U23 Team Opens Pan American Cup With Sweep Over Dominican Republic
7/27/2025 7:25:00 PM | Volleyball
Martin serves US to second set win
León, Mexico – The U.S. Women's U23 National Team opened the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup with a sweep of the Dominican Republic, 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-21) on Sunday in León, Mexico. The United States squad features rising Creighton senior Ava Martin as well as 2024 Creighton graduate Norah Sis.
The U.S. (1-0) will return to the court tomorrow, Monday, July 28, at 3 p.m. CT against Suriname, which was swept by Costa Rica on Sunday.
The U.S. finished with an advantage in kills (43-35) while leading 9-5 in blocks. The Dominican Republic (0-1) served one more ace (3-2).
Opposite Jurnee Robinson made a stellar international debut by leading the U.S. with 13 points on eight kills and a match-high five blocks. Outside hitter Eva Hudson recorded 10 kills and 17 successful receptions, while middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla finished with 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and an ace in her first international appearance.
Libero Emmy Klika registered a match-high 19 digs, eight more than the next highest total, and added nine successful receptions. Outside Chloe Chicoine delivered nine kills, 11 digs and 10 successful receptions.
Middle blocker Raven Colvin scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Setter Averi Carlson ran the U.S. offense and added eight digs.
The first set was close throughout with the Dominican Republic holding a 21-19 lead before the U.S. went on a four-point run to move ahead 23-21. With the score tied at 21, a strong up by Chicoine led to a Hudson kill. On the following play, a great dig by Klika kept a rally live that finished with Hudson scoring off a set from Klika.
Trailing 24-22, the Dominican Republic saved two set points. Another great dig by Klika led to another Hudson kill and a third set point, but the Dominican Republic scored the next point. Robinson finished the set with a kill and a block. Hudson ended the set with seven kills, while Robinson scored five points on three kills and two blocks.
The Dominican Republic led 13-11 in the second set before a 5-0 U.S. run that included an ace by Cos-Okpalla. An ace brought the Dominican Republic back within a point, 16-15, and the teams traded points until the U.S. finished the set on a 6-1 run. Cos-Okpalla had a kill and block down the stretch, totaling seven points on five kills, a block and an ace.
A block by Chicoine gave the U.S. a 10-6 lead in the third set. Back-to-back blocks by Robinson and Cos-Okpalla stretched the lead to six points, 13-7. The Dominican Republic pulled within a point on an ace, 20-19, but Cos-Okpalla recorded a kill on the next point and a hitting error pushed the lead back to three points, 22-19.
A Colvin block gave the U.S. match point, 24-20, and after yielding the next point, the U.S. completed the sweep on a Chicoine kill. Robinson paced the team with six points on three kills and three aces.
Martin appeared in all three sets as a serving specialist, playing five points overall. Martin came on with a 24-22 lead in set one, only to have the Dominican side win an extended rally. Martin served the final three points of the 25-19 set two victory. Her final attempt of the match with CU ahead 18-14 in the third set sailed long.
Sis, along with Cara Cresse, was one of two players on the U.S. roster who did not play.
Last season at Creighton, the duo were of the most formidable outside hitting tandems in the nation to help the Bluejays finish 32-3 and reach its first Elite Eight since 2016. Both women were unanimous All-BIG EAST selections and named AVCA All-Americans in 2024. Martin will return for her senior year in August looking to help Creighton win a 12th consecutive BIG EAST Conference title, while Sis won the Pro Volleyball Federation title with the Orlando Valkyries in May and looks to carry that momentum into her second professional season next spring.
Creighton has had several women play internationally with USA Volleyball in recent seasons, as Brittany Witt (Thailand), Jaali Winters (Croatia), Taryn Kloth (China) and Sis (Mexico) have all represented Team USA at one time or another in the past decade. Sis was part of back-to-back gold medal-winning teams at the U21 Women's NORCECA Pan American Cup, while Kloth became Creighton's first female student-athlete to compete in the Olympics last summer when she tied for ninth in Beach Volleyball along with partner Kristen Nuss.
The United States is seeking its record eighth gold medal all-time in the event, and first since 2019. The Americans were runner-up in 2024 to Argentina and placed third in 2023, 2022 and 201.
USA Volleyball Women's U23 Roster
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)Â
1 Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley)
3 Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier)
9 Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)
10 Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas)
11 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas)
13Â Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes)
15 Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America)
16 Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)
18 Lauren Rumel (OPP, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona)
Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian)
Performance Analyst: Matthew Adams (Michigan)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)
