U.S. Stays Hot at 2024 NORCECA Men's U21 Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 12, 2024) – Battling temperatures over 100 degrees and Suriname, the U.S. Men’s U21 National Team earned its second victory in as many nights at the 2024 NORCECA Men’s U21 Continental Championship, winning 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-15) on Wednesday in Nogales, Mexico.

The U.S. (2-0) returns to play on Thursday (June 13) at 8 p.m. PT against host Mexico (1-0). Suriname dropped to 0-2. All matches are being livestreamed.

“We came in with a gameplan and executed it very well. We hit our serving target and were able to give some guys looks at different positions. It just shows our depth. I am very happy with where we are. We have to clean up a few things out of system and in system,” said U.S. Men’s U21 head coach John Hawks.

MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)

The U.S. finished with huge advantages in all statistical categories, including 38-15 in kills, and 7-1 advantages in blocks and aces. The team hit .500 for the match (38 kills and only nine errors in 58 total attacks).

Six players scored at least five points for the U.S. Men’s U21 team, led by outside hitter Victor Loiola, who totaled 14 points on 12 kills and two blocks.

“We were working on our teamwork and how we can bring energy as a team to really dominate the tournament,” Loiola remarked. “We got a few more guys in to get more playing time today and I feel like were more connected (than yesterday).”

He noted the team is prepared to play in front of Mexico’s home fans tomorrow night. “We faced Argentina in Argentina last year at World’s and that’s when we learned to use the environment around us, even though it is against us, as our environment and take the boos as cheers,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how our guys play with a full crowd and a bunch of people excited to see good volleyball. It’s a chance for us to win the pool and that’s always your goal, your first little goal to put yourself in a position to see the second-place team in the other pool. I’m excited to see us compete hard and continue to keep getting better,” Hawks added.

Opposite Finn Kearney scored all nine of his points in the third set with outside Sean Kelly scoring his nine points on eight kills and an ace in the first two sets. Outside Cole Hartke scored seven points, five in the first set, and middle blockers Joshua Aruya and Parker Tomkinson each contributed five points. Tomkinson scored three points in the opening set, while Aruya scored three times in the final set.

Tread Rosenthal ran the offense in the first set with Trent Taliaferro setting in the final two sets. Libero Roan Alviar led all players with six digs. Hartke and Kelly each added four.

Leading 12-9 in the initial set, the U.S. went on a 13-3 run the remainder of the set. Kelly led all players with five kills and Hartke also finished with five points as he recorded four kills and an ace. With 11 kills and only two errors in 15 total attacks, the U.S. hit at a .600 efficiency clip, its fourth consecutive set hitting .600 or better.

Suriname jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, but surrendered the next four points, and nine of the next 10, to fall behind 11-6. After dropping the next two points, the U.S. proceeded to go on a 7-2 run to take an 18-10 lead. Loiola scored eight points in the second set on seven kills and a block. Kelly added four points on three kills and an ace.

It was the U.S. Men’s turn to come out of the gate quickly in the third set, pulling ahead 12-6 before a 7-1 Suriname run, punctuated by an ace, tied the set at 13. The U.S. responded with an 8-1 run that included two kills and two aces from Kearney and finished with a block by Taliaferro. Kearney totaled his nine points in the set on five kills, a block, and three aces.

The U.S. finished fourth at the most recent NORCECA Men’s U21 Continental Championship in 2018 and last captured gold at the event in 2016.

2024 U.S. Men’s U21 National Team for the NORCECA Continental Championship

Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
2 Roan Alviar (L, 5-11, Hayward, Calif., Princeton, Northern California)
3 Cole Hartke (OH, 7-0, Barrington, Ill., Pepperdine, Great Lakes)
6 Victor Loiola (OH, 6-4, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
7 Trent Taliaferro (S, 6-5, San Clemente, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
11 Finn Kearney (Opp, 6-5, Phoenix, Ariz., Univ. of Hawaii, Arizona)
12 Sterling Foley (OH, 6-7, Newport Beach, Calif., Univ. of Southern California, Southern California)
13 Sean Kelly (OH, 6-7, Manhattan Beach, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
15 Joshua Aruya (MB, 6-9, Mission Viejo, Calif., UC Santa Barbara, Southern California)
16 Tread Rosenthal (S, 6-9, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Univ. of Hawaii, Southern California)
19 Aidan Klein (MB, 6-10, Evanston, Ill., Loyola University Chicago, Great Lakes)
20 Parker Tomkinson (MB, 7-0, Carlsbad, Calif., Univ. of Southern California, Southern California)
21 Jackson Cryst (MB, 6-10, Long Beach, Calif., Sage Hill School, Southern California)

Alternates
Caleb Blanchette (S, 6-5, Franklin, Tenn., Univ. of Southern California, Southern)
Tre Jordan (MB, 6-10, Mesa, Ariz., Grand Canyon, Arizona)
Kellen Larson (L, 5-10, Irvine, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
Braydon Savitski-Lynde (Opp, 6-7, Roscoe, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
Justin Todd (OH, 6-8, Honolulu, Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Aloha)
Marek Turner (OH, 6-5, Long Beach, Calif., Woodrow Wilson HS, Southern California)
Jameson Vaccaro (OH, 6-4, San Diego, Calif., Princeton, Southern California Region)
Kainoa Wade (Opp, 6-9, Kailua, Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, Aloha)
Tristan Whitfield (MB, 6-7, Virginia Beach, Va., Princeton, Old Dominion)

Head Coach: John Hawks, Loyola Chicago
Assistant Coach: Donan Cruz, Ball State
Assistant Coach: Matthew Pollock, Pepperdine
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg, UCLA
Athletic Trainer: Dr. Christopher Cornell, Coduhi Clinic
Team Leader: Donovan Martinez, USAV NTDP

U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Men’s U21 Continental Championship
(All times PT)

June 11 USA def. Nicaragua, 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-12)
June 12 at 4 p.m. USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-15)
June 13 at 8 p.m. USA v Mexico
June 14 Quarterfinals if necessary
June 15 Semifinals and classification matches
June 16 Final, third place, and classification matches