Summer Soiree: Post-Season Sunshine
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Washington teams and players made the quick trip to Anaheim for West Coast Post Season action this weekend. The 14th Annual Soiree is hosted by the Southern California Volleyball Association at the Anaheim Convention Center and is a sun filled…
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Continue ReadingWashington teams and players made the quick trip to Anaheim for West Coast Post Season action this weekend. The 14th Annual Soiree is hosted by the Southern California Volleyball Association at the Anaheim Convention Center and is a sun filled way to end a season. It draws a West Coast field of squads that enjoy the great weather, fun theme days, easy and discounted access to Disney along with good competition as the tournament progresses. Here are some of the teams and players representing in California this week.
NCWVBC 18-1
The Wenatchee Panthers from Central Washington are playing together in the 18 Division at the Soiree. This team should be among the challengers for a spot in the top bracket, and a spot in the 4A State Tournament this fall. The group is a great mix of returning talent and new faces, with athleticism all over the court.
Demirjian is playing with the confidence of a two-year varsity starter coming into her junior year. The excellent athlete and beach player is a six-rotation player who can get gritty on defense and has the rise on the pin to crush a kill down the line.
Breven Luinstra
Breven Luinstra
Luinstra broke on to the scene when she was named a Top Performer at the Salt Lake City Showdown Showcase in April. At the Showcase, during the club season and now again in Anaheim, Luinstra features an ability to angle her platform in serve receive and deliver a pin point pass to her setter. Her range out of the middle back is enhanced by her long 5’11” frame, and she has quick enough feet to get balls thrown to the corner. The 2026 prospect blasted away at the block at the Soiree and was able to run a quick tempo to terminate points with setter Ava Jo Berry Ava Jo Berry 5’7″ | S Wenatchee | 2025 State WA running the offense.
CPA DREW 16
Coach Drew Pascua has been on double duty all season long and just finished guiding the CPA Drew 17 team at AAU Nationals in Orlando. His 16 squad has been peaking late with a team that was hit by the injury bug early on and several multi-sport athletes splitting time. A 6-0 record headed into day three has CPA in solid position to make a run in the 16 Division.
Tyler has been shouldering a big offensive load much of the season, and the 2025 Mead Panther has added shots to her toolbox to keep the opposing defense on their heels. A soft tip, sharp angle, and a high hands blast are all are scoring for the 5’10” Tyler. CPA has Jane Holley Jane Holley 5’8″ | OH Ridgeline | 2025 State WA , and Emma and Mara Sandberg in Anaheim to balance out the offense.
Berglund has come on late in the season, and is a big blocking presence for CPA in the middle. At 6’0″, she is next in line to be an impact middle at Freeman High School, a small school that has had talented size for several years running. Berglund has been running the slide, chasing the set with speed and exploding to drive it down to the cross court or down the line.
Highlights
SVA 16-2
The Seattle Volleyball Academy 16-2 team is highly competitive, and they are sporting a 5-1 record after day two of the tournament. The competition in the gym all season long with the SVA 16-1 team had to have been intense, and this group of talented athletes have definitely grown together into a tough squad to beat.
Setter Lindow is comfortable reversing the flow, sending over a crafty dump, or setting her feet and sending a long set cross-court to keep the offense in system. She has excellent overall skill, with the ability to deliver a flat float serve, go up and drive down an overpass, and play defense before she sets the ball. Lindow is an excellent all-around player.
Highlights
Kate Fjeld
Kate Fjeld
Fjeld has been impressing at the Soiree with her super quick feet and willingness to scrape herself across the court to keep rallies alive. Tips have a difficult time finding the floor when Fjeld is on duty, the West Seattle libero is tough to fool and fun to watch!
SIVA Lynden
The South Island team is a Lynden High School group, much like the NCVWVB team from Wenatchee High School. It’s fun to see the mix of rising seniors playing with incoming freshman for the fist time. SIVA Lynden is competing in the 18 Division, and have started out with a 5-1 record.
Koetje is athletic and long, and she is comfortable taking a big swing even when she is working with an out-of-system set. Her blocking is sound, and her quick jump helps her win challenges and jousts at the net. In Anaheim Koetje worked hard to turn sets in tough spots into points, rather than taking a swing that may have resulted in an error. Setter Grace Rice Grace Rice 5’8″ | S Lynden | 2024 State WA is connecting with Koetje to keep the offense rolling.
The 2024 class at Lynden is loaded, with VanderYacht contributing in big way’s defensively. The team also sports setter Grace Rice Grace Rice 5’8″ | S Lynden | 2024 State WA and Ashley Shumate Ashley Shumate 6’3″ | OH Lynden | 2024 State WA on the outside, but VanderYacht is all over the court to save points from her libero spot. She was taking a big portion of the court in serve receive, and her bright yellow libero jersey seemed to work as a warning sign for opponents to serve someone else. When she did see a serve VanderYacht delivered on target and with nice tempo.