COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2025) – 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. finished 7-5, including 3-1 in front of the home crowd, and qualified for the VNL finals with an eighth-place finish. The U.S. will travel to Poland for the VNL finals where it will meet top-seeded Italy, which finished play with a 12-0 record.

“Giving an opportunity to some of the less experienced players is one of our big goals this summer, so I am really happy we got that. I love the way that we battled tonight,” remarked U.S. head coach Erik Sullivan. “We obviously had some lulls here and there. I thought China woke up and played some really good volleyball and challenged us. I love how we responded to that. It would have been very easy for us to get in that fifth game and not fight. I think when we’ve been in those big moments, we have done a nice job competing.”

The U.S. led in blocks (10-9) and aces (4-1), while China held the edge in kills (67-64).

Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led all players with 32 points on 29 kills and three blocks. She finished with 11 successful receptions and four digs.

“We are going to learn a lot from this and continue to grow. We saw a lot of really good things out there on the court. China did a really good job changing up in the third, fourth and fifth sets. We just need to be better at responding at that,” said Franklin, who is competing in her first VNL this year. “It’s been really fun watching our teammates cheering on all of us who are new this year.”

Opposite Taylor Mims scored her first VNL point when she entered the match in the third set, finishing the night with 10 points on nine kills and a block. Middle blocker Asjia O’Neal scored nine points on seven kills and two blocks, and outside Roni Jones-Perry also contributed nine points with seven kills and two aces. Jones-Perry led the team with 13 successful receptions and added 11 digs.

As it did throughout VNL play, the U.S. got tremendous play from the libero position as Morgan Hentz recorded 20 digs, eight more than the next highest total by any player. Opposite Danielle Cuttino totaled eight points on six kills and two blocks, and middle blocker Brionne Butler scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.

A Franklin block gave the U.S. an 11-5 lead in the first set and the lead was still four points, 15-11, when Jones-Perry scored. China then went on a 5-1 run to even the set at 16. A Franklin kill gave the U.S. the lead back and then Fairbanks served for five consecutive points, which featured an ace and two more serves that turned into overpasses. Franklin led all players with seven points on five kills and two blocks.

A great dig by Hentz led to a Cuttino out-of-system kill that gave the U.S. an 8-6 lead in the second set. Another Fairbanks ace, a China hitting error and a Franklin kill on an overpass concluded a 5-0 U.S. run that made it 11-6. China had a 7-1 run, but the U.S. responded with its own 7-2 streak to take a 20-14 lead. Franklin scored on back-to-back points, keyed by digs from O’Neal to complete the run.

Franklin’s seventh kill and eighth point of the set gave the U.S. a 21-16 lead and Butler scored three of the team’s final four points of the set. Butler’s block made it 22-17, her kill on an overpass gave the U.S. set point, and she ended the set with a kill that went straight down.

Mims scored her first VNL point to even the third set at 16. It was the last tie of the set as China scored the next two points and led the rest of the set. The set win clinched sixth place for China in the VNL standings and set up a quarterfinal match with Japan at the VNL finals. Franklin recorded six more kills to raise her match total to 18 kills and 21 points through three sets.

China took a 9-4 lead in the fourth set and led by as many as eight points, 19-11. China took advantage of the U.S. passing at just a 30 percent rate in the set. Franklin again led the squad with six kills.

The U.S. led 5-3 in the deciding set before China ran off three points in a row. The set was tied nine times, including every other point from 10-10 through 16-16. Mims recorded a block to tie the set at 12 and a kill to even the score at 14-14. An O’Neal kill tied the set at 15 and Franklin’s 29th kill and 32nd point after a great up by Jones-Perry evened the score at 16-16. Mims scored five points on four kills and her block, and Franklin added five more kills.

“I learned a lot,” added Sullivan, who was coaching the U.S. women for the first time in the VNL. “Any time we get these opportunities and experiences to play, I think we learn a lot not just about the personnel on our team, but also our culture and what kind of team we are with a bunch of systems we have implemented. We also learn about our weaknesses as you get exposed in some things. It’s awesome to be able to get back in the gym and tighten that stuff up and try to get better.”

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

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)
11 Taylor Mims (Opp, 6-3, Billings, Mont., Washington St., Evergreen)
15 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
18 Asjia O’Neal (MB, 6-3, Southlake, Texas, Texas, North Texas)
20 Danielle Cuttino (Opp, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
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)
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

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)

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)

Kristie Edwards’s ability to hurl herself down a running track at breakneck speed has taken her to some of the world’s most exotic cities to compete in front of packed stadiums; the pursuit of her Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology took her to Cumberland Hospital, a public psychiatric facility based in Sydney’s western suburbs.

The 25-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete admits she accepted her 10-week (work experience) placement at Cumberland with a sense of trepidation, but by the time the Paris Olympian finished there she’d already started to reconsider her career plans.

“I was really nervous in the lead up to my placement,” said Edwards, who recently sat her final university exam for her Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology. “I wasn’t sure of what to expect, but I loved what I did there. I really enjoyed it.

“I felt as though I not only formed a close relationship with the patients, but I was also helping by just getting them out to do some exercise. For many it was the highlight of their day, so that made it a rewarding experience.

“And I never expected [mental health] to be an area I’d consider a career in. Being an athlete, I always equated a future as an exercise physiologist with high performance sport programs, but I found a tremendous sense of purpose came from working with the general population – especially those with chronic health conditions.

“So, I finished my placement thinking that was an area I could give back, as well as being one where it’d be possible to make a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Edwards, who overseas campaigning to be selected in the Australian women’s 4×100 m team for September’s 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, recalled the positive impact one particular patient’s progress made on her.

“You’d see some of the patients for only an hour a week,” she recalled. “But it was special to see the little changes they made to their daily habits because of what we were doing.

“One woman started going for walks every day, and that helped her overall outlook which, ultimately, aided how she responded to her treatment. By the time my placement finished she was getting ready to be discharged.

“Obviously a huge team works on rehab and treatment – and there’s many multidisciplinary treatments happening at the same time – but it meant a lot for me to think that exercise, which has been an important part of my entire life, helped her and other patients starting a habit which became a routine that ultimately helped her.”

After a breakout Australian 2024/25 season which sealed Edwards’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier sprinters, the Andrew Murphy-coached athlete said the confidence she’d gained from competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was crucial to her:

• Celebrating three wins during the domestic Summer Series
• Gaining selection for the Australian team competing at next month’s World University Games in Germany
• Setting Personal Bests of 22.81 (+1.2) for 200m at the national championships and 11.26 (+1.0) for the 100m while competing at the Sydney Track Classic
• Defeating Australia’s fastest woman Torrie Lewis on her way to winning the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.

Edwards said following her personal motto of ‘Patience and Persistence’ has helped drive her rising stock as an individual sprinter after being considered for many years as one of Australia’s premier female relay runners.

“Sometimes we can get caught up in the idea that we need to be achieving this and that when you’re in your early 20s,” she said. “But I think the transition from a junior to senior athlete can be quite difficult for some people.

“A lot of athletes give the sport away after they finish school, but I haven’t ever had a time in my career when I’ve thought: ‘oh, I’m never going to make it on these teams,’ or ‘I’m just not going to run fast enough’.

“I just trained and showed up. And that was my main takeaway when I made the Olympics. It came together because I just kept doing what I loved doing and kept showing up each day and striving to improve.

“That’s what I attribute to my making the Olympics. It wasn’t like I did anything fancy or that I was a superstar who was beating people or being amazing. I just kept chipping away slowly and I was gradually getting better and better.”

KRISTIE EDWARDS FAST FACTS

• Edwards was surprised when she raced in the under-nine’s NSW Primary School Sport Association’s state 100m final and noticed all of her opponents were wearing spikes. She raced in her joggers and finished in third place.
• Her first coach when she joined Little A’s was Australian Athletics icon, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor.
• Gainsford, a three-time Olympian and world indoor championships gold medallist for the 200m, was such a positive influence on Edwards she considers her ‘a second mum.’
• Edwards’s mother, Katie, coaches NSWIS scholarship holder Mali Lovell, who won the bronze medal for the 200m T36 at last year’s Paralympic Games
• At 13 Edwards won the National All Schools 200m in an impressive time of 24.52.
• Before focussing on athletics, she played netball for Manly Warringah.
• Edwards is a keen gardener and enthusiastic reader of biographies.
• In 2018 she made her debut in the green and gold at the World under 20 Championships.
• In 2021 she moved to Brisbane where she reduced her times to 11.55 (100m) and 23.17 (200m).
•  Edwards competed in two Diamond League meets with Australia’s 4 x 100m relay team, finishing fifth at London and third in Zurich, clocking 43.21 – the seventh fastest time in Australia history.
• Edwards describes her parents for having the biggest influence on her life, and thanks them for all they’ve done to help her.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Mazda is putting the spotlight on grit and perseverance with its latest brand film “What drives you?”, launched in tandem with Singapore’s hosting of the World Aquatics Championships 2025.

Done in collaboration with advertising agency 3-Sixty Brand Communications, the 60-second film opens with a voiceover asking, “What drives you to step out of your comfort zone?” before showcasing five TeamSG aquatic athletes excelling in swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, and open water swimming.

As the official automobile partner of the championships, Mazda is powering the event with over 100 vehicles, shuttling athletes, officials, and organisers across venues. The partnership aims to highlight Mazda’s shared values of teamwork, endurance, agility, and relentless pursuit, qualities celebrated both in sport and on the road.

Don’t miss: adidas highlights unsung heroes who inspire us to go the extra mile 

Mazda is also making waves beyond mobility with limited-edition aquatic-themed merchandise available at select championship venues, deepening its connection with the aquatic community.

“Mazda is honored to support a world-class sporting event that embodies passion, discipline, and unity. As we celebrate SG60, we’re reminded of how far we’ve come and the journeys that lie ahead, on the road and in the pool,” said David Chung, general manager, marketing and customer relationship, Trans Eurokars Pte Ltd.

Speaking on the film, Cindy Tay, general manager of 3-Sixty Brand Communications, said, “This film is a tribute to all who rise before dawn, train through fatigue, and perform with grace under pressure. It’s not just a story about athletes, it’s a story about purpose. We’re proud to bring that to life for SG60, Mazda and the world stage.”

Mazda joins a growing list of brands celebrating Singapore’s athletes. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) partnered with Dentsu Creative Singapore on “Every support counts”, a digital campaign spotlighting the network of support behind Team Singapore.

Anchored by a hero film featuring three national athletes, the campaign highlighted the role of sports science, emotional resilience, and community backing in driving athletic success. Complementary videos also profiled athletes across disciplines, including para sports, underscoring the dedication and infrastructure behind every medal-winning moment.

Meanwhile, UNIQLO had thrown its support behind Singapore’s para athletes as the official clothing partner for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The brand outfitted the Team Singapore delegation, including athletes and officials, with LifeWear apparel designed for comfort, function, and a sleek aesthetic that blends Singaporean identity with the Parisian cityscape.

Related articles:         
PUMA celebrates runner’s high in new ‘Go wild’ brand positioning
Nike reminds the world there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win  
Team SG partners graffiti artist to back local Olympians with Kampong Glam mural 

Independent digital agency Orange Line has landed a significant new client in the US, securing a full-funnel digital strategy mandate with leading health and wellness brand Sports Research.

Based in Los Angeles, Sports Research produces more than 300 premium SKUs across nutritional supplements and workout products. The brand was founded in 1980 and remains family-owned.

The partnership will see Orange Line lead strategy across SEO, CRO, paid media, email, SMS, data, analytics and web development, with a remit to accelerate e-commerce performance in the competitive US wellness market.

“Partnering with Orange Line has been an exceptional experience. They bring stellar organization in their ways of working, clear communication, and a truly enjoyable team dynamic,” Marshall Spellmeyer, UI/UX Designer at Sports Research, said. “Their innovative, forward-thinking strategies consistently adapt to evolving market and technology trends, keeping our brand ahead of the curve.

“Every interaction with Orange Line reflects a commitment to excellence and insight, making collaboration both effective and genuinely fun to partner with such a great team. I’m confident we’ll see rapid success partnering with Orange Line and value their team tremendously.”

David Klein, co-founder at Orange Line, said the win underscores the agency’s growing presence in North America.

“We’re really excited to work alongside Sports Research during this important phase of growth. With our team members based in both Sydney and LA, we’re able to offer seamless, real-time support across time zones,” he said. “Combined with our data-driven approach and strong commercial focus, we’re well-placed to help accelerate their growth and deliver long-term impact.”

The win builds on Orange Line’s expanding US client base and bolsters its positioning as a digitally focused, performance-led agency working across global markets.

Preliminary Round Group Match Reports

Match 9, Group C, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 16 BRAZIL 7 (6-1, 2-0, 4-3, 4-3)

Olympic bronze medallist USA was always going to hard to beat, but Brazil took it up to the more illustrious opponent in this American confrontation. With junior world championship most valuable player Ryder Dodd in sparkling form — gaining player of the match today — USA was assured of an excellent start and this it did with the youngster scoring three of the first four goals before Lucas Farias responded for Brazil. Hannes Daube collected his second from the top left, followed by captain Max Irving from the other side of the pool. Dylan Woodhead snapped in a short cross pass to the right-post position on extra to start the second quarter and USA was 7-1 ahead. Brazil tightened its defence and restricted USA to only one other goal with Irving smashing in a shot from his favoured position on action at 4:22. Brazil made a few shots on target, one hitting the left upright, that had beaten the goalkeeper.

Brazil proved very competitive in the third period with three consecutive goals after USA had advanced the score to 11-1. Irving closed the scoring for a 12-4 margin. Irving scored twice while for Brazil, Farias  claimed his second from the top. Brazilian captain Gustavo Guimaraes buried the second and third shots with the second needing VAR to get across the line. The final quarter was also relatively even with goals traded to 14-6 — Connor Ohl gaining his first goal at this level. USA had a penalty attempt saved and two timeouts for USA realised a penalty goal to Connor Ohl (with his brother playing alongside him and his parents in the stands). Farias landed a third from the top and Jake Ehrhardt converting extra from the deep left for 16-7 at 0:32. Brazil had a timeout and the subsequent shot rebounded off the bar and the last shot saved. It proved to be a 4-3 quarter and an 8-6 half.

Match Heroes
Ryder Dodd and Irving scored four each for USA and Farias three for Brazil. Joao Fernandes made 10 saves in the Brazilian goal.

Turning Point
At 11-1, there was no turning point, although Brazil’s second half was a compliment to its determination.

Stats Don’t Lie
USA rattled in seven of 10 on extra and defended three of four. USA missed one of the two penalty attempts on offer. USA made six steals to two and shot 34 to 26 overall.

Bottom Line
USA has that elusive Olympic bronze and Brazil needs a lot of work to become the best in the Americas.

What They Said

Progress Points

Group A: Serbia 3, Italy 3, Romania 0, South Africa 0.
Group B: Hungary 3, Spain 3, Japan 0, Australia 0.
Group C: United States of America 6, Brazil 3, Canada 0, Singapore 0.
Group D: Croatia 3, Montenegro 3, Greece, China 0.

Day 6 Schedule

Match 17. 09:00. Group C, Canada v Brazil
Match 18. 10:35. Group B, Australia v Japan
Match 19. 12:10. Group D, China v Montenegro
Match 20, 13:45, Group A, Italy v South Africa
Match 21. 16:00. Group A, Serbia v Romania
Match 22. 17:35. Group D, Greece v Croatia
Match 23. 19:10. Group C, Singapore v United States of America
Match 24. 20:45. Group B, Spain v Hungary

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