COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 22, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team opened the 2025 FIVB World Championship with a 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Slovenia on Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

The U.S. (1-0) will have a day off before facing Argentina (1-0) on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 5:30 a.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with three more kills (53-50) while Slovenia, playing in its first World Championship, held the advantage in blocks (10-5) and aces (7-4). The U.S. benefitted from 30 Slovenia errors while making 13 fewer errors.

“(There were) a bunch of nice things about that,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “Obviously, to get the win in our first match, that’s the most important thing for us. I thought we were real gritty; we hung in there, we fought against a real good Slovenia team. I thought they [Slovenia] played really well tonight, but I also think we allowed them to do some things that we need to correct. We need to come out with a little more aggressiveness in how we’re playing and make sure we establish that early. It took us a little while to get there. We got a lot of help from a lot of players on our roster, which is awesome.”

The Skinner sisters combined for 28 points with Avery leading the team with 15 points on 14 kills and an ace, and Madisen totaling 13 points on 10 kills, a block and two aces. Avery added seven digs and five successful receptions.

Veteran setter Jordyn Poulter ran the offense, adding two kills and six digs. Outside hitter Sarah Franklin reached double digits with 10 points on nine kills and a block and led the team with seven successful receptions. Middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, making her 2025 international debut, had eight points on seven kills and a block, and fellow middle Dana Rettke scored seven points on five kills and a pair of blocks. Libero Morgan Hentz, who split sets with Lexi Rodriguez, provided a team-high eight digs with four successful receptions.

Sullivan talked about the addition of Ogbogu to the team for this tournament.

“Obviously, she brings a ton of experience. She’s been doing this a long time at a super high level,” he said. “Having that on the court changes our team’s personality a little bit.”

Trailing 9-7 in the opening set, Slovenia went on a five-point run with back-to-back blocks and an ace for a 12-9 lead. The teams traded the next six points before the U.S. scored three points in a row to even the set at 15. Two Ogbogu kills put the U.S. ahead 20-19. With the U.S. leading 21-20, Poulter made a great dig and connected with Madi Skinner on a jump set for a two-point lead.

Slovenia scored the next two points to tie the set 22-22. Franklin scored off hands on a give-and-go to put the U.S. back up and after Slovenia tied the set, Franklin scored again for a 24-23 lead. Samedy ended the set on a kill on her first touch of the match. Franklin delivered five kills in the set with Ogbogu and Madi Skinner each contributing three kills. The U.S. benefitted from nine Slovenia errors while making only four.

A successful last touch challenge and an ace gave Slovenia a 4-1 lead to begin the second set. A Franklin block ended a three-point U.S. run to tie the set, but Slovenia responded with a 5-1 run for a 9-5 lead that led the U.S. to take its first timeout. An ace gave Slovenia its biggest lead at six points, 14-8.

Consecutive kills by Avery Skinner and Madi Skinner helped the U.S. come within three points, 15-12. An Ogbogu kill and Avery Skinner ace cut the margin to two points, 16-14, before Slovenia regained its five-point advantage on its way to squaring the match at one set apiece. Avery Skinner scored four points on three kills and an ace with Madi Skinner adding three kills.

A Frantti kill put the U.S. ahead 9-7 in the third set but Slovenia quickly tied the set. The U.S. regained a two-point lead, 12-10, on an Ogbogu block. An overpass on a Poulter serve led to an Ogbogu kill to give the U.S. its first three-point advantage of the set, 14-11. After a timeout, Franklin recorded a great dig to lead to a Madi Skinner kill and a four-point U.S. lead.

A great dig by Hentz led to another Madi Skinner kill and a hitting error put the U.S. ahead 18-14. Slovenia scored the next two points before the Skinners scored back-to-back points on an Avery kill and a Madi ace for a 20-16 advantage. Slovenia responded with two points out of a timeout to cut the margin back to two points.

Avery Skinner scored her 10th point of the match to give the U.S. a 22-19 lead but Slovenia pulled within a point on a kill off an overpass. Avery Skinner scored off hands for a 23-21 U.S. advantage and a hitting error gave the U.S. three set points. After yielding one point, the U.S. ended the set on an Ogbogu kill. Madi Skinner scored five points on three kills, a block and an ace, while Avery Skinner scored four points on kills.

“Mo provided a spark for sure,” said Sullivan, after Hentz entered the match in the third set. “We know what Mo can do; we see it every day in practice. She can fly around and make plays. I feel like we needed a little bit of that against Slovenia. Putting her on that court changed our personality a bit in a real positive way.”

A Franklin kill on a back row attack put the U.S. up 6-2 in the fourth set, prompting a quick Slovenia timeout. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson scored her first World Championship point for an 8-4 lead and two Slovenia errors pushed the margin to six points. Jimerson’s first set of the match was an ace to make it 12-5.

A Rettke kill on a slide, a Madi Skinner ace and a Franklin kill extended the lead to 11 points at 17-6. The lead grew to 14 points at 24-10 on kills by Avery Skinner and Jimerson. Slovenia scored four points in a row before Avery Skinner ended the match. Franklin (four kills) and Jimerson (three kills and an ace) each scored four points.

U.S. Women’s VNL Finals Roster

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)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
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)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 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)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
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
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Physical Trainer: Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Technical Coordinator: Blake Omaritan
Team Leader: Shannon Slatter

U.S. Schedule

Pool Play-All times Pacific
Aug. 22: USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14)
Aug. 24: USA vs. Argentina, 5:30 a.m.
Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 5:30 a.m.