USAV Day Four - The Final Day for 16s and 17s

In the three years I have been following the USAV Nationals, this is the first time three teams from the Chesapeake Region have qualified for the gold bracket. While the results may not have been what was hoped for there are still a number of teams that would love to have that opportunity. The more you win the tougher the next opponent.   When you take a look at the 16 National Division, for the most part over 40 teams who had won their local Regional Qualifier compete in this event. Only eight of those teams advanced to the gold medal round. Below are the results of those three Chesapeake Region teams who earned the position to play in the gold medal round.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] 16       There journey in the gold bracket did not start so well. They finished the first round of pool play with a losing record (2-3). In the next round only the top two teams get an opportunity to advance to the gold market. The third place team takes a trip to the bronze.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] pulled one of the bigger upsets when they beat Northern Lights in three sets. Northern Lights earned the top seed when they defeated the number one seed TAV Houston. For their next match they lost to MAVS in three. Ultimately, MAVS would be the team to win the tournament.   The second place finish got them to the final hurdle for a chance to get into the gold medal bracket, the challenge match. The loser would drop down to the silver bracket while the winner advances to the gold. [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] swept past KC Power to advance to the gold.   In the first round of the gold bracket [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] 16 played Toledo Volleyball Club Black. It was their second time playing them. In their first match TVC Black swept past them. [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] hoped for different results.   Since Toledo had played [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] earlier their strategy appeared to avoid serving the player in the blue jersey, the libero [player_tooltip player_id='412055' first='Lilly' last='Kennedy']. That strategy seemed to work as [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] struggled with their passing. Too many out of system sets or free balls over created opportunities for Toledo to control the match. The last two leads in the first set came at 12-11 after a [player_tooltip player_id='325599' first='Raegan' last='Lentz'] quick hit in the middle put [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] on top 12-11 and a [player_tooltip player_id='238356' first='Morgan' last='Reeves'] outside kill put them up 13-12. Toledo controlled the game after that to win 25-18.   The next set stayed close early. A [player_tooltip player_id='325603' first='Parker' last='Sutherland'] block put [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] ahead 12-11. A hitting error by Toledo expanded the score to 13-11. Toledo controlled the set after that winning by the same 25-18 score. Ironic that the first two times these teams played Toledo beat them twice 25-17. Looking on the bright side you could say Paramount improved their game by one point each set. Toledo would go on to finish second in the tournament, eventually losing to MAVS, two teams that [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] came up short against.   Regardless, a fifth place finish in the Nationals was a positive way to end the season.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] 17   For [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] 17 they went undefeated going into the first round of the gold bracket. Only two other teams could say that. They had also lost only two sets. Their first round opponent OT Jose had lost two matches, one of them to the eventual gold medal winner San Gabriel Elite Roshambo.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] battled them close in the first set. [player_tooltip player_id='248705' first='Zoe' last='Ryu'] produced four kills and contributed one block. Her last kill tied the score at 17-17. [player_tooltip player_id='183589' first='Angelique' last='Desamours'] spliced a kill through the block to level it at 18-18 but that was the last time they would be even. Three consecutive hitting errors put Paramount behind by three points.   A big block by [player_tooltip player_id='181235' first='Sydney' last='Mayfield'] got them to within one at 21-22. [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] would fall short 25-22.   [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] got off to a poor start in the second set, falling behind 0-5 and 1-7. The sequence to the start that gave OT the points were net violation, hitting error, block, shanked pass, hitting error, ace, ace.   It took some time but [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] crawled their way back. [player_tooltip player_id='183589' first='Angelique' last='Desamours'] tipped a ball to the floor to tie the game at 19-19 then blasted a ball to the floor for the first lead of the game. OT middle Joelynne Luis loved to tip the ball to the "4" spot. She did that to tie the score at 20-20. OT won 25-21. They would eventually lose to San Gabriel Elite Roshambo for a second time to finish third.   While going through the tournament without a loss and then losing in the first round of the gold is a bitter pill to swallow, the ultimate result, a fifth place finish is something 44 other teams would have preferred.   Liberty 17   Four days of volleyball and going through a late night fire alarm requiring a climb down 15 flights of stairs made the fourth day a challenge. This was the third match I watched and I will admit willing my eyes to stay open was a challenge.   Liberty Elite was perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. They began the tournament as a 36th seed, the lowest among the teams that earned a spot in the gold. The team they would play in the first round of the gold bracket, AP Adidas, earned the second seed at the beginning of the tournament. Needless to say, it was a tough first draw.   In the first set Liberty Elite fell back early 7-2. A kill by right side [player_tooltip player_id='346735' first='Emily' last='Ryder'] and an ace by libero Calli Haugh pulled them to within three 4-7. While they never took the lead left side Giovanna Cirilli pulled them to within one 23-24 with two kills, one a tip that hit the floor and a second point where she took a full swing. Unfortunately, they fell short of getting that last point and lost 25-23.   The second set they again found themselves behind early and clawed their way to get close. They fell short losing 25-21. From this team I liked the left handed power of [player_tooltip player_id='346735' first='Emily' last='Ryder'] from the right side. She lists 5'10 with a number 65 ranking in the class of 2025. [player_tooltip player_id='569805' first='Larissa' last='Blair'] hits left side and also stands 5'10. Middle [player_tooltip player_id='481964' first='Nevaeh' last='Ware'] ranks number 66 in our class of 2025. Also listed at 5'10 that may be short for a middle, but Nevaeh brings good timing with her blocks.   Final thoughts on the 16-17 age group   What you learn as you watch some of the top teams play at the older levels is quickness and strength place a player on top. Private lessons on volleyball skills become less important but physical training proves critical. Creating that fast arm swing for the hitters, the quickness in movement for the setters and liberos are attributes that will separate the top players from the middle of the pack. While it is nice to have height it is better to have the explosiveness to reach 10 feet in your approach jump and the strength and quickness in your arm swing to put some velocity on the ball.   For the Chesapeake Region their overall record in the tournament (not counting the Patriot teams) for the 17 age group stood at 30-25 (66-62). The Old Dominion Region finished 5-16 (13-30). At the 16 level the Chesapeake Region fared a little worse. Not one team finished with a winning record as they combined to go 17-31 (45-69). The Old Dominion Region fared no better at 3-26 (15-52).   As a team playing against top competition during the club season prepares you more for the Junior Nationals. Getting acclimated to the speed and strength of the game will only happen when you get exposed to the better teams during the season. It is one reason why Paramount sought an invite to Triple Crown.   The next four days the 14s and 15s will play. The 15s show a lot of promise with four teams ranked in the top 100 nationally, according to Advance Event System. Looking forward to the competition. I just hope there are no more fire alarms that require me to walk down 15 flights of stairs.

In the three years I have been following the USAV Nationals, this is the first time three teams from the Chesapeake Region have qualified for the gold bracket. While the results may not have been what was hoped for there are still a number of teams that would love to have that opportunity. The more you win the tougher the next opponent.