026 NORCECA Boys U17 Pan American Cup in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

The U.S. (2-1) will play an opponent to be determined in the quarterfinal tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with a slight edge in kills (58-55) with both teams serving two aces. Canada finished with a 12-8 advantage in blocks and made two fewer errors (32-20).

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have the energy. We just could never really get it going, ” said U.S. head coach Mike Wall. “Our passing broke down a little bit. And then when things were on the line and it mattered most, Canada made those plays today. We didn’t, so you got to tip your hat to those guys. We’ll regroup and come back ready to play tomorrow.”

Outside hitter Noah Mbaitoloum scored at least five points in each set and finished as the match leader with 23 kills and 24 points, hitting .404 on 42 attacks and adding a block. Gabe Desiderio totaled 18 points on 15 kills, a block and both the U.S. aces. Middle blocker Nikodem Opiola also reached double digits with 11 points on nine kills.

Libero Collin Tullis posted match-highs of 18 digs and 17 excellent receptions. Setter Carter Tchaikovsky added four kills.

A Mbaitoloum kill and block helped the U.S. take a 6-3 lead to start the match. Tchaikovsky scored by putting a pass close to the net down and a Canada hitting error on the following play gave the U.S. a 10-5 lead. An Opiola block stretched the margin to six, 12-6. A Canada block capped a 5-1 run that cut the deficit to two points and prompted a U.S. timeout. A Mbaitoloum kill and Canada error stretched the lead back to four, 15-11. Canada pulled within a point, 17-16, but a service error followed by a pair of Opiola kills, the first set up by a running dig from Tullis, restored the four-point advantage. Mbaitoloum scored out-of-system to give the U.S. set point at 24-18 and two points later, Real scored off the block. Mbaitoloum led all players with five points on four kills and a block.

A Vincent block gave the U.S. an early 3-1 in the second set. Canada took its first lead of the set, 7-6 and recorded a block for a 9-7 advantage. Tchaikovsky put another second ball over for a point that cut the deficit to a point, 12-11. Following a Canada hitting error, Desiderio put the U.S. back ahead on a kill off a running set from Mbaitoloum. A block put Canada back in the lead, 16-15, and the lead stretched to two, 18-16, leading to a U.S. timeout. Vincent pounded a ball down to cut the Canada lead to 21-19 but Canada scored the next two points. The U.S. rebounded with three points in a row on kills by Opiola and Desiderio with a Real block making it 23-22 and forcing a Canada timeout. A hitting error on the following play tied the set at 23 before Canada evened the match by scoring the next two points. Desiderio (six) and Mbaitoloum (five) combined for 11 kills.

Canada raced out to a 8-2 lead in the third set, prompting the U.S. to use both its timeouts in the first 10 points. Mbaitoloum and McWaters delivered kills to pull the U.S. within three points, 11-8. After the U.S. pulled within a point, 14-13, Canada scored the next two points to re-establish a three-point margin. A block cover by Mbaitoloum and a Tullis bump set allowed Desiderio to end a long rally and cut the deficit to one point again, 19-18. Canada took control of the set by scoring three points in a row, the third on a block, one of six Canada blocks in the set. Desiderio recorded six kills with Mbaitoloum scoring five points for the third consecutive set.

An Opiola block put the U.S. ahead 4-3 in the fourth set, its first lead since 13-12 in the second set. Canada went on a 5-1 run to take an 8-5 advantage. A Barrett block and Mbaitoloum kill cut the deficit back to a point, 11-10. Opiola scored off the block to square the set at 14 apiece before Canada regained its two-point lead. Mbaitoloum scored three points in a row to give the U.S. its first lead since 4-3 and set up set point, 24-23. It was the first of five set points the U.S. was unable to convert before Canada converted on its third match point. Mbaitoloum recorded nine kills in the set.

2026 Boys U17 National Team Roster for Pan American Cup

No. (Name, Position, Height, Hometown, High School, USAV Region)
2 Logan Flores (OH, 6-1, Cypress, Calif., Cypress HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
3 Collin Tullis (L, 6-2, Slidell, La., Seton Catholic Homeschooling, Southern)
4 Sid Saikanth (OH, 6-3, Leander, Texas, Rouse HS, Lone Star)
5 Dane Schaefer (S, 6-3, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
9 Gabe Desiderio (OH, 6-6, Los Altos Hills, Calif., Saint Francis HS, Northern California)
10 Nikodem Opiola (MB, 6-5, Arlington Heights, Ill., Rolling Meadows HS, Great Lakes)
12 Carter Tchaikovsky (S, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
13 Frankie Vincent (MB, 6-6, Schaumburg, Ill., Schaumburg High School, Great Lakes)
15 Noah Mbaitoloum (OH, 6-7, Rockville, Md., Winston Churchill HS, Chesapeake)
16 Jackson Real (OPP, 6-9, Irvine, Calif., San Clemente HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
18 Nolan Barrett (MB, 6-7, Encinitas, Calif., La Costa Canyon HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
20 Louis “Lula” Kordus III (OH, 6-5, Los Altos, Calif., Homestead HS, Northern California)
21 Gavin McWaters (OPP, 6-8, Loveland, Ohio, Loveland HS, Ohio Valley)
24 Jonah Tuaniga (S, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Millikan HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)

Alternates
1 Nate Paige (L, 5-10, Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Great Lakes)
6 Paxon Boynton (L, 5-11, Mesa, Ariz., Mountain View, HS, Arizona Region)
7 Sean John (MB, 6-3, Mount Prospect, Ill., John Hersey HS, Great Lakes)
8 Tommy Clifford (OH, 6-5, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Glenbard West HS, Great Lakes)
11 Kekoa Wade (OPP, 6-5, Kailua, Hawaii, University Laboratory School, Aloha)
14 Jackson Vanderpool (MB, 6-6, Queen Creek, Arizona, Higley HS, Arizona Region)
17 Kellen Saurer (S, 6-8, Elgin, Ill., Wheaton Academy, Great Lakes)
19 Miles Crotty (MB, 6-3, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
22 Grant Schmidt (OPP, 6-7, San Diego, Calif., Clairemont HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
23 Luis Tarja (OH, 6-7, Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
25 Dean Wagner (OH, 6-1, Irvine, Calif., Mater Dei HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
26 Ryder Wilper (OH, 6-6, Golden, Colo., Ralston Valley HS, Rocky Mountain)

Coaches
Head Coach: Mike Wall (USA Volleyball)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State)
Assistant Coach: Tom Stillwell (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Beth Drayer (BD Movement)
Performance Analyst: Alex Hurlburt (The Volleyball Institute)
Team Lead: Brandon Oswald (NTDP)
Training Coach: Sean Byron (Daemen), Derek Sullivan (Belmont Abbey)
Mental Performance Coach: Mitzi Kincaid (Performance GRIT)

Schedule

All Times PT

August 4
USA def. Mexico, 3-2 (25-17, 18-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-8)

August 5
USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-17)

August 6
Canada def, USA, 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 32-30)

August 7
Quarterfinals: USA v TBA, 3 p.m.

August 8
Classification and semifinals

August 9
Classification and Finals