USAV Junior Nationals Recap Seven – The Final Chapter

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Junior Nationals for the 16s and 17s are now complete. The older teams played some excellent volleyball, with four teams reaching the gold bracket. Last year only one team appeared in the gold. Overall, the Chesapeake teams had a winning record. A number of teams placed ninth or better in their Divisions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Breaking Down the Numbers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was an amazing performance for many of the Chesapeake Region teams in the 16/17s age group. The 17s finished 35-31 (82-73), while the 16s finished 32-25 (77-58). The Old Dominion teams did not have the same luck. They saw three teams in the 16 age group combine to go 5-24 (13 - 51). They had no teams play in the 17s.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two highest finishers in the Chesapeake Region were Metro 16 and 17. Both those teams finished fifth, with Metro 16 playing in the National Division and Metro 17 playing in Open. Both earned their way into the gold bracket but lost in first round action. Metro 16 lost to Skyline in the first round. Metro 17 lost to Dynasty. The third set in the Dynasty match ended 16-14. At one point Metro had a 14-12 lead but could not close it out. All four first round brackets went three games in the 17 Open Division. and only one match was decided by two sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two other teams to make the gold bracket were Virginia Juniors (Freedom) and Liberty Elite (Patriot). As did Metro, both those teams also lost in the first round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["180300"],"_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-64a7619529a36"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Metro 17</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>General</strong> - It could not have come any closer for Metro 17. In the challenge match they held a 14-11 lead, lost it, then scored two points to win the match 16-14. In the first round of the gold bracket they held a 14-12 lead but lost the next four points to lose 16-14. Overall, a great performance by this group. Perhaps the first Chesapeake team to ever make the gold bracket in the Open Division in Junior Nationals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three</strong> <strong>Players who stood out</strong> - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180288' first='Emerson' last='Sellman'] </strong>was the key on offense. When the team needed the point she was the one who got the set. Metro's opponents knew that too and the block was keyed on her. She succeeded more times than not in clutch situations. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180300' first='Mailinh' last='Godschall']</strong> reminded me of the Flash out on the court. When you think the ball was about to hit the floor Mailinh came out of nowhere to make the save. Finally, right side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180289' first='Lilah' last='Stevens']</strong> made some clutch kills. While it might be true that teams were keying on Emerson allowing Lilah to hit against only one blocker she seemed to always succeed with the kill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["181763"],"_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-64a7619529ac0"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Metro 16 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>General</strong> - They went 0-2 the first day. Things could have gone south after that. The team bounced back the second day to go 3-0. Better yet, they won a challenge match against Team Pineapple to qualify for the gold bracket in National. While they lost in the first round they took Skyline to three, losing the third set 15-12.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three Players who stood out </strong>- <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181303' first='Isabelle' last='Bardin'] </strong>started the day setting a 5/1. They found out they needed her offense in the front row so on the second day they switched to a 6/2. It seemed to work. Isabella also earned a spot on the all-tournament team. When <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181763' first='Jada' last='Aksu']</strong> gets hot it becomes very difficult to stop her. She was a key offensive piece for Metro and put up a good block on defense as well. Middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181315' first='Sierra' last='Evans'] </strong>created a wall at the net. She rejected a number of spikes with a return to sender message. After awhile teams abandoned the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["181309"],"_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-64a7619529b3c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Paramount 16</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>General</strong> - They played in the USA Division, which I feel is stronger than the National Division. Almost all of the teams in this division did well in a qualifier to earn a bid. Paramount had an opportunity to play gold, but they lost their challenge match. Once in the Silver Bracket B they won both their matches to win their bracket. It always feels good to finish a tournament with your last match a win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three Players who stood out</strong> -<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='238357' first='Claire' last='Mo']</strong> ran a 5/1 for the tournament. She also plays a year up. Despite coming from the class of 2025 she appeared to be one of the smoother setters in the tournament. For the most part she jump sets regardless of where the pass takes her and her sets consistently hit the sweet spot for the hitter. A lot of her sets were quicks to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181309' first='Brianna' last='Holladay']</strong>, who consistently put the ball down. She also put up a number of good blocks from the middle leaving hitters with something to think about every time they were rejected. Libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='235291' first='Sadee' last='Gedse']</strong> seems to get her hands or arms on the ball no matter where it is hit. Next weekend she travels to Florida to play some beach volleyball. It appears she has a passion for the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["230817"],"_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-64a7619529ba9"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Virginia Juniors 16</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>General</strong> - They earned a spot in the gold bracket with three two point wins in their last two challenge matches. The first was a 25-23, 26-24 win over Vision Blue. The second was a 15-13 win over PSVBA. They may have been mentally drained after those three matches because they lost the next day to Iowa Power Plex 25-16, 25-15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three players who stood out</strong> - <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181300' first='Alexis' last='Ewing']</strong> has really improved her game. She seems to have gathered more confidence as she attacks the ball, and her back row play has improved. When she finds a consistent arm slot to strike the ball she will be tough to stop. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='206729' first='Megan' last='Phan'] </strong>is another 2025 playing up. She stands only 5'6" so she comes out once in the front row but her sets are right on target. She prospered setting the shoot sets to middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='230817' first='Riley' last='Lynch']</strong>. Riley thrived on those quick sets, putting them down as fast as a heart beat.. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->