Chris Tobolski

The 17 Open division at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas had all the makings of being able to deliver an entertaining three days of qualifying action. Still, the unpredictable results produced a level that exceeded expectations. Drive Nation 17 Red, AZ Rev 17 Premier, Club V 17 Ren Reed and ID Crush 17 Bower all came into the event already holding bids. All were in play during Day 3 gold pools to create the possibility of trickle down. But no one foresaw how it eventually played out. Coast 17-1 outlasting Drive Nation for the 17 Open title and earning its bid didn’t so much turn heads as what happened behind the pair of finalists that did. It was two surprise semifinalists that did in Legacy Girls 17 Pyramid and Tstreet 17 Naseri. That’s where it got even more interesting. As it looked like Legacy and Tstreet rounded out the qualifying clubs, it was found out Legacy actually declined its Open bid. That brought Wave 17 Juliana back into the fold. Wave was in the silver bracket with Club V, AZ Rev and ID Crush. Since all three already had bids, the one Legacy declined fell to Wave. Below, we write about how the teams which qualified got there. COAST 17-1 (FIRST, 10-0) Day 1: d Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar 25-19, 25-20; d United 17 Arete 25-12, 25-11; d Forza1 17 UA 25-18, 25-23 Day 2: d Excel 17 National Red 25-16, 25-9; d Supernova 17 All Stars 22-25, 25-22, 15-9; d Aspire 17 Premier 25-16, 25-16 Day 3: d OJVA 17 Gold 25-8, 25-12; d Wave 17 Juliana 25-16, 27-25; d Legacy Girls 17 Pyramid 25-21, 25-21; d Drive Nation 17 Red 25-13, 16-25, 15-10   After Coast made the gold pools last month at the Salt Lake City showdown but was on the wrong end of tiebreakers and wasn’t able to qualify, you could say the So Cal club came to Las Vegas on a mission. Coast certainly performed like it. It went through the field unscathed, going 10-0 and dropping only two sets. One came against Drive Nation in the final. It was the second time this season Coast downed Drive Nation after picking up a victory over the Texas club at Triple Crown. “There has been huge improvement from Salt Lake City,” Coast setter Zoe Rachow said. “In Salt Lake City, we had a dip of emotion and play on the third day. This tournament we kept a level head and steady pace and we were able to keep pushing through together.” Coast opened up the third day with a dominating sweep against OJVA 17 Gold that put it on the cusp of qualifying. Up next was rival Wave with the winner earning a spot in the final four and almost assuredly a bid. Coast rallied from a five-point deficit midway through the second set to sweep, 25-16, 27-25. Once Drive Nation won its pool to create trickle down to at least fourth place, Coast had its bid for sure before playing and sweeping Legacy in the semis. The roster is built to be able to compete with anyone. Rachow has options all around her and gets everyone involved. Claire Little is the big arm on the left, while Milan Bayless is a feisty outside with smarts. Brooklyn Briscoe is a physical presence in the middle and combines with Jasmine Saran to give Coast two reliable scorers. Noemie Glover can be electric at times on the right. Then there’s libero Sydney Bold and DS Brooklyn Yelland making up a strong defensive backrow. Even with all the pieces, Coast doesn’t plan on settling anytime soon. “We can get better in every aspect,” Rachow said. “Passing, digging, hitting, setting, emotionally. Everything.” *** TSTREET 17 NASERI (FOURTH, 7-3) Day 1: d Flyers 17 APX 25-15, 27-25; d Aspire 17 Premier 25-22, 25-23; d Club Cactus 17 Mizuno 25-6, 25-9 Day 2: d Club V 17 Ren Matthew 25-21, 23-25, 15-11; d SynergyForce 17 Jeff 25-19, 27-25; d Drive Nation 17 Red 25-22, 13-25, 16-14 Day 3: d Omni 17 Rick 25-18, 25-17; d ID Crush 17 Bower 25-17, 25-19; l Drive Nation 17 Red 25-23, 25-21; l Legacy Girls 17 Pyramid 25-21, 28-26   There are different ways of looking at Tstreet’s quest to qualify in Open. As the No. 11 overall seed to start Tstreet should have been among the 12 teams divided up into four, three-team gold pools on Day 3. From there, taking advantage of trickle down seemed realistic so qualifying shouldn’t have seemed like that much of a longshot. However, Tstreet wasn’t really on the bid radar. Mostly because Tstreet went after its USA bid in Salt Lake City, where it finished on top of the 17 USA division. Red Rock was Tstreet’s last qualifier of the season so going for Open was an easy call in hopes of improving its bid. Tstreet lost on Day 1 to Aspire 17 Premier but that didn’t derail the So Cal club. From there, Tstreet caught fire and rolled off six consecutive victories. It included beating Drive Nation on Day 2. That victory helped place Tstreet in a more manageable pool on Day 3 with ID Crush and OMNI 17 Rick instead of in one with AZ Rev and Sunshine 17 LA. Tstreet came out strong, sweeping both OMNI and ID Crush to make the top four and eventually secure its bid when Drive Nation joined the top four. Tstreet fought Drive Nation in a rematch in the semis before falling in two and wound up in fourth place after going down to Legacy in the third-place match. It didn’t matter at that point. “I thought our girls really, really played hard and battled every match,” Tstreet coach Naseri Tumanuvao said. “We took a huge leap in the right direction in terms of establishing a level of performance. I’m really proud of them.” It was an unbelievable run to be sure. Outside Eva Travis had

Coast 16-1 and Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar already had bids. Everyone else in 16 Open arrived at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas in hopes of joining them. One question was would the two previously-qualified clubs play a part in others bidding through trickle down or not? It was answered on Day 3 when both Coast and Long Beach had roles in trickle down going to fifth place and setting up an exciting conclusion in a winner-take-all match for the last bid between Drive Nation 16 Red and Seal Beach 16 Black. When that one was over – with Drive Nation prevailing in three sets to qualify – Wave 16 Brennan followed with a sweep over Long Beach to bring home the tournament title (and having qualified as well). Meanwhile, Vision 16 Gold also secured a bid by making the third-place contest, where it ended its weekend with a three-game victory over Coast. Below is how the bid winners’ weekend played out. WAVE 16 BRENNAN (FIRST, 10-0) Day 1: d SynergyForce 16 James 25-16, 25-22; d Idaho One 16 Blue 25-10, 25-9; d AZ Rev 16 Premier 25-23, 25-11 Day 2: d Club V 16 Ren Matt 25-13, 25-20; d Seal Beach 16 Black 25-20, 25-15; d SG Elite 16 Rosh 25-22, 25-18; d Momentous 16 Dan 20-25, 25-23, 15-8 Day 3: Drive Nation 16 Red 25-21, 33-31; d Vision 16 Gold 25-14, 25-16; d Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar 25-12, 25-15 Wave was deserving of the No. 1 seed. The SCVA region club has proven itself the best in the Premier Volleyball League so far featuring the best teams in So Cal. And Wave placed better than anyone in the Red Rock Rave 16 Open field back in February at Triple Crown. It seemed like a mere formality Wave would qualify in Las Vegas. Then again, much stranger things have happened and everyone knows nothing is a given. Wave’s performance though left nothing to chance. It went 10-0 and dropped one set in three days and concluded with an impressive victory in the final over Long Beach, which qualified the weekend before at PNQ. “Only dropping a set is something I’m really happy with,” Wave coach Brennan Dean said. “Seeing the consistency the team was able to show over the three days is really something we’ve been stressing and being prepared on Day 3 to show up.” Wave showed up all weekend. Not just on Day 3. The only time Wave appeared vulnerable was at the start of gold pools Sunday evening. Momentous 16 Dan grabbed the opening set and was neck-and-neck down the stretch of Game 2 before Wave forced a third set and rolled from there. Wave went on to sweep both Drive Nation and Vision to clinch its bid and reach the final. “I couldn’t be happier,” Dean said. “These girls are such a special group. They are really well-rounded and have a lot of different ways to score.” Setter Amanda Saeger, middles Camden Bolane, Jenna Hanes and Sara Dahl, outsides Niki Egan and Charlee Ellena, right sides Sinclaire McComic and Ayva Moi, as well as defenders Maya Evens and Dakota Conway were all part of the roster last summer when Wave placed tied for 13th in 15 Open. Though the team doesn’t have much height other than in the middle, Wave can pass and defend and Saeger can distribute the ball around making Wave tough on any opponent it faces. “It’s a fun group to coach,” Dean said. “It’s not surprising to find success right now but they want to be on top at the end of the year. They know they need to get back in the gym and keep getting better. There are bigger teams out there that we need to figure out how to beat.” *** VISION 16 GOLD (THIRD, 8-2) Day 1: d Aspire 16 Premier 25-16, 25-21; l SG Elite 16 Rosh 25-22, 25-23; d SF Elite 16 Saga 25-14, 25-14 Day 2: d City Volleyball 16 Gold 25-18, 25-22; d Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar 25-23, 19-25, 15-7; d OP2 16-1 19-25, 25-19, 16-14; d Drive Nation 16 Red 25-16, 25-15 Day 3: d Momentous 16 Dan 25-23, 25-19; l Wave 16 Brennan 25-14, 25-16; d Coast 16-1 19-25, 25-19, 15-13 Vision spent the previous weekend in Spokane trying to earn a bid at PNQ before heading to Vegas for yet another chance. Having missed out on the gold pools there, the first logical step forward for the Nor Cal club was to at least put itself in a position to make something happen in the desert by getting in one here. Vision ran into SG Elite 16 Rosh on Day 1 and dropped the meeting in straight sets. From there, however, Vision closed by winning seven of its final eight matches. The only loss in that stretch came to Wave in gold pool play. Vision managed to make it that far after outlasting City Volleyball 16 Gold, Long Beach and OP2 16-1 on Day 2. Vision then really helped its cause by handling Drive Nation to open gold pools Sunday evening. With a victory over Momentous to start Day 3, Vision was playing for a spot in the final. The loss to Wave bumped Vision to the third-place match, where Vision downed Coast for an impressive showing. “We did well,” Vision coach Ron Whitmill said. “We played a lot better than we played at Spokane. Some of the girls really stepped up. The team looked good. I was really happy with the way they played.” Addison Carbonara, Katelyn Cook, Amaya Kuchibhotla, Allison Legates, Erika Maas, Michael Torkaman and Taylor Williams were part of the group that finished 33rd in 15 Open a season ago. Two key additions to the roster this year include setter Maya Baker and outside Cleo Hardin. “We were disappointed with how we performed in Spokane,” Whitmill said. “Not with not getting a bid but we just didn’t feel we played well.

Arizona Storm 15 Thunder made it two-for-two on the season. After winning and qualifying by taking first at the Salt Lake City Showdown last month, Storm was back at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas and was just as dominate. Storm lost just one set in both Salt Lake and Vegas, where Storm went 10-0 and bested the 32-team field. Storm topped upstart Tstreet 15 Curtis. While Storm had another outstanding outing, we want to focus on the teams that qualified in this story. Tstreet was one along with TAV 15 Black and Wave 15 Scott joining in on the bid action. Here’s how their weekends played out. TSTREET 15 CURTIS (SECOND, 5-5) Day 1: d Laguna Beach 15 Mark 25-7, 25-9; d APAC 15 Courtney 25-10, 25-10; l Club V 15 Ren Adam 25-23, 25-23 Day 2: l Aspire 15 Premier 25-19, 21-25, 17-15; l AZ Storm 15 Thunder 25-22, 25-16; d Rage Westside 15 Jen 25-12, 29-27; d Club V 15 Ren Adam 25-16, 25-13 Day 3: l Wave 15 Scott 25-16, 23-25, 15-13; d Drive Nation 15 Red 25-22, 25-15; l AZ Storm 15 Thunder 25-12, 25-10   Most know the adage. These tournaments are not about the number of matches a team wins but more about winning at the right time. Tstreet 15 Curtis is the perfect example of it. Though Tstreet – which opened as the No. 3 overall seed – finished 5-5 on the weekend, it placed ahead of everyone else not named Arizona Storm. Storm downed Tstreet, 25-12, 25-10, in Monday’s 15 Open final but it didn’t matter much to Tstreet at that point. The bid was in hand and that was anything but a guarantee when the season kicked off months ago. “It’s a really big deal for us,” Tstreet coach Curtis Yoder said of qualifying. “This is a team early in the season where we weren’t quite sure of how we would measure up in Open. We have a lot of great pieces but we were figuring things out so for us to get a bid is huge.” One setback early on this season was the loss of setter/right side Ruby Hill to injury but she’s since been back and helped stabilize the rotation running a 6-2 with Sophia Saad in Vegas. Tstreet was also down to two middles before calling up Maya Brown to help out and Yoder praised her play over the weekend. Combined with Memphis Burnett, they provided scoring options out of the middle so Tstreet wasn’t so pin heavy with outsides Quinn Loper and Brianna Brewer, as well as right side Lola Padilla. With Kyra Zaengle at libero, Tstreet also played defense well at times. “We’ve just been getting better every single day at practice and just chipping away,” Yoder said. “This team has huge upside. I’m excited to get back into the gym and keep working with them.” Tstreet’s timing helped out tremendously, winning when it needed to. After starting Day 1 by winning its first two matches, Tstreet fell to Club V 15 Ren Adam and was knocked into the same Day 2 pool as Storm. When Tstreet lost to Aspire 15 Premier first and then Storm it was sitting at 0-2 and looking at an exit from contention. However, Tstreet swept Rage Westside 15 Jen in a key result. That forced a three-way tie at 1-2 with Rage and Aspire, but it was Tstreet sweeping Rage that allowed Tstreet to take second and advance. A victory in three sets would’ve obviously still force the three-way tie, but it would’ve been Rage advancing instead in that scenario. Alive for gold pools, Tstreet capitalized. First, Tstreet downed Club V on Sunday evening in a rematch. But, Tstreet stumbled against Wave and was 1-1 with a clash against Drive Nation 15 Red – a team already qualified – waiting. Tstreet sprung the upset and eventually finished in a three-way tie with Drive Nation and Wave at 2-1. Tstreet owned the first-place tiebreaker to move onto the final and face Storm. Tstreet still would’ve had a path to the bid had it lost to Drive Nation. Yet, in that scenario Tstreet would have been the third-place team and faced Coast 15-1 for the last bid in the fifth-place match. As it happened, Coast didn’t get that opportunity as trickle down only went to fourth place. “I thought it was a really good weekend for our team,” Yoder said. “We are learning what it takes to play at this level. We were a little bit fortunate but we did the job to get here to the final. That was not our best match but we were here to see how we measure up against the best in the nation so we can get to work on things and get better.” *** TAV 15 BLACK (THIRD, 8-2) Day 1: d Vinaka 15-1 25-12, 25-18; d Over The Top 15 Blue 25-15, 25-11; d SG Elite 15 Rosh 30-28, 25-19 Day 2: d ARVC 15 Adidas 26-24, 25-15; l Wave 15 Scott 17-25, 25-22, 16-14; d AZ Rev 15 Premier 25-17, 25-23; d Excel 15 National Red 25-20, 25-21 Day 3: l AZ Storm 15 Thunder 25-19, 25-16; d Coast 15-1 25-21, 25-16; d Wave 15 Scott 20-25, 25-16, 15-11   It’s been a quiet season to date for TAV 15 Black. The North Texas region squad didn’t attend Triple Crown in February and didn’t play in a qualifier in March. That meant TAV was making its first national appearance in Las Vegas. Though TAV accomplished what it came for in qualifying, perhaps expectedly it wasn’t an overly sharp performance. “I don’t think we played very well all weekend for what our standards are,” TAV coach Arthur Stanfield said. “We struggled. We won matches but we struggled.” It’s not a knock really. Most everyone knows the lofty expectations of TAV but in reality TAV only lost one match that it probably shouldn’t have. It came on Day 2 when

It was a great three days of action at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas! We spent our time observing as many teams and players as possible. Here are the outsides who stood out the most to us while we were watching 15, 16 and 17 Open. 15 Open Ava Poinsett, Coast 15-1 – Poinsett is a vital piece of the Coast attack. This 5-11 pin hitter can play on either the left or the right. She brings consistent and reliable scoring as is always an option. Mae Kordes, Wave 15 Scott – When Kordes is front row and Wave needs a kill, there’s little doubt they are looking for her to deliver. At 6-2, she’s tall and hits a heavy ball. She has lots of kills ahead of her! Ella Duong, Vision 15 Gold – At 5-9, Duong is a bit undersized but she passes very well out of serve receive. She also jumps well which helps make her a threat in the Vision attack. Karli Jordan, Drive Nation 15 Red – Jordan is a high-octane outside. She plays with tons of energy. At 5-8, she’s undersized but gets up in the air and doesn’t back down from big blockers. Lauryn Mack, Drive Nation 15 Red – We’ll definitely be following Mack! She’s a 5-10 three-star recruit with huge potential. She can leap and has a smooth swing. Watch out for her! Teraya Sigler, AZ Storm 15 Thunder – There’s no one in the division quite like this 6’0 five-star recruit! Sigler is a force who can carry the offense if needed. She’s physical and brings some serious heat. But she can pass and defend too! Brianna Brewer, Tstreet 15 Curtis – This 5-9 three-star recruit makes up for being a bit undersized with a strong jump. She’s has a physicality to her attacking. Quinn Loper, Tstreet 15 Curtis – There’s lots of upside with Loper. She’s lanky at 6-1 and can hit from either pin with her smooth swing. She’s a four-star recruit who obviously is going to continue to develop. Nia Thompson, Wave 15 Scott – Thompson is cool on the court. She doesn’t try to overdo it when attacking. And she’s really solid in the back row with both her defending and passing. She could be a future libero at the next level! Cecilia Vance, ARVC 15 Adidas – We like the spirit and upbeat attitude this 5-11 freshman displays. She’s quick and has a fast arm swing. She lets it fly on the attack! Delany Harrington, Excel 15 National Red – Another outside who is a bit undersized. But Harrington has an aggressive approach to her attacking and isn’t afraid to challenge blockers. Alyssa Aguayo, Aspire 15 Premier – This 6-0 wirey outside is a three-star recruit. She carries an offensive load for Aspire. She has a quick swing and can whip it down. 16 Open Suli Davis, Drive Nation 16 Red – College coaches certainly know Davis! She’s a freshman playing up for Drive and has tremendous potential. She’s 6-1 and a five-star recruit. She’s physical and plays with real determination to succeed. Sofia Williams, Wave 16 Brennan – A steady six-rotation player, Williams knows how to score against big blockers. She’s good at taking what the block and defenses are giving her. Niki Egan, Wave 16 Brennan – This 5-7 outside is a spitfire and full of energy. She plays fast and bigger than her height. It’s a mistake to underestimate this three-star recruit who passes and defends very well too! Babi Gubbins, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar – A 6-2 five-star recruit, Gubbins is asked to carry a load for Beach. She has a lot of shots in her bag that she can pull from and it keeps defenses guessing what’s coming next. Gabriella Destler, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar – There’s nothing flashy about Destler and that’s meant in a good way. She just gets the job done being steady and consistent. She has good ball skills and uses her smarts to be a reliable scorer. Madison Triplett, Coast 16-1 – It was a big weekend for Triplett. Coast was without Jaidyn Jager for the last two days and this 5-9 outside really stepped up and was playing very well. It’s part of the reason why Coast still finished fourth.   Isabel Clark, Momentous 16 Dan – This 6-0 four-star recruit was one of the more powerful hitters in the division. When she gets up and gets a hold of one there’s no stopping her. We watched her bounce more than a few balls! Morgan Graves, Rancho Valley 16 Premier – This 5-10 freshman has a high ceiling! And the way she jumps, she needs it. Graves is the go-to hitter for Rancho Valley and she gets off the ground quickly. Madison Mosley, Arete 16 Navy – Mosley is 5-7 but don’t be fooled. She reads well and has a great timing which makes her an adequate blocker. She also has a quick swing and is fearless on the attack. Brianna Hamilton, Arete 16 Navy – Hamilton is someone to put on your radar! She’s 6-0 and touches 10-0. She could be moving up as she continues to progress. Taylor Williams, Vision 16 Gold – Williams is a valuable six-rotation outside for Vision. She’s long and wirey with a solid swing. She has definite upside to her! Cleo Hardin, Vision 16 Gold – We’ll be seeing more of Hardin down the road. This 6-2 outside has next level written all over her. She can let loose when she’s in the front row and adds a different dimension to the Vision offense. 17 Open Eva Travis, Tstreet 17 Naseri – We have lift off! Travis hits like she’s jumping off a trampoline. She’s 5-10 but touches 10-2 and absolutely explodes on the attack. She was a big reason Tstreet picked up its bid this weekend. Claire Little, Coast 17-1 – This 6-2 five-star recruit is committed to BYU. Because of

It was a great three days of action at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas! We spent our time observing as many teams and players as possible. Here are the setters who stood out the most to us while we were watching 15, 16 and 17 Open. 15 Open Claire Sun, S/RS, Rage Westside 15 Jen – Sun is an exciting two-way contributor. She gets to the ball quick and has solid location on her sets. And though she’s a little undersized she jumps high and can rip it for winners! Ruby Hill, S/RS, Tstreet 15 Curtis – Tstreet struggled earlier this season with Hill out of the lineup. With the 6-2 four-star recruit back Tstreet earned its Open bid. She adds a lot to the lineup with both her setting and hitting and has a calm and steady demeanor. Jordyn Moore, S/RS, Excel 15 National Red – Another two-way contributor we enjoyed watching, Moore is a three-star recruit. She’ll probably be a full-time setter at the next level with her soft delivery. But she also hits for Excel and is a heady attacker. Hannah Beauford, Drive Nation 15 Red – Beauford runs a 5-1 for Drive Nation. This three-star recruit is fluid, consistent and moves around the court well. 16 Open Amanda Saeger, Wave 16 Brennan – If you watch the Wave offense, everyone is involved in it. That’s how Saeger directs the attack, spreading the ball around and getting hitters good matchups. This 5-10 four-star recruit is going places! Charlie Fuerbringer, S/RS, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar – As we said about Fuerbringer at Salt Lake, it’s hard to find a player in the gym with a higher IQ. She sees the game at a high level and she has cat-like reactions. This four-star recruit can run a 5-1 or hit and set in a 6-2 for Beach. Kiki Remensperger, Coast 16-1 – Remensperger is a gamer and someone you can tell loves to compete. She knows how to run a balanced offense, getting her middles and right side involved as much as she can. Sydney May, S/RS, Seal Beach 16-1 – There’s a lot this 5-10 athlete brings to the table for Beach. Her setting is consistent and her ability to hit fills a big role on the right side in Seal Beach’s 6-2. Julia Kakkis, S/RS, Momentous 16 Dan – At 6-1, Kakkis has a bright future ahead of her. She’s a capable setter yet she might be a full-time hitter on the next level. She hits with lots of power and aggression. Maya Baker, Vision 16 Gold – A freshman playing up, Baker is a bit undersized but is calm under pressure and doesn’t crack. Though Vision is outside heavy, Baker doesn’t rely solely on her lefts to get the job done and does well incorporating her others hitters into the mix. 17 Open Zoe Rachow, Coast 17-1 – This 5-10 setter plays with lots of energy and determination. She does well setting against the flow and has good connections with her middles. That’s part of the reason she’s a three-star recruit.   Madison Maxwell, S/RS, Legacy Girls 17 Pyramid – Keep an eye out for Maxwell! Legacy made some waves this weekend with this 6-2 sophomore playing a key role. Her setting is sharp but she also proved to be a reliable scorer on the right. Nicole Feliciano, S/RS, Tstreet 17 Naseri – You have to love the intensity Feliciano plays with. She doesn’t back down from a challenge. The 5-10 setter showed her ability to get hitters good look while also giving Tstreet a scoring option on the right. Lexi Yoza, AZ Rev 17 Premier – We saw Yoza in Salt Lake City as part of a 6-2. This weekend she was running a 5-1. At 5-8, this three-star recruit committed to Temple knows how to run an offense and consistently gets her hitters one-on-one looks. Shanelle Puetz, Wave 17 Julianna – A senior playing down for Wave, Puetz is a total competitor. This 5-10 setter is fiery and brings her competitive attitude to the position.

It was a great three days of action at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas! We spent our time observing as many teams and players as possible. Here are the middle blockers who stood out the most to us while we were watching 15, 16 and 17 Open. 15 Open Kennedy Washington, TAV 15 Black – A 6-0 sophomore playing down an age group, Washington is a three-star recruit. She was a force in the middle at times with her physicality and athleticism. Kenna Cogill, AZ Storm 15 Thunder – It’ll be exciting seeing where Cogill’s talents take her! She’s a 6-4 three-star recruit with lots of length in the middle. She flashed a couple of big put aways sending the ball down at the 10-foot line. Memphis Burnett, Tstreet 15 Curtis – There’s so much upside with Burnett! For starters, she’s an eighth-grader playing up an age group. She’s 5-10 and is touching 9-8 already. She’s plays with physicality and when she gets a hold of one watch out! Taryn Morris, TAV 15 Black – This a name to get familiar with! Morris has all the tools. She’s a smooth 6-0 four-star recruit with the capability to impact both sides of the ball with her scoring and blocking abilities. Cecilia Porter, Over The Top 15 Blue – It was a tough weekend for Over The Top as the team went winless. However, Porter is a definite bright spot in the middle. She has the potential to develop into a next-level athlete. She’s already very springy off the ground with a nice swing. 16 Open Jade Dudley-Epps, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar – This 5-11 three-star recruit completely changes the look of Beach’s attack when she’s in. She gets up fast and high and knows how to finish! Zoe Gillen-Malveaux, Drive Nation 16 Red – The heights Gillen-Malveaux could reach have no limits! What a talent she is with her 6-3 frame and still only being a freshman. She’s a five-star recruit. With her jumping and scoring ability, she’s already a force in the middle. Jenna Hanes, Wave 16 Brennan – There’s no doubt middle is a big position of strength for Wave. At 6-2, Hanes adds much-needed size to the lineup. This three-star recruit is a smooth operator, making things look easy at times. Camden Bolane, Wave 16 Brennan – Like we said, Wave has an advantage in the middle over most teams as Bolane fills out a great 1-2 punch. She’s 6-2 and already a solid blocker. She’s a four-star recruit and going to make an impact for someone at the next level. Mackenzie Parsons, Coast 16-1 – A 6-2 three-star recruit, Parsons is a real difference maker for Coast. She’s a physical blocker, runs the slide well and someone Coast relies on to help carry the offense. Hayley Ogden, Coast 16-1 – Ogden is part of good middle duo for Coast. With her, Coast always someone in the middle capable of making plays. She’s 6-0 and an effective scorer when her number gets called. 17 Open Tori Davis, Legacy Girls 17 Pyramid – Davis is as tough to stop as any middle when she’s cooking. This Baylor commit skies and can really whip it. And she’s only getting started! Maggie Mendelson, Hive 17 Gold – A Class of 2022 middle committed to Nebraska, Mendelson is 6-5 and also plans on playing basketball for the Huskers. She’s still a bit raw but has incredible upside with her length and athleticism. She hits over the block with ease with her powerful swing. Brooklyn Briscoe, Coast 17-1 – Overall Coast is a physical team with Briscoe definitely bringing that element to the middle. A 6-4 Kansas commit, she can bang with the best of them and when she does it really fires up her teammates. Leah Ford, Drive Nation 17 Red – A 6-3 five-star recruit committed to USC, Ford helps give Drive Nation arguably the best middle duo in the country. She moves effortlessly with an easy swing. Reese Robins, Drive Nation 17 Red – A 6-5 five-star recruit committed to Louisville, Robins is a physical presence. She hits harder than any middle and she’s a force with her blocking as well. Sidney Shaffer, Tstreet 17-1 – Shaffer was great in the middle in helping Tstreet earn is bid. She’s a three-star recruit who stands 6-2 and touches 10-0. She has a nice swing and is aggressive with it. Mia Lee, Club V 17 Ren Reed – If you want to see some impressive kills, go watch Lee! She’s listed at 5-11 but elevates with ease and can absolutely hammer it down. She’s committed BYU. Cayla Payne, Wave 17 Julianna – This three-star recruit is committed to Colorado. At 6-4, she makes herself known to opposing teams with both her attacking and defending. Kyanna Creecy, Excel 17 National Red – This 5-11 middle can get up in a hurry. And when she does she can smack it down with no problems!

It was a great three days of action at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas! We spent our time observing as many teams and players as possible. Here are the right sides who stood out the most to us while we were watching 15, 16 and 17 Open. 15 Open Keila Gabriel, Wave 15 Scott – At 6-4, Gabriel really helps to open up the Wave offense when she’s front row. She has a high contact point and can be an effective scorer. She has plenty of upside and will be fun to continue to watch grow! Zoe Pabarcus, Coast 15-1 – We thought Pabarcus had a solid weekend and filled a valuable role as Coast chased its bid. She’s 5-10 and is an aggressive attacker, giving Coast a strong option on the right side. Maya Banks, Forza1 North 15 UA – Banks is a sleeper to keep an eye on! She’s lengthy at 6-1 and she’s real quick. There’s lots of potential there! Abigayle Gotwals, SynergyForce 15 Rheann – Another lanky right side with a nice swing. She provides SynergyForce an option to help balance out the attack. Olivia Ip, SG Elite 15 Rosh – Ip gets off the ground well. And she has a quick swing. She definitely changes the attack for SG when she’s front row. Sydnee Peterson, TAV 15 Black – A four-star recruit, Peterson has huge upside. She’s a physical presence in the front row and has next-level athleticism. She’s a fun one to watch! Cadence McDonald, Drive Nation 15 Red – This lefty right side is a three-star recruit. She has a good swing and can score in various ways. She’s also a threat out of the back row. 16 Open Tiana Owens, Coast 16-1 – Owens, who is 5-11, has a fast swing. She stepped up and was providing Coast with consistent offense from the right side. She could be a real key for Coast as the season wears on! Addison Collum, Seal Beach 16 Black – Seal Beach has a good one in Collum. She’s an athletic three-star recruit with some power to boot. She jumps and swings well, which is Seal Beach sets her as much as possible. Watch for her moving forward! Cymarah Gordon, Momentous 16 Dan – Gordon has next-level potential oozing from her. She’s another three-star recruit who provides size and physicality on the right. When she gets a hold of one watch out! She also can be a lights-out blocker at times. Haley Clark, SG Elite 16 Rosh – There’s some deception to Clark’s game. The three-star recruit doesn’t necessarily look like she can bring it the way she does. But when this lefty goes up she can really deliver with some pop! Kennedy Osunsanmi, Legacy Girls 16 Elite – A long 6-2, Osunsanmi has a big ceiling. She can easily go over the block and already has a nice looking swing. As she continues to develop and work on her blocking she’s going to make a huge impact! Katelyn Cook, Vision 16 Gold – We like gamers and Cook is definitely that! She’s a bit undersized but she plays hard. She’s also not afraid to go for it and takes some aggressive rips. 17 Open Noemie Glover, Coast 17-1 – You could describe Glover as still being raw and that’s a scary thing! A 6-1 lefty committed to Oregon, there’s no telling the heights she could reach at the next level. She shows incredible flashes with a lively arm and superb jump. Cecily Gooch, Drive Nation 17 Red – We wrote about this four-star recruit last weekend at MEQ. Committed to Michigan, this 6-3 was showing all her skills again. She’s a mean attacker who hits with authority! Samantha Hoppes, Drive Nation 17 Red – A Boston College commit, Hoppes is a three-star recruit. She played very well for Drive this weekend. The lefty is a bit undersized compared to the some of the height in the division but she’s heady hitter who doesn’t try and overdo it. Ireland McNees, Club V 17 Ren Reed – Don’t underestimate McNees! She’s 5-9 but can touch 10-0. She uses her smarts to score. Committed to Lafayette, she also has good timing on her blocking. Eryn Jones, AZ Rev 17 Premier – Jones is as fun to watch as anybody in the gym! She’s a 6-0 right side who passes out of serve receive, so she can definitely play on the left side at the next level. She’s as strong as they come and hits with tons of power. Olivia Babcock, Sunshine 17 LA – This high-flying five-star recruit is committed to Pitt. When she’s on she’s as unstoppable as any attacker! She easily goes over the block and pounds it down with the best of them.

It was a great three days of action at the Red Rock Rave in Las Vegas! We spent our time observing as many teams and players as possible. Here are the liberos who stood out the most to us while we were watching 15, 16 and 17 Open. 15 Open Izabella Mahaffey, AZ Storm 15 Thunder – Storm has plenty of offense but don’t overlook Mahaffey! This scraper brings grit to the Storm defense. She has strong court coverage, passes well out of serve receive and picks up shots consistently. Yuri Park, Wave 15 Scott – Park has a quiet demeanor. She keeps her cool about her under fire and is just steady in the back row anchoring Wave’s defense. Test her at your own risk! Kiela King, Vision 15 Gold – King is another one with a calm demeanor and doesn’t seem to get rattled under pressure. She was making lots of plays when we saw her. Lexi Nguyen, ARVC 15 Adidas – Nguyen is more of a fiery libero. She’s quick and gets around the court in a hurry. She also plays with tons of energy! 16 Open Maya Evens, Wave 16 Brennan – Wave is built on its ball control and defense and this three-star recruit is at the heart of it. Her platform is solid and she rarely misses a pass out of serve receive. She also has great range. It can be difficult to get a ball past her! Annah Legaspi, Momentous 16 Dan – Legaspi is active and a smooth passer. She’s a three-star recruit. Momentous wouldn’t be the same without her! Caleigh King, Drive Nation 16 Red – Another three-star recruit from the Class of 2024, King could anchor plenty of back row for clubs around the country! She plays with spirit and lots of passion! Tessa Hurley, Seal Beach 16 Black – Seal Beach was a victory away from qualifying. The roster is the definition of a scrappy bunch, with Hurley holding it down at libero. She has an upbeat energy about you and plays full out! Lauren Lynch, SG Elite 16 Rosh – The future is bright for this four-star recruit from the Class of 2025! Lynch is unflappable and makes the position look easy at times. Michael Torkaman, Vision 16 Gold – It was a great weekend for Vision gaining its bid. Opponents rarely went at Torkaman in serve receive because of her accurate passing. She also makes sharp reads! 17 Open  Sydney Bold, Coast 17-1 – Bold – a three-star recruit – helps make up one of the best backrow defenses in the country. She plays the position with attitude and is everywhere at times! Brooklyn Yelland, DS, Coast 17-1 – Yelland – a Boston College commit – could certainly suit up at libero for other clubs. Combined with Bold, Coast’s backrow can matchup with the best. She has good range as well and is fearless in hitting the deck to keep balls alive! Ella Scott, Tstreet 17-1 Naseri – A strength of Tstreet this weekend was its sharp ball control and passing. Scott was nails in serve receive and she stood in against some of the top attackers in the field and made play after play! Isabella Anderson, AZ Rev 17 Premier – Anderson was really scrapping against some big hitters from Drive Nation and Sunshine. She was flying around and covering with tremendous energy. She’s a steal for Grand Canyon! Koko Kirsch, Wave 17 Julianna – Kirsch is a high-energy libero. She patrols the backrow with a won’t-back-down attitude and is a lights out passer! Katerina Lutz, DS, Wave 17 Julianna – Wave’s another team with a strong backrow duo, with Lutz helping make it happen. A UCLA commit, Lutz makes sharp and crisp passes consistently. Ella Rishwain, OMNI 17 Rick – OMNI had a great weekend making the gold pools in 17 Open. The team plays with a lot of heart, including the scrappiness displayed by Rishwain at libero. She was lights out in serve receive!