5 Matches Worth Watching Over Again At AAU Nationals
In only a few short days there are plenty of matches, hundreds that have gone on in Wave 2 of the AAU National Championships. As the tournament nears the championships on Monday, each match gets that much bigger. Here are…
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Continue ReadingIn only a few short days there are plenty of matches, hundreds that have gone on in Wave 2 of the AAU National Championships. As the tournament nears the championships on Monday, each match gets that much bigger. Here are five (out of many) that are worth watching again because they just had that “feel” to it where the momentum swings back and forth, rivalries are continued, or maybe even started.
Milwaukee Sting 17 Black vs. Karson 17U (FL)
This was a key crossover match for Milwaukee Sting 17 Black who dropped their first two matches of their three team pool early Sunday morning. However there was a chance to move up, a spot at redemption to earn a challenge match. After trading the first two sets 25-23, it came down to set three where Sting would race out to an early 11-6 lead. Karson wouldn’t be finished as they would have match point, but to only be denied with a big block by Haley Grocholski. That’s all it took to change the momentum in favor of Sting as they would go on to win the match 17-15 and a spot in the challenge match on Sunday night.
Kokoro 17-1 vs. Northern Lights 17-1
Kokoro had a tough day to open up the tournament going 1-2 and just not executing at the level they were capable of. However day two was a different story having to face a familiar opponent in Northern Lights 17-1. Many Molten Series matchups, seeing these athletes across the net for years in club and high school ball brings makes things a little more simple than the idea of playing for a national championship. Kokoro came out on fire with the physicality of blocking by Maddie Whittington at the net and the scoring ability of Cianna Selbitschka and Emily Banitt on the pin. Selbitschka is just the clutch player that is so composed in stressful situations where she finds a way to score anywhere on the court. Kokoro was able to shut down the momentum before Lights could take it to a third winning in set two 26-24.
Vaqueras 17 Victor vs. Wisconsin Juniors 17-1
For the parents and coaches of Wisconsin Juniors, there definitely isn’t a time to just relax through a match, however it is 17 Open. Down double digits in set two to Vaqueras out of Puerto Rico, Juniors hit the accelerator when Karlee Lois and Karina Leber took over with their setter/middle combos, Lois was scoring points on second contact, and Maddy Haines was blasting away from the pin. The lead closed and soon Juniors took over to win the match 2-0 and 26-24 in the second set.
Motion MVP 17 Blue vs. Milwaukee Sting 17 White
These two clubs are all too familiar with each other. Miles apart, many of them playing high school ball together and some even playing for the other club at some point. After splitting the first two sets, Sting came out to a quick lead in set three and seemed to be ready to chalk this up as a win. However, MVP behind their fast tempo offense ran by Upper Iowa commit, Nicole Pozorski began to execute, and middle blocker Sarah Mattes began to terminate to the deep corner. MVP would take the lead right at the end to eventually win the match in the third set 15-13.
Kandi Elite 17-1 vs. Vital Volleyball 17-1 Gold
Kandi Elite was undefeated, blazing through the competition before facing a familiar opponent in Vital Volleyball . Kandi Elite is out of Willmar, MN and Vital Volleyball is just on the edge of the metro in Eden Prairie. Again, these two clubs have seen each other throughout the Molten Series and in high school ball that the familiarity could work into the advantage of Vital Volleyball . Vital Volleyball would jump out to the an early lead and absolutely dominate the first set winning 25-17. However, with the athletes and size of Kandi Elite , they were able to find their way back with solid ball control led by Abby Stark and the balanced attack where Makayla Snow could run the show for Kandi Elite as they would go on to win the next two sets 25-20 and 15-11.