MINNEAPOLIS – Nebraska Elite 15 Synergy may have started as the #9 overall seed of the 80-team field in the 15 American Division at the Northern Lights USAV Qualifier last weekend, but the Omaha-based team finished the tournament as the top team.
Nebraska Elite 15 Synergy capped a gut-wrenching Sunday in Minneapolis with a 26-24, 19-25, 15-4 win over Club H of Huntington Beach, CA, in the championship match. All four of Synergy’s wins in the Gold bracket on Sunday came in three sets.
Although the team earned the only bid available in the division for the USAV Girls Junior National Championships, Synergy declined the bid because of its prior commitment to the AAU National Championships, which ultimately gave the USAV bid to Club H.
It was a long and stressful Sunday for Synergy in the 16-team Gold bracket. Elite started with a 11-25, 25-23, 15-11 win over Mizuno Northern Lights 15 Red in the first round and then turned around and beat Elite 15U Gold 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, Elite Synergy again had to rally, this time for a 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 win over Madfrog 15 Black to get to the championship match. For the tournament, Synergy went 9-1 and six of its 10 matches went three sets.
Members of the team are: Mackenzie Kilton, Lily O’Mara, Lexie Langley, Taylor Pribyl, Mallory Stamm, Michaela Bartels, Margaret McElhose, Kamryn Willman, Megan Raszler and Kylie Emsick. The team is coached by Brandon Cerny and Kelly Ziola.
Below are the results of how all the teams from Nebraska did at the Northern Lights Qualifier.
2016 Northern Lights USAV Qualifier
12 National
None.
12 American
Premier 12 Black – Tied for 5th place
Nebraska Elite 12 Zinc – Tied for 5th place
Club Legacy 12 Prism – 14th place
13 Open
Premier 13 Gold – Tied for 7th place
Nebraska Elite 13 Thunder – 9th place
13 American
Premier 13 Black – Tied for 5th place
Nebraska Elite 13 Storm – 14th place
Club Legacy 13 ROX – Tied for 15th place
Premier 13 Red – 26th place
Premier 13 Silver – Tied for 27th place
Nebraska Elite 13 Destruction – Tied for 29th place
Club Legacy 13 Shattered – Tied for 41st place
14 Open
None.
14 USA
None.
14 American
Premier 14 Red – Tied for 5th place
Performance 14 NIKE – Tied for 9th place
Nebraska Elite 14 Force – Tied for 9th place
Club Legacy 14 Accelerator – Tied for 19th place
Nebraska Elite 14 Alliance – Tied for 29th place
Premier 14 Silver – 49th place
15 Open
None.
15 USA
None.
15 American
Nebraska Elite 15 Synergy – 1st place
Performance 15 NIKE – Tied for 9th place
16 Open
Performance 16 NIKE – 30th place
16 USA
Banzai 161 – Tied for 11th place
16 American
Nebraska ONE 16 Mojo – Tied for 45th place
Performance 16 Power – Tied for 51st place
Nebraska ONE 16 Fusion – Tied for 69th place
17 Open
None.
17 USA
Performance 17 NIKE – 29th place
17 American
Premier 17 Black – Tied for 9th place
Club Legacy 17 Shattered – Tied for 44th place
18 American
Premier 18 Black – Tied for 9th place
Banzai 181 – Tied for 17th place