U.S. Women Dominate Host Dominican Republic, Head to 2026 NORCECA Continental Champs Gold Medal Match

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team dominated host and three-time defending NORCECA Continental Championship winners the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-10) in the semifinals on Tuesday night in Santo Domingo. The U.S. will play for the gold medal against Canada tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT. The meeting will be the fifth this summer between the teams and second in this tournament with Canada winning each of the previous four matches.

The U.S. recorded 15 blocks to just three for the Dominican Republic while also leading in kills (38-26) and service aces (7-1).

Outside hitter Simone Lee-Wank led the four U.S. players with the most points in the match, totaling 16 points on 13 kills and three blocks. Middle blocker Asjia O’Neal registered a match-high six blocks with five kills and an ace for 12 points. Outside Logan Eggleston scored 12 points on seven kills, two blocks and three aces, and opposite Jordan Thompson also reached double digits with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.

Libero Lexi Rodriguez led the team with five excellent receptions and finished with a match-high 18 digs. Setter Jordyn Poulter matched Eggleston with three aces and recorded a pair of blocks for five points while leading the U.S. offense to a .333 hitting efficiency percentage. The Dominican Republic hit .019 for the match. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu contributed three kills and opposite Stephanie Samedy added one.

The Dominican Republic took an early 6-3 lead in the first set before the U.S. scored six consecutive points with three kills from Lee-Wank and a block and ace from Eggleston. The U.S. went on another 6-0 run highlighted by two more Lee-Wank kills and an O’Neal ace. Dominican Republic cut the deficit to five points, 18-13, before Thompson delivered a crosscourt kill and Eggleston recorded a block on the following play for a seven-point U.S. lead. A Samedy kill put the U.S. up 22-15. With the score 23-18, Ogbogu scored to give the U.S. set point and two plays later, Eggleston sealed the first set win. Lee-Wank finished with seven kills and Eggleston totaled six points with two kills, blocks and aces each.

The U.S. stormed out to a 9-2 lead in the second set. Lee-Wank and Ogbogu began the set with kills. Eggleston and Thompson registered kills for a 5-1 lead. After Dominican Republic scored the next point, the U.S. scored four points in a row, finishing with a powerful attack from Eggleston that went off the left back defender. An Eggleston ace pushed the lead to nine points, 12-3. The Dominican Republic used a three-point spurt to come within six points, 17-11. The U.S. called a timeout when its lead fell to five points, 19-14. The Dominican Republic had a chance to cut the lead to four points twice but were blocked by O’Neal and Lee-Wank. A Lee-Wank kill brought the U.S. to set point and a hitting error sent the U.S. to a two-set lead. Lee-Wank scored six points on five kills and a block.

Poulter began the third set with an ace, and the following long rally featured great defense from both teams, ending with a Thompson block. An O’Neal kill and block upped the lead to 4-1. Another Thompson block put the U.S. ahead 6-4 and a Poulter block made it 8-6. An Eggleston kill and O’Neal block raised the margin to four points. A Dominican Republic timeout could not stop the U.S. dominance at the net with Lee-Wank, Poulter and O’Neal blocks combined with an O’Neal kill giving the U.S. a 14-6 lead and forcing another timeout. Another O’Neal block finished an 8-0 U.S. run in which six points were from blocks. The lead reached double digits, 18-8, when Thompson tooled the block off a set from Rodriguez. Poulter’s second ace of the set pushed the lead to 20-8 and after a Lee-Wank block, Poulter served another ace. Eggleston scored off the block to give the U.S. match point and Lee-Wank ended it on a back row attack. O’Neal scored seven points on three kills and four blocks with Poulter scoring five points on two blocks and three aces. The U.S. recorded 10 blocks in the set, the same number of points Dominican Republic scored.

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 def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-17)
August 23: Canada def. USA, 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-23, 15-13)
August 24: Quarterfinals: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-17)
August 25: Semifinals: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-10)
August 26: Gold Medal Match: USA vs. Canada, 4 p.m.