Can Anyone Beat THESE TWO Teams? Post-MEQ Thoughts (17 Open)

Be sure to follow @lshotvb on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshotvb/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">Tik Tok </a>and <a href="https://x.com/LineShotVBall">Twitter</a> for all things volleyball!   <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb/video/7618686972084735245?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7597496589356025374">WHO HAS THE BEST LINE SHOT?! TAKE YOUR VOTES HERE! </a>📍   --   The Mid-East Qualifier has become a staple in the club volleyball season for so many reasons. On one hand, this tournament lands itself practically right in the middle of what I would consider regular season for club volleyball (January-May). But this tournament has also become the place to be for the top talent in the country. It's one of the toughest qualifiers to grab a bid in, despite having SO MANY teams on tap with bids. That's how competitive things are here.   And for bonus points, what other tournament can pull the likes of Munciana and KIVA out of their USAV hiding to compete, MEQ. But that's for another conversation. Let's talk about the true storyline taking shape post-MEQ weekend.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Post MEQ Thoughts</h3>   It seems to be that in both the 16 and 17 Open that everyone is chasing one particular team. Excluding some minor hiccups that come with the length of the club season nowadays, these two teams have been virtually unstoppable. It takes grinding them down to the end to come close.   In the 16 Open side, A5 16-1 Gabe has been the team to beat. The team that leads the pack. Everyone else in 16 Open is in a "catch up" when it comes to them. To further prove such point, this weekend, despite being down a key player. They were driving the conversation.   For 17 Open, the one's reigning supreme are the ladies of TAV 17 Black Jon. A team that has just won its fourth straight Triple Crown title last month. This group just won ANOTHER major tournament in the Mid East Qualifier.   Let's break this down a little bit further.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/DSC04744-crop-1537x1010-1774465235.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-958003" style="width:292px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='534299' first='Brynn' last='Stephens']</figcaption></figure>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">TAV at MEQs and What is it About Them?</h3>   When we talked about that A5 team down in 16 Open, we made a huge emphasis how much DEPTH comes to play for them. For TAV, however, this is a team with only NINE on the roster. Not much space for wiggle room, for injury, for rest, nothing. That is what makes them so special though. The fact they can withstand the storms of the 17 Open Division at such a high level and continue a winning streak while maintaining healthy is admirable. And furthermore, the chemistry is airtight, locked down.   On the left pin, you have arguably one of the most dominating duos in the country with [player_tooltip player_id='534308' first='Lexi' last='Martin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='534299' first='Brynn' last='Stephens']. At six rotations, at all times, not only do these two hold up so well in their back court and reception duties, but this allows TAV to operate with that back court attack option at ALL TIMES. This bodes more than well for them as they're both utilized extremely effectively and quite often.   And on that back row attack presence, it's not everyday you have a middle blocker like [player_tooltip player_id='828292' first='Nyla' last='Livings']. She's easily one of the best in the country for her given position. She's a stout blocker, but also, an electrifying attacker on all fronts at the net. And while it's not used as often as Stephens' or Martin's pipe, Livings hits a mean D Ball in her one rotation to serve in the back row. While some may think it is a minuscule detail to their system, to me, it is an added layer of what makes TAV so effective. It shows that, no matter what rotation, there is constantly 3-4 luminating threats on the court.   From there, you have the most recent National Gatorade Player of the Year running the offense in [player_tooltip player_id='518965' first='Sophee' last='Peterson']. The thing that strikes me most about Peterson's game is her subtlety. Comparative to the other playmakers you see across the country, Peterson doesn't opt for the big, jumping sets. More times than not, she's grounded and poised. To those that most, it is what makes her such a masterclass in the making. Her discipline, consistency and IQ drives her and her team so much further than otherwise opting for the flashiness that so many in the position tend to lean on in the name of 'deception'.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/DSC04755.jpg?w=769" alt="" class="wp-image-958000" style="width:247px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='518965' first='Sophee' last='Peterson'] </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Can Test the Current Power House in 17 Open?</h2>   A team that could go toe to toe with the favorites, and have ALREADY , this season is Winter Park 17 Armour Black. These two teams have already squared off twice this season, both in semifinal action, once in Kansas City for Triple Crown and again for Sunshine Classic in Orlando. The ladies of TAV took the first battle at Triple Crown and went on to eventually win the whole tournament. The next time, the WPVC squad avenged that loss at Sunshine, before winning the tournament as well.   Winter Park has on tap quite the bench themselves with some of the nations best. Leading the way for them is actually a future teammate of TAV's Peterson, [player_tooltip player_id='764473' first='Isabel' last='Incinelli'] on the outside. In six rotations, Incinelli is one of the most lethal scorers in the division. She's got power, shots and vision for a mix of both. All at the drop of a dime, Incinelli can find ways to score at high percentages. Alongside her is a young phenom playing up an age group in the positional dynamo of [player_tooltip player_id='876116' first='Ellie' last='Enger'], who is playing a traditional 6-2 system acting as both the team's setter and leading offensive weapon.   While Winter Park seems to be the clear favorite here to take on TAV, a team that seems to only be continuing to ascent in the ranks is OTVA 17 T Aaron. They're just coming off of a weekend at MEQ, going undefeated up until running into the Dallas-area team. This marks their highest finish yet this season. A 10th place at Triple Crown, a fifth at Sunshine Classic and now a Runner-Up at MEQ. The Sophie Dostic led squad started off both sets to TAV extremely slow, yet just to come back and narrowly lose both. There were differentials of at least 5-7 points within both of those sets, but you wouldn't know otherwise due to late surges by the Tampa squad. They're only going to continue getting better and become more a clear threat come down the stretch of the season.   --   <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb/video/7620274891845078285?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7597496589356025374" id="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb/video/7620274891845078285?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7597496589356025374">TAV WINS MEQs AND ACHIEVES DOUBLE-QUALIFIED STATUS</a>

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