September 10, 2023

With matches starting late Friday evening and ending late Saturday afternoon, all the action at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament takes place in under 24 hours. vballrecruiter.com was on hand covering both days of the short but intense action-packed tourney. The two-day event ended with Assumption KY downing previously-undefeated Notre Dame Academy KY in three sets, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship to bring home the title. We also released our Day 2 Show Stoppers. Below, you can find The All Red Hat Team from the LIVT. It’s our version of an All-Tournament team, featuring our favorite players selected from schools which reached either the gold or silver brackets. THE ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESCharlotte Moriarty SR Assumption KYEmma Barnett JR Assumption KYAva Tilden JR Notre Dame Academy KYGrace Portwood SO Notre Dame Academy KYAnna Powell JR Sacred Heart Academy KYBridget Egan JR Sacred Heart Academy KYEllie White SR Mother McAuley ILSydney Buchanan JR Mother McAuley ILAddy Brus SR St. Ursula Academy OHClaire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MOZoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MOTaylor Bedinghaus SR Clearwater Central Catholic FLIsabella Pereira JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLLauren Hurst JR Cleveland TNKiernan Stamey SR Maryville TNLucy Trapp JR Ryle KYCara Richter SO Mount Notre Dame OHAlivia Skidmore SR St. Henry KY MIDDLE BLOCKERSBailey Blair JR Assumption KYAudrey Dyas SO Notre Dame Academy KYElise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KYEllery Rees SR Mother McAuley ILNia Jones JR St. Ursula Academy OHKatie Noschang SR Mount Notre Dame OHSydney Geselbracht SO Mount Notre Dame OH RIGHT SIDESChloe Smith SR Assumption KYRiley McCloskey JR Notre Dame Academy KYGabby Semona SO St. Ursula Academy OHDelany Gash SR Dunbar KYEmily Helmers SO St. Henry KYMalia Brinkman JR Mount Notre Dame OH SETTER/RIGHT SIDESKaeley Walz SR Sacred Heart Academy KYAnnabelle Groomes JR St. Joseph OH SETTERSEmilee Fuller JR Assumption KYPeyton Heatherly FR Mother McAuley ILEmsley Venard JR St. Ursula Academy OHJosephine Hensley JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLMacy Lentz SR St. Henry KYKinslee McGowan SR Cleveland TNIsabela Haggard JR Dunbar KYMorgan Heater SO Ryle KYKendall Hubbard FR Mount Notre Dame OH LIBEROSKristen Simon JR Assumption KYJulia Grace JR Notre Dame Academy KYJulia Frederick SR Sacred Heart Academy KYSamantha Falk SR Mother McAuley ILEmma Frietch SO St. Ursula Academy OHElizabeth Tabeling SR St. Henry KYKenzie Cogan SR Mount Notre Dame OH

Below, we present Part 2 of our Day 2 Show Stoppers from the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament. You can find Part 1 here. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Kristen Simon JR L Assumption KY: Simon – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – led a strong group of defenders who were doing their thing. She’s a vocal leader with a commanding backrow presence. She reads and reacts well and is a on-point passer. Charlotte Moriarty SR OH Assumption KY: A 3-star Xavier commit, Moriarty played well throughout the day but was especially on fire during her semifinal. She has a strong arm and was scoring equally well from both pins as she was tooling blocks left and right. Bailey Blair JR MB Assumption KY: Blair – a 3-star recruit – has a big, strong arm and can pound balls at times. She’s effective on 1s or getting out and running the slide and helps balance out the attack because of it. Emilee Fuller JR S Assumption KY: A 3-star setter, Fuller is a steadying presence at the position. She doesn’t get too high or low and does a nice job of putting her hitters in winnable match ups. Chloe Smith SR RS Assumption KY: Smith – a 3-star Wofford commit – is a lanky outside who can play on either pin and score equally well. She extends well and has a nice swing. She was tough for opponents to contain as she’s an aggressive hitter who doesn’t let up. Emma Barnett JR OH Assumption KY: Barnett is another hitter who can bring it whether playing on the left or right. She’s a physical hitter with a really strong arm who isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blockers. Ava Tilden JR OH Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star Xavier commit, Tilden is a long outside who can really extend and let loose. She’s a key part of the attack and carries her fair share of offensive duties. Gracie Portwood SO OH Notre Dame Academy KY: Portwood – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation contributor. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive. When attacking, she’s a smart, aggressive hitter who knows when to challenge the block or go off speed to catch the defense off guard. Julia Grace JR L Notre Dame Academy KY: Another Xavier commit, Grace is a 3-star libero who did a great job patrolling the back court and making key digs. Audrey Dyas SO MB Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star recruit, Dyas makes plays on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block to give hitters something to think about, as well as being able to deliver when called upon. *** Riley McCloskey JR RS Notre Dame Academy KY: McCloseky – a 4-star recruit – has a strong arm and can bring it on the right side. She takes aggressive swings consistently and helps spread out the attack. Elise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KY: Hart – a 3-star Denver commit – is a scoring machine. She’s tough to cover with her ability to not only move her shots around but mix them up, including running a slide attack. Anna Powell JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: A 3-star Georgia Southern commit, Powell has a whippy arm and can let it fly. She too provides a lot of offense and does well staying aggressive and keeping pressure on defenders. Bridget Egan JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: Egan – a 3-star recruit – fills her role very well on the outside. She’s another smart hitter who does well providing a scoring lift when she checks in across the front row. Kaeley Walz SR S/RS Sacred Heart Academy KY: Walz – a Kennesaw State commit – played an instrumental role in Sacred Heart’s success. She’s a strong leader who doesn’t come off the court as a setter and hitter. She does a great job dishing and distributing to her various hitters. Julia Frederick SR L Sacred Heart Academy KY: The defense being played on Day 2 was high, with Frederick contributing to the mix. She showed up well in serve receive as well as defending shots coming her way. Samantha Falk SR L Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Loyola-Chicago commit, Falk was holding it down in the back row. She faced a slew of big hitters and was hanging in and getting balls up. Ellie White SR OH Mother McAuley IL: White – a 4-star Michigan commit – is the key cog in the lineup for the Macs. She’s the go-to hitter and is always a threat whether front or back row. She has a lively arm and can blast balls from sideline to sideline. Sydney Buchanan JR OH Mother McAuley IL: Buchanan – a 3-star recruit – can get up and deliver on the outside. She keeps the offense going on the left when she checks in and helps provide a strong 1-2 punch for the Macs. Ellery Rees SR MB Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Alabama commit, Rees brings size and length to the front row. It makes her impactful on both sides of the ball as she was giving her side a big block as well as a legit offensive threat. *** Peyton Heatherly FR S Mother McAuley IL: Heatherly – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t play like a rookie. The freshman set and hit in club but has been asked to run a 5-1 for the Macs. She did well running a variety of plays and mixing up her sets. Emma Frietch SO L/DS St. Ursula Academy OH: Frietch – a 3-star recruit – was playing both libero and DS in her role. She’s a quick defender who moves well and does a great job getting balls up. Addy Brus SR OH St. Ursula Academy OH: Brus – a 3-star Saint Louis commit – is a bit undersized but more than makes up for it with the way she explodes off the floor and unloads on the attack. Emsley Venard JR

After an opening day setting up Saturday’s bracket play, the top teams finally faced off against each other as the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament came to a close. It was Assumption KY handing Notre Dame Academy KY its first loss of the season as the Rockets prevailed in three, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship match. Below, we highlight the standout players we witnessed from both the gold and silver brackets. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Nia Jones JR MB St. Ursula Academy OH: Jones is a real threat out of the middle and changes the dynamic of the attack when she’s in the front row. She’s a strong hitter and a reliable scorer. Gabby Semona SO RS St. Ursula Academy OH: Semona – 3-star recruit – provides a real presence on the right side. She puts up a solid block and is also a reliable scorer who does well finding the open spaces in the defense. Claire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: A 3-star Missouri commit, Morrissey packs a punch on the outside. She carries a big arm and can boom balls down with the best of them in the tournament. Zoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: Baliva – a 3-star Florida State beach commit – fills out a strong 1-2 punch on the left for St. Joseph. She has nice extension and can send balls with a bang when the opportunity presents itself. Isabella Pereira JR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: A 3-star recruit, Pereira is a six-rotation outside who is a solid passer and heady attacker. She’s a bit undersized but has a good arm and hits with pace. Taylor Bedinghaus SR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Bedinghaus – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation mainstay who brings stability to the lineup. She’s solid out of serve receive and is a smart hitter who can score swinging or going off speed. *** Josephine Hensley JR S Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Hensley runs a 5-1 and sets with consistent location. She has a clean release too. Elizabeth Tabeling SR L St. Henry KY: Tabeling – a 4-star Ball State commit – can make difficult plays look effortless. She’s quick and reacts well, which leads to her getting balls up others would struggle with. Macy Lentz SR S St. Henry KY: Lentz – a 3-star recruit – did well dishing and running the attack. She puts up a hittable ball and is consistent with her location. Alivia Skidmore SR OH St. Henry KY: A 3-star Western Kentucky commit, Skidmore is the go-to hitter who provides electrifying kills at times. She gets off the ground well and has a fluid swing to bounce balls with. Simone Searles SO RS Walton GA: Searles had to fill a role on the right side due to a starter being out this weekend. She flies under the radar some but she has a strong arm and can even run the slide effectively. Annabelle Groomes JR S/RS St. Joseph OH: Groomes – a 5-star San Diego commit – was showcasing her versatility with her setting and hitting. It’s hard to say which she excels at more. She has great hands and dishes well. She also has a powerful arm and can crush balls on the right side. Kinslee McGowan SR S Cleveland TN: A 3-star North Alabama commit, McGowan was among the standout setters who was running a 5-1. She has nice hands and can move the ball around well to get all her hitters involved. Lauren Hurst JR OH Cleveland TN: Hurst – a 4-star recruit – is an athletic outside with a good arm. She can get up and hammer balls in leading the attack. Kiernan Stamey SR OH Maryville TN: Stamey – a 4-star Kennesaw State commit – is a lanky outside with the ability to unleash when the chance present itself. She can extend nicely and hit at a high point, sending balls down with it. Isabela Haggard JR S Dunbar KY: Haggard – a 3-star Indiana commit – can set and hit as she does in club but runs a 5-1 for her high school squad. She has a smooth release and isn’t off her mark too often. *** Delaney Gash SR OH Dunbar KY: A 3-star Akron commit, Gash is a physical attacker with a really strong arm. She’s also aggressive and has no problem challenging blockers and going off their hands. Morgan Heater SO S Ryle KY: Heater – a 3-star recruit – is an up-and-coming setter. She plays under control and has a clean, consistent release. Cara Richter SO OH Mount Notre Dame OH: A 3-star recruit, Richter is one of the main offensive weapons for her side. She has a solid arm and can hit with power or finesse. Kenzie Cogan SR L Mount Notre Dame OH: Cogan – a 3-star Illinois commit – brings a presence to the defensive side with her energy and hustle. She does a solid job of keeping balls in play and extending rallies for her side. Sydney Geselbracht SO MB Mount Notre Dame OH: A 4-star recruit, Geselbracht adds length and size to the front row. She does well scoring and finding gaps in the defense. She also moves well and gets her share of touches at the net. Kendall Hubbard FR S Mount Notre Dame OH: Hubbard – a 3-star recruit – was one of the standout freshmen in the field showcasing her skills. She sets and hits in club but directs a 5-1 and does a fine job. She has nice hands and is able to move the ball around too. Malia Brinkman JR RS Mount Notre Dame OH: A six-rotation right side, Brinkman passes out of serve receive at times. She also provides valuable offense too. Katie Noschang SR MB Mount Notre Dame OH: Noschang is a bit undersized in the middle but provides valuable offense. She can line up and hit on the left and can unload out of the middle

We’ll get to Assumption KY capturing the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in a moment. First, let’s skip ahead to the Durango Fall Classic in two weeks in Las Vegas. And why are we talking about that given Assumption’s victory at the LIVT? It’s because Assumption finishing on top of the 24-team field in Louisville makes for a remarkable storyline and sets up a tournament-championship of sorts at Durango. Mira Costa CA – the Ann Kang Invitational champion; Mater Dei CA – the Volleypalooza champion; Cornerstone Christian TX – the Nike TOC champion; and Assumption – the LIVT champ – are all participating at Durango. Since we can’t help but always getting way ahead of ourselves, what type of potential ramifications are on the line when that 64-team event takes place? For starters, a possible national championship. Mira Costa is currently our top-ranked team in the nation. After fending off Torrey Pines CA in five sets this past Friday, the Mustangs will remain there in our next update this week. Should Mira Costa finish first at Durango – without losing in between – no doubt it’ll keep its stranglehold on the top spot. It gets a bit dicey after that. What would happen if Mater Dei were to win? Who knows, given the Monarchs have a loss to Mira Costa and then dropped their second match of the season with a loss to Cathedral Catholic CA in Saturday’s Dave Mohs final. Mater Dei did defeat Cathedral Catholic at Volleypalooza, where Mater Dei downed Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood Christian presents a monkey-wrench of sorts, given the Texas school is also set to play at Durango and is certainly talented enough to beat everyone there and take home the title. We don’t even want to think what that would do to the rankings given Prestonwood has three losses on its slate to date. As for Cornerstone Christian, the Warriors certainly could be playing to take over No. 1 at Durango. The Warriors’ only loss on the season remains falling to Mira Costa in the final of the Ann Kang Invitational – or else there would be no debate as to who is No. 1 right now. Should Cornerstone capture the Durango championship, the school would have a serious argument to jump to No. 1 in the country. Then there is Assumption. The Rockets have already lost once this season, to Sacred Heart Academy KY in five sets. A quick note on Sacred Heart, which came into the LIVT with three losses already but did defeat previously unbeaten Mother McAuley IL on Thursday ahead of the tournament. Mother McAuely – which lost to Assumption in Saturday’s semifinals – extracted a measure of revenge by beating Sacred Heart in Saturday’s third-place match. Sacred Heart going down to Notre Dame Academy KY in Saturday’s semifinals prevented a rematch between Assumption and Sacred Heart in the championship match. As it turned out, Assumption outlasted Notre Dame in the final, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16. So the Rockets currently sit with one loss. No doubt Assumption will climb back up in our latest Top-50 rankings, but what happens to the Rockets should they prove the team to beat at Durango? They too could have a case for becoming the top team in the country. The good news – or bad depending on the havoc it causes – is it’ll all play out soon enough in Vegas, which this year is proving the home of the champions. As for the LIVT, a bit of the thunder was taken out of the weekend with results taking place before Friday. As we noted in our Day 1 recap, there were three teams which started the week undefeated and that could have set up a thrilling LIVT. The tournament still produced like it always does, it’s just the storylines changed quickly. That’s because previously undefeated St. Ursula Academy OH fell to Seton OH on Tuesday for its first loss. As stated above, Mother McAuley lost to Sacred Heart on Thursday. That left Notre Dame as the only unbeaten team in the field. But obviously Notre Dame is no longer undefeated having fallen to Assumption in the championship. And like Assumption, now sit with one loss on its schedule. Assumption fought past St. Ursula, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, in the quarterfinals. St. Ursula finished in fifth place after sweeping past Clearwater Central Catholic FL, 25-14, 25-18. Notre Dame had its hands full in both the quarters and semis. First, Notre Dame edged St. Henry KY, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, before getting past Sacred Heart, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20.