U.S. Men Post Crucial Win Over Argentina at 2025 VNL

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 18, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team kept alive its hopes of making the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) finals with a 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23) win Argentina on Friday in Chiba, Japan.

The U.S. (6-4) next faces Germany (4-6) on Saturday, July 19 at 3:30 a.m. PT.

Argentina held slight advantages in kills (59-55) and blocks (8-6), while the U.S. served twice as many aces (6-3). The key statistic was the U.S. committing seven fewer errors with 21 compared to 28 for Argentina, 10 of which came in the fourth set.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for that team, their coach and their coaching staff. That is a really good team. They gave Japan everything that they could handle, and Japan is always fierce on their home court, so credit to (Argentina) on a 20-hour turnaround and come back and bring it as they did here,” remarked U.S. head coach Karch Kiraly.

Outside hitter Cooper Robinson led the U.S. with 20 points on 18 kills, one block and one set. He contributed six successful receptions and six digs. Opposite Kyle Ensing (10 kills, one block, two aces) and middle blocker Merrick McHenry (11 kills and two aces) both contributed 13 points. Ensing recorded eight digs and McHenry added four.

“Merrick back in action did a really nice job, Cooper and everybody did a really nice job. We brought more service pressure as the match went on to create, and then we took advantage of those transition chances,” Kiraly commented. “We are really pleased with both groups and both worked well. They were very different groups. Micah Ma’a running one with Gabi opposite and Andrew Rowan running this one, and Kyle Ensing coming out strong with a couple great service runs in the first set.”

“It was super fun. We had some great energy on the court. It was really great to play with Andrew again and Merrick, so I had a blast,” Robinson said. “I love all these fans. They are so energetic and passionate about the game of volleyball. We needed to win this one. If we had lost, we would have been out of contention, so it was a huge win.”

Middle blocker Jeff Jendryk scored nine points on eight kills and an ace with five digs. Outside Jordan Ewert also totaled nine points with eight kills and a block while leading the team with 11 successful receptions. In addition to running the offense that featured fellow UCLA Bruins Robinson and McHenry, Rowan recorded three of the team’s six blocks. Libero Mason Briggs led the team with nine digs and added four successful receptions.

Trailing 10-8 in the opening set, the U.S. scored six consecutive points keyed by a pair of aces from Ensing. Argentina later regained the lead, 19-18, but after the U.S. scored the next point, Gabi Garcia entered the match to serve and immediately caused an overpass that led to an Ensing tip and a 20-19 U.S. lead.

A great dig by Briggs and a Jendryk kill made it 22-21 and an Ensing kill extended the lead to two points. After its miscommunication on the next play gave the U.S. three set points, Argentina scored the next two points and an Ensing attack was called out, but video showed the ball hit the line to give the U.S. the set. Ensing’s six kills with his two aces gave him eight points in the set and Robinson added five kills.

Argentina took a 12-9 lead in the second set, and the U.S. could get no closer than two points for the remainder of the set. Argentina pushed its advantage to five points, 20-15, on a block. Robinson (three kills and a block) and McHenry (four kills) each scored four points for the U.S.

An Ensing block gave the U.S. a 4-1 advantage early in the third set and it never relinquished the lead. Robinson scored on a roll shot to extend the lead to 13-7, the first of six times in the set that the U.S. led by six points. Argentina pulled within three points, 22-19, but after a U.S. timeout, Robinson delivered his fifth kill of the set and followed with an ace.

The U.S. led throughout the fourth set with a McHenry ace and Ewert kill making it 3-0. Another McHenry ace gave the U.S. a four-point lead, 11-7, and the lead grew to five (13-8) when Ensing delivered an out-of-system kill. Consecutive kills by Robinson and McHenry extended the lead to six, 16-10.

Argentina closed the gap to three points on four occasions, including once on a kill off a set by a kicked ball, and used a block to cut the lead to two, 24-22. After a timeout, Argentina saved a third set point before Robinson closed out the match with his fifth kill of the set. McHenry added three kills to his two serves for five points.

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 USA def. Argentina, 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23)
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)