U.S. Women to Play for Gold at 2024 NORCECA Final 6

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 29, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s Team competing at the NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six will play for the gold medal after defeating Puerto Rico on Saturday, 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The U.S. Women (3-0) will play the host Dominican Republic (3-0) for the gold medal at 4 p.m. PT on Sunday. The match will be livestreamed at youtube.com/@ReinasdelCaribe/streams.

Against Puerto Rico, the U.S. Women had to hold off several challenges, but Head Coach Brad Rostratter used some strategic substitutions to help get the win.

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“We knew Puerto Rico was going to be riding the highs and lows,” U.S. outside hitter Sarah Franklin said. “So we stayed very consistent and I think we played very well together as a team.”

Franklin led the U.S. scoring with 15 points on 13 kills (.458 hitting efficiency) and two blocks.

Opposite Merritt Beason, who played as a substitute in the first set and started the next three, scored 14 points on 13 kills (.526) and one ace. Outside hitter Eva Hudson, who also entered the match as a sub, scored nine points on nine kills.

“Tonight was a good match for us to get tested and face some adversity,” Rostratter said. “The changes we made in terms of getting Eva Hudson and Merritt Beason on the court really impacted the match.”

Middle blocker Sophie Fischer scored 13 points on eight kills, three blocks and two aces.

Opposite Olivia Babcock scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Middle Carter Booth totaled five points on three kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Jess Mruzik scored five points on three kills and two aces.

Setter Kami Miner scored four points on three kills and one ace. She set the team to a .366 hitting efficiency.

The teams were tied 20-20 in the first set when the U.S. scored three straight points on a Beason kills, Puerto Rico error and Fischer block. Puerto Rico scored on a U.S. service error. The U.S. won the match with kills from Fischer and Franklin.

Puerto Rico came back to take a 13-6 lead in the second set. The U.S. responded with an eight-point run to lead 14-13. Puerto Rico came back to lead 16-14 and then 21-16 before taking the set win.

Puerto Rico led 15-12 in the third set. The U.S. tied it at 15-15 on a Puerto Rico error and two straight blocks by Franklin. The U.S. went on to lead 23-20. Puerto Rico pulled to within one at 23-22. The U.S. reached set point on a Beason kill. Puerto Rico scored once more, but then served  into the net to win the set.

The U.S. took at 17-10 lead in the fourth set and Puerto Rico never recovered.

U.S. Roster for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)

Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)

Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read

U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times PT)

June 26 USA def Mexico 3-0 (33-31, 27-25, 25-15)
June 28 USA def Canada 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-13)
June 29 Semifinals: USA def Puerto Rico 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16)
June 30 Gold Medal at 4 p.m.: USA vs Dominican Republic