10 RED
The 10's team traveled to Waukesha for the Penguin Chill this weekend. We were very excited to play in another tournament with all 10's teams! We started our first match at 9 am and played OVBC and played so good but lost in 3 close sets. We then played and won against RVA which put us in the gold bracket. Our first match was against FC Elite and we just didn't have enough steam to get us to victory. We lost in two close sets 25-22 and 25-20. We then battled again against OVBC and the sets were super exciting. The first set we just wouldn't give up and ended up winning 33-31. I was really proud of the way our team stayed composed despite being down and having to rally back. We dropped the second set 26-24 and then it was a race to 15. We came out strong and were able to close the set 15-12 which positioned us third overall in the tournament. This tournament was especially memorable because it was the first tournament we had with our full roster of 12. Everyone got to play and contribute, especially from the serving line. Our team continues to get better every tournament. One thing that I am especially proud of with this group is their ability to stay resilient even when we are down in points. We always seem to find a way to make the sets close or come out on top. At Monday's practice, we took some time to team build and make Valentine cards for a local nursing home and have some treats. Our next tournament is February 15th!
15 RED
We added a home tournament last second and played in the 16's division! We were able to play at a high level all day and took 1st place without dropping a set! Some really cool things happened on Saturday and her are some shoutouts.
Liberty got to run a 5-1 all day with Nora missing for a softball tournament. (FYI Nora made a diving catch at her softball tournament! Worth a pin in my opinion!) Liberty put up great blocks and won a Joust Pin while protecting one of our own overpasses.
Malia went from a few serving errors in the beginning of the day to an outstanding 8 Ace match vs MKE Rise. Sophia also found her groove at the service line with 6 Aces in the same match!
Brooke was a beast at the service line as well picking up 2 Serving Pins and 19 aces fro the day!
Another cool moment was playing our 14 Red team in the semifinals and watching them make some amazing plays and then playing our 15 Black team in the finals. Both teams played great but our team was locked in all day and were able to get the victories that day.
14 BLACK
14 Black got to play up an age level in our home gym this weekend. Another weekend of showing off a new set of skills as the girls ran a front row setter through all of our matches. This was the first time we attempted this in game situations and I was quite excited about the results.
We started the day with a little line up mix ups (#NiceJobCoach) but after that we settled in and began playing volleyball. Abby and Eloise accepted the challenge to run the offense from the front row and did quite well. Strong serving (88%) with 8 aces led us to a quick 2 set win vs WI Attack 15 Red. Congrats Sofia on her first Ace Pin of the season.
Next up was GForce 15 Green. Steady defense and hustle allowed the setters and hitters to continue to solidify their confidence in the new rotation. Aggressive and effective hitting from the outsides with Reagan (0.300), Haley(0.300) and Zoe(0.250) hitting very well.
As we entered the last match, theri was some trepidation from the team. FC Elite 15's had a couple of big middles that had some worried defenders. A quick side out and the usual aggressive serving kept FC Elite out of system. This match really got the girls going. A few serving runs showed the way and we followed with defense and energy. I had a couple parents from different teams come over after and say they left their court to see what the excitement was.
Our last match of the day was a tough loss to a scrappy consistent North Stars team. This team did not make many mistakes and we struggled a bit with serve receive. Lots of scramble plays and a second set that finished with an extra innings loss.
LOts of fun and super proud of the team. The fun awards. I already mentioned Sophia's Ace Pin. Kylie (2) and Sophia, Haily, Ava and Zoe all earned overpass kill pins. MVP of the Tournament was Sophia.
I'm appreciative that the girls and their parents tolerate me bringing different line ups each weekend, sometimes each set. While this may lead to some confusion it allows us to see different skills and attitudes during game play. This group of girls is quite amazing with their resilience and fortitude.
16 RED
This past weekend the team headed back to the Baird Center for the JVA MKE Jamboree. Saturday started out strong with a dominant win over Epic 16-Black, 25-15, 25-11. The team was focused and was on fire for the second match of the day against Rapid Fire 16-Blue winning 25-10, 25-12. Heading into the third match against Elevate 16-Giraffes, both teams were 2-0 and looking for the top seed in the Gold bracket for Sunday. Elevate came out with strong hitting and defense, but I AM rallied behind the unstoppable offense of Emmalee and the serve receive of Claire and Morgan. 16-Red took the match in 2 sets, 25-17, 25-17.
#shoutout: The offense of Emmalee was unstoppable from both pins on Saturday, with teams unable to have an answer to her!
Sunday began Gold bracket play against RVA 16 Navy. I AM come out strong and fast, and recorded ace after ace behind the strong serving of Millie, Maliyah, and Paige. RVA was out of system most of the first set, and freeballs that came over were pounded over and over. Alessandra and Grace dominated the middle with fast play and big swings, and the first set ended quickly at 25-10. The second set RVA rallied and pushed back with big play from their pins and kept the game close. But the power and speed of I AM was too much, and the second set was won 25-17.
#shoutout: Alessandra and Grace were on fire all of Sunday, pounding ball after ball and closing out the block.
The Championship match was against Sports Performance 16-Red. Just like RVA, I AM started out with ace after ace, and SP was kept out of system. Strong, fast offense continued to be the theme of the tournament, and the first set was easily taken 25-10. The second set SP pushed back, and the set was close most of the way. Ana on the right side became unstoppable, and recorded kill after kill to help pull the team ahead. I AM took the second set 25-18, and were Jamboree champions!
#shoutout: This tournament was a total team win, with each athlete contributing in major ways throughout the weekend. From offense to defense, the team was unbreakable and played near-flawless volleyball!
17 RED
Eight city blocks to the convention center, seven grueling matches, five commanding victories, three days of competition and two hard battles that didn’t go our way - all woven into one unforgettable weekend of competition in Minneapolis.
The 17 Red coaches could not be more proud of this team and the progress we’ve already made as a team. Finishing 5th out of 40 teams at Northern Lights Qualifier is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience these ladies continue to display. The girls battled through long rallies, high-pressure moments, and tough competition, all while embracing the challenges and growing stronger together.
At NLQ the girls put up some outstanding performances individually and as a team, with many players achieving awesome stats:
Serving: Emy and Anya led with 13 aces each, followed by Morgan with 10 and Tess with 9. In multiple matches, most of the team served 100% of their serves - a huge testament to our consistency and focus.
Hitting Efficiency: Ava hit .236 and Anya hit .277 - the team’s offensive efforts were impressive across the board.
Kills: Laila dominated with 28 kills, while Lily and Ava had 24 each, Grace contributed 19 and Anya had 51kills.
Blocking: Ava was an unbelievable powerhouse at the net with total of 19 blocks in seven matches and earned the MVP of this tournament!
Defense: Emy was an anchor in the back row with 84 digs, while Morgan added 41.
On the final day, the girls put up an incredible fight in Gold but unfortunately lost to the team who got the 3rd-place. NLQ was an invaluable experience for 17 Red where girls got to have some quality time on and off the court, which gave us great insights into areas we can refine as we continue to grow. 17 Red is really excited for the upcoming BR Power League!