Metro 18 Shows Strength in First Local Tournament

Don't know how the seeding was done for this tournament but Virginia Elite and Metro appeared in the same four team bracket. There were three brackets and 12 teams playing in total. My seeding would have put Paramount , Virginia Elite and Metro in separate brackets. Everything worked out in the end because Virginia Elite still made the gold bracket by finishing as the best second place team while Paramount , MOJO and Metro won their brackets.

Bracket One - Paramount Wins

With Racquel Frazier Racquel Frazier 6'1" | OH St. Johns | 2025 State VA and Zoe Ryu Zoe Ryu 6'1" | OH Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA teaming up on the outside Paramount went undefeated in their pool, not giving up more than 21 points. Rocky and Zoe have not played together since they were teammates in elementary school and they dominated the competition back then as well. Racquel is new to the team as are setters Daisy Pentorn Daisy Pentorn 5'8" | S Arundel | 2025 State VA and Jessica Ding Jessica Ding 5'8" | S Basis Independent McLean | 2025 State VA . The libero Nia Thomas Nia Thomas 5'7" | DS/L Bullis | 2025 State VA played at Virginia Juniors last year. So, getting used to each other was the word of the day.

The team I thought would give Paramount a match was Colombia with Nicole Neal Nicole Neal 5'11" | OH Montgomery | 2025 State VA hitting on the outside. This was the first opportunity for me to see Nicole play. She has a fast arm swing when hitting from the left side. She also fills a leadership position when on the court.

When Colombia and Paramount played, Paramount dominated in the first set 25-17. In the second set poor passing by Paramount got them down early 14-6. Kendall Lee Kendall Lee 5'9" | RS/DS/L Old Mill | 2025 VA generated some nice kills from the left side and Kathleen Harbaugh proved a force in the middle for Colombia. Daisy Pentorn Daisy Pentorn 5'8" | S Arundel | 2025 State VA created a spark for Paramount producing six points on her serve, two coming on aces to pull Paramount to within two 12-14. Once the score reached 17-17 Paramount went on an 8-4 run to take the second set 25-21.

Metro North battled Paramount in the final match but lost by identical 25-21 scores. Columbia also swept Metro North in the opener so that knocked Metro North out of gold contention. They were able to sweep St. James Navy to put them into the silver bracket. Columbia and Metro North played again in the finals of the silver bracket with Columbia again pulling off the sweep.

Bracket Two - MOJO Comes Out on Top

This bracket was the most balanced. The first three matches resulted in splits, with MOJO being involved in two of them. They clinched the bracket in the last match with 25-13 wins over Elite Volleyball Academy. That left them tied with Maryland Exclusive Volleyball Club (MEVC). Since both teams split in the opener 26-24 the tie breaker went to point differential. MOJO reigned supreme in that category and advanced to the gold.

MOJO was led by their two class of 2026 setters Hailey Park Hailey Park 5'4" | S Langley | 2026 State VA and Heidi Velikonja Heidi Velikonja S Yorktown | 2026 VA . Hailey set in the back row while Heidi came on in the front row in a modified 5/1. Caleigh Orr Caleigh Orr 5'11" | OH Woodson | 2025 State VA did a good job hitting from the left side. She loves to bury balls down the line. Impressed by the play of Melia Collins Melia Collins 6'0" | MB Meridian | 2025 State VA in the middle. She put up some big blocks and can hit the quick tempo sets as well. Left side Hanna Herbolsheimer finished off the second set 26-24 in their win over MEVC with an ace serve. MOJO was down 22-24 when Hanna started her serving. It appeared that Piper Xeller Piper Xeller 5'11" | OH Herndon | 2026 State VA made an appearance coming up from the 17s to contribute on the right side. One of their top players on the roster Julia Kelly Julia Kelly 6'1" | OH/RS Alexandria City | 2025 State VA appeared absent. At least, I did not see her play in the matches I watched.

MEVC tends to run higher sets in the middle. Isabel Alvez did a good job of finding the floor with those higher sets. In the first set Olivia Kong strung together two setter dumps that keyed the first set win over MOJO. Emma Salas produced a kill to give them a 25-24 lead and Sofia Bolanos finished off the first set with an ace for the 26-24 win. MEVC would lose the opener against Metro North when the two played later in the silver bracket.

Bracket Three - Metro Prevails in the Strongest Bracket

This was clearly the strongest bracket with Virginia Elite and Metro Travel. Even Virginia Volleyball Academy could have competed for the top spot in the second bracket. Because they were swept by both Metro and Virginia Elite VAVA had to drop down to the bronze bracket in the playoffs. They swept through that bracket without giving up more than 17 points. Metro and Virginia Elite would go on to meet in the finals of the gold bracket.

In bracket play the first set between Metro and Virginia Elite turned out the most competitive. It came down to the end when an ace by Alexis Ewing Alexis Ewing 6'3" | OH Bullis | 2025 State #173 Nation VA gave Metro a 23-22 lead. A foot fault on her next serve gave Virginia Elite an opportunity to finish the game. Destini Pickett Destini Pickett 5'10" | OH Forest Park | 2025 State VA denied that opportunity with one of her patented deep kills that found nothing but court. Brianna Holladay Brianna Holladay 6'2" | MB Riverside | 2025 State VA ended it with an ace serve for the 25-23 win.

The second match was less competitive with Virginia Elite struggling with their passing. Metro jumped out to an early 13-7 lead before winning handily 25-14. Normally, Metro teams dominate with their outsides. While Destini Pickett Destini Pickett 5'10" | OH Forest Park | 2025 State VA and Alexis Ewing Alexis Ewing 6'3" | OH Bullis | 2025 State #173 Nation VA do most of the damage from the left side and Caroline Lang Caroline Lang 6'3" | MB/RS St. Annes-Balfield | 2025 State VA delivered some big blows from the right the middles delivered as well.

First you start with the 6'5" Caitlin Johnson Caitlin Johnson 6'5" | MB Freedom | 2025 State VA blocking and using all areas of the court to produce her kills. Her long reach creates difficulties for back row players to defend, finding the open areas that should be covered by the block. It becomes even more difficult to defend against her when she has the ability to hit over the smaller blocks. Second is the newcomer Brianna Holladay Brianna Holladay 6'2" | MB Riverside | 2025 State VA who adds quickness and variety to the offense. She brings the skill set to hit quick tempo sets from a number of different locations along the net. The defense spends so much time trying to figure out where Brianna will attack the ball from that the pin hitters are left with single blocks.

However, the biggest strength for this team has to be their 6'3 setter Isabelle Bardin Isabelle Bardin 6'3" | S Flint Hill | 2025 State #75 Nation VA , who connects well on the quick tempo sets and is a threat in the front row with her dumps. She seems to have a knack for finding Brianna and delivering the sets where she needs them, no matter her location along the net. Metro rosters two other setters in Ryan Hicks Ryan Hicks 5'11" | S Broad Run | 2025 State VA and Alexis Badu Alexis Badu 6'0" | S Eleanor Roosevelt | 2025 State VA , but Isabelle will feed the hitters for most of the matches setting a 5/1.

Virginia Elite has two powerful pins in Evelyn Jurden Evelyn Jurden 6'2" | RS West Springfield | 2025 State VA from the right side and Ana Toumazatos Ana Toumazatos 6'1" | OH Langley | 2025 State VA from the left side. Two underrated players who surprise are middles Skylar Giuliani Skylar Giuliani 6'1" | MB The Potomac School | 2025 State VA and Brianna Washington Brianna Washington 5'11" | MB Woodbridge | 2025 State VA . With Shylah Swope Shylah Swope 5'9" | S Herndon | 2025 State VA not available Adalene Rodgers Adalene Rodgers 5'11" | RS/S Potomac | 2025 State VA was tasked with sharing the setting duties with Amy Ye Amy Ye 6'0" | S Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA . While they seemed to struggle this tournament with their passing Kadi Pynchon Kadi Pynchon 5'6" | DS/L Flint Hill | 2025 State VA and Sadee Gedse Sadee Gedse 5'6" | DS/L Oakton | 2025 State VA will team up to produce a stellar back row combo.

Playoffs

The first round of the gold bracket playoffs saw Metro go against MOJO. Alexis Ewing Alexis Ewing 6'3" | OH Bullis | 2025 State #173 Nation VA finished the first set off with five kills and two blocks and Caitlin Johnson Caitlin Johnson 6'5" | MB Freedom | 2025 State VA added four kills for a 25-16 win. Isabelle Bardin Isabelle Bardin 6'3" | S Flint Hill | 2025 State #75 Nation VA produced back to back killer dumps towards the end to advance the score to 23-12 then ended the set with a dump.

In the second set Caroline Lang Caroline Lang 6'3" | MB/RS St. Annes-Balfield | 2025 State VA put up a block to tie the set at 7-7. Metro raced ahead from there, finishing it off 25-10.

Virginia Elite played Paramount in the second gold bracket playoff. At one point Virginia Elite was down 16-21 in the opening set when a big block by Brianna Washington Brianna Washington 5'11" | MB Woodbridge | 2025 State VA gave them some momentum. Evelyn Jurden Evelyn Jurden 6'2" | RS West Springfield | 2025 State VA took charge burying three missiles from the right side in a six point run to rally Virginia Elite to a 23-21 lead. After a hitting error gave Paramount the serve back Skylar Giuliani Skylar Giuliani 6'1" | MB The Potomac School | 2025 State VA buried a quick tempo set to put Virginia Elite within one point of a win. A hitting error by Paramount gave them that win 25-22.

The second set remained close at 19-19. Evelyn Jurden Evelyn Jurden 6'2" | RS West Springfield | 2025 State VA buried her fifth kill of the set cross court to put Virginia Elite ahead 20-19. Paramount fell apart after that. Ana Toumazatos Ana Toumazatos 6'1" | OH Langley | 2025 State VA strung together two tough serves and an ace to extend the lead to 24-19. One of those serves allowed Brianna Washington Brianna Washington 5'11" | MB Woodbridge | 2025 State VA to bury an overset to the floor. Evelyn Jurden Evelyn Jurden 6'2" | RS West Springfield | 2025 State VA completed the six point run with her sixth kill to end it 25-19.

The twists and turns did not go so well for Virginia Elite in the finals. They stayed close in the first set with a Adalene Rodgers Adalene Rodgers 5'11" | RS/S Potomac | 2025 State VA redirect tying the score at 6-6. Destini Pickett Destini Pickett 5'10" | OH Forest Park | 2025 State VA produced back to back kills, one on a hard driven ball and the second on a tip to advance their lead to 8-6. Caroline Lang Caroline Lang 6'3" | MB/RS St. Annes-Balfield | 2025 State VA produced a tip kill to extend the lead to 10-6. Metro would whip up 13-7 and 16-8 leads after that to run away with the first set 25-14.

In the second set Virginia Elite stayed close, but they fell behind early 4-1 after a Madison Smith Madison Smith 6'1" | OH Homeschool | 2025 State VA kill. Despite remaining close they could never pull within three. Jada Aksu Jada Aksu 6'0" | RS Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA completed three kills and Alexis Badu Alexis Badu 6'0" | S Eleanor Roosevelt | 2025 State VA made an appearance late in the set to play right side. Her kill gave Metro a 24-16 lead. Alexis Badu Alexis Badu 6'0" | S Eleanor Roosevelt | 2025 State VA lists as a setter but at 6'0" shows an approach jump of 10'7". Isabelle Bardin Isabelle Bardin 6'3" | S Flint Hill | 2025 State #75 Nation VA will probably do most of the setting working a 5/1. Metro would win the second set 25-18 to take the gold.