USA vs China Epic Volleyball Highlights | Men's VNL 2026

A serve, taken well by China, the one-handed set, nice pop-up by Hartke. And then just snapping it out of nowhere, Cooper Robinson without an approach. A really good footwork from Robinson there. 2-0 start for the Americans. Long sets it up, but it's a free ball chance for USA. Out of system, set, then to the corner, Hartke finds it. And USA now three in a row. Cole Hartke has been so impressive throughout this VNL season. He was the best middle blocker in the Chinese League this past year. A lot younger than most of his teammates. And that is a huge block from Huang Shengli. Massive block coming. Orléans in France, I might have said they were in Ljubljana. I was in Ljubljana, so I got a little confused. There's a nice swing, so China's quick side-out here. And that's going to be really important. Made for the team that won the Chinese title this past year. There's a nice swing from Hartke from the back row. Just delivering it, cross-court, big time. That's a massive swing from Hartke. And this is a player that... Side-out, side-out, side-out. Let's see if somebody can get some break points here. Averill serving. Nice pick-up from Lee. And then through the middle, they come through Hu Hanlin. And he's pumped up. Hu Hanlin has such a fast... Just a one-point game, that's all that's in it right now. Ma'a sets it up for Robinson. And out of the bit, the pipe attack. Massive play for USA to establish. We haven't seen a good big attack so... Ma'a saves that. Averill hammers that. Did Ma'a reach over the net? China quickly checking. Trying to decide if they're going to challenge. What a play. The finals of the VNL. They want to be competitive in those finals. And they're competitive right now against the U.S. Hartke goes cross-court. Beautifully done. Hartke's only had a few swings throughout the set so far. But he has done well. Leads the match with four points. From Li Lei is Dynamite. This big attack has been so good for China throughout the match so far. From Yang. Yang, high cue. USA again deciding that Hartke's got the hot hand. They attack through him out of the back row. Hartke's absolutely got the hot hand. And when he's playing like this... Good job using the top of the net. And pipe attack has been so good for China. They score again. China's challenge to try to get that employed as often as they can. USA then does the same thing. And that works with Chaplin. Germany last year for the perennial winners. Berlin recycling. Ball kept up. Here's a chance. And Robinson might have been off a bit more than he could shoot. Good pass by the U.S. That allows Robinson to do that. It's just unloading it. Massive swing for USA. Let's play ball. The ball in the hands of Wang Hebin, the setter. And speaking of the setter, there's a setter attack, if you will. Really smart decision. And does he do it again? Yes, he's done it again! His first two aces in the V&L back-to-back in Chicago. Both coming in different ways. This time Robinson took a little bit of speed. Goes the other way. It's another good serve causing trouble for China. Free ball. Breaks. Ma-ah. Robinson might as well give him his third straight point. This is Robinson's set so far. He's proven that you can't stop. Here by the U.S. 8-2 leading with Carnegie serving. The middle attack works. Changed the rhythm a little bit. It was his 10th ace in the V&L this year. Champlin with an absolute hammer. Huge swing from Champlin outside. Going up against a little bit of a shorter block right in front of him. I think that was John Spuraw looking on. It certainly was John Spuraw, the head of USA Volleyball in the crowd. And that is a triple block and it's a thing of beauty. Everything going right on U.S. Another great serve, but this one's up from Lee. And then monster block. Robinson, Averill. I don't know who got it. Another massive one. Pass. And nice. Down the line from Megang. They'll cue. Good up from breaks. Robinson. Triple block there for China. That helped. Kept the play alive. Bit of a rally happening. Here's Champlin. Out of the pipe attack. But USA's doing well with it. A triple block for the U.S. Recycled by Team China. And again, they just can't get through the block of Harki and Kanegi. That's four blocks this set alone. Eight points already in the game for him. Including really good serves. Lillet says not done yet. Here's Lillet. Solid from Briggs. Lays out to play it. Harki is dug. It's going to come all the way over. A chance for USA to finish. In system. And they do. Robinson finishes it off. Robinson. Overpass. Can't very much, says Matt Kanegi. Just come on the floor in this set. Chen Chuan. Three-time MVP of the Chinese League. He puts this ball up smartly. Right to the center. USA. Scrambling a bit here. They'll recycle this. And they put it over top of the net. And that's a point for Team China. China hanging tough here. Early stages of the third set. And then Harki just fires that one down the line. Underneath Chi Shengshui, the new libero. Look at this angle, Harki. Champlin. Down the line. That's the spot USA targets. And that is a triple block. And Averill's the man who comes up with it. Averill's been all over that front line. A little bit of contact here. Down by three. Harki. Nice pick up by Chi Sheng. The pipe attack. That works from Yang Boqi. Xu Hanlin. He's got himself an ace. A few serves in a row like that would put them in some difficulty. All of a sudden China again. Xu Hanlin. Solid pass from Champlin. Powell. Powell Kanegi through the middle. Just unloading. Kanegi left no questions on that ball. Loved the second. A couple of block points. Six attacks. Harki with another ace. That's number nine for the U.S. Bridge steps in front. And then Averill rips. This is going to be kept up. And a point scored from Cheng Chuan. Center one. A little bit of trouble for the U.S. Never mind. Cole Harki bails you out. Harki another beautiful clean kill. Really working that 5-6 seam. Oh yes. An ace for number 14. Make that 10 aces for U.S.A. during this matchup. Koss. No. It's out from Li Lei. And that will do it. A real aggressive start to finish clinical win for the United States over Team China.