Dominican Republic Wins U23 Pan American Cup Gold
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2025.- In a thrilling five-set
battle, the Dominican Republic was crowned champions of the Men’s
U23 Pan American Cup after defeating the United States 3-2 (25-23,
21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala
City.
It was a power-packed match, with both teams showcasing their
offensive strength. The Dominican defense stood out, led by libero
Eliander Jiménez, who kept the ball off the floor. The Dominicans
executed better to take the first set.
The second and third sets went to the United States, who despite
their attacking and blocking power, struggled to close out each set.
In the fourth set, the Caribbean side quickly pulled ahead on the
scoreboard, forcing a dramatic tie-break to decide the title.
The Dominicans capitalized on the 44 unforced errors committed by
the United States to secure the Gold Medal.
Team USA led in attacks (58-50) and blocks (16-10), while the
Dominicans were superior from the service line (6-5).
For the Dominican Republic, top scorer Adrián José Figueroa tallied
27 points (23 attacks, 2 blocks, 2 aces), followed by Albert Molina
with 14 and Moisés Alexander Ortiz with 10.
The United States spread the scoring across nearly all players, with
four reaching double digits: Jalen Phillips with 18 points, Cameron
Thorne with 17 (9 attacks, 8 blocks), Ryan Barnett with 16, and Marc
Smith with 12.
José Alexander Gutiérrez, head coach of the Dominican Republic,
said: “It was a tough match, tough because playing against the
United States at the end is not the same as at the beginning; they
adjust and know how to study their opponents. My guys are super
young and have a lot of ups and downs. This result is thanks to the
work being done in the Dominican Republic. It shows we are on the
right path, and we must keep working.” |