OMAHA – For a team lacking height, Premier 18 Gold came up with the biggest prize at the 2016 Asics President’s Day Classic by winning the 18 Open championship.
After going 5-1 in pool play on Saturday and Sunday, 18 Gold overcame two giant hurdles on Monday to win the title. Without a player on its roster taller than 6-foot, 18 Gold knocked off Mizuno Northern Lights 181 (ranked #21 in the nation) 24-26, 25-20, 15-13 to reach the championship match against Johnston 18 National.
Johnston 18 National had swept 18 Gold on Sunday, but Premier avenged that loss with a 29-27, 25-14 victory in the championship match.
Members of the 18 Gold team are Courtney Morehead, Jayden Thies, Sophia Terwilleger, Taylor Petersen, Andie Hanus, Nicole Skovsende, Taylor Crandall, Hannah Dubas, Alyssa Woodman and McKenna Kirkpatrick.
Premier nearly grabbed a second Open division title in the 15s division where 15 Gold defeated Nebraska ONE 15 Titanium 25-15, 25-8 in the semifinals before dropping a 25-19, 27-25 decision to Dynasty 15 Black Adidas.
Nebraska ONE 15 Titanium had reached the semifinals by knocking of KC Power 151 25-22, 25-18 in the quarterfinals. Northern Lights 151 then defeated ONE Titanium 22-25, 25-13, 15-7 in the third-place match.
In 16 Open, Nebraska Elite 16 Meraki fell to Northern Lights 162 25-23, 13-25, 15-10 in the quarterfinals and wound up finishing sixth overall.
In 14 Open, Premier 14 Gold took third place with a 25-16, 25-14 win over Topeka Impact 141. Nebraska Elite 14 Havoc defeated Club Legacy 14 ROX in the fifth-place match 25-18, 25-19.
Below is a complete list of all the championship match results and how all Nebraska teams did in the Open divisions this weekend:
18 Open
Championship match: Premier 18 Gold def. Johnston 18 National 29-27, 25-14
8th place – Nebraska Elite 18 Mirage
17 Open
Championship match: KC Power 171 def. Mizuno Northern Lights 25-17, 26-24
7th place – Premier 17 Gold
13th place – Nebraska Elite 17 Ooh Rah
16th place – VCNebraska 17 Elite
16 Open
Championship match: Northern Lights 161 def. CIA 16 Black 25-21, 25-19
6th place – Nebraska Elite 16 Meraki
13th place – Premier 16 Gold
16th place – Nebraska ONE 16 Krush
17th place – VCNebraska 16 Elite
15 Open
Championship match: Dynasty 15 Black def. Premier 15 Gold 25-19, 27-25
4th place – Nebraska ONE 15 Titanium
7th place – Nebraska Elite 15 Kekoa
10th place – Nebraska Elite 15 Synergy
11th place – VCNebraska 15 Elite
14 Open
Championship match: Northern Lights 141 def. NORCO 14 Black 25-19, 25-18
3rd place – Premier 14 Gold
5th place – Nebraska Elite 14 Havoc
6th place – Club Legacy 14 ROX
11th place – VCNebraska 14 Elite
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