The United States Men’s National Team began 2026 Volleyball Nations League campaign with a four-set victory over Türkiye in Ottawa, Canada.
The Americans overcame a strong challenge from Türkiye to secure a 3-1 win, led by opposite Jake Hanes, who finished with a match-high 21 points, including 20 kills. Captain Matt Anderson added 15 points, while middle blocker Jeff Jendryk contributed 11 points, highlighted by three blocks.
The U.S. outperformed Türkiye in kills (59-53) and blocks (7-5), while Türkiye held the edge from the serve line with six aces.
Head coach Karch Kiraly praised his team’s resilience after Türkiye mounted a late comeback attempt in the fourth set.
“I really liked how our team kept moving forward,” Kiraly said. “We didn’t panic or lose our poise when they pushed back late in the match.”
After taking the opening set, the United States saw Türkiye level the match in the second before regaining control with 25-20 wins in both the third and fourth sets. The Americans built a comfortable lead in the final set before holding off a late rally to close out the victory.
Result: United States def. Türkiye 3-1 (25-20, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23)
