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Chris Tobolski

AAU 14 Open: Day 1 Show Stoppers And More

June 13, 2024

Two teams came through in big ways on the opening day of 14 Open at the AAU national championships in Orlando. One was Top Select 14 Elite. The other was CUVC 14 Open. It’s hard to say which one had the better day, but both took first place in their respective pools in unexpected fashion. Top Select opened as the No. 3 team in Pool F yet went 3-0 on Day 1. It included upsetting Kairos 14 Alpha, ranked No. 44 in Vballrecruiter’s Top 50. Top Select also upended Iowa Select 14 Mizuno and Adversity 14 Adidas to take over the No. 6 seed spot for Day 2. As for CUVC, the club was the No. 4 team in Pool K. But after finishing in a two-way tie at 2-1 with Wildfire 14 Open, the No. 11 overall seed, CUVC earned the tiebreaker based on the head-to-head result and thus finished in first place. It was an eventful day in Pool F. While CUVC was moving up, MN Select 14-1 and Academy 14 Fuego tied at 1-2. MN Select, the No. 2 team in the pool, was on the wrong side of the tiebreaker and finished in fourth. As a result, MN Select was one of 12 teams eliminated from contention Thursday. NE Elite 14 Koa was another No. 2 team to be knocked out along with MN Select. There were eight No. 4 teams which were eliminated as well. Though it’s typically a slow start at AAUs, Day 1 did feature one contest between teams ranked in our Top 50. It was between OT 14 Laura, the No. 1 team in Pool G, and Mintonette Sports m.41, the No. 2 team. OT entered ranked No. 22 nationally and Mintonette No. 34. Both happened to receive at-large entries into 14 Open at USAV nationals next month in Las Vegas. Mintonette prevailed to finish the day 3-0 and take first place in the pool. On the day, the 13 nationally-ranked teams in our Top 50 combined to go 34-5. None were eliminated. The action will slowly start to heat up on Day 2. There are six matches between nationally-ranked teams slated for Friday. One features No. 12 Munciana 14 Chipmunks against OT Laura. *** SHOW STOPPERS Below is our Day 1 Show Stoppers featuring those players who stood out and caught our attention the most. Juliana Lugo S/RS Wildfire 14 Open: A 6-1 setter/right side, Lugo has plenty of upside. She had a consistent release when running the offense. She was also able to score when called upon when hitting. Julia Clarke MB A5 14-1 Helen: Clarke – a 6-2 middle – was a big-time factor at the net. She used her height to impact both sides of the ball with her blocking and attacking. Brynlee Opland L/DS Northern Lights 14-1: Opland brought a lot to the floor defensively. She’s a sound, consistent passer. She also reads well and puts herself in position to make plays. Ella Zieske OH Northern Lights 14-1: Zieske – a 3-star, 5-10 outside – provides a fair share of the offense. She has a solid arm and can really connect at times and deliver loud kills. Brielle Gunderson MB Northern Lights 14-1: Gunderson did well making herself available and being a real threat offensively. When in system, Lights was looking to get her involved as she provided offense out of the middle. Meredith Liles OH Academy 14 Diamond: Liles, at 6-1, was one of the standout outsides. She jumps well, extends and hits at a high contact point and was scoring consistently across the front row. Chloe Burbage S Academy 14 Diamond: A 6-0 setter, Burbage caught our attention with her ability to direct and run the offense. She did well taking off-target passes and still putting the ball in a hittable window. Elyse Brisson OH NE Elite 14 Koa: Brisson added punch to the offense. She showed a strong ability to score and mix her shots up from hitting with power to placing off-speed balls. Elyse Mead OH Empowered 14 Elite Black: Mead is a bit undersized but she’s relentless on the attack. She was taking aggressive swings and not holding back as she put shots away consistently. Lyla Tindall OH Empowered 14 Elite Black: Tindall also was providing a lift offensively. There were moments when she would catch one and drill it down in style. *** Ava Broadie OH Peak 14 Black: Broadie showed up well as a six-rotation outside. She was bringing it on the attack. She has a lively arm and lets it rip. Kyra Bolden RS Peak 14 Black: Bolden is an athletic right side who gets off the ground well. She was a key part of the offense and was coming through time and time again. Saylor Halvorsen MB SAVC 14 Premier: A 6-1 middle, Halvorsen was part of a 1-2 punch in the middle that made life difficult on opponents. She’s active on both sides of the ball and was making her presence felt both blocking and swinging. Malie Ogbechie MB SAVC 14 Premier: Ogbechie is the other half of the middle duo for Sports Academy. She’s strong offensively and swings with authority. Siri Maciej RS MN Select 14-1: A lefty right-side, Maciej is a key part of the offense. She takes a lot of swings all across the front row and was delivering kills on the regular. Ayva Jennings OH MN Select 14-1: Jennings showed off her potential. She was coming through when called upon and was carrying her share of the attack. Neysa Allen MB MN Select 14-1: A 6-0 middle who is close to touching 10 feet, Allen puts up a massive block and is a physical attacker. She moves well laterally and it’s part of why she has huge upside. Jordyn Blair MB K2 14-1 Adidas: Blair is another middle with lots of potential. At 6-3, her presence at the net is big. She was making plays on both sides of the ball and

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Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Sullivan Lell

May 28, 2024

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Sullivan Lell. *** There are those whose path to the volleyball is shaped and molded from a young age. For them, it’s only a matter of time before they begin club and find themselves fully immersed in the sport. Then they are players like Sullivan Lell, a 3-star L/DS from the Class of 2027. The road she traveled was not straight. In fact, she wasn’t even sure volleyball was the sport she wanted to continue on with. Growing up playing soccer and basketball, Lell thought she would be playing the latter long term if nothing else. She dabbled in a rec league for volleyball. Going into middle school, she kept at it playing both basketball and volleyball. Then as she was on the brink of beginning high school, it was decision time. Basketball or volleyball? “It was a very hard decision,” she said. “I played school basketball in eighth grade and I was asked back to the same club for AAU. I went back-and-forth on it. I played basketball for the longest time.” In picking volleyball, she stopped playing basketball altogether. One thing she took with her from the hardwood though was her competitiveness. “Playing basketball made me competitive,” Lell said. “I didn’t like losing. That made me very competitive and I carried that into volleyball.” Lell joined Alabama Performance for her first club season at 12s. She opened as a libero but with one of the setters unable to play on Sundays Lell had to step in to fill that role. Although she didn’t like it as much as playing defense, it did allow her to see the game in a different way. “It was a great learning experience,” she said. “It did help me learn how to pass better with my hands.” Sell and her Alabama Performance 15 teammates have been practicing since November and are in preparation for the season-ending tournament at AAU nationals in a couple of weeks. A year ago, the squad took the gold medal in 14 Spirit. “I love traveling to Orlando,” Lell said. “It’s a fun city. The energy is always high there.” Away from volleyball Lell has recently become a wake boarding enthusiast. She hasn’t quite progressed to doing tricks but she’s working toward it. “We actually got a boat last summer and we went almost all of summer,” she said. “It’s really fun. I want to learn how to do a 360. I’m going to get there.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Lell about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Lell: Outside of volleyball I look up to my mom a lot. She’s hard working and sets a good example. Inside of volleyball I look up to my coaches. They have all helped me through the years. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Lell: I would definitely go to the lake and hang out with my family. My grandma’s house is there. I love spending time with her and to be able to surf and jet ski and stuff like that. Do you have a favorite volleyball memory or story to share? Lell: Last year winning our division at AAU nationals was a really cool experience with the team. We had so much fun during that time. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Lell: Yes, but it’s more of a habit. When our team goes through at the net to say good luck to the other team, we always get in the same order and my teammate behind me is always my middle. We always turn around and give each other high fives before every game. What is something that makes you laugh a lot and why? Lell: My older sister, Elizabeth, is the funniest person ever. Whenever I’m with her I’m always laughing. We are close in age so we spend a lot of time together. When not at a tournament, what’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? Lell: It’s either going to the lake or staying home, sleeping in and hanging out with friends. What is something you wish you had more time to do and why? Lell: I really like playing pickleball. I would love to do it more and get better at it. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Lell: It would be either that I do wake surfing or that I’m young for my grade. I don’t turn 15 until May 29. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why? Lell: I’ve been to the Bahamas twice for spring break. It’s so pretty. If I had to pick somewhere else it would be Greece or Italy. They both seem really pretty too. But, the Bahamas is my all-time favorite vacation spot. What is something you love learning about and why? Lell: In school I actually take Spanish and I would love to take it all the way through high school. Being fluent would be fun and useful. What’s your favorite number and why? Lell: It’s definitely three. I have always loved three. Growing up my basketball number was three and it has just stuck.

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AAU 14 Open: Day 1 Show Stoppers And More

June 13, 2024

Two teams came through in big ways on the opening day of 14 Open at the AAU national championships in Orlando. One was Top Select 14 Elite. The other was CUVC 14 Open. It’s hard to say which one had the better day, but both took first place in their respective pools in unexpected fashion. Top Select opened as the No. 3 team in Pool F yet went 3-0 on Day 1. It included upsetting Kairos 14 Alpha, ranked No. 44 in Vballrecruiter’s Top 50. Top Select also upended Iowa Select 14 Mizuno and Adversity 14 Adidas to take over the No. 6 seed spot for Day 2. As for CUVC, the club was the No. 4 team in Pool K. But after finishing in a two-way tie at 2-1 with Wildfire 14 Open, the No. 11 overall seed, CUVC earned the tiebreaker based on the head-to-head result and thus finished in first place. It was an eventful day in Pool F. While CUVC was moving up, MN Select 14-1 and Academy 14 Fuego tied at 1-2. MN Select, the No. 2 team in the pool, was on the wrong side of the tiebreaker and finished in fourth. As a result, MN Select was one of 12 teams eliminated from contention Thursday. NE Elite 14 Koa was another No. 2 team to be knocked out along with MN Select. There were eight No. 4 teams which were eliminated as well. Though it’s typically a slow start at AAUs, Day 1 did feature one contest between teams ranked in our Top 50. It was between OT 14 Laura, the No. 1 team in Pool G, and Mintonette Sports m.41, the No. 2 team. OT entered ranked No. 22 nationally and Mintonette No. 34. Both happened to receive at-large entries into 14 Open at USAV nationals next month in Las Vegas. Mintonette prevailed to finish the day 3-0 and take first place in the pool. On the day, the 13 nationally-ranked teams in our Top 50 combined to go 34-5. None were eliminated. The action will slowly start to heat up on Day 2. There are six matches between nationally-ranked teams slated for Friday. One features No. 12 Munciana 14 Chipmunks against OT Laura. *** SHOW STOPPERS Below is our Day 1 Show Stoppers featuring those players who stood out and caught our attention the most. Juliana Lugo S/RS Wildfire 14 Open: A 6-1 setter/right side, Lugo has plenty of upside. She had a consistent release when running the offense. She was also able to score when called upon when hitting. Julia Clarke MB A5 14-1 Helen: Clarke – a 6-2 middle – was a big-time factor at the net. She used her height to impact both sides of the ball with her blocking and attacking. Brynlee Opland L/DS Northern Lights 14-1: Opland brought a lot to the floor defensively. She’s a sound, consistent passer. She also reads well and puts herself in position to make plays. Ella Zieske OH Northern Lights 14-1: Zieske – a 3-star, 5-10 outside – provides a fair share of the offense. She has a solid arm and can really connect at times and deliver loud kills. Brielle Gunderson MB Northern Lights 14-1: Gunderson did well making herself available and being a real threat offensively. When in system, Lights was looking to get her involved as she provided offense out of the middle. Meredith Liles OH Academy 14 Diamond: Liles, at 6-1, was one of the standout outsides. She jumps well, extends and hits at a high contact point and was scoring consistently across the front row. Chloe Burbage S Academy 14 Diamond: A 6-0 setter, Burbage caught our attention with her ability to direct and run the offense. She did well taking off-target passes and still putting the ball in a hittable window. Elyse Brisson OH NE Elite 14 Koa: Brisson added punch to the offense. She showed a strong ability to score and mix her shots up from hitting with power to placing off-speed balls. Elyse Mead OH Empowered 14 Elite Black: Mead is a bit undersized but she’s relentless on the attack. She was taking aggressive swings and not holding back as she put shots away consistently. Lyla Tindall OH Empowered 14 Elite Black: Tindall also was providing a lift offensively. There were moments when she would catch one and drill it down in style. *** Ava Broadie OH Peak 14 Black: Broadie showed up well as a six-rotation outside. She was bringing it on the attack. She has a lively arm and lets it rip. Kyra Bolden RS Peak 14 Black: Bolden is an athletic right side who gets off the ground well. She was a key part of the offense and was coming through time and time again. Saylor Halvorsen MB SAVC 14 Premier: A 6-1 middle, Halvorsen was part of a 1-2 punch in the middle that made life difficult on opponents. She’s active on both sides of the ball and was making her presence felt both blocking and swinging. Malie Ogbechie MB SAVC 14 Premier: Ogbechie is the other half of the middle duo for Sports Academy. She’s strong offensively and swings with authority. Siri Maciej RS MN Select 14-1: A lefty right-side, Maciej is a key part of the offense. She takes a lot of swings all across the front row and was delivering kills on the regular. Ayva Jennings OH MN Select 14-1: Jennings showed off her potential. She was coming through when called upon and was carrying her share of the attack. Neysa Allen MB MN Select 14-1: A 6-0 middle who is close to touching 10 feet, Allen puts up a massive block and is a physical attacker. She moves well laterally and it’s part of why she has huge upside. Jordyn Blair MB K2 14-1 Adidas: Blair is another middle with lots of potential. At 6-3, her presence at the net is big. She was making plays on both sides of the ball and

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Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Sullivan Lell

May 28, 2024

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Sullivan Lell. *** There are those whose path to the volleyball is shaped and molded from a young age. For them, it’s only a matter of time before they begin club and find themselves fully immersed in the sport. Then they are players like Sullivan Lell, a 3-star L/DS from the Class of 2027. The road she traveled was not straight. In fact, she wasn’t even sure volleyball was the sport she wanted to continue on with. Growing up playing soccer and basketball, Lell thought she would be playing the latter long term if nothing else. She dabbled in a rec league for volleyball. Going into middle school, she kept at it playing both basketball and volleyball. Then as she was on the brink of beginning high school, it was decision time. Basketball or volleyball? “It was a very hard decision,” she said. “I played school basketball in eighth grade and I was asked back to the same club for AAU. I went back-and-forth on it. I played basketball for the longest time.” In picking volleyball, she stopped playing basketball altogether. One thing she took with her from the hardwood though was her competitiveness. “Playing basketball made me competitive,” Lell said. “I didn’t like losing. That made me very competitive and I carried that into volleyball.” Lell joined Alabama Performance for her first club season at 12s. She opened as a libero but with one of the setters unable to play on Sundays Lell had to step in to fill that role. Although she didn’t like it as much as playing defense, it did allow her to see the game in a different way. “It was a great learning experience,” she said. “It did help me learn how to pass better with my hands.” Sell and her Alabama Performance 15 teammates have been practicing since November and are in preparation for the season-ending tournament at AAU nationals in a couple of weeks. A year ago, the squad took the gold medal in 14 Spirit. “I love traveling to Orlando,” Lell said. “It’s a fun city. The energy is always high there.” Away from volleyball Lell has recently become a wake boarding enthusiast. She hasn’t quite progressed to doing tricks but she’s working toward it. “We actually got a boat last summer and we went almost all of summer,” she said. “It’s really fun. I want to learn how to do a 360. I’m going to get there.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Lell about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Lell: Outside of volleyball I look up to my mom a lot. She’s hard working and sets a good example. Inside of volleyball I look up to my coaches. They have all helped me through the years. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Lell: I would definitely go to the lake and hang out with my family. My grandma’s house is there. I love spending time with her and to be able to surf and jet ski and stuff like that. Do you have a favorite volleyball memory or story to share? Lell: Last year winning our division at AAU nationals was a really cool experience with the team. We had so much fun during that time. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Lell: Yes, but it’s more of a habit. When our team goes through at the net to say good luck to the other team, we always get in the same order and my teammate behind me is always my middle. We always turn around and give each other high fives before every game. What is something that makes you laugh a lot and why? Lell: My older sister, Elizabeth, is the funniest person ever. Whenever I’m with her I’m always laughing. We are close in age so we spend a lot of time together. When not at a tournament, what’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? Lell: It’s either going to the lake or staying home, sleeping in and hanging out with friends. What is something you wish you had more time to do and why? Lell: I really like playing pickleball. I would love to do it more and get better at it. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Lell: It would be either that I do wake surfing or that I’m young for my grade. I don’t turn 15 until May 29. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why? Lell: I’ve been to the Bahamas twice for spring break. It’s so pretty. If I had to pick somewhere else it would be Greece or Italy. They both seem really pretty too. But, the Bahamas is my all-time favorite vacation spot. What is something you love learning about and why? Lell: In school I actually take Spanish and I would love to take it all the way through high school. Being fluent would be fun and useful. What’s your favorite number and why? Lell: It’s definitely three. I have always loved three. Growing up my basketball number was three and it has just stuck.

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