U.S. Women Open 2026 NORCECA Continental Championship with Sweep

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 21, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team returned to competition with a 3-0 (25-6, 25-11, 25-4) sweep of Trinidad and Tobago in the opening match of the 2026 NORCECA Continental Championship on Friday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The U.S. will next face Mexico tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. offense, when not serving one of its 19 aces, was nearly unstoppable with 41 kills and only three errors in 52 attacks for a .731 hitting efficiency percentage. Trinidad and Tobago was limited to seven kills and two aces, while posting the only block of the match.

Middle blocker Asjia O’Neal served seven aces to go with 11 kills for a match-high 18 points. Opposite Stephanie Samedy recorded a match-best 13 kills and added an ace for 14 points. Middle Dana Rettke served four aces combined with five kills for nine points.

Madi Kubik-Banks registered seven kills and a match-high seven digs, and outside hitter Simone Lee-Wank scored five points on four kills and an ace. Outside Kara Hallock totaled four points on three aces and a kill. In addition to running the nearly flawless offense, setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres served three aces.

Ka’aha’aina-Torres served the first six points of the match, highlighted by three consecutive aces. O’Neal scored twice and Lee-Wank once in the run. Another O’Neal kill, a Lee-Wank ace and a Samedy kill pushed the lead to 9-1. The lead reached double digits, 13-3, on a Samedy ace. Rettke put down an overpass off a Banks serve for a 17-4 advantage. A hitting error gave the U.S. an 18-5 lead and Rettke served for six points in a row, including two aces. O’Neal and Lee-Wank each produced two kills for the other points in the run. O’Neal finished the set with her sixth kill. Lee-Wank (three kills, one ace), Rettke (two kills, two aces) and Samedy (three kills, one ace) each contributed four points.

O’Neal produced a kill and an ace for an early 3-1 U.S. lead in the second set. A series of Trinidad and Tobago errors raised the margin to seven points, 11-4. Samedy scored on a back row attack off a back set from Ka’aha’aina-Torres and Rettke followed with an ace for a 13-5 lead. Rettke served for three more points and an 11-point advantage before Trinidad and Tobago took a timeout. A Samedy pancake dig led to the first kill for Hallock that made it 16-5. Another Samedy kill gave the U.S. a 19-8 lead. A Banks tip and Samedy kill made it 22-11 with O’Neal serving three aces to end the set. The U.S. served 13 aces in the first two sets. O’Neal paced the U.S. with six points on two kills and four aces.

The third set began with back-to-back kills by Samedy as the U.S. scored the first four points. Hallock served an ace to start a nine-point serving run that put the U.S. ahead 14-1. With the U.S. leading 15-2, O’Neal started an eight-point service run with an ace. She served two more aces, Rettke delivered a pair of kills, and back-to-back kills by Banks put the U.S. ahead 23-2. A Banks kill set up match point and a 24-3 lead with Samedy’s sixth kill of the set two plays later ending the match. O’Neal also scored six points with three kills and three aces.

U.S. Women’s Roster for Continental Championship
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford, Pioneer)
7 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
8 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
10 Simone Lee-Wank (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wisc., Penn State, Badger)
11 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, 6-0 Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-4, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Kara Hallock (OH, 6-2, Lyndon, Wash., Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound)
27 Madi Kubik-Banks (OH, 6-4, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-1, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)

Head Coach:  Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Assistant Coach: Rob Browning
Statistician: Virginia Pham
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shannon Boone, Shawn Hueglin
Mental Performance Coach: Nicole Davis
Team Doctor: Steven Stovitz
Team Manager: Shannon Slatter

2026 NORCECA Continental Championship Schedule
All times PT

August 21: USA def. Trinidad and Tobago, 3-0 (25-6, 25-11, 25-4)
August 22: USA vs. Mexico, 3 p.m.
August 23: USA vs. Canada, 3 p.m.
August 24: Quarterfinals
August 25: Classification and semifinals
August 26: Classification and Finals
August 28: Semifinals for Continental Qualification
August 2: Finals for Continental Qualification