U.S. Women Strike Gold at Pan Am Cup Final Six

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 26, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s National Team went undefeated and captured the gold medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six with a 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21) victory over host Dominican Republic on Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Outside hitter Simone Lee was named Best Attacker and tournament MVP. She fittingly ended the match on Saturday with a kill, her 26th on the night. She finished with 29 points, adding three blocks, 19 successful receptions, and six digs. Lee hit at a .386 efficiency percentage.

The U.S., which hit .371 as a team and ended the match with a 68-52 advantage in kills, also led in blocks (12-7) and recorded three of the four aces in the match.

Outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons contributed 18 points on 12 kills, a match-high four kills, two aces, a match-high 20 successful receptions, and 10 digs. Opposite Taylor Mims and middle blocker Madeleine Gates each reached double digits. Mims totaled 14 points on 13 kills and an ace, while Gates scored 13 points on 12 kills and a block.

Libero Zoe Fleck led the team with 11 digs and 11 successful receptions. Middle blocker Kayla Haneline contributed eight points on five kills and three blocks.

The first set was back-and-forth with Dominican Republic going on a 6-1 run after trailing 20-18 to take the first three-point lead by either team. The U.S. fought off three set points before the hosts closed the set with back-to-back points. Parsons scored six points on three kills and three blocks.

Lee excelled in the second set with nine points on seven kills and two blocks. The U.S. led by as many as eight points, 16-8, in the set before four consecutive Dominican Republic points cut the lead to four. The U.S., which recorded a 5-1 edge in blocks in the set, responded with three points in a row and led by at least five points for the remainder of the set.

The U.S. jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the match, though Dominican Republic pulled with two points on two occasions. Several key plays allowed the U.S. to hold on, including three kills by Lee, two kills on overpasses by Gates, and a critical pancake dig by Jenna Gray.

The Dominican Republic took the early lead in the fourth set, going ahead 7-3. The U.S. scored six points in a row, with Lee tallying the tying and go-ahead points, to take the lead for good. Dominican Republic pulled with one point twice and still only trailed by two, 22-20, when a huge kill by Mims put the U.S. two points from the gold medal. Lee’s gold medal-clinching point marked her eighth point of the set.

Cuba took home the bronze medal after defeating Mexico in four sets, while Canada defeated Puerto Rico in three sets in the fifth-place match.

U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2023 NORCECA Final 6

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Kendall White (L, 5-5, Zionsville, Ind., Penn State, Hoosier)
13C Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
21 Simone Lee (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wis., Penn State, Badger)
25 Brooke Nuneviller (OH, 5-11, Chandler, Ariz., Univ. of Oregon, Arizona)
30 Danielle Hart (MB, 6-4, Virginia Beach, Va., Univ. of Wisconsin, Old Dominion)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)
36 Madeleine Gates (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
37 Kayla Haneline (MB, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb., Northern Iowa, Great Plains)
38 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
39 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington State, Evergreen)
41 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
44 Sydney Hilley (S, 6-0, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Univ. of Wisconsin, North Country)

Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
Assistant Coach: Cursty Jackson
Team Manager/Performance Analyst: Peter Wong
Athletic Trainer: Mandolyn Peterson

U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Final Six
All times PDT

Aug. 20 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-15)
Aug. 21 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-7)
Aug. 22 USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 25-13)
Aug. 24 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Aug. 24 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-27, 25-14, 15-5)
Aug. 25: Semifinals, USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-15)
Aug. 26 Gold Medal Match, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21)