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The losing streak continues for the United States at the FIVB U21 World Championship.
The United States lost to previously winless Mexico 25-18, 26-24, 20-25, 25-22 on Thursday in Bahrain for its sixth consecutive loss at the international tournament.
Both the United States and Mexico entered this second-round finale attempting to win their first match and two of the tournament’s three winless teams. The United States with this loss now remains the only winless team at the international event.
USC outside attacker Dillon Klein in the loss had a match-high 17 kills on a .308 attack percentage. This was the third consecutive match that Klein led the United States in kills and the fourth straight match with double-digit kills.
Klein was one of three U.S. players with double-digit kills against Mexico. UCLA outside attacker Zach Rama contributed 13 kills, while Stanford outside attacker Alex Rottman had 10 kills.
The United States opened the match hitting zero in the first game, but rebounded to out-hit Mexico for the match .230 to .221.
Jorge Ariel Hernández Cabrera in the victory led Mexico with 16 kills. Gonzalez Castro Ramon Eduardo also contributed 10 kills, including having a kill in the second-game overtime that set up the game-winning point.
The United States committed 23 service errors – 10 more errors than Mexico – and was limited to one ace.
Mexico had three aces highlighted with a walk-off ace from Martin Arredondo Palomino to secure the victory.
Despite the loss, the United States out-blocked Mexico 12 to 6. Princeton middle attacker
Nyerovwome Omene had a match-high three blocks and was one of five U.S. players with multiple blocks.
The United States after finishing its second-round pool in last place will advance to play the host-nation Bahrain in the 13th-place semifinals on Saturday. Bahrain lost to Canada on Thursday to be relegated to the 13th-place semifinals.