U.S. Women's U21 Wins Again at 2026 Pan American Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 8, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team moved to 2-0 at the 2026 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-18) victory over Mexico on Wednesday at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio.

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The U.S. (2-0) will meet Canada (2-0) tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT. The winner will move directly into Saturday’s semifinal with the other team headed to a quarterfinal match on Friday.

The U.S. posted large advantages in kills (45-26), blocks (10-4) and aces (6-2).

Outside hitter Suli Davis led all players with 18 kills and 20 points, adding two blocks, four digs and four successful receptions. Setter Genevieve Harris ran the offense, served a match-leading four aces and contributed a kill and two blocks for seven points.

“Wearing the USA jersey is truly unreal and every time I put it on and step on the court, it makes me think about all the work we’ve done and where you are. It’s just a beautiful thing,” Harris stated. “We had a really good scout of Mexico. They are a good team with good hitters who were doing cool things. I think our team adjusted really well all during the match and found a way to dig out of the holes we may have dug ourselves. We followed the game plan and also adjusted as we went.”

Libero Rachel Van Gorp and outside Devyn Wiest paced the U.S. with six successful receptions, while opposite Carly Gilk registered a match-best nine digs. Wiest scored 11 points on nine kills and two aces, and Gilk delivered five kills.

Middle blocker Taylor Harvey scored 12 points on eight kills and a match-high four blocks. Middle blocker Keoni Williams totaled six points on four kills and a pair of blocks.

Mexico used an ace and a successful challenge to take a 3-1 lead to start the match. A block pushed the lead to three points, 7-4. A West kill capped a 3-0 U.S. run that tied the set 8-8. Back-to-back blocks put Mexico up by four points, 13-9, and prompted a U.S. timeout. Gilk and Davis recorded kills to cut the deficit to one, 14-13. Wiest served an ace, her sixth point of the set, to square the set at 15 apiece.

A Harvey kill tied the set at 17 before a tough Harris serve led to a Davis kill that put the U.S. in front for the first time since the set’s opening point. A Harvey block and a Davis kill off a Van Gorp set gave the U.S. a 20-17 lead. Harris served an ace and Van Gorp put up another set to Davis as the U.S. moved ahead 23-17. A Mexico error finished the 8-0 U.S. run before Mexico fought off four set points. After taking a timeout, the U.S. closed out the set when Davis put a ball down for her seventh kill.

Mexico started strong again in the second set, taking a 5-2 lead. Williams’ second kill of the set evened the score at six. Williams scored off an overpass for a 9-8 U.S. lead. Kills by Davis and Gilk extended the lead to two, 11-9, and forced a Mexico timeout. A Harvey block put the U.S. ahead 14-11. Mexico used a 3-0 mini run to square the set at 15 apiece. Wiest put the U.S. back up by two with a kill and an ace, leading to a Mexico timeout.

Three consecutive blocks, two by Harvey and one by Davis, followed by a Davis kill gave the U.S. set point at 24-17, concluding a 5-0 run. After yielding one point, the U.S. took a two-set lead on Davis’s sixth kill and seventh point of the set. Harvey added five points on two kills and three blocks.

The U.S. took its first lead of the third set, 8-7, on another Davis kill. Consecutive Mexico errors gave the U.S. its first two-point lead of the set, 14-12. Mexico appeared to tie the set at 15, but the U.S. successfully challenged a block touch on a Wiest attack. A Harris ace that nicked the net put the U.S. up three, 19-16.

Following a timeout, another strong Harris serve led to a Gilk kill and Davis followed with a kill for a five-point margin. A Harvey kill and Davis block made it 23-16 as the U.S. put together another strong run toward the end of the set just as did in the first two sets. The match ended on a service error. Davis again led the U.S. with six points on five kills and a block.

2026 Women’s U21 National Team for the Pan Am Cup

Name, Position, Height, Hometown, Current School, USAV Region
2 Ayden Ames, MB, 6-4, Prosper, Texas, Creighton University, North Texas
5 Lily Hayes, L, 5-9, Tampa, Fla., University of Florida, Florida
6 Suli Davis, OH, 6-2, Euless, Texas, SMU, North Texas
7 Manaia Ogbechie, MB, 6-3, Santa Rosa Valley, Calif., University of Nebraska, Southern California Southern Nevada
9 Keoni Williams, MB, 6-4, Fort Worth, Texas, University of Nebraska, Lone Star
10 Taylor Harvey, MB, 6-3, Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Texas, Lone Star
11 Campbell Flynn, S, 6-3, Rochester Hills, Mich., University of Nebraska, Lakeshore
12 Genevieve Harris, S, 5-11, Raleigh, N.C., University of Texas, Carolina
13 Rachel Van Gorp, L, 5-9, Olathe, Kan., Iowa State University, Heart of America
15 Payton Petersen, OH, 6-0, Dike, Iowa, University of Louisville, Iowa
16C Abby Vander Wal, OH, 6-3, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes
17 Carly Gilk, OPP, 6-2, Minneapolis, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country
19 Henley Anderson, OPP/OH, 6-3, Dripping Springs, Texas, University of Texas, Lone Star
20 Devyn Wiest, OH, 6-3, Peoria, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona

Alternates
1 Reese Messer, S, 5-11, Olathe, Kan., University of Kansas, Gateway
3 Jordan Taylor, MB, 6-5, Houston, Texas, University of Minnesota, Lone Star
4 Kalyssa Blackshear, OPP, 6-5, Lomita, Calif., University of Louisville, Southern California Southern Nevada
8 Ayanna Watson, OH, 6-2, Las Vegas, Nev., University of Pittsburgh, Southern California Southern Nevada
14 Abbey Emch, MB, 6-4, New Waterford, Ohio, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley
18 Spencer Etzler, L, 5-7, Coldwater, Ohio, Stanford University, Ohio Valley

Coaches
Head Coach: Tama Miyashiro (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Alfee Reft (LOVB)
Assistant Coach: Alisha Childress (MLV)
Performance Analyst: Will McDonald (LOVB)
ATC: Misao Tanioka (LOVB)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (NTDP)

Schedule

All times PT
Streamed live on USA Volleyball YouTube

July 7: USA def. Venezuela, 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-15)
July 8: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-18)
July 9: USA vs. Canada, 4 p.m.
July 10: Quarterfinals
July 11: Semifinals and classification matches
July 12: Medal and classification matches