Women's U21 Team Holds off Argentina to Win Pool

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 9, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team held off surging Argentina and won their final pool play match, 3-1 (25-16, 25-21, 22-25, 27-25) on Thursday at the Pan American Cup in La Paz, Mexico.

With the win, the U.S. (3-0) takes its pool and advances straight to Saturday’s semifinals where it will play Chile (2-1) at 5 p.m. PT. Mexico (2-0) will play Argentina (3-1) in the other semifinal at 7 p.m. Watch live at facebook.com/babisuritv.

OFFICIAL STATISTICS

The U.S. Women led Argentina in kills (59-41) and blocks (15-9). Argentina led in aces (10-5). It also scored 27 points on U.S. errors while committing 20.

“We were playing very consistently, I liked how we performed both offensively and defensively,” U.S. Head Coach Dan Fisher said. “Congratulations to Argentina for changing the game with a very strong service game; that got the crowd going. I thought we settled back in the middle of the fourth set, by receiving the ball better and we got some nice contributions from Elia Rubin coming off the bench. We are excited for the playoffs.”

After handily winning the first two sets, the U.S. Women led the third 18-12 when Argentina went on a 10-1 run to take a 22-19 lead. Argentina took set point at 24-20. The U.S. scored two more points before Argentina took the set on a U.S. error.

Argentina led the fourth set 11-6 when the U.S. used a 6-1 run to tie the score at 12s. The teams battled back and forth. Argentina took set point at 24-23, but the U.S. fought it off with an attack from Beason. A U.S. error gave Argentina a second set point at 25-24, but Sis scored a point with a kill.

The U.S. took match point on an ace from Sis and won the match on a block from Kelley.

Opposite Merritt Beason led all scorers with 28 points on a match-high 25 kills and three blocks. Outside hitter Norah Sis added 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace.

Middle blocker Bre Kelley scored 12 points on seven kills and five blocks. Middle Bekka Allick also had five blocks to go with two kills and one ace for eight points.

Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine had eight points on eight kills. Libero Lexi Rodriguez was credited with 19 digs and 14 excellent receptions.

Setter Rachel Fairbanks scored four points on one kill and a team-high three aces. She combined with backup setter Alexis Stucky to set the U.S. to a .288 hitting efficiency.

Rubin and opposite Devin Kahahawai, who both played as substitutes, each scored two points.

U.S. Women’s U21 National Team
No. Name (position, height, hometown, HS grad year, USAV region, college or college commitment)

1 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., 2020, Great Lakes, Nebraska)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, Lafayette, Ind., 2023, Hoosier, Purdue)
4 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Santa Ana, Calif., 2021, Southern California, Pitt)
6 Elia Rubin (OH, 6-1, Brentwood, Calif., 2022, Southern California, Stanford)
7 Mckenna Wucherer (OH, 6-1, Brookfield, Wis., 2022, Badger, Minnesota)
8 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, Indianapolis, Ind., 2021, Hoosier, Purdue)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, Papillion, Neb., 2021, Great Plains, Creighton)
11 Alexis Stucky (S, 6-2, Laramie, Wyo., 2022,  Rocky Mountain, Florida)
15 Merritt Beason (OPP, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., 2020, Southern, Florida)
16 Bekka Allick (MB, 6-3, Waverly, Neb., 2022, Great Plains, Nebraska)
18 Bre Kelley (MB, 6-4, Rockwall, Texas, 2020, North Texas, Florida)
19 Devin Kahahawai (OH, 6-4, Kailua, Hawaii, 2022, Aloha, Texas)

Head Coach: Dan Fisher (Head Coach, University of Pittsburgh)
Assistant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar (Head Coach, University of New Mexico)
Assistant Coach: Heather Olmstead (Head Coach, BYU)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham (Technical Coordinator, USC)
Athletic Trainer: Wyatt Blue (Game Time Sports Medicine)
Team Leader: Kyle Thompson (Director of Volleyball Operations, Maryland)

Women’s U21 Pan American Cup Schedule
(All times PDT)

Pool Play
June 7
Puerto Rico def Dominican Republic, 3-2 (25-23, 27-29, 25-22, 24-26, 16-14)
Argentina def Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-8, 25-22)
United States def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-8, 25-4, 25-8)
Mexico def Honduras, 3-0 (25-7, 25-18, 25-8)

June 8
Cuba def Puerto Rico, 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 29-27, 25-22)
Argentina def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-11)
United States def Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-22)
Mexico def Chile, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-20)

June 9
Canada def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-11)
Dominican Republic def Cuba, 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-17)
Chile def Honduras, 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-7)
United States def Argentina 3-1 (25-16, 25-21, 22-25, 27-25)

June 10
Dominican Republic def Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-18)
Canada def Honduras, 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-9)
QF1: Argentina def Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-13)
QF2: Chile def Cuba, 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 27-25)

June 11
1 p.m. Costa Rica vs Honduras
3 p.m. Dominican Republic vs Canada
5 p.m. United States vs Chile
7 p.m. Mexico vs Argentina

June 12
Classification and medal matches