July 23, 2025. – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team was eliminated from the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Wednesday after falling to defending champions Italy 0-3 (22-25, 21-25, 26-28) in the quarterfinals at Atlas Arena in Łódź, Poland.
In a rematch of the Paris 2024 Olympic final, the Americans fought hard, especially in the third set, but couldn’t force a fourth against an Italian side that showed superior offensive efficiency. With the loss, Team USA is out of the semifinals and ends its campaign in this year’s tournament.
Avery Skinner, one of three Olympic medalists on the squad, led the U.S. scorers with 11 points, all from attacks. Sarah Franklin followed with 8 points (7 kills and 1 block) in a young team that showed plenty of fight but couldn’t match the European powerhouse in strength and experience.
“I think we know each other well, and that makes it fun because it forces us to be creative,” said Skinner, who played her last club season in Italy. “I’m proud of the team for not giving up until the very end. We’re a young group, and we’ve been building week by week. The summer continues, we’ve got the World Championship ahead and we’re going to keep working.”
Throughout the match, the U.S. trailed Italy in kills (36 to 50), aces (4 to 5), and committed fewer unforced errors (17 to Italy’s 23), but it wasn’t enough to stop the undefeated Italian side.
Despite the elimination, the U.S. team showed clear growth throughout the tournament, going head-to-head with global powerhouses and laying important groundwork for the upcoming World Championship and the next Olympic cycle. The team’s youth and long-term potential are promising signs for the next phase of its development.
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