For many of the top-seeded clubs the opening day of the second weekend of the Red Rock Rave Qualifier in Las Vegas offered an easing-in period. But for some, the first day was truly a matter of survival as they found themselves locked in elimination matches.
The highest-profile case came in 16 Open when AVA TX 16 Adidas and Absolute 16 Black were matched in a crossover in which the winner advanced to the Round 2 Division 1 pools while the loser would fall to the Round 2 Division 2 pools for Sunday. AVA entered ranked No. 21 in vballrecruiter.com’s 16s Top 50 National Rankings while Absolute sits at No. 35. This was a case where neither team expected to be knocked from contention on Day 1. Yet, Absolute was on the wrong side of the score as AVA TX prevailed in three, 25-17, 25-27, 15-8.
Wave 16 Kevin – ranked No. 26 nationally – and unranked clubs in Forza1 North 16 One and Club One 16 Platinum joined AVA in capturing must-win crossover matches to move on as well.
Two unranked teams in 16 Open which helped create some of the upheaval Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center were Forza1 16 One and AZ Rev 16 Premier. Forza began its day with an upset of Absolute while AZ Rev closed its three-team pool by upsetting AVA TX and finishing first. Forza lost its crossover to AZ Sky 16G while ID Crush 16 Bower defeated AZ Rev in another crossover. Both AZ Rev and Forza remain in the mix for Day 2.
The only other real news out of 16 Open is Vision 16 Gold and Temecula Viper 16 both advancing as the No. 3 team in their respective pools. They each beat the No. 2 team in their pools, with Vision taking down Aspire 16 Adidas and Temecula upending Rage Westside 16 Jen.
Of the top six-ranked teams in 16 Open from our Top 50, only No. 13 Coast 16-1 lost Saturday. Coast had already clinched first place in its pool when it fell to unranked Muscle VB 16-1. Meanwhile, No. 1 Surfside 16 PV Legends, No. 3 Drive Nation 16 Red, No. 6 HJV 16 Elite, No. 7 Arizona Storm and TAV 16 Black went a combined 15-0 with only Surfside dropping a set.
All 12 teams in appearing in vballrecruiter.com’s 17s Top 50 National Rankings advanced in 17 Open. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. While the highest-ranked team in No. 3 Drive Nation 17 Red went 3-0, the next two highest in No. 13 Hou Skyline 17 Royal and No. 14 AZ Sky 17G lost.
Hou Skyline earned its Open bid at NEQ last weekend but was uprooted by No. 49 Arizona Storm 17 Thunder in its three-team pool. AZ Sky was beaten by unranked TAV Houston 17 Adidas. It left both Hou Skyline and AZ Sky – which tied for third at Triple Crown – needing to win crossovers to remain in the mix. Both did.
Wave 17 Juliana – ranked No. 16 nationally – No. 18 Vision 17 Gold and No. 20 Coast 17-1 didn’t lose a set on the day. Momentous 17 Dan – ranked No. 15 – finished 3-0 and but went three twice while No. 22 SCVC 17 Roxy ended 3-0 and dropped one set.
DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS
Addison Massey OH TX Performance 16-1: Massey helped her team to an upset of No. 49 AZ Sky 16G. She’s a six-rotation outside and a big part of the attack. She swings front and back row and did well in helping carrying her share of the offense.
Sarah Pfiffner S TAV 16 Black: Pfiffner is a 4-star recruit with soft hands and a smooth delivery. She did well mixing her sets up and utilizing all of her hitters.
Lauryn Mack OH TAV 16 Black: Mack is another 4-star recruit and you can see her next-level potential when she goes on the attack. She elevates quickly and can deliver rockets for kills.
Justice Fuhrmann S Forza1 16 One: Fuhrmann is a bit undersized but she did a nice job running the attack and putting up a hittable ball. She located consistently.
Miley Thunstrom OH Forza1 16 One: Thunstrom did well in her role in helping provide offense on the outside. She found gaps in the blocks for kills and even delivered a big block of her own.
Kimanni Rugley MB AVA TX 16 Adidas: Rugley is an athletic middle who makes her presence felt in the middle. She gets up fast and has a good arm to punish opponents with.
Sydney Black L/DS HJV 16 Elite: Black – a 4-star recruit – was sound in serve receive and doing well with her first-ball contact.
Nicole Steiner OH Vision 16 Gold: Steiner was taking her share of cuts on the outside and was helping keep Vision in the game. She has a fluid swing and was mixing up her shots.
Kendall Timme OH Arete 16 Navy Telos: Timme is a lanky outside and one of Arete’s best scoring threats. She’s an option both front and back row and can deliver.
Rylee Smith MB Arete 16 Navy Telos: Smith has nice size and is a disrupter in the middle. She does well getting touches and blocks.
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Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 16 Bower: A 4-star recruit, Frye has command of the offense and does well locating. She has a nice touch and with her size she’s a factor at the net too.
Kiana Mark OH Rage 16 Westside Jen: Mark brings physicality to the attack. She hits with power and score a lot of points.
Lilyana Kautai RS Rage 16 Westside Jen: Kautai is someone opponents need to keep eyes on when she checks in. Rage will set her. She gets up well and takes aggressive swings.
Natalia Clifford OH Rage 16 Westside Jen: Another six-rotation outside, Clifford contributes both front row with her attacking and her strong defense in the back.
Hope Westra OH AZ Rev 16 Premier: Westra was taking big swings and scoring key points in helping AZ Rev to winning its pool.
Cecilia Vance OH ARVC 16-1 Adidas: Vance is an athletic outside who jumps and swings very well. She’s more than capable of catching one and bouncing it.
Kaity Hoelker OH A4 Volley 16 Purple: Hoelker was another outside delivering time and time again for her squad. She was going up and challenging defenders by not holding back.
Helen Beary S A4 Volley 16 Purple: Beary was dishing well. She has a nice release and showed consistent location.
Peyton Dickson S/RS Muscle VB 16-1: Dickson was a key part of Muscle’s Day 1 success. She’s a versatile player and she does a solid job of providing offense across the front with her aggressive attacking.
Keonah’ilani Solaita OH Rancho Valley 16 Premier: Solaita was holding it down on the outside and coming through with teammate-pleasing kills. She was exploiting the holes in the block and putting big swings down to the floor.
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Georgi Stein OH AZ Sky 16 Gold: Stein – a 3-star recruit – is a key cog in the Sky attack. She has a loose arm and can generate plenty of pace.
Gabriella Kucinski RS AZ Sky 16 Gold: Kucinski is another integral part of Sky’s offense with the way she can get up and deliver.
Jordyn Decker S Club One AZ 16 Platinum: Decker is a bit undersized but moves well and has a nice touch. She puts up a clean ball consistently.
Jenna Hanes MB Wave 17 Juliana: A 4-star Michigan recruit, Hanes is an impactful middle with both her swinging and blocking. She can pressure defenses with different ways to score and frustrate attackers with her long reach.
Mia Accomazzo L/DS AZ Rev 17 Premier: Accomazzo is a scrappy libero who isn’t afraid to hit the floor.
Carson Eickenloff S Drive Nation 17 Red: Eickenloff was doing well running a 5-1 and spreading the attack around to the many weapons at her disposal. She’s quick and gets to the ball well too.
Madison Mosley RS Arete 17 Navy Telos: Mosley is undersized on the pin but the way she explodes on the attack makes up for it. She takes big swings and doesn’t hold back leading to impressive moments.
Brianna Hamilton OH Arete 17 Navy Telos: Hamilton is another pin opponents must track. She also jumps well and has a nice arm to pressure defenders with.
Lauryn Lynch L/DS SG Elite 17 Rosh: A 4-star recruit from the Class of 2025, Lynch is a vacuum in the back row. She makes tough plays look routine and passes dimes out of serve receive.
Bridget Woodruff RS Dakine Warriors 17 Surf: Woodruff is a physical hitter on the right who helps spread out the attack being the threat she is.
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Kirra Musgrove S/RS Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Musgrove is a 5-star Class of 2025 recruit and a vital part of the lineup. Her setting is clean and accurate in the back row. And her length makes her a threat in the front.
Ella Parker OH DCVA 17-1: Parker carries a large portion of the offense. She does well handling it with her big arm and strong swings. She jumps well too and teams were having trouble slowing her.
Chloe Pravednikov OH Seal Beach 17 Black: A Pepperdine commit, Pravednikov is long with the ability to extend and hit down from a high angle. She was coming through with impressive kills at times.
Sydney May S/RS Seal Beach 17 Black: May has her share of responsibility setting and hitting. She was going for it on the right and helping the offense along with it.
Kaia Herweg OH Seal Beach 17 Black: A bit undersized on the left, Herweg was staying aggressive and challenging blockers with strong swings.
Maya Baker S Vision 17 Gold: A 4-star setter from the Class of 2025, Baker is smooth and accurate. She does well connecting with her hitters and defends at an above average level as well.
Annah Legaspi L/DS Momentous 17 Dan: A 3-star recruit, Legaspi controls the back row. She’s spot on with her passing and gets after it defensively.
Julia Bazylevych RS Supernova 17 All-Stars: Watch out when Bazylevych connects. She takes big swings and hits hard.
