2023 USAV GJNC 18’s Preview: Pacific Northwest
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The Pacific Northwest sends a strong contingent of 18’s to the USAV GJNC in Columbus, Ohio. It’s the last hurrah for many players in attendance, and an excellent chance to compete with your friends on the club one more time.…
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Continue ReadingThe Pacific Northwest sends a strong contingent of 18’s to the USAV GJNC in Columbus, Ohio. It’s the last hurrah for many players in attendance, and an excellent chance to compete with your friends on the club one more time. Here is a look at some of the teams and players at Nationals this weekend.
NPJ Forefront – North Pacific Juniors (Oregon/Washington/Idaho) 18 OPEN
Season Record (on AES): 51-9
The team features multiple Gatorade Players of the Year from separate states, Power 5 commits from both the 2023 and 2024 class, and won the Open Division championship at PNQ earning a bid in the highest division possible. NPJ Forefront is a team that many think can push for a Gold Bracket finish in Columbus.
Kyleene Filimaua Kyleene Filimaua 6’1″ | OH North Creek | 2023 State #185 Nation WA was rolling when we watched her play at the Pacific Northwest Qualifier this season. The Florida State commit can hammer the ball and has the overall game you would expect to see from an elite beach player. She is a unique combination of skill and power, as comfortable setting a second ball as she is driving a shot hard angle at the 10 foot line. Filimaua has been a show stopper in the PNW since eighth grade, and no stage has been too big for her to succeed. Florida State is bringing in a special player!
The class of 2024 is well represented on the Forefront squad with setter and University of Washington commit Alexis Haury Alexis Haury 5'10" | S Silverton | 2024 State #9 Nation OR , attacker Lauryn Johnson Lauryn Johnson 6'1" | OH West Salem | 2024 State OR (Arizona State), and right side Bridget Gould Bridget Gould 5'11" | RS Marshfield | 2024 State OR (Oregon). When it’s a crucial moment for NPJ, expect the team to find Filimaua or Idaho Player of the Year Alexis Acevedo (Oregon) for the big swing. Libero Kennedy Cheung Kennedy Cheung 5'2" | DS/L Westview | 2023 State OR has been playing confidently all season, she recently committed to the University of Chicago.
UPDATE: NPJ Forefront finishes 3-0 on day one! Only one of eight teams undefeated on day one in the Open Division.
OJVA 18 Gold – Oregon Juniors Volleyball Academy (Oregon/Washington) 18 OPEN
Season Record (on AES): 55-17Hite is a super defender from the setter position, she reads the game and covers tips and deflections easily. When covering the line she has a good sense of when a ball is in or out and she has strong hands handling a hard shot overhand. Hite stays dynamic when she sets, and has good location to her middles or when she pushes the ball to the pin. She will surprise teams with her attacks, out of the 5-1 or the 6-2 offense.
https://youtu.be/lr69KgknkYc Lauren Dreves Lauren Dreves 6’1″ | OH Columbia River | 2024 State #46 Nation WA is an Auburn University commit from the 2024 class out of Columbia River High School. Dreves has a whippy arm that is terminal from her outside hitter spot, and a high volleyball IQ.
Highlights
OJVA has a deep roster of attackers: Olivia Maulding Olivia Maulding 6'2" | MB LaSalle Catholic | 2023 State #90 Nation OR and Grace Wollmuth Grace Wollmuth 6'0" | MB Lake Oswego | 2023 State OR hammer the ball from the middle, and Sophia Gregoire-Salagean and Kalista Lukovich Kalista Lukovich 6'0" | OH Nelson | 2023 State OR are terminal on the pins.
UPDATE: OJVA 18 Gold finishes day one 2-1. In contention for Gold.
Dakine Surf Warriors 18 – Dakine (Washington) 18 National
Season Record (on AES): 34-13
Peredo had an amazing high school and club career as an outside hitter, and has committed to play at St. Martin’s University in Lacy, WA. The 5’5 dynamo can do it all on the court, and has continued racking up high flying kills for Dakine this club season. One highlight was earning All Team Honors at the Nike President’s Day Classic in St. Louis, a big time event and honor for the Washington High School standout.
Dakine 18 features dynamic outside Ivy Vindivich Ivy Vindivich 5'11" | OH Puyallup | 2023 State WA , recent Boise State commit Kendall Hastings in the middle, Sophia Baugh keeps the offense moving from the setter spot and Isabella Iregui is a defender who keeps points alive from the libero position.
UPDATE: Dakine finishes 2-1 on Day One- in contention for Gold.
Sudden Impact 18 Tsunami – Sudden Impact (Washington) 18 American
Season Record (on AES): 33-18
The future Northwest Nazarene Nighthawk has been consistently excellent from her libero position. Her specialty is the diving one handed dig, she can make it look easy- and will frustrate an opposing attacker when she does it multiple times in a match. Spray has a jump float serve that stays flat and dives just as it crosses the net, passers have struggled to keep their teams offense in system when she has been hot from the service line this season.
Highlights
There are some all-time winners on the SIVBC 18 Tsunami roster. Yasmeen Muhammad is a force in the middle, Rebecca DePencier-Piniero, Nyah Taylor, and Brooke Huard Brooke Huard 5'8" | DS/L Bellevue | 2023 State WA handle the pins, and setters Sam Darby and Elena Kong know how to run a successful team.
UPDATE: Undefeated first day for SIVBC Tsunami- rolling!