In one word Day 3 was ELECTRIC. Talk about fiery wins and loaded upsets! So before I get sidetracked talking about crossover matches let’s start talking about the 11s division.
11 National
The first four matches of the gold bracket were tight score wise! Three of the four went to three games and were only won by two points! The semifinals were both won in two setting up the finals match up of Elevation 11 Dawn vs Excel 11 Red. And for the most part you had two different style teams facing off. From the Ohio Valley Region this Elevation squad was filled with speed and two middle blockers who loved to crank on slides. And from the North Texas Region you had a never say die squad that didn’t make a ton of errors and served tough. In the end Excel 11 Red won the National title in two sets, 25-14, 25-23. Congrats Excel!
12 National
The 12 National matches Friday were played with incredible passion and determination, delivering a mix of excitement, heartbreak and pure grit. Watching these young athletes put everything on the line was truly inspiring. With that being said here is your 12 National gold bracket matches for Saturday:
EXCEL 12 National Red vs Circle City 12 Purple
Tstreet 12-Kaila vs DYNASTY 12 Black
A5 12-LA vs COAST 12-1
Miz LB 12 Rockstar vs KC Power 12 Black
13 Open
I am absolutely blown away by the incredible performances this morning in 13 Open. One pool in particular I dubbed the “pool of death”. Madfrog 13 Green, TAV 13 Black and HPSTL 13 Royal put on a show in each match. All three matches were three-gamers and it came down to points. TAV 13 Black came out on top but Madfrog and HPSTL had to play a one set to 15 to see who else advanced. The energy both on and off the court was electric, and HPSTL pulled off the upset.
The challenge matches also were intense and the four teams advancing to the gold bracket all deserve a huge round of applause. And drum roll please … your 13 Open gold bracket matches:
Elevation 13 S J vs COAST 13-1
Legacy 13-1 ADIDAS vs Tribe 13 Elite Cardinal
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DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS
Nicole Jacobson MB TAV 13 Black: Jacobson was coming up huge defensively for TAV.
Olivia Permenter OH/RS TAV 13 Black: Permenter was bringing the heat on the pins. Her kills were coming in clutch in their “pool of death.”
Brynli Burgess L Madfrog 13 Green: Burgess, a 2029 athlete, was literally everywhere on the court. She is definitely one to watch continue to grow in the game.
Hayden Thomas MB Madfrog 13 Green: Thomas was another key element for her squad defensively.
Sarah Albers MB HPSTL 13 Royal: Albers is a handful, to say the least. With her size and length, she can easily go over blocks or through blocks at will.
Gillian Pfeiffer MB/RS HPSTL 13 Royal: She’s such a tough cover with her length and size offensively and was a huge factor defensively.
Carina Buttrum L HPSTL 13 Royal: She covered the court well and did a nice job reading and digging to pick her squad up defensively.
Lia Ray OH Tribe 13 Elite Cardinal: Ray, who doubles as a beach superstar, uses her court IQ offensively incredibly well. She sees the opening and she takes it.
Natalia Marciante OH Tribe 13 Elite Cardinal: Marciante was taking aggressive, no-fear swings consistently on the court.
Addison Tucker L Excel 13 Red: Tucker was passing well out of serve receive and doing a nice job of digging balls.
Marley Rogers RS Excel 13 Red: Rogers helps provide offense on the right side with her strong arm.
Sadie Ellis MB Elevation 13 S J: Ellis gets up quickly and was putting balls down to the floor.
Kelsey Green Elevation 13 S J: Green did well moving the ball around and getting her various hitters involved. She was also locating consistently.
Jamie Carnes MB CJV 13 Ben: Carnes is an athletic middle who was making plays on both sides of the ball. She also moves well.
Emilie LaSala OH COAST 13-1: LaSala is an explosive hitter who can crush it. Her ability to tool blocks or bang it down makes it difficult on defenses to slow her down.
Samantha Saba L COAST 13-1: Saba is a firecracker libero who was passing and defending with the best of them.
Carolina Delaney OH Absolute 13 Black: Delaney is a handful for opponents. She has nice range and did well finding the open spaces on the court.
Amelia Knutson S Absolute 13 Black: Knutson did well guiding the attack. She was locating well and showed strong hands dishing far cross court.
Lucy Waleskowski S/RS NKYVC 13-1 Tsunami: Waleskowski brings her height to the front row as well as gives her squad another option on the right. Bonus she has great hands.
Kenadi Sieg L NKYVC 13-1 Tsunami: Sieg is a scrappy libero with high energy and she moves very well.
Haedyn Lynnes L DYNASTY 13 Black: Lynnes was owning the back row with her passing and defending. She reads and covers well and extends her share of rallies.
Carley Ward OH Skyline 13 Royal: Ward is a go-to outside with a strong arm and can bring the heat with big kills at times to fire up her teammates.
Audrey Utterback OH Circle City 13 Purple: What caught my the most on Utterback was her aggressive, fearless defensive play.
Kennedy Wilkinson L WAVE 13-Reily: Wilkinson anchored the back row and didn’t rattle against the onslaught of attackers she faced. She held it down with strong passing and many hustle plays.
Daniela Nieves-Papaleo OH BORINQUEN COQUI 13-1F: Nieves-Papaleo is an undersized scrappy hitter who isn’t afraid to go right through blocks.
Payton Woodruff S Legacy 13-1 ADIDAS: Woodruff is a smooth disher with lots of potential. She has nice hands and consistent location and moves well too.
Lexi Coleman OH Legacy 13-1 ADIDAS: Coleman is a go-to on the left for this squad and she provides her share of offense.
Leeya Svendson MB East Side Blaze 13N: Svendson was someone I did go to see but was very happy I walked by their court! She was owning the middle blocker position both offensively and defensively.
Landry McRae RS AVA TX 13 Adidas: McRae is a lefty who is a reliable scoring option anytime.
Angela Song L Vision 12 Gold: Song was nails in serve receive, though she doesn’t get served very often as teams purposely keep the ball away from her.
Rhys Walker MB EXCEL 12 National Red: Walker is an active middle who moves well. She is really starting to both attack aggressively and provide a huge wall of defense.
Anna Lukas EXCEL 12 National Red: Lukas is a smoother disher with a clean, consistent release and she locates well. She also has great court awareness.
Gabriella Fiori S EXCEL 12 National Red: Fiori, who is part of the 6-2 with Lukas, has soft hands and nice touch to her consistent delivery.
Harper Terry MB Sunshine 12 South Bay: Terry is a strong presence in the middle blocking position both offensively and defensively.
Lana Bakrac Opp Rockwood Thunder 12 Elite: Bakrac is a lefty who swings most of the time on the outside. She has power and court awareness.
Kara Zazycki S Elevation 12 Berg: Zazycki is a consistent setter who puts up a clean ball in good locations for her hitters to score.
Miranda Ludwick L Elevation 12 Berg: Ludwick was holding it down in the back row and doing well extending rallies during gold pool play.
Lorelei Forrester MB GP 12 Rox: Forrester has a nice swing and it makes her a threat who defenses have to respect.
Maggie Nash L KC Power 12 Black: She defends and passes well and has the ability to make some big-time digs.
Alaina McGuire S KC Power 12 Black: McGuire is a steady setter who puts up a clean ball in good locations for her hitters to score.
Lucie Amonett MB OT 12 T Kesha: Amonett and her huge presence brought offense to the lineup with her ability to thud balls to the floor. She also puts up a strong block.
Daria McLaughlin S/RS OT 12 T Kesha: McLaughlin showed what she can bring to a lineup with her setting and hitting abilities.
Violet Garza L Alamo 12 Premier: Garza is a scrapper. She showed consistent passing out of serve receive and defended with a fury.
Brady Cooksey S Alamo 12 Premier: Cooksey has a soft, consistent touch and locates her hitters well.
Summer Vitale RS HPSTL 12 Royal: Vitale was showing nice extension on her swings and generating pace consistently.
Gia Stokes MB A5 12-LA: Stokes stays aggressive and keeps on taking swings and pressuring the defense.
Macurdy Harden OH A5 12-LA: Harden was an aggressive attacker anywhere on the court who kept the pressure on the defense.
Courtney Neil OH DYNASTY 12 Black: Neil has a whippy arm and can also really connect when she catches one.
Addyson Jacobson MB ARIZONA STORM 12 THUNDER: Jacobson is an active middle and someone Storm will look to get the ball to.
Olivia Karvelis L COAST 12-1: Karvelis is a sound passer out of serve receive and a scrapper defensively.
Brooke Proctor OH COAST 12-1: Proctor is a steady presence who is low error and finds way to score.
Delaney Holder S Miz LB 12 Rockstar: Holder has a clean release and locates well in addition to spreading the ball around.
Maveti Faumuina OH Miz LB 12 Rockstar: Faumuina, a 2030, is a six-rotation athlete who swings with the best of them on the court.
Harper Krawiec OH 1United 12N Jennifer: Krawiec is an athletic outside who jumps well. When she connects she brings the heat.
