Marking her first appearance since securing an Olympic silver medal in Paris, Avery Skinner made a significant impact upon her return as the host nation USA defeated Thailand in the final women`s Volleyball Nations League match held on Wednesday in Arlington. Despite a powerful offensive display from Pimpichaya Kokram, who scored 28 points for Thailand, the American team clinched the win in four sets.
This victory improves the USA`s standing in the VNL with a 5-4 win-loss record and 14 points, solidifying their position in eighth place and remaining above the qualification line for the Finals. Thailand, however, finds themselves near the bottom of the table, in 17th place with just one win against eight losses and 5 points, only slightly ahead of the relegation spot.
After closely contested battles in the initial three sets, the United States asserted dominance in the fourth set, much to the delight of the home crowd, securing a 3-1 win with set scores of 28-26, 21-25, 27-25, 25-15, and claiming the maximum three points. Thailand demonstrated resilience throughout the match. In the first set, they recovered from a six-point deficit and saved three set points before the USA eventually won. After taking the second set, they again mounted a comeback in the third, saving two set points and forcing overtime before the Americans pulled ahead. The fourth set was the least competitive, with the home side comfortably controlling the play to seal the victory.
The offensive effort for the USA was spearheaded by outside hitter Avery Skinner, who accumulated 22 points, including two successful blocks and an ace. Fellow outside hitter Logan Eggleston also contributed significantly with 19 points, including one block. Middle blocker Dana Rettke added 10 points, featuring an ace. Notably, all three key attackers achieved hit success rates exceeding 50%. For the Thai team, opposite Pimpichaya Kokram was the clear top scorer, tallying a remarkable 28 points, which included a block.
Speaking after the match, Skinner expressed her joy at returning: “This was so special! I’ve been so excited in waiting for this match, so I’m glad we could come out and get a win. It’s really fun being back with this group. Coming to Arlington is so fun, because we get to play in front of our crowd, so we are grateful for all the fans that have come out to support us.” Reflecting on their opponents, she added: “Playing Thailand, an amazing team, we knew the rallies were going to be long, so for us it was just about being patient, not trying to score maybe on the first ball, but when we get our chance, then going for it.”
The Volleyball Nations League action continues with the next day of competition set to feature matches, including France vs. Brazil in Chiba, Japan.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick