13 players see action against Cuba as Team USA rely on their depth ahead of the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship Round of 16.
In a long tournament like the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship, rest is key—and Team USA head coach Karch Kiraly knows the best way to keep his team fresh is to rely on everyone.
The Americans showcased that depth in their four-set win over Cuba, 25-17, 25-22, 23-25, 27-25, on Wednesday, September 17, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
With 13 of 14 players seeing action, Team USA closed pool play undefeated and brimming with confidence heading into the Round of 16.
“We believe that we’re gonna need the contributions of everybody to try and get past that Round of 16,” Kiraly told reporters after the match.
“It was nice to get most of the guys on the court, give them experience, and allow them a chance to make contributions—and they all did.”
Game-changers deliver
Starters Jordan Ewert and Gabi Garcia set the tone with 12 points each in just over two sets, while Cooper Robinson came off the bench and delivered 14 markers to lead the team in scoring.
Orchestrating it all were setters Micah Ma’a and Micah Christenson, who tallied 26 and 24 excellent sets, respectively.
Christenson, Team USA’s captain, praised all the players on the team for stepping up and making an impact in the match.
“Coach Karch likes to call them game-changers, and they are those,” Christenson said.
“On my side of the net, during training, we see it every single game. They give us fits and nightmares all the time—so it’s fun to watch them give other people nightmares.”
[ALSO READ: Refreshed Micah Christenson sets up Team USA to strong start in FIVB World Championship]
Built for the long haul
Garcia echoed the importance of spreading the workload as the tournament enters its most demanding stretch.
“It’s really important. It’s still a long World Championship. It’s gonna be a long week,” Garcia said.
“So all of us, all 14 of us, to be together, ready, and able to go out with a win against a tough team like Cuba, I think it’s really important—and we did.”
With pool play in the books, Team USA now sets their sights on the knockout phase, where they will face either Slovenia or Germany on Monday, September 22.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.