Mizuno Club North 17-1 Earns Top Prize

<p>Eight 17’s teams from Missouri/Kansas City competed in the 17 American division at the Northern Lights Qualifier in Omaha last weekend. One of those teams walked away with the gold ball and berth to Las Vegas this summer for nationals.  Let’s catch up on how the teams fared against stiff competition.</p> <p><strong>Mizuno Club North 17 Angela - 1st Place - 10-0 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>Thanks to my handy mobile device I got word not only was Club North on an undefeated run, they hadn’t dropped a set heading into championship Sunday. I had to venture to court 16 to start my day to get a glimpse. They are good! They have size! They have a lot of solid pieces I saw in the one set I observed. <strong>Haylee O’Meara</strong> was good on the pins. Middle <strong>Lillian Holden</strong> has length. Libero <strong>Lia Graham</strong> and DS [player_tooltip player_id="119195" first="Rebecca" last="Wright"] were anchoring the back row. Setter [player_tooltip player_id="119201" first="Autumn" last="Kaderly"] was smart and efficient. Keep an eye on this team as they may be able to snatch up a USA bid in the qualifiers to come. </p> <p><strong>Invasion 17 Black - 9th Place - 5-2 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>Invasion had a good run at the Northern Lights Qualifier winning their first five matches, before dropping the last two. Libero <strong>Alexis Nunn</strong> was a high performer all weekend navigating the back row. Pin <strong>Macy Tauke</strong> had good length and uses it to get good reach on her swings. Middle <strong>Jillian Eidsness</strong> had some good swings in the game I watched. OH <strong>#12</strong> is a baller! Unfortunately, no number #12 was on the TM2 roster. Unfortunately, no roster on the Invasion website. So for now she is nameless but she is a 6 rotation player who plays great defense. Offensively, she has few shots in her toolbox and displayed athleticism. If you know number #12’s name, send it our way! Edit: Tori Valentine is number 12! Thank you Haylee of Club North!</p> <p><strong>Dynasty 17 Gray - 9th Place - 5-2 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>Dynasty joined local team Invasion in the 9th place category. They dropped their first match of the qualifier before going on a winning streak of their own. They wouldn’t lose again until bracket play. Defensively I loved the play of libero <strong>Carli Black</strong> and <strong>Jenna Walters</strong>. They were giving up their body and making absolutely jaw-dropping plays. Middle <strong>Emma Hinkle</strong> was a force at the net. She affected many plays by getting touches or blocks. </p> <p><strong>Summit Volleyball 17-1 - 9th Place - 4-3 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>Another Missouri team joins the 9th Place finish category in Summit Volleyball. They went 2-1 on the first two days to keep their bid dreams alive. They did lose to Minnesota Select 17-3 in bracket play. Middle <strong>Taylor Bailey</strong> was impressive in the games we watched back. She is powerful and has a lively arm. She does a great job of transitioning off the net to make herself available to the ball. I believe she is a future pin, as she also plays 6 rotations from the middle position. Setter <strong>Katherine Spacil</strong> also caught our eye. She has idea hands and does a good job of putting the ball high for her hitters. Pin <strong>Emma Lohe</strong> is a scorer. </p> <p><strong>PVA 17 National - 15th Place - 6-3 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>PVA had a good enough day 1 to stay in contention but a 1-2 second day bumped them to the silver bracket. They did find success there, going 3-0 to complete the tournament. Setter <strong>Kate Sogard</strong> had a good tournament. She has great size at the setter position and runs a good offense. On the pins, <strong>Briauna White</strong> was productive over the course of the weekend. She is explosive and hits a hardball. 6 rotation <strong>Ashlynn Landon</strong> was one of our favorite players to watch. She has a tremendous skill set and will be able to play at the next level. </p> <p><strong>Summit Volleyball 17-2 - 24th Place - 3-5 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>A 0-3 second day dampened the mood for Summit Volleyball, as their hopes for a bid came to a halt. They did bounce back to win their first match in the bronze bracket, before suffering defeat by the hands of Premier Nebraska Red. Middle <strong>Brianna Black</strong> has great size and moves well along the net. She gets off the ground fast and gets her hands on balls at a high rate. Southpaw <strong>Lorelei Culver</strong> is a fearless hitter who can find the floor. We saw<strong> Lily Boyer</strong> run an efficient offense from the setter position. She is a hustler who works hard to set the ball with her hands as often as she can. </p> <p><strong>North Storm 17-1 - 33rd Place - 4-3 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>North Storm was knocked out of the running for a bid on the first day. They had a good second day, going 3-0 before losing on the last day in flight bracket play. Libero <strong>Mica Dunscombe</strong> was masterful along the back row throughout the tournament. She anticipates shots well and positions herself accordingly. Setter <strong>Kayleigh Doepker</strong> showed a strong skillset. She is a good decision maker and did a good job of finding one on ones. Six-Rotation pin <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="119208" first="Avery" last="McVicker"]</strong> is an offensive threat anytime she’s on the court. She swings with a purpose and is a go-to player. She passed well over the weekend also. </p> <p><strong>Swarm 17 White - 44th Place - 1-6 Overall Record</strong></p> <p>We were happy to see Swarm grab a victory on the second day. You always want to see a team’s hard work pay off in a tournament setting. They will use this experience and move forward better. <strong>Gabriella Bailey</strong> did a good job from the libero position in the game we watched versus AVBC. OH <strong>Callie Mears</strong> is a complete player. She has a solid volleyball I.Q. and moves very well. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>