Title Contenders in the 17 Open at AAU Nationals
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Be sure to follow @lshotvb on Instagram and Twitter for all things volleyball! Use code LSHOTVBUSAV and get $10 off your registration for Prep Dig’s USAV Showcases, Session 1 & Session 2! – Just like that, we are already to championship Sunday! Who will be crowned the…
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Use code LSHOTVBUSAV and get $10 off your registration for Prep Dig’s USAV Showcases, Session 1 & Session 2!
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Just like that, we are already to championship Sunday! Who will be crowned the 2023 AAU National Champions in the 17 Open?
The last three days have been jam-packed with the best volleyball in the country. In came 62 teams, only 12 remain on the hunt for a national championship.
Let’s take a look at what teams are on the hunt!
FaR Out 17 Black VS OT 17 O Felix
These two teams are going in as a really tough match up. FaR Out is coming into tomorrow 6-3 with six of the matches going to three sets. Their last five games have all gone to three, with 17 Black going 4-1. This group knows how to put up a fight and how to go down swinging, they won’t go down easily. On the other hand, OTVA was on real mean streak, winning their first eight matches before dropping their last game to Miami Hype. OTVA has also had themselves a slew of 3-setters, including four of their last five matches.
This one is going to be a doozy. With the power houses of Elana Erickson Elana Erickson 5'10" | OH Forest Hills Northern | 2024 State #79 Nation MI (Western Michigan) and Navea Gauthier Navea Gauthier 6'1" | OH Shelby | 2025 State #56 Nation MI from FaR Out and the defensive craze from OTVA with Anna Pantona and Caylan Russ Caylan Russ 5'6" | DS/L Windermere | 2024 State FL (Florida State). This will surely be another three set brawl.
Winner VS Kairos 17 Alpha
Whoever makes it out of this match-up will have to against the tough Kairos 17 Alpha. This team is also an 8-1 team. With a really strong defensive scheme in the back to go along a well-balanced offense. Kairos will be a daunting battle for either team in the gold medal opener.
Academy 17 Tsunami VS Northern Lights 17-1
This one is going to be a pretty fun match up to kick off your Sunday morning. Academy Tsunami has been one of the top dogs in the country since the January after winning Central Zone in Indianapolis. Its June now and they’re going into Sunday with a perfect 9-0 record. Five matches going the distance, all of which resulting in favor of Academy. For Northern Lights, outside of some uncharacteristic losses, this squad has been having a really solid outing in Orlando. 6-3 going into the final day, I could totally see The Comeback Queens be a common theme for this club that just saw their 14-1s team win 14 Open only a week ago.
In this one, I may have to give the edge to Tsunami in this one, Leah Richmond Leah Richmond 5'8" | S Lawrence North | 2024 State IN (Western Michigan) runs one mean offense that has proven superior to some of the biggest teams in the field. Northern Lights has their own top tier setter with Audrey Kocon Audrey Kocon 6'2" | S Mounds View | 2024 State #171 Nation MN (Providence), and she’s got herself a pretty big weapon on the right with Hadley Burger Hadley Burger 6'0" | RS East Ridge | 2024 State MN (Texas AM-CC).
Winner VS OT 17 T Aaron
Like their sister team, 17 O Felix, this team has gone a big time 8-1 with only one loss… To Miami Hype. All of 17 T Aaron’s matches have gone the way of sweeps, this could mean big things or be worrisome when a challenge begins to present itself by one of these two squads. Regardless this is another big match. With their big Gator 1-2 punch of L Isabella Lee Isabella Lee 5'5" | DS/L Plant | 2024 State FL (Florida) and S Taylor Parks (Florida), we got ourselves a doozy.
Top Select 17 Elite VS Legacy 17-1 Adidas
You never know what you’re going to get when its nationals. Top Select came into this tournament as a heavy favorite for the 17 Open title. They’re cruising pretty well here with an 8-1 record, losing their last match to NE Elite. But the team across the net is what may give people a surprise. This Legacy squad has had an up-and-down season, only really showing off the last time they were in Orlando back in February for the Sunshine Classic where they placed ninth. Maybe Orlando is 17-1 Adidas’ sweet spot? Legacy comes into this match up as the upset queens with a 6-3 record and huge wins over Circle City and Northern Lights.
While it would pretty easy for me to full send this one on Top Select. A team led by one of the top players in the country, and recent Under Armour All-American Invitee, Nayellis Cabello (Louisville). I am not about to count out Legacy either. A dangerous combination of setting with Lucy Mott Lucy Mott 6'1" | S SUA (Toledo) | 2024 State #105 Nation OH (Boston College) and right side presence with Kate Maley Kate Maley 6'1" | RS Skyline | 2024 State #153 Nation MI (Loyola-Chicago), don’t count them out.
Winner VS Miami Hype 17N Emilio
After a rough start to nationals, Miami Hype has been taking down teams left and right to go on an 8 game win streak. Miami already has wins over two golden medal round teams and are battle-tested with four three set matches throughout the tournament. This could be the dark horse of the tournament that sneaks the championship away from an expected winner.
A5 17 Jing VS Mintonette m.71
The reigning champions are looking to go for a repeat. Last year this 17s group at A5 not only won the 16 Open division, but they also won the premier division as well. They’re looking for another trophy in the shelf here. They’re coming in with a 7-2 record, starting and ending the last three days with a loss, both in three sets. For Mintonette, they are too 7-2. For m.71, the Florida teams seem to be their only kryptonite as both OTVA teams searching for a championship were Mintonette’s lone losses.
Like I said, A5 is coming into tomorrow meaning NOTHING but BUSINESS. This team has been finding a lot of success on their pins with Hannah Benjamin Hannah Benjamin 6'0" | OH Homeschool | 2024 #19 Nation GA (Kentucky), Emma Duffield (Georgia) and Grace Agolli Grace Agolli 6'2" | S Pace Academy | 2024 #73 Nation GA (California). They have however been playing with line-ups throughout the tournament. I’d expect these three to be front and center, firing on all cylinders. For Mintonette, they have the size capable of giving it to A5. With Becca Wight Becca Wight 6'4" | RS Thomas Worthington | 2024 State OH (Virginia) and Lilly Barron (Houston) on both pins, this will be the battle of the pins.
Winner VS Tri-State Elite 17 Blue
With one lone loss to Boiler Juniors in the second match of Day 3, this Tri-State team has been cooking, sweeping every other opponent. On all facets of the game, Tri-State Elite has been a solid, all-around competitor. This is another team that could be a dark horse late in the tournament!
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