Women's U21 Team to Play for 5th at 2023 Worlds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 25, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s U21 Team will play for fifth place at the FIVB U21 World Championship after outlasting Mexico 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 27-25, 24-26, 15-11) on Friday in Leon, Mexico.

The United States (4-3) will play Türkiye (4-3) for the third time in the tournament at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday to determine fifth place.

The U.S. led Mexico in blocks (16-7) and aces (8-2) while Mexico led in kills (71-58). The U.S. scored 32 points on Mexico’s errors and gave up 28.

“This young USA group took a huge step in its grown and development tonight,” U.S. Head Coach Tom Hogan said. “Playing against a very good Mexico team in front of a raucous crowd put the team in uncomfortable situations where they had to maintain their composure and respond.”

U.S. middle blocker Taylor Harvey led all scorers with 24 points on 14 kills, a match-high seven blocks and a match-high three aces.

Harvey came up big in the fifth set when she scored five points on three blocks, a kill and an ace.

“This was a hostile environment far from home,” Harvey said. “We banded together, just 12 young girls fighting for one another and the stars and stripes.”

Outside hitter Skyler Pierce finished with 19 points on 16 kills, a block and two aces. She was also credited with 14 digs and eight successful receptions.

Middle blocker Lizzy Andrew scored 18 points on 16 kills, one block and one ace.

Outside hitter Emerson Sellman totaled nine points on five kills and four blocks. She was credited with 14 digs and 12 successful receptions.

Opposite Abigail Mullen added eight points on four kills, three blocks and one ace.

Libero Ava Falduto led the U.S. in digs with 25 and in successful receptions with 19.

Setter Campbell Flynn scored three points on three kills. Outside hitter Kaci Demaria played as a serving substitute and scored an ace. Izzy Starck saw time at setter as a sub for Flynn.

In the fifth set, Mexico jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the U.S. took the lead at 5-4 on a serving run by Harvey that included two U.S. kills. The teams battled and Mexico held a 9-8 lead when the U.S. scored three straight on a Pierce kill and two straight blocks from Harvey. The U.S. reached match point at 14-11 on Harvey’s off-speed kill and won on a Harvey ace.

U.S. Women’s U21 Roster for the 2023 FIVB World Championship

No. Name (Position, Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Ridgefield HS, Columbia Empire)
6 Campbell Flynn (S, 6-3, 2006, Rochester Hills, Mich., Mercy HS, Lakeshore)
8 Kaci Demaria (OH, 6-4, 2007, San Pedro, Calif., Palos Verdes HS, Southern California)
9 Ava Falduto (L, 5-7, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., IC Catholic Prep, Great Lakes)
11 Kelly Kinney (OH, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The King’s Academy, Florida)
13C Emerson Sellman (OH, 6-4, 2005, Burtonsville, Md., The Academy of the Holy Cross, Chesapeake)
14 Skyler Pierce (OH, 6-2, 2005, Lenexa, Kan., Olathe Northwest HS, Heart of America)
15 Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty HS, Heart of America)
17 Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
18 Izzy Starck (S, 6-1, 2006, Melbourne, Fla., Viera HS, Rocky Mountain)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., Timothy Christian HS, Great Lakes)
20 Alec Rothe (MB, 6-3, 2006, Dublin, Ohio, Dublin Scioto HS, Ohio Valley)

Head Coach: Tom Hogan
Assistant Coach: Stacy Sykora
Second Assistant: Lauren Plum
Team Manager: Courtney Smith
Performance Analyst: Evan Metzger
Athletic Trainer: Cherryl-Marie Bueno

U.S. Schedule for the 2023 FIVB Women’s U21 World Championship
Matches will be livestreamed on the Volleyball World YouTube channel
All times PDT
Aug. 17 USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-21)
Aug. 18 Türkiye def. USA, 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-23, 25-14)
Aug. 19 USA def. Netherlands, 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17)
Aug. 21 Italy def. USA, 3-1 (25-19, 25-10, 32-34, 25-17)
Aug. 22 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22)
Aug. 23 USA def. Türkiye,  3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-21)
Aug. 25 Classification 5th-8th USA def Mexico 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 27-25, 24-26, 15-11)
Aug. 26 5th-place match at 1 p.m. USA v Türkiye