Power Players in the MEQ 17 Open Gold Medal Rounds
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Be sure to follow @lshotvb on Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter for all things volleyball! – This weekend saw one of the top qualifiers in the country take place. From coast to coast, the best of the best were on tap and in search for a bid…
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This weekend saw one of the top qualifiers in the country take place.
From coast to coast, the best of the best were on tap and in search for a bid to junior nationals in Vegas.
In the 17 Open, we had a bloodbath on our hands of top teams taking one another out. No team was safe from a loss or two en route to the final day. In fact, the top three teams all lost a match on championship Sunday.
The three bids went out to MEQ Champion OT Tampa, Coast and Circle City. MKE Sting was the only team coming in with an open bid, they finished ninth in the tournament.
Let’s take a look at some of the Power Players from the 17 Open Gold Medal rounds at MEQs.
Maggie Dostic – OT
When it came down to bid-ness on Sunday, Maggie Dostic was locked in! A stellar performer throughout the whole weekend, Dostic’s play really shined through on Sunday. Scoring from the back and the front row, Dostic was terminating at such a high level.
Izzy Mogridge – OT
One of the top setters of the tournament, Izzy Mogridge was playing some of her best ball of the season this weekend. A leader on the court, Mogridge had the Midas touch. Her calls were timely and her sets were always in her hitters’ sweet spots.
Lily Hayes – OT
If it weren’t for this defender in the back row, who’s to say where OT would’ve ended up at MEQ. Lily Hayes not only came here to snag a bid to Vegas, but she one again proved herself as one of the top libero prospects in the 2025 class.
Ava Poinsett – COAST
I was super impressed with this player. Whether it was her first or her third contact, Ava Poinsett was magic for Coast. She leads this team in many ways and it shows in the sheer volume of touches she gets on the ball. One way or another, Poinsett is a mainstay for every point.
Miliani Villarreal – COAST
This libero may have fallen under the radar coming into the weekend, but coming out of it, I would say Milani Villarreal held her own against some of the best. An incredibly smart player in the back row, Villarreal had some key plays at the perfect time to push Coast over the edge and into the finals.
Logan Bell Logan Bell 5'11" | OH Roncalli | 2025 State #24 Nation IN – Circle City
Going through the gold medal pool play on Sunday, Logan Bell Logan Bell 5'11" | OH Roncalli | 2025 State #24 Nation IN was an absolute terror. Circle City may not have been a front runner for earning a bid but Bell had other plans. This future Oregon Duck was incredible from her passing to her scoring.
Avery Freeman Avery Freeman 5'4" | DS/L Bloomington North | 2025 State #68 Nation IN – Circle City
Another player with a huge weekend, I have to give it up to Avery Freeman Avery Freeman 5'4" | DS/L Bloomington North | 2025 State #68 Nation IN , she’s as tough as nails. There was a minute there after a collision with a teammate in their match against Michigan Elite that I thought Freeman would be out for the remainder of the day. Albeit she held tough, and actually seemed to step up to another notch.
Arianna Lopez – Carolina Union
Maybe one of the biggest stories from the weekend was the upset minded Carolina Union squad. Nearly grabbing a bid after escaping a treacherous pool with Dynasty and HPSTL, Arianna Lopez led this group to a fourth place finish. Lopez is an under-the-radar setter that had a lot of heads turning by her play this weekend. And it showed in the high end-result.
Honorable Mention from GM Pool Play
- Isabelle Busignani – Michigan Elite
- Bella Groomes – AVC
- Reese Messer – Dynasty
- Quinn Loper – Wave
- Madison Quest – MKE Sting
- Marie Laurio – Legacy
- Allie Barrick – Elevation
- Tara Greenberry – HPSTL