CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 16, 2011) - The U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, assisted by UC Irvine head coach Paula Weishoff, scored seven aces leading to a 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 victory over Cuba Friday evening in the NORCECA Women's Continental Championship semifinal round being held in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. will face Dominican Republic in the gold-medal match on Saturday at 8 p.m. local time (5 p.m. Pacific Time). Dominican Republic, the defending tournament champion, defeated host Puerto Rico 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 in the second semifinal of the night.

The NORCECA Women's Continental Championship gold-medal winner automatically earns a ticket to the 2011 FIVB World Cup, the first 2012 Olympic Games qualification event, while the top four ranked second-place teams in the five continental championships also earn a berth. Based on the Americans' world ranking, they are assured a spot in World Cup by reaching the NORCECA gold-medal match.

The U.S. and Cuba, ranked eighth in the world by FIVB, are accustomed to facing each other in the NORCECA playoffs, but typically in the gold-medal match and not the semifinal match. Prior to the last biennial NORCECA event in 2009, the two teams had played each other in 16 of the last 17 finals. Cuba has won the tournament 13 of the previous 21 editions, while the Americans have won the event five times with 11 silver medals. Ironically, neither the U.S. or Cuba reached the gold-medal match at the 2009 NORCECA Women's Continental Championship as both lost in semifinal matches and Cuba ended with the bronze with its second five-set victory over the Americans during the tournament.

The U.S. broke a 16-all tie in the opening set with a 6-1 scoring run to claim a 25-20 victory. The Americans stormed to a 5-1 lead with two aces to start the second set, then use a key 4-0 run to snag a 16-10 advantage en route to a 25-17 victory. Team USA reached the first technical timeout of the third set with an 8-1 lead and scored the final six points for a 25-13 victory.

"Obviously we are very happy with the victory," U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. "Cuba is a strong team, but tonight I think our team played particularly hard. I think we have improved in each match of this tournament. More importantly, we qualified for the FIVB World Cup and that was our main goal."

Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 15 points with 13 kills on 27 errorless attacks and two aces. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed 11 kills on 17 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added four kills on seven attacks, three blocks and an ace for eight points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) contributed three kills, three aces and a block for seven points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with four points on two kills and two blocks.

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was credited with 22 assists in leading Team USA to a 44.0 kill percent and .360 hitting efficiency (33-6-75). The Americans recorded only six attack errors and 11 total errors (attack errors, service errors, reception errors). Cuba was held to a 39.1 kill percent, but 14 attack errors reduced its hitting efficiency to .239.

Tom tallied a team-high seven digs, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a team-high eight excellent receptions on 12 attempts and four digs. Larson added four digs and eight excellent receptions on 14 attempts.

"Tonight was a nice three games," said Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), the U.S. captain. "I think both teams played really hard. Several of our players had exceptional matches tonight and we had a great game at the service line."

Team USA held a 7-1 ace advantage and a slim 8-6 margin in blocks. Cuba totaled a 36-33 advantage in kills, but 32 errors (hitting, serving and receiving) hurt in the end.

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in the first two sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a reserve in the second set.

Yanelis Santos paced Cuba with 10 points, while Kenia Carcaces and Yusidey Silie added eight points.

"USA is always a very tough opponent," Cuba coach Juan Carlos Gala said. "Tonight their serves were very tough. They were better than us from the start to finish."

"Congratulations to USA," said Silie, who serves as Cuba's captain. "Tonight we made too many errors and we were not able to play like we are used to."

Earlier in the day Trinidad & Tobago blanked Costa Rica 26-24, 25-21, 25-12 to finish the tournament in seventh place.