DENVER – When it mattered the most in the Colorado Crossroads USAV National Qualifier last weekend, Premier 13 Gold found a way to win the tight matches. As a result, 13 Gold punched its ticket to the national championships in Indianapolis.
After surviving pool play with a 2-1 record each of the first two days, 13 Gold reached the round of eight as the #7 seed overall. Premier 13 Gold immediately set the tone Saturday evening with a 25-23, 25-23 win over #3 seed Arizona Storm which had defeated 13 Gold on the first day of the tournament.
On Sunday morning, 13 Gold kept rolling by cruising to a 25-13, 25-21 win over #2 seed KC Power 131 and then clinched a spot in the championship match – and one of the two bids available in the division – by defeating Dynasty 13 Black 25-23, 27-25.
In Sunday’s final, Premier 13 Gold got a rematch with Madfrog’s out of Texas, but came up short in its quest to avenge that defeat as it fell 25-18, 25-18 in the championship.
Members of the Premier 13 Gold team are: Brilee Wieseler, Morah Sis, Morgan Hickey, Lindsay Krause, Devyn Carmichael, Olivia Rouw, Cameron Cartwright, Phyona Schrader, Paige Stobbe and Jayden Kistaitis. The team is coached by Andrea Eiler, Addison Smith and Kelsey O’Connell.
Overall, it was an outstanding tournament for Nebraska teams as 14 of the 39 squads that made the trip finished in the top 10 of their division, but 13 Gold was the only one able to secure a bid in Denver.
In Open-level competition, Nebraska Elite 17 Ooh Rah finished in a tie for seventh place, just missing on a bid. Meanwhile, in 14 Open, Premier 14 Gold finished in a tie for ninth place.
In the 16 USA division, Nebraska ONE 16 Krush just missed getting one of the three bids available when it fell 25-17, 22-25, 15-10 in the third-place match to NPJ out of Oregon. In 14 USA, Premier 14 Black finished in a tie for 5th place.
In National-level competition, Premier 12 Gold finished fourth in 12 National
In American competition, both Premier 18 Black and Club Legacy 18 ROX tied for 5th place in 18 American while in 17 American, Nebraska Elite KOA finished in a tie for 9th place.
In 16 American, Premier 16 Black finished in 3rd place and in 15 American, Premier 15 Black finished in a tie for 9th place. Nebraska Elite 14 Force finished in a tie for 9th place in 14 American while Premier 13 Black finished tied for 9th in 13 American.
Below is a complete listing of how teams from Nebraska did at the Colorado Crossroads Qualifier.
2016 Colorado Crossroads Results
18 Open
25th place – Premier 18 Gold
18 USA
Tied for 80th place – Performance 18 NIKE
18 American
Tied for 5th place – Premier 18 Black
Tied for 5th place – Club Legacy 18 ROX
17 Open
Tied for 7th place – Nebraska Elite 17 Ooh Rah
Tied for 17th place – Premier 17 Gold
17 USA
Tied for 39th place – Nebraska ONE 17 Shockwave
Tied for 41st place – Club Lgacy 17 ROX
Tied for 51st place – Performance 17 NIKE
17 American
Tied for 9th place – Nebraska Elite 17 KOA
Tied for 33rd place – Premier 17 Black
16 Open
Tied for 17th place – Nebraska Elite 16 Meraki
Tied for 29th place – Premier 16 Gold
16 USA
4th place – Nebraska ONE 16 Krush
Tied for 25th place – Banzai 161
Tied for 80th place – Performance 16 Pride
16 American
3rd place – Premier 16 Black
Tied for 9th place – Nebraska Elite 16 Mojo
Tied for 37th place – Premier 16 Red
Tied for 41st place – Nebraska ONE 16 Heist
Tied for 53rd place – Club Legacy 16 Shattered
15 Open
Tied for 15th place – Premier 15 Gold
Tied for 23rd place – Nebraska Elite 15 Kekoa
15 USA
Tied for 33rd place – Club Legacy 15 ROX
15 American
Tied for 9th place – Premier 15 Black
Tied for 17th place – Nebraska Elite 15 Synergy
Tied for 57th place – Club Legacy 15 Shattered
14 Open
9th place – Premier 14 Gold
14 USA
Tied for 5th place – Premier 14 Black
17th place – Club Legacy 14 ROX
34th place – South Central 14 Black
14 American
Tied for 9th place – Nebraska Elite 14 Force
Tied for 25th place – Performance 14 NIKE
Tied for 67th place – Club Legacy 14 Shattered
13 Open
2nd place – Premier 13 Gold
13 American
Tied for 9th place – Premier 13 Black
Tied for 21st place – Nebraska Elite 13 Storm
Tied for 25th place – Performance 13 NIKE
Tied for 41st place – Club Legacy 13 Prism
12 National
4th place – Premier 12 Gold
12 American
14th place – Premier 11 Gold