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It was a really good day to be the No. 1 team in one of the 16, four-team pools on the opening day of the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. In all, 15 of the 16 top teams in their respective pools advanced to Saturday’s championship qualifying round at Durango High. The lone team left out? That would be Kamehameha Kapalama HI, which began the day as the No. 11 overall seed. But the Warriors were upended by Vista Murrieta CA, which pulled off the upset in three sets, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21, on its way to a 3-0 finish. Thus, the Broncos – who also defeated St. Ignatius CA and Foothill CA – are the only non-No. 1 team still alive for the coveted crown. For seven of the top teams in their respective pools, it was a perfect Friday as none of them even dropped a set. The nation’s top team and No. 1 overall seed Cathedral Catholic swept all three of its outings, as did No. 3 Assumption KY, No. 5 Timpview UT, No. 7 Mountain View UT, No. 8 Mater Dei CA, No. 14 Lakewood CA and No. 15 Redondo Union CA. Skyview ID – the No. 13 overall seed – had a day and is fortunate to still be in contention after going three sets in all three contests. It included a razor-thin victory over Kahuku HI, 26-24, 17-25, 25-23, to finish out the pool. Skyview also went three with Bishop Gorman NV and Long Beach Wilson CA. Second-seeded Fayetteville AR had a close call and barely survived the 1 v 2 meeting against Coronado NV. Fayetteville needed three sets to escape, 24-26, 25-14, 27-25, and eventually finished 3-0. Fourth-seeded Sierra Canyon CA went the distance twice, needing three sets to get past both Lone Peak UT and Mercy KY. Sixth-seeded Marymount CA also went three twice in victories over Ontario Christian CA and Corner Canyon UT. Ninth-seeded Punahou HI, No. 10 Torrey Pines CA, No. 12 ‘Iolani HI and No. 16 Archbishop Mitty CA all dropped one set in winning their respective pools. *** Day 1 is done without any major contenders knocked out. That means Saturday is set for a fantastic finish. The 16 pool winners play a qualifying match to begin Day 2. The winners advance to the eight-team championship bracket from which the champion will be crowned. Cathedral Catholic takes on Archbishop Mitty in what could be a preview of the California Open Division state final. Mater Dei takes on Punahou in an interesting match. Punahou beat Redondo Union at the Ann Kang Invitational and Redondo has a victory over Mater Dei so the math points to Punahou winning that one right? If only it was that simple. Meanwhile, Redondo draws No. 2 seed Fayetteville. The other Hawaiian team still alive in ‘Iolani faces one of the two Utah squads still in the hunt in Timpview. The other Utah school – Mountain View – is matched up with past champion Torrey Pines. Skyview – as we mentioned went three all three times Friday – doesn’t get a break with Sierra Canyon lined up across the net. In a rematch from earlier this season, Marymount and Vista Murrieta clash again. Marymount took the first meeting in straight sets. Lastly, one of the most intriguing matches is Assumption squaring off with Lakewood. Lakewood is unheralded but plenty good enough to come out ahead in that one. The best news is it doesn’t matter how you try and slice it up. Championship Saturday at Durango always delivers. I’ve called it the best day of the high school season in the past and I’m sure I’ll be feeling the same way watching it all unfold during the 2022 version. *** UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS Hitting the club scene like we do, we find a lot of the same players starring in high school as well obviously. We’ll have our full assortment of Show Stoppers after the tournament ends featuring many names you are probably already familiar with. For now, we want to shine a light on players that we haven’t written about before or often or ones you might not have heard of yet. Taliah Lee SR OH Timpview UT Joa Roberts JR MB Timpview UT Mia Compas SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA Sadie Snipes JR OH Branson CA Lauren Dignan SO L Branson CA Ashley Repetti SO OH Los Alamitos CA Elon Milroy JR RS Los Alamitos CA Rella Binney JR S Punahou HI Grace Fiaseu MB/RS Punahou HI Bellamie Beus FR OH Skyview ID Melissa Eyer JR L Skyview ID Chloe Pravendikov JR OH Long Beach Wilson CA Sophie Broesamle SR OH Lakeside WA Finley Workman JR OH Xavier Prep AZ Lauren Ingram SR OH Hockaday School TX Olivia Wayne SO MB Hockaday School TX Ayva Ostavar SO S Mater Dei CA Eryn Hiraki JR RS ‘Iolani HI Tessa Onaga SR L ‘Iolani HI Maya Imoto-Eakin SR S ‘Iolani HI Madisyn Parady SO S La Costa Canyon CA Kacie Caoili SO S Archbishop Mitty CA Isabella Romero SO OH Archbishop Mitty CA Demi Harris SR L Archbishop Mitty CA Alanah Clemente SO RS Alemany CA Havyn Rolle JR MB Alemany CA Cameron Downs SR S Mercy KY Katie Poynter SR OH Mercy KY Emma Barnett SR MB Mercy KY Jaida Sione SR OH Sierra Canyon CA Ava Hewitt-Smith SR MB Sierra Canyon CA Addy Esslin SR S Bishop Manogue NV Nina Hemsley FR MB Rancho Cucamonga CA Meagan O’Leary JR OH South Torrance CA Elina Mortensen JR OH Corner Canyon UT Bianca Richardson JR OH Faith Lutheran NV Alexa Trapani SR L Marymount CA Maela Honma JR OH Kamehameha Hawai’i HI Sarah Schubert SR OH Kamehameha Hawai’i HI Kinley Kerbs SR S Madison ID Mariah Wilson SR RS Madison ID

The prestigious Durango Fall Classic is on tap this Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas. It’s a phenomenal tournament that always manages to live up to the hype if not surpass it. This year’s 64-team field features schools from 12 states, with 13 programs participating from vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. It includes national No. 1 Cathedral Catholic CA, which is the top seed overall. Friday’s action opens with 16, four-team pools. The 16 pool winners advance to Saturday’s championship qualifying bracket at Durango High School where one will walk away with the coveted trophy. Will it be Cathedral Catholic? The Dons have yet to lose this season and were victorious here recently having captured the Durango title in 2019. Or could we see Assumption KY reclaim its reign? The Rockets dominated the desert for a stretch, winning titles in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. Or is someone else going to deliver an unforeseen storyline of their own? Plenty are capable. Watching it unfold is sure to deliver its share of chills and goose bumps as teams chase Durango gold during two intense days of competition. Below is a breakdown of the tournament featuring nationally-ranked teams, team spotlights and players to watch. vballrecruiter.com Nationally Ranked Teams (13): 1. Cathedral Catholic CA 7. Assumption KY 10. Sierra Canyon CA 16. Marymount CA 23. Punahou HI 27. Torrey Pines CA 29. Redondo Union CA 34. ‘Iolani HI 37. Mater Dei CA 38. Fayetteville AR 39. Kamehameha HI 45. Mountain View UT 50. Timpview UT *** Breakdown by State: Arizona (3): Ironwood Ridge; Queen Creek; Xavier Prep Arkansas: Fayetteville California (28): Archbishop Mitty; Bakersfield Christian; Beckman; Bishop Alemany; Branson; Campolindo; Cathedral Catholic; Clovis West; Flintridge Sacred Heart; Foothill; Harvard-Westlake; La Costa Canyon; La Salle; Lakewood; Liberty; Los Alamitos; Marin Catholic; Marymount; Mater Dei; Ontario Christian; Rancho Cucamonga; Redondo Union; Sierra Canyon; South Torrance; St. Ignatius; Torrey Pines; Vista Murrieta; Wilson Florida (2): Leon; St. Thomas Aquinas Hawaii (5): ‘Iolani; Kahuku; Kamehameha Kapalama; Kamehameha Hawaii; Punahou Idaho (2): Madison; Skyview Kentucky (2): Assumption; Mercy Nevada (12): Arbor View; Bishop Gorman; Bishop Manogue; Centennial; Coronado; Desert Oasis; Durango; Faith Lutheran; Moapa Valley; Palo Verde; Rancho; Shadow Ridge New York: Poly Prep Country Day Texas: The Hockaday School Utah (6): Corner Canyon; Crimson Cliffs; Lone Peak; Mountain View; Pleasant Grove; Timpview Washington: Lakeside *** THE FAVORITES CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC (1 – overall seed)– The Dons bring their unblemished mark to the desert and will go for its third tournament title of the year after securing championships at the Kamehameha and Dave Mohs tourneys. The loaded lineup includes senior outside Julia Blyashov, senior right side Noemie Glover, senior outside Milan Bayless, senior middle Ryleigh Patterson, junior middle Jenna Hanes, junior setter Amanda Saeger and sophomore libero Maya Evens. ASSUMPTION (3) – Fresh off a second-place showing at the LIVT last weekend, the Rockets took on Mater Dei on Wednesday before making the trek to Vegas. There’s no doubt Assumption has the goods to win it all. At the helm is senior setter Whitney Woodrow. She has talented options surrounding her, ones that include junior outside Charlotte Moriarty, senior Gabrielle Gerry and sophomore Bailey Blair in the middle, and senior Alexis Strong on the right. Sophomore libero Kristen Simon helps makes up a strong defensive and disciplined mindset the Rockets are known for. SIERRA CANYON (4)– The Trailblazers finished runner up at the Ann Kang Invitational, where they split a pair of matches with Mira Costa, which is absent from this year’s field. The only other loss for Sierra Canyon was a surprise set back to San Clemente. If the ball control is there the Trailblazers have enough firepower to leave with the trophy. At the top of the list is senior right side Olivia Babcock. She’s backed by senior outside Jade Sione, junior outside Danica Rach and junior middle Madeline Way. Directing the offense is junior setter Sade Ilawole and anchoring the defense is sophomore libero Lauren Lynch. MATER DEI (8) – The Monarchs certainly have the talent to get it done but haven’t fully put it together yet. Mater Dei scored a big victory over Ann Kang champ Mira Costa but stumbled in losses to Redondo Union, Lakewood and San Clemente. Junior outsides Isabel Clark and Babi Gubbins carry the offensive load. Junior right side Cymarah Gordon, senior middle Liz Hertzog and freshman right side Layli Ostovar also contribute to the attack that is directed by sophomore Ayva Ostovar and senior Mikayla Delgadillo. Junior Malyssa Cawa suits up at libero. REDONDO UNION (15)– The Seahawks have been on the upswing recently. Redondo picked up losses to both ‘Iolani and Punahou at the Ann Kang Invitational and then was upstaged by both Sierra Canyon and Torrey Pines once back on the mainland. However, the Seahawks haven’t lost since, including victories over Mater Dei and Marymount. The lineup is also bolstered by the addition of a pair of newcomers in junior outside Abby Benefield and junior right side Alanna Jones, who are eligible to play this week. They join the already dangerous senior outside Mele Corral-Blagojevich. *** TEAM SPOTLIGHTS FAYETTEVILLE (2) – Entering this week, the Bulldogs had only dropped one set. There’s no doubt that mark is going to get tested this weekend in Vegas. Fayetteville opens as the No. 2 seed but doesn’t have the same strength of schedule as other in the field and thus we don’t have the Arkansas school counted among the favorites to win it. Regardless, this is a true measuring test for where the Bulldogs stack up. Leading the charge is senior setter Kennedy Phelan. Her main targets are senior outsides Brooke Rockwell and Madeline LaFata. TIMPVIEW (5) – The Thunderbirds experienced their first defeat of the year when they fell to Mountain View – which is also in the Durango field – on Tuesday evening. Senior outside Taliah Lee is the go-to hitter and someone defenses must contain. Another to watch for is sophomore libero Tiana Mariner. MARYMOUNT (6)

It’s a new week and that means from here until the season is over we’ll be releasing our updated version of the National HS Top 50 Rankings. Last week, national No. 1 Cathedral Catholic CA captured the Dave Mohs Invitational in Huntington Beach while national No. 2 Mother McAuley IL took home the top prize at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in Louisville. Cathedral Catholic is back in action at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, an event that features 14 teams from this week’s Top 50. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Mother McAuley IL (2) 3. St. James Academy KS (3) 4. Westminster Christian FL (5) 5. McCutcheon IN (6) 6. Mira Costa CA (7) 7. Assumption KY (8) 8. Cornerstone Christian TX (9) 9. Marian MI (13) 10. Sierra Canyon CA (10) *** 11. Prestonwood Christian TX (15) 12. Mercy McAuley OH (39) 13. Santa Fe FL (17) 14. Oconomowoc WI (18) 15. Highland Park TX (19) 16. Marymount CA (14) 17. Hamilton Southeastern IN (20) 18. Washburn Rural KS (21) 19. Ursuline Academy OH (16) 20. Skyline MI (22) *** 21. Lincoln East NE (23) 22. Cypress Ranch TX (24) 23. Punahou HI (49) 24. Byron Nelson TX (28) 25. Aquinas KS (29) 26. Papillion-LaVista South NE (30) 27. Torrey Pines CA (26) 28. Northfield MN (n/r)29. Redondo Union CA (31) 30. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (32) *** 31. Barrington IL (33) 32. Dike New-Hartford IO (35) 33. Yorktown IN (40) 34. ‘Iolani HI (38) 35. Corona del Sol AZ (34) 36. St. Ursula Academy OH (n/r) 37. Mater Dei CA (36) 38. Fayetteville AR (n/r) 39. Kamehameha HI (27) 40. Chaparral CO (41) *** 41. Mercy MI (44) 42. Wayzata MN 43. Mount Notre Dame OH (n/r) 44. Cleveland TN (45) 45. Mountain View UT (46) 46. Magnificat OH (4) 47. Pickens SC (48) 48. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (n/r) 49. Palos Verdes CA (37) 50. Timpview UT (n/r) Out: Horizon AZ; Lafayette MO; Trinity Catholic FL; Blue Valley North KS; Grandview CO; La Costa Canyon CA In: Northfield MN; St. Ursula OH; Fayetteville AR; Mount Notre Dame OH; St. Francis/Mountain View CA; Timpview UT HONORABLE MENTION Lake Catholic OH Heritage CO Trinity Catholic FL Blue Valley Northwest KS Millennium AZ Hamilton AZ Horizon AZ Blue Valley North KS Lincoln-Way East (IL) Vista Murrieta (CA) Harvard-Westlake (CA) Archbishop Mitty (CA) Perry (AZ) Queen Creek (AZ) Calvary Christin (FL) Blue Valley (KS) Rock Bridge (MO) St. Joseph’s Academy (MO) Huntley (IL) Ankeny (IO) Iowa City Liberty (IO) Tompkins (TX) Keller (TX) The Woodlands (TX) Bridgeland (TX) Barbers Hill (TX) Rockwall (TX) Walton (TX) Knoxville Christian (TN) Dorman (SC) Mercy (KY) Sequoyah (GA) Alpharetta (GA) Pope (GA) Champlin Park (MN) Lakeville North (MN) Brookfield Central (WI) Olentangy Liberty (OH) Ardrey Kell (NC) Millbrook (NC) Cardinal Newman (SC) McGill-Toolen (AL) Brandon (MS) Liberty (MO) Moanalua (HI) Ponte Vedra (FL) Plant (FL) Venice (FL) Marvin Ridge (NC) St. Henry (KY) Tampa Prep (FL) Skutt Catholic (NE) Buford (GA) O’Connor (AZ) Appleton North (WI) Divine Savior Holy Angels (WI) Bishop Alemany CA

The conclusion to the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT) was as exciting as it gets, with eventual champions Mother McAuley IL fending off Assumption KY in three sets to win the title. The Macs went three in all three gold-bracket outings, including downing Sacred Heart Academy KY in the quarterfinals and Mount Notre Dame OH in the semifinals. Assumption needed three to get past St. Ursula Academy OH in the semifinals as well. St. Ursula and Mount Notre Dame met in the third-place match, with St. Ursula escaping in three in that one. The pair share the Greater Catholic Conference together out of Cincinnati and actually face off again on Thursday. Needless to say, a tournament of the LIVT’s caliber showcased its share of talented players doing what they do. Below, we highlight the Show Stoppers who caught our eye the most over Friday and Saturday’s action in Louisville. Ellie White JR OH Mother McAuley – White did so much Assumption coach Ron Kordes said he thought there were three of her on the court. Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld said the craziest thing is the Michigan recruit isn’t even likely to hit in college as she committed as a setter. She was the clear tournament MVP with her repeated terminal attacking. Gigi Navarrete SR L Mother McAuley – Navarrete was solid all tourney but seemed to find another level in the championship match. She’s an energetic libero who has the ability to shrink the court for attackers with her superb defending. Ellery Rees JR MB Mother McAuley – DeJarld said her team’s middle play was a big impact in winning the title over Assumption. Rees was stellar. She showed she was a smart attacker and a capable blocker in contributing largely on both sides. Jillian Moonan SR RS Mother McAuley – This was my personal unsung hero for the Macs. Moonan made timely plays, be it with well-placed shots or key blocks. She seemingly always had a positive contribution. Kristen Simon SO L Assumption – With Simon, I had to keep checking the roster in order to remind myself she’s only a sophomore. She was flat-out awesome, especially in the championship match. She picked off some of White’s attacks with ease, not an easy thing to do. Charlotte Moriarty JR OH Assumption – Moriarty carries a big offensive load for the Rockets. She has a strong arm and does well staying aggressive. She’s also the team’s best server and provided a few scoring runs from the line. Gabrielle Gerry SR MB Assumption – Gerry – at 6-5 – is a presence in the middle with her size. The Rockets didn’t really ride their middle attack until the final and it allowed Gerry to get going and show her stuff. With her length and extension, she’s tough to get a hand on. Bailey Blair SO MB Assumption – Blair’s future is bright. She’s a strong blocker with great timing and reading. She can also score, making her a valuable piece. Whitney Woodrow SR S Assumption – With consistent location, Woodrow gives her hitters good looks on the regular. She was at her best in the final, really moving the ball around and connecting well with her middles. Addy Brus JR OH St. Ursula – Brus hit as hard as anyone in the gym. She was almost a single-handed wrecking ball to Assumption in the semifinals. The Rockets could not slow her down as she unleashed monster rip after monster rip. Ivey Stocks SR MB St. Ursula – Stocks has a strong arm and if the block is late, the defense is going to pay for it. She’s a great option in the middle as she’s a reliable scorer who will keep opponents honest. Ava Siefke SR OH St. Ursula – Siefke is another key offensive component with her scoring prowess. She has a good arm too and can pound it at times. Sydney Majick SR L St. Ursula – Majick is an underrated defender. She’s unassuming and just goes about her business routinely. She picked off plenty of balls her way and was sound out of serve receive. Luca Fickell SR S St. Ursula – Fickell was phenomenal and is a crucial part to the Bulldogs’ success. As one of the assistant coaches on Assumption noted, Fickell keeps her team in system even if the passing is off because of her ability to still come up with great sets. Kenzie Cogan JR L Mount Notre Dame – There was so much defense being played on Day 2 and you can most definitely count Cogan in on it. She was great in both her passing and defending and really took ownership of the back row. Katie Wilking SR MB Mount Notre Dame – We wrote about Wilking in our Day 1 write up for our under the radar players. She was a great again Saturday with her scoring and abililty to run the slide. Defenses have to account for her. Shaye Wolf SR OH Mount Notre Dame – Wolf is the do-it-all six-rotation outside for the Cougars. She was a consistent scorer who every once in a while can just drill a ball. Nya Bunton SR OH duPont Manual – Many already know about Bunton, a stud middle since at least the 14s and is heading to Texas. She plays outside in high school but high doesn’t begin to describe the way she elevates. She gets up! And she crushes. She’s a reason why her school scored two huge victories over private schools in Mercy and Sacred Heart. Annabelle Groomes SO S/RS St. Joseph OH – During the club season Groomes was a setter and we didn’t get to see her hit very much, if at all. She’s obviously still a really good setter in high school but she swings across the front row and provides valuable and much-needed offense. Olivia Castelluccio JR S St. Joseph OH – The other back row setter, Castelluccio is a big undersized but smooth.

It was the best-case scenario for Saturday’s conclusion of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT). Not necessarily for the other 22 teams who left KiVA Sports Center knowing they weren’t one of the two teams vying for the championship. But, it was great for me! The reason to make the trek to the Bluegrass State is exactly what transpired between Assumption KY facing off with Mother McAuley IL for all the marbles. Both schools entered the two-day event with perfect marks. Assumption at 10-0. Mother McAuley at 9-0. The Mighty Macs were awarded the top seed, with the Rockets getting the second spot. It was all set up beautifully. All they had to do was hold seed, meet in the final, settling it the only way that matters – on the court – and sending me home happy. Where to start in Mother McAuley’s thrilling victory over Assumption in the title match? The score seems like a good start, as the Mighty Macs downed the Rockets the only way they knew how to on Day 2 – in three games, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21. Victories in the quarterfinals over Sacred Heart KY and semifinals against Mount Notre Dame OH both took going the distance for Mother McAuley, which had never finished on top before at the LIVT. “When you play Assumption you know it’s going to be a battle,” Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld said. “Our kids knew this was only the second time in our history coming here that we had been in the final and had never won it. It was a battle to even get here. We had all three-game matches (today) and one last night. The road to get here was really hard. The fortitude we showed when we were down or trying to keep leads is what impressed me.” The final was everything we love. Teams trading 3-0 and 4-0 runs like they were baseball cards. Then poof! It’s coming back the other way, both sides holding onto leads as if they were fish slipping through their hands. “I thought that match took three or four turns,” Assumption coach Ron Kordes said. “I told the girls we can’t spot them 6-1. You can’t let people get out in front like that. I’m proud of this team though. They’ve been fighting back out of problems all year and did it again. The momentum swings and it swung a little bit too hard on the last swing.” Before reaching the final Assumption swept duPont Manual KY then outlasted St. Ursula Academy OH in three sets to advance. The closing moments of each set of the championship was the same story. Which team could make a final push better than the other one? In the first and third set it was Mother McAuley doing with Assumption figuring it out in between. The knockout push came late in Game 3. Mother McAuley started the last frame quickly, grabbing a 6-1 lead before Assumption started slowly chipping away. Wouldn’t you know it, Assumption was the first side to 17, building a one-point edge for its first lead. Then bam! Ellie White got hot – more accurately even hotter as she was smoking in every match – and suddenly Mother McAuley was in control at 23-17. The lead was finally safe and so was Mother McAuley’s undefeated record. “We’ve never been undefeated up to this point after this tournament,” DeJarld said. “We’ve always come away with one loss, even the year we were National Champions. We had one loss all season and it came from this tournament. It feels good to come out undefeated. Not that it’s ever a goal of ours but we know how hard it is at this tournament. We elevated our level another notch heading into the (Asics) Challenge in a couple of weeks.” Will the Macs’ record still be unblemished when Assumption comes to town? That’s right. This was the first of at least two and possibly three meetings between the sides. Assumption heads to Chicago on Sept. 29 to tangle once more with Mother McAuley ahead of the Asics Challenge, hosted by the Macs on Sept. 30-Oct. 1. That gives the two programs yet another chance to encounter one another. There are five matches on Mother McAuley’s schedule until then, including meetings with Downers Grove North and Marist. Meanwhile, the busiest stretch of the season continues in the coming week for Assumption. The Rockets head west for a showdown with Mater Dei of Santa Ana on Wednesday before traveling to Las Vegas for the Durango Fall Classic on Friday and Saturday. It’ll be Assumption’s third consecutive weekend tournament after winning the Avon Tournament two weekends ago followed by the second-place showing at the LIVT. “We’re excited,” Kordes said. “We want them to have fun and a life-time experience but we went out there last year and probably had our worst performance ever out there. We want to have fun but we’re going for business.”

The Dave Mohs tournament in Huntington Beach brings together many schools from Orange County as well as a few others from around the state. Included in the latter is the nation’s top team in Cathedral Catholic out of San Diego. With Day 1 action in the books, below we highlight a few teams as well as those players flying under the radar. Also, you can check out the Dave Mohs Preview featuring teams and players to watch for that we published before the tournament.  TEAM SPOTLIGHTS Division 1  CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC – A team of who’s who won their day one pool. Led by a great group of senior athletes which includes 5-star recruit and Stanford commit Julia Blyashov, 4-star recruit and Oregon commit Noemie Glover, Colgate commit Milan Bayless, AND 3-star recruit and Harvard commit Ryleigh Patterson.  PALOS VERDES – Outside hitters Kaci DeMaria (4-star recruit) and junior Kendall Beshear (3-star recruit) led the way for the Sea Kings through their Day 1 pool. Division 2 CHAPARRAL – Penn commit Bella Rittenberg helped lead the Pumas to a 2-0 finish in pool and advance to the Gold Bracket.  MORGAN (UT) – The Utah squad, led by Utah Valley commit JR Alyvia Jaffa, had a battle with Bishop Montgomery in the first match and ended up winning the pool. UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS Here is our list of  players who might fly under the radar but caught our attention on Day 1.  Sofia Tzannakos SR OH Laguna Hills Bella Rittenberg SR Opp Chaparral (Penn) Alyvia Jaffa JR MB Morgan UT (Utah Valley) Julia Reusch SR Opp Saint Joseph Sasha Luzina SR OH Saint Joseph Charlotte VanZweeden SR S San Juan Hills Tatum Johnson JR MB JSerra Lauren Brooker SR S Marymount (UCSD) Kate Martin JR OH Marymount (UCSB) Hailey Frary SR MB Temecula Valley Eva Travis SR Opp Laguna Beach (UCSB) Taylor Mercado JR L LB Poly Ayva Ostovar Soph S Mater Dei Mikayla Delgadillo SR S Mater Dei Pyper Nelson Soph MB San Clemente Tatum Lane SR S Palos Verdes Brooke Dombkowski SR OH Menlo  Reiley Murphy JR OH Corona del Mar

The action comes fast at an event like the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT)! Friday’s pool play – featuring eight pools of three teams – kicked off at 6:30 pm and within a few hours the gold bracket was all set for Saturday. With just the pool winners advancing from Friday’s play, there was no margin for error. No pools ended in a three-way tie. Here’s how the gold bracket measures up: — Mother McAuley IL v Sacred Heart Academy KY — Notre Dame Academy KY v Mount Notre Dame OH — St. Joseph OH v St. Ursula Academy OH — Assumption KY v duPont Manual KY Catch our Day 1 rundown below plus team spotlights and under the radar players. Top-seeded Mother McAuley’s 2-0 showing looked fine on paper but the undefeated Macs were close to tasting defeat for the first time. It took three sets to dispatch Walton GA, 20-25, 27-25, 25-17, (third sets are played to 25) and ultimately win its pool after sweeping Cardinal Gibbons NC. Assumption – the No. 2 seed – had a much smoother ride, allowing 20 points or more in just one set in sweeps over Ryle KY and Presentation KY. Pool 3 was where the action was! All three matches went the distance and when the smoke cleared it was the No. 3 team in the pool in St. Joseph which came out ahead. St. Joe upset No. 3 seed St. Henry KY in the opener, 25-19, 19-25, 26-24. St. Joe then knocked off Maryville TN in three, 27-29, 25-15, 25-22, to move to 2-0. St. Henry clipped Maryville, 25-20, 18-25, 25-23, to close the pool but neither had a shot at advancing at that point. Mount Notre Dame and Clearwater Central Catholic FL meet in the 1 v 2 match in Pool 4 with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Clearwater Central struck first but Mount Notre Dame hit last to advance, 17-25, 25-22, 25-18. Notre Dame Academy held down the No. 5 seed by going 2-0 in Pool 5. The Pandas swept Knoxville Catholic TN – winning Game 2 26-24 after trailing 24-22 – and Padua Franciscan OH to make the gold bracket. In Pool 6, it was St. Ursula Academy – the No. 2 team in the pool – delivering the goods with a 2-0 mark. The Bulldogs topped St. Joseph Academy MO and Male KY in posting a culminative score of 100-58. There was big news out of Pool 7 where duPont Manual upset Mercy Academy KY. Manual – the No. 2 team in the pool – bagged one for the public schools. The private schools are so dominate in Kentucky high school volleyball but Manual broke through in fine fashion with the three-set victory, 23-25, 26-24, 25-21, as senior outside Nya Bunton put the finishing touches on it with a backrow blast. Manual then swept Henry Clay KY to end its pool and move on. Sacred Heart Academy – in a very small upset – uprooted No. 8 seed Paul Laurence Dunbar in straight sets. SHA was the No. 9 seed and No. 2 team in the pool and then went on to sweep Notre Dame Academy OH to remain in the hunt. TEAM SPOTLIGHTS We spotlighted the top seeds in our preview. Let’s take a look at the teams we didn’t highlight which are still in the mix for the LIVT championship on Saturday. SACRED HEART ACADEMY – The Valkyries are among the underdogs in the gold bracket and will look to surprise Saturday. Sophomore outside Anna Powell is the team’s kill leader followed by another sophomore in middle Elise Hart. The young attack continues with another sophomore in outside Bridget Egan, who is just back from injury after missing much of the season. Senior Lainee Mack is instrumental in what she brings to the lineup. She’s both a setter and the team’s dig leader. Junior Kaeley Thoney Walz also sets for SHA. ST. JOSEPH – The Jaguars are led by sophomore S/RS Annabelle Groomes. She’s a 5-star recruit as a setter but she showed her offensive capabilities swinging from the front row Friday. The lefty was hard for opponents to stop. She’s the team’s kill leader and second in assists behind junior setter Olivia Castelluccio. Also featured is junior outside Hannah Alvarez and junior middle Hannah Foor, as well as senior libero Reilly Wadden. ST. URSULA ACADEMY – The Bulldogs have four key senior contributors in middle Ivey Stocks, setter Luca Fickell, libero Sydney Majick and pin hitter Ava Siefke. The team’s kill leader however is junior outside Addy Brus. Junior Molly Dorger hits for a high percentage out of the middle and entered Friday’s play as the block leader. DUPONT MANUAL – Leading the charge for the Lady Crimsons is senior Nya Bunton. The 5-star recruit plays middle in club and is headed to Texas but lines up on the outside for Manual. She’s a major force who can overwhelm defenses. With Bunton on the outside it’s senior Cecilia Roberts and junior Mary Hoerter taking up the middle spots. Senior Berkley Humphries and sophomore Aubrey Montgomery share setting duties, with Montgomery also hitting across the front row. Sophomore Kennedy Dawson does well at libero for the Lady Crimsons. UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS We’ll have our normal presentation of the tournament Show Stoppers once Saturday’s action wraps up. For now, we highlight under the radar players who caught our eye Friday. Taylor McBride SR MB Male KY – The tallest member on the roster, McBride adds much needed size to the lineup across the front row. She’s a capable scorer when she gets a good look. She’s also a strong server who can help earn points from the line. Mia Telechbush JR L Dunbar KY – Telechbush is part of a scrappy Dunbar lineup that is undersized. She does well making hustle plays and keeping rallies going. Delaney Gash JR RS Dunbar KY – There’s not much height on the roster

The Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament – which we previewed here with teams and players to watch – isn’t the only event happening this weekend that vballrecruiter.com will have boots on the ground at. Members of the team will also be out at the Dave Mohs tournament in Huntington Beach this Friday and Saturday as well. It features the nation’s top-ranked team in Cathedral Catholic of San Diego. The Division 1 field – which features all California teams – consists of seven pools of three teams. Below we highlight the top teams in the field plus players to watch for. CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC – The top seed is coming off its victory at the Kamehameha tournament in Hawaii last week. The Dons best be careful not to overlook anyone this weekend as the field contains a few teams capable of pulling off the upset. The country’s top team is led by 5-star recruit and Stanford commit Julia Blyashov. Also on the outside is senior Milan Bayless. Ayva Moi – a junior – is the right side with senior Ryleigh Patterson and junior Jenna Hanes in the middle. Club teammates Amanda Saeger (JR) and Maya Evens (Soph) set and play libero respectively. On the roster but yet to play this season is senior right side Noemie Glover. HUNTINGTON BEACH – The only setback so far this season for the Oilers is a loss to Mater Dei. One of the host schools for the tournament, Huntington Beach is paced by junior setter Dani Sparks and junior outside Haylee LaFontaine. MATER DEI – After securing an opening-season victory over Ann Kang Invitational champion Mira Costa the Monarchs stumbled with losses to Lakewood and Redondo Union. Since they’ve defeated Huntington Beach and Foothill and look to keep the winning streak going this weekend. Junior outsides Isabel Clark and Babi Gubbins are the top kill leaders followed by senior middle Liz Hertzog. Freshman right side Layli Ostovar has also been a contributor, as well as junior right side Cymarah Gordon. Senior Amelie Lima and sophomore Ayva Ostovar have taken on the setting duties with junior Malyssa Cawa suiting up at libero. PALOS VERDES – The Sea Kings have yet to lose on the mainland. The two setbacks suffered to date came to Redondo Union and Sierra Canyon as part of the Ann Kang tourney last month in Hawaii. With sophomore Kaci DeMaria and junior Kendall Beshear on the outside Palos Verdes is a handful to deal with for any opponent. MARYMOUNT – The Sailors are led by standout outside and senior Torrey Stafford. She’s backed by junior outside Kate Martin and senior middles Dior Charles and Catherine Maffei. Setting is senior Lauren Brooker. LA COSTA CANYON – After a tough start to the season, La Costa Canyon has come on of late. The Mavericks downed Torrey Pines in the final to capture the CA Challenge last weekend and followed that by beating a solid Vista Murrieta squad. Sophomore outside Jaidyn Jager is a lineup anchor. Senior Eva Rohrbach gives the team versatility with her ability to play either in the middle or on the left. Junior middle Sienna Manning is another to keep an eye out for as well as senior right side Kate Lewis.  MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH Reese Olson SR OH Corona del Mar Reiley Murphy JR OH Corona del Mar Tatum Johnson JR MB JSerra Charlotte Nowack FR OH JSerra Ruby Hill SO RS JSerra Aubrey Beaver SR OH Temecula Valley Savannah Sheridan FR L Temecula Valley Sofia Williams JR OH San Clemente Quinn Loper SO OH San Clemente Lily Dwinell SR OH San Clemente Makenna Jackson SR L Edison Molly McCluskey JR RS Edison Eva Travis SR OH Laguna Beach Kyra Zaengle SO OH Laguna Beach Brooklyn Yelland SR L Laguna Beach Halie McGinest JR OH Long Beach Poly Anabel Kotzakov SR OH Newport Harbor Brooke Dombkowski SR OH Menlo School Regan Shields JR OH Santa Margarita Memphis Burnett FR OH Santa Margarita Brooklyn Drumwright SO OH Santa Margarita Madyson Smith SR OH Aliso Niguel Nicole Feliciano SR S/RS Aliso Niguel Danet Whiting SR L Aliso Niguel

If it’s a weekend in September we are probably gearing up for another big-time tournament here at vballrecruiter.com. That’s the case with this coming weekend’s Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT) hosted by Assumption. I’ll be heading there for the two-day event, which features the best programs from Kentucky and a handful of out-of-state teams like Mother McAuley IL, Mount Notre Dame OH and St. Joseph’s MO. The field features 24 teams broken down into eight pools of three teams. Pool winners from Friday advanced to Saturday’s eight-team gold bracket. Below, we shine a spotlight on the top seeds as well as more players to watch for in action. TEAM SPOTLIGHTS MOTHER MCAULEY IL – The top seed out of Illinois is surely to get its undefeated record challenged over the two days. Ellie White – a 5-11 junior outside hitter – is the team’s kill leader and is off to a hot start to the season. While the Macs do rely a lot on White, the offense behind her is spread out between others who include sophomore outside Sydney Buchanan and junior middle Ellery Rees. Seniors Tess Hayes and Olivia Klapp share setting duties while senior Gigi Navarrete – who was part of 1st Alliance 17 Gold run to the 17 Open gold medal in Indianapolis – suits up at libero. ASSUMPTION KY – The hosts gear up for a busy couple of weeks. After participating in its own tourney over the weekend, the Rockets travel west to take on Mater Dei CA in Orange County before traveling to Las Vegas for the weekend to compete in the Durango Fall Classic. Assumption is off to an 11-0 start, including victories over St. Henry and Mercy. Both those schools are also in the LIVT. Senior setter Whitney Woodrow runs a balanced attack. Junior outside Charlotte Moriarty, junior outside Chloe Smith, senior pin hitter Alexis Strong, sophomore middle Bailey Blair and senior middle Gabrielle Gerry are all players to watch for on the attack. Defensively, Assumption uses sophomore Kristen Simon at the libero position. ST. HENRY KY – After traveling to Florida last weekend for the Nike TOC Southeast tourney, the Crusaders remain in-state and open the LIVT as the No. 3 seed. If an opponent is going to beat St. Henry it needs to contain junior outside Alivia Skidmore, the team’s kill leader. Junior Anna Guard is another to pay attention to. At setter, the Crusaders use juniors in Audrey Leonhard and Macy Lentz. At libero is junior Elizabeth Tabeling, who is averaging over 4.0 digs per set. MOUNT NOTRE DAME OH – The Cougars – who begin as the No. 4 seed – enter this weekend having just three matches under their belts. Seniors Shaye Wolf, Audrey Armbruster and Katie Wilking are all part of the mix. NOTRE DAME KY – As the No. 5 seed, the Pandas should be in contention on Saturday. Senior Sydney Nolan is the big arm and comes in as the kill leader. While Nolan takes the most swings, the trio of sophomore Riley McCloskey, senior Peyton Mast and sophomore Ava Tilden get roughly the same amount of swings and are also key contributors on offense. The Pandas also featuring rising freshman middle Audrey Dyas. The team is also young at the setting position with sophomore Lauren Ott and freshman Lizzy Larkins. It’s the opposite at libero, where the Pandas utilize senior Kamden Schrand. ST. JOSEPH’S MO – Last week we saw Lafayette from Missouri playing in the Nike TOC Southeast event. This weekend it’s another team from the Show Me state in the Angels, who open as the No. 6 seed. Like Notre Dame KY, the Angels use a pair of underclassmen at setter in sophomore Katie Hickman and freshman Charlie Frederick. Outsides in junior Claire Morrissey and sophomore Zoe Baliva take a lot of the swings while senior Madison Smith dons the libero jersey. MERCY KY – The Jaguars – the No. 7 seed – are senior-heavy except at libero, which features sophomore Madisyn Green. Senior setter Cameron Downs’ main target are fellow senior outsides Katie Poynter and Maddie Hagan as well as senior middles Emma Barnett and Meredith Brown. MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR Sophie Henry JR OH Walton GA Kiana Dinn JR OH Ryle KY Alexis Woolf JR L Ryle KY Amanda Mack JR OH Maryville TN Kiernan Stamey JR MB Maryville TN Liv Gravatt SR S Maryville TN Ashley Taylor JR L Maryville TN Annabelle Groomes SO S/OH St. Joseph Academy OH Brooke Green SR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL Taylor Bedinghaus JR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL Josephine Hensley SO S Clearwater Central Catholic FL Isabella Pereira SO OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL Trinity Ward SO L Holy Cross KY Alyssa Adams SO L Knoxville Catholic TN Blair Cherry SR OH Knoxville Catholic TN Kennedy Holley JR OH Knoxville Catholic TN Jessica Meiman JR RS Padua Franciscan OH Ava Siefke SR OH St. Ursula Academy OH Ivey Stocks SR MB St. Ursula Academy OH Addy Brus JR OH St. Ursula Academy OH Anna Powell SO OH Sacred Heart KY Elise Hart SO MB Sacred Heart KY