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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 23, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s National Team dropped its 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) quarterfinal match to world No. 1 Italy, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 28-26) on Wednesday in Łódź, Poland. The U.S. completed VNL play with a 7-6 record, while Italy, the 2024 Olympic gold medalists Italy, extended its world-record winning streak to 27 matches.
The U.S. will next compete in the 2025 FIVB World Championships in Thailand in August.
“I think the progress we have made since we got in the gym in May has been great. I thought we played really hard. We still have to figure out some moments where we just give the other team too much opportunity,” said U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “We were much more competitive to play that same roster two months later. I’m real proud of that but we still have some work to do.”
Italy overcame 23 errors by holding a 50-36 edge in kills. The U.S. matched one of the top blocking teams in the world with six blocks. Italy finished with one more ace (5-4).
Outside hitter Avery Skinner led the U.S. with 11 kills and contributed seven digs.
“We are pretty familiar with each other, so we know each other’s tendencies. That can make it fun, too, because we have to be creative. I am proud of us for sticking with it until the end,” Skinner said. “We are super young, and each week it has been building on what we did the week before. The summer is long and we have another tournament, so we are going to work even more for that next tournament.”
Libero Lexi Rodriguez was outstanding again on defense with a match-high nine successful receptions and equaling match-best honors with 14 digs.
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin totaled eight points on seven kills and a block. Middle blocker Dana Rettke (five kills, one block, one ace) and opposite Samantha Samedy (six kills and one ace) each scored seven points.
Opposite Madi Skinner scored five points on four kills and an ace, and middle Amber Igiede finished with five points on three kills and two blocks. Setter Jordyn Poulter posted two blocks and six digs.
The U.S. scored the first three points of the match, one on a Madi Skinner ace, and still led 10-7 when Italy scored four consecutive points after a timeout to take the lead. A Rettke block gave the U.S. the lead for the last time at 12-11. Italy went on a 10-4 run to take a five-point advantage (21-16), culminating with the seventh U.S. hitting error.
Italy still led by five, 23-18, when the U.S. scored four points in a row to cut the lead to one. A Franklin swipe off the block and Rettke kill keyed the rally. Italy called its second timeout and returned to the floor by scoring the final two points to take the opener. Madi Skinner and Avery Skinner each recorded four kills, while Rettke added three kills.
Taking advantage of a rare series of errors by Italy, the U.S. took a 13-12 lead in the second set before a 5-2 run gave Italy a 17-15 lead. An Avery Skinner kill, a Franklin back row attack where she adjusted mid-air, and an Igiede block put the U.S. back in front 18-17. Italy responded with seven of the next nine points to go up 24-20. Franklin registered four kills and Avery Skinner added three.
The U.S. trailed 8-6 in the third set before going on a 9-3 run to take its biggest lead of the match at four points. Rettke served a tough ball that led to an Igiede kill on an overpass and then served an ace to give the U.S. the lead. Kills by Samedy, Avery Skinner and Rettke made it 15-11.
A Franklin block sandwiched between the seventh and eighth Italy hitting errors of the set put the U.S. ahead 19-15 and forced Italy to take its final timeout. Italy scored the next two points, but Samedy changed speeds on an attack to make it 20-17. Avery Skinner scored the next two U.S. points for a 22-19 lead, but Italy scored the next four points to regain the lead.
An Igiede kill and Logan Eggleston ace gave the U.S. its first set point of the match, 24-23. Avery Skinner ripped a ball on a back row attack for a 25-24 for a second set point. Italy saved another set point after a service error and earned set point in spite of multiple great defensive plays by Rodrigue,z and finished the match with a block. Samedy scored five points on four kills and an ace and Avery Skinner recorded four kills.
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)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
19 Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
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)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
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
VNL Finals
July 23: Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 28-26)
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)
Week 3 Results: Arlington, Texas
July 9 USA def. Thailand, 3-1 (28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15)
July 10 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20)
July 12 USA def. Canada, 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17)
July 13 China def. USA, 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16)
USA Volleyball has announced the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team competing at the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Final Round in Łódź, Poland, July 23-27. The top eight teams from the preliminary phase advanced to the Finals, and the U.S. earned its spot with a 7-5 record, finishing eighth in the standings.
The U.S. Women's National Team completed Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary play with a 3-2 (18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 18-16) loss to China on Sunday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team clinched a spot in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) finals with a thrilling 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 19-17) win over North American rival Canada on Saturday night at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The U.S. Women's National Team earned its second win as many nights with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20) victory over the Dominican Republic in a key Volleyball Nations League (VNL) matchup on Thursday at the UT Arlington College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
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.
