January Thaw Day 2: Nebraska Elite 18 Yang Makes Championship Semifinals
Lauren Walenz (Millard South) of Nebraska Elite 18 Yang goes line against the block of MVP 18 Blue’s Josie Reed (Ponca) during a pool-play match on Saturday. Elite won the match 2-0 and has advanced to the 18 American Division championship semifinals.…
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Continue ReadingLauren Walenz (Millard South) of Nebraska Elite 18 Yang goes line against the block of MVP 18 Blue’s Josie Reed (Ponca) during a pool-play match on Saturday. Elite won the match 2-0 and has advanced to the 18 American Division championship semifinals. (Photo by Berk Brown)
OMAHA – In the USAV Nationals Qualifier portion of the January Thaw tournament at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska’s lone team in bid contention entering the second day of competition stayed hot and advanced to the championship semifinals.
Nebraska Elite 18 Yang dropped just one set in going 3-0 in its pool today to advance to the 18 American Division championship semifinals tomorrow. The winner of the championship tournament will receive a bid to the USAV National Championships.
Elite 18 Yang swept Mizuno Northern Lights 18-R to start the day and then held off Southland Aces 181 in three set – scoring the final five points to win the third 15-10 – and then swept MVP 18 Blue to finish the day.
Elite 18 Yang will meet the winner of Mizuno Northern Lights 18-B and Team KC 181 in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow. The top seed in the tournament is Coast 182 of California.
Also in the 18 American Division, Banzai 181 defeated Omaha Volleyball Club 25-22, 18-25, 15-9 in a playoff match today. Both teams, however, are in tomorrow’s bronze tournament with a chance to finish as high as 13th in the tourney.
In 18 Open, Nebraska Elite 18 Ying went 2-1 and has the ability to finish as high as ninth tomorrow while Premier 18 Gold went 0-3 and has the opportunity to finish as high as 13th.
In tomorrow’s four-team championship pool competing for bids in 18 Open will be Northern Lights 181, Arizona Storm 18 Thunder, Minnesota Select 181 and Iowa Power Plex 18U.
In the 18 USA division, Premier 18 Black went 2-1 in consolation play and can finish as high as 13th in tournament play tomorrow.