The U.S. Men's National Team wrapped up their 2025 VNL campaign with a 3-0 loss to Japan. And just like that, the ride was over.
Japan Takes Control
In front of a roaring crowd in Chiba, Japan showed why they’re no joke. They took down the U.S. with set scores of 25-21, 25-19, 25-23. Jordan Ewert did his part, leading the U.S. with 13 kills, but it wasn't enough.
Japan? Straight up dominant with a 44-28 kill advantage. They had no answer for Japan’s precision.
Learning Curve
Karch Kiraly, the U.S. coach, had a plan. Mix it up. “We learned a lot,” Kiraly said. “These are golden opportunities to play against the elite. We won’t play merry-go-round like that in World Championships.”
