October 1, 2023

With teams converging from all around the country, it was Nor Cal’s St. Francis/Mountain View topping them all after getting past Cornerstone Christian TX in the championship match of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament Saturday in the greater Phoenix area. It was a day filled with both tremendous team and individual efforts. We highlight those who stood out the most to us below with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Elina Wheeler SR L Sacred Heart Prep CA: The Gators were among the surprise teams by reaching the quarterfinals after upsetting Sierra Canyon CA. Wheeler was part of the run, supplying support in the back row and helping set the defensive tone. Isabelle Marco SR S/RS Sacred Heart Prep CA: Marco – a 3-star Utah commit – is the glue piece and does a lot to contribute toward her team’s success. She’s a consistent setter who locates well. She’s also a smart hitter who can frustrate defenses with her various shots. Marianne Garcia SO L Millennium AZ: Garcia is a scrappy defender who moves and covers well. She doesn’t flinch against big hitters and does well extending rallies. Victoria Marthaler SR OH La Cueva NM: A 3-star recruit, Marthaler is the go-to on the left and provides lots of offense. She’s a heady attacker who can take big swings or let up and score with off speed shots. Sophie Diouf JR MB La Cueva NM: Diouf – another 3-star recruit – provides a boost offensively across the front row. She has a solid arm and does well making herself available. Tea Kalajdzic SR RS La Cueva NM: Kalajdzic helps open the attack with the scoring punch she provides on the right side. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Fitch – a 5-star Texas AM commit – keeps coming at defenses and never backs down. She’s an aggressive, physical attacker who can torch defenses whether she’s front or back row. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX: A 4-star Baylor commit, Carroll is an imposing presence on the right side with her ability to impact rallies with her blocking and scoring. She can stuff balls straight down and she’s also a terminal attacker with a booming arm. Aniya Hall JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Hall – a 3-star recruit – jumps well and is another player the Warriors rely on to provide offense. She takes big swings and can deliver highlight kills at times. Elly Stewart JR MB Cornerstone Christian TX: Stewart filled her role well. She was coming up with timely plays with both her blocking and hitting. *** DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Johnson is a high-flying middle who can deliver wow moments. She gets up quickly and can pound balls straight down in impressive fashion. Hannah Allman SR L Sunrise Mountain AZ: Sunrise had a great run to the semifinals, in part because of the defensive energy Allman brings to the lineup. She flies around the court and has a never-give-up attitude. Addison Wiemann SO OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Wiemann is part of a solid 1-2 punch on the outside. She brings size to the front row and helping boost the attack. Emily Pruitt SR OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Pruitt is a six-rotation mainstay who provides both plenty of offense and a steadying presence. She has a strong arm and can unload when the moment is right. Julie Beckham SO OH Coronado NV: Beckham is a fun outside to watch. She is fearless against bigger blocks and takes aggressive cuts. Gentry Oblad SO OH Coronado NV: Oblad is another outside who is tough to deal with. She jumps well, has a nice arm and hits with plenty of pace. Annemarie O’Gara JR RS Xavier Prep AZ: O’Gara showed a knack for making timely plays on the right side. She came up with key blocks and clutch kills to help the Gators to a fifth-place finish. Vivian Hickman SO OH Xavier Prep AZ: Hickman continued her role as six-rotation outside as Xavier was playing short-handed. She was leaned on to carry the offensive load. She’s a cagey attacker who showed her beach skills with a wide variety of shots. Chineze Gray JR MB Xavier Prep AZ: Gray is an undersized middle and brings a lot of pep to the front row. She’s quick and moves well and was also making plays at the right times. Izzy Mahaffey JR L Queen Creek AZ: Mahaffey – a 4-star Long Beach State commit – was holding it down in the back row. She was passing consistently out of serve receive and making hustle plays to keep rallies going. *** Madisyn Crnjac SO OH Queen Creek AZ: Crnjac – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t shy away from taking big swings. She keeps coming at defenses with her strong arm that can produce powerful kills. Blaykli Bobik SR RS Queen Creek AZ: A 4-star BYU commit, Bobik played on the outside last week at Durango but was on the right side on Day 2. She has a lively arm and when she gets up and connect, watch out because the ball is coming in hot. Taylor Williams SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Williams – a 4-star Duke commit – comes with it time and time again. She helped fueled the Lancers’ attack with ability to blast balls from the front and back row with ease. Whitney Wallace SR L St. Francis/Mountain View CA: A 3-star Oklahoma commit, was among the standout defenders. She’s calm and plays under control and doesn’t rattle in pressure situations. Erin Curtis SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Curtis is another mainstay in the lineup as a six-rotation outside. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive and she too can score all the way around. Hannah Maguire SR S St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Maguire does a nice job running the offense and delivering to her various hitters. She also brings her share of energy to the court. Ella Fulton SO MB St.

Mother McAuley IL defended its home court at the 2023 Asics Challenge and was crowned CHAMPIONS after taking down Notre Dame Academy KY in the final! The second day of the tournament hosted by the Macs showcased an electric display of talent and tenacity on the volleyball court. From the very start, it was apparent that this would be a day with tons of incredible plays and exceptional effort. The stage was set for an exhilarating clash of skills, as the athletes on the floor left no room for disappointment. The adrenaline was palpable as the gold bracket kicked off with a thrilling showdown between Mother McAuley and Marist IL. The history between these two teams added an extra layer of intensity to the competition, with Marist having recently claimed victory over Mother McAuley the week prior. Nestled just blocks away from each other, the fierce rivalry was on full display, with club teammates now transformed into fierce opponents. This time it was Mother McAuley who emerged with the win over Marist in three exhilarating sets (25-27, 25-2, 25-14). And on a side note the pins on both sides of the net were bringing the heat every single point, which made the liberos and defensive specialists have to ball out the entire match. The gold bracket semifinals match up between Notre Dame Academy and Assumption KY also was electric. These teams — having faced each other already this season when Assumption outlasted Notre Dame to claim the LIVT title — showcased a lot of fire at the net and defensively in the back court. Notre Dame emerged triumphant, securing a gripping victory over Assumption in three (24-26, 25-15, 29-27). And like the Mother McAuley/Marist match above it was full of aggressive swings and scrappy defensive plays. In the finals Mother McAuley squared off against Notre Dame Academy, which was a repeat from the 2022 finals match. Mother McAuley ended up winning in two 25-20, 25-17. Asics Challenge All Tournament Team (named by tourney officials)   DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Bella Bullington JR OH Marist IL: Bullington, a 4-star recruit committed to Northwestern, has a hammer for an arm. Not only can she swing anywhere on the court, but she gets great air which makes her a very lethal attacker. Maddie Berry JR S Marist IL: At first glance Berry isn’t your typical 5-1 setter, BUT let me tell you, she holds her own there in the front row. She also dishes well to her hitters everywhere on the court. Jessica Kurpeikis SR RS Marist IL: Kurpeikis, a Wisconsin Green Bay commit, is a lefty who Marist uses a ton of in the front row. She has a no fear attitude when swinging and loves to tool the block. Elayna Davidson SO L Marist IL: Davidson was smooth out of serve receive. She is incredibly nimble on her feet and can run balls down anywhere she needs to. Morgan Jones SR OH Huntley IL: Jones, a 3-star recruit committed to Missouri, can get up quickly and can generate pace on her attacks. Georgia Watson JR MB Huntley IL: Watson, a 4-star recruit committed to Kentucky, is a six-rotation right side. She is not only a wall at the net but swings well anywhere they need her to. Samantha Falk SR L Mother McAuley IL: Falk, a 3-star recruit committed to Loyola Chicago, was showcasing her skills by making some big-time digs on the court time after time. Olivia Urbon SR DS Mother McAuley IL: Urbon is the queen of aces. Her serving is a key component for her squad. And defensively she is sound in the back court. Ellery Rees SR MB Mother McAuley IL: Rees, a 3-star recruit committed to Alabama, made up one half of the defensive wall for her squad. She’s a physical middle who hits with power and puts up a strong block. Mary Claire Deacy JR RS Mother McAuley IL: Deacy another other part of that wall for her squad. She was huge defensively at the net. *** Gwen Adler SR S Barrington IL: Adler, a Seton Hall commit, is a smooth disher and runs a nice offense. She has soft hands, locates well and doesn’t give her sets away. Whitney Mall JR OH Barrington IL: Mall has potential written all over her. She seems even longer than her height of 6-2 and carries a smooth yet powerful arm. Berkeley Ploder SR MB Barrington IL: Ploder, who is committed to Georgetown, has a huge upside. She puts up a solid block as well as presenting a great scoring option. Jenna Meitzler SR S Barrington IL: Meitzler, a 3-star recruit committed to Iowa, is a fluid and reliable setter with strong hands. She also can get up and hit with authority on the right side. Molly Fox SR MB Sandburg IL: Fox might not be as tall as the other middle blockers but she literally has a knack for blocking. She has an incredible read on the ball defensively. Elise Sterling SR MB Sandburg IL: Sterling adds physicality to her squad. She’s strong and has a powerful arm when swinging quicks or the slide. Aubree Deshetsky SO OH North Branch MI: Deshetsky, a 3-star recruit, can pack a punch anywhere on the court. She has a smooth swing and generates pace consistently. Alana Deshetsky SR OH North Branch MI: Deshetsky, a Ferris State commit, is a steadying six-rotation player who does just about everything for her squad. She is also a smart hitter who finds a way to get the point. Adrienne Greschaw SR S North Branch MI: Greschaw directs the offense well. She sets a great ball with very consistent location Eva Finnessy JR OH Hamilton WI: Finnessy has a heavy hand and takes aggressive swings and goes right at and/or through the blockers. *** Brooke Aslakson JR MB Hamilton WI: Aslakson has lots of upside to her. She sees the court well. She has a strong feel for blocking and gets in the way

With two of the top-four seeds lining up from each other in the championship match, much of the chaos that had ruled the Nike TOC Southwest tournament had settled. All that was left to determine was this year’s champion. Second-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX was looking to not only capture both Nike TOC events in 2023, but was also seeking to defend its tournament title here from a season ago. However, St. Francis/Mountain View CA wasn’t ready to play its part. Instead, the fourth-seeded Lancers were spoilers in defeating Cornerstone in three, 25-19, 22-25, 15-6, as they gear up for another state final run. After suffering its only loss last year to Cathedral Catholic CA in the CIF Open Division state final, St. Francis beefed up its schedule this fall by adding the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC Southwest tourneys to its slate. A week after finishing in 13th place in Las Vegas, the Lancers had to put in a lot of work Saturday to rise to the top of the 32-team National division field. All four outings went the distance, starting with its closest decision of the day in beating Beckman CA, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11, in qualifying pla. St. Francis was dominant in the decisive set the rest of the way. The Lancers beat Millennium AZ in the quarterfinals, 25-15, 24-26, 15-7, and then Liberty AZ in the semis, 11-25, 25-19, 15-4, before doing the same to Cornerstone – which took sixth at Durango last weekend – in the final there. An anticipated rubber match between Cornerstone and top-seeded Sierra Canyon CA didn’t materialize. Cornerstone beat Sierra Canyon back in August during pool play at the Ann Kang Invitational. The sides ran into each other last weekend in Vegas, with Sierra Canyon sweeping Cornerstone in the quarterfinals and spoiling any chance of a rematch between Mira Costa CA – which beat Cornerstone in the Ann Kang final – and Cornerstone in the final. There was no trilogy, however, as Sierra Canyon – playing without 4-star San Diego libero commit Lauren Lynch – was upset in the morning qualifying round by Sacred Heart Prep CA, 25-18, 25-20. It continued a trend of top seeds bowing out early, as No. 5 Sacred Heart Academy KY, No. 6 Corona del Sol and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep failed to advance on Day 1. It opened the door for others to make noise. One was Sunrise Mountain AZ. The Mustangs went 3-0 on Day 1 – including beating Corona del Sol – and then eliminated third-seeded Xavier Prep AZ in the quarterfinals. Xavier – a week after taking 11th at Durango – caught a tough break as freshman outside Tessa Larkin wasn’t available for this weekend’s tournament. As for Sunrise, the Mustangs’ hopes of a Cinderella run ended to Cornerstone in the semis, 25-14, 25-13. Joining Sunrise Mountain in making waves was Liberty AZ. The Lions lost their season-opener to Xavier Prep before going on a seven-match winning streak. But it was a tough week heading into the Nike TOC as Liberty dropped matches to Sunnyslope, Corona del Sol and O’Connor before coming alive over the weekend. It started with Liberty – which opened as the No. 9 seed – taking down No. 8 Marymount CA in three sets to win its pool Friday. Liberty then kept it going by beating Notre Dame Prep AZ in qualifying play Saturday morning before beating Sacred Heart Prep in the quarterfinals. St. Francis proved too much in the semifinals. Sunrise Mountain beat Liberty in one game to 25 for third place. Xavier Prep swept Millennium to end up in fifth. Sacred Heart Prep downed Queen Creek AZ to wind up in seventh place. Meanwhile, Marymount finished up in ninth place after Sierra Canyon forfeited that match. The two schools are in the same league and play each other this coming week, so it’s not surprising they wouldn’t play to close Saturday’s action. Marymount had a shot at the platinum bracket but was stunned when Queen Creek AZ produced a giant rally in qualifying play. Marymount took the opening set and was leading 20-13 in Game 2 before the Bulldogs turned it around and prevailed in three, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13. In the Premier division, it was Canyon View AZ beating Verrado AZ, 14-25, 25-19, 15-10, for the title. In the Elite division, Christian CA swept Seton Catholic AZ, 25-19, 25-16, in the final.