COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2026) – The U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Staff continued its unbeaten streak on the 2026 Ultimate Six with a 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21) victory over Cuba within the semifinals on Saturday in Zinacantepec, Mexico. The U.S. (6-0) will play for the gold medal towards the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between Puerto Rico and host Mexico tomorrow at 5 p.m. PT.

The U.S. completed with benefits in kills (54-41), blocks (9-5) and repair aces (4-2).

Outdoors hitter Callie Schwarzenbach paced the U.S. with 17 factors with 12 factors, three blocks and a pair of aces. Center blocker Onye Ofoegbu completed with 10 kills and fellow center Toyosi Onabanjo recorded a match-best 4 blocks to go together with 4 kills for eight factors.

Outdoors Jess Mruzik and reverse Temi Thomas-Ailara (5 kills, one ace), exterior Claire Hoffman (5 kills, one block) and out of doors Eva Hudson (six kills) all scored six factors. Reverse Sami Francis scored 4 factors on three kills and a block. Setter Ella Powell recorded two kills whereas main the U.S. offense. Libero Elena Scott completed with a match-highs of 18 digs and 9 wonderful receptions. Hudson added 9 digs and Mruzik completed with 5 wonderful receptions.

A kill and ace from Thomas-Ailara put the U.S. up 5-2 to start the match. A Schwarzenbach ace doubled up the early lead, 8-4. Cuba pulled with two factors, 12-10, earlier than a Schwarzenbach kill began the U.S. on a 4-2 run that put the lead again at 4 when Mruzik scored off the block for a 16-12 lead. Cuba minimize the lead in half however consecutive kills from Ofoegbu and Thomas-Ailara restored the four-point benefit. Two Cuba errors and a Mruzik kill stretched the result in seven, 21-14, capping a 5-0 run. Again-to-back kills from Hudson and Schwarzenbach gave the U.S. set level at 24-16. Two factors later, Schwarzenbach ended the set along with her fifth level.

A Mruzik ace and Hudson kill staked the U.S. to a 4-1 lead within the second set. Cuba used a 7-4 stretch to even the rating 8-8. With the rating tied 10-10., Hudson registered back-to-back kills. A hitting error stretched the margin to a few factors, 16-13. Cuba scored three of the following 4 factors to chop the deficit again to 1 level earlier than Mruzik restored the two-point lead. Cuba used a 5-1 run to take a 21-19 lead and power a U.S. timeout. The U.S. obtained as shut as one level, 21-20 on an Ofoegbu kill and 22-21 on an error however have been unable to even the set as Cuba tied the match 1-1. Ofoegbu and Hudson every recorded 4 kills.

A Schwarzenbach kill gave the U.S. a 6-4 lead within the third set. Cuba used a 3-1 run to sq. the set at seven apiece. Again-to-back Onabanjo put the U.S. up 10-7. Consecutive Cuba errors pushed the margin to 5 factors, 13-8. Hoffman registered kills on consecutive performs for a 16-11 U.S. benefit. Cuba scored the following three factors to chop the deficit to 2 factors, however the U.S. responded with its personal three-point stretch, keyed by a Schwarzenbach kill. Baird scored off a again set from Scott for a 24-17 lead and Onabanjo completed the set with a kill. Onabanjo used three blocks and the set-clinching kill to attain 4 factors.

Cuba led 13-9 within the fourth set however the U.S. ran off six factors in a row beginning with kills from Onabanjo and Schwarzenbach and a block from Hoffman. Three consecutive hitting errors put the united statesup two factors. Cuba tied the set 16-16 earlier than a kill and block from Schwarzenbach gave the U.S. the lead for good. An Onabanjo block put the U.S. up 21-17. Cuba obtained as shut as two factors, 22-20 and 23-21, however the U.S. ended the match on an Ofoegbu kill and a Cuba hitting error. Schwarzenbach scored 5 factors on three kills and two blocks.

2026 USA Volleyball Girls’s Ultimate Six Cup Roster

No., Identify (Pos., Top, Hometown, Faculty)
3 Toyosi Onabanjo (MB, 6-1, Houston, Texas, Kansas)
7 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Washington)
9 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-1, Livonia, Mich., Michigan/Penn State)
11 Natalie Foster (MB, 6-4, Mattawan, Mich., Wichita State/SMU)
12 Temi Thomas-Ailara (OPP, 6-2, Glenwood, Unwell., Northwestern/Wisconsin)
13 Onye Ofoegbu (MB, 6-3, Cerritos, Calif., UC Irvine/Oregon)
19 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
20 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt)
21 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Nice Hill, Oreg., Washington)
22 Elena Scott (L, 5-10, Louisville, Ky., Louisville, Pioneer)
25 Callie Schwarzenbach (OH, 6-5, Kearney, Mo., Nebraska/Lengthy Seashore State)
30 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Purdue/Kentucky)
77 Sami Francis (OPP, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford)
99 Caitie Baird (OH, 6-3, Indianapolis, Ind., Stanford)

Schedule

All occasions PT

Sept. 21: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-16)
Sept. 22: USA def. Cuba, 3-0, (25-17, 25-22, 25-13)
Sept. 23: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25)
Sept. 24: USA def. Mexico, 3-1 (25-27, 25-19, 25-23, 27-25)
Sept. 25: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-21, 25-13)
Sept. 26 Semifinals: USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21)
Sept. 27: Finals