U.S. Girls U19 National Team Falls to Bulgaria in Five Sets at 2025 World Championship

Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 6, 2025) – For the second match in a row, the U.S. Girls U19 National Team extended a match to five sets before falling, this time to Bulgaria, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 27-25, 13-25, 15-5) on Sunday at the 2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship in Osijek, Croatia.

The U.S. (2-2) will complete pool play tomorrow, Monday, July 7, at 12:15 p.m. PT in a key matchup against Türkiye (2-2).

The U.S. dominated at the net with 16 blocks compared to just four for Bulgaria but was unable to overcome the deficits in kill. (60-51). Bulgaria served two more aces (9-7).

Outside hitter Suli Davis was one of four U.S. players in double figures, leading the team with 17 points on 12 kills, three blocks and two aces. Outside Kelly Kinney also registered 12 kills.

Middle blocker Abbey Emch scored 11 points with five kills, two aces and sharing team-high honors with setter Genevieve Harris with four blocks. Outside hitter Devyn Wiest totaled 10 points on eight kills, a block and an ace.

Middle blocker Gabrielle Nichols scored seven points on four kills, two blocks and an ace, and outside hitter Lameen Mambu added six points on five kills and an ace.

“Another battle in Pool C tonight,” head coach Keegan Cook said. “Bulgaria has been excellent from the service line and some big serves in the fifth set. I’m extremely impressed by the performances of our athletes who entered the match, particularly our outside hitters. I’m looking forward to another great opportunity tomorrow with Türkiye.”

In the first set, the U.S. trailed by three points, 12-9, when Bulgaria went on a 10-3 lead to take over the set. Emch scored four points on two kills, a block and an ace.

The key point in the second set was with the U.S. clinging to a 13-12 lead. Davis hustled to retrieve an errant pass and Harris later scored on a block to spark a 6-0 run that put the U.S. up 18-12. With the score 21-14, Nichols scored, and Davis followed with back-to-back aces for a 10-point lead. Davis (two kills, two aces, one block) and Nichols (three kills, one block, one ace) each scored five points.

An ace gave Bulgaria an early 10-4 lead in the third set. The U.S. battled back and finally tied the score at 21. Davis made a one-handed dig and then scored to tie the set again at 22. The U.S. tied the set at 24 after fighting off two set points and fought off another set point at 25-24 before Bulgaria was finally able to string two points together. Davis led the U.S. with six kills with Wiest adding four.

The U.S. started the fourth set on a 7-2 run and never looked back. A Wiest ace and a Harris kill on an overpass made it 6-2 and sent Bulgaria to its first timeout. Davis scored on the next play and the lead was never less than five points after that. Davis again led the U.S., scoring five points on three kills and two blocks. Kinney recorded four kills, and Wiest added two kills and a block to her ace for four points.

Bulgaria scored the first two points of the fifth set and never trailed, building an 8-3 lead as the teams switched sides.

2025 U19 National Team Roster for World Championship

(Name, Pos., Birth Year, Height, Hometown, School, Region)
3 Jordan Taylor (MB, 6-5, 2007, Houston, Texas, University of Minnesota, Lone Star)
5 Lily Hayes (L, 5-9, 2007, Tampa, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
6 Suli Davis (OH, 6-1, 2007, Euless, Texas, Brigham Young University, North Texas)
8 Abbey Emch (MB, 6-3, 2007, New Waterford, Ohio, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley)
10 Isabelle Hoppe (S, 5-8, 2008, Gibsonia, Pa., Pine Richland HS, Ohio Valley)
11 Kelly Kinney (OH/OPP, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The Kings Academy, Florida)
12 Genevieve Harris (S, 5-11, 2007, Raleigh, N.C, Cardinal Gibbons HS, Carolina)
13 Gabrielle Nichols (MB, 6-3, 2007, Winston Salem, N.C., Penn State University, Carolina)
16 Cari Spears (OH, 6-3, 2007, Dallas, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
17 Lameen Mambu (OH, 6-0, 2007, Chantilly, Va., Georgia Tech, Chesapeake)
19 Henley Anderson (OPP/OH, 6-3, 2007, Dripping Springs, Texas, Dripping Springs HS, Lone Star)
20 Devyn Wiest (OH, 6-3, 2007, Peoria, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)

Alternates
1 Izzy Mogridge (S, 5-11, 2007, Lutz, Fla., Berkeley Prep HS, Florida)
2 Charlotte Vinson (OPP, 6-2, 2007, Muncie, Ind., Yorktown HS, Hoosier)
4 Kalyssa Blackshear (MB/OPP, 6-4, 2007, Torrance, Calif., University of Louisville, Southern California)
7 Ayanna Watson (OH/OPP, 6-3, 2007, Henderson, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, Southern California)
9 Natalie Wardlow (MB/OPP, 6-5, 2007, Lincoln, Neb., Lincoln Southeast HS, Great Plains)
15 Logan Bell (L, 5-11, 2007, Beech Grove, Ind., Roncalli HS, Hoosier)
18 Aniya Warren (L, 5-8, 2007, Lockport, Ill., Benet Academy, Great Lakes)

Coaches
Head Coach: Keegan Cook (Minnesota)
Assistant Coach: Alyssa D’Errico (Utah)
Assistant Coach: April Sanchez (New Mexico)
Performance Analyst: Jon Wong (Florida State)
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Courtney Smith (NTDP)

2025 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship Schedule
All times Pacific/Osijek, Croatia
Matches live on VBTV and Volleyball World YouTube

July 2: USA def. Spain, 3-1 (22-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-23)
July 3: USA def. Peru, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18)
July 4: Poland def. USA, 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-27, 16-14)
July 6: Bulgaria def. USA, 3-2 (25-15, 16-25, 27-25, 13-25, 15-5)
July 7: 12:15 p.m. USA vs. Türkiye
July 8: TBA Round of 16
July 11: TBA Playoffs/Quarterfinals
July 12: TBA Playoffs/Semifinals
July 13: Finals