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

Alex Nikolaev, just 22 years of age. ...around forever. Here's Matt Anderson. Off the hands of the block. Bulgaria a chance. They're going to score a break point. Alex Nikolaev fired up and trying to fire up the... That's Shoji. There's DeFolk! The factor. Had a little something extra on it. Zilya Petkov, eight aces in the VNL. Christiansen's got to work for this. It's recycled by USA. Here's DeFolko again against the triple. Petkov's going to set. Asparuov's going to swing against the triple. Here's Alex Nikolaev. Just whips that one. It's kept alive USA. They come through Anderson and score. Yeah, it was too bad. That was a good looking rally. Here's Barbaroff. That'll wake up the fans here. How about this from the youngster out of the middle? Alex Nikolaev serving. Spartan number 23 in red. Let me hear it. He says, let me hear it. Alex plays it. Nube Chivitinova. Oh, good pickup. And hit it! What a set from Micah Christiansen though. Absolute magic right there from Micah. Alex Nikolaev from the right side. Score from every side though. In 20 serving 21. Penev. One of the six USA players. Amoni Nikolaev. The toss. The serve up from Anderson. Christiansen's got time. Triple block. Scores the point. Matty Anderson. What a side out for USA and what a save. I mean, that was a great serve for Amoni. He's taking Christiansen's spot. Delia Petkoff plays in Italy. Heading to Virobali Milano. This is an overpass. Just at the net. One by Volgaev. Got set point again. 11 points already. Solid pass by USA. Here's Haynes from behind the attack line. Goes down off. Set the block. It's still Jake Haynes serving. His team now leading by a point. It's a solid pass from Nikolaev. And another monster block. USA. Anderson, I think, got all of it. He sure did. And this is a veteran move. Starting lineup for this team. Matt Anderson. Christiansen. Anderson. USA point. Petkoff, who scored the winning point on an ace in the opening set. Here's McHenry. That's nice. Little Javier Concepcion in there. What a connection here. Christiansen. TJ's dad yesterday. He was obviously proud of his son, but real good California guy. Aspenuak hammers that one. And he gets hugged big time by captain. Goes down. It's to show it even louder than ever. Here's Jedrick Thurlund the second. Attacks the serve. Up from DeFalco. He gets back on his feet. Tries to attack the triple block and they deny him. Up from Alex. Tip from Alex. Score by Alex. Wants a side out right here on the Haynes serve. And he's got an ace! And it's USA set point. Don't underestimate the power of a Bulgarian. Don't underestimate the power of an American. And it's going to be a free ball. USA a chance to win the set. Watch Nikolov leading, scoring again in the VNL. And how about Aspenuak dropping in an ace? Dropped something off that one. Taken. By McHenry. Good deception there by Anderson. Here's Barbaroff. Block picked up though. Nice job by Zhenev. Nikolov covered by DeFalco. Christensen all the way across for Anderson. Triple block. He's caught up with fingers. He scored. Great defense from both teams. Running hybrid here. Taken by Anderson. And he is shut down. It's a solo block from number one. Moni Nikolov. In China, in the finals. Christensen sets up DeFalco who clobbers it. Not bad. Swing from T. Mike Christensen. There's that big block by. Leon in the Polish league. There's an overpass. Bulgaria a chance with Alex Nikolov. Took something off it. It's kept alive. Hacks. How about this pickup? 16-0. Set three. Oh my word. J. Kane. Pickup by Moni. Asperuov sets Alex. And he scores past the triple block. Number eight. Here comes TJ DeFalco. Goes at Asperuov. Here's Alex Nikolov. What a block. McKendree. We're tied. That's a good serve, but it's up from Bulgaria. And it's down from Alex Nikolov. And it's set point again, Bulgaria. They're second. It was a good serve with this coach as he runs back in position. Here's the middle attack. And he is set. They've taken a two sets to one lead in this dynamite battle in Chicago. USA in blue. Chasing the match right now. Moni's got to chase this ball down up ahead to his brother. Triple block. And he scores anyway. Now he gets the chance to serve up from Shoji. Really good to Christensen. And then McKendree with a hammer through the middle. That's a great adjustment too. 25 year old Merrick McKendree, the middle blocker for USA serving. Here's Asperuov all the way over to Alex. And then the middle attack in the fourth set. And that is just collected by Shoji. Free ball USA. A chance for Bulgaria to make it a three point lead. Good read by the middle's Gendryk. Here's Anderson. That's going to score. Great point for the US. Seven years before going to Poland. So he knows Cesare. Here's TJ Defolko. Haven't said his name in a while. That ball's kept alive. Hands shut down. Barnarov gets rewarded. Barnarov, it's a good serve. Creates an overpass. Mone and Asperuov kept alive. And hammer. Goodness. It's good. Mone's got a reach. Slams down another point. His 30th of the match. Alex Nikolov goes down off. Hey Christensen, not done yet. Champlin scores. Really smart play over the block. Big toss. Alex. It's over. Bulgaria in USA's house. But with lots of their own fans on hand, wins it in four.