GUATEMALA CITY, July 29, 2025. The so-called “group of death,” Pool B of the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup, saw the Dominican Republic bounce back from losing the first set to defeat the United States 3-1 (23-25, 26-24, 31-29, 25-16) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.
It was a tight match throughout. In the opening set, Dominican Republic was more effective on offense, while the United States dominated at the net with better blocking. After a hard-fought battle, the U.S. managed to take the first set. The Dominicans leveled the score in the second set, forcing the match into at least four sets.
In a thrilling third set (31-29), Dominican Republic completed the comeback to go up 2-1. In the fourth, the Caribbean side built an early lead and held it to secure both the set and the match.
The Dominicans outscored the Americans in attacks (62-51), but the U.S. led in blocks (12-4) and aces (4-2). Both teams committed a high number of unforced errors, with Dominican Republic registering 27 and the United States 37.
Adrián José Figueroa was the main offensive weapon for Dominican Republic, scoring 25 points—all on attacks at the net. Albert Molina followed with 16 points, while Antonio de Jesús Albino finished with 15.
For the U.S., three players reached double digits. George Bruening led with 20 points, while Ryan Barnett and Cameron Thorne each added 15. Thorne was the top blocker of the match with five stuffs.
Dante Mañon, head coach of Dominican Republic: “We are completely satisfied. We had a very long trip last night and thought the team would react differently. These young guys are highly motivated; they bring a whole new vision. They came here to win. This tournament can definitely count on us.”
Nicolette Sanlin, head coach of the United States: “We weren’t clean, they were more consistent. They had a better transition game, and we’re still trying to find connections and get into a groove. We hope for more tomorrow. We expect to continue improving, finding our lineup and building relationships between the guys, figuring out the right combination for us and getting better with each consecutive match.”
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