U.S. Women Sweep Thailand for Seventh Consecutive Win to Start 2026 Women's VNL Week Three

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 8, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team, currently atop the Volleyball Nations League standings, won its seventh consecutive match with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20) victory over Thailand to begin the final week of VNL play on Wednesday in Osaka, Japan. The U.S. has won all eight VNL matches between the teams.

The U.S. (8-1) will face Poland (6-3) later tonight at 9 p.m. PT.

The U.S. dominated at the net with an 8-2 advantage in blocks, while also leading in kills (51-43) and service aces (3-2).

“A nice start for us in week three. Thailand can challenge you in a lot of different ways and we didn’t allow them to do that, so I am real happy with the way we played in that sense, but I feel like we need to do better as the week goes on,” said head coach Erik Sullivan. “We have some depth and we can get into our bench and our level does not come down at all. It’s nice to be able to have that, to sub some players in and get some productivity out of them.”

Each of the final three opponents for the U.S. are currently in a position to qualify for the VNL finals with a combined 20-6 record. Poland (fifth place), Türkiye (third), and Brazil (second) round out VNL play for the U.S.

“Thailand can really challenge you. They are just different. I think the other three teams play a little more like us, so maybe it’s a little easier to match up, not meaning those matches will be easy for us by any means, but systematically you don’t need to make as many changes,” Sullivan commented.

Opposite Jordan Thompson led all players with 17 points on 12 kills, a match-high four blocks and an ace. She added six digs.

“I’m really happy with how we performed. They are such a talented team and run a really creative offense that is very fast with people moving around quickly. I think we did a great job of adjusting. They are going to get their amazing swings, but I think we held through and steadied through the storm,” Thompson remarked. “Your eye work is your biggest weapon in a match like this, being able to see where the players are moving. If you get stuck on the ball, the players are going to move past you really quickly and then you are going to be in ‘no man’s land.'”

Outside hitter Avery Skinner shared match-high honors with 13 kills. Fellow outside Logan Eggleston reached double digits with eight kills, a block and an ace, while leading all players with 13 digs. Middle blockers Dana Rettke and Chiaka Ogbogu each scored seven points on six kills and a block. Opposite Stephanie Samedy finished with five kills.

Setter Jordyn Poulter ran the effective U.S. offense that hit .443 for the match, adding a kill and a block. Libero Lexi Rodriguez posted a match-best eight successful receptions with libero Morgan Hentz totaling six digs.

Thailand jumped out to a 6-3 lead to begin the match, but Thompson’s tough serving put the U.S. in front, 7-6. Her ace cut the deficit to one, and the U.S. moved ahead on kills by Skinner on a back row attack and Eggelston. Rettke’s first kill made it 10-7 but Thailand scored the next three points to even the set and had a swing to take the lead on an overpass but were stopped by a Poulter block. A Thompson off-speed shot capped a 3-0 U.S. run for a 13-10 lead. A Thailand ace tied the set at 15 before the U.S. retook a two-point advantage with an Eggleston block. Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres came in to serve as part of a double switch with Stephanie Samedy and paid off dividends immediately as she served an ace after an Eggleston kill for a 20-16 lead. A strong Poulter serve led to a Thompson top for set point at 24-20 and after yielding one point, the U.S. ended the set the same way it started it, with an Ogbogu kill. Thompson led the way with seven points on six kills (with a .667 hitting percentage) and an ace.

Thailand scored three of the first four points of the second set, but the U.S. scored the next four points with a Thompson block and kill putting the U.S. up 5-3. Thompson scored again for an 8-4 lead that caused Thailand to use a timeout on the wrong end of a 7-1 run. Poulter scored on a one-handed dump and three Skinner kills helped extend the margin to eight, 16-8. A great defensive play by Hentz and a Thailand error doubled the lead, 18-9. The U.S. led by at least six points the rest of the way and ended the set on a Samedy kill. Thompson scored six points on four kills and two blocks and Skinner produced five kills.

Thailand got off to a strong start in the third set, taking a 4-1 lead. The U.S. rallied with back-to-back Skinner kills and an Eggleston ace capping an 8-3 run that forced Thailand to take a timeout. Another Skinner kill upped the lead to four points, 13-9. Another Thompson block pushed the lead to six, 18-12. Samedy scored on a deep ball for a 20-15 U.S. lead. Skinner put the U.S. ahead 23-19 and a Thailand hitting error set up match point. Thailand defended one match point before the U.S. converted a free ball with an Ogbogu kill.

U.S. Women’s Week Three Roster for 2026 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State, Oklahoma)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford, Pioneer)
7 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
8 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
10 Simone Lee-Wank (OH, 6-1, Menomonee Falls, Wisc., Penn State, Badger)
11 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, 6-0 Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-4, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
27 Madi Kubik-Banks (OH, 6-4, West Des Moines, Iowa, Univ. of Nebraska, Iowa)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-1, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Univ. of Minnesota, Florida)

Head Coach:  Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Assistant Coach: Rob Browning
Statistician: Virginia Pham
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shannon Boone, Shawn Hueglin
Mental Performance Coach: Nicole Davis
Team Doctors: Lori Boyajian-O’Neill, James Suchy, Chris Koutures, Mark Hutchinson
Team Manager: Shannon Slatter

U.S. Women’s Schedule for the 2026 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on demand on VBTV.
(All times PDT)

Week 1: Quebec City, Quebec
June 3 USA def. Ukraine, 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-23)
June 4 Canada def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 30-28)
June 5 USA def. France, 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 27-25, 23-25, 15-11)
June 7 USA def. Germany, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)

Week 2: Pasig City, Philippines
June 16 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-12)
June 18 USA def. Czechia, 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-16)
June 20 USA def. Italy, 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-16)
June 20 USA def. Serbia, 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-16, 25-19)

Week 3: Osaka, Japan
July 7 at USA def. Thailand, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20)
July 8 at 9 p.m. vs. Poland
July 9 at 9 p.m. vs. Türkiye
July 11 at 8 p.m. vs. Brazil