Sweep sends U.S. Men to Gold Medal Match at 2026 Continental Champs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 15, 2026) –  The U.S. Men’s National Team will play for gold at the 2026 NORCECA Continental Volleyball Championship after defeating the Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19) Tuesday evening in Moncton, NB, Canada. This is their second victory over the Dominican Republic in three days.

With this win, the U.S. has secured a spot at the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup.

The U.S. (4-0) will face North American rival Canada in the finals tomorrow Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. dominated the Dominican Republic in kills (44-27), blocks (9-2) and aces (9-2) while committing 21 fewer errors (54-75). Setters Micah Ma’a and Andrew Rowan led the U.S. offense to a .450 hitting percentage.

Eight U.S. players finished with five or more points on the match. Middle Merrick McHenry led all scorers with 11 points on eight kills and three blocks. Matt Anderson finished the match with seven kills, one block and two aces for 10 points, and Ma’a added on seven points on two blocks and a team high five aces. Jeff Jendryk, Jacob Pasteur, Mike Marshman, Cole Hartke and Jordan Ewert all ended the match with five points each. Liberos Erik Shoji and Mason Briggs combined for six digs in three sets.

The Dominican Republic jumped out to an early lead in the first frame at 4-2. Hanes crushed one to bring the U.S. back within one. McHenry would tack on a kill at 7-8 before another Hanes kill tied the teams, 9-9. Two big digs by Ewert and Hanes’ fourth kill of the set allowed the U.S. to take the lead for the first time in the match at 12-11. A huge block extended the lead to two, making it 14-12. Ma’a would rattle off three aces in a row to put the U.S. up 18-13. The U.S. would then stretch the lead to as much as six points at 23-17. The Dominican Republic would win the next three points before a back row attack from Ewert ended the set.

Matt Anderson served an ace to give the U.S. an early 3-1 lead in the second set. The teams traded points before a monster block by the U.S. and an error by the Dominican Republic extended the lead 8-5. A Jendryk ace put the U.S. up 10-6 and Ma’a’s fourth ace of the game stretched it to 13-7. The U.S. extended its lead with back to back blocks by McHenry. And with a healthy point cushion in the second, Rowan subbed in to help the U.S. to a ten point lead at 19-9. An Anderson kill put the U.S. up 22-13, forcing the Dominican Republic to call a timeout. The Dominican Republic scrapped back before another Anderson put-down sealed the second set win for the U.S.

In the third, Anderson opened the scoring with another ace. U.S. subs would bring the team out to a 3-2 lead via a thunderous Hartke kill. A tip kill by Knigge and back row swing from Pasteur dished out by Rowan would put the U.S. up 9-5. A Rogers kill followed by a Marshman ace at 13-8 pushed the Dominican Republic to call a timeout. The U.S. led by five after Hartke snagged his third kill of the match off a Ma’a dish, and Marshman whipped out another block with the U.S. leading 18-12. Rogers demolished a kill on the pin to inch the U.S. closer to victory, 23-15. A dig from Briggs’ back followed by a Pasteur kill gave the U.S. match point, and a Knigge kill would finish it 25-19.

2026 NORCECA Continental Championship Roster

No., Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State, Western Empire)
3 Mason Briggs (L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California Southern Nevada)
4 Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Chicago, Great Lakes)
7 Jacob Pasteur (OH, 6-4, Westminster, Md., Ohio State, Chesapeake)
8 Patrick Rogers (OH, 6-7, Rutherford, N.J., Ball State, Garden Empire)
12 Michael Marshman (MB, 6-7, Glenmont, N.Y., St. Francis Univ., Excelsior Empire)
14 Micah Ma’a (S, 6-3, Kaneohe, Hawaii, UCLA, Aloha)
15 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California Southern Nevada)
17 Jake Hanes (OPP, 6-10, Orland Park, Ill., Ohio State Univ., Great Lakes)
18 Cole Hartke (OPP, 7-0, Barrington, Ill., Pepperdine, Great Lakes)
22 Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
24 Merrick McHenry (MB, 6-7, Bedford, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
26 Matthew Knigge (MB, 6-7, New Egypt, N.J., Vassar, Garden Empire)
29 Jordan Ewert (OH, 6-5, Antioch, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Head Coach:  Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Luka Slabe
Assistant Coach: Javier Weber
Performance Analyst/Team Manager: Nate Ngo
Physiotherapist: Aaron Brock
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach: Tim Pelot
Statistician: Kailani Wang

Schedule

All times Pacific
Sept. 11: USA def. Guatemala, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-11)
Sept. 12: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-19)
Sept. 13: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-14)
Sept. 14: Quarterfinals: USA received a bye
Sept. 15: Semifinals: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Sept. 16: Finals: USA vs. Canada, 3 p.m. PT