USA secured a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship after posting another straight-set victory, this time over Portugal, 25-19, 25-22, 25-17, before a sizable Monday night crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Ranked fifth in the world, the Americans improved to 2-0 in Pool D with six points. They have yet to drop a set while becoming the first team from the group to punch a ticket to the knockout stage.
“We got the luxury of a five-week training block back home after the VNL. The bonus of not making the Finals Week was that we made the best of it and really worked on our serving — and I think it showed tonight. Lots of aggression, putting them in some discomfort,” said USA head coach Karch Kiraly, explaining the team’s strong start to the tournament.
The reigning NORCECA champions held slim advantages in the scoring categories — 40-36 in attacks, 8-5 in blocks, and 4-4 in aces — but their cleaner play made the difference.
USA committed only 13 errors in the 92-minute match, compared to Portugal’s 23, which proved costly.
Veteran setter Micah Christenson orchestrated the offense to perfection, spreading the load among five players who scored at least seven points. Jordan Ewert and Gabi Garcia led the way with 12 points apiece.
“It’s super fun — we’re enjoying the Philippines, we’re enjoying every time, and just trying to make the most of every single moment we have together. Mostly, we want to give it all on the court, try to give our all, and do the best we can,” said Garcia, who finished with eight attacks, two blocks, and two aces.
Ethan Champlin chipped in 10 points, while middle blockers Merrick McHenry and Jeffrey Jendryk added eight and seven points, respectively, for the Americans.
On the other side, Lourenço Martins paced Portugal with 12 points, the only double-digit scorer for his squad.
Portugal still has a chance to advance, but Wednesday’s match against Colombia at 10:00 AM in the same venue will be crucial.
A win there, combined with a USA victory over Cuba, would send Portugal through to the Round of 16 and avoid a complicated scenario that could be decided by FIVB tiebreak rules.
