The last day of 17 Open pool play gave shape to the 14-team gold bracket scheduled to play out on the final day of competition – Friday – as AAU nationals nears its conclusion. The third day of 17 Open started with all 10 teams appearing in Vballrecruiter’s Top 50 national rankings still in the mix. However, not all made it through Thursday’s action as two teams were eliminated in No. 31 Tri-State Elite 17 Blue and No. 43 NorCal 17-1 Black.
Tri-State finished in a three-way tie with No. 32 OT 17 Felix and No. 36 GP 17 Rox at 2-1. But Tri-State was on the short end of the tiebreaker as OT Felix and GP had better set percentages. Tri-State had a chance to move on, but needed to sweep GP in the last outing of the pool to make it happen. Instead, Tri-State wound up winning in three and thus took third place.
NorCal also fell victim to a three-way tie and having the worst set percentage of the trio. NorCal went 2-1, along with No. 15 Mich Elite 17 Mizuno and unranked SAVC 17 Premier. NorCal upset Mich Elite earlier in the pool, leaving Mich Elite needing to beat SAVC to advance. There was no way for NorCal to advance unless SAVC could beat Mich Elite, which just needed to beat SAVC to have a better set percentage than NorCal.
There was also lots of drama in Pool B. While No. 14 Adidas KiVA 17 Red finished 3-0, A5 Chattanooga 17-1 Nancy, Pitt Elite 17 Elite and Top Select 17 Elite all went 1-2. It was Pitt Elite taking second based on set percentage.
Even though Pitt Elite ended up losing to Top Select in three sets, that Pitt Elite was able to take one set off Top Select it positioned Pitt Elite well. A5 Chattanooga needed to upset KiVA to move on or if not watch Pitt Elite move on.
OT 17 Aaron, Northern Lights 17-1, Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and SPVB 17 Elite joined KiVA in going 3-0 and winning their respective pools.
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DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS
With teams fighting for a spot in the gold bracket, it brought out big-time individual efforts. Below, we highlight the players who grabbed our attention the most on Thursday.
Kahealani Moriwaki L/DS Ku’Ikahi 17 Wahine RSB: A Hawaii commit, Moriwaki helped Ku’Ikahi reached the gold bracket in 17 Open. She was everywhere in the back court, making saves and keeping her side in the point.
Natalie Carr OH Pitt Elite 17 Elite: Carr – a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2026 – powered the offense along. She’s the focal point of the attack. She’s a threat front and back row and does well finding holes in the defense.
Ella Nicotra OH Pitt Elite 17 Elite: Nictora came up with timely kills. She was taking aggressive swings and hitting shots off the block well.
Lily Long OH MOD Elite 17 Blue: A 6-0 pin, Long is a heady attacker who finds ways to score consistently. She also showed well in serve receive, passing on point and getting the point started with a strong first touch.
Addison Pollock L/DS Wildfire 17 Open: A 3-star Penn commit, Pollock was among the defenders bringing it in the back row. She moves well, covers a lot of ground and did a well picking up hard-driven shots in her area.
Mariyana Cardwell RS Wildfire 17 Open: Cardwell is a springy right side. She gets off the ground in a hurry and can rip it at times.
Alexa Haley L/DS PVA 17-B: A FGCU commit, Haley is an energetic defender with lots of hustle. She goes all out and never gives up on a play. She was also passing steadying out of serve receive.
Samantha Soderlund OH PVA 17-B: Soderlund, a Georgetown commit, was a key piece in the PVA attack. She has a solid arm and can swing it front and back row.
Ashlyn Paymal RS NE Elite 17 Mamba: A 4-star Creighton commit, Paymal is a handful. She has a big arm and hits with power. She’s one of the go-to hitters when she’s in across the front.
Charlotte Kelly MB NorCal 17-1 Black: Kelly – a 4-star Cal Poly commit – is a real factor in the middle. She’s a solid blocker who gets her hands on a lot of swings. She can also finish points when called upon as she’s an effective attacker.
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Lucy Chertock OH NorCal 17-1 Black: A New Hampshire commit, Chertock is a glue piece as a six-rotation outside. She hits well and has a variety of shots she can toss at the defense.
Francesca Popescu L/DS A5 17-1 Calvin: Popescu – a 4-star Cal commit – is a high IQ libero who commands the defensive side of the game. She’s a spot on passer. She also reads and reacts well and is often in position to make the play.
Camryn Jeffery OH L/DS A5 17-1 Calvin: A 4-star LSU commit, Jeffery has a powerful arm and hits a heavy ball. A5 sets her front and back row and runs plenty of plays in order to get her swings.
Paige Tode RS Illini Elite 17 Cardinal: A 6-3 Southeast Missouri State commit, Tode is a presence on the right side. She puts up a big block. She also gives Illini Elite an option to help open up the offense and keep defenses honest.
Bella Bullington OH SPVB 17 Elite: Bullington – a 4-star Northwestern commit – has a lively arm and can rip it. She’s a scoring machine and can take over matches at times.
Sakura Codling L/DS Tri-State Elite 17 Blue: A 4-star UCLA commit, Codling brings a defensive edge. She’s a vocal leader. She can make impressive digs and she is a lights-out passer.
Ava Jo Berry S NCWVBC 17-1 Gold: Berry is a next-level setter who excels at jump setting and running a fast-paced offense. Her agility and dynamism on the court are unparalleled. With great athleticism, she not only sets and plays stellar defense but also gets up high on her blocks, making her a big presence in every aspect of the game. During the game against Tribe 17 Elite White, she played with a lot of fire, showcasing her passion and intensity on the court.
Claire Demirjian OH NCWVBC 17-1 Gold: Demirjian is a powerhouse on the court, delivering crushing line attacks with precision by getting on top of the ball during the match against Tribe 17 Elite White. Her skills extend beyond her hitting; she also puts up a strong block and passes exceptionally well on serve receive, making her an all-around asset to her team.
Katelynn Mundy OPP 575 VB 17-2 Cheyenne PCVC: Mundy put up a big block against FEVA 17 Courtney. She excelled on defense in the back court, digging hard-driven balls with accuracy and finesse. She also served some tough floaters, keeping the opposing team off balance.
Ava Underwood L 575 VB 17-2 Cheyenne PCVC: Underwood excelled on defense during the match against FEVA 17 Courtney. She was active all over the court, relieving pressure from her teammates so they could focus on making offensive plays. Her hustle and determination helped lead her team to victory.
Miranda Holincheck L Infinity South Volleyball Club: Holincheck exhibits remarkable court awareness, particularly evident against float serves from CJV 17 National. She adeptly adjusts her positioning to maximize efficiency, creating space between her platform and body for precise digging. Her sharp game sense enables accurate play reading, ensuring her actions are consistently effective and impactful.
Kaelyn Sharp OH Infinity South Volleyball Club: During the game against CJV 17 National, Sharp was hitting a lot, and the defense couldn’t handle her heat. She was a reliable hitter, consistently getting up and swinging with a fast-paced into the angle. She was also strategically fixing sets, placing them down the line when the defense had shifted.
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Julia Leonardo MB Cmass Edge 17 Black: Leonardo started the match with two tough float serves, disrupting their opponents’ system, and followed up with a diving dig between her and her teammate to keep the rally alive. Right from the start, she showed her determination and readiness to compete at a high level.
Georgia Tyrrell OH Cmass Edge 17 Black: Tyrrell played a pivotal role in their victory against MDJRS 17 Elite Black, maintaining smooth and consistent offensive play throughout. She reliably converted her opportunities, varying her attack angles based on the set and opposing blocks, consistently finding open court space.
Ella Garcia OH/DS Tribe Elite 17 Navy: In the front row, Garcia dominated with her aggressive angled swings, followed by a relentless service game against Dartfrog 17 Black where she put the opponents out of system with five consecutive serves, making it challenging for them to transition effectively for the kill.
Erin McMullen MB Tribe Elite 17 Navy: McMullen demonstrates exceptional verticality on tight sets, effectively beating the block with her powerful, deep swings. Her ability to vary angles and her strong connection with the setter ensure precise timing, making it exceedingly difficult for Dartfrog 17 Black to defend against her attacks.
Maci Jones OH Emerald Coast Volleyball Club 17 National: Jones effectively capitalized on a few off-net sets by transitioning swiftly and delivering powerful kills down the line, highlighting her strengths and exploiting Quandomania 17s defensive weakness. Additionally, she put up a few blocks and effectively shut down their attack.
Italy Laurel L Emerald Coast Volleyball Club 17 National: Laurel is absolutely determined to dig every ball and prevent anything from hitting the ground. Her work ethic is highly commendable in the game against Quandomania 17s, and her platform on serve receive is solid, consistently passing absolute dimes.
Caroline Brabeck S Mill City 17 Orange: Brabeck skillfully delivers sets tailored to her hitters’ preferences, prioritizing their needs over her own choices. This approach sets her apart as a setter, leading to increased scoring opportunities for her team. She exhibits agile and dynamic footwork on the court, enhancing her ability to orchestrate plays effectively in the match against IPV 17HP.
Emma Zeblisky OH Mill City 17 Orange: Zeblisky eagerly seized any overpass near the net, swiftly turning it into her own set with a quick snap, ensuring an immediate point. Her aggressive and confident play style shines through in her abilities on the court against IPV 17HP.
Rebecca Schwarzberg S Wildfire 17N Premier: Schwarzberg frequently varies her offensive approach, consistently finishing her sets precisely to the target. She also displays strong defensive skills, maintaining an athletic stance to cover well against dumps and hard-driven attacks during the match against Husky 17 Smack.
Isabella Calzada OH Wildfire 17N Premier: Calzada demonstrated exceptional reading of Husky 17’s offense, positioning herself effectively to maximize her digs and maintain strong passing on serve receive. Despite being set frequently, her stamina held up admirably, allowing her to outlast players in rallies against the opposing team.
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Cassie Creech S NIVA 17 Purple: Creech is a consistent, dedicated, and committed setter to her hand positioning and fast release when setting her teammates. This allowed her to give them the most consistent sets and helped lead her team to victory against CCJRS 17 National.
Ellie Adams NIVA 17 Purple: Adams executed an impressive one-handed dig against CCJRS 17 National’s powerful pin hitter, maintaining her composure throughout. Her extended arm reach and adept footwork enabled her to effectively handle out-of-system plays.
Bryn Dircksen S Blackswamp 17-1: Dircksen excels at delivering a hittable ball, skillfully varying the tempo to keep the defense and blockers guessing. She adeptly manipulates her hand angles to set the ball precisely to the pins, ensuring that she leads her hitters to the ball.
Brooklyn Wilkin OPP Blackswamp 17-1: Wilkin transitions off the net by observing Miami Hype 17 Emilio, assessing the play over her shoulder, and adjusting accordingly. She positions herself to be balanced and ready to approach effectively. She loads her approach and can elevate hitting with good pace behind the ball.
Abi Davis DS TUVA 17-Teal: Davis, a defensive specialists, displayed exceptional ball control and outstanding digging skills in the match against MVSA 17 Starz. Her platform comes together smoothly without swinging her arms, aiding her in digging more balls effectively along with keeping her forearms as low to the ground as possible when digging. She covers her seam between players and takes control, clearly understanding her role on the court.
Jenna Rosenbaum OH TUVA 17-Teal: Rosenbaum exemplifies versatility on the court, excelling in digging and passing from the back row, while delivering powerful hits from hard angles during the match against MVSA 17 Starz. Her exceptional court awareness consistently translates into points and benefits her team in every position.
Sydni Davis S CJV 17 White: Davis responds quickly to challenges and adjusts her movements accordingly on the court. She put up a big block, making several crucial ones in the second set against Club Fusion 17-2 National. She is a dynamic setter, showcasing versatility and skill in directing CJV S 17 White’s offense.
Kate Stimsonn OPP CJV 17 White: Stimsonn not only executes a strong backswing, but as she positions her elbow back, her chest opens up to the right side. She twists effectively on the close, enabling her to elevate over the ball and accurately place it in the court. She rotates her right hip and chest effectively towards Area 1, following through smoothly to her target.
Sydney Frazier MB M2 17-1: Frazier is a dominant middle blocker who uses her height to effectively shut down the opposing offense with her strong blocking skills. She knows how to hit both angles on the court well, which helped lead her team to victory against Sanford Sports 17 Red.
Ileiram Bernis S M2 17-1: Bernis displayed immense heart in the close set game against Sanford Sports 17 Red. She continually switched up the offense which included some unexpected dumps into the middle, disrupting the rhythm of their opponents’ defense. Her relentless hustle for every play demonstrated her dedication to the value of each and every point.
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Ashley Fox S GCVC 17 Blue: Fox stayed consistent in the match against FCA Warriors 17U, setting with precision and reliability. She was a leader on the court, bringing positive energy to her teammates and keeping their spirits high which ultimately led to a win.
