Missouri’s 14s Showcase Future Volleyball Stars at Nike Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 14s division at the Nike President's Day Classic was a thrilling display of emerging talent, highlighted by Missouri's impressive showing with four teams finishing in the top five: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. Here's a closer look at the standout teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>14 Club</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The <strong>573 14 Premier</strong> team dominated the competition, finishing the weekend undefeated and not losing a single set. They allowed only two teams to score more than 20 points and clinched the championship with a decisive victory over <strong>Milwaukee Sting 14 Silver</strong> (25-6, 25-17). Key players included libero Lainyn Lochhead and Anna Daugherty, who excelled in the passing game, while setter <strong>Quinn Maassen</strong> and <strong>Ainsley Weider </strong>orchestrated a powerful offense. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='950577' first='<strong>Lila</strong>' last='<strong>Grzella-Skibiski</strong>'] </strong>, a six-rotation outside hitter, proved to be a formidable presence both at the net and in the back row. With their height and skill, this team is poised to make a significant impact on high school volleyball in the coming years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">14 Open</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HPSTL 14 Orange</strong> finished in 5th place with a record of 6-2 and 12-4. They showcased their talent in the Gold bracket, defeating <strong>Union 14 Black</strong> 25-22, 26-24, before ultimately falling to <strong>HP Illinois 14 National</strong> in a hard-fought match. Pin Hitters Emma Ryan, Bea LaRose, and Brooke Hollrah are leading the attack while Anna Letourneau is keeping the ball off the floor, and her first contacts are on point. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">14 Premier</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HP South 14 Premier</strong> secured a strong second-place finish with a weekend record of 7-3 and 15-8. After solid Day 1 and Day 2 performances (2-1), they achieved a thrilling victory against <strong>Memphis VBAcademy 14 Red</strong> (26-24, 20-25, 15-13) during the crossover match. In the Gold Medal Pools, HP South 14 Premier triumphed over <strong>HPSTL 14 White</strong> and <strong>Circle City 14 Black</strong>, advancing to the Gold Bracket. They faced <strong>Milwaukee Sting 14 White</strong>, winning 28-26, 25-22, but ultimately fell to <strong>KIVA 14 Black</strong> in the championship match (13-15 in the third set), capping off an incredible journey as runners-up. Key contributors included outside hitter <strong>Kate Collard</strong> and middles <strong>Adalyn Piepinbrink</strong> and <strong>Audree Martin</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No Coast 14 Pacific</strong> rounded out the top three in the 14 Premier division with an impressive 8-1 and 17-5 record. They started strong, winning their first eight matches, thanks to dandy defenders <strong>Fynnlee White</strong> and <strong>Mae Montgomery</strong>, clever setting from <strong>Molly Haynes</strong>, and a formidable middle blocker in <strong>Livia Basso</strong>. Opposite lefty <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751947' first='Piper' last='Paruch']</strong> is also a player to watch, as this team is on the brink of something special.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->