by Kyle Koso
The TC NIT Heart of Sport Award in volleyball is presented by Triple Crown Sports in honor of coaches and program directors who go the extra mile in developing players, building character and supporting the priorities of hard work and compassion while demonstrating the highest level of integrity to the sport, the players, the families and competitors. In 2024, we break out the spotlight and shine it on two people who have carefully woven on-court success and a hunger for achievement with the importance of teaching skills and a mindset that elevates student-athletes for the road ahead – a salute to Wes Lyon and Mike Lingenfelter, co-directors of Munciana. Even at its highest level of play, there are predictable elements in volleyball, something you can see in how players are positioned and prepared to deal with the most likely outcome of a given serve, set or swing. But the ball still takes crazy bounces, bodies respond in different speeds and directions, and people would probably go broke pretty quickly wagering on how a given point might turn out in the end. That’s a useful way to look at the career arcs of Wes Lyon and Mike Lingenfelter, who are decades deep in their coaching and administrative runs at Munciana – respected by the breadth and depth of the club and college powers in the sport, something that dates back to the whimsy and hard-charging time as collegiate players at Ball State University. From that, to agreeing to coach when females in athletics were still seen as a curiosity, to adding dignity and determination as the game evolved, to today’s undeniable sense that volleyball belongs on the brightest stages – that would have been hard to predict. And no one is more amazed or grateful than Lyon and Lingenfelter as they reflected on where they started and where they stand today. Q: Munciana is known as the first volleyball club, born in 1974, and one that boasts a muscular history of success on a national scale. What are the core beliefs there that fuel these accomplishments? Wes Lyon: The biggest thing with our club and my personal take, it’s our consistency and ability to stay relevant in the game. We don’t jump on bandwagon trends. The focus here is always on ball control, and we’re known for that. In that pro league match the other night, on both Las Vegas and Omaha teams, the liberos were Munciana kids. We train the basics. At 14’s, what I love the most is they are learners and they have a lot of dreams, things they are searching for. There’s a joy in what they are doing. I feel like they should be able to start on a high school varsity team when they leave my group, which is right at eighth grade. Mike Lingenfelter: Wes and I sit about 15 feet from one another on a daily basis, for years now, and our answers are almost duplicates even if we don’t have these exact conversations often. When my kids leave, they are going to college, and that’s a different paradigm. One thing I dive into, I like teaching life on and off the court. One thing I’ve done is be ready to discuss elements that impact life off court. On the court, I’m about fundamentals and feel more like a teacher than say a coach. We pass it, serve it, send it. Off the court, one thing I want my kids to understand is how to do hard things. For them to understand the inherent value of doing hard things. If you work really hard on something you love, that’s passion, and I want them to understand the value of passion and that it unlocks most doors. Q: Obsessing over wins and losses is probably not healthy over the long haul. How have you kept the task of coaching fresh over the years? Wes: The biggest thing, when we started, it was about teaching. We grew up in that environment at the beginning, all played for the men’s team at Ball State and literally went into teaching. That’s the background. And we love to train athletes, see how much we can improve year to year. One thing, we weren’t afraid to coach each other’s high school teams, so in Muncie and Delaware County, every team had a Munciana coach … we train together in club, try to beat each other’s brains out in high school, and then go out for a beer after. By doing that, we created a higher level of volleyball, as we were more concerned about the players and athletes. Mike: To focus on the education part of this is probably fair. I look at what we do, it’s no different than say, when Harvard opened they had goals, and 200 years later they are still crankin’ and bankin’. Educational systems can have sustained excellence more than sports institutions. There’s ebb and flow in sports, but in high-level education, you wouldn’t see dips as much. We were competitive, and thrilled with results, but never meandered too far from the process, which has been the same since 1974 … educational and teacher-orientated, without dwelling on results. We’ve demanded there be a process in teaching, so I don’t see the drop off. Q: Put bluntly, there’s an argument to be made that parents complicate the waters of coaching more than they did decades ago, and it’s said young student-athletes have changed a great deal as well. What’s your take on that? Wes: Club volleyball hasn’t changed dramatically, in some respects. Are there problems with parents along the way? Yeah. The biggest impact, there are so many kids playing and scholarships are a huge deal, and NIL is a whole new thread. We understand our process, and that method won’t change. Am I treating kids differently than 25 years ago? Kids say I’ve softened, but I guess I don’t know what that means. I have the same mindset developing our practices; I tend to build on my practices, and they’ll look quite the same as 30 years ago. Our problems with parents, with the younger teams, is they don’t quite understand everything. And with the older teams, they have too many expectations. We all know what level an athlete can play when she goes to college, and we don’t shy away from any of this if we have problems. Mike: Society has changed … it feels like we have to explain ourselves more than we ever had to before, to communicate more than ever before. Whether that communication is received well or not, that depends. The fact is, we still have the same curriculum and delivery, and the difference is we have to stop from time to time and explain exactly what we’re doing. That’s not always a bad thing, to have to reflect and defend what you stand for or believe in. Sometimes, we get a bit taken aback by it. You have to give the “why” a lot more, and it’s not bad, even if it can be cumbersome. Q: You both have spent plenty of hours in dank, dark, quiet high school gyms, or at club events where facilities needed a lot of help and fans were hard to find. What goes through your mind when you see the explosive growth of volleyball today? Wes: In the volleyball world, we’ve done it organically, not ridden the coattails of other sports along the way. Our crowds, like 92,000-plus watching a match in Nebraska, and all the sellouts in (arenas) across the country … we just want to keep getting better. I find myself watching volleyball almost every weekend. It’s a made-for-viewers market that’s ready to explode. To go back to the early days, there’s still the same drive for kids. There’s a history where it was just as important to train and practice to win a state championship as it was to go to college. It’s shifted a bit, but it’s a reason our kids play. College is a bigger deal, pro volleyball is a carrot out there. We’ve had coaches move from club to college and had great success, and they took that mindset out with them. We can see the way we do things at Munciana and seen it done at a high level. We’ve been on a journey, liked the idea of taking the kids with us, and we helped a lot of kids grow as players … many people of course, not just Mike and I. Mike: A great many people are just enthralled by volleyball, see it as an overnight success, and people don’t see the true pioneers, who from the mid-1970’s to now who have never put down the torch. It’s been a labor of love to get to this point. It’s been a remarkable couple of years here lately. One thing I’ve tried to include at this point of my career is that I’ve got to get better at absorbing moments. I lead a distracted life, I’m chasing the next win and the next title, and I tell myself I have to slow down and at least absorb what’s around me. And this year, I think about how I’m part of something that will go down in history. A small part, but it will be reflected upon for all time as the catalyst time, or explosion time, for the sport. It’s been an honor and a privilege, and I just have to stop and inhale some of what’s going on. I don’t think back to any of that as dark times; we’ve been so caught up trying to master it and get further along. To see what’s evolved, is remarkable. Q: Lastly, do you have any go-to memories or reflections you turn to when you think about your life as a coach and administrator? Wes: The wins were never the priority; it was the idea of getting better. I’ve had so many kids go on to great things inside and outside volleyball, and I appreciate what they’ve done for the sport and themselves. That what gives me the most joy on this whole ride, kids getting better, sometimes against the odds and sometimes a non-stop great journey. There’s not just one moment out there. Mike: Mine is pretty easy. It started as desperately looking for a way to make a little spending money as a coach, and in college that’s beer money, and in 1983 Wes agreed to let me be an assistant coach in a 12-under team. That was my introduction to coaching, and really hadn’t thought about it as potential career. I was the guy to let the kids know who were cut, I was the one who had to tell them… quite the entry into coaching. I just never looked back. Wes had the trust in me for that first year, and from that point on my life has been a whirlwind of volleyball. Here’s the volleyball coaching timeline for Wes Lyon and Mike Lingenfelter, who became co-directors at Munciana in 2007. Both of them played collegiately at Ball State University. Wes Lyon: Begins coaching with Munciana in 1983 2001: Lyons wins 18 Open USAV national title 2004: After 20-year run with 18’s, moves to 14’s and wins USAV national title 2015: 14’s win AAU Open championship 2021: 14’s win AAU Open championship High school: coached Muncie Central to Indiana Class 4A state titles in 2004 and 2009 Inducted into the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hall of Fame Mike Lingenfelter: Begins coaching with Munciana in 1983; left, then returned in 1999 2009: Directs 18’s to AAU Open and JVA national titles 2011: 18’s win AAU Open championship 2017: 18’s win AAU Open championship 2021: 18’s win AAU Open championship; Lingenfelter named AVCA club coach of the year 2022: 18’s win AAU Open championship 2023: 18’s win AAU Open championship High school: coached Wapahani to Indiana Class 2A state titles in 2002, 2011, 2012 College: Head coach for five seasons at Cincinnati and two seasons at Memphis by Michael DeLeon, PrepDig
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that will be under one roof. It is being held in Kansas City, MO on February 17-19th. It brings together the toughest competition from all over the country. There are many storylines coming out of day three and we were front and center for a back to back title run. The reigning USA Volleyball Open division national champions have looked great over the last few years against the best in the nation. They won this prestigious tournament this time last year. In order to prove that last year was no fluke, TAV 15 Black Jason was on a mission for the repeat title. It started off a little rocky in their opening match against a juggernaut of a squad in Arizona Storm 15 Thunder. They let the match slip away from their grasp, but from then on, this team got it all together. After the stumble, this talented squad went on a magical run to the championship match against another tough opponent in Club V 15 Ren Kalee. Club V 15 Ren Kalee has some players with some incredible fight in them. Everything starts with their big-hearted setter Zamari Christensen who despite her smaller size, continues to prove that she can play with the big dogs. This young lady is not afraid of anyone as she routinely battles at the net while running a solid 5-1 offense. Her ability to move the ball around to all of her hitters and send over timely setter dumps is very effective. I love how she uses her middles during defensive transition a lot. She and middle Berkleigh Minnick have such a great connection that they are always on the same page with timing the quick sets. Berkleigh came up huge for her squad in the championship match time after time. Star outside hitter Ava Burgess can get up and throttle the ball from the left side. She is undoubtedly their biggest offensive weapon and they like to go to her a lot. When you see how she can unleash her raw power on the ball, you will understand for sure. Libero Jennifer Truong uses some flashy and quick footsteps to track down any ball that comes her way. Her serve receive passing and digging were one of the main reasons why this team was so dangerous in the tourney. Right side attacker Sienna Kuresa showed no fear as she scored by tooling the block a few times in the championship match. One of the best digging performances came from middle back Sitoafa Tausinga as she routinely ate up hard driven balls with ease. A lot of these bombs that she kept off of the floor were heard throughout the whole convention center. This squad has some talent that we will be following all season long. We have not seen the last of them for sure. Texas Advantage Volleyball 15 Black Jason has very few holes in their game. We have written about them a few times this season and every adjective used to describe their play has been completely warranted. In the championship match, stud setter Brynn Stephens was masterful at moving the ball from pin to pin tiring out the Club V middles. She was running slides with her middle Nyla Livings and then pushing the ball out to her awesome outsides. The back row was fueled by some awesome ball control with libero Ansley Shafer and defensive specialist Karsyn Evans. Due to a recent injury, the team has had to reshuffle the lineup just a bit and uses Evans in the right back zone to play defense and she was amazing in this match both serving and passing/digging. Shafer looked like a magician out of left back by popping up balls that were destined to hit the floor. I was thoroughly impressed with Lexi Martin on the left side as she scored very well for her team. She is a tall volleyball prospect who looks like she is ready for the big show right now. Onita Davis did such a wonderful job at the net blocking for TAV. The star of the match, for me, was outside hitter Gentry Barker who put on a phenomenal showing of how to play the left side position. This young lady scored from every location on the court with absolute bombs to her opponent. I think, with this showing, that she just proved her spot as the best volleyball player in the country in her grad class. The first set started off with TAV going on an absolute tear through the competition. The defending champs flexed some serious muscle as they went up 17-11 causing Club V to take their first timeout. The set continued with more of the same as Club V called their second timeout at 20-11. The blocking of TAV’s entire front line was just too much for Club V to handle as the set ended with TAV coming out as the victor 25-13. Set two started off a little differently as Club V showed why they were in the championship match. With awesome ball control and amazing defense, Club V went on a run and caused TAV to call their first timeout at the Utah squad led 16-13. Both teams then went on small runs and battled each other mightily. Every spectator was watching with anxiety as it looked like the battle that everyone thought it would be. Club V had the defending champs against the ropes with a 23-19 lead. They then stretched it to a set point at 24-19. However, 15 Jason did not want to prolong the inevitable and went on a solid run to bring it to a 23-24 score. Middle Nyla Livings went back to serve in a huge situation and Club V tried to ice her with a smart timeout. She did not back down and pushed through the pressure of a timeout by serving a beautiful ace to tie it up at 24 all. After a fantastic rally by both teams, Gentry Barker ran a beautiful pipe set out of middle back to go up with a match point. Another solid serve caused Club V to swing slightly out of system and hit the antenna for the final point to TAV. The celebration began as the youngsters took the back to back championship at the Triple Crown NIT! I have a strong feeling that this will not be the last time this wonderful squad raises their hands in the air to celebrate. Stay tuned for more on their wonderful season. by Chris Fitzgerald, PrepDig
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The best of the Midwest, and now the best in the country. Milwaukee vs Chicago when it comes to Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold and 1st Alliance 17 Gold. Two storied clubs that are always in the conversation when it comes being a threat to take a tournament title. They’ve had plenty of great matchups over the years, but today at the TC NIT it was all about the kids from Milwaukee winning 16-14 in set three for the 17 Elite crown. With these two teams are in the heart of Big Ten country there were plenty of Big Ten players in this match with Addison Horner of 1st Alliance and Madison Quest of Milwaukee Sting being committed to Wisconsin, Gabriella Pitcel of Sting is heading to Illinois, Olivia Durst of Sting will be going to Michigan State, and Aniya Warren to Indiana. Sting’s head coach Amy Wagner is a former Wisconsin Badger. 1st Alliance started the match on fire. Addison Horner had four kills and two solo blocks, Texas outside commit for 1st Alliance Abby Vander Wal had three kills and was a huge threat to score out of the backrow. Karli Molnau of Sting had four kills and a block, but it wasn’t enough. 1st Alliance was dominant, winning set one 25-17. “I told my team the best thing about set one is that it’s over,” said Coach Wagner. “We just needed to settle down and calm the nerves. We needed to pass and serve tough. The key was to settle in to play our game instead of nervous, tense ball.” Settle in and turn it around they did. Coach Wagner also talked about challenging her top outside hitter in Madison Quest to play big. The Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year rose to the occasion. Quest had five kills and an ace in set two. This sparked the rest of the Sting squad with Molnau finding some great connections with setters Billie Reiter and Madison Marx. Sting also had key points from Hailey Goebel, Emma Koceja, and Pitcel. Set two was lopsided similar to set one, this time in favor of Sting 25-12. Set three started much like set two with Sting racing out to an early lead before 1st Alliance stormed back to force a tie at eight apiece. The stars were shining with Vander Wal and Horner coming up with some big kills that would be followed up by a kill from Quest. Libero for 1st Alliance Aniya Warren came up with some clutch digs. At the end it was Quest and the blocking of Pitcel that would propel Sting to the 16-14 set three victory and NIT title. This Sting team has been consistent in tournament finishes. They claimed their open bid at the Northern Lights Qualifier at the end of January finishing third in a loaded field, but this is their first major tournament title. What’s next for this team? A trip to Europe competing in the Cornachia Cup with matches in Austria and Italy. With the talent and strong chemistry of this team, it will continue a special season for this group. “These girls are great friends on and off the court. There’s no drama. They are willing to learn and work hard. I’m sure some of them wish they could commit to the same school and play together,” said Coach Wagner. by Jamison Kruse, PrepDig
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It is incredible to see the game be played at THIS high of a level at such a young age! A5 13 Karen and Dynasty 13 Black put on a show for Kansas City in the Triple Crown 13 Elite Championship. Between the back and forth rallies, the big kills and the raucous crowd, it was the place to be! This match was the perfect showcase for the stars of tomorrow. A5 would take the match with a definitive third set to cap off an incredible 8-1 weekend. Let's breakdown all of the action. SET 1 -- Upon first glance at these two teams, one thing stood out right away. The sheer size difference between the two. A5 is already averaging a front row size of about 6'0 while Dynasty is looking at a 5'9 average. Nonetheless, size proved to not be a problem for Dynasty. Early on this match however, A5 would capitalize on their natural advantages and physicality. With this, they also held up some pretty stellar ball control. L Brooklyn Howard, OH Macurdi Harding and OH Kari Knotts were all playing some of the best defense I had seen out of this age group. This allowed S Sophie Holt to run a rather scary offense. Controlling most of the game, A5 would cruise away with set one off of a really pin heavy offense. Dynasty would show signs of life late in the set with a mini service run by S/OPP Addison VanNees but A5 would ultimately take the opener 25-18. SET 2 -- While losing the first set pretty convincingly, that service run late into the game by VanNees seemed to be what Dynasty needed to play ball. We had ourselves a ball game here in set 2. Back and forth we went, Dynasty's defense really began to hunker down and weather away at the storm that was A5's offense. L Courtney Neil for Dynasty really began to shine her light on the court. She was diving into benches and grabbing the untouchable cover balls all while doing the little things perfectly. Dynasty would take an early lead by as much as three to go up 8-11. They would maintain this lead for quite some time, eventually forcing A5 to call their first timeout of the game after S Scarlett Siebolt would serve two straight aces. A5 would make a surge back but not long before OPP Emani Clifton would smash in a run of kills on the right pin. A5 would call their second and final timeout trailing 18-22. In reverse fashion of the first set, this seemed to be ALL Dynasty in set 2. Dynasty would have set point at 18-24, but A5 would come back with a vengeance. Going on a 7-1 run, A5 would flip the script and had themselves match point! However, this wouldn't be a championship match if it weren't for a little drama. After a side out by Dynasty to tie the game up at 25s, A5 would be called on an out of rotation call due to an early leave on the serve. After a long back and forth rally to tie the game up or send this into a third, Dynasty would clinch the must-win set on an A5 miscue! 25-27 Dynasty! SET 3 -- In the same way Dynasty was able to capitalize on its run late in set 1 to win set 2, A5 would power off on that late 7-1 run to go into the third. Knott was scoring at an unbelievable rate to start it off. A few of her kills would take A5 out to an early 5-2 lead before Dynasty would call a TO. Back in play, the two teams went on to trade side outs. DS Chloe Rowe for A5 would go behind the service line and deliver two straight aces on Dynasty. Not only would this force Dynasty to use their final timeout, but this is what truly secured the set for A5. In a race to 15, A5 was already halfway to the finish line, up 8-3. Out of the the timeout, the bleeding continued to ooze for Dynasty. Both Knotts and MB Milan Tallman buries two cannon balls into the ground, one after another. Now up 10-3, this was practically game over. We'd see a little more of a fight, Dynasty siding out well, but it was all too late. Match point would see an epic rally with flying digs and tight net play, but a tip just outside of bounds and A5 would take the match 15-8. A5 HIGHLIGHTS -- This group has some insanely dynamic athletes. Both pins, Harding and Knotts are not only incredible attackers but hold up really well as six rotation players. Harding hits one of the best out of system balls I think I have ever seen out of a kid at this level. She's almost more effective this way. Despite this team's pin-heavy nature, they too have some really exciting middles with Tallman. She's an exciting attacker to watch and a really developed blocker given her age. DYNASTY HIGHLIGHTS -- Despite having the clear size disadvantage, this team really operates well on their first contact. Neil has such a great court presence; it really helps them operate at such an efficient level. OH Tessa Redmond was an exceptional player in six rotations. Her attack is not only quite powerful but ranges a wide area. Her ability to see the opposing side and find open court was what got Dynasty would of a lot of their ruts. Likewise, Clifton is going to be a player to keep an eye on for years to come. A lefty heavy banger on the right pin, nobody was really thumping the ball like her in this game. When she can get a good grasp on the ball, it was either thundered into the court or knocking a player on their backs. by Adam Burns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jaidyn Jager ponders a question for a few seconds just moments after taking celebratory photos up on the big stage with her Coast Volleyball Club 18s squad after an improbable Triple Crown Sports NIT championship run inside the Kansas City Convention Center on Monday afternoon. A teammate held the 18u Elite Champions banner while the trophy sat just in front on the stage floor. Jager and the rest of her team and coaches gathered around the centerpiece, donning championship medals. Some players would later take more photos pretending to take chunks out of the medals, presumably to plaster the exciting photos on social media channels. Just like Olympians would. Because that’s what champions do, right? Back to what Jager was pondering. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter was asked how her San Diego-based squad knocked off tourney favorite Texas Advantage Volleyball which finished 8-1. “We just stayed together,” said Jager, an Indiana University commit. “Game after game, we just stayed with each other with great energy.” After starting the NIT with a 1-2 record, Coast rattled off six straight wins to claim the NIT 18s Elite Championships trophy, culminating with a thrilling comeback victory over TAV (24-26, 25-23, 17-15) in the title match — which was jampacked with viewers on-site and on television on ESPN3. “Once we realized how many people were watching and that it was on TV and all that, it definitely made us a little nervous, but once we started playing everything just kind of clicked,” Jager said. The victory over TAV had a bit of revenge involved, as well. The TAV team is chockful of highly recruited Division I commits. “They beat us in three sets down in Texas and seeing them here this weekend, it was super obvious they’re an amazing team,” Jager said. “But we had the support and communication and trying to make smart plays and that’s what wins.” Much like the whole NIT experience, the title match win didn’t come easy. Coast was required to come from behind. After TAV — led by University of Texas-bound Macaria Spears, Favor Anyanwu (USC), Jadyn Livings (USC) and Suli Davis (BYU) — earned a back-and-forth first-set victory, the Dallas-based club held reasonable leads until Coast overcame a 6-point deficit for its first lead of the set at 23-22. Coast used that momentum to elevate them to the come-from-behind effort, including a 6-1 lead into the third set. But TAV displayed its strength for a 6-2 run to cut the advantage to 8-7. Coast held TAV at bay until the score was knotted at 14-all and again at 15-apiece. Then, after a TAV block made it 16-15, Saren Rogers (Point Loma University) sealed it with a title-clinching kill. “We’re just trying to be the best team we can be,” Coast head coach Ozhan Bahrambeygui said. “We lost leads and we dropped games, but I think we responded with poise, determination and hope.” Bahrambeygui called his squad “an incredibly fun group,” adding that it’s helpful in moments such as Monday afternoon. Jager, meanwhile, admitted to some hesitations early in the weekend. “We were definitely a little nervous, but in the end, we just came with a lot of energy (Sunday-Monday),” she said. “After having that and going through those first three games, it helped us a lot with our confidence.” Coast, mainstays of the NIT in Kansas City, finished 7-2 overall. “For the players, coaches and fans, this is by far their favorite event. For sure. People can’t wait to come out here. Plus, they like the barbeque,” Bahrambeygui said. They stay together to experience big tournament wins and good food, apparently. By Adam Burns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- MAVS KC’s Sophie Morris stepped up to serve midway through the second set with the score knotted at 12-all against A5 in the 12u Triple Crown Sports NIT Elite Championship match. With the hometown MAVS KC winning the first set 25-19, Morris was hoping to provide a spark. Did she ever. Morris calmly led MAVS KC on a 10-0 run to provide the separation it needed for a 25-15 set No. 2 win and a straight-set victory in the title match. Lethal serving, a timely run and a little bit of revenge elevated MAVS KC to the championship run inside the Kansas City Convention Center. Even more — the championship was MAVS KC’s first NIT title, according to head coach Michelle Abshire. “I’m so absolutely proud of them. We came into this tournament not ranked very high and we had a bit of a chip on our shoulder,” Abshire said. “I think it motivated the girls but we knew we were going to have to play hard to make it out of pool play.” MAVS KC registered 11 service aces in the title match — with Morris serving up six of them during the pivotal 10-run, which came after five lead changes to open the second set. It’s no coincidence the service execution was there. “We’ve been working on spot serving for the last year and our goal was to be able to serve wherever we want by the time nationals came around,” Morris said. “I was so happy we (went on that 10-0 run) but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates playing behind those serves and keeping everything up.” “We practice spot serving a lot,” Abshire said, “and we’re tough on them about being tough with their serves. But (Sophie) listened and executed.” Brynlee Johnson tallied six kills and four aces of her own — the last one coming on the match-winning point to seal the title. “I’m really proud of how aggressive she was because we talked about how aggressive we had to be against some of these top teams,” Abshire said. It wasn’t an easy road to get to the finals. In fact, MAVS KC had to go through a familiar foe along the way — Madfrog. MAVS KC dropped a pool play match to Madfrog in straight sets on Saturday before it rebounded with a come-from-behind three-set semifinal win (17-25, 25-22, 15-13) on Sunday. “They also beat us last year in Reno, so it felt good to get revenge,” Morris said. “We wanted that one bad.” “I think in the past we’ve let a few things bother us,” Abshire said. “We have been right there against (Madfrog) and I don’t think our girls wanted to let that happen again this time around.” And then, of course, came the title match and MAVS KC took care of business in its own backyard. Something it really wanted to accomplish. “It was our goal to win it here in Kansas City, and I’m so glad we did,” Morris said. By Chris Fitzgerald
PrepDig.com KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Michigan and Ohio. Of course it’s a rivalry. Legacy 16 Adidas out of the Detroit Metro and Mintonette m.61 out of Columbus, Ohio put on quite a show for the 16 Elite Championship match at NIT Triple Crown with Legacy outlasting Mintonette taking home the title 26-24, 18-25, 15-7. These two teams are no strangers to the spotlight or to each other. I actually was courtside two weeks ago when they faced off at Central Zone in Indianapolis with Legacy winning a three set battle. Mintonette has plenty of big game match experience with winning the 15 Open AAU National Title and was 15 Open runner up at USAV Junior Nationals in 2023. The championship match just feels a little different compared to the rest of the event. Throw in a DJ, TV Cameras, and ESPN 3 - it makes for one of the biggest stages in club volleyball. “This is huge. So much fun and so much pressure. Pressure is a privilege where we get to play in an atmosphere like this,” said outside hitter Gabi DiVita of Legacy. Set one started with both teams trading points. It was a battle or the outsides with DiVita of Legacy having three kills in first rotation through as well as Layla Hoying doing the same for Mintonette. Hoying had a huge set one with eight kills and an ace. However the balance of Legacy and setter Eva Long picking up three kills on her own when Legacy needed it the most. The club from Detroit would sneak a set one victory 26-24. Mintonette would answer in set two with a balanced attack, another dose of Hoying, and aggressive serving. Setter Mallory Matheny was able to get everyone involved starting with right side Lyla Stewart who had three early kills, followed by middle blocker Alia Schoonover connecting on some quick tempo sets as well as a slide to really spread the defense. With the defense keying on all attackers, that allowed Hoying to fire away where she had six kills and a block. Mintonette would take the set 25-18, forcing a set three winner take all. “I think we lost some of our confidence and our serve receive wasn’t quite there. We needed to believe in ourselves and do what we do best,” said DiVita. Legacy needed to recharge and get their “swag” back. They did that and then some to storm the deciding set. “Ricky (Coach Ricky Cottrill) talks a lot about us having swag. Lots of confidence and energy. Coming out in a game this big it’s a pressure situation and we kept that in mind and it paid off.” Balance and energy was key for Legacy in set three. They jumped out to a 4-1 lead, then extended it to 8-1. Kayla Nwabueze had two blocks to get their side hyped while outside Aubree Deshetsky chipped in three kills. Legacy continued to build upon their lead where they were running on all cylinders. DiVita would finish with 11 kills for the match enroute to 15-7 set three victory claiming the crown. It’s back to the gym for this Legacy squad where their 15s and 17s were also in gold bracket contention on day three. Legacy won titles in 2020 with their 15s and 18s. They will be one of the top clubs in the running for “Club Champion” at NIT given to the club with the best overall finish in the event. By Austin Kingsley
PrepDig.com Winning a Triple Crown NIT title is a feat in itself. Dropping only one set on the way to that title is an entirely different accomplishment. MADFROG 14’s National Green left little doubt about its frontrunner status in 2024’s 14U division at NIT. The North Texas Region team defeated HPSTL 14 Royal in three sets (23-25, 27-25, 15-10) to win the 14U championship and cement a 9-0 overall record in Kansas City. Before the title bout, MADFROG exhibited a level of dominance rarely seen on the Triple Crown NIT stage. 14’s N Green did not allow an opposing team to exceed 20 points in a set in Saturday’s power pools. That momentum seldom wavered as MADFROG reached bracket play. Triple Crown NIT draws the best club teams in the country, but MADFROG seemed to be on another level compared to its 14U peers. However, a grueling title match would quickly change the narrative. HPSTL 14 Royal met MADFROG in the 14U championship match and carried a 7-1 record into the contest. The lone loss came in power pools before the St. Louis club surged through the Elite bracket. Then, 14 Royal did what no other NIT team had done all weekend. HPSTL won a set against MADFROG with a 25-23 decision in the title match’s opening stanza. MADFROG 14’s N Green finally had its first dose of serious adversity. Head Coach Olaya Pazo had poignant reminders for the team after the Set 1 defeat. “We made sure they know we’re playing a Triple Crown and it’s a high-level tournament. We came here to compete. Losing is sometimes part of competing,” Pazo said. A sudden stress test would not change MADFROG’s identity. 14’s N Green kept leaning on its group of rising stars in Set 2. High-flying outside hitter Maya Ogbogu had game-changing impact in the front row. Unparalleled heat from the left side made Ogbogu one of the most intimidating attackers in the 14U field. Even if Ogbogu wasn’t on the court, MADFROG wielded other weapons on the outside pin. Olivia Kitur was a six-rotation asset and rivaled Ogbogu’s range. Peyton Robinson is another important piece of MADFROG’s terminal unit. And, as championship pressure mounted, outside hitter Kate McGough found her stride. Still, HPSTL applied more pressure in Set 2 and stayed in lockstep with MADFROG. 14 Royal’s ability to extend rallies would test MADFROG’s own resolve in the ball control phase. This is where defensive specialists Bella Osborn and Addison Tucker contributed to MADFROG’s efforts. Further emphasis was placed on tough serving, and Ella McNeal stepped up in this regard. After a two-point opening set, the second frame went to a deuce marathon—a fitting scoreline for a championship match. Finally, Ogbogu tallied a solo block to give MADFROG a 27-25 win. On to a third. In a race to 15 points, every decision is magnified. Starting setters Aleyna Bramschreiber and Chloe Kim would need to make wise choices while also providing consistent location for the 14’s N Green frontcourt. Even with all of MADFROG’s firepower on the pins, the middles still went to work on in-system opportunities. Gracie White and Hayden Thomas overwhelmed teams with their physicality, especially when teaming up with Kate Clegg on the right. A balanced effort was needed to make the title comeback. Several early ties gave way to a late MADFROG surge in Set 3. McGough was unstoppable on the left side as 14’s N Green closed in. One final McGough kill ended the perfect weekend as MADFROG became 14 Elite champions. Even after such a dominant weekend, Coach Pazo conveyed a desire to aim higher. “When it comes to fundamentals, there’s still work we have to do. Our blocking needs improvement. But, I’m proud of them. I feel like we’re getting there,” Pazo said. It’s a mindset that will have MADFROG ready for the long haul in the 2024 club season. For now, Pazo takes pride in what she said were “many good, clean matches.” And, even in the face of adversity, MADFROG was resilient enough to bounce back—the mark of a Triple Crown champion. KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Like many others involved in the busy and competitive Triple Crown Sports NIT, the Coast Volleyball Club 18s very much needed a solid Sunday afternoon of action.
After starting 1-2 in the always challenging power pool, Coast finds itself in a position to compete for a NIT 18u Elite Division Championship. How? Well, the San Diego-based club team rallied on Sunday, earning three consecutive victories — with the final two coming in straight sets. The first match of the day proved to be the toughest one for Coast to come by as it edged Sky High-Adidas Elite (22-25, 25-23, 15-6). Then, Coast topped AZ Sky Gold (25-13, 25-20) and Miami Hype (25-16, 25-13) to wrap up Sunday action. So, what was the key to Coast’s successful day? We’ll let Indiana University commit Jaidyn Jager clue us in on the secret. “I think we started with high energy and that helped us because we kept it at that,” the 6-foot-1 outside hitter said. “And then we did a great job of siding out quickly, making sure we didn’t allow them to get runs. We were listening to each other and trusting each other on each play.” Saren Rogers, Jaidyn’s position mate, knows that Coast will need to replicate that energy and focus on Championship Monday. “We just need to come in really focused and keep our eyes on the prize and our goals we set out as a team,” said Rogers, a Point Loma Nazarene University commit. “The competition is really good here and it’s a very high level.” Led by head coach Ozhan Bahrambeygui, Coast returns to Elite Division Championship action at 8:30 a.m. Monday on Court 4 for a quarterfinal match against 1st Alliance Gold (5-1). It’s, of course, win or go home from here. But Jager and Rogers are confident. “We can win,” they both stated. The following teams are joining Coast (4-2) and 1st Alliance for the final day of action in the Elite Division Championship: TAV Black (6-0), KC Power (5-1), Triangle Black (5-1), Club V (4-2), Tri-State Elite Blue (4-2) and Madfrog Green (3-3). by Michael Deleon
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that will be under one roof. It is being held in Kansas City, MO on February 17-19th. It brings together the toughest competition from all over the country. There are many storylines coming out of day two and we were front and center for two of them. The defending champion Dallas Skyline 16 Royal is on a mission to go back to back this year. They have retooled their already awesome roster with some amazing additions. The core of this team is still intact from last year’s amazing USA Open title run. They have one of the best setters in the country in Madison Victoriano and she runs the ship very well. Her athleticism and pinpoint accuracy help each hitter to play at their best. There are very few holes in this team as they are solid across the entire roster. She also has an innate ability to lead by example and be a calming force during tense moments. Her teammates really trust her ability to track down and put the ball where it needs to be. Libero Kiley Brooks has really stepped up this year and can dig hard driven balls so easily. She truly has no fear in the way she plays the position. I also love how her fiery attitude rubs off on the team as she celebrates everyone’s accomplishments after a rally. One player who truly has come into the spotlight this year is Ashlyn Seay. At this level it is not easy to stand out amongst the stars that shine bright, but in this match I saw her come alive and turn it up a few notches. Not only is she hitting at such a high level, but her defensive is just as impressive. The pins on this team really know how to thread the needle and they are all ready to attack at any given moment. Taylor Clarke, Simone Heard and LeVariya Pinder are some of the hardest hitting pins in the country. They are lethal to say the least. Keoni Williams proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that sh is one of the best middles in her grad class with her solid performance. On the other side of the court was another squad who is very well known since they dominated last season, Austin Skyline 16 Royal. This squad has also retooled their lineup with some solid additions. Henley Anderson joined the team and paired up with Riley Malloy on the left side. In my opinion, they are the best one-two punch in the country on the left side. Both play all six rotations and do a fantastic job of keeping their team in every match on their schedule. Everyone in the country knows how lethal they both are from the offensive side of the ball, but they have shown this season just how good they are on the defensive side as well. I love how they both patrol middle back with ease and dig the hard driven ball so gracefully. Sydney Lund and Maggie McCarroll do a great job of running a great 6-2 offense. Syd has the size and strength to battle at the net, while Maggie is as athletic as they come in the position. I really like the way McCarroll moves on the court with confidence. Her footwork is always fast and she never takes unnecessary steps toward the ball when tracking it down. With the addition of Rileigh Butler at libero, the team has very little weaknesses. Her confidence can be seen with every rally and she is extremely focused in every aspect of the game. Christa Wilburn has also been playing lights out for this star-studded cast as of late. Her ability to play any position at the net at a high level should attract a lot of attention from college scouts. Set one was extremely close throughout the entire set as both teams did not want to relinquish control of the match up. It was very apparent that the winner of this set and match was going to come down to only a few key points. Both teams were battling back and forth until the very end as Dallas Skyline pulled off the set one victory by only a few points. Set two started off with both teams trading some serious hay-makers back and forth. It was like watching a real heavyweight boxing match as huge swings were taking place by both squads. The coaching matchup was also great to watch as timeouts were taken at great times to try to slow down momentum from each other. In the end, Dallas Skyline 16 Royal came out as the ultimate victor, however I am sure that we have not seen the last of Austin Skyline this season. Dallas Skyline looks like no one can truly stop them as every player does their part on this well-balanced squad. By Adam Burns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ava Nakai doesn’t just fill out the stat sheet for the Club V 18s. The outside hitter has an innate ability to rise to the occasion. And she quite literally rises, too. When going for a kill, Nakai, standing at 5-foot-10, leaps high and hangs there until it’s time to use her powerful right arm. On most occasions, she makes solid contact and promptly slams it home. “Oh, she absolutely flies,” Club V coach Reed Carlson said of Nakai, who’s committed to Towson. “She just hangs. There’s the Ava who jumps high and then there’s the Ava who jumps really high. And today we saw the one who jumps high.” Nakai helped Club V rattle off three match victories Sunday in the Triple Crown Sports WNIT 18u Elite Division Championship bracket at the Kansas City Convention Center. Playing without middle blocker and University of Texas commit Taylor Harvey in the first couple of matches, the Utah-based squad’s three-win Sunday came after it dropped its first two matches in the uber-competitive power pool. Club V defeated all three opponents in straight sets on Sunday, topping MAVS KC (25-17, 29-27), Mintonette Sports (25-13, 25-21) and Munciana Samurai (25-16, 28-26). “Today was a great day,” Carlson said. “We played some tough teams and played with some lineups before getting to elimination day, and today, we had an aggressive gameplan and were able to execute on that. Anytime we’re able to put more pressure on them than they’re putting on us, it’s a really good thing.” Nakai, one of several highly skilled players for Club V, and the front line in particular were able to apply that pressure. Harvey, for example, stands at 6-3 and has an impressive wingspan in the middle. Also committed to Division I programs from Club V are outside hitter Greta Brown (Fresno State University); middle blocker McKinley Boehm (Xavier University); outside hitter Ella Mortensen (Brigham Young University); and libero Trinidy Tien (Cornell University). “We have some incredible jumpers, some incredible players,” Nakai said. “We’re touching well above 10 feet and it gets us big over the net to shut down incredible hitters. It’s awesome to be a part of.” Carlson agreed. “It’s fun to be around athletes who are committed and want to be the best at what they do,” he said. “Being around these kids and seeing how much they love playing volleyball, it’s amazing.” Nakai is certainly appreciating every moment she has with her teammates, while also enjoying success along the way in the WNIT. “I love this team; it’s an incredible group,” she said. “I love this tournament. We were here last year. It’s extremely competitive and gets us ready for nationals and we love it.” Next up is a date with Championship Monday. For Club V, the approach is simple. “Tomorrow it’s going to come down to building on what we did today and go to work,” Carlson said. From PrepDig: SCVC 16 Elite has heart to survive three-set thriller as TC NIT builds momentum2/18/2024 By Chris Fitzgerald
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The SCVC vs Houston Skyline 16s match had a little bit of a NBA courtside feel of the “Who’s Who” of volleyball having eyes on this match. Nebraska’s staff was in full force along with star outside Harper Murray joining them, the top schools in California, Texas, name a top program and they were there. Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Poulter was on the baseline. These athletes definitely put on a show. Both sides of the net featured athletes who are among the top in their state, they are even among the best in the nation. It’s California vs Texas. It’s where “The Elite Come to Compete”. On paper, Houston Skyline 16 Black has plenty of firepower with outsides Halle Thompson and Jayden Robinson who are some of the most physical and athletic outsides nationally in the Class of 2026. Across the net would be Audrey Flanagan who is one of the top outsides in the Class of 2026 in California and if you’re one of the best in California you are one of the best in the country. However, the story of this game was found in the SCVC balance and multiple players contributing at different times throughout the match. With the score tied at 19 in set one, it was the block of SCVC that would spark the final six points to seal the deal. Middle blocker Maya Stillwell was a force with her length and ability to establish position against a very electric Houston Skyline offense. She also teamed up with right side Abby Zimmerman, who would come up clutch all match with a key block or kill. SCVC would take set one 25-20. In set two, SCVC would go up 23-20, closing in on a sweep and a spot in the final eight of the 16s Championship Division. Not so fast, said Thompson of Houston Skyline. She would go on a run of backrow kills, completely flipping the momentum to the side of the Texas squad. Houston Skyline would take the set 27-25 and force a deciding third set. The SCVC team out of Redondo Beach, California kept their poise as they did all match. Coach Amir Lugo-Rodriguez talked about the experience this team has playing together that is a huge advantage for them during these tight matches. “This team has been together for a while. They are so used to playing together and sometimes against each other. We are such a tight knit group and they are used to leaning on each other and ultimately there's not a lot we need to do as coaches because that team just refuses to quit and stays rock solid together.” Rock solid they were in set three. Different athletes stepped up in clutch moments. Audrey Flanagan got things rolling with a stuff block, followed by a roll shot in the middle of the court. Sammy Destler would rotate to the front row and continue the momentum with two kills, including an overpass kill that would really get SCVC rolling in set three. Setter Milly McGee was the quarterback of this squad keeping the other side off balanced and coming up with some big time blocks and digs of her own. DS/Libero Jordan Shelor came in with some big time serves to force Houston Skyline out of system, resulting in free ball kills for SCVC. “Jordan came in and we needed her to hit the serve that she does every single day and she executed it perfectly,” said Lugo-Rodriguez. With SCVC up 12-6, Houston Skyline made a furious rally. They came back to make it 13-10 and eventually 13-12 before scoring the final two points, winning the match 15-12 in set three. “A lot of our opponents really key on our outsides, but we are a very balanced team. It’s a total team effort.” The SoCal kids are back in the final eight of NIT Triple Crown where they were runner up in 2023 as 15s. They will take the court again Monday morning when they face TAV 16 Black in a quarterfinal match. From PrepDig: KC Power 18 Black defends turf against Dallas Skyline in Elite Division action2/18/2024 By Austin Kingsley
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – KC Power 18 Black has seen every big stage club volleyball offers. Some of those events, like Triple Crown NIT, have been right down the road in Kansas City’s Bartle Hall. Perhaps that makes 2024’s NIT extra special, particularly with the 18s season marking the final act for club athletes. It’s a chance to defend home territory one last time. 18 Black did exactly that in its Round of 16 bout with Dallas Skyline in the Elite bracket. KC Power claimed an emphatic two-set win over Skyline to advance to Monday’s quarterfinals. Here’s the breakdown of KC Power’s triumph—and a look ahead at what’s to come. A Matter of Perspective We have two ways to look at KC Power 18 Black’s journey at Triple Crown NIT. First, there’s the very short physical journey to Bartle Hall. 18 Black Head Coach Dave Johnson was quick to admit that competing in your home city is a welcomed perk. "I sleep in my own bed. I walk my dog. I can hang out with my kid. It’s wonderful,” Johnson said. It’s a sentiment echoed by setter Janelle Green, who signed her letter of intent with the University of Cincinnati. However, Green also said that the team’s approach remains the same regardless of venue. “It’s the same, ‘get up, grind, finish it…go home, sleep, ice bath, eat, recover, and do it the next day,’” Green said. Sure, it’s easy to point to KC Power’s home success. 18 Black started the 2024 season with an Open qualifier championship at Kansas City’s MLK Tournament. But this KC Power group has brought that title-winning form to other locales as a regular Open contender. Like Green, Johnson emphasized that while the home environment is nice, it’s not the deciding factor. ”We enjoy practice. We enjoy playing together,” Johnson said. “So, for us…this is our favorite thing. The whistles bring us comfort.” ”Comfort” may not have been the way KC Power supporters characterized 18 Black’s NIT matches leading up to the Skyline meeting. While KC Power may not have traveled far to reach Bartle Hall, its first few matches were akin to a marathon. 18 Black opened with a three-set defeat to TAV, the age group’s #1 overall seed. It was a back-and-forth power pool match that showed KC Power’s ability to spar with the tournament’s best. Momentum started to shift as KC Power notched two wins against MADFROG and COAST. Still, these were both three-set matches that tested 18 Black’s resolve under pressure. By the end of Sunday’s bracket play, Johnson saw this constant pressure as a blessing. ”We’re pretty battle-tested. Usually, we can kind of jump on that, take that momentum, and bring it home. [The players] do a really great job of that,” Johnson said. Embarking on a three-set gauntlet in power pools is tough, but it’s even harder when the threat of elimination is lurking. KC Power survived a three-set challenger slugfest with AVC CLE just to make the 32-team bracket. From there, we saw the momentum Johnson had mentioned. A sweep over Momentous put KC Power a step further. That led into the Round of 16 clash with Dallas Skyline. Sealing the Deal KC Power was ready to capitalize on all the weekend’s build-up and effort. 18 Black raced out to an early lead over its Texas opponent. Green set the team’s familiar high-powered offense—one that is accustomed to running at a blistering pace. The eye-popping swings captured our attention, but Green was sure to credit the players who locked down the backcourt. ”You don’t see a ball touch the floor without one, maybe three bodies on the ground,” Green said. “Along with that, our serving is a big strong point for us.” Libero Mya Bolton was a common source of those self-sacrificing defensive saves. She worked in tandem with Abby Boyd and Felicia Wu to create a defensive juggernaut in Sunday’s match against Skyline. Of course, serving and defense is not limited to the backcourt specialists. Outside hitters Alea Goolsby and Rachel Van Gorp were major contributors to KC Power’s ball control. Goolsby wielded a wicked topspin serve that affected passing on the other side of the net. 18 Black soared to a Set 1 win over Skyline behind these collective strengths. Right-side hitter Jillian Huckabey put down an incredible shot on set point to seal it. KC Power’s singular focus was apparent as 18 Black gained another advantage in Set 2. Depth at middle blocker is never a concern. Zoe McDonald, Cy Rae Campbell, and Julia Headley show a willingness to run a variety of routes along the net. KC Power loves their slide attacks. Tatum Tindall can join the fray at this position or slot into the right side whenever needed. It’s enough versatility and firepower to overwhelm any opponent, whether at home or in a far-away venue. In this case, KC Power delivered in front of a home audience to secure a spot in the final eight. KC Power now looks for that “bring it home” moment that Coach Johnson alluded to. It’s both figurative and literal. By Kyle Koso
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When the opponent settles in, it’s important to keep those thoughts of doubt settled down. The Forza1 North 15 Elite team had a certain command of the moment early in Saturday night’s match against KC Power Black at the TC NIT, enough to see the Power labor to keep up as Forza won Set 1. But, this being a top-shelf event front to back, KC Power cut down on the gaffes and tied it, forcing a deciding third set at the KC Convention Center. Forza didn’t get discouraged by the other side showing some rally heart, instead gutting out the third set and posting a 25-17, 21-25, 15-10 victory, one of three wins on the day for the California program. Although a bit undersized, Forza definitely had a quick first step when it mattered and also served the ball with purpose and menace – more than anything, the confidence never wavered. “We definitely had a rough start in the second set, but we did a great job coming back. I was a little mad about it, but not at my team, just myself,” said Chloe Taylor, who shined as primary setter and punched home a few kills as well when given the chance. “It feels so great getting those swings; it’s a big, competitive group of girls on the other side, a hard division, so it feels great to do it. “We are so fired up to be here at Triple Crown, and when we found out we were in the Power Pools, we wanted to get after it.” A cluster of mistakes by KC Power and a series of points fueled by the jump serve of Ryan Brock put Forza in command at the start; the set was tidied up with kills from Jordan Rall and Maddie Siqueland, along with an ace by Olivia Zajicek. KC Power flexed some depth in Set 2, taking a 14-8 lead and then showing some mettle as well after Forza closed it to 21-20, an effort highlighted by the high-flying kills of Bo Bronson. “Our goal this season had been about responding well to feedback, which we did after the second set,” said Brock, whose terminal hitting and terrific serves were big momentum makers for Forza. “I’ve been playing since I was 9, so I’ve had a lot of years to work on my serve.” “Our energy has been there, and it’s built us the momentum to play well.” Set 3, Forza proved to be the steady unit, building a 12-8 lead with key kills from Lauren Furnald and Saaliyah Brown. Oddly, both teams had a burst of service errors in the late going, but the lead was enough for Forza to emerge on top. “We got them on the back foot early with our serve pressure. It’s one of the things this group does well,” said Forza coach Austin Meadur. “I don’t think they had a plan for us early. We talked about it between sets, how they are playing some of the best teams in the nation, so expect them to have a response for you. We knew they were going to respond, so then it was our turn to have one. “Third set, it really showed, back to good serve pressure and some defensive opportunities that turned into high-quality transition that didn’t happen in the second set. I don’t worry too much about the serve errors, it’s just part of the game. We want them to have the confidence to go back out there and serve tough.” Forza also had two-set victories Saturday versus Kairos Alpha and MadFrog Green. By Jamison Kruse
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It was the clash of the undefeated squads in Pool B! Both of these teams were coming into this one with two wins under their belt. Each of those four wins coming way of tie breakers, too! Michigan Elite would take down Dynasty and Excel with decisions going 17-15 and 15-6. For A5, they would go the distance to beat Legacy with a 20-18 third set before taking down Coast in a 15-11 decider. It was looking like this match would result in similar fashion. In a come from behind win, Michigan Elite would bring out the brooms for this win to put the cherry on top to a 3-0 day. Set 1 -- This match started off a little slow from both sides. Coming off of vigorous matches, there was some serve and pass woes to kick off the match. MIElite was particularly struggling to find a rhythm early and allowed A5 to grab a lead 4-7 early on. From her on out, A5 would have a comfortable lead ahead of Elite, leading as much as 14-20 late in the set. At this point, setter Abigail Li (SMU) was running a real efficient offense. Much of the time she was snagging her hitters, 1 on 1 opportunities at the net. However, it was at this point in the set that the tides began to change across the net. After a much needed side out from Elite, McKenna Payne (Utah) would go behind the line and bring her team right back into the mix. Payne would go on with a couple of aces in her run to force an A5 timeout at 18-20. The two teams would go side out for side out. This welcomed Addison Newblatt (Fordham) into the match. With a gnarly top spin serve, she would tie up the match at 21s, forcing A5 to burn their last TO. From here on out, it was a blow for blow kind of match. With eventually, the prowess of Jessica Costlow (Toledo) would secure this come from behind win. Set 2 -- Riding that wave of momentum, this game seemed to be all in the control of Michigan Elite. A Katerina Stout solo roof to open set 2 would solidify the vibe for the remainder of the match. Much like how the opener ended, we'd see set 2 begin the same way. It wasn't until 7s that we'd see Elite make the jump ahead. Behind two stellar runs by both Costlow and Newblatt behind the line, Elite would storm ahead by as much as 18-12. Ella Craggs' (Illinois State) offense was absolutely cruising at this time. These two teams would go on to back and forth action, but Elite was leading by as much as seven points after hitting the 20 point mark. This is where we saw some new life breathe into A5. Kendall Newbold (North Florida), on the right pin, had the Midas Touch. Closing the gap down to three points off of a Newbold frenzy, Elite would call their first TO of the set. After a few more A5 points, Stout would be the one to end the eight point run to set up match point for Elite. 17 Mizuno would take the match in a sweep, earning the lone undefeated start in Pool B. Michigan Elite Highlights -- Despite the early passing struggles, this team managed to bring it all together quite nicely. Costlow and Isabelle Busignani (Cincinnati) are easily one of the best outside hitting duos in this age group. Their ability to play the complete game at such a high level is incredible. Both were finding great success scoring. Alongside them, Gabriella Babinski (Georgia Southern) is continuing to bring the heat on the right pin. Much like Stout, Babinski comes up in crucial moments with bombing swings. A5 Highlights -- With Li running such an efficient offense, it was really impressive to watch. While Newbold found a lot of success on the right pin, I was really impressed with the middle production for A5. Both Ellis Crawford (Maryland) and Kaia Easterbrook (Providence) were finding a lot of success on their opportunities. But more importantly, they were slowing down the hardest of swings. This allowed the defense, led by Francesca Popescu (Cal-Berkely), to operate at a really high level. |
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