GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, June 25, 2026. – The United States secured first place in Pool A and a direct berth in the semifinals of the 2026 Men’s U21 Pan American Cup with a straight-set 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-20) victory over Mexico on the third day of competition at Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium in Guatemala City.
The defending champions completed pool play undefeated to advance directly to Saturday’s semifinals. Mexico finished second in Pool A and will face the third-place team from Pool B in the quarterfinals.
The difference came at the net, where the United States dominated in blocking 11-1 while also holding a 6-3 advantage in aces. The Americans capitalized on 23 Mexican errors while committing 17 of their own. Mexico held a slight edge in attacks, 36-35.
USA’s captain Kyler Wade led the winners with 10 points, while Blake Fahlbusch and Jackson Cryst added nine points each. Mexico’s Cristian Cadena was the match’s leading scorer with 15 points, followed by Eduardo Garza with 12.
The opening set was the closest of the match. After several ties, the United States built a 20-16 lead behind the offensive and defensive efforts of Jackson Cryst and Blake Fahlbusch. Mexico responded through Eduardo Garza and Cristian Cadena to level the score at 22, but an attack by Aleksey Mikhailenko and a Mexican attacking error allowed the Americans to close out the set.
The United States took control from the start of the second set. Strong blocking and serving pressure neutralized Mexico’s offense, allowing the Americans to stretch their lead to eight points (22-14) before taking a two-set advantage.
The third set followed a similar pattern, with the United States dictating play through its solid blocking and defensive system. Substitutes Trevell Jordan and Grant Lamoureux maintained the team’s intensity as the Americans secured the victory and a direct ticket to the semifinals.
United States head coach Donan Cruz praised his team’s progression throughout the match: “Mexico is a very good team and plays a consistent system. We knew what they wanted to do, and they executed it well, especially in the first set. Once our players got more comfortable seeing it at real speed, we settled in, played with more confidence, and were able to create more separation in the score. Finishing first is important because it gives us a day off to rest some of our key players and study what we might face next. This tournament is a great opportunity to see our young talent show what they can do”.
Mexico’s leading scorer Cristian Cadena said: “We started the match well, but then we went through a bad stretch and couldn’t control our emotions. In the next round, we’ll give everything we have to reach the semifinals and then fight our way to the final”.
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