Nebraska Squads Already Making a Big Impact in 16 Open at AAUs

<p>The opening day of 16 Open competition is in the books at AAU Nationals, and we’ve got a couple of Nebraska teams in the running for a championship after successful starts.</p> <p>Orlando is always a fascinating venue to watch many of Nebraska’s teams grow and improve in a festive end-of-season environment. I’m keeping a close eye on AAUs from afar this year, and I’m coming out of 16 Open’s first day impressed with what the Cornhusker State is bringing.</p> <p>So, here’s a quick look at some of those Day 1 observations from 16 Open at AAU Nationals.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Nebraska Elite 16 Lokahi Scraps to Perfection</strong></p> <p>16 Lokahi’s 3-0 start in Orlando is a testament to the team’s resilience and willingness to face adversity.</p> <p>That unblemished record certainly didn’t come easily for Nebraska Elite. After starting the tournament with a two-set win over EC Power, 16 Lokahi battled in back-to-back three-set matches to finish out the day. And, in both instances, it was the Nebraska squad that dropped the opening set before rallying to take a win in the tiebreaker. Triumphs over Summit and OVA cemented 16 Lokahi’s status as a team to watch heading into Day 2.</p> [caption id="attachment_168324" align="alignright" width="302"]<img class="wp-image-168324" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/12/37-Tatum-Godinez.jpg" alt="" width="302" height="454" /> Godinez[/caption] <p>The depth of this Nebraska Elite team remains a big storyline in Orlando. [player_tooltip player_id="124775" first="Tatum" last="Godinez"] took on a vital frontcourt role during the team’s undefeated stretch and has also demonstrated her unwavering control in back-row defense. When Godinez is in a good rhythm, 16 Lokahi is at its best.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="187792" first="Emily" last="Love"] also continues to see an expanding role within this offense at the middle blocker spot. This has also allowed [player_tooltip player_id="104975" first="Nora" last="Wurtz"] to have a steady place at opposite, giving 16 Lokahi a great scoring outlet in out-of-system situations. Of course, usual suspects like [player_tooltip player_id="187796" first="Carly" last="Ries"] and [player_tooltip player_id="168167" first="Alizabeth" last="Jacobsen"] continue to thrive in a Nebraska Elite attack led by the stout setting of [player_tooltip player_id="168154" first="Molly" last="Romano"].</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>VCNebraska 16 Elite Stays in Group 1</strong></p> <p>Time to check back in with 16 Elite, a VCN team that is no stranger to success on these big stages.</p> <p>By the end of Thursday’s action, VCN 16 Elite locked up a spot in the next round of top-pool play with a 2-1 record to begin the event. Wins over Princeton and Team Indiana immediately put the team in a good spot to advance, and a narrow defeat to Momentous should not dim the competitive fire we’ve seen in 16 Elite.</p> [caption id="attachment_183553" align="alignright" width="357"]<img class="wp-image-183553" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7339.jpg" alt="" width="357" height="238" /> Bruning sets for VCNebraska 16 Elite at Triple Crown NIT.[/caption] <p>Similar to our discussion on Nebraska Elite, there are a lot of players peaking at the right time with VCN 16 Elite. [player_tooltip player_id="187800" first="Brynne" last="Topolski"] has become a reliable force on the left pin who can also hit a variety of tempos and gaps. On the other side of the net, [player_tooltip player_id="109612" first="Megan" last="Waters"] is one of those rare opposites who will take up a big chunk of the court in serve receive. Her versatility is always notable when she’s on the court.</p> <p>16 Elite’s two-setter system is still humming along nicely. [player_tooltip player_id="187798" first="Caylee" last="Rowley"] and [player_tooltip player_id="152907" first="Ali" last="Bruning"] have compatible setting styles that lead to seamless transitions between each player’s on-court rotations. Major props are also due to athletes like [player_tooltip player_id="152864" first="Mallorie" last="Meyer"] and [player_tooltip player_id="155042" first="Tia" last="Traudt"] for their continued displays of ball control prowess and steady leadership on every point. That’s what it’s going to take to find championship magic in Disney World.</p>