Another big offensive performance from UCLA opposite David Decker has put the United States into the gold-medal match.
Decker finished with a match-high 18 kills on a .452 attack percentage as the United States swept Mexico 25-19, 25-21, 25-20 in the U23 Pan American Cup semifinals on Saturday in El Salvador.
Decker capped off the victory leading all players with eight kills in the final game, including two kills as part of a 6-2 run late in the game. The opposite also had six kills and zero errors in the second game to help the United States remain undefeated in the international tournament.
This was the second time in the three U.S. matches at the U23 Pan American Cup that Decker finished with double-digit kills. Decker had a match-high 14 kills in the tournament opener against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
Lewis setter Cameron Hoying guided the offense to out-hit Mexico .403 to .197.
Ball State middle attacker Will Patterson contributed six kills and one error on a .625 attack percentage highlighted with the game-winning kill in the second game. In addition, Loyola outside attacker Ayden DesLauriers had six kills and hit .500.
Both Patterson and Loyola middle attacker Aidean Klein added a match-high two blocks against Mexico.
Mexico after hitting at least .200 in each of the first two games was limited to a match-low six kills and a .125 attack attack percentage in the final game.
Pin-hitters Bryan Nahum Vasquez Grijalva and Eduardo Abraham Garza Covarrubias each led Mexico with eight kills. The two players, though, were held to less than a .200 attack percentage.
The United States with this victory will advance to play Costa Rica in the gold-medal match on Sunday.
Costa Rica swept Guatemala in its semifinal match on Saturday to remain undefeated at the tournament.