First Annual Emperors Cup: Washington Results

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Washington sent an excellent group of teams and players to the first annual Emperors Cup in Las Vegas. At this new 18U event, many athletes in attendance were playing the final tournament of their club careers. WVBA sent 5 total teams, with three teams playing up in age. Blue Royals, CRU, SIVA, Kitsap Select and PSVBA were in attendance as well. Skagit Island Volleyball Academy (SIVA) had three teams playing, the remaining clubs sent a single squad for the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cro-p60sc3Q/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cro-p60sc3Q/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The club volleyball landscape continues to expand and change, with LOVB and 3Step Sports both acquiring (or building) clubs across the country. Top Court Events is the volleyball event arm of 3Step Sports, and the Emperors Cup is positioned as an alternative to the USAV 18 Championships. The two events ran on the same weekend, with the USAV event in Ohio.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Need more details on how LOVB and 3Step Sports are operating? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://lovb.com/about/press ">https://lovb.com/about/press </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://threestep.com/our-sports/volleyball/">https://threestep.com/our-sports/volleyball/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are a handful of Pacific Northwest clubs affiliated with the two groups currently, and it's possible more could make the jump in the future. Let's take a look at some of the players who stood out from the state of Washington during the Emperor's Cup in Vegas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["97234"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Grant has committed to Western Washington, and she has a calm maturity and presence as a setter and leader for her WVBA 18 squad. The team went 6-1 in the 18 Open at the Emperors Cup, with their only loss to the 2nd place team Bama Elite. Grant has the task of setting a fast and accurate offense, and keeping a group of talented attackers involved. She plays with an economy of movement, using her feet to be in the best position to deliver a great ball, then sending it with great tempo to the hitter. She has a great connection with u003cstrongu003eEmery DeJongu003c/strongu003e running a shoot to the outside.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["178581"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Neal is a strong and confident libero for SIVA, the senior lefty takes control of the back line defensively. The multi-spot athlete from Meridian High School has great hands, she can easily handle tough serves and hard shots with her hands. Neal has worked hard on her serve, the lefty has great location and will mix it up targeting opposing teams weak spots when she identifies them. Her physicality shows on the court, hard shots don't phase Neal, she can easily dig balls out and get on the floor for tough saves.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["250013"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Nealon has been a part of a winning Richland Bombers program and an excellent group of college-bound players at CRU. The six-foot senior can play the middle or the outside, and she has a whippy fast arm swing and has continued to develop power over her career. Nealon has an excellent press on the block, she may be a bit longer than her listed height. She does an excellent job handling the ball out of the middle, her training as an outside and back row player shows when things are messy in the middle.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["97243"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Myre will be at Linfield next season, and the senior from Eastlake High School is an excellent all-around player. She has shown the ability to attack from the pin and the back row, swinging for the deep corners and avoiding the block. Myre will always have a place on the court with her excellent passing and serve receive, her platform is sound and she has does a nice job keeping her setter out of the net.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["97231"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Congden is a fearless setter who took on the leadership role for her Blue Royals team after doing the same this season at Meadowdale. She will move the ball around the court on the move and when she is well off the net, still giving her attackers a good location to work with. Congden is crafty at the net and will take the opportunity to score when it's presented.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-646aef8f2f970"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17270592/634f0ebf0c552b12b0cda456' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-647824f0b9cb6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>WVBA 18 Adidas was the top finisher in any division from Washington, landing in a tie for 5th in the 18 Open. CRU 18 Baden went 6-3 in the Club Division, good for 9th in a Division comparable to a USA Division field. The Blue Royals posted 3 wins and a 19th-place finish in the same 18 Club Division. The Emperors Cup should continue to grow and offer a West Coast alternative for teams that may not choose to chase a bid for the USAV 18 Nationals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->