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U.S. Tops Cuba in Week One Finale at 2025 VNL

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team finished the first week of 2025 Volleyball Nations League with a 2-2 record after defeating longtime rival Cuba, 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-23) on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. (2-2) will host the second week of VNL in Chicago with […]

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 15, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team finished the first week of 2025 Volleyball Nations League with a 2-2 record after defeating longtime rival Cuba, 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-23) on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The U.S. (2-2) will host the second week of VNL in Chicago with its first match against China (2-2) on June 25 at 5:30 p.m. PDT.

Outside hitter Cooper Robinson led the U.S. with 18 points on 12 kills, four blocks and two aces, while leading all players with 11 successful receptions. Veteran middle blocker Jeff Jendryk scored 13 points on 10 kills, two blocks and an ace. He hit .714 for the match with 10 kills and no errors on 14 attacks.

“Cuba is a great team. They are going to bomb serve, and they are going to hit hard. We just had to ride the storm and stay patient with our game and wear them down over time. I’m really proud of our guys today. They are so much fun, and they bring a ton of energy. It’s just fun playing with these guys. It makes me feel young again,” said the 27-year-old Jendryk. “I have to give a shoutout to Cooper for just grinding all these games. It’s not easy and he definitely held his own. I’m super proud of him but proud of all the guys who came in. We all came in and made a difference. That’s what we need to do.”

The match was even in multiple statistical categories with Cuba ending with very slight advantages in kills (48-47) and blocks (13-11), while the U.S. served 11 aces to Cuba’s four. The U.S. scored 28 points on opposing errors, while giving away five fewer points.

“This group hasn’t been together a lot but boy, did they scrap and fight tonight. We came back strong (in the fourth set) and made some changes. It was a total team effort,” head coach Karch Kiraly commented.

Outside hitter Ethan Champlin reached double digits with 11 points on nine kills, a block and an ace. His serving keyed the U.S. second-set victory. Opposite Kyle Hobus recorded seven kills and fellow opposite Gabi Garcia scored six points on four kills, a block and an ace. Middle blocker Matthew Knigge scored six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace after he was called into service early in the match when Patrick Gasman went down with an injury.

“We are sending out thoughts to Pat on whatever it is he injured. We are hoping it is minor and that he recovers quickly. Props to Matt Knigge as the plan was not for him to play except in an emergency and the emergency happened,” Kiraly said.

Libero Mason Briggs registered five digs and four successful receptions. Champlin added five digs and three successful receptions. Setter Andrew Rowan led the offense.

Cuba led for most of the first set and still led 20-17 when the U.S. finished the set on an 8-2 run. Knigge put a ball straight down to give the U.S. a 22-21 lead. Hobus recorded back-to-back kills, the second off the Cuba block, for a 24-21 lead. After giving up one point, the U.S. sealed the set on a Champlin block. Hobus led all players with six kills.

Champlin served for six consecutive points in the second set to turn a 7-6 deficit to a 12-7 lead, culminating with an ace. A tough Champlin serve caused an overpass, leading to a Robinson kill, and Champlin scored on a back row attack on the following point during the six-point run.

An 8-4 Cuba run, ending with a block, cut the U.S. lead to two points, 18-16, but the U.S. ended the set on a 7-2 run to take a two-set lead. Robinson led the U.S. Men with five points on three kills and two blocks. Garcia served the final two points of the set, including an ace on set point.

Cuba jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third set. A Robinson block brought the U.S. within two points, 8-6, before Cuba went on a 6-1 run that forced the U.S. to use both of its timeouts. Robinson scored five points for the second consecutive set with four kills and one block.

A Robinson kill on a back row attack gave the U.S. a 9-4 lead early in the fourth set, but Cuba went on a 11-5 run to take its first lead of the set and force the second U.S. timeout. A Garcia kill followed by two Cuba errors put the U.S. back ahead by two points, 17-15, and force Cuba to take its final timeout.

Jendryk recorded a kill for a 22-19 lead. Champlin kept a play going with a back pass recycle that led to a Robinson kill on a back row attack to stretch the lead back to four points, 23-19. Robinson scored on another back row attack to set up match point, 24-21. Cuba fought off two match points, the second on an ace, but a service error ended the match.

Robinson and Garcia each totaled five points in the fourth set on four kills and a block, while Jendryk and Champlin posted three kills apiece.

U.S. Men’s Week One Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
3 Mason Briggs (L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
4 Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago, Great Lakes)
6 Quinn Isaacson (S, 6-2, Plainfield, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
9 Gabi Garcia (OPP, 6-7, San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYU)
10 Kyle Dagostino (L, 5-9, Tampa, Florida, Stanford Univ., Florida)
15 Kyle Hobus (OPP, 6-7, San Pedro, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
17 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
18 Cooper Robinson (OH, 6-7, Pacific Palisades, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
19 Patrick Gasman (MB, 6-10, Clovis, Calif., Univ. of Hawaii, Northern California)
23 Nolan Flexen (OH, 6-9, Rio Rancho, N.M., UC Irvine, Southern)
24 Merrick McHenry (MB, 6-7, Bedford, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
25 Ethan Champlin (OH, 6-3, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
28 Matthew Knigge (MB, 6-7, New Egypt, N.J., Vassar, Garden Empire)
29 Jordan Ewert (OH, 6-5, Antioch, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Head Coach:  Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Luka Slabe
Assistant Coach: Javier Weber
Performance Analyst: Nate Ngo
Physiotherapist: Aaron Brock
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach: Tim Pelot
Senior Sports Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker
Team Manager: David Dantes
Consultant Coach: Chris McGown
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Team Doctors:  Eugene Yim, Mark Hutchinson, Michael Shepard, Warren Young

U.S. Men’s Week One Schedule for the 2025 Volleyball Nations League
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VBTV, CBS Sports Network and Big Ten NetworkWeek 1: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 11: Ukraine def. USA, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23)
June 12 USA def. Iran, 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 17-15)
June 14 Slovenia def. USA, 3-1 (25-22, 27-25, 20-25, 25-23)
June 15 USA def. Cuba, 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-23)



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