U.S. Men Defeat Türkiye to Begin 2025 VNL Week Three

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 16, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team began week three of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) play with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 29-27) victory over Türkiye on Wednesday in Chiba, Japan.

The U.S. (5-4) will have a day off before facing Argentina (5-4) in a key match which will begin at 11:30 p.m. PT on Thursday (Friday in Japan). Argentina is currently seventh in the VNL standings with the U.S. eighth.

“It was a great start in Chiba, but it’s only one match. We have three great opponents coming. We have a day to regroup and get ready for a really feisty and tough Argentina,” U.S. head coach Karch Kiraly said.

The U.S. led Türkiye in attacks (45-40) and aces (5-1) with each team recording five blocks.

“We are aspiring to be a team that is really engaged. ‘What is my next job?’ Volleyball is not one player playing the ball but 11 other players waiting and getting ready to play the ball. If we do that really well, then good things can happen,” Kiraly explained. “We were mixed at that but maybe a little better tonight. We worked very hard on our reception the last two weeks, and it showed today. It really held up well.”

Opposite Gabi Garcia led all players in points (15), kills (13), aces (2) and digs (7). He hit .455 for the match.

“It was a great win against a tough team. It’s a team sport and it is a little bit of everything – the passing, setting and hitting, I am happy that we did a great job as a collective. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the tournament,” Garcia said.

Outside hitter Ethan Champlin totaled 13 points on 12 kills and ace. He hit .522 for the match with no errors in 23 total attacks. Setter Micah Ma’a led the team to an incredible .389 hitting percentage with the 45 kills and only 10 errors in 89 attacks.

Outside Cooper Robinson reached double digits in points and kills with 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one assist. He recorded a match-high seven successful receptions. Middle blockers Jeff Jendryk and Matthew Knigge each produced five kills. Jendryk and Ma’a shared match-high honors with two blocks.

Libero Erik Shoji and Ma’a each registered six digs with Shoji adding three successful receptions. Champlin contributed three digs and two successful receptions.

The U.S. took an early three-point lead in the match, scoring five of the first seven points. A Ma’a block made it 9-6 and that matched the biggest lead of the set. Türkiye took a brief lead, 15-14, but a Ma’a ace gave the U.S. the lead back at 17-16 and a Jendryk block extended the advantage back to two points, 20-18.

The U.S. appeared to win the set when a great dig by Ma’a led to a Robinson kill, but Türkiye successfully challenged that there was no touch and followed with a block to tie the set at 24. Champlin just ducked out of the way of the next serve and then ended the set with his fourth kill. Garcia also recorded four kills in the set.

A Robinson kill on an overpass after a strong Ma’a serve gave the U.S. its first two-point lead of the second set, 8-6, but Türkiye scored six of the next eight points to take its first two-point lead of the match. After a timeout, the U.S. scored the next three points, the last two on aces from Garcia, to retake the lead.

With the score tied at 17, Robinson’s serve caused an overpass leading to a Knigge kill and Robinson followed with an ace for a 19-17 U.S. lead. A Türkiye ace leveled the set at 19. A Robinson kill on a give-and-go put the U.S. back in front and then Türkiye was called for interference, causing a lengthy delay that eventually led to a yellow card being issued.

“The clock says it was a 3-2 match,” Kiraly joked. “There were way too many discussions and controversial plays. I credit both teams with keeping their focus through those long breaks.”

Robinson ended the set on back-to-back kills. Garcia added three kills to his aces to lead the U.S. with five points. The U.S. hit .455 for the set with 12 kills and just two errors in 22 total attacks.

Garcia scored to give the U.S. a 6-4 lead in the third set. After serving for another point, his good up led to a Champlin kill and an 8-4 lead. Türkiye responded with a 5-2 run to cut the lead back to one. A Champlin ace gave the U.S. a 16-14 lead and a Knigge block extended the lead to three, 20-17, but Türkiye scored three consecutive points and forcing a U.S. timeout.

Neither team was able to take a two-point lead until the U.S. scored the final two points on a service error and a net touch. Champlin scored six points in the set on five kills and an ace, Garcia recorded five more kills, and Robinson scored five points on four kills and a block.

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

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Mason Briggs (L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
4 Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago, Great Lakes)
5 Kyle Ensing (Opp, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State Univ., Southern California)
9 Gabi Garcia (OPP, 6-7, San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYU)
14 Micah Ma’a (S, 6-3, Kaneohe, Hawaii, UCLA, Aloha)
15 Kyle Hobus (OPP, 6-7, San Pedro, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
17 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
18 Cooper Robinson (OH, 6-7, Pacific Palisades, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
22C Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
23 Nolan Flexen (OH, 6-9, Rio Rancho, N.M., UC Irvine, Southern)
24 Merrick McHenry (MB, 6-7, Bedford, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
25 Ethan Champlin (OH, 6-3, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
26 Matthew Knigge (MB, 6-7, New Egypt, N.J., Vassar, Garden Empire)
29 Jordan Ewert (OH, 6-5, Antioch, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)
27 Michael Marshman (MB, 6-7, Glenmont, N.Y., St. Francis Univ., Excelsior Empire)

Head Coach:  Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Luka Slabe
Assistant Coach: Javier Weber
Performance Analyst: Nate Ngo
Physiotherapist: Aaron Brock
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach: Tim Pelot
Senior Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker
Team Manager: David Dantes
Consultant Coach: Chris McGown
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Team Doctors:  Eugene Yim, Mark Hutchinson, Michael Shepard, Warren Young

2025 Volleyball Nations League Schedule for Week 3

All times PDT; Matches will be shown live on VBTV and either CBS Sports Network or Big Ten Network

Week 3 Schedule
July 15 USA def. Türkiye, 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 29-27)
July 17 at 11:30 p.m. vs. Argentina
July 19 at 3:30 a.m. vs. Germany
July 20 at 3:20 a.m. vs. Japan

Week 1 Results
June 11: Ukraine def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
June 12 USA def. Iran, 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 17-15)
June 14 Slovenia def. USA, 3-1 (25-22, 27-25, 20-25, 25-23)
June 15 USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-23)

Week 2 Results
June 25 USA def. China, 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-11)
June 26 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 30-28)
June 28 Poland def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-22)
June 29 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-18)