The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team delivered another commanding performance at the 2025 FIVB World Championship, defeating Portugal 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17) to secure a place in the Round of 16.
The Americans remain unbeaten in Pool D (2-0) and became one more team to officially move on, joining , Poland, Canada, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Türkiye in the knockout stage.
Gabriel Garcia and Jordan Ewert led the way with 12 points each. Garcia scored eight kills, two blocks, and two aces, while Ewert added 11 kills and a block. Ethan Champlin continued his strong showing with 10 points, and Merrick McHenry contributed eight from the middle.
Portugal’s Lourenço Martins matched Garcia and Ewert with 12 points (10 kills, one block, one ace), while José Pinto posted nine kills, but the team couldn’t overcome its mistakes against the Americans’ relentless serving.
“We respected Portugal a lot—they’re crafty and can be dangerous,” U.S. libero Erik Shoji said after the win. “But our serving and blocking made the difference, and we’re building momentum at the right time.”
Next up, the U.S. faces Cuba on September 17, while Portugal battles Colombia in a must-win match to stay in contention.
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