April 21, 2022

With both previously-qualified OT 15 Randy and HPSTL 15 Royal making the four-team gold bracket in 15 Open, it not only awarded bids to Mich Elite 15 Mizuno and Top Select 15 Elite but also set up a dramatic finish for the final bid. OT went on to defeat HPSTL in the final and Mich Elite and Top Select earned bids by virtue of making the gold bracket. However, the four-team silver bracket was a winner-take-all affair for the lone remaining bid. AZ Sky 15 Gold came through in the clutch, defeating A5 Mizuno 15 Bob in what amounted to the fifth-place match to join the Open qualified field for Indy. Here’s how their weekends played out. OT 15 RANDY (FIRST, 9-0) Day 1: d EliteVBTC 15 Black 25-21, 18-25, 17-15; d LUV 15 Adidas 22-25, 25-17, 15-8; d Waves 15 Elite Rox 25-21, 25-6 Day 2: d Triangle 15 Black 25-17, 25-15; d Top Select 15 Elite 18-25, 25-20, 15-10 Day 3: d AZ Sky 15 Gold 26-28, 25-13, 15-9; d BVA 15 Mizuno 25-6, 25-16; d Top Select 15 Elite 25-13, 25-22; d HPSTL 15 Royal 25-22, 14-25, 15-12   Seeded No. 1 overall to begin with, OT held its spot throughout the weekend and finished on top at 9-0 after outlasting HPSTL in three games in the final. It was one of five times OT went the distance at Big South, including losing the first set in three of those contests. There were early signs that OT was going to have to grind its way through the field if it was going to hold seed and capture the division. It started Day 1 by winning in three in its first two outings. It finished off Day 2 with another three-set victory. “It was a spectacular team effort,” OT coach Randy Thomas said. “We grinded out those hard, high-pressure scenarios. The fight, the grit, the togetherness they put it all together. It was awesome.” OT also needed to rally past AZ Sky in its first gold pool matchup before sweeping BVA 15 Mizuno to reach the gold bracket. There, OT swept Top Select in the semis after needing three sets to beat Top Select on Day 2. For all of its work though, OT was pushed by HPSTL in the title match and was in danger of not closing its weekend out on top and undefeated. But OT held firm and walked away with the Big South crown. “We’ve seen a lot of improvement with execution and not playing high-error volleyball,” Thomas said. “We’ve cleaned up our game a lot. We’ve seen smarter, higher IQ, and consistent play. Also, there’s been a genuine togetherness with the players. They are really helping each other out and making it happen.” Setters Izzy Mogridge – a four-star recruit – and Josephine Hensley are part of a 6-2 package for OT. Hensley can stay and hit across the front row, while Amalyah Long or Charley Goberville can also play on the right. OT has a balanced attack that also features outsides Isabella Pereira and Maggie Dostic plus middles Connore Siler-Nixon and Kaylee Peper – another three-star recruit. The back row was anchored by libero Lily Hayes and DS Aaliyah Harlow. “Winning a qualifier is an amazing accomplishment in itself,” Thomas said. “I’m proud of the team coming together and getting it done. It’s what you want to see as a coach.” *** HPSTL 15 ROYAL (SECOND, 7-2) Day 1: d IVBA 15 Open 25-14, 25-18; d CUVC 15 Premier 27-25, 25-19; d GP 15 Rox 25-17, 25-16 Day 2: d Jax Skyline 15 Royal 25-18, 25-15; l Mich Elite 15 Mizuno 23-25, 25-21, 19-17 Day 3: d Academy 15 Diamond 25-20, 25-11; d Waves 15 Elite Rox 25-14, 25-18; d Mich Elite 15 Mizuno 21-25, 25-22, 15-8; l OT 15 Randy 25-22, 14-25, 15-12   It figured HPSTL’s time in Atlanta was going to go one of two ways. Either the Gateway Region club would continue on with the way it played the prior weekend when it earned its bid at Show Me or there would be a letdown coming off the high of qualifying. The ride carried on as HPSTL kept at it and posted a second-place finish after falling to OT in the 15 Open championship match. HPSTL earned its bid at Show Me in dramatic fashion by beating Mich Elite in the final gold pool match to capture the last qualifying position. As fate would have it, the two sides ran into each other twice more at Big South, though neither carried the significance of the meeting in Kansas City. The first encounter came on Day 2, when Mich Elite pulled out a thrilling victory in three sets to win the pool. The second clash came after both finished on top of their gold pools and met in the semifinals. HPSTL prevailed in that one in three games. HPSTL also managed to gain a victory over previously-qualified GP 15 Rox on Day 1 to win its pool. HPSTL was still playing without outside hitter Zoe Baliva and used much of the same lineup it did at Show Me. Hannah Leftridge and Hannah Taylor were on the left, with Tara Greenbury and Lainey Waser in the middle. Setters Ella Keeven and Katelyn Diani were running a 6-2, while Harper Highfill and Ally Fuchs played dual liberos. *** MICH ELITE 15 MIZUNO (T-THIRD, 5-2) Day 1: d NVA 15 Black 25-18, 25-18, 25-21; l CJV 15 Anna 25-23, 22-25, 25-16 Day 2: d Jax Skyline 15 Royal 25-17, 20-25, 15-12; d HPSTL 15 Royal 23-25, 25-21, 19-17 Day 3: d No Name 15-1 25-11, 25-16; d A5 Mizuno 15 Bob 18-25, 28-26, 15-9; l HPSTL 15 Royal 21-25, 25-22, 15-8   Big South represented Mich Elite’s last chance at qualifying for Open. It was only the weekend before Mich Elite put itself in position to do so but lost a must-win contest against HPSTL which would have awarded Mich Elite