LEGENDARY MATCH | USA vs TURKIYE | Women's VNL 2023
Dec 13, 2025
LEGENDARY MATCH | USA vs TURKIYE | Women's VNL 2023. The U.S. Women’s National Team finished its first round of Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at 4-0 after beating host Türkiye 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 11-25, 15-9) on Sunday in Antalya.
U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Jeff Flake and his wife Cheryl were on hand to watch the victory, which was the U.S. Women’s third five-set win of the first four matches. An estimated crowd of 10,500 filled Antalya Arena.
“Honestly, this was really special to play in,” U.S. opposite Annie Drews said. “To see the way Turkish fans value volleyball is really, really incredible. This is a match I don’t think I’ll forget for a very long time.”
The U.S. Women get the week off while the U.S. Men play their first four VNL matches on June 7-11 in Ottawa, Canada. The U.S. Women will be back on the court on June 13 when they play Croatia in Brasilia, Brazil.
The U.S. Women edged Türkiye in kills (62-61). Türkiye led in blocks (13-3) and aces (8-3). The U.S. scored 30 points on Türkiye errors while losing 21 points.
“Honestly, after the fourth set, we were in the mud,” Drews said. “We could not be further in a hole. But we (said), ‘We’re going to be there. We’re going to climb our way out of it. So just (take it) one at a time.”
Drews led the U.S. scoring with 19 points on 17 kills and two aces. Outside hitter Avery Skinner added 16 points on 16 kills. Khalia Lanier scored 12 points on 11 kills and one ace.
Over to Lanier. USA does a great job establishing the middle immediately.
Outside. Lanier tests the block.
Shut down USA block.
Third serve for Drews.
Perfect pass, nailing it to Libro.
And to the backcourt it goes.
Make them do double duty if they can.
Outside to Skinner. Pound at town.
Bounces the ball.
Melissa Vargas is not in. We haven't received any information as to why.
Hancock, lefty.
She is a very deceptive setter.
Avery Skinner behind the service line.
And again it's Lanier matched up up front.
Breon Butler.
And that's the test right away exactly as you laid it out.
Serve from Ebrard. Great.
Lanier takes a full swing.
It's going to go outside away.
Dig.
Balladins dig. We go Balladin or Vargas.
Vargas it is.
Changes pace. Everybody ready of course for the bomb.
Khalil Lanier tries a big swing.
And it's shut down.
Balladins serve is good.
Big.
Have on a gizm.
Pass is on the money.
Back to Vargas.
Melissa Vargas explodes the arena.
Hancock serving.
Karakurt hitting on the left side now.
Outside.
Skinner.
Her first swing I think of the day.
Tries it a second time.
You want to test shot block?
Well, question answered.
It's perfect.
There you can see the black wolf tattoo on the side of Karakurt's neck.
To Lanier again going right back.
And now you're going to have to go high.
She makes an adjustment.
Back again.
It's just more fuel for the fire.
Turkey.
They love her on that D ball.
Watch for it again.
Just a little better located.
There it is.
Set point.
Team USA.
Hancock setting.
Pick up.
Lanier is going to set Skinner outside.
Great dig.
Carved and wide.
First set to the United States.
We've gotten so used to seeing Vargas in for them.
Perhaps it's a health issue.
Of course, they don't disclose that.
But it changes the makeup and the complexion of their team immensely.
And Skinner takes advantage of it.
Big rip by Avery Skinner.
It was a perfect pass situation.
Pass.
Perfect from Gizem.
Block is solid.
Don't celebrate yet.
Breon Butler.
It's Karakurt coming back.
Driving a truck right through the hole in the block.
She's entered here.
Once she leaves, she will not be able to reenter.
Longorantes helming on.
Sits right in it.
Outside.
You're brought in to block.
And again.
Longorantes reminding everybody, I'll be setting this.
Pounding Gizem Orge.
Unbelievable underneath it.
Coutinho.
Off.
Vargas out of the offense there.
Dana Reckie calling everybody off.
Reminder that Hancock's not there.
Dana Reckie running a 5-1.
USA still playing without their setter.
And we're going to have the bigger blocker.
Love the way that everybody stepped up there.
You've got Vargas up front still.
Reckie.
Patient, waits, and pops it.
In this match, in that rotation in particular,
it really made a difference.
Gizem Orge's pass is pretty tight.
Dana Reckie mad at herself.
Valadin hitting outside for Turquia.
Pass by Aydin.
Valadin.
Longorantes consecutive digs.
Skinner.
Crushing blow by Avery Skinner for the USA point.
Front court setter for Turquia.
Micah Hancock serving for the United States.
Pass great from Valadin.
Karakurt.
Tips.
Lanier from the backcourt.
Picked up by Longorantes.
Gizem again.
Superior Libro.
Longorantes again.
Superior Libro there too.
Skinner off the block and out.
The United States starting to win.
Avery Skinner again using the block.
Karakurt unhappy with herself on that.
Burhan Butler has something to say on her own.
Lanier off the block.
Back to Drews.
Karakurt is behind, but so does their middle.
The only five-time first team of America in the United States
is Dana Reckie.
New serve.
Valadin pass.
And Gilkin Aydin makes it work down the line.
Turquia hitting on the outside or sharp inside that block.
They've got great hand control mixing it up.
Reckie.
Coffin corner and Team USA wins set number two.
United States up to nothing.
Overlapping with Longorantes.
She delays just a little bit.
Asia O'Neill puts it down.
Get to see more of her in the set.
She's just such a massive difference maker.
Lanier again.
Not going to happen.
Look at the celebration.
Cooper on top of it.
The setter's front court.
So go that way.
Let's see if the U.S. does it.
And they don't.
There's the setter.
And there's Vargas.
Lighting the crowd on fire is Melissa Vargas.
Gilkin Aydin.
Pound down the other way.
And fall.
Asia O'Neill is winning a national championship in the collegiate level.
Annie Drews.
Pass.
And well done by Avery Skinner.
Hard court serving.
Lanier.
A little bit of a trouble pass.
Annie Drews going to make it work.
The block waiting for her.
But if you're just setting her right out of the pin, they're waiting for her.
How can the U.S. move things around a little bit more?
Like that.
Inside.
That's the one you want to take a rip on, in my opinion.
There's no stopping Turkey right now.
You've got to fight for every point in these games.
Outside.
Great up.
Fantastic.
The block of the United States shutting it down.
It goes to Vargas.
Wong-Orantes will go to Drews.
Another big dig from Orge.
Outside.
Oh, no.
Wong-Orantes can't.
She can't.
Justine Wong-Orantes.
Vargas.
What a shot by Vargas.
For the United States, Drews, Rickey, and Lanier, their biggest front line.
Back to Vargas.
And Vargas still.
The 0-1-2 punch.
Lanier, again, finding the corner.
Wong-Orantes to Hancock to Retke.
Smooth sailing for the USA.
Pass is good.
Back to Vargas.
Pound town by Melissa Vargas.
Back to Drews.
Chicken winged up.
Lanier, big swing.
Carker from the backcourt.
Wong-Orantes, a one-armed stab.
No changes in the lineup for the United States.
Well, they've just got Asia O'Neill up front in the middle.
And immediately, Turkey.
Wong-Orantes on the money.
Just hanging in the air, Ackman.
Karakurtz.
Vargas.
On the money yet again.
Wong-Orantes, too much.
There was nothing Al Hancock could do, and Karakurtz knew it.
Back to Drews.
Out to Lanier on a tight ball.
Bounced off her head.
Uh-oh.
That's what Karakurtz serve does to you.
Karakurtz continuing her service run.
Dug out of the net.
Into traffic.
Outside.
As hard as she wants every time.
Full speed.
R.J.P. takes a big rip, as she should.
You go into set five with some momentum.
Golatch now serving.
Wong-Orantes.
Major pass.
Coutinho takes her first swing.
Outside.
Iden's picked up.
Skinner.
What a set.
13, whatever.
Asia O'Neill serve.
Puts it on Iden.
Back to Vargas.
First serve of the fifth set.
Yes, they're going to start with Karakurtz serving.
And a block.
Big time.
Golatch and Iden shut it down.
Massive run of serves in the fourth set.
Lanier passes perfectly.
Got some rest after that.
Delivered back to Drews.
Hammered.
Asia O'Neill goes right at Karakurtz.
Back to Vargas.
Between Skinner and Hancock.
Red in the needle.
Vargas just put it up there and let her put it down.
Over dig kill.
Justine Wong-Orantes.
Outside again for Skinner.
Block is huge.
Off the net.
That's the way for Skinner.
Going high hands.
Vargas picks it up.
It's good.
Rickey's behind.
The U.S. converts.
Rickey's had some trouble from the service line.
This one in.
Karakurtz.
Straight at it.
Lanier.
Important pass as Hancock calls her own number.
Backcourt setter both sides.
Both Karakurtz and Vargas up front for Turkey.
Trouble pass.
Get it over tight to Annie Drews.
Nice recycle.
Back to Drews, your most veteran hitter.
And Drews off high hands.
That was a big one.
Trying to side out and get Karakurtz off of that service line.
Lanier passes the first ball.
She'll get a chance to hit through.
Big swing.
Does it.
And it is match point.
The United States has Nunneviller back there.
Who is a Libro or had been in many years in her other career.
Tough serve by O'Neal.
And a hit of the antenna.
Ilkin Aydin does it.
And the United States wins.
Withstands the pressure from it.
Turkey, USA week one, 4-0.
Turkey putting everybody on notice with their incredible play this week.