Korea 🇰🇷 vs. USA 🇺🇸 - Highlights | Week 1 | Women's VNL 2025

Kim Dahin serving for Korea. We get underway. Short serve, hence first touch. They go right to Ejidi. Outside, staying away from the block. That's going to be key for Korea. And there is a net violation. Point USA. Sarah Franklin serving the 2022 NCAA, United States Volleyball Player of the Year. That's collegiate volleyball in the United States. Highly decorated player in Madison Skinner. Sage Kahan, a Taurus, back. Letnicki pounds it down the line. I'm thinking that ball's going to McCade. She's open, she's wide. The blockers are thinking the same thing. Or excuse me, there was a touch. Point USA. It's Taj. Outside, Franklin. This is the aggression thing. Part of it is the world ranking and such, but as I said, this is a different composition of USA players. Outside, quickly, shut down. Logan Letnicki and Amber Ejidi. That they're trying to make to the rest of the VNL team. And that block is right there. Sarah Franklin, service. Off the block, picked up by Morgan Hentz. Kahan, a Taurus to Letnicki. She's just warming up. I love that we've seen a few different players get going already, but that line. Sarah Franklin, big 10 player of the year. Two years running. Perfect pass, options available. Note how Korea stays away from the middle with big Molly McCade just blocking in front of them. They're using the backcourt attack with Franklin. Now it comes down. Kang Sohee up front will be blocking. Beautiful choice of set, bringing it the other way and making the blockers move. This is Korean volleyball. And that is Molly McCade. That's when they're going to be at their best. Molly McCade, just disciplined, patient, inside arm. One national championship at Kentucky. One of the most highly decorated players in the United States playing volleyball. Showing some versatility, but Korea picks up the soft stuff. Back, that's McCade's favorite shot. A little bit on her, so she couldn't make choices there. And that's what you want. Kim Jae-yoon serving. Brings it over. Franklin stepping in front of Morgan Hentz. Is that good? Because if so, for the entire world, this VNL. Because look at the way she's going over the block. Hentz slides underneath it. Set wasn't quite on the money, so they'll send it out to Franklin. Beautiful again. Franklin's got to take a big swing. That's a big swing. Statement, and I don't just mean offensively. There are so many things going well on this USA side. Blocking, conversation, aggression at the net, high ball swings, angles, just so many things the USA's doing well. To opposite, to your point, getting more to the opposite from Korea. And they're popping everything up. Kang So-hee off the block. Here she comes again. Trying to use those hands. Sarah Franklin will learn that. Hentz will get all of those balls. Madison Skinner serving again. Pass is good, clean to the middle, but that's Hentz picking up that ball. Now the block, the cage, and Kaya Torres together. Back court. Oh, Franklin on top. Both players banging into each other. Ball up, outside. Breaking through the ball on both sides. Some super aggressive play by the center when she's front court, but even so. Oh boy, they're going to celebrate that, thank you very much. Speaking of sweet spots, Amber Aijidi. I love a solo middle block from the back court. Ball's good. Ace, serve. Skinner, anybody else, if it's Rodney Jones-Perry, if it's Logan Eggleston, if it's Madison Skinner. They just want a little bit of keep away. Away from Franklin, we'll see if that changes. For Korea to take the point. Yeah, Sage Conhan and Torres is an excellent defender. There's a Korea ace. She was kind of like right through the uprights. Franklin. Kang Sohee is using the block on every turn. Skinner remembers her name. Lee Dahyun. Great serve by her, causes the overpass. And that's the name of the game for USA. They, Kim Dain, puts it on the right side. Great pass by Lednicki. Popped down, and it will be Korea swinging. Franklin, what a set by Morgan Hentz. Yook So Young. Pass from Skinner outside to Franklin. She's tipping at the end of the set. Off the block. It's up. Messy play. Franklin unloads in that sharp, and Kang Sohee sitting in it. USA block by Jeannie and Conhan and Torres put them back at set point. Sage Conhan and Torres serving for the set. Big time block. United States wins set number two. Yeah, if you're gonna miss anywhere, let it be out the backcourt. Make those players decide. Sarah Franklin, down the line. There's the block, yet again. They're counting on Korea perhaps being a little fatigued, but wouldn't rely upon it. The big, the back row quick has been effective every time we've seen. Franklin off hands, and Aigidi finishing it, patrolling the net. Five blocks she has already alone. Outside there again is the block. How many blocks? How many? I think that goes to Lednicki, but if you're a middle at heart, you might give half a point there to Aigidi, because they go right at Hentz. She uses Sarah Franklin from the backcourt. Frank the Tank, another kill. By the way, Sarah Franklin does like to be called Frank the Tank for anybody. Don't message me. Oh yeah, no. I asked her and she goes, I love it. Ace, serve. But every time they get a chance, they have to take advantage of it. Yeah, they started Volleyball Nations League playing world rank number one and three. Brazil, who when they beat them moved to number two. Lednicki serve, cross court. To the middle with a 40. Yeah, for Correa to sneak one past when she was in the receiving unit. Yeah, and for Edna Morales's words, anybody but number 22. Trouble, service, ace. For Correa, 14, serving 23. Lee Sunwo serve at Franklin again. Madison Skinner serving on match point. Not so fast. Lee Sunwo makes USA take it down with it. And match point number two. Pence sends it over. USA trying to block for the match and nope. Match point number three. USA looking for their first win of Volleyball Nations League 2025. And they get it off a mistake by Correa. USA does it and secures their first win of Volleyball Nations League 2025 with a sweep over Correa.