China Defeats USA in Five-Set Thriller to Reach Volleyball Nations League Semi-Finals
China secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over the United States to book a place in the 2026 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) semi-finals after an exciting quarter-final match in Macao.
Backed by more than 4,400 home fans, China staged an impressive comeback to defeat one of the tournament favorites and advance to the last four.
China Triumphs in Five Sets
After dropping the opening set, China fought back to win the match with scores of:
15-25, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 15-13
The victory sends China into the semi-finals, where the team will face Türkiye for a place in the championship match.
Strong Team Performance
China’s success was built on balanced scoring and solid defense.
Top performers included:
- Zhuang Yushan – 17 points
- Gong Xiangyu – 15 points
- Tang Xin – 13 points
- Wang Yuanyuan – 12 points
China also recorded more successful blocks and committed fewer unforced errors than its opponent, helping secure the narrow victory.
After the match, Zhuang Yushan said the result would boost the team’s confidence, especially after previous close matches had not gone in China’s favor.
USA Puts Up Strong Fight
The United States produced another strong offensive display despite the defeat.
Leading scorers for the USA included:
- Jordan Thompson – 24 points
- Dana Rettke – 18 points
- Logan Eggleston – 14 points
- Avery Skinner – 13 points
- Asjia O’Neal – 11 points
Following the match, Jordan Thompson praised China’s performance and acknowledged that the United States was unable to perform at its best during key moments.
Semi-Final Lineup Confirmed
Following the completion of the quarter-finals, the 2026 Women’s Volleyball Nations League semi-final matchups are:
- Italy vs Brazil
- Türkiye vs China
The winners will advance to the tournament final to compete for the 2026 VNL title.
