The U.S. Men’s National Team just sent a message. Cuba? Handled.
Robinson Runs the Show
Cooper Robinson was electric. He put up 18 points, 12 kills, and topped it off with four blocks and two aces. Add in his 11 successful receptions, and you've got a performance that lit up the stat sheet.
Jeff Jendryk wasn’t far behind, scoring 13 with an absurd .714 hitting percentage. No errors on 14 attacks? That's just nasty.
Jendryk, ever the pro, summed it up perfectly: “We just had to ride the storm and stay patient with our game.” And ride it they did.
Flipping the Script
The first set? A nail-biter. Cuba led 20-17, but the U.S. flipped the script with an 8-2 run. Matthew Knigge's slam dunk of a spike at 22-21 was the turning point. Kyle Hobus added back-to-back kills to seal it.
The second set was all about momentum. Cuba started strong, but Ethan Champlin served six straight points, flipping a 7-6 deficit into a 12-7 lead. Champlin's ace was the cherry on top, and the U.S. never looked back.
Cuba Fires Back
Cuba wasn't going quietly. They powered through the third set, racing to a 5-1 lead. Even though Robinson and crew got within two at 8-6, Cuba's 6-1 run had the U.S. scrambling. Timeouts, adjustments, and some grit kept them in the game.
Closing Time
The fourth set saw the U.S. storm back. Robinson's back-row kill sparked a 9-4 lead, but Cuba answered with an 11-5 run. And then everything changed. The U.S. locked it down and finished 25-23.
Coach Karch Kiraly nailed it: “Total team effort.” With China on the horizon, the U.S. is ready to keep rolling.
Prediction? The U.S. is just heating up. Chicago better be ready.
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Source: USA Volleyball
