USA opens VNL with five-set victory over Serbia; Bulgaria, China get wins

Ultimately, veteran Annie Drews led the way, but a couple of Volleyball Nations League newcomers did more than their shares Wednesday as the USA opened the international women’s tournament with a 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12 victory over Serbia.

Later Wednesday, host Türkiye played Korea. 

We will update this story with more on the USA and details of the Türkiye-Korea match.

Earlier in Nagoya, Japan, Bulgaria swept Croatia and China got past Brazil in five.

The USA women have Thursday off, but there are five matches on the VNL schedule.

In Japan, Bulgaria plays the Dominican Republic and Brazil plays the Netherlands.

In Türkiye, Canada plays Thailand, Poland plays Italy and Türkiye plays Serbia.

The Americans are back in action Friday against Italy.

USA 3, SERBIA 2: Drews, the former Purdue star and spectacular opposite in the Tokyo Olympics, had 22 kills — hitting .370 — a block, a match-high 14 digs and two aces to top all scorers in Antalya. Türkiye.

But two outside hitters, former Kentucky and Baylor star Avery Skinner and USC’s Khalia Lanier, had big numbers in their respective VNL debuts. 

Skinner had 17 kills, hitting .410, 10 digs, a block and an ace, while Lanier had 13 kills — including a perfect pass and then the match winning kill — a block, 10 digs and two aces. 

“We were just focusing on our side,” Skinner told VolleyballMag.com’s Emily Ehman, the Volleyball World television analyst. “We can’t control what Serbia did. They played an amazing match, but for us it was coming to the middles, realizing what we can do and fighting together.”

Former Texas standout middle Brionne Butler had five kills, hitting .710, and eight blocks.

The USA, lost to Serbia in the 2022 VNL quarterfinals.

Serbia’s Ana Bjeclica had 17 kills and two aces. Bianka Busa had 14 kills, 10 digs and an ace, Maja Aleksic had nine kills, two blocks and two aces, and Sara Lozo also had nine kills and two blocks to go with an ace. Mina Popovic had five kills and three blocks. Teodora Pusic had 14 digs and Bojana Drca 11.

BULGARIA 3, CROATIA 0: Buglaria cruised to a 25-12, 25-17, 25-19 victory. Maria Yordanova led with 10 kills and three aces. Marina Radostina had 11 kills and an ace. Mila Pashkuleva had 14 digs. 

Croatia’s Martina Šamaden had…