COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 24, 2026) – The U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Workforce remained unbeaten on the 2026 NORCECA Closing Six with a heart-pounding 3-1 victory over host Mexico, 3-1 (25-27, 25-19, 25-23, 28-26) in Zinacantepec.

The U.S. (4-0) will shut out preliminary spherical play tomorrow at 5 p.m. PT in opposition to Puerto Rico (2-2).

Every group recorded 58 kills with the U.S. holding an 11-7 benefit in blocks and a slender 3-2 lead in service aces. The U.S. made three fewer errors within the match during which three of the 4 units have been determined by two factors.

Libero Elena Scott performed an excellent match, recording 28 digs, which was 12 greater than the subsequent greatest complete. Outdoors hitter Callie Schwarzenbach led the U.S. with 15 kills and a match-high 4 blocks for 19 factors. Reverse Temi Thomas-Ailara completed with 14 factors on 12 kills, a block and an ace. Outdoors hitter Eva Hudson additionally reached double digits with 11 factors on 10 kills and a block. She additionally led the group with 11 glorious receptions.

Center blocker Toyosi Onabanjo totaled 9 factors with six kills, two blocks and an ace, whereas outdoors hitter Jess Mruzik contributed 10 digs, eight kills and 7 glorious receptions. Outdoors Caitie Baird recorded six kills within the last set during which the U.S. rallied from a six-point deficit. Reverse Sami Francis added three factors on a kill, block and an ace. Setters Ella Powell and Rachel Fairbanks every recorded a block.

A Schwarzenbach kill and Mexico hitting error put the U.S. forward 6-4, the primary two-point benefit for both group. Mexico scored the subsequent three factors to retake the lead. A Thomas-Ailara kill put the U.S. forward 14-12 as neither group might get on a giant run. A Mruzik tip off the block gave the U.S. a 16-14 lead. An Onajanbo block prolonged the result in three factors for the primary time, 18-15, forcing Mexico to take a timeout. A block from Thomas-Ailara put the U.S. up 20-17. A Schwarzenbach kill made the rating 22-19 earlier than Mexico used a 4-1 run to even the set at 23 apiece and immediate a U.S. timeout. Schwarzenbach discovered the again of the courtroom on her subsequent swing to offer the U.S. set level, however Mexico responded with consecutive factors to earn its first set level. A Mruzik kill saved one set level earlier than Mexico scored the ultimate two factors to take the set regardless of an unimaginable dig by Scott to maintain the ultimate level alive. Mruzik and Schwarzenbach every completed with 4 kills.

A Schwarzenbach block gave the U.S. an early 4-1 lead within the second set, prompting a fast Mexico timeout. The U.S. saved rolling out of the timeout with a Mruzik kill, Hudson block and Thomas-Ailara ace pushing the margin to 6 factors, 7-1. Mexico used sturdy protection to gasoline a 6-2 stretch that lower the deficit to 2 factors, 9-7. An Onabanjo kill put the U.S. forward by 4 factors, 12-8. A Francis block upped the result in 5, 16-11. After a Mexico timeout, Schwarzenbach recorded a block for a six-point benefit. Mexico scored 5 of the subsequent seven factors to drag inside three factors, 19-16, and drive the U.S. to take a timeout. Onabanjo put a ball straight down out of the timeout and a Mexico hitting error stretched the lead again to 5. Schwarzenbach scored on a slide for set level at 24-19 and she or he ended the set with a block, her third of the set.

Neither group was in a position to set up a lead of greater than some extent till a Thomas-Ailara kill gave the U.S. a 7-5 lead. A Hudson kill made it 10-8 and the U.S. prolonged the result in three, outlasting Mexico on the subsequent level earlier than a hitting error ended the purpose and despatched Mexico to a timeout. Schwarzenbach scored off the block for a 13-9 lead. Mexico lower the margin to 2 factors, 15-13, on an ace off the tape. Scrambling protection saved a rally alive for the U.S. earlier than a Fairbanks kill pushed the lead again to 4 factors, 17-13. A Thomas-Ailara kill and an Onabanjo block put the U.S. forward 19-15. A Thomas-Ailara kill made it 21-18 however Mexico scored three of the subsequent 4 factors to drag inside some extent, 22-21, and immediate a U.S. timeout. Schwarzenbach kills gave the U.S. 23-21 and 24-22 leads. After a Mexico level and a second U.S. timeout, Mruzik delivered the set-wining kill for a 2-1 U.S. match lead. Thomas-Ailara (eight) and Schwarzenbach (seven) mixed for 15 kills within the set.

Mexico used a block to leap out to a 5-2 lead, its first three-point lead of the match. The lead grew to 6, 11-5. A Baird kill and Francis ace adopted to chop the deficit to 4. A Hudson kill introduced the U.S. inside 14-10 and after a Mexico level, Schwarzenbach scored on a kill and a block to chop the result in three, 15-12, and result in a Mexico timeout. Two Mexico errors lower the result in one for the primary time since 3-2. A Baird kill tied the set at 17 earlier than Mexico regained the lead in one of many longest rallies of the match and adopted with a block for a 19-17 benefit. Down 22-20, the U.S. squared the set once more on kills from Hudson and Baird. Hudson scored off the block to tie the rating 23-23 and Baird scored to make it 24-24. Thomas-Ailara tied the set at 25-25 and a Mexico hitting error made it 26-26 after two Scott block covers saved the rally alive. The U.S. took its first lead of the set on one other Thomas-Ailara kill and gained the match on a hitting error after an incredible block cowl from Fairbanks saved the play alive. Baird led the U.S. with six kills.

2026 USA Volleyball Girls’s Closing Six Cup Roster

No., Title (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, Sick., 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 Seaside 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 instances 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 vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m.
Sept. 26 Semifinals
Sept. 27: Finals