3 Video Views·Jun 13, 2025
Ukraine is in its first year in VNL and thus picked up its first-ever win against the young U.S. team. First-year head coach Karch Kiraly started 2024 Olympian Jeff Jendryk at middle blocker, Andrew Rowan at setter, Cooper Robinson and Jordan Ewert at outside hitter, Gabi Garcia at opposite, Merrick McHenry in the middle, and Kyle Dagostino at libero. Rowan, Robinson and McHenry were all making their VNL debuts.
From the beginning of the match, Ukraine used a strong serve to keep the U.S. off balance. That, along with several U.S. errors in set one, gave Ukraine the advantage it needed to win 25-22. Robinson led the U.S. in the set with six points on five kills and a block.
The U.S. kept with Ukraine in set two, down just one at 15-14, but Ukraine went on a 10-5 run to win 25-20. Kiraly spoke about his team’s performance in an interview with VBTV after set two.
“We’re just making not smart plays,” he said. “You got a little setter and a big middle, and we hit at the big middle instead of the little setter; pretty simple geometry there. [We have to] clean up our reception game a little, too, and keep the ball on our side of the net more. We’ve got some good hitters to set, but if we’re getting aced or passing over, that doesn’t help us at all. I can’t say I like a lot right now. but this is a part of the process. Everybody’s got to have their first VNL match, and it’s not always going to be pretty. That’s the beauty of the process. There’s lots of ugly and lots of struggle.”
The team responded in set three with better overall play, and jumped out to an early 10-5 lead. Ukraine began to crawl back, scoring four straight to make it 10-9. No one could grab the edge the rest of the match, until Ukraine broke the 23-23 deadlock for a 25-23 win.
Garcia and Robinson both finished the match with 13 points. Garcia had 10 kills, two blocks and an ace, and Robinson had 12 kills and a block. Ewert had seven kills; and McHenry had six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace. Champlin scored four points (one kill, two blocks, one ace), and Rowan had a block.
Garcia serving. Played his collegiate ball at BYU and was known for that serve.
Joust is handled. Right in the lap. Good news, lined up alright. Bad news, didn't come up.
Here's the lone Olympian on the floor for USA, Jeff Jendrick. Won a bronze medal in Paris.
Gabby Garcia there and is put up by Rowan. Free ball. Do you run the middle?
That's another good option though.
Using Gabby Garcia on the right side. Trying to find some space but it's a huge block.
Pass by D'Agostino allows all options. Jeff Jendrick picked up.
The cover is good for Ukraine. Back down. That was intentional so he could do a big bomb.
He does but the block is even better. Jendrick and Garcia combined.
That time and extra effort will pay off.
To the middle. It's up. Good swing. Needed.
Boyko sends it deep. Read all the way by Ewart. To the outside. Cooper Robinson finds the corner.
Olympic gold medal in beach.
Trailblazer in so many ways.
Outside. Wow. What an unload by Kovalov.
They are keeping the ball on Robinson and he is handling the heat.
The block he is the biggest problem right now for the United States.
23 years old. Two time national champion.
To the middle. Ball's good. Serving 23.
Puts it behind. Takes a lot of speed off. It's very tight. Jams it down.
Rowan brings it back. It's a nice one.
Rowan again.
Tip is good. Moving around the offense.
They need to do the same thing to the Ukraine side and it starts with that serve.
To the middle and that is beautiful power. Semyuk puts Ukraine at set point.
Pass is solid. Outside. Robinson rips.
I like that bold swing. Set point number three Ukraine.
Ball's good. Nice pick up by Ewert.
Robinson. Back. Picked up.
Reach back not knowing whether a defender would be there.
Longest rally we've had.
What a dig by Garcia. Can he put it away?
McHenry. Defense.
Not sealed and Ukraine takes the first set over the United States.
By the USA but eventually a couple too many tips in a row back and forth.
This is a bold swing on the right side.
The blockers are in a good position so testing the block again is Ukraine.
They're coming out on top because as you mentioned just that slight inch of space between the arms and the net.
One more year of college play at the University of California Los Angeles.
Known for his serve. Turned back around. Ewert. Great job.
Push outside. Sharp and sharper. That's Kovalon for his serve during his collegiate years at Brigham Young University.
And with good reason.
D'Agostino. Gets a piece of it.
Second one. Even more power coming cross court.
On Ukraine's side it looks like rinse and repeat.
There are so many attackers coming at these USA blockers.
Pass is solid.
Coming right up the middle. They have done that for years.
Robinson. Back court attack.
I love that speed.
Barely over the middle blocker so it's almost like a one and a half.
Squared at five. Ewert serving.
Pushing cross court trying to keep it away from Boyko.
And oh my the middle. Semenuk unloads.
Semenuk was the best spiker actually of the champs.
Seven serving eight. A little bit of tape.
Ball knocked down. Garcia was able to get that up.
Picked up again.
It'll be back.
A little footy.
Fans want to know if that actually touched.
Cespedes says yeah we're going to allow it to play.
Never even jumped Semenuk. Spikes standing. I don't understand that way.
He was frustrated. There were a few points there where you could see the players from Ukraine saying we didn't touch it or the ball was down.
And yet they're still playing.
McHenry just finished his first season in France.
D'Agostino.
Gets a piece of it. Unable to control and Kovalov waiting for it.
Ukraine are doing well as well.
From the back court.
Nobody. That was just beautiful up the middle for Ukraine.
I'm looking at the way Ukraine are playing and they're going to surprise a few people I have a feeling.
Nobody really knows that would be the best thing for them.
Or it's great data gathering. We'll try it that way.
Jammed down. Rowan picks it up. No problem. Beautiful set by D'Agostino.
Heavy Ukrainian roof.
They seem to be in the right place at the right time.
Every single time the USA goes to take a swing.
Janczuk serving for set point. Ukraine to go up two sets to zero.
Pass is great.
And up the middle. Even better.
Let me say how special that coach is after this.
Well I think it's special also that USA again had the guts to get out.
We'll take you through any lineup changes for the USA.
Right now that's Cooper Robinson. He's played the first two sets.
Takes an audacious swing. United States.
Karchkarai going for chemistry.
Four players on the USA side have won two national championships together at UCLA.
Henry, Rowan, Champlin and Cooper Robinson.
So no problem it seems with these guys.
Yeah they should know each other well.
Cooper Robinson's serve hits tape. Slows it a little.
By Ethan Champlin.
Ethan Champlin undersized but my goodness Cham has hops.
And for people that are saying hey where is TJ DeFalco?
Right now Karchkarai is trying out some younger talent this week.
He did the same thing last year with the Volleyball Nations League.
In fact he's got a lot of people to sift through for this Olympic qualifier.
100%. One of them Gabi Garcia.
Do you choose a guy like this who had a trail the match 0-2.
Champlin that's his third serve.
Looking for hands. Did they get it?
Week one for the men.
Poke by Amerik.
What a dig.
Gabi Garcia great dig and there it is again.
Too much power from Ukraine.
They've got so many options.
You can also use Cooper Robinson up the middle.
If you want to say he is in the backcourt.
But first you've got to survive that.
I mean I'm trying to watch it as a middle blocker.
Former middle blocker myself.
Obviously the women's game is not quite as high and hard hitting as these guys are.
But he's just look at the distance that he is over the entire.
Stanford University.
Ball's up.
Going right in that direction.
Just too much heat.
Good serve it's tight.
Good patience.
But oh my.
Yurly Semenyuk.
Puts them at match point.
And how about that set to go with it.
Match point Ukraine.
Big swing is out and Ukraine takes down number three world ranked USA.
Game over.
