That is “Dots,” VolleyballMag’s weekly have a look at 10 issues in membership volleyball, previous or current, that curiosity me and hopefully will curiosity you. Search for Dots each Tuesday via Junior Nationals this summer season.
• Final week was the busiest by far of the qualifier season, with occasions in Chicago, Spokane, Las Vegas and Atlanta.
Let’s begin in Chi-City and the 17 Open division, gained by house towners 1st Alliance 17 Gold with a 10-0 report.
“This accomplishment was really a group win, with 17 Gold passing a 2.41 and attacking at a hitting effectivity of .343 as a group,” stated coach Danielle Mikos.
A well-recognized quartet led the group on the weekend: OH Abby Vander Wal had 102 kills over 25 units. Addy Horner contributed in a number of classes, with 62 kills, 57 assists, 13 kills and a team-high 21 blocks. Aniya Warren gathered 92 digs and, passing half the courtroom, obtained serve at a 2.5 clip. And setter Hannah Kenny, the “heartbeat of the group,” took over in massive matches and had 175 assists, 9 blocks, 10 aces, 43 digs and handed a 2.6.
After being taken to 3 units in 5 of its first 9 matches, 1st Alliance swept previously-qualified Circle Metropolis 17 Purple within the closing, profitable 25-6, 25-20.
“The championship match in opposition to Circle Metropolis was among the best I’ve coached shortly,” Mikos stated. “In set 2, each groups have been aggressive but in addition low error. Rallies lasted for what appeared like minutes. After every group alternating scoring, you might have a look at each side and see the women attempting to regain their power to compete for the following rally. We actually battled and made one another earn our factors.”
This marked the third straight 12 months {that a} 1st Alliance 17 Gold group gained Windy Metropolis.
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MAVS KC 17-1 and Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy tied for third to take house the opposite two 17 Open bids.
Logan Parks and Maddie Mitchell made the All-Match Group for MAVS
“Each have been each integral to giving our offense key alternatives to attain,” stated coach Kelley Kelley. “Maegan Mills additionally helped us shut out Day 3 in a number of key moments from the pin.”
Nebraska ONE was one of many 5 groups to take a set off of 1st Alliance. That set win was essential, as a result of it allowed the group to advance to the Gold swimming pools.In Gold, the group went 2-1 to clinch a bid, edging proficient squads Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and Legacy 17-1 Adidas, every in three units.
Standouts for the weekend included libero Keri Leimbach, setter Malorie Boesiger and OH Mattie Dalton. The group additionally bought sturdy play from OH Anna Jelinek, middles
Lexi Hasselbalch, Natalie Wardlow and Kiera Hyperlink, DS Harper Gabel and RS Abbie Hagedorn.
“These ladies proceed to impress me on a regular basis,” stated coach Christina Boesiger. “They’re so decided, aggressive, and execute our sport plan actually rather well. The idea they’ve and the way they play collectively is fairly wonderful. They’re all the time up for a problem. It was a complete group effort this weekend. We solely have 9 gamers and all of them performed an enormous function in our success this weekend. Each participant made massive performs at simply the proper time.”
• Austin Skyline 16 Royal earned its bid and the 16 Open title at Windy Metropolis by profitable its closing two matches on Saturday in do-or-die conditions, then outlasting Legacy 16-1 Adidas in what was successfully a semifinal and two-time qualifier champion Mintonette m. 61 within the championship match. I haven’t but heard from the coaches at Austin Skyline, however this can be a loaded group with the type of firepower to make a run all the way in which to a nationwide championship.
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Legacy and Tribe each additionally certified. Legacy is the reigning Triple Crown champion and one other 16 Open nationwide championship favourite with Meredith Martin digging and Eva Lengthy setting.
The important thing to Tribe’s qualification was going 6-0 in three-set matches. Mia Gold had 15 kills and Gigi Artiles added 11 aces in a three-set Saturday win over Academy Volleyball Cleveland 17 Purple. Artiles additionally was big in Sport 3 of a win over HP STL 16 Royal.
Setter Riley McCaughey ran a clean offense had some key defensive performs for Tribe, athletic, undersized MB Brenna Hasey confirmed off her all-around sport and defenders Vittoria Belfort and Kaylee Maikranz took turns making massive digs and nice hustle performs.
• In 15 Open, TAV’s second Black group, TAV 15 Black Fifer went 9-1 to take first place. The group misplaced on Day 1 to Premier Nebraska 15 Gold, which additionally certified; however gained revenge within the championship match.
“It was a fantastic match all the way in which round for our group and we have been in a position to acquire some good wins in opposition to some actually proficient groups,” stated TAV coach Kaylee Fifer. “Every day they have been confronted with some type of adversity and have been in a position to overcome every circumstance with grit and dedication.”
Notable standouts embody outsides Alyssa Todd (94 kills; hitting .317) and Landri Trice (75 kills). The protection began on the web with center Londyn Pope having 18 complete blocks and continued into the again courtroom, the place libero Callie Gardner had 66 digs.
“It was a full group effort by all the ladies they usually had one another’s again via every match!” Fifer stated.
HP STL 15 Royal completed third to nab the ultimate bid.
• At Large South in Atlanta, OT 17 T Aaron gained its second straight 17 Open qualifier by going 10-0 with out dropping a set.
“We had some nice practices after profitable MEQ, however I wasn’t certain how we’d reply after getting the bid in Indy,” coach Aaron Harrison stated. “I instructed the women we’d have a goal on our again all weekend at Large South since we had beforehand certified, and we have been coming in because the 1 seed and the remainder of the sphere could be preventing for his or her bid to Nationals.”
The group had sturdy wins over Triangle 17 Black (massive and right-side dominant), Sport Level and OT 17 O Felix throughout its run.
Lily Hayes, Zara Stewart, Hannah Hankerson and Maggie Dostic all did effectively in controlling the primary contact. Middles Connore Siler-Nixon and Kaylee Peper each had nice weekends.
“They have been transitioning with nice pace and intention all weekend and have been in a position to beat the block and discover open appears,” Harrison stated. “[Setter] Izzy Mogridge continues to get higher each match. She is operating a fantastic offense proper now and supplies nice management on the courtroom.”
“That is really among the best groups I’ve coached as everybody has purchased into the ‘group’ and being the toughest working group on the courtroom,” Harrison concluded.
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OT O 17 Felix, Triangle and CUVC 17 Open snagged the three bids.
Triangle misplaced solely to champion OT Aaron and battled sickness to earn its bid. RS Lindley Miller, a 6-4 sophomore enjoying on the proper; was key to the qualifying effort, as have been middles Talia Francom and Gabby Nichols, libero Addie Canady and setter BreAnna McMillan.
CUVC had positioned fourth at MEQ, which was one spot out of bid place. The North Carolina group adjusted its lineup to enhance blocking and higher steadiness the offense and it labored.
“We had over 45 complete blocks in 9 matches, and hit almost .300 on the weekend, an enormous enchancment over MEQ,” coach John Brannon stated.
Setter Ari Lopez did a extremely good job distributing and profiting from matchups and MB Caroline Noonan, who’s uncommitted; hit over .400 on the weekend.
“As well as, we have been fairly efficient from the service line, and our passing, which has been good all 12 months, was over a 2.1 on the weekend,” Brannon noticed. “We performed nice a lot of the weekend, and simply ran out of fuel in our rematch in opposition to an excellent OT Felix group within the semifinals. We had simply 5 hitters all weekend, so to have the success we did offensively was a tribute to the women’ exhausting work!”
• In 16 Open, North Carolina Academy 16 Diamond gained the Sunday Gold bracket over NKYVC and Winter Park to seize first place. The win over WPVC avenged an earlier loss within the match.
Setter Genevieve Harris, one of many elite setters nationally within the 2026 class, led the way in which for Academy. averaging 12 assists per set. Southpaw Taylor Bruce on the proper additionally was a beat and hit .462. OH Natalie Langston led the group with 77 kills, hitting nearly .400 herself. MB Ava Wilkerson was a blocking machine and contributed 44 kills on the offensive finish.
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NKYVC and Winter Park additionally certified.
Winter Park’s solely loss got here to Academy within the Gold bracket.
WPVC gained matches 18-16 and 21-19 within the third every of the primary two days and in addition gained two deuce units versus Academy.
“We carried these key moments into Day 3 and rolled via our first two matches, giving us our first alternative to earn a bid within the semi-final with a rematch versus Academy,” famous coach Matt Jackson. “We fell brief in that match within the third set by a rating of 15-12 after which have been confronted with our closing alternative within the third-place match and ended up profitable in three units by a rating of 15-9. This victory secured the Open bid for us as a group and in addition is the primary earned Open bid by any WPVC ladies’ group in our 13-year historical past. It was a historic second for our group and membership at Large South and the women have been so thrilled to have cemented themselves in WPVC historical past.”
Jackson stated qualifying was a group effort.
“As their coach, I couldn’t have been extra happy with all of them over the weekend,” he stated. “One in all our group’s core values is ‘teamness,’ which I consider is likely one of the issues that units this group other than the remainder of the competitors on the enjoying discipline.
Setter Elle Mottola, the group’s captain and “fearless chief,” was significantly implausible, as have been pins Amelia Mancino and Isa Umpierre.
• In 15 Open, OT 15 T Randy gained all of it and certified together with Excel 15 Nationwide Purple and AZ Sky 15 Gold.
OT got here in seeded first however wanted to battle on Day 3 to maintain its seed and prevail. The group made the semifinals after robust Gold Pool wins and secured its bid as a result of beforehand -qualified A5 15 Kelly was locked right into a high 4 place.
“I talked to the women earlier than our semifinal match about getting again in the proper mindset,” coach Randy Thomas stated. “Simply because we locked within the bid doesn’t imply we’re finished. We got here right here to win the match and that’s what we’re going to do.”
OT misplaced Sport 1 of the semifinals to Sky however battled again behind Candice Holloway and Sophie Puleo. Sam Karjala, Georgia Underwood and Maya Grey did rather well blocking and slowing the ball down.
The ultimate in opposition to Excel noticed OT up 23-19 within the second set with an opportunity to shut out the sweep, however Excel rallied to power a 3rd set and led 13-11 earlier than Puleo went on a serving run that saved OT within the match in a set the group finally gained, 18-16.
Setter Sophia Dostic had a superb setting weekend,” Thomas added. “She did a fantastic job shifting the ball round to the proper hitters on the proper time. Millie Snyder helped shut out our championship match with two nice kills.”
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Sky earned its bid by going 7-2, with losses solely to the 2 groups ending in entrance of it.
“We performed actually good volleyball this weekend,” stated coach Jen Lenhart. “We labored on being low error and recycling the ball lots offensively till we had our alternative to make a giant play. Our libero, Aubrey Burns, was an unimaginable defender and introduced calm confidence to her teammates. Cassidy Armstrong, our setter, ran a extremely stable offense, giving us loads of one-on-one conditions and performed unimaginable protection. Bailey Lambert. our beginning center. performed one of the best she has all season, hitting effectively above .600 on the match and put up a top quality block. Lastly, Berkley France, our ground captain, remained regular all weekend. She handed dimes, recycled the ball, and took her photographs when she had them. She led the group effectively. All gamers from the group contributed at massive moments they usually continued to battle every level.”
• In 17 Open at PNQ in Spokane, Colorado Juniors 17Kevin took the title. The group, which gained Junior Nationals within the 16 Nationwide Division a 12 months in the past, earned its first Open bid.
“They’ve labored extraordinarily exhausting this season with the objective of creating certain they play within the Open division in Las Vegas,” famous coach Kevin Marquis.
The group performed its greatest volleyball on the finish, with sweeps in its closing three matches. Setter Chloe Elarton, middles Erika Sayer and Avery Gibbs and pins Bridget Malone and Anna Blamires have been standouts.
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NORCO 17 Black and, I consider, Madfrog 17’s Nationwide Inexperienced additionally certified.
• Mizuno Lengthy Seaside 16 Rockstar and Mizuno Lengthy Seaside 15 Rockstar each misplaced twice however emerged with the Gold Ball in 16 Open and 15 Open, respectively.
This was 16 Rockstar’s first-ever qualifier win and it came visiting a loaded Imaginative and prescient 16 Gold group, which additionally certified.
Setters Reese Stringer and Ellie Chu ran a fantastic offense for Lengthy Seaside, which hit .300. Protection by Tiani Shaw and Ahnika Smith additionally was glorious.
Lengthy Seaside had misplaced to Imaginative and prescient in three on Day 2 however earned the sweep for the title sooner or later later.
• Purple Rock Rave in Las Vegas completed up Monday, with TAV 18 Black, WAVE 17 Juliana, SCVC 16 Roxy and AZ Revolution 15 Premier profitable the Open divisions.
TAV was an ideal 10-0 (20-0) in taking one other 18 Open title.
“The ladies are enjoying effectively and assured,” stated coach Carlos Ramos. “Suli Davis, Favor Anyanwu and Jadyn Livings performed at a really excessive degree, constantly. What Suli and Favor do as blockers is unreal and Jadyn’s physicality on offense helps us aspect out at a excessive share.”
Of the highest eight, seven have been beforehand certified. Tstreet 18 Chandler, with Chloe Pravednikov and Jessie Bates, was the one group to qualify, ending T-7.
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Quinn Loper and WAVE gained 17 Open with out shedding a match.
Excel 17 Nationwide Purple and Membership V 17 Ren Reed additionally certified.
“It principally got here right down to beating Membership V,” stated Excel coach Justin Waters. “We have been nonetheless in rivalry after Day 1 and a couple of and knew we simply needed to end high 3 within the Gold Pool to ensure a bid. Membership V pulled off the upset in opposition to Coast so we knew we wanted to beat them in two by an honest level differential to ensure the three spot. Halle Jameson and Greer Chambless stepped up massive on the surface and Janie Deapen had some big kills and blocks on the proper aspect. Piper Mickenheim and Sophia Noble had nice serve obtain and unbelievable protection to maintain us in it.”
Membership V secured the ultimate bid by beating TX Efficiency.
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SCVC overcame two losses to win 16 Open. The group gained its closing 5 matches, together with a well-known opponent, WAVE, within the championship match.
SCVC was stable within the serving and passing sport led by libero Kayltn Herweg, outsides Audrey Flanagan, Sammy Destler, and DS Jordan Shelor.
Within the championship closing, middles Taylor Boice and Maya Stillwell have been environment friendly, and setter Milly McGee and proper aspect Abby Zimmerman have been on level within the sweep.
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There have been solely 15 groups in 15 Open. Revolution gained regardless of three losses. It gained by set share tiebreaker over WAVE 15 Brennan and Tstreet 15 Asics.