U.S. Men's National Team Finishes 2025 VNL Week Two with Loss to Italy

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 29, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team finished the second week of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-18) loss to Italy at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The U.S. squad split four matches during the week, just as it did in the first week of VNL. Italy advanced to 6-2.

The U.S. (4-4) will face Türkiye (2-6) to open the final preliminary week of VNL play in Chiba, Japan on July 16.

The U.S. recorded more kills (40-38) but could not overcome Italy advantages in blocks (6-2) and aces (8-1). The U.S. committed five more errors in the match.

“At some point in the future, the guys will figure some things out and do it better. The frustrating part is we want it now. Italy is a really good team and they picked us apart in serve and receive. We have a lot of work to do, and we are glad we have an extra week in this new two-week break format between weeks two and three,” commented U.S. head coach Karch Kiraly. “We’re not hitting our serves hard enough, not hitting consistently to the spots we need to hit, and we are not handling the heaters that are coming across the net.”

Outside hitter Cooper Robinson paced the U.S. with 11 kills, and opposite Gabi Garcia also reached double digits with 10 points

“The team is growing. The young kids are not so young anymore. We know we have a lot of work to do. We are still learning about each other’s weaknesses and strengths. We will keep working hard in the gym and the weight room,” Garcia said.

Libero Erik Shoji, making his first start since the China match to start the week, registered four digs and four successful receptions, though the Italy servers were trying to avoid him. Ethan Champlin came into the match to provide stronger serve receive and led the team with five successful receptions.

Middle blocker Merrick McHenry matched Shoji with four digs and scored five points on four kills and a block. Middle blocker Jeff Jendryk scored seven points on six kills and a block, and outside hitter Jacob Pasteur added five kills.

Italy ran out to an 8-2 lead in the first set, causing the U.S. to take a quick timeout. The U.S. rallied out of the timeout with three consecutive points and eventually evened the set at 16 when Robinson scored on a tip down the line. After Italy assumed a two-point lead,19-17, a Robinson back row attack on a give-and-go cut the lead to back to one but the U.S. could get no closer. Robinson led all players with six kills with Garcia next with five.

A great dig by Shoji leading to a Pasteur kill gave the U.S. a 9-6 lead in the second set. Italy called timeout and roared back with a 9-2 run, culminating with an ace, to take a 15-11 lead. A Garcia ace brought the U.S. back within two points, 18-16, but Italy scored the next two points after calling timeout. The U.S. pulled within two points two more times in the set before Italy prevailed. Pasteur and Champlin led the U.S. with three kills apiece.

Italy led from start to finish in the third set despite a valiant comeback effort by the U.S. An ace gave Italy a 14-9 lead. After a timeout, the U.S. fought back with four consecutive points with a Robinson tip and McHenry block cutting the lead to one point.

The U.S. cut the lead to one point three more times in the set, twice on kills by McHenry and another on a Robinson kill off the block. Italy finished the match on an 8-2 run. McHenry scored four points on three kills and a block, and Robinson recorded four more kills.

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

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
4 Jeff Jendryk (MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago, Great Lakes)
5 Kyle Ensing (Opp, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State Univ., Southern California)
6 Quinn Isaacson (S, 6-2, Plainfield, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
7 Jacob Pasteur (OH, 6-4, Westminster, Md., Ohio State Univ., Chesapeake)
9 Gabi Garcia (OPP, 6-7, San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYU)
10 Kyle Dagostino (L, 5-9, Tampa, Florida, Stanford Univ., Florida)
12 Shane Holdaway (MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
14 Micah Ma’a (S, 6-3, Kaneohe, Hawaii, UCLA, Aloha)
15 Kyle Hobus (OPP, 6-7, San Pedro, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
18 Cooper Robinson (OH, 6-7, Pacific Palisades, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
22C Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ., Aloha)
24 Merrick McHenry (MB, 6-7, Bedford, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
25 Ethan Champlin (OH, 6-3, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
26 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

2025 Volleyball Nations League Week 2 Results

June 25 USA def. China, 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-11)
June 26 USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 30-28)
June 28 Poland def. USA, 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-22)
June 29 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-18)

Week 1 Results
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)