U.S. Women Start 2025 VNL Week Three with Win Over Thailand

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 9, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated a scrappy Thailand team, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15) to begin the third round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play on Wednesday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

The U.S. (5-4) returns to the court tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. PT against the Dominican Republic (4-5).

Tickets are still available for the remaining U.S. matches. Buy your tickets now.

The U.S. finished with a 57-46 advantage in kills, while also holding narrow leads in blocks (10-7) and aces (3-2). The U.S. was out-blocked 6-5 through the first three sets before using a 5-1 margin in the fourth set to seal the match.

“I like the way we competed. Congratulations to Thailand. They are a very-well coached team and when they are running their systems, they are hard to defend. They can frustrate you a lot, so I liked the way we were resilient, stuck with the game plan and figured it out in the end,” said U.S head coach Erik Sullivan, who saw improvement later in the match on his team’s serve and pass. “In the last set, we put a little more pressure on them and got them out of rhythm.”

2024 Paris Olympian and outside hitter Avery Skinner made her 2025 VNL debut a memorable one, leading the U.S. with 19 kills and 22 points, adding two blocks and an ace, while also leading the match with 10 digs.

“Thailand is an amazing team. We knew the rallies were going to be long, so for us, it was about being patient, not trying to score necessarily on the first ball but when we got our chance, then going for it,” Skinner commented. “It was special. I have been so excited waiting for this match. I’m glad we could come out and get a win. It’s really fun being back with this group. Coming to Arlington is so fun because we get to play in front of our crowd. We are grateful for all the fans who have come out to support us.”

Outside hitter Logan Eggleston scored 19 points on 18 kills and a block, contributing nine digs, and a match-best 10 successful receptions. Middle blocker Dana Rettke totaled 10 points on nine kills and an ace. Opposites Stephanie Samedy and Danielle Cuttino made their 2025 VNL debuts in style with Samedy recording nine kills and Cuttino leading all players with four blocks to go with four kills for eight points.

Libero Lexi Rodriguez made several outstanding plays, finishing with seven digs and three successful receptions. Captain and setter Jordyn Poulter, another 2024 Paris Olympian making her 2025 VNL debut, ran the U.S. offense while adding a kill, an ace and three digs.

Middle blockers Brionne Butler (three kills and three blocks) and Asjia O’Neal (four kills in her 2025 VNL debut) combined for 10 points.

An Eggleston kill followed by a Thailand error gave the U.S. a four-point lead, 16-12, in the opening set. With a 17-14 lead, the U.S. stretched the lead to six on two kills by Skinner, one set up by a great dig from Rodriguez, and an Eggleston kill on a back row attack.

Thailand used a 9-3 run to even the set at 23. An Eggleston kill, a Rettke kill on a slide, and a Skinner kill gave the U.S. three different set points, but they were unable to convert. After a hitting error gave the U.S. its fourth set point, Cuttino’s second block finished the set. Skinner scored seven points on six kills and an ace, while Eggleston provided five kills.

The second set was even at 16 when Thailand recorded back-to-back blocks to start a 5-0 run. The U.S. pulled within two points, 23-21, when a great up by Eggleston led to another Skinner kill, but Thailand evened the match by scoring the final two points of the set. Skinner totaled six points on five kills and a block, and Cuttino scored four points on two kills and two more blocks.

Another great dig by Rodriguez led to a Skinner kill to give the U.S. a 16-14 lead in set three. Back-to-back kills by Samedy and an Eggleston kill gave the U.S. its biggest lead of the set at 19-15. Thailand bounced right back with four consecutive points to tie the set at 19.

An Eggleston kill down the line and a back row tip by Skinner put the U.S. back up by two points, 21-19, but it was the final two-point lead until the end of the set. Just as it did in the first set, Thailand defended three set points, but the U.S. took a 2-1 set lead when Samedy scored on a kill to the back line and then again with a kill off the block. Eggleston scored seven points on kills, with Skinner and Samedy each contributing five kills.

A Rettke kill gave the U.S. an early 5-1 lead in the fourth set and her ace later extended the lead to five points, 10-5, and force Thailand to take a timeout. Consecutive blocks by Skinner and Butler followed by a Poulter ace pushed the U.S. to a 14-6 lead. The lead grew to as many as 11 points, 19-8, before Thailand scored four consecutive points. Samedy registered two kills in a row, the second set up by a great dig by Roni Jones-Perry, for a 22-13 lead. Eggleston paced the U.S. with five points on four kills and an ace.

U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
8 Brionne Butler (MB, 6-4, Kendleton, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (Opp, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)

Coaches
Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham

Week 3 Schedule: Arlington, Texas (all times PDT)
Matches will be shown on VBTV, Big Ten Network and/or CBS Sports Network. Please check listings for BTN and CBSN.

July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Dominican Republic
July 12 at 5:30 p.m. USA vs. Canada
July 13 at 5:00 p.m. USA vs. China

Week 1 Results: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 USA def Korea, 3-0 (25-13, 28-26, 25-17)

Week 2 Results: Belgrade, Serbia
June 18 USA def. Serbia, 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11)
June 19 Poland def. USA, 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-18)
June 21 USA def. Netherlands, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-19)
June 22 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-13)