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 every week by means of Junior Nationals this summer time.
• It’s exhausting to consider, however we’re two-thirds of the way in which by means of qualifier season! Present Me in Kansas Metropolis and the beginning of Salt Lake Metropolis Showdown in, properly…Salt Lake Metropolis…have been final week’s headliners.
Extra Salt Lake and a few Far Westerns in Reno are on the agenda this weekend.
• Present Me occurred on Saturday by means of Monday, which meant eclipse looking ahead to some groups on the ultimate day. Houston Skyline 17 Royal was one such staff. That they had the suitable glasses for outdoor, however wanted goggles for the figurative champagne bottles uncorked after their third qualifier win of the season within the 17 Open division.
“The staff was excited to compete as a full squad as now we have been battling some lagging accidents,” famous coach Alex Edwards, whose staff went 10-0.
With Houston Skyline now a well-known foe to many, the staff needed to develop its vary to defeat scouting experiences and did simply that.
“I used to be impressed in our potential to proceed to make use of our vary in our shot choice, carry out within the purple zone and our middles’ talents to supply factors towards strong blocks,” she stated.
The staff noticed libero Morgan Madison and setter Kassie O’Brien handle the primary two touches, as regular, with sturdy offensive controbutions coming within the center from Mackenzie Collins and Bayleigh Minor and on the pins from Taylor Porter and Bailey Warren.
• Michigan Elite, Recreation Level and Northern Lights took residence the Open bids in 17 Open.
Northern Lights rallied from a 15-13 Recreation 3 loss to Houston Skyline in its last match of Gold Pool play to comb Rockwood Thunder within the bid match for fifth place general.
Qualifying was particular for Dave Manka’s squad, as a result of the staff received on Monday with solely seven capable of play, together with MB Carly Slusser, who had simply returned from six weeks off due to a again damage. Lights performed within the bid match with out star hitter Mesaiya Bettis (calf pull on Day 3 versus Dynasty) and RS Elli Tufto (Achilles pressure versus Rockwood).
The win over Rockwood got here in two units and was catalyzed by the transfer of Kate Holthaus to exterior from her regular place on the fitting. She collected 12 kills and eight digs. Libero McKenna Garr additionally was excellent, with 13 digs and a pair of.8 passing.
“To earn this bid on this method is such a tribute to this staff and what a staff win actually means,” Manka stated. “It actually was a particular weekend.”
• Maybe impressed by Purdue’s run to the NCAA males’s basketball championship last, Boiler Juniors stored its sizzling streak going by profitable 16 Open at Present Me. The staff, which has an outstanding freshman RS in Caroline Ward, has sandwiched a second-place qualifier end round wins at Bluegrass and Present Me over the previous 4 weeks.
• Premier Nebraska, Pohaku and Important claimed the three bids to Junior Nationals.
Important punched its ticket because of a 2-0 Gold Pool, which included a 21-19-in-the-third win over Iowa Rockets.
“The Important 16-1 Gold staff positively doesn’t move the attention check on the Open degree, in terms of physicality; they’re only a scrappy and resilient group,” stated director Ryan Stuntz.
The staff struggled in qualifiers final 12 months, however returned 9 of 10 gamers and used their staff chemistry to take a step ahead in 2024. A powerful end at Triple Crown gave this staff confidence and it paid off in an enormous approach at Present Me.
Setter Harper Goldsmith made the All-Event staff by utilizing her smarts to seek out the new arms, which included MB Hailey Laffond and RS Lauren Barker. Libero Cora Bicknese and DS Kira Brundage have been important to staff success by being in step with the primary contact all weekend.
• Dallas Skyline 15 Royal roared unbeaten by means of 15 Open in Kansas Metropolis. Mark Flores’ staff, which was second at MEQ, received its final 5 matches, together with all three on the ultimate day, in straight units.
• Open bids have been prolonged to Rockwood Thunder, KC Energy and PVA.
PVA completed simply 4-4 for the occasion, however acquired a vital win over OT T Randy, probably the greatest groups nationally at this age; to advance to the Gold swimming pools.
The Kansas Metropolis-area staff acquired strong weekends from Morgan Hampton, Presley Kreter, Evie Ignbenebor and Lochlar O’Bleness.
Hampton, a 6-1 pin, handed a 2.1 on the weekend and scored at will at occasions. Kreter, a 6-1 center tabbed probably the greatest within the nation, confirmed off her excessive physicality and hit .333 whereas averaging greater than two blocks per set. Igbenebor, a 5-11 center, was a robust chief in addition to an explosive presence within the center. O’Bleness, a DS, was a rock enjoying left and center again. She handed a 2.0 on the weekend and dug greater than six balls per match over the weekend. O’Bleness additionally has been persistently one of many staff’s strongest servers.
This now marks the second straight 12 months for PVA to qualify in Open. The staff completed twenty fourth at Junior Nationals final 12 months in 14 Open.
• In Salt Lake, on the Showdown, AZ Storm affirmed its place among the many elite nationally with one other 15 Open win. Storm has two super middles and an environment friendly exterior in Tessa Larkin.
• Membership V, one other elite staff; Imaginative and prescient and Madfrog snagged the three Open bids.
The Frogs, who went 7-1 at Sunshine however didn’t bid there; acquired their bid by avenging a Day 1 loss to 1United. A bit staff pep speak had the gamers targeted to handle enterprise on Monday versus 1United and that’s exactly what occurred.
Stand-out gamers for the bid match have been Vanessa Glen (OH), Siena Ebert (libero), Dakota Richards (setter) and MacKenzie Radcliff (MB). Ebert, particularly, raised her recreation to a complete new degree.
Richards, probably the greatest setters within the division all weekend; Radcliff, Richards and OH Audree Hughes performed sturdy for Matt Sipes’ staff all weekend lengthy.
• ICYMI, the [too-large] 48-team 18 Open subject for 18s Junior Nationals on the finish of the month has been accomplished with the addition of three At-Giant choices, Six Pack, Absolute and San Gabriel Elite. Now, I admit to now understanding as a lot about membership groups as I used to, however I can GUARANTEE that the three At-Giant groups is not going to be among the many worst within the subject.
Six Pack boasts twins Jadyn and Payton Petersen and several other different good gamers. San Gabriel is fronted by Stanford-bound setter Taylor Yu. And Absolute has stars in Anaya Thrower and Jaden Hendrickson.