16s Presidents’ Day Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 16s division of the Nike President's Day Classic was abuzz with exciting performances from various teams across Missouri. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the standout squads that made their mark during the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16 Club Blue</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>417 [program_tooltip program_id='490801' first='Missouri' last='Juniors'] 16 National Black</strong> wrapped up the weekend in 5th place with a 5-2 record, boasting a set record of 12-6. Day 1 started strong with a 2-1 finish, though they faced a tough 3-set loss against Alabama Performance 16N White. However, they bounced back to win their next four matches, securing a spot in the Gold Bracket. In the first round of Gold, they faced Platform 16 Molten and ultimately lost in three sets to the team that would finish 2nd. <strong>Lindsay Hulette</strong>, a formidable 6'1” middle, was a key player for 417 throughout the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">HPSTL South 16 Diamond</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HPSTL South 16 Diamond</strong> also finished in 5th place, with an impressive 5-2 record and a 12-6 set record. After a solid start with a 2-0 on Day 1, they went 2-1 on Day 2, clinching a crucial victory over Adrenaline 16 Sam in the final crossover match (26-24, 25-17). This performance propelled them into the Gold Bracket, where they faced eventual 3rd-place finisher Madtown 163 National, resulting in a close loss (22-25, 25-18, 10-15). <strong>Mikayla Le</strong> excelled in orchestrating the offense, while Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='799536' first='Tessa' last='Wall']</strong> showcased relentless defensive skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16 Club Red</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NSSC 16 Nike</strong> emerged as the top finisher from the Gateway Region, finishing with a 3-4 record and 8-10 in sets. Day 1 featured a thrilling 3-set victory before they suffered a narrow loss to Club 1 16 Skronkstrong. On Day 2, NSSC posted a 1-2 record, which allowed them to advance to the Gold Bracket, where they faced a challenging match against VC United 16 Yellow Elite and ultimately lost in three sets. Standouts included outside hitter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730111' first='Sophie' last='DeJournett']</strong>, opposite <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816967' first='Megyn' last='Wilkerson']</strong>, and middle <strong>Annie</strong> <strong>Lemings,</strong> who all played vital roles throughout the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16 Open</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428797' first='Pursuit' last=''] 16 National</strong> concluded the tournament with a commendable 5th place finish, achieving a record of 5-3 and an 11-9 set record. They kicked off Day 1 with a perfect 3-0, but Day 2 saw them finish 1-2, landing them in the Gold Bracket. Following a first-round win over [program_tooltip program_id='428750' first='Attack' last='VBC'] 16 Select, they faced the eventual champions Circle City 16 Purple, which ended their tournament run. The defensive efforts were crucial to their success, with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='778498' first='Layla' last='Pendergrass'], [player_tooltip player_id='797757' first='Preslie' last='Mannon']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='797982' first='Remington' last='Emmons'] </strong>making significant contributions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16 Premier Blue</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 White</strong> stood out in the 16 Premier Blue division, finishing in 5th place with a record of 6-2 and a set tally of 14-5. After a rocky start with a loss to Iowa United 162 Elite in three sets, they rebounded with an impressive six-game winning streak. This momentum was halted only by a nail-biting 3-set loss to Madtown 162 National in the second round of the Gold Bracket. Key players included outside hitter <strong>Greta Beiersdorf,</strong> libero <strong>Reagan McClain</strong>, and middle <strong>Delaney Gielow,</strong> who all delivered strong performances throughout the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->