U.S. Women Advance to 2026 Final Six Gold Medal Match with Semifinal Win over Cuba

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its unbeaten streak at the 2026 Final Six with a 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21) victory over Cuba in the semifinals on Saturday in Zinacantepec, Mexico. The U.S. (6-0) will play for the gold medal against the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between Puerto Rico and host Mexico tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with advantages in kills (54-41), blocks (9-5) and service aces (4-2).

Outside hitter Callie Schwarzenbach paced the U.S. with 17 points with 12 points, three blocks and a pair of aces. Middle blocker Onye Ofoegbu finished with 10 kills and fellow middle Toyosi Onabanjo recorded a match-best four blocks to go with four kills for eight points.

Outside Jess Mruzik and opposite Temi Thomas-Ailara (five kills, one ace), outside Claire Hoffman (five kills, one block) and outside Eva Hudson (six kills) all scored six points. Opposite Sami Francis scored four points on three kills and a block. Setter Ella Powell recorded two kills while leading the U.S. offense. Libero Elena Scott finished with a match-highs of 18 digs and nine excellent receptions. Hudson added nine digs and Mruzik finished with five excellent receptions.

A kill and ace from Thomas-Ailara put the U.S. up 5-2 to begin the match. A Schwarzenbach ace doubled up the early lead, 8-4. Cuba pulled with two points, 12-10, before a Schwarzenbach kill started the U.S. on a 4-2 run that put the lead back at four when Mruzik scored off the block for a 16-12 lead. Cuba cut the lead in half but consecutive kills from Ofoegbu and Thomas-Ailara restored the four-point advantage. Two Cuba errors and a Mruzik kill stretched the lead to seven, 21-14, capping a 5-0 run. Back-to-back kills from Hudson and Schwarzenbach gave the U.S. set point at 24-16. Two points later, Schwarzenbach ended the set with her fifth point.

A Mruzik ace and Hudson kill staked the U.S. to a 4-1 lead in the second set. Cuba used a 7-4 stretch to even the score 8-8. With the score tied 10-10., Hudson registered back-to-back kills. A hitting error stretched the margin to three points, 16-13. Cuba scored three of the next four points to cut the deficit back to one point before Mruzik restored the two-point lead. Cuba used a 5-1 run to take a 21-19 lead and force a U.S. timeout. The U.S. got as close as one point, 21-20 on an Ofoegbu kill and 22-21 on an error but were unable to even the set as Cuba tied the match 1-1. Ofoegbu and Hudson each recorded four kills.

A Schwarzenbach kill gave the U.S. a 6-4 lead in the third set. Cuba used a 3-1 run to square the set at seven apiece. Back-to-back Onabanjo put the U.S. up 10-7. Consecutive Cuba errors pushed the margin to five points, 13-8. Hoffman registered kills on consecutive plays for a 16-11 U.S. advantage. Cuba scored the next three points to cut the deficit to two points, but the U.S. responded with its own three-point stretch, keyed by a Schwarzenbach kill. Baird scored off a back set from Scott for a 24-17 lead and Onabanjo finished the set with a kill. Onabanjo used three blocks and the set-clinching kill to score four points.

Cuba led 13-9 in the fourth set but the U.S. ran off six points in a row starting with kills from Onabanjo and Schwarzenbach and a block from Hoffman. Three consecutive hitting errors put the U.S up two points. Cuba tied the set 16-16 before a kill and block from Schwarzenbach gave the U.S. the lead for good. An Onabanjo block put the U.S. up 21-17. Cuba got as close as two points, 22-20 and 23-21, but the U.S. ended the match on an Ofoegbu kill and a Cuba hitting error. Schwarzenbach scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

2026 USA Volleyball Women’s Final Six Cup Roster

No., Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
3 Toyosi Onabanjo (MB, 6-1, Houston, Texas, Kansas)
7 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Washington)
9 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-1, Livonia, Mich., Michigan/Penn State)
11 Natalie Foster (MB, 6-4, Mattawan, Mich., Wichita State/SMU)
12 Temi Thomas-Ailara (OPP, 6-2, Glenwood, Ill., Northwestern/Wisconsin)
13 Onye Ofoegbu (MB, 6-3, Cerritos, Calif., UC Irvine/Oregon)
19 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
20 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt)
21 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Oreg., Washington)
22 Elena Scott (L, 5-10, Louisville, Ky., Louisville, Pioneer)
25 Callie Schwarzenbach (OH, 6-5, Kearney, Mo., Nebraska/Long Beach State)
30 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Purdue/Kentucky)
77 Sami Francis (OPP, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford)
99 Caitie Baird (OH, 6-3, Indianapolis, Ind., Stanford)

Schedule

All times PT

Sept. 21: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-16)
Sept. 22: USA def. Cuba, 3-0, (25-17, 25-22, 25-13)
Sept. 23: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25)
Sept. 24: USA def. Mexico, 3-1 (25-27, 25-19, 25-23, 27-25)
Sept. 25: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-21, 25-13)
Sept. 26 Semifinals: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21)
Sept. 27: Finals