U.S. Reaches 2026 Girls U17 Worlds Quarterfinals By Defeating Argentina

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 12, 2026) – The U.S. Girls U17 National Team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2026 FIVB Girls U17 World Championship with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-15) win over Argentina in the Round of 16 on Wednesday night in Czechia in Santiago, Chile.

The tournament takes a day before quarterfinal play on Friday. The U.S. will meet Italy on Friday at 8 a.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with 47 kills to just 29 for Argentina and led 9-3 in aces and 7-5 in blocks.

Outside hitter Maya Ogbogu finished with match-highs of 13 kills and 16 points, while hitting .765 for the match with no errors in 17 total attacks. She was one of four U.S. players with two aces and added a block. Opposite Kari Knotts scored 15 points with 12 kills, a block and two aces. Outside Julia Masselink totaled 13 points on 12 kills and a block.

With Ellie Enger running the offense, the U.S. hit at a .457 efficiency percentage. She also contributed a kill, block and ace for three points. Middle blocker Madlen Gloessner scored nine points on six kills, two aces and a block. Fellow middle Maija Mortensen finished with six points on two kills, two blocks and two aces. Libero Brynli Burgess shared match-high honors with eight digs.

A Gloessner block capped a 6-1 U.S. start to the match that forced Argentina into an early timeout. Masselink scored on a crosscourt kill for an 8-2 lead and a Knotts ace made it 10-2. Argentina used two pancake digs in the same rally to pull within seven points, 12-5. A Knotts block put the U.S. ahead 17-9. After a timeout, Masselink put down an overpass, Mortensen served an ace and Ogbogu scored from the back row for a 20-9 advantage. Argentina went on a 6-1 run to cut the deficit to six points, prompting the U.S. to take a timeout. The U.S. scored the final four points of the set on a Taylor Johnson tip, a Gloessner kill off an overpass and a pair of Ogbogu points, the first on a block and the second on a kill. Knotts scored seven points on five kills, a block and an ace.

A Knotts ace gave the U.S. a 6-5 lead in the second set. Consecutive Knotts kills extended the lead to three, 11-8. Argentina scored the next three points, the third on an ace, to even the set. Knotts scored off the block and Ogbogu served an ace for a two-point U.S. lead. Back-to-back blocks ended a 5-1 run that gave Argentina a 16-14 lead. Ogbogu kills tied the set at 17 and 18. Another Ogbogu kill and an Argentina hitting error put the U.S. back in front, 21-20. Argentina scored the next two points but the U.S. tied the set when Enger handled a serve that hit the net and Knotts scored off the block. On the following play, Ogbogu made a one-handed dig and eventually scored on a back row attack for a 23-22 U.S. lead. Argentina errors gave the U.S. two of the final three points and a 2-0 match lead. Ogbogu scored eight points on seven kills and an ace and Masselink finished with six points on five kills and a block.

Gloessner put a ball down to give the U.S. an early 5-2 lead in the third set. Argentina came back to take an 8-7 lead, but the U.S. scored the next three points, keyed by a Gloessner ace and Argentina being unable to get past the double block of Enger and Mortensen. After a timeout, Gloessner served another ace to push the lead to three points. An outstanding dig by Burgess highlighted a defensive U.S. effort that led to an Argentina hitting error and a 13-9 U.S. advantage. A Mortensen block raised the margin to six points, 15-9, and forced the second Argentina timeout. The U.S. kept rolling behind Enger’s serving with a Mortensen kill pushing the lead to 17-9. Knotts scored on a cut shot to put the U.S. ahead 19-11. A Gloessner kill made it 22-14. A Mortensen block ended the match. Knotts delivered five kills in the set.

2026 U.S. Girls U17 National Team Roster for World Championship

No., Name (Position, Height, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Lexi Coleman  (PIN, 6-0, Northville, Mich., South Lyon East HS, Lakeshore)
5 Kaelyn Easton (S, 5-11, Saline, Mich., Mercy HS, Lakeshore)
6 Ellie Enger (S, 6-1, Forest City, Fla., Orangewood Christian HS, Florida)
7 Madlen Gloessner (MB, 6-5, Denver, Colo., Lakewood HS, Rocky Mountain)
8 Kari Knotts (PIN, 6-3, Marietta, Ga., The Lovett School, Southern)
9 Grace Hengler (L, 5-6, Frisco, Texas, Coram Deo Academy, North Texas)
11 Taylor Johnson (PIN, 6-0, Plano, Texas, Hebron HS, North Texas)
13 Julia Masselink (PIN, 6-2, Sioux Falls, S.D., Harrisburg HS, North Country)
15 Madison Middleton (MB, 6-1, Roswell, Ga., St. Francis HS, Southern)
16 Maya Ogbogu (PIN, 6-0, Parker, Texas, Allen HS, North Texas)
19 Brynli Burgess (L, 5-9, Van Alstyne, Texas, McKinney North HS, North Texas)
24 Maija Mortensen (MB, 6-3, Draper, Utah, Corner Canyon HS, Intermountain)
26 Peyton Smith (PIN, 6-0, Arlington, Texas, Duncanville HS, North Texas)
28 Kaya Young (MB, 6-3, Rockville, Md., Kaiserslautern HS)

Coaches

Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (NTDP)
Assistant Coach: Amir Lugo-Rodriguez (SC Rockstar/Long Beach State men’s volleyball)
Assistant Coach: Laura “Bird” Kuhn (MLV)
Performance Analysts: Joe Skinner (Texas A&M – domestic leg), Peter Wong (Halton Region Volleyball Club – international leg)
Athletic Trainer/Team Doctor: Madison Hauge (domestic leg), Chris Cornell (Coduhi Clinic – international leg)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)

Schedule
All times PT
Matches are on Volleyball World YouTube

August 6: USA def. Egypt, 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-17)
August 7: USA def. Türkiye, 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-16)
August 8: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-19)
August 10: USA def. Thailand, 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-16)
August 11: USA def. Czechia, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-17)
August 12: Round of 16: USA def. Argentina, 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-15)
August 14: Quarterfinals: USA vs. Italy, 8 a.m.
August 15: Semifinals and Playoffs
August 16: Medal matches and Playoffs