COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USC men’s volleyball middle blocker Parker Tomkinson (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) and alumnus OH Kevin Kobrine (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar HS) were each named to the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 30-player long-list roster for the upcoming Volleyball Nations League (VNL), USA Volleyball announced on Thursday, May 15. 
 
The roster features a competitive mix of Olympic veterans, seasoned pros, and rising stars—of which Tomkinson is the youngest. The world’s top 18 men’s teams clash for this year’s VNL title over three weeks of preliminary play, with the top eight advancing to the final round.
 
The U.S. Men’s National Team—under the guidance of head coach Karch Kiraly—will select 14 athletes from the preliminary roster to compete at each stop: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (June 11-15), Hoffman Estates, Illinois (June 25-29), and Chiba, Japan (July 16-20). The VNL Final Round will take place July 30-Aug. 3 in Ningbo, China.
 
“We’re incredibly excited about the talent and depth we have to begin this new Olympic cycle,” said Kiraly. “The veterans on this roster continue to lead by example, while our younger athletes are pushing hard, bringing fresh energy and hunger. It’s a powerful combination. This VNL season will be a vital part of our journey toward the 2025 World Championships and beyond.”
 
The preliminary roster boasts four Olympians, including three who competed in the Paris 2024 Games: libero Erik Shoji, middle blocker Jeff Jendryk, and setter Micah Ma’a. Opposite Kyle Ensing was the official alternate in Paris and competed on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team.
 
Eleven athletes on the roster have competed in previous VNLs for the U.S.: opposite Gabi Garcia, setter Quinn Isaacson, liberos Mason Briggs and Kyle Dagostino, outside hitters Ethan Champlin, Jordan Ewert and Jacob Pasteur, and middle blockers Patrick Gasman, Matthew Knigge, Michael Marshman and Daniel Wetter.
 
Seven athletes have competed for the senior U.S. National Team in NORCECA events: setter Andrew Rowan, middle blocker Merrick McHenry and outside hitters Nolan Flexen, Camden Gianni, Kaleb Jenness, Zach Rama and Cooper Robinson. Eight have the opportunity to make their debut for the senior U.S. National Team: setters Tread Rosenthal and Michael Wright, opposites Kyle Hobus and Kevin Kobrine, middle blockers Shane Holdaway, Cameron Thorne and Parker Tomkinson, and libero Jacob Reilly.
 
The U.S. men are currently ranked No. 3 in the world and have medaled four times in VNL history, including silver in 2019, 2022 and 2023 and bronze in 2018.
 
U.S. Men National Team Schedule for the 2025 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VBTV
All times listed in PDT
 
WEEK 1: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 11 at 10 a.m. vs. Ukraine
June 12 at 5 p.m. vs. Iran
June 14 at 9:30 a.m. vs. Slovenia
June 15 at 1 p.m. vs. Cuba
 
WEEK 2: Hoffman Estates, Illinois
June 25 at 5:30 p.m. vs. China
June 26 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Canada
June 28 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Poland
June 29 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Italy
 
WEEK 3: Chiba, Japan
July 16 at 11:30 p.m. vs. Türkiye
July 18 at 11:30 p.m. vs. Argentina
July 19 at 3:30 a.m. vs. Germany
July 20 at 3:20 a.m. vs. Japan
 
The Trojans (21-7) finished second in the MPSF regular-season standings (8-4) and were awarded the second seed into the conference tournament. There, USC finished as runner-up to Pepperdine, which hosted the championship in Malibu, Calif. USC opened the year with a nine-match win streak for its best start to a season since 1991 (28-0) and won 10 matches in a row (Feb. 26-April 3) for the program’s longest win streak since 2012 (18 in a row). It was the second 20-win season for head coach Jeff Nygaard and the 20th 20-win season in program history. The Trojans spent 13 weeks ranked in the top five and reached as high as No. 3 for the team’s highest ranking since it was also No. 3 in 2015. USC led the MPSF for many weeks in all statistical categories but aces and finished the season as the NCAA leader in blocks (2.86 bps) with 16 matches in double-digits. The Trojans set a new school record for hitting percentage in a match (.691 vs. Dominican, Feb. 8) and hit better than .300 in 19 matches; and hit north of .400 in 10 contests.
 
For more information on the USC men’s volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/MVB. Fans of the Trojans can follow @USCmensvolley on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
 

Mike Guardabascio

An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. He’s won numerous awards for his writing as well as the CIF Southern Section’s Champion For Character Award, and is the author of three books about Long Beach history.

http://The562.org

Two Galway teams competed in the Irish Water Polo Senior cup finals for the first time last weekend at the UL Arena Pool.

Tribes WPC was participating in their first Women’s Senior final, while Corrib WPC were participating in their fourth men’s final, a competition they last won in 2018. Unfortunately, the results did not go the way of either team: Tribes WPC lost 13-12 on penalties to St Vincent’s, which completed the double, as the Dublin club side were 14-9 winners over Corrib WPC in the men’s final.

Tribes came into the cup quietly confident having had a strong league season, topping the league table before this competition began, and their first game against Drogheda WPC opened with a strong first quarter.

Opening goals from Laura Casserly, Rachel Corcoran, Iona McDonnell, and Alanah Balcoe helped the Galway side race into a 4-1 lead. Drogheda struck back with three unanswered goals because of two exclusions and a penalty conceded by Tribes, and after a tight opening half, Tribes led 7-5 at the break.

It took Tribes no time at all to find their rhythm in the second-half, however, and quickly opened a commanding lead 13-6 by the end of the third quarter, with two goals from Niamh Connery, one each from Aoife Bundschu and Sophie Moran. Four further goals from the powerful hole-forward, Casserly, saw Tribes finish the game 15-7 winners.

They took on North Dublin in their second group game, knowing a win would see them qualify for a semi-final spot, and Tribes raced into a commanding lead once again, ending the first quarter 4-0 ahead.

Tribes asserted their dominance adding five more goals, before goalkeeper Lana Awaja scored a stunning goal, launching a throw from her own five-metre line, the ball sailing over Catherine Noorlandt’s head in the North Dublin goal and into the net on the buzzer to loud cheers from the packed gallery as Tribes led 9-3 at half-time.

The second half saw Tribes add to their tally with goals from Aishling Walsh and Oliwia Smialek and six in total from Casserly to end the game 14-4 and set-up a semi-final against Diamonds WPC from Belfast, which was a repeat of last year’s semi-final in Bangor which Diamonds won convincingly.

Tribes need not have any fears this time around, having beaten their opponents twice in league fixtures this season, and they opened the scoring through Niamh Connery. They held the lead until an exclusion saw them concede in the last minute of the quarter, but Oliwia Smialek regained the lead in the second with an opportunist goal.

Diamonds, however, again scored off an exclusion to level before Tribes took charge adding two more from Ashling Walsh and Casserly to lead at half time 4-2; and the Belfast side’s resistance was broken in the second half as Tribes exerted pressure on the wings and forced five exclusions and goals from Walsh, Moran, Casserly and McDonnell to lead 8-3 at the end of the third.

A further five goals with Lily Crudden and Lydia McNicholas contributing saw the game end 13-5 to Tribes and a place in the final for the first time.

The final was a repeat of the league game against the same opposition and at the same venue a week earlier, which St Vincent’s won on penalties.

The first quarter was a nervous affair for both teams, with neither side finding the breakthrough, before Bundschu broke the deadlock with a well taken goal from an acute angle on the right.

Casserly and Connery added to the lead, but St. Vincents responded with goals from Cliona Colvin and Keri Noonan to leave the score tied 3-3 at half time. Connery and Casserly again struck in the second-half to build a two-goal cushion, St Vincent’s replied, Casserly scored twice, and St Vincent’s called a time out to halt the gallop of the Tribes onslaught.

Pictured: The Tribes Water Polo Club squad which was beaten in the final of the Irish Water Polo Senior Cup at the UL Arena Pool last weekend. Back row, from left: Teresa Moran (manager), Alice Corcoran, Aoife Bundschu, Sophie Moran, Rachel Corcoran, Maebh Crudden, Sarah Bradley, Alannah Blacoe, and Goran Sablic (head coach). Front: Mariusz Smialek (assistant coach), Iona McDonnell, Niamh Connery, Lily Crudden, Lana Awaja, Laura Casserly (MVP), Oliwia Smialek, Aishlin Walsh, and Lydis McNicholas. Photo: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.

Published: May 16, 2025 6:55 am

Newtown High School’s boys’ volleyball team visited the defending South-West Conference Champion Joel Barlow of Redding Falcons on May 7. The Nighthawks fell in three sets to the Falcons, whom they had defeated in five sets in late April. Then came a 3-0 win at Brookfield on May 8, a 3-1 loss to visiting Masuk of Monroe on May 12, and a 3-0 setback to host Shelton on May 13.

The Nighthawks kept it close in set one, falling 25-23, before losing 25-8, and 25-18 in the Barlow match.

Against Brookfield, set scores were 25-13, 25-15, 25-20. Noel McLeod had nine kills and six digs; Nate Twitchell had six kills, seven digs, and four of his team’s 13 aces; Warner Bacon registered six kills and seven digs; Cole Sgagliardich had five kills and four blocks; Eli Sullivan logged eight digs; A.J. Zataluskis recorded three kills, six digs, and a trio of aces; and Kade Dearney registered 29 assists to go along with five digs and two aces.

Masuk and Newtown split the first two sets and set three was a tight one throughout. The set scores were 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, and 25-19.

The Panthers won the pivotal third set by three points despite neither team leading by more than just one or two from start to almost finish. Things were tied at 22 apiece before the Panthers got the last three points. Newtown overcame a few late-set, two-point deficits to finally tie things at 21-21 on a Sgagliardich block at the net. Strong hits by Twitchell and a block for a point by Dima Frunza helped keep the set close throughout.

Newtown could not force a decisive fifth set despite taking an early lead and withstanding some Masuk runs. The Panthers responded to a 4-2 deficit with a 5-0 spurt for a 7-4 lead. McLeod’s kill was part of a mini 3-0 Hawk run that tied things at 7-7. The Panthers went ahead 11-7 and eventually 15-8. The teams traded points much of the rest of the match.

Against Masuk, Twitchell finished with 13 kills, two aces, and 15 digs; Zatulskis had eight kills, two blocks, and 16 digs; McLeod logged eight kills and 19 digs; Sgagliardich had four blocks; Bacon had seven kills, four blocks, and five digs; Sullivan racked up 23 digs; Frunza had three blocks and nine digs to go along with 26 assists.

Newtown has a record of 12-5 heading into the final three matches of the regular season, and will look to avenge those setbacks to Masuk and Barlow if the teams meet again in the South-West Conference Tournament.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

Eli Sullivan digs the ball to keep it moving in Newtown’s match with visiting Masuk of Monroe on May 12. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Nate Twitchell hits the ball over the net for a point.

Dima Frunza (No. 8) competes for the Nighthawks.

Noel McLeod, goes one-on-one with Masuk’s Michael Majersky (No. 1).

Charlie Polinger opens his thrilling and uneasy directorial debut feature The Plague with an arresting sequence that quickly establishes the haunting undertones of this adolescent psychological thriller. The ambient, muffled sound of sloshing water is set against a shot of the bottom of a pool. One by one, swimmers drop into the massive indoor basin. Their spindly legs move awkwardly as they try to get in sync. It’s 2003, and these are the middle-school-aged attendees of the Tom Lerner Water Polo camp. From this angle, Polinger and his cinematographer Steven Breckon make these kids look like phantasmic figures. 

An eerie sense of unreality runs through The Plague, which premiered at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard sidebar. Working from a screenplay he also wrote, Polinger uses horror conventions to tease out the psychic terror and intimidation of pre-teen social codes. In the age of renewed questions about and considerations of the manosphere, The Plague is a prescient title. Polinger’s film is not as dark as Netflix’s popular miniseries Adolescence, but it does circle similarly unsettling themes — like the way the terms and tenets of masculinity are dictated by arbitrary rules, or the cost of nonconformity among young men.

Key performances carry The Plague and alleviate the occasional strain of overwrought direction. Relative newcomers Everett Blunck (stellar in Griffin in the Summer) and Kayo Martin portray opposite ends of youthful angst with an engaging sincerity and terrifying accuracy. Martin, with the subtlety of his judging expressions, seems especially made for his role as Jake, the resident cool kid who weaponizes his sharp attention to detail. The actor plays well against Blunck, who portrays Ben, a new camper trying to figure out where he fits among the various cliques. An anxiety-inducing sound design (by Damian Volpe) and score (by Johan Lenox), coupled with an appropriately icy visual palette built on grays and blue, help tell Polinger’s nail-biting story. 

When Ben (Blunck) arrives at the water polo camp, he quickly notices the hold that Jake (Martin) has on the other boys. The teen with the mess of blonde hair functions as a ring leader and, with his approval, Ben becomes part of the crew. The other boys call Ben, who just moved from Boston, “Soppy” on account of the fact that he garbles the “t” in the word “stop.” One thing Polinger makes clear early on is how closely Jake scrutinizes the other boys — noticing minor characteristics that differentiate them from one another — and uses those observations to mock them. This skill keeps Jake in power, making him an intimidating person to everyone, including the boys’ coach Daddy Wags (Joel Edgerton, in a brief but effective turn).

Ben watches the others too, and he quickly picks up that no one hangs out with Eli (Kenny Rasmussen, also excellent). The quiet child keeps mostly to himself, eating lunch in the locker room and occasionally sleeping there too. According to the other kids, Eli has the plague, a vague disease that allegedly begins with a rash and renders the infected unable to socially function. Jake warns Ben to stay away from Eli and to wash his body should he accidentally get too close. In a clever move, Polinger never establishes if the plague is real because even if it isn’t, the fear it sows is. 

The remainder of The Plague follows Ben as he tries to reconcile social acceptance with his own moral code. He understands that people shouldn’t be exiled for their differences and yet the idea of losing his place within the hierarchy keeps him up at night. Blunck deftly portrays Ben’s inner turmoil and the anxiety his journey produces.

Polinger deploys jump scares, intimate close-ups (especially of Jake and Ben staring at one another) and elements of body horror to recast these coming-of-age dilemmas as high-stakes, nightmarish challenges. When the director widens his scope, to survey the broader social behaviors on display, The Plague adopts a primal urgency and the film possesses the feverish energy of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies or Claire Denis’ Beau Travail. In one of those scenes Polinger observes the boys during lunch, excitedly speaking over each other and laughing. The camera ominously cuts (editing is by Henry Hayes) between views of the group and the faces of individual campers. For the most part, they are children having a good time, but if you look closely you can see a flash of panic beneath the cheerful visages.