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Welcome to the AVP’s version of volleyball paradise. Along a little stretch of sand surrounding the Hermosa Beach Pier the AVP hosted not only a professional tournament for men and women’s field but also the start of the 18U and 14U AVP Junior Nationals. With 43 courts running the whole day it was heaven for volleyball enthusiasts. The 18U field has 124 teams and 14U included 97 pairs. Here are the Day 1 Show Stoppers who caught our attention. 18U Alexis Durish/Sarah Wood – Wood captured the 16U division on Wednesday and Friday she started her quest to hold both 16U and 18U titles. With Durish being really steady both on offense and defense the No. 1 overall seed has a shot at history. Ashley Pater/Zoey Mitchell – Both USC commits play with good energy. Pater brings a lot to the table. Her relentless defense and vocal energy makes watching them exciting. Kendra Brown/McKenna Flaherty – Being both good sized and possessing ball control is rewarded by having a balanced team. Brown and Flaherty are both splits who handle the net and defense with no drop off. Kylie Truslow-Neffendorf/Virginia Trost – With both from this duo bringing a good jump serve to the table it adds one more layer to how they can beat teams. Trost is a strong blocker and getting touches consistently. Erin Inskeep/Clara Stowell – Fresh off the second-place finish in the 16U division, Inskeep kept the ball rolling with a strong first day. Her ball control continues to amaze and making tough plays seem normal. Grace Goudy/Sabrina Moore – A bit of a smaller team, Goudy and Moore play with big energy. They are a super athletic team and able to cover the whole court. We saw Moore chase down a ball off the block, and after diving she got back up and converted with a powerful swing. Kylie Vaickus/Malia Gementera – This team will make you beat them. They just don’t make errors. Playing a high energy game their never-give-up attitude takes a lot of steam out of their opponents. Gementera is a stud in the back row. Macy Butler/Kelly Belardi – Belardi is a beast at the net. Not only stuff blocking but when she swings it usually ends up with the thumping sound of the ball hitting the sand. Tawny Ensign/Skylar Ensign – The twins are both Tulane commits. Being siblings clearly helps this duo as they move around each other naturally. Skylar is a smart attacker mixing up her tempo and location making it hard to read her. Brooke Birch/Grace Townson – Townson the TCU commit takes up good space with her blocking, allowing for Birch to do what she does best in making strong reads and ending up in points for the team. 14U Finley Krystkowiak/Thais Treumann – Krystkowiak – fresh off a successful indoor season for Wave – has made a seamless transition to the sand game. Her 6-3 frame and athletic ability makes it tough for opponents to defend against. Bella Scherfenberg/Layla Austin – Scherfenberg’s energy drives the team. Defensively she makes so many exciting plays diving for balls and converting. Blair Bowers/Gabriella Rodriguez – Bowers is a force at the net. She not only jumps well but reads the attack angels and gets good touches. Simone Roslon/Sara Moynihan – Moynihan is the do-it-all player. She plays well at the net getting touches and bringing the heat with her lefty swing. Defensively she’s got great energy and focus. Izzy Masten/Ella Grimes – This duo’s ball control is fun to watch, especially their passing. Whether in serve receive or dropping in defense the ball predictably ends up in the same spot giving them countless opportunities for big swings. Zoe Znider/Tiani Shaw – Znider’s quick feet and her long left-handed swing makes her a plus defender. By the way she’s also got a good serve. With her starting a match she proceeded to beat the opponent 25-0. Ella Olson/Addison Williams – Olson brings her dominance from indoor out to the beach. On the hardwood she is a big swinging high flyer. On the sand her shots and court sense sets her apart from other attackers. Sophee Peterson/Capri Romjue – Peterson and Romjue are a well-rounded team. Romjue plays the net well blocking and hitting while Peterson has the quickness to chase down shots and convert for points.

After three full days of 119 teams battling it out, one team was able to crown itself the AVP 16U Junior National champs. Thursday was single elimination bracket play, starting with 32 teams and ending with one champ. Below is a recap of the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship match. Finals The fight for the gold medal featured Kathleen Morley/Erin Inskeep against Sarah Wood/Gella Andrew. The formula for Morley/Inskeep leading into the match was great ball control and then converting with an array of cut shots and pokies to the end line. Wood/Andrew had a counter to that and it heavily involved the blocking of Andrew. She can block jump on the sand and get her 6-3 body and elbows over the net. That coverage took away a lot of court allowing Wood to easily read and convert. Woods reads on defense is next level as she anticipated sharp angles a frustrated Inskeep was looking for. She would then convert her defense with a boom as her arm swing is heavy and powerful. In the end, Wood/Andrew pulled away with a straight set victory claiming the gold! Semifinal Match 1 One half of the semis came down to Kathleen Morley/Erin Inskeep facing Aubrey McBride/Lily Davis. Morley/Inskeep’s ball control was on full display. Offensively, they both have a wide array of power swings, cut shots and pokies. Having so much in their arsenal made life so difficult for opponents to rally. Defensively, Morley was a beast hustling, diving and covering the back court. Inskeep continues to impress with her ability to drop then dig and control, sometimes even with one arm and then convert. Semifinal Match 2 The other of the semis pitted Sarah Wood/Gella Andrew against Stacy Reeves/Isabella Gamache. Wood/Andrew continued to dominate the playoffs with their strong play. Andrews uses her height at the net so effectively. She dominates with her block but she is so smart offensively. With a block up she uses her height to peek over the block and chip balls over to the open court. Without a block she is as close to automatic as you can get. Wood/Andrew took the contest in straight sets. Quarterfinal Match 1 This one featured Kathleen Morley/Erin Inskeep pairing off against Claire Sun/Emma Markoff. With Sun/Markoff coming off a big upset of Massey/Langham they tried to keep the momentum going. Sun’s net play was big with huge blocks and great swings. Problem was they ran into the Morley/Inskeep duo. Their serve receive was flawless, continually pressuring Markoff defending. Morley made good reads and converted consistently. Morley/Inskeep moved on in a straight set win. Quarterfinal Match 2 Maddy Bryne/Mallory Labreche took on Aubrey McBride/Lily Davis in this contest. What a great battle of styles. Bryne/Labreche play with such confidence in their ball control, serving and defense. They don’t rattle at all. McBride/Davis are more traditional with Davis patrolling the net and McBride compliments her net play with outstanding defense. In the end it came down to a third set with McBride and Davis moving on. Quarterfinal Match 3 Sarah Wood/Gella Andrew faced Audrey Jackson/Kennedy Coakley for a spot in the semis. With three 6-0 kids on the court, there was not much real estate for balls to land. Coakley – a UCLA commit – was trying to keep it close with big swings teaming with Jackson’s pesky serving but Wood/Andrews won this match easily and moved on. Quarterfinal Match 4 Kyra Zaengle/Elena Fisher took on Stacy Reeves/Isabella Gamache in the last quarterfinal. If you are a fan on long rallies this was your match. Both teams feature strong ball control and the willingness to hustle and not give up for any ball. Gamache’s powerful jump serve and Reeves energy and conversion were the X factor as they won in straight sets.

Throughout the season, the strength and depth of the 17 Open division was something to marvel at. Everywhere we traveled coaches spoke about all the teams which could possibly be in the running for a gold medal at season’s end. Simply put, there was no way the four days in Indianapolis for the USAV GJNC could disappoint. All season long 1st Alliance 17 Gold proved itself as a serious threat, winning both the Northern Lights and Windy City national qualifiers, taking fifth at the Sunshine Classic and third at Triple Crown. There was no arguing 1st Alliance was worthy of the No. 1 seed it received in 17 Open. The only question mark was could 1st Alliance hold it throughout the four-day gauntlet it was about to enter? “I think the competition is so even in this division,” 1st Alliance coach Danielle Mikos said. “I have so much respect for so many of these teams. I didn’t really know if we could do it. It comes down to matchups and who was more mentally confident. I think our team is very confident and they woke up ready to win today. We beat some very good teams. I don’t think the score reflects how good those teams were who we beat.” There were a few moments of doubt, as 1st Alliance did drop two matches along the way. However, when it mattered most and 1st Alliance could not afford to lose is when the club shined brightest, ending with a convincing sweep over MN Select 17-1, 25-20, 25-20, in the championship match. “This is the culmination of what this team has been about all season,” Mikos said. “We don’t have one all-star and that’s what makes it so special about them. They take turns getting everyone their moment to shine. They relish and support each other. This match was no different.” Downing MN Select in straight sets capped an impressive final day. 1st Alliance was all business, first sweeping Premier Nebraksa 17 Gold, 25-21, 25-14, in the quarterfinals, then stopping Coast 17-1, 25-23, 25-15, in the semifinals. 1st Alliance was so unstoppable on Day 4 it seemed like lightyears ago the gold medalist was fighting just to stay in contention. It was a rocky start to Day 3 for 1st Alliance, which was surprised by AZ Rev 17 Premier, 17-25, 25-19, 15-13, in its first outing in its three-team pool. The loss left 1st Alliance in a must-win position against a Legacy 17-1 Adidas squad that was 6-0 after winning its pool and defeating AZ Rev already on Day 3. It turned out to be a statement match for 1st Alliance, which swept handily 25-16, 25-14, to not only advance, but surprisingly knock Legacy out of contention on top of it. “Our mantra we’ve had all season is one play, one point, one set and one match,” Mikos said. “We lost a couple matches in pool play over the first three days. All that mattered is doing enough to stay alive up to the elimination matches.” The only other time 1st Alliance lost was on Day 1. It also came in a three-set nail biter as OT 17 John prevailed, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13. It just so happened the only times 1st Alliance lost was went it went to three. Other than that, 1st Alliance earned all sweeps in finishing 9-2 overall. 1st Alliance’s run was a classic lesson in volleyball 101. There were bigger teams. There were stronger teams. There were teams which brought the wow factor. Yet, the passing and serving of 1st Alliance was the backbone of its success and no one was better at it than the eventual champs. “Our ball control, defensively and our serve and pass might have been arguably the best in the gym,” Mikos said. “That helped. If we got into trouble we could cover it back up. We had the confidence if the other team made a big play, we get to pass again and we get to reset again. “I want to say how much I love this team. How unselfish they are. If you see them in the gym at practice you would think they were ranked No. 200 in the nation. They have so much confidence when they play but they are the most humble individuals when you watch them train.” *** With its size, physicality and setting, the pieces were there for MN Select. Really, the only question mark was passing. When MN Select took second at the Show Me Qualifier in April, the club flashed its potential and showed what’s possible when it can take care of the ball. MN Select tuned up for Indy by first participating in 17 Open at AAU, where it took fifth after losing to OT 17 John in the quarterfinals. No doubt the field and competition in Indy was going to take a huge step upward and it was difficult gauging where MN Select would ultimately wind up. The first sign MN Select was poised to make a run came on Day 1. MN Select edged Drive Nation 17 Red, 21-25, 25-21, 15-13. MN Select went on to win its pool, despite losing to Tstreet 17 Naseri in its last outing. By that point though, MN Select already had first place locked up so the result was irrelevant. MN Select didn’t lose again until running into 1st Alliance in the championship clash. MN Select took care of KC Power 17-1 and Dynasty 17 Black in its three-team pool on Day 3 before sweeping Mintonette m.71 in challenge play. AZ Rev was a bit of surprise quarterfinalist for MN Select to start Day 4 but there was no looking back in that one as MN Select swept handily. Up next was Club V 17 Ren Reed in the semis. Club V was playing as well as any team and seemed to have the advantage, but MN Select held firm, staying in system and playing strong defense to overcome Club V in straight

Welcome back to an action-packed Day 2 at the AVP 16U Junior Nationals. The field was trimmed in half, from 64 to 32 teams vying for the gold. There weren’t too many surprises as most of the top-two seeds in each pool advanced. Here are the Show Stoppers who caught our attention the most on Day 2. Sarah Woods/Gella Andrew – A USC commit, Andrews continues to impress with her dominance at the net. Standing at 6-3 her blocking forces many errors or easy roll shots for Woods to pick up and demolish. Maddy Byrne/Mallory Labreche – This is a team which is truly comfortable with their ball control. They both have amazing serves capable of runs to give them separation. When they both drop and defend they have no problem covering sideline to sideline with ease. Elise Lenahan/Keira Tanioka – You can tell this group has ball control when they run the option play with ease. The option play is when the defender digs the ball close to the net and the partner hits it over with the second contact. They did this multiple times with good results. Hannah Taylor/Ally Fuchs – Taylor had a strong day both on the net and on the end line. She picked up multiple stuff blocks and overpass kills, then headed to the serving line and recorded a bunch of aces. They showed some grittiness rallying from a 5-1 deficit in the third to win and move on. Molly Labreche/Avery Towne – This duo is very strong in serve receive. Watching them we felt they got a lot of clean looks because of their first contact. They also shined in defense as they scrambled well and had plenty of well-placed cut shots leading to easy points. Aubrey McBride/Lily Davis – McBride plays the net well with good eye work she reads the hitter’s arm swing well. She was also getting touches and consistently slowing down balls for Davis to pick and convert to points. Kathleen Morley/Erin Inskeep – This duo crushed it as no team scored more than 10 points against them! Watching Inskeep is fun as she has good court vision and has a high volleyball IQ. Sometimes you wonder why she runs the option but when it scores it amazes that she sees what’s open and where the defenders are. Madeline Walker/Adeline Walker – This duo was involved in a nail biter in their first match. Down 13-10 in the third, they showed heart and toughness with exceptional defense. Hustling and scrapping for loose balls they ended up winning 16-14. It set the tone for the rest of the day as they breezed through their next two matches and taking first. Stacy Reeves/Isabella Gamache – A well balanced team as both are splits with the ability to play the net and defend with no drop off. Gamache has a tough jump serve that doesn’t get returned much. Reeves’ energy defending and ability to convert makes this a team to watch. Carly Hixson/Adelina Okazaki – They are a smaller team but play with big energy. Hixson has a powerful swing and doesn’t need much room to approach to score. Okazaki is a wizard defending, from her placement to her hustle getting to balls. She’s got an array of shots to help her convert and score. Audrey Jackson/Kennedy Coakley – Coakley – a UCLA commit – continued to dominate net play. She got tons of blocks but her foot speed dropping back defending and then converting with a powerful swing was a huge reason for her team’s success. Myriah Massey/Lennox Langham – The more we watch Langham, she has to be the fastest defender on the beach. Paired with Massey’s strong net play and big swing makes this team one of the favorites for this tourney.

After a two-year absence, the AVP professionals returns to Hermosa July 8-10. Starting July 5-10 the AVP will concurrently host its Junior Nationals at the courts surrounding the Hermosa Pier. Tuesday was the start of the 16s age group. The field cut from 119 teams to 64 teams for the top half. There was action everywhere on this beautiful day and here are the Show Stoppers who caught our attention. Sarah Wood/Gella Andrew – Both Wood and Andrew are over 6-0 tall with skills to match. Their net presence changed the way other teams attacked, getting tons of blocks and errors from their opponents. With their good ball control they breezed through Day 1. Myriah Massey/Lennox Langham – Massey – just off her USAV U19 championship – continued her dominance. She’s extremely athletic at the net and paired with Langham, who is one of the quickest defenders, makes them one of the favorites in Hermosa. Taylor Ponchak/Danielle Sparks – Sparks’ ball control is truly amazing. She turns medium to hard defensive digs into legitimate easy scoring conversions. Paired with Ponchak’s net play makes this team well balanced. Kathleen Morley/Erin Inskeep – Inskeep has such great imagination. Whether it was digging one handed to hitting a wide set with her off hand, her skill set gave her team more chances than most. Savanna Lau/Charlotta Bell – Bell’s size and presence at the net dominated their matches. They seemingly won every point against a tight set by the opposing team. With Lau covering the back with her speed and relentless effort this duo has a chance to make some noise. Calliandra Otjen/Reese Thai-Sandoval – This group would catch anyone within earshot’s attention. While they are both defenders in size they played with energy and emotion unmatched by any other team there. It was definitely fun to watch them as they pulled of an upset to finish second in the pool. Audrey Jackson/Kennedy Coakley – Coakley plays the net well. From her ability to either read or drop combined with Jackson’s stellar defense is what makes scoring on this team a tough task. They frustrated a lot of teams on offense as they tried but couldn’t find a consistent way to score against them. Carly Hixson/Adelina Okazaki – This group can defend. Both are really fast covering. Hixson has a powerful swing and Okazaki converting from defense to offense with her cut shots makes them well balanced. Elise Lenahan/Keira Tanioka – One word to describe this team is “solid.” They do everything so effortless and clean. So many rallies were controlled by their reads and ball control leading to many easy conversion points. Hannah Taylor/Ally Fuchs – Taylor and Fuchs were impressive all day. This duo’s ability to put tough serves in the same area continuously put so much pressure on their opponents. Combined with sound ball control and good arm swings let the dominate pool play. Nya Coury/Ryan Lambert – Lambert bringing the heat and Coury’s defense was the formula they used to take first in their pool. This team is tough. After losing a set they showed their resiliency battling in a seesaw third set and winning a drama-filled match. Giselle Lau/Sadie Snipes – This duo does all the small things well. Their ball control was excellent and both had good serving runs picking open areas. They were also not afraid to hustle and dive on defense and their ability to convert points after digging led to exciting points. Madeline Walker/Adeline Walker – Both of these girls showed such confidence in their ability to read and cover the court. Time and time again their ability to hustle and scrap their way to winning rallies was amazing.

Just like that the 16s and 17s divisions at the USAV GJNC are over. What a ride! Incredibly, Madfrog 16 Green rose up unexpectedly to take home the 16 Open gold medal. Just as remarkably, 1st Alliance 17 Gold held its No. 1 overall seed to earn the 17 Open gold medal. We’ll have more on all of that in the next couple of days in separate articles. For now, we present our Day 4 Show Stoppers. Avery Jackson, OH, Madfrog 16 Green – Jackson was phenomenal in helping Madfrog to the 16 Open gold medal. She’s an all-around stud, with strong passing and back row skills to go with incredible smarts with her attacking abilities. Lainee Pyles, OH, Madfrog 16 Green – Pyles brings stability to the outside position. She has a big arm and assures Madfrog always has someone front row who can score and keep opponents from reeling off long streaks. Avery Baughman, L, Madfrog 16 Green – Baughman was holding down the back row with her steady play. Her passing out of serve receive was consistent and she was making scrappy hustle plays throughout the day. Gabriela Cornier, L, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – The more we watch Cornier, the more there is to like. She makes tremendous plays keeping rallies alive and bringing a defensive tenacity to the floor. Hannah Benjamin, OH, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – A wirey outside, Benjamin gets up and unleashes with the best of them. She’s the team’s go-to hitter and who A5 leans on when it needs a key point. Ryan McAleer, L, Dynasty 16 Black – Dynasty tied for the bronze medal in 16 Open, with McAleer doing her part on the defensive side. She’s an accurate, reliable passer out of serve receive and she flies around the court covering tips and touches well. Grace Nelson, OH, 1st Alliance 16 Gold – Nelson powers the offense along. The dynamic changes every time she comes across the front row with her strong arm and knack for getting points. Ella Vogel, L, Co Jrs 16 Sherri – Vogel was strong in the back court. She has good range and does well tracking down balls to keep plays alive. Izzy Starck, S/RS, Co Jrs 16 Sherri – Starck is the heartbeat of the lineup. She’s a fierce competitor with the ability to impact the match in so many ways, from her setting to hitting and blocking. Mia Tvrdy, MB, Premier Nebraska 16 Gold – A strong presence in the middle, Tvrdy moves side to side well and gets up on the block to cause problems for attackers. She’s also a scoring threat and someone defenses have to track. Faith Frame, L, Premier Nebraska 16 Gold – Frame does such an incredible job in everything she does. She’s a high-level passer and defender who reads very well and is typically in position to make the plays she needs to. Mayte Camacho, L, Top Select 16 Elite – Camacho is a quick libero who gets around the court in a hurry. She’s able to chase down loose balls and does well covering. Samantha Bowron, OH, Top Select 16 Elite – Bowron is a strong outside who jumps and swings well. She’s a six-rotation mainstay and gives Top Select a reliable option who defenses have to plan around. Grace Egan, OH, 1st Alliance 17 Gold – 1st Alliance powered its way to the gold medal, with Egan part of a strong outside duo holding it down. She can get up and crush balls at times. She can also take pace of her shots and go off-speed to the gaps to give defenses fits. Kennedy Wagner, OH, 1st Alliance 17 Gold – Wagner is the other half of the outside duo and is as steady and reliable as they come. She’s a smart attacker who knows how to score consistently against bigger blockers. Gigi Navarrete, L, 1st Alliance 17 Gold – Navarrete is an energetic and upbeat libero who is fun to watch take care of the back row duties. She is steady with her serve receive and does a good job digging. Sydney Schnichels, RS, MN Select 17-1 – Schnichels is such a weapon on the right. She’s long with a big arm. She can go right over blocks or she can tool them. Either way, she has the ability to frustrate defenses. Stella Swenson, S, MN Select 17-1 – Playing up an age group, Swenson is a high IQ setter who is in full command and control of the offense. She has a great touch and connects well with all her hitters. Kate Thibault, L, MN Select 17-1 – Thibault was a back row force. She made a ton of plays to keep her team in points and was rarely off her mark putting the ball on target. Jordyn Harvey, OH, Club V 17 Ren Reed – Club V leans heavily on Harvey. She’s a six-rotation outside who defenses have to give a lot of attention to because she’s an equal scoring threat whether front or back row. Taylor Harvey, MB, Club V 17 Ren Reed – Harvey has so much upside its scary. She’s playing up two age groups and is one of the best middles in the division. She’s virtually unstoppable the way she gets up and can see the court to exploit defenses. Zoe Rachow, S, Coast 17-1 – Rachow can move the ball around with the best of them. She has strong hands and is consistent with her location. Sydney Bold, L, Coast 17-1 – Bold is a steadying presence in the back row. She’s unflappable and is part of strong ball control unit for Coast. Chloe Chicoine, OH, Circle City 17 Purple – Chicoine is a marvel to watch play. She does everything at a high level, from a big jump and arm to her speed and hustle on the defensive side.

The way the USAV GJNC has been playing out, no one knew what Day 3 of the 16 and 17s divisions would bring. Sunday started off with three-team pools and ended with challenge rounds to determine the top eight. The action did not disappoint, as drama ensued throughout the day. We’ll get to that stuff if you keep scrolling down. First, as usual, we begin with our Day 3 Show Stoppers. Hannah Hankerson, OH, OT 16 Jason – A bit undersized, but Hankerson was playing big on the outside. She can get up in the air well and was taking aggressive swings and unloading on a few balls in a loud way. Taylor Williams, OH, Vision 16 Gold – A key component on offense, Williams has a nice arm and has a good knack for tooling the block. She can power along the offense in stretches. Cleo Hardin, RS, Vision 16 Gold – Hardin also can help carry the offense in spurts with her scoring touch. She’s long with a good arm and can go over or through blocks consistently. Jadyn Livings, OH, TAV 16 Black – There were moments when Livings was flashing unbelievable potential that could make her a next-level star. She has a big arm and can really connect at time. Gabriela Cornier, L, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – Cornier brings a defensive presence and attitude to the lineup. She’s steady out of serve receive and has no issues hitting the floor to keep balls in play. Janelle Green, S, KC Power 16-1 – An upbeat, energetic disher, Green is fun to watch do her thing. She has a smooth touch and hits her spots regularly. Fallon Stewart, OH, OT 16 Roberto – Stewart – with her length – can spell trouble for smaller blockers. She can go right over them but she was also making plays in the back row defensively to extend rallies. Juleigh Urbina, S, OT 16 Roberto – Urbina has nice hands and a consistent release. She’s accurate and puts her hitters in good spots. Samantha Bowron, Top Select 16 Elite – When Bowron has it going, she’s difficult to slow down or cool off. She jumps well and isn’t afraid of challenging the block. Carlie Cisneros, OH, Dynasty 16 Black – Cisneros has a great scoring touch. She has a fluid swing and can rip kills down or go off-speed and find open spots on the court to exploit. Skylar Pierce, OH, Dynasty 16 Black – Pierce glides on the attacks. She’s smooth, sees the court well and is relentless in keeping the pressure on the defense. Reese Messer, S, Dynasty 16 Black – Messer – a freshman playing up – has great touch and feel when it comes to dishing the rock. She sets a clean ball and is adept at going behind her and keeping defenses guessing. Tanith Roush, RS, Premier Nebraska 16 Gold – A lefty, Roush was helping open up the attack with her scoring ability on the right side. She also delivered key blocks to slow down opposing attackers. Lauryn Lambert, OH, Skyline 16 Royal – With her jump and arm, Lambert produced wow moments on offense. She pounded down a few balls that would attention grabbers. Izzy Starck, S/RS, Co Jrs 16 Sherri – Starck brings so much to the court, from her skills to her competitive fire. She’s strong at everything she does, setting on point and delivering reliable and consistent offense across the front. Ashley Repetti, OH, Seal Beach 16 Black – Seal Beach relies a lot on its outside duo, which includes Repetti. She’s a smart attacker who does well tooling blocks and finding empty space to take advantage. Haylee LaFontaine, OH, Seal Beach 16 Black – LaFontaine is another heady scorer who does well taking what the defense gives. She can also connect and unleash at times as well for impressive winners. Julia Hunt, MB, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – Hunt is a force on both sides of the ball. She changes the dynamic of the offense across the front with her ability to lineup and hit at different spots, as well as running the slide. She moves well too, helping her form a strong block. Ryla Jones, MB, Metro 16 Travel – Jones is a difficult cover no matter who is on the other side of the net. She’s an athletic attacker who gets up and swings very well. Amanda Saeger, S, Wave 16 Brennan – Wave is not going to overpower anybody and relies on Saeger to get hitters favorable matchups they can take advantage of. She connects well with her middles and does well spreading the ball around. Brooklyn Briscoe, MB, Coast 17-1 – Briscoe was virtually unstoppable as Coast reached the top eight. She puts up a big block, but is most dangerous getting out on the slide and tormenting defenses with her big arm. Koko Kirsch, L, Wave 17 Juliana – Kirsch was holding down the back row, passing well out of serve receive when challenged. She’s scrappy too, making hustle plays chasing down balls and keeping rallies alive. Chloe Chicoine, OH, Circle City 17 Purple – We could write about Chicoine every single match. There’s not an area she doesn’t make a significant impact. She’s as competitive as they come and has so many shots she can throw at defenses. Elizabeth Goodenow, RS, MAVS KC 17-1 – MAVS is still in the hunt, in part to the play of Goodenow. The lefty has a quick arm and can generate plenty of pace. She’s a threat both front and back row and draws a lot of attention from defenses. Drew Wright, L, Sunshine 17 LA – Wright brings stability to the position for Sunshine. She’s a steady passer with strong ball control skills. Sarah Gooch, OH, Top Select 17 Elite – Gooch was trying to lift Top Select into the final eight as the at-large team flirted with the quarterfinals. She has a nice swing and brings

Reality set in for a group of teams as the 16s and 17s divisions continued on at Day 2 of the USAV GJNC in Indy. That’s because with the first round of pool play completed not everyone remains in contention any longer. The flip side to that is there are still plenty of clubs with a shot of hoisting the championship trophy and get to continue that quest when play resumes on Day 3. We’ll get to the news and notes of the day if you keep scrolling downward. But first, we introduce our Day 2 Show Stoppers highlighting the players who we noticed the most Saturday. Ellie White, S/RS, 1st Alliance 16 Gold – White fills a valuable role hitting and setting and also having a tough serve. She was showing off her arm with big kills on occasion to go along with her steady ball handling. Grace Nelson, OH, 1st Alliance 16 Gold – A go-to on the left, Nelson carries a large offensive load. She has a good arm and a strong knack for scoring to help pace the offense. Elizabeth Tabeling, L, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – Tabeling is a defensive stalwart, bringing a steadying and calming presence to the back row. She’s a consistent passer who doesn’t miss her target often. Jadyn Wilgus, MB, AJV 16 Adidas – An explosive middle, defenses better not lose track of Wilgus or they’ll pay the price. She gets up in a hurry and can send it down with authority. Madison Quest, OH, MKE Sting 16 Gold – Quest is a lanky outside with a whippy swing. She was taking aggressive cuts and putting pressure on defenses to make plays. Charlie Fuerbringer, S/RS, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar – Fuerbringer can do it all, running a 5-1 or hitting and setting depending on what matchup Long Beach prefers. She’s an incredible setter with tremendous hands and shows a high-level IQ when attacking. Isabella Lee, L, OT 16 Jason – Lee was putting in work and helping to keep OT in rallies. She hit the ground a few times in hopes of getting balls ups. Jaidyn Jager, OH, Coast 16-1 – A freshman playing up, Jager is a six-rotation glue piece. She has great ball skills in the back row and lots of smarts when it comes to scoring. Kierstin Remensperger, S, Coast 16-1 – Remensperger is a fun setter to watch do her thing. She’s quick with a smooth and accurate delivery and can fling the ball around with the best of them. Suli Davis, OH, Drive Nation 16 Red – Another freshman playing up, Davis is a flat-out stud. She’s a powerful and physical hitter with a booming arm making her tough to keep in check. Macaria Spears, OH, Metro 16 Travel – Spears is also a freshman playing up and has unbelievable upside. She’s another strong, physical hitter whose power can overwhelm defenders. Maya Evens, L, Wave 16 Brennan – Evens helps give Wave its defensive identity. She seems to be everywhere at once controlling the back row and causing attackers headaches. Jenna Hanes, MB, Wave 16 Brennan – Defenses have to lock in on Hanes. She’s a terrific scorer who excels at finding the gaps. She’s also a capable blocker who can score points in that capacity as well. Grace Carroll, RS, Alamo 16 Premier – Carroll is a game-changer across the front row. Her height changes the dynamic of the offense with her scoring prowess and ability to go over blocks and provide key offense. Emily Bobbitt, S, Triangle 16 Black – Bobbitt has nice hands and sets a clean ball. She’s accurate and does well moving the ball around and keeping defenses on their toes. Samantha Blackett, OH, Club V 16 Ren Wayne – Blackett is an athletic, wirey outside who gets off the ground quick. She has a fast swing and can generate real heat on her shots. Zoey Burgess, MB, Club V 16 Ren Wayne – Burgess is a game-changing middle with her ability to control both sides of the net. She’s a phenomenal attacker with a big arm. And with her size, she can put up a wall of a block. Nayeli Gonzalez, OH, Alamo 17 Premier – Gonzalez is a crucial piece to the puzzle for Alamo. She’s the team’s most consistent, reliable scoring threat who can score front and back row. Ella Swindle, S, KC Power 17-1 – Swindle has such control and command of the offense she’s a marvel to watch. She has a clean, consistent release and is difficult to read when in system. Noemie Glover, RS, Coast 17-1 – Glover is an explosive attacker. There are times when she gets up and unleashes sharp angles with such force it defies logic. Julia Blyashov, OH, Wave 17 Juliana – There are things Blyashov does that very few can do. With her length and swing she can blast balls tight inside the line or simply go over blockers and attack the deep cross court corner. Harper Murray, OH, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – We wrote about Murray during Legacy’s time at AAU. It’s more of the same, with her high-level IQ and ability to impact a match from anywhere on the floor. Sarah Vellucci, L, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – Vellucci helps hold down serve receive with her consistent and sharp passing. She also does well making tough digs and keeping her team in points. Tehani Ulufatu, L, Absolute Black 17 – Opponents don’t target Ulufatu in serve receive too often. She’s nails in that department and case pass half the court at times. Ava Sarafa, S, Mich Elite 17 Mizuno – A smooth setter who is deceptive and tough to read, Sarafa gets her hitters good matchups and is among the best at exploiting blockers. Cristin Cline, S, CUVC 17 Premier – Cline has a quick release and can run tempo with the best of them. She’s strong at setting against the flow and catching defenses off guard. Stella

The final gold medal quests of the season kicked off in the 16s and 17s as those divisions began play Friday at the USAV GJNC in Indy. With such a collection of talented teams, there was no easing into the four-day tournament. It was all business from the first serve. Below, we highlight our Day 1 Show Stoppers featuring players who caught our attention as we moved court to court. Emma Parker, MB, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite – Parker was giving Rockwood Thunder a reliable scoring presence. She was connecting on big kills on 1s and slides and helping to open up the attack. Olivia Hasbrook, L, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite – When challenged in serve receive, Hasbrook was rarely off target. She was putting her passes on targeting and doing well keeping RT in system. Jillian Huckabey, RS, KC Power 16-1 – Huckabey can simply unload when she really connects with one. She had her share of authoritative kills that get on defenders in a hurry. Elisabeth Levick, S, OJVA 16 Gold – Levick’s improved all season and continues to flash her upside. She has good hands and was hitting spots with regularity. Mykayla McMillian, L, Hou Skyline 16 Royal – McMillian is quick and was flying around the court. She was doing well covering and chasing down errant passes. Emilee Prochaska, L, Flyers 16 Prentice – Prochaska was making plenty of contributions. She was diming passes out of serve receive and was doing well covering tips and touches. Hannah Benjamin, OH, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – Benjamin and her cannon for an arm were on full display. She gets up very well and has a fluid swing, which leads to impressive winners. Abigail Mullen, RS, Dynasty 16 Black – A big presence on the right side, Mullen adds physicality across the front row. She has a powerful arm and is capable of pounding down resounding kills. Favor Anyanwu, MB, TAV 16 Black – A physical middle, Anyanwu has a powerful arm. When the set is there, watch out as she crushes the ball with the best of them. Faith Frame, L, Premier Nebraska 16 Gold – Frame does everything at a high level. She passes, defends, covers and has a great range. Paityn Chapman, OH, Co Jrs 16 Sherri – Defenses have to keep tabs on Chapman. She’s a big, strong hitter who can over blocks or use her strength to blow them up. Gia McGrew, OH, Gainesville 16 Black – It was a great start for Gainesville, which upset both Cirlce City and Wave. McGrew was showing off her big arm. She hits a heavy ball with plenty of pace, making her difficult to dig. Madeline Stucky, S, Norco 16 Black – Stucky has great command of the offense. She sets a clean ball, goes behind her well and rarely misses her location. Lilly Wagner, S, MKE Sting 16 Gold – Wagner was another setter we were impressed with. She showed a nice touch and an ability to move the ball around and get her various hitters involved on a consistent basis. Maya Baker, S, Vision 16 Gold – Baker is a smooth setter with great poise. She runs the offense well, putting up a very hittable ball and getting her hitters good looks. Avery Jackson, OH, Madfrog 16 Green – A six-rotation contributor, Jackson is the glue piece in the lineup. She passes, she defends and she scores all at a high level. Akila Hardie, MB, CHAVC 17 Black – Hardie was running the slide effectively. When in system, defenses have to pay her attention as she gets up well and can make them pay. Kamille Gibson, RS, TAV 17 Black – Defenses are in trouble when Gibson is able to set up and connect. She has a giant arm and can unload with power. Kennedy Wagner, OH, 1st Alliance 17 Black – Wagner is a key part of the attack. She can score front and back row and has a wide variety of shots to keep defenses honest. Symone Sims, L, Skyline 17 Royal – Sims is quick and was showcasing her speed as a defender. She can hustle down balls and help extend rallies well. Brielle Kemavor, MB, Metro 17 Travel – Kemavor makes her presence known in the middle. She’s physical and strong. She causes problems on both sides with her scoring and blocking. Sydney Lewis, L, OT 17 John – Lewis is sturdy defender. She’s solid out of serve receive, hit her mark consistently and doing well picking off big swings at times. Calissa Minatee, MB, Dynasty 17 Black – When Minatee gets out on the slide, it feels like defenses are hopeless unless she misses the court altogether. She’s a major weapon who is quick with a really good arm. Lauren Murphy, OH, AJV 17 Adidas – Murphy’s height is a big advantage. AJV looks to her to provide a lot of offense and runs different looks to get her involved in favorable matchups. Reagan Barth, OH, MAVS KC 17-1 – Barth gives plenty to the lineup hitting and defending. She was making plays in the back row and showing off her smarts attacking with tips and tools. Nayelis Cabello, S/RS, Top Select 17 Elite – Cabello plays a vital role as a setter and hitter. She has a nice touch and doesn’t miss her spots very often. She’s also a reliable scorer with a good arm to beat defenses with. Destiny Ndam-Simpson, OH, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold – At times Ndam-Simpson was proving unstoppable. She can blast winners from the front or back row and carry the offense in stretches. Olivia Mauch, L, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold – Mauch is a steadying presence and defensive anchor. She passes and defends at a high level and makes few errors.

At-large gold medalist. Alamo 15 Premier provided a fairytale ending to 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships that nobody saw coming in Indianapolis. MVP Megan Fitch went up on the left side and for the final time in 2022 delivered a kill that set off a frenzied celebration. It was not last year’s 14 Open champ going back-to-back, as it was not meant to be for top-seeded and national No. 1 Arizona Storm 15 Thunder. Instead, Alamo wrote a script that only comes from the wildest imagination. “It feels like a dream,” Alamo 15 coach Debra Gonzalez said. “Everyone wants to be in gold. Everyone wants to come in first. There’s always a little doubt if we could do it or not do it. Everybody coming in wants the same thing. Everybody is fighting for everything. The girls did it. I’m so proud of them.” Long before arriving in Indy, Alamo had already accomplished a mini-miracle. Not in receiving the lone at-large bid into 15 Open. But rather building such a sound case that there was no real debate as to which club it should have been awarded to. Alamo was that much of a clear-cut choice. A month later, the decision was further backed up at every stage of the four-day tournament. Alamo – seeded No. 28 to begin with – opened Day 1 going 3-0. It broke pool on Day 2 in second place at 4-1. On Day 3, Alamo made it through the second round of pool play then topped Mich Elite 15 Mizuno in challenge play. Then there was Day 4, Alamo defeating 1st Alliance 15 Gold in the quarterfinals, Drive Nation 15 Red in the semis and ending Storm’s reign and undefeated run in the final, 25-18, 25-22. “They came in so excited to be here,” Gonzalez said. “They’ve never been in the Open division. They came in with a lot of energy and perseverance. They didn’t know how far they would get but they were going to give it their best shot.” That Alamo was even in contention on the final day was already a headline in the making even if the Lone Star club hadn’t won another contest. Earning a medal by outlasting 1st Alliance – the original No. 3 seed – in three games was unthinkable only days earlier. If any opponent could relate it was Alamo’s semifinal partner in Drive Nation, which started as the No. 18 overall seed and barely survived the first round of pool play before eventually upsetting Hou Skyline 15 Royal in the quarterfinals and earning at least a bronze. Between Alamo and Drive Nation, one was going to make the final and that in itself was enough of a head-scratcher to figure out. When Alamo prevailed in three games to reach the championship match that’s when reality figured to set in for sure. Storm came into the gold medal match without a loss, including sweeping OT 15 Randy in the quarters and TAV 15 Black in the semifinals. However, Alamo could do no wrong, jumping on Storm and never letting up. “It’s amazing,” Gonzalez said. “We played them in Utah and lost. This was unbelievable. Everything was working. Everything we told them to do just worked.” To Alamo, there was no guarantee of receiving the lone at-large bid. The girls and coaches were sweating the process, unsure of if they would be selected or not. It led to tense times until it became official. “I was kind of leery,” Gonzalez said. “We knew there was a chance we would get it but anything can happen because it’s not in our control.” *** Getting to some closing thoughts on 15 Open. It was just the fourth loss of the season in its own age group for Arizona Storm. The first came to Dynasty 15 Black in February at Triple Crown. Another came to Aspire 15 Premier in Arizona regional play. Then Storm fell to Seal Beach 15 Black at the JVA West Coast Cup in Long Beach over Memorial Day weekend. And then of course to Alamo in the 15 Open final. It’s a tough ending to a terrific season. A loss like this one should sting, but not overshadow the fact that Storm remains one of the best teams in the country. As for TAV, there was no question the North Texas club was good enough to not only contend but possibly win it all. TAV was surprised on Day 1, falling to Absolute Black 15 in its last outing but still managed to win its pool the next day after knocking off Alamo to earn the head-to-head tiebreaker. TAV reached the top eight by stopping AAU 15 Open champion Legacy 15-1 Adidas in the challenge round. TAV opened up the final day by ending the run of surprise quarterfinalist Coast 15-1 to reach the semis. TAV and Storm played each other in the 14 Open final last summer but met a round earlier this go around as TAV tied for the bronze. Drive Nation came on at the right moments. Drive Nation finished the first round of pool at 2-3 and advanced with some tiebreaker luck. Northern Lights 15-1 and HPSTL 15 Royal were 2-3 as well. Northern Lights beat both head-to-head and took third in the pool. Since Drive Nation defeated HPSTL head-to-head, Drive Nation took fourth despite having a lower set percentage than HPSTL. Drive Nation took advantage. A victory over Dynast in its three-pool on Day 3 allowed Drive Nation to reach the challenge round. There, Drive Nation swept GP 15 Rox. Drawing Hou Skyline in the quarterfinals was a tall task, as Drive Nation was a heavy underdog. But Drive Nation pulled off the shocker in three to earn its bronze medal.   *** In 15 National, Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite defeated FC Elite 15 Navy in three, 17-25, 25-21, 15-8, for gold. Aspire 15 Premier and Club V 15 Ren Adam tied for the bronze medals.