Bluejay Duo Leads U.S. Past Suriname at 2025 Pan Am Cup
7/28/2025 6:28:00 PM | Volleyball
Sis and Martin help the US dominate.
León, Mexico  – Norah Sis and Ava Martin combined for 20 kills and four aces as the U.S. Women's U23 National Team dominated Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-7) at the 2025 NORCECA Women's U23 Pan American Cup on Monday in León, Mexico.
The U.S. outscored Suriname 75-30 and hit .521 (43 kills and only six errors in 71 total attacks). Suriname finished with more hitting errors (17) than kills (15). The U.S. registered the only five blocks in the match and 10 of the 11 aces.
Setter Caroline Kerr ran the nearly unstoppable U.S. offense while scoring five points on one kill, one block and a match-high three aces. Libero Emmy Klika totaled 18 digs and 12 successful receptions.
The top five scorers in the match were from the U.S., with each totaling at least nine points. Outside hitter Norah Sis hit .600 with 13 kills and only one error in 20 attacks, adding two aces for 15 points. Middle blocker Cara Cresse also reached double digits with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.
Middle blocker Raven Colvin (five kills with two blocks an aces), outside hitter Ava Martin (seven kills and two aces) and opposite Lauren Rumel (eight kills and an ace) all totaled nine points.
A Cresse kill on a slide gave the U.S. an 8-3 lead early in the match. The U.S., which went on a 9-2 run for a 17-5 lead, took its biggest lead on the final point on an ace by Martin. Rumel recorded five kills with Sis (four kills) and Martin (three kills in addition to her ace) adding four points.
Suriname took its first leads of the match 2-1 and 3-2 in the second set. The U.S. scored five consecutive points, culminating with a Sis kill on a back row attack, to prompt a timeout. After the teams split the next 10 points, the U.S. went on a 5-1 run to take a 16-9 lead on a Rumel ace.
The lead reached double digits, 20-10, on a Kerr kill and moved to 11 (23-12) on a Kerr service ace. Colvin ended the set by putting a ball down after an overpass on one of the longer rallies of the contest. Sis produced five kills, Cresse scored five points on four kills and a block, and Colvin finished with four points on three kills and a block.
Two Kerr aces and a Colvin block led the U.S. to a 6-0 start to the third set. After Suriname put together three consecutive points for the first time in the match, the U.S. went on another 6-0 run that included a pair of aces by Sis.
Leading 16-5, the U.S. scored seven consecutive points and nine of the last 11 to close out the match. Sis led the way with six points on four kills and two aces.
Last season at Creighton, Sis and Martin were one 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.
The U.S. (2-0) concludes pool play against Costa Rica tomorrow, Tuesday, July 29, at 5 p.m. CT.
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)
