USAV Junior Nationals Recap Two – Winning Becomes Tougher

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 14U teams had won two pools and could have won two additional if each had not lost their last match. With all that success comes challenges. Those teams who win early have some tough late matches against better teams. My motto - You are either winning or learning. If you do not have failure at some point, when will you learn to adapt to a winning mindset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No gold bracket appearances for the 14's and 15's. But a lot of learning was done today. Below some of the team's journey to their brackets. Only clubs making it to Flight 1 or higher were named below. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Metro 14 </strong>(American) - They had a chance to win their pool if they could have beaten Actyve Black in the morning game. They won the first set very easily (25-17), but then lost the next two. The day before they lost their first sets only to bounce back and win the next two. Actyve won their challenge game and earned a spot in the Gold Bracket. Metro will have to settle for the Bronze Bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["290176"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-649fb3a17e457"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch - Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437443' first='Kaniyah' last='Ball'], </strong>right side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='290176' first='Kieran' last='Rhoton'],</strong> left sides <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='385968' first='Macie' last='Murray']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437985' first='Zora' last='Dimbo']</strong> and middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437441' first='Hunter' last='Ross']</strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVSA Force</strong> 14 (Freedom) - A lot of learning went on for Force today. They had a chance to win their pool after having won their first four matches but lost that match late last night to Ignite Black in three sets (15-10). They then lost all three matches today dropping them down to Flight 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch - Left side <strong>Catherine Mcintyre, </strong>middles <strong>Ana Woods</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438053' first='Lucille' last='Deraleau']</strong>, libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438049' first='Ana' last='Djordjevic']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blue Ridge</strong> 14 (National) - They won their pool with a 4-1 record. Today they lost to three historically successful teams in Adversity, Rockwood Thunder and Coast. Two of the three matches went three sets. Blue Ridge will be playing in Flight 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch - Setter <strong>Breeze Johnson</strong>, Left side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435748' first='Aaliyah' last='Green']</strong>, libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437980' first='Katherine' last='Madden']</strong> and Right side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437978' first='Olivia' last='Allis'] </strong>who swings left handed. Breeze set a 5/1 but incorporating a jump set into her game would make the offense more deceptive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["279857"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-649fb3a17e4b3"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Paramount </strong>14 (National) - Paramount had a good run, winning their first six before losing their last two today. They will be playing in the Silver B bracket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch - Middles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='296486' first='Taylor' last='Harrington']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437452' first='Jolie' last='Vignier'], </strong>left sides <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='279856' first='Kayla' last='Luther'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='437448' first='Eva' last='Collingham'] </strong>and libero <strong>Diane Nzoupet</strong>. Taylor may have to run a few quicks in the middle to prevent teams from keying on her by putting up two blockers on the higher sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["322107"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-649fb3a17e4fa"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVSA Charge</strong> 15 (American) - MVSA had a rough first day, finishing 1-2. They recovered the next two days by winning their next four. Five of their last six matches went three sets, but they lost the challenge match in three, losing the last set 15-13. That put them in the bronze bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch - Left sides <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='322107' first='Eden' last='Tardy']</strong> and <strong>Elizabeth Mitchell, </strong>right sides <strong>Sydney Peters</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='369729' first='Fallon' last='Gyapong']</strong>, middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325599' first='Raegan' last='Lentz'] </strong>and setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='325600' first='Taryn' last='Su'].</strong> Eden had a clutch kill to win their final pool game 15-13 after the team almost blew a 14-9 lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->