Turkey vs USA

The Americans came out firing on all cylinders. Outside hitter Ethan Champlin and opposite Jake Hanes led the charge, combining effectively with setter Micah Ma'a to keep Turkey's block guessing. USA jumped to a 10-6 lead early, with Hanes finding gaps and middle blockers Jeff Jendryk and Taylor Averill providing stout defence at the net.

Turkey, featuring the towering presence of opposite Adis Lagumdzija and outside hitter Yasin Bayram, clawed back to 18-20, but Hanes reasserted control with two clinical attacks. USA closed the set 25-20 to take a 1-0 lead.

Turkey responded emphatically in the second set. Lagumdzija, who had been relatively quiet in the opening frame, took centre stage with a series of thunderous spikes and crucial blocks. The Turkish block — led by Bedirhan Bülbül — began to read USA's attack patterns, shutting down Anderson and Champlin on multiple occasions.

A tight start gave way to Turkish dominance around the technical timeout. Bayram's serving run caused havoc in the USA reception, and Lagumdzija's powerful hitting from the right side pushed Turkey's lead to 21-17. Middle blocker Bedirhan's block on Anderson brought the crowd to its feet, and Turkey closed the set 25-20 to level the match at 1-1.

The third set followed a similar pattern — but with the roles reversed. USA came out with renewed intensity after the interval, with Hanes and Champlin finding their rhythm once more. Karch Kiraly's side raced to a 15-9 lead, punishing Turkey's serve errors and capitalising on transition opportunities.

Hanes was devastating from the right side, and Anderson — the four-time Olympian making his return to the national team after taking 2025 off — showed his class with crucial points in the middle phase. Turkey attempted to rally through Lagumdzija and Bayram, but USA's block held firm. Jendryk and Averill combined for multiple stuff blocks, and USA took the set 25-20 to go 2-1 up.

The fourth set was the match's most gripping chapter. Turkey, needing a response to force a decider, started well with Bedirhan and Lagumdzija finding early points. But USA built what looked like a commanding 23-16 lead behind Anderson's serving and Hanes' relentless attacking.

Then came the twist. Turkey mounted a stunning late resurgence. The Turkish block roared to life, shutting down Champlin repeatedly, and back-to-back Turkish points — including a service winner from Gürbüz — cut the deficit. When Lagumdzija hammered home a spike on a long rally, the score was suddenly 24-22. A Hanes attack error made it 24-23, and the tension was palpable.

But Hanes — the 6-foot-10 opposite from Orland Park, Illinois — made no mistake on the next play, hammering down the winning point to seal a 25-23 set victory and a 3-1 match win.

Jake Hanes was the standout performer for the USA, registering a match-high in kills and providing the offensive firepower from the right side that Turkey struggled to contain. His ability to score in crucial moments — particularly the match-winning point in the fourth set — underlined his importance to this USA side.

Matt Anderson, back in the national team fold after a year away, showed flashes of his Olympian pedigree. The 6-foot-10 outside hitter contributed across the board, stabilising the USA reception and delivering timely spikes in sets one and three.

Adis Lagumdzija was Turkey's standout player, carrying much of the offensive load with powerful hitting from the right side and a strong presence at the net. He was instrumental in Turkey's second-set win and kept his side alive in the tense fourth set.

Micah Ma'a orchestrated the USA attack with composure, spreading the ball effectively between Hanes, Anderson and Champlin, while also contributing defensive plays that helped turn the tide in the third set.

This was the opening match of the 2026 VNL for both sides. The tournament brings together the world's top 18 teams for three weeks of preliminary action, with only the top eight advancing to the Final Round in Ningbo, China.

The USA squad features five Olympians under head coach Karch Kiraly, who is in his second year at the helm. The Americans are aiming to improve on their 2025 campaign, where they finished 6-6 in preliminary play and narrowly missed the VNL Finals.

Turkey will look to bounce back as Week 1 continues in Ottawa, while the USA face Germany next on Friday.