Nebraska Bid Tracker: VCNebraska 17 Black Captures Show Me Title

We have a lot to talk about. Let's get it started.   I had the extraordinary privilege of covering dozens of Great Plains Region teams at last weekend's Show Me Qualifier. This annual event always delivers a heap of Nebraska storylines, and that narrative hasn't changed in 2024. We have bid triumphs, standout players, and everything in between. Get ready to discuss all of it in the next several days.   First, let's update our ever-evolving Nebraska Bid Tracker. The first team in the spotlight is VCNebraska 17 Black after its long, grueling climb through the 17 American division. One Nebraska team was bound to hoist the gold in Kansas City, and 17 Black was happy to do the honors.   On to Vegas.     Perfection--and Drama   VCNebraska 17 Black entered the Show Me Qualifier's 17 American division with serious championship aspirations. That's perhaps the only proper mindset in a division that only hands out one bid. Barring any trickle-down madness, this a group that requires an outright championship to lock up a GJNC trip. One misstep at the wrong time can end an otherwise dominant run. VCN had little margin for error.   This high-pressure backdrop didn't seem to deter 17 Black through early pool matches. After a clutch 15-13 Set 3 win over Adrenaline in the opener, VCN rolled past 913Athletics and OK Charge to reach Round 2.   Saturday offered more glimpses at 17 Black's ability to come through in tight situations. Round 2's first match gave us another 15-13 scoreline in a third set with 17 Black prevailing yet again. The winning streak ballooned to five with a win over CIA. Pool play concluded with one more test of VCN's third-set stamina against United VBA. This one ended in a 15-7 decision as 17 Black kept its unblemished record intact. Nothing came easily, but VCN was maintaining its status as a division frontrunner.   However, this is where the do-or-die gauntlet sets in. 17 Black now had to push through an additional challenge match for a spot in the final single-elimination bracket. It all could have gone awry here, but VCN was ready for the pressure and swept Power to reach the Monday grind.   All of 17 Black's prior success granted it a first-round bye into 17 American's quarterfinals. Still, with only one bid available, VCN was three wins away from a title and a GJNC spot.   Those chances almost evaporated in Monday's first contest. Oklahoma Peak Performance surged past VCN in the first set of quarterfinal action and had 17 Black on the ropes. The Great Plains team eventually responded in Set 2, laying the foundation for one of 17 American's most dramatic three-set battles. 17 Black finally scored a 16-14 win in the third. Survive and advance.   That's enough drama for one day...but we got more. The semifinal round pitted VCN against Houston Prime. Cue up the next back-and-forth classic. 17 Black started strong in this one before the Lone Star Region squad battled back to force another tiebreaker. This Set 3 struggle went even further than the last one, and 17 Black had to withstand a Houston Prime match point. It all came together for a 17-15 VCN win, accompanied by all the stress you could ever ask for.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1777416641061736625 </div></figure>   After such a roundabout journey and a persistently perfect record, it's only fitting that 17 Black flexed its strength in the championship bout. No tiebreaker sets this time. A bid was within reach, and a two-set win over Crossfire locked it up. A GJNC bid came with all the golden spoils of Show Me's 17 American division. 10-0.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1777433322203029969 </div></figure>     The Right Combinations   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/IMG_1881-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-530171" style="width:348px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Piatkowski</figcaption></figure>   We've marveled at all the roster shuffles and new additions that VCNebraska has wielded in 2024. 17 Black has some of those--along with all the familiar names that have consistently shined with this group.   [player_tooltip player_id='189371' first='Paisley' last='Piatkowski'] is one of the fresh faces in VCN's gym. Her all-around performance in Kansas City was a reminder of how impactful she can be on any roster. 17 Black took full advantage of Piatkowski's impeccable rhythm and crosscourt heat on the outside. She was also a staple of the team's backcourt defense, which is nothing new from Piatkowski's past club seasons. This Elkhorn South prep athlete can make an unparalleled impact even when she's not the leading scorer.   How about the addition of [player_tooltip player_id='189327' first='Kacey' last='Porter'] on the right side? This high-flying lefty fits right into the quick offense that makes 17 Black so effective. She gets on top of the ball quickly and confounds opposing blockers with her crafty angles. Porter took a big step forward when we watched 17 Black at this year's Northern Lights Qualifier, and Show Me kept that momentum going.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1776959896530964502 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='253926' first='Lauren' last='Pearson'] is no stranger to the VCN camp, but this 2026 setter shifted up an age group to be with 17 Black. It's a worthy move with plenty of ripple effects. Pearson has earned opportunities to run the offense and is remarkably effective on the second contact. She can also slot into a serving specialist role and keyed up some of 17 Black's biggest scoring runs at Show Me. It's easy to forget that Pearson is the lone 2026 on the floor for this talented team.   While we're discussing setters, we have to mention [player_tooltip player_id='173537' first='Audrey' last='Waido']'s steady leadership for 17 Black. Waido has quickly become the offense's focal point with her consistent location and lightning-fast pace. VCN goes as Waido goes. This 2025 setter puts up monster numbers whether she's with Wahoo High School or donning a VCNebraska uniform.   Ball control is a strength for 17 Black, and the setter spot is only one part of it. Defensive specialists [player_tooltip player_id='495064' first='Macy' last='Abel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='516706' first='Sophia' last='McEwen'] worked in tandem to anchor the back line and produce quality first touches for the setter. Abel has shown particularly strong command of the contrasting jersey while McEwen is a force in the middle-back area.   First contacts were a collective effort between these defenders and any combination of 17 Black's pin hitters. We saw backcourt stints from Piatkowski, Porter, and the left-side hitter duo of [player_tooltip player_id='449608' first='Alaina' last='Ropte'] and [player_tooltip player_id='342566' first='Callie' last='Schroeder'].   Ropte and Schroeder could also crank out clutch swings along the net. VCN's Show Me film is full of indefensible tool shots and emphatic kills into the seam. The interchangeable rotation between Ropte, Schroeder, and Piatkowski gives 17 Black plenty of endurance for the long haul. It made a big difference in Kansas City.   VCN will also deploy a trio of dominant trio of middle blockers. This is where [player_tooltip player_id='342564' first='Katie' last='Merten'], [player_tooltip player_id='516701' first='Cecilia' last='Bryant'], and [player_tooltip player_id='395108' first='Eastyn' last='Kropatsch'] thrive. Kropatsch demonstrated her considerable development as a slide attacker last weekend. Merten, meanwhile, is a dynamic scorer off of two feet and has seen her stock skyrocket in the past several months. Bryant brings a dual role as a middle blocker and a second opposite.   A malleable lineup yielded one concrete result: a Show Me championship.     The Tracker   Here's our tracker--pending further additions from the Show Me Qualifier. Stay tuned as we add to this list in the next few days.   18 Open   Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (KC MLK)     18 National   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 18 Elite (GPR)     18 USA   Premier Nebraska 18 Black (NLQ)     18 American   Banzai VBC 18 Select (GPR)     18 Freedom   Club Legacy 18 Alpha (GPR)     17 Open   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Synergy (WCQ)     17 USA   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black (WCQ)   Premier Nebraska 17 Black (WCQ)     17 American   VCNebraska 17 Black (Show Me)     15 Open   Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution (NLQ)   Premier Nebraska 15 Gold (WCQ)   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 15 Elite (MEQ)     15 USA   Premier Nebraska 15 Black (NLQ)     15 Liberty   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 15 Black (MEQ)

We have a lot to talk about. Let's get it started.