Bishop LeBlond Tournament Recap

Vernon Birmingham October 8, 2024 @ 11:41 AM

What a strong tournament over the weekend at Bishop LeBlond. In a tournament where most teams entered above .500 on the season, East Buchanan emerged as the tournament champion, defeating Savannah in the finals in three sets.   East Buchanan would win their pool and Savannah would finish second but after navigating bracket play they would meet back up in the finals. Savannah got off to a fast start before East Buch stormed back, got a lead, and won the set. They had all momentum in the second set but this time it would be Savannah who would have a surge in the middle of the set to create some distance and win the second. The final set was tight early but the champions would go on a run and capture the title, winning 25-14. [player_tooltip player_id='493057' first='Rilyn' last='Sherwood'] had 14 kills in the match and was clutch in many key moments. Sophomore Kendyl Edwards is one of the best setters I've seen this year. She has great hands, ball placement is superb, and her decision-making is next-level.   Savannah got to the championship match after beating the pool winner from the other side Bishop LeBlond in the other semi-final. [player_tooltip player_id='737606' first='Trinaty' last='Fansher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='485608' first='Aryana' last='Spry'] both showed solid play in the middle for Savannah with key kills and blocks throughout the day. I was also impressed by the play of both setters in the final two matches, Sara Younkin and Maddy Weis. [player_tooltip player_id='232218' first='Rilyn' last='Conard'] was a steady presence for LeBlond throughout pool play with her attacking and back-row defense.   Here are some other players who stood out:   [player_tooltip player_id='485574' first='Eva' last='Alexander'] had a good day for Oak Grove. Defensively, Maddie Coates caught my eye for St. Joseph Lafayette. Also, I saw Laniya Carriger for the first time last season and heard she was new to the sport. She stands about 6'4" maybe and she has come a long way, so I want to give her some kudos on the development. [player_tooltip player_id='735254' first='Molly' last='Day'] was a force for Northland Christian on the day swinging from many spots along the front row.

What a strong tournament over the weekend at Bishop LeBlond. In a tournament where most teams entered above .500 on the season, East Buchanan emerged as the tournament champion, defeating Savannah in the finals in three sets.