What Were Some of My Favorite Matches from Day 1 of the Gauntlet?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I am really lucky that I get to watch a lot of really great volleyball. I see players year-round from high school through club season and showcases in between. It is not often that specific matchups stick in my brain, but today, the Gauntlet was filled with high-level teams playing the best volleyball of their season. Here are a few of my favorite matches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1st Alliance 15-Silver vs Northern Lights 15-2</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is one match from today that stands out to me specifically, and it was all the way on Court 8. The match was between 1st Alliance 15-Silver and Northern Lights 15-2. These two teams were incredibly evenly matched, and they left everything they had out on the court. The players on each of these two teams played with and for each other from the first point to the last, and it was fun and engaging to watch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1st Alliance ended up taking the win in two sets, but every point was a battle. [player_tooltip player_id='443058' first='Delilah' last='Roman'] was on the right side and had a huge impact. Her vertical and explosive approach helped her power through the Northern Lights' massive block. She was an offensive weapon throughout. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='529825' first='Alexis' last='Van Eekeren'] really stood out for her defense and big pickups on the tip. Her sets were consistent and well-placed as well. [player_tooltip player_id='529830' first='Lola' last='Baker'] is another solid setter who rounded out the 6-2 for 1st Alliance. [player_tooltip player_id='435344' first='Aubrey' last='Martinez'] also had a great match and was able to power through blocks well. [player_tooltip player_id='529837' first='Julia' last='Ahrens'] and [player_tooltip player_id='529832' first='Natalie' last='DeMatteo'] shared the libero position, and each had a huge impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northern Lights had their own stand-out players. Their middles, [player_tooltip player_id='492589' first='Aliza' last='Carvell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='396880' first='Taylor' last='Hagedorn'], worked pin to pin on the block and were efficient in shutting down the 1st Alliance offense. [player_tooltip player_id='548299' first='Josslyn' last='Vesledahl'] brought huge energy to the court. She swung on the right side and was so savvy. Her natural energy and leadership kept NL fighting for every point. Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='455618' first='Kaia' last='Rolfsrud'] came up with some huge plays that were fun to watch. [player_tooltip player_id='396879' first='Payten' last='Diekmann'] was running the offense and really fed her hitters well. [player_tooltip player_id='455611' first='Sophia' last='Cowan'] was a go-to hitter for NL and converted a lot of points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sports Performance 17 Elite vs Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What stands out about this match is that it was the very first match of the day. Most people were still sipping their coffee, and these two teams were going blow for blow on the court. This was a three-set thriller in which Sports Performance outlasted Rockwood Thunder by only a few points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Sports Performance, [player_tooltip player_id='311415' first='Bella' last='Bullington'] was absolutely outstanding. The Northwestern commit was efficient and powerful on the pin. [player_tooltip player_id='311413' first='Audrey' last='Asleson'] (University of Colorado - Boulder) ran the offense smoothly. She never missed a beat and was smart and savvy on every play. Dayton commit [player_tooltip player_id='311418' first='Morgan' last='Asleson'] ran the back row. As libero, she commanded the defense and serve receive in an impressive fashion. Defensive specialist and Winthrop University commit [player_tooltip player_id='537641' first='Addison' last='Torain'] was nearly unstoppable as a server. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rockwood Thunder had their own powerhouse athletes. Witchita State commit, Danielle Moore impressed on the right side. She set up a big block and had some massive swings. Middle-blocker Audrey Mueller did a great job slowing down opposing hitters. Ellie Witthaus (Maryville University) was an impact pin. Marquette commit Avery Helms was impressive in running the back row as Libero. And Texas Tech commit Brytn Lyon ran the show as the setter. She is smart and has a high volleyball IQ, which was fun to watch strategize throughout the match. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->