High Stakes and High Drama – Day 2 of Open Division Play at Asics President’s Day Classic
OMAHA – High stakes produced some high drama in the Open Divisions on the second day of the 2017 Asics President’s Day Classic at CenturyLink Center on Sunday.
Below is a recap of the action in each age division along with Monday’s key matches/championship brackets and championship predictions.
18 Open
It was an up-and-down day for Nebraska Elite 18 Kpalie s it entered Sunday in control of its own destiny and now enters Monday needing some help to capture the 18 Open crown.
As the only undefeated team entering Sunday, Nebraska Elite dropped a 22-25, 25-23, 15-11 decision to Premier 18 Gold, but bounced back to knocks off Mizuno Northern Lights 181 25-22, 25-22 to again put itself in control of its own destiny. Husker recruit Jazz Sweet and Topeka Impact, however, had different plans.
Topeka Impact held of Nebraska Elite 25-22, 22-25, 15-12 to cap a 3-0 day in which it also beat IPVA 18s Black in three and swept Northern Lights 182 to improve to 4-1 and is now the team that controls its own destiny heading into Monday.
In order for Nebraska Elite to capture the 18 Open title, it must now win its final two games on Monday and hope for Topeka Impact to lose at least once on the final day.
18 Open Standings at Conclusion of Day 2
1.) Topeka Impact 181 (4-1)
2.) CIA 18 Black (4-1)
3.) Nebraska Elite 18 Kpalie (4-2)
4.) Mizuno Northern Lights 181 (3-2)
5.) Mizuno Northern Lights 182 (3-3)
6.) IPVA 18’s Black (2-3)
7.) Premier 18 Gold (2-3)
8.) Nebraska Juniors 181 (1-4)
9.) Kairos Elite 18 Adidas (1-5)
Monday’s Key Matches:
11 a.m. – Court 32 – CIA 18 Black vs. Nebraska Elite 18 Kpalie
Noon – Court 32 – Mizuno Northern Lights 181 vs. CIA 18 Black
Championship Prediction:
Topeka Impact 181
Unless the wheels completely fall off for Topeka Impact 181 on Monday, expect the team led by Husker recruit Jazz Sweet to be at the top of the standings with the nine team round-robin slugfest is over. In its three matches on Monday, Topeka Impact 181 faces the bottom three in the standings while CIA 18 Black will have its hands full with matches against Nebraska Elite 18 Kpalie, Northern Lights 181 and Nebraska Juniors 181 on Monday.
Also working in Topeka Impact’s favor is the fact that its owns the head-to-head tie breaker against both CIA 18 Black (17-25, 25-17, 15-10) and Nebraska Elite 18 Kpalie (25-22, 22-25, 15-12).
Nebraska Elite Kpalie’s chances at winning the title took a hit with losses to Topeka Impact and Premier 18 Gold on Sunday, but Elite still has a decent chance at winning the title if it can knock off CIA 18 Black and Topeka Impact stumbles on Monday. In the event of a 3-team tie at the top of the standings Elite has – at this point – the advantage in the set win-percentage tie breaker.
17 Open
If a Nebraska-based team is going to win the 17 Open title on Monday, its going to have to earn it the hard way. Both Nebraska Elite 17 Tough Enough and VCNebraska 17 Elite finished second in their respective pools on Sunday to reach the championship bracket, but both would have to win three straight to be crowned the champion.
Nebraska Elite got into the championship quarterfinals by the skin of its teeth, winning a 21-25, 25-21, 19-17 decision over Dynasty 17 Black in the final match of the day to punch its ticket to the championship bracket. VCNebraska, meanwhile, rolled to sweeps of Austin Juniors 17 Molten and Topeka Impact 171 to advance.
17 Open Standings at Conclusion of Day 2
Pool 1
1.) MAVA 17 Select (3-0)
2.) Nebraska Elite 17 Tough Enough (2-1)
3.) Dynasty 17 Black
4.) Nebraska ONE 17 Krush
Pool 2
1.) Ozark Juniors 171 (3-0)
2.) VCNebraska 17 Elite (2-1)
3.) Topeka Impact 171 (1-2)
4.) AJV 17 Molten (0-3)
Pool 3
1.) Mizuno Northern Lights 171 (3-0)
2.) CIA 17 Black (2-1)
3.) Premier 17 Gold (1-2)
4.) Asics MAVS 171 (0-3)
Monday’s Championship Bracket
10 a.m. – Court 22 – CIA 17 Black vs. VCNebraska 17 Elite
10 a.m. – Court 21 – Mizuno Northern Lights 171 vs. Nebraska Elite 17 Tough Enough
Noon – Court 22 – MAVA 17 Select vs. CIA/VCN winner
Noon – Court 21 – Ozark Juniors vs. Northern Lights/Elite winner
2 p.m. – Court 22 – Championship match
Championship Prediction:
Northern Lights 171 over VCNebraska 17 Elite
Nobody has established itself as the clear-cut favorite in this division and all six teams are legitimate title contenders in what should be a great bracket. Northern Lights simply has the championship pedigree and has yet to lose a match in Omaha.
MAVA went 3-0 today, but I still can’t say I’m sold on them as a title contender after it really struggled on Saturday to put away Colorado Juniors 172 and MVP 17 Blue in three sets. VCNebraska, which beat CIA in three sets (15-12 in third) on Saturday and I think they win the rematch and get past MAVA and I expect Creighton recruit Jaela Zimmerman will play big in these big matches, like she always does.
If Nebraska Elite can get by Northern Lights in the quarterfinals, I think they go on to win the title. Elite pulled out a gutsy 21-25, 25-21, 19-17 win over Dynasty 17 Black just to reach the championship bracket, but it definitely has the talent to win it all.
16 Open
Both Premier 16 Gold and Mizuno Northern Lights 161 continued on what seems like a collision course for a meeting in the finals while each going 3-0 on Sunday.
Premier still has not lost a set in the tournament and didn’t allow an opponent to score more than 18 points on it in any set on Sunday. Northern Lights also hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament, but twice on Sunday a Nebraska-based team pushed them hard. Northern Lights first held of Nebraska ONE 16 Titanium 27-25, 25-20 and then closed out the day by rallying from a big hole in the second set to beat Nebraska Elite 16 Mazi 25-19, 28-26.
Nebraska Elite 16 Mazi and Nebraska ONE 16 Titanium will play Monday morning with the winner likely moving on to the championship semifinals against Premier 16 Gold.
Dynasty 16 Black entered the tournament as the top seed and swept its first four opponents before getting upset 25-22, 23-25, 15-12 by Nebraska Elite 162 Alpha and then getting swept 25-16, 25-18 against Premier 16 Gold. Dynasty 16 Black must now beat Minnesota Select 161 on Monday morning to reach the championship bracket.
16 Open Standings at Conclusion of Day 2
Pool 1
1.) Premier 16 Gold (6-0)
2.) Minnesota Select 151 (5-1)
3.) Dynasty 16 Black (4-2)
4.) Front Range 16 Blue (3-3)
5.) Nebraska Juniors 161 (2-4)
6.) Nebraska Elite 16 Alpha (2-4)
7.) Colorado Juniors 16 Malia (1-5)
8.) CIA 16 Black (1-5)
Pool 2
1.) Mizuno Northern Lights 161 (6-0)
2.) Nebraska Elite 16 Mazi (5-1)
3.) Six Pack VBC 16U (5-1)
4.) Nebraska ONE 16 Titanium (4-2)
5.) VCNebraska 16 Elite (2-4)
6.) The Edge Volleyball Club 16 Red (1-5)
7.) Rocky Select 16 Black (1-5)
8.) Nebraska Juniors 162 (0-6)
Monday’s Key Matches:
8 a.m. – Court 31 – Northern Lights vs. Six Pack VBC 16U
8 a.m. – Court 32 – Nebraska Elite 16 Mazi vs. Nebraska ONE 16 Titanium
8 a.m. – Court 29 – Dynasty 16 Black vs. Minnesota Select 161
Championship Prediction:
Premier 16 Gold over Northern Lights 161
Both teams seem destined for the championship match with Premier and Northern Lights each sitting at 6-0 without dropping a set thus far. If this prediction holds up, I would expect a three-set thriller.
The championship bracket on Monday will consist of the top two teams from each pool. Premier had clinched the top spot in its pool already while Northern Lights still needs to defeat Six Pack on Monday morning to win its pool, which is the likely outcome. That would put Premier and Northern Lights on the opposite side of the bracket later in the day.
Things will be interesting at 8 a.m. Monday as the final two spots in the championship bracket will be determined. Dynasty 16 Black takes on Minnesota Select 161 with the winner advancing to the championship bracket to face – most likely – Northern Lights. Meanwhile, assuming Northern Lights defeats Six Pack, the Nebraska Elite 16 Mazi and Nebraska ONE match will determine who faces Premier in the semifinals. A win by Elite automatically sends it into the semifinals. A win by Nebraska ONE would likely create a three-way tie, which could send ONE into the semifinals.
15 Open
In a battle of unbeatens, Asics MAVS 151 pulled out a 25-18, 23-25, 17-15 win over Premier 15 Gold to clinch first place in pool 1. That loss now puts Premier 15 Gold in a must-win match against Minnesota Select 151 on Monday morning in order to reach the championship bracket.
Meanwhile, in pool 2, Dynasty 15 Black edged Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution 25-21, 28-26 to remain undefeated and Mizuno Northern Lights 151 swept all three of its opponents on Sunday to also remain undefeated. Dynasty and Northern Lights will face each other Monday morning to determine their seeds for the championship bracket.
15 Open Standings at Conclusion of Day 2
Pool 1
1.) Asics MAVS 151 (6-0)
2.) Premier 15 Gold (5-1)
3.) Minnesota Select 151 (5-1)
4.) VCNebraska 15 Elite (3-3)
5.) Nebraska Juniors 151 (2-4)
6.) Club ONE 15 Black (2-4)
7.) Momentum Volleyball 15 Elsa (1-5)
8.) CIS 15M (0-6)
Pool 2
1.) Dynasty 15 Black (6-0)
2.) Mizuno Northern Lights 151 (6-0)
3.) Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution (4-2)
4.) Six Pack VBC 15U (3-3)
5.) Ozark Juniors 151 (2-4)
6.) Premier 15 Black (2-4)
7.) CIA 15 Black (1-5)
8.) Front Range 15 White (0-6)
Monday’s Key Matches:
8 a.m. – Court 37 – Dynasty 15 Black vs. Northern Lights 151
8 a.m. – Court 39 – Premier 15 Gold vs. Minnesota Select 151
Championship Prediction:
Northern Lights 151 over Asics MAVS 151
The championship bracket on Monday will consist of the top two teams from each pool. MAVS 151 has already clinched first in its pool and will get the loser of the Dynasty 15 Black and Northern Lights match in the semifinals. We expect Northern Lights to beat Dynasty to win pool 2. Since winning in three sets in its first match of the tournament, Northern Lights has been demolishing people.
We expect Premier 15 Gold, which had been rolling everyone until falling 18-25, 25-23, 15-17 to MAVS in its final match Sunday, to down Minnesota Select and reach the semifinals against Northern Lights.
14 Open
After absolutely dominating its competition on Saturday, Premier 14 Gold looked a little more human on Sunday, getting pushed to a 25-20 first-set win over Momentum Volleyball before rolling 25-6 in the second set. Minnesota Select then took a set from Premier in the next match.
In the feature match in pool 1, Mizuno Northern Lights 141 earned a spot in the championship bracket by sneaking past Dynasty 13 Black 25-23, 21-25, 15-13.
14 Open Standings at Conclusion of Day 2
Pool 1
1.) OP2 141 EP (4-1)
2.) Mizuno Northern Lights 141 (4-1)
3.) Dynasty 13 Black (4-1)
4.) Nebraksa ONE 14 Shockerz (2-3)
5.) Nebraska Elite 14 Havoc (1-4)
6.) NORCO 14 Black (0-5)
Pool 2
1.) Premier 14 Gold (5-0)
2.) Momentum Volleyball 14 Deb (4-1)
3.) Iowa Heart 14 Black (3-2)
4.) Minnesota Select 141 (2-3)
5.) Nebraska Juniors 141 (1-4)
6.) Ozark Juniors 141 (0-5)
Monday’s Championship Bracket:
11 a.m. – Court 10 – OP2 141 EP vs. Momentum Volleyball 41 Deb
11 a.m. – Court 9 – Premier 14 Gold vs. Northern Lights 141
2 p.m. – Court 10 – Championship Match
Championship Prediction:
Premier 14 Gold over Momentum Volleyball 14 Deb
The real championship match likely takes place on Court 9 at 11 a.m. when Premier 14 Gold takes on Northern Lights 141. Premier has been the most dominant team by far in the 14s division, but the fact it dropped a set to Minnesota Select does show it’s not a forgone conclusion it will waltz to the title. Ultimately, we think Northern Lights pushes Premier in a tight semifinal before Premier coasts past Momentum in the finals.