MVB Summer Update - U.S. Wins Silver and Bronze

A furious rally by coach John Speraw's U.S. Men's National Team in the 2022 Volleyball Nations League championship match came up short on Sunday as the U.S. lost to reigning Olympic champion France, 3-2 (25-16, 25-19, 15-25, 21-25, 15-10) in Bologna, Italy. The U.S. left with the silver medal after posting a 12-3 record in the 2022 VNL. It is the team's third VNL medal; it won bronze in 2018 and silver in 2019.
 
After U.S. losses in the first two sets, UCLA's Garrett Muagututia started at outside hitter to begin set three against the French. The switch – a rotation that the U.S. hadn't practiced before – paid off immediately as Muagututia added five kills as the U.S. won the set, 15-25. The U.S. captured set four as well to head to a decisive fifth set. A six-point French run left the U.S. down 7-2 in set five before a Muagututia kill sparked a momentum change. The U.S. rallied to close to within 11-9 before France pulled away for the win. Muagututia finished with 11 kills.
 
The U.S. will return to Anaheim, California, for a month of training before the 2022 FIVB Men's World Championship begins. That competition is scheduled to take place Aug. 26-Sept. 11 in Poland.
 
2022 Volleyball Nation's League
July 24 – Championship – Bologna, Italy
     France d. U.S. 25-16, 25-19, 15-25, 21-25, 15-10
UCLA's Garrett Muagututia had 11 kills, 6 digs; Mitch Stahl had no stats
 
July 22 – Semifinals – Bologna, Italy
     U.S. d. Poland 25-22, 25-23, 25-13
Muagututia and Stahl had no stats
 
July 20 – Quarterfinals – Bologna, Italy
    U.S. d. Brazil 20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-17
Muagututia and Stahl had no stats
 
July 10 – Osaka, Japan
     U.S. d. Argentina 29-27, 22-25, 20-25, 25-13, 17-15
Stahl had 7 kills, 3 blocks, 1 ace; Muagututia had 10 kills
 
July 9 – Osaka, Japan
     U.S. d. Canada 25-19, 25-15, 25-19
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
July 8 – Osaka, Japan
     U.S. d. France 15-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-14, 15-8
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
July 7 – Osaka, Japan
     U.S. d. Germany 25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18
Stahl and Muagututia had not stats
 
June 26 – Sofia, Bulgaria
     Poland d. U.S. 21-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22
Stahl had 5 kills, 1 block, 2 aces; Muagututia had no stats
 
June 25 – Sofia, Bulgaria
     U.S. d. Bulgaria 25-12, 20-25, 26-24, 25-22
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
June 23 – Sofia, Bulgaria
     Iran d. U.S. 25-18, 29-27, 27-25
Stahl had 3 kills, 1 block; Muagututia had 3 kills
 
June 22 – Sofia, Bulgaria
     U.S. d. Serba 26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
June 11 -  Brasilia, Brazil
     U.S. d. Brazil 21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-20
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
June 10 – Brasilia, Brazil
     U.S. d. Japan 17-25, 25-15, 25-21, 26-28, 15-9
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
June 9 – Brasilia, Brazil
     U.S. d. Netherlands 25-12, 25-18, 25-16
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
June 8 – Brasilia, Brazil
     U.S. d. Slovenia 25-19, 25-19, 25-14
Stahl and Muagututia had no stats
 
2022 Pan American Cup
All matches in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
 
The U.S. Men's Team competing at the Pan American Cup Final Six finished off Puerto Rico for the bronze medal, 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-23) in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico. The U.S. Men's team which featured Bruins J.R. Norris IV, Merrick McHenry and Ethan Champlin, finished the tournament 4-3. It was the second straight bronze-medal finish in the event for the United State. In the gold medal match, Cuba beat Canada. Cole Ketrzynski was a member of the Canadian Team which won the silver but he did not record stats in the matches played against the U.S.

July 17 – Bronze Medal Match
     U.S. d. Puerto Rico 27-25, 25-22, 25-23
Merrick McHenry had 6 kills

July 16 – Semifinals
     Canada d. U.S. 25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 18-25, 15-9
Merrick McHenry had 6 kills, 2 blocks

July 15 Pool Play
     U.S. d. Dominican Republic 25-13, 25-16, 25-20
Merrick McHenry had 3 kills, 1 block; J.R. Norris IV had an ace
 
July 14 Pool Play
     U.S. d. Mexico 25-18, 25-23, 25-19
Merrick McHenry had 6 kills
 
July 13 Pool Play
     U.S. d. Puerto Rico 25-23, 25-16, 27-25
Merrick McHenry had 8 kills, 1 block, 1 ace
 
July 12 Pool Play
     Cuba d. U.S. 25-20, 28-26, 20-25, 23-25, 15-11
J.R. Norris IV had 2 kills, 1 block
 
July 11 Pool Play
     Canada d. U.S. 25-17, 25-21, 25-21
Ethan Champlin had 3 kills; Merrick McHenry 1 block