Nebraska NLQ Team Spotlight: Premier Nebraska 17 Silver

NLQ was an eventful weekend for two of Premier Nebraska's 17s squads.   Premier Nebraska 17 Silver embraced the challenge of moving up to compete in Minneapolis's 17 Liberty division. The team did this while deploying a lineup unlike anything we've seen. That's a strong basis for another team spotlight.   We've already covered 17 Silver's bid-earning counterparts, 17 Gold. We've also examined [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 17 Black, another Great Plains challenger in the 17 Liberty division.   17 Silver's time under the microscope has arrived.     Starting Strong   We never know how a team will roll out of the gates at a national qualifier. Some squads catch fire. Slow weekends can be expected from any team, too. Fortunately, 17 Silver showed its high ceiling in NLQ's early stages.   Premier Nebraska's best volleyball emerged right away as 17 Silver took down Vision and Volt to start 2-0. Both victories came via emphatic sweeps, locking up Premier Nebraska's spot in Round 2.   This Day 2 pool was a gauntlet featuring Jet and [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''], two teams that would advance past the opening round of the final 17 Liberty bracket. Even still, 17 Silver earned valuable experience against some of the division's toughest competitors.   The valuable experience culminated in a final Bronze bracket triumph against STVA. Jumping the divisional ladder did not stop 17 Silver from notching several highlight moments and proving this team's worthiness.     A Tight-Knit Group   This segment contains most of our inspiration for covering 17 Silver's NLQ journey. The team's roster composition necessitated a tight-knit, cooperative group of players willing to embrace non-traditional roles.   17 Silver wielded a two-setter offense with [player_tooltip player_id='349410' first='Mia' last='Stevens'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389408' first='Anya' last='Kolli'] guiding the offense. Both of these Skutt Catholic SkyHawks have gained considerable momentum over the past year, both as prep standouts and multi-dimensional athletes in the Premier Nebraska gym. 17 Silver's floor defense also gets a boost with Stevens or Kolli operating in the right-back area.   But this setter duo was not confined to the back row. 17 Silver needed athletes to fill in at the middle blocker spot, so that task was given to the setters. If you're keeping track, this is a 6-2 system with both setters playing as frontcourt middle blockers. We also saw glimpses of Stevens and Kolli swinging on the pins--a completely unfamiliar sight heading into the season.   This change-up also meant the libero would sub in for the opposites instead of the middle blockers. [player_tooltip player_id='396737' first='Danielle' last='Vallinch'] anchored the contrasting jersey and had one of the most impressive defensive weekends of her club career. She was never fooled by off-speed shots and was eager to dive into the campfire to make improbable saves. Vallinch's stock is soaring after NLQ.   Given the constant presence of an atypical frontcourt attacker, 17 Silver relied on its pins to do a lot of heavy lifting in Minneapolis. [player_tooltip player_id='349417' first='Halle' last='Nienaber'] has always filled this niche for 17 Silver, especially during the team's 2024 qualifier success. The Gretna East standout demonstrated her increasing attacking range while also shouldering a six-rotation role as a primary passer.  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A unique lineup for <a href="https://twitter.com/Premier_VB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Premier_VB</a> 17 Silver this weekend, but finding success nonetheless. [player_tooltip player_id='349417' first='Halle' last='Nienaber'] tools off the high hands. <a href="https://t.co/z0AtzLftWd">pic.twitter.com/z0AtzLftWd</a>— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1885401527218516174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>  [player_tooltip player_id='396738' first='Hayden' last='Sliva'] was another high-volume pin attacker for this group. She's the prototypical 'L1' who can bring crosscourt heat when everyone knows where the ball is going. And, like Nienaber, Sliva took a step forward as a backcourt attacker and defender.   That leaves [player_tooltip player_id='349408' first='Morgan' last='Douan'] and Emery Taylor as the opposite duo. Taylor is a new commodity in this group and carried the banner for the Class of 2028. Despite rising two age groups, Taylor had a stout debut with her 17s peers. Douan remains an important constant for 17 Silver and even showcased her skill when attacking off of one foot.   Of course, we can't forget about [player_tooltip player_id='349411' first='Kailynn' last='Melendez']'s stabilizing presence in the back row. She could slot in for either of the left-side hitters to provide a ball-control boost when 17 Silver needed it most. Melendez was often the key to harnessing 17 Silver's transition offense in some of the longest rallies of the event. Defensive grit was the path to victory, and that should remain a theme throughout 2025.  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pin hitters are putting in work for <a href="https://twitter.com/Premier_VB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Premier_VB</a> 17 Silver this weekend. [player_tooltip player_id='349408' first='Morgan' last='Douan'] terminating on the right side as 17 Silver leads in its second match of the day. <a href="https://t.co/wWWaQLflev">pic.twitter.com/wWWaQLflev</a>— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1885727482931789935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote>

NLQ was an eventful weekend for two of Premier Nebraska's 17s squads.