Illinois Bid Tracker – Who qualified in January?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though the season just started, two Great Lakes 18s teams have already qualified for USAV Nationals this spring. [program_tooltip program_id='429175' first='VC' last='United'] 18-2 qualified in the American Division by winning the Windy City Qualifier and 1st Alliance 18 Gold qualified open at Florida Fest this past weekend. Here is a breakdown of the teams and their journey to the bid!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[program_tooltip program_id='429175' first='VC' last='United'] 18-2</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='429175' first='VC' last='United'] went 7-2 to win the American Division of the Windy City Qualifier in a huge showing of grit and tenacity. They battled through four 3-set thrillers. This championship was a full-team win and had many contributors as a team. Setters [player_tooltip player_id='184769' first='Skye' last='McDermott'] and [player_tooltip player_id='122555' first='Ella' last='Safar'] ran the offense cleanly and efficiently. Skye played all six rotations and hit in the front row. She was smart with her shots and found ways to earn points. Ella impressed with her speed and decision-making. She moved the ball around well and found her hot hitters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defense for [program_tooltip program_id='429175' first='VC' last='United'] was a key piece of their success over the weekend. Libero Hanna Pizzolato and defensive specialists Thalia Mackey and Kailey Kline were all over the court. Kailey was scrappy and quick on defense. Thalia caught my eye with her competitive serve and great ball control out of the middle back. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On offense, there were several key players. Bria Johnston played all six rotations and was impactful in all of them. She was valuable on offense, defense, and serve receive. Middle hitter Asha Billstrand was smart and powerful and moved the ball around the court well. She was always ready to earn points for her team. [player_tooltip player_id='91905' first='Coco' last='Barnett'] is a lefty right side with a lethal line shot. She can swing from across the net and run a really nice middle hit out of serve receive. [player_tooltip player_id='119427' first='Isabel' last='Floryance'] was powerful on the pin and manufactured points. She played across the front row and was a go-to hitter for her setters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>1st Alliance 18 Gold</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Please note, I was unable to find a live stream of the tournament and will provide the most accurate coverage I can. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After winning the 17 Open division of USAV Nationals this past summer, the majority of the roster is back for more. They qualified open after going 8-2 at Florida Fest this past weekend. They had quite the battle to earn a bid. They beat Mintonette Sports who previously qualified 18 Open as well as Gainesville Juniors who also earned a bid at this tournament. Their two losses came to MAVS 18-1 and DNVBC 18 Red, two teams who also had previously qualified Open. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero and Northwestern commit [player_tooltip player_id='138650' first='Gigi' last='Navarrete'] is a key player on this team. She is gritty, talented, and a great communicator. Gigi is ranked second in Illinois and in the top 20 in the country. When she is on the court, she makes a difference. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='138653' first='Jordan' last='Heatherly'] is fast, dynamic, and incredibly smart. She will run down balls from corner to corner and make great plays off of them. Pin hitter Kennedy Wagner is explosive and high flying. No shot is out of her range. She can play 6 rotations at a very high level. Middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id='138656' first='Kamryn' last='Lee-Caracci'] is explosive and incredibly powerful. [player_tooltip player_id='138649' first='Kamryn' last='Chaney'] is a pin who takes the word explosive to a new level. She can swing across the front row and is fast and high flying. Chaney makes momentum-changing plays on the court and is an energizer with her play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is incredibly talented in every single position. They have chemistry and never miss an opportunity to celebrate each other on great plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->