U.S. Women Topple Argentina to Reach 2024 Pan Am Cup Semis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2024) –The U.S. Women’s National Team finished first in Pool B of the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21) victory over previously undefeated Argentina on Thursday in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.

The U.S. won all five of its pool play matches to advance directly to Saturday’s semifinal round. Argentina (4-1) will play in the quarterfinals on Friday.

“It was an exciting match for us to compete with such a strong team like Argentina,” U.S. Head Coach Brad Rostratter said. “The players really stepped up to the challenge and represented the U.S. well. Our serving was awesome, doing a good job targeting certain passers, and the blocking execution is something we’ve invested time in, and it started to pay some dividends as we got a better view and understanding of what the Argentinian offense was trying to do against us,”

MATCH STATISTICS (PDF)

The U.S. finished with narrow advantages in kills (55-50), blocks (15-12) and service aces (4-2). The U.S. scored 22 points on opponent errors with Argentina scoring 19 on errors.

“I think we did a really good job of staying steady. Argentina is a really good team that has some really high-highs and they made a lot of good adjustments,” said setter Jenna Gray, who ran the U.S. offense while adding a kill and six digs. “We made our adjustments even quicker. I think we’ve had a really good build-up throughout the competition and tonight’s match proved our hard work and how we are trying to get better every single day. I’m really excited now that we are headed to the semifinals.”

Opposite Kendall Kipp led all players with 20 kills and 25 points, adding four blocks, an ace and six digs. Outside hitter Roni Jones-Perry registered 18 points (17 kills and one ace), a match-high 15 digs and eight successful receptions. Middle blocker Serena Gray posted a match-high six blocks to go with five kills and an ace to finish with 12 points.

Libero Zoe Fleck recorded a match-high 24 successful receptions with 11 digs. Outside Claire Hoffman finished with 15 successful receptions and eight digs.

Middle Tia Jimerson scored eight points on four kills and four blocks, and Hoffman contributed six points on four kills, a block and an ace. Outside Logan Eggleston and opposite Stephanie Samedy each posted two kills. Jimerson, Samedy and setter Ella Powell each recorded a pair of digs.

Each team put together a big run at the start of the match with Argentina jumping out to a 7-2 lead and the U.S. going on its own 7-2 run to even the set at nine. A Jimmerson kill and block keyed a 4-0 run that put the U.S. out in front 13-9 and led to an Argentina timeout.

Kipp’s sixth and seventh kills in the early going extended the lead to seven points, 17-10. The lead grew to 11 points, 24-13, before Argentina fought off six set points before a service error ended the set. The only U.S. player with more than two points in the set, Kipp scored 11 points on eight kills, two blocks and an ace to hand Argentina its first set loss of the tournament.

With a 7-6 lead in the second set, the U.S. went on a 7-1 run to take a 14-7 lead with Kipp and Jones-Perry each scoring four points. Argentina had three swings to try to cut the lead to four points (when trailing 19-15) but could not get a ball past the U.S. front row with a Hoffman block securing the point.

Jones-Perry’s eighth kill of the set gave the U.S. a two-set advantage. Kipp scored five points on four kills and a block, and Hoffman added four points on two kills, a block and an ace.

Argentina started strong in the third set and stretched its lead to seven points on a kill off an overpass that made it 14-7 and forced the U.S. to take its second timeout of the set. A Serena Gray block capped a 6-2 run that closed the gap to three points, but the U.S. could get no closer. Gray led the team with two kills and two blocks, and Jones-Perry recorded four more kills.

A Serena Gray ace gave the U.S. the first two-point lead for either team in the fourth set, 6-4. Scrambling defense led to a Kipp kill that made it 10-6 and prompted Argentina to call a time out. An ace by Argentina cut the lead to two points, 11-9. Tenacious defense set up another Kipp kill as the U.S. regained its four-point advantage, 14-10.

A Serena Gray block gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set, 17-11 and caused Argentina to use its final time out. Argentina ran off three points in a row to cut the deficit back to three points and lead to a U.S. timeout.

The lead was still three points at 23-20 and 24-21, but big kills by Serena Gray and Kipp accounted for the clinching points. Kipp led all players with seven points on six kills and a block with Gray adding five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace.

U.S. Women’s Roster for the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup
4 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
5 Kendall Kipp (Opp, 6-6, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
6 Serena Gray (MB, 6-3, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
7 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Ore., Univ. of Washington, Columbia Empire)
8 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
9 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Ohio University, Southern)
12 Breland Morrissette (MB, 6-1, Birmingham, Ala., Georgia Tech, Southern)
13 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
14 Sarah Sponcil (L, 5-10, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
15 Jaali Winters (OH, 6-3, Ankeny, Iowa, Creighton, Iowa)
17 Zoe Fleck (L, 5-6, Grenada Hills, Calif., Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
19 Jenna Gray (S, 6-1, Shawnee, Kan., Stanford Univ., Heart of America)
31C Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)

Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Physiotherapist: Cherryl-Marie Bueno
Statistician: Peter Wong

U.S. Women’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup
(All times PT)
Matches will be livestreamed on Federación Mexicana de Voleibol Facebook page.

Aug. 18: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-18)
Aug. 19: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Aug. 20: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-10)
Aug. 21: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-12, 25-15)
Aug. 22: USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21)
Aug. 23: Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
Aug. 24: Semifinals, TBA
Aug. 25: Medal match