Gateway League: Rockwood 18 Elite Top Dawg

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 18 Elite squad used the Gateway League to rev up for the qualifier season, capturing the title after an 11-1 run over the two weekends of action. Their lone loss came to little sister, Rockwood 17 Elite. On the first weekend, Jan. 6th and 7th, they were perfect winning all of their matches while not dropping a set. The St. Louis squad took that momentum into the ASICS MLK Qualfier and left with an open bid. On the second weekend of league play, they dropped the match to Rockwood but navigated bracket play beating [program_tooltip program_id='428820' first='Team' last='Momentum'] 18 Navy in the championship. [player_tooltip player_id='124215' first='Olivia' last='Hasbrook'] was her typical self defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='153933' first='Jordan' last='Smith'] and the deep pin depth took turns putting the ball down while the middles were solid in the blocking department led by Hailey Yount, [player_tooltip player_id='207284' first='Jacey' last='Young'], and [player_tooltip player_id='150050' first='Shae' last='Pearson']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428820' first='Team' last='Momentum'] 18 Navy is a team that's turned some heads in the last couple of seasons. They went 9-3 over the two weekends with all three losses coming to the same team, [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 18 Elite. Along the way, they defeated two strong 17-year-old teams in Rockwood and HPSTL 17 Royal. Kylie Surrant and [player_tooltip player_id='170035' first='Maya' last='Griggs'] stepped up their play en route to a second-place finish. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gateway League will continue with bid week on February 10th and 11th. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rounding out the top 8: </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3rd: HP Illinois 18 Select and HPSTL 17 Royal</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5th: HPSTL 18 Royal and [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 17 Elite</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7th: [program_tooltip program_id='428797' first='Pursuit' last=''] 18 National</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8th: [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 18 Navy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->