Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno, Ultimate B14 Gold Win 14s Boys’ JNC Titles

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

AUSTIN, Texas (July 8, 2010) – Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno (Aloha Region) and Ultimate B14 Gold (Great Lakes Region) captured the 14 Open and 14 Club Division titles, respectively, Thursday afternoon at the 31st Annual USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships held at the Austin Convention Center in Texas.

Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno swept runner-up San Juan VBC 14 (Puerto Rico) 25-22, 25-17 in the 14 Open Division gold-medal match. In the first set, San Juan VBC 14 scored five unanswered points to stake an early 8-3 lead. However, Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno charged back into a tie at 12-all with an Evan Enriques kill, then took the lead at 14-13 with a San Juan VBC error. San Juan VBC regained the lead at 16-15 and extended the margin to 20-17. Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno rattled off six of the next seven points to move ahead 23-21 thanks to two blocks from Keenan Meyer and two aces from Enriques. Ka Ulukoa closed out the set with a 25-22 victory.

With the score tied 6-3, San Juan VBC scored three consecutive points for an early 6-3 advantage only to have Ka UluKoa M14 Mizuno score seven of the next eight points including a kill and block from Keenan Meyer pushing the advantage to 10-7 for the Hawaiian squad. San Juan VBC responded to tie the set at a12-all, but an Adrian Faitalia block put the scored back at a two-point margin at 14-12. The block helped spark Ka Ulukoa to a 9-1 spurt after the 12-all tie as it gained a comfortable 21-13 advantage en route to finishing the set at 25-17.

Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno reached the gold-medal match by defeating Borinquen Coqui 14-1M 25-8, 25-17 in the semifinals, while San Juan VBC advanced to the title match with a 25-20, 11-25, 15-13 victory over Halcones de Torrimar in an all-Puerto Rico semifinal match. For the bronze, Borinquen Coqui 14-1M rallied to defeat Halcones de Torrimar 23-25, 25-14, 16-14 to reach the 14 Open Division podium.

Ultimate B14 Gold rallied to defeat Gigantes Carolina 14 (Puerto Rico) 28-30, 25-21, 15-11 in the 14 Club Division gold-medal match. Afer Gigantes took an early 3-0 lead in the opening set, Ultimate B14 Gold recovered to seize a 14-7 advantage with six unanswered points. Gigantes Carolina inched back to within one at 15-14 and eventually tied the set at 21-all on a Gabriel Rosado ace. Gigantes Carolina went in front 24-3 on a Jose Segarra block. Ultimate saved two set points and gained its first set point chance after an Austin Royer ace. Gigantes Carolina saved two set-point opportunities and regained the lead at 28-27 and won the set 30-28 on its fourth set-point try.

Ultimate B14 Gold pocketed an early 5-1 lead in the second set after consecutive blocks from Anthony Prospero and Ian Zalewski. Royer served a winner to present Ultimate with a 12-7 advantage, which increased to six points at 20-14. After a mini-run by Gigantes Carolina that cut the score to 21-18, Ultimate held off its opponent for a 25-21 victory.

Ultimate B14 Gold started the deciding third set with a 6-1 advantage that included two aces. Alberto Rivero capped a Gigantes Carolina run with an ace to slice the deficit to two points at 10-8. However, Bradley McFarland found open court for an ace at 12-8 and Ultimate B14 Gold never looked back in winning the set 15-11.

To reach the gold-medal match, Ultimate B14 Gold held off Front Range Volleyball Club B141 Clear (Rocky Mountain) 25-16, 22-25, 15-13 in the semifinals, while Gigantes Carolina doubled up Criollos 14U (Puerto Rico) 25-21, 25-21 for its spot in the title match. Front Range Volleyball Club, which played three three-set matches on Thursday, captured bronze medal with a 25-27, 25-23, 15-13 victory over Criollos 14U.

To view teams competing in the event, schedules, brackets or results, click here.

For more information on the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships, visit usavolleyball.org/events/2403.

2010 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships Schedule
12 Club (July 2-4): Gold – Narajinto Envol (Puerto Rico); Silver – Vaqueros 12-1 (Puerto Rico); Bronze – Torrimar 12-2 (Puerto Rico)
13 Club: Cancelled due to limited team registrations
14 Club (July 5-8): Gold – Ultimate B14 Gold; Silver – Gigantes Carolina 14 (Puerto Rico); Bronze – Front Range Volleyball Club B141 Clear
14 Open (July 5-8): Gold – Ka Ulukoa M14 Mizuno; Silver – San Juan VBC 14; Bronze – Borinquen Coqui 14-1M
15 Club (July 4-7): Gold – Piterres 15 (Puerto Rico); Silver – Vaqueros 15-1 (Puerto Rico); Bronze – Santa Monica Beach Club 15-Black
15 Open (July 4-7): Gold – SCVC 15 Quiksilver (Southern California); Silver – 949 15 Black (Southern California); Bronze – Halcones de Torimar (Puerto Rico)
16 Club (July 3-6): Gold – Vaqueros 16-1 (Puerto Rico); Silver – San Gabriel 16 Black (Southern California); Bronze – Gigantes Carolina (Puerto Rico) 16 Open (July 3-6): Gold – West Allis Lighting B16 (Badger); Silver – Ultimate B16 Gold (Great Lakes); Bronze – Balboa Bay 16 Quiksilver (Southern California)
17 Club: July 6-9
17 Open: July 6-9
18 Club (July 2-5): Gold – High Line Volleyball Club 2009-2010 18B (Southern California); Silver – Seaside 18-Mikasa (Southern California); Bronze – Spectrum 18s (Southern California)
18 Open (July 2-5): Gold – Manhattan Beach Surf 18s; Silver – Outrigger 18 (Aloha); Bronze – Orange County Volleyball Club 18-1 (Southern California)

Tags: USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships