Southern California, San Juan Win Gold at BJNC

Becky Murdy
Assistant, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: becky.murdy@usav.org

MINNEAPOLS, Minn. (July 6, 2011) – The USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships concluded Wednesday after eight days on the Sport Courts of the Minneapolis Convention Center with teams from Southern California and San Juan, Puerto Rico, capturing gold medals in their respective 17 Open and 17 Club divisions.

In the final match of the 2011 USAV BJNC, Manhattan Beach Surf 17s (Southern California) and Southern California Volleyball Club 17 Quiksilver (Southern California) met on the championship court for the 17 Open Division gold medal. 

Both Southern California teams came out strong battling point-by-point before MB Surf took the first two-point lead at 13-11. MB Surf kept the momentum with five unanswered points to bring the score to 17-11. A block that fired into the stands off the hard kill by Nicholas Porterfield brought MB Surf to 22-15. SCVC held MB Surf during two set points forcing MB Surf to call a timeout at 24-21. A kill by Porterfield gave the first set to MB Surf 25-21.

The second set started identical to the first with both teams alternating point exchanges. MB Surf built up a three-point lead before SCVC called a timeout at 8-5. SCVC rallied with back-to-back points bringing the game to within one at 8-7. SCVC tied it up at 14 before taking the lead with a quick attack into a MB Surf gap. SCVC took control of the next few points including a battle won over the net by Michael Mullahey to bring the score to 23-20. SCVC captured the second set 25-20 to force a third set. 

SCVC rallied back after a two-point deficit early in the set to take the lead at 4-3. On double SCVC hitting errors MB Surf took a two-point lead at 6-4. The teams switched sides at 8-6 with MB Surf leading by two. MB Surf held a four-point lead at 10-6 before SCVC rallied back with two quick points, closing the gap for a lead change to tie it at 12 all. SCVC reached set, match point at 14-12 when it secured the gold medal with a hard kill on the left side. The final set score of the championship match was 15-12.

SCVC reached the championship match by defeating Envol_Elite (Puerto Rico) 25-19, 18-25, 15-11 in the semifinals. Mountain View Volleyball Club (Northern California) fell to MB Surf 17s 25-23, 25-18 in the semifinals, but captured the bronze medal in the 17 Open Division by outplaying Envol_Elite 25-23, 25-21.

The 17 Club Division gold-medal match was all about speed as No. 4 seed San Juan Volleyball Club (Puerto Rico) and No. 3 seed Vaqueros (Puerto Rico) battled out for the title. Both teams entered the match without a loss in the tournament. Vaqueros began the match in a six-point hole unable to stop the attacks from San Juan.

Vaqueros brought the game within two 11-9 with consecutive kills down the line. San Juan jumped to a six-point lead at 22-16 with a rifle down the line by Jonathan Martinez. The first set went to San Juan 25-18 after a double blockat set point.

All tied up at 12-12, the second set remained tight. San Juan increased its lead by five at 18-13 off unforced errors by Vaqueros, who were then forced to call a timeout. Vaqueros was unable to regain its rhythm, falling 25-17 to San Juan as outside hitter Jonathan Martinez secured the club championship with a kill.

High Line Volleyball Club (Southern California) lost to Vaqueros in the semifinals 25-20, 21-25, 15-9, but bounced back to defeat San Gabriel 17 Black (Southern California) 25-18, 25-23 to secure the bronze medal in the 17 Club Division. San Juan, which dropped only one set in 12 matches during the tournament, reached the title match with a 25-21, 25-13 semifinal win over San Gabriel 17 Black.

For up-to-date results for the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships, click here. For more information on the tournament, visithttp://usavolleyball.org/events/4872.

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2011 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships Results
12 Club: Gold - Vaqueros 12-1 (Puerto Rico); Silver - Outrigger Red B12 (Aloha); Bronze - Gigantes 12G (Puerto Rico)
13 Club: Gold - West Allis Lightning B13 (Badger); Silver - SCVA 13 Qs (Southern California); Bronze -Ku’Ikahi 13W RoShamBo (Aloha)
14 Club: Gold - Gigantes 14 (Puerto Rico); Silver - Pitirres 13 (Puerto Rico); Bronze - Vaqueros (Puerto Rico)
14 Open: Gold - Halcones de Torrimar (Puerto Rico); Silver - SMBC 14-Black (Southern California);Bronze - Pacific Rim U14 (Northern California)
15 Club: Gold - Vaqueros 15-1 (Puerto Rico); Silver - Gigantes 15 (Puerto Rico); Bronze - Caciques (Puerto Rico) 
15 Open: Gold Ka Ulukoa M15 Mizuno(Aloha); Silver - Borinquen Coqui 15-1M (Puerto Rico); Bronze - MB Surf 15s (Southern California)
16 Club: Gold - Vaqueros 16-1(Puerto Rico); Silver - High Line (southern California); Bronze - Gigantes 16 (Puerto Rico)
16 Open: Gold - Balboa Bay (Southern California); Silver - HBC 16-Adam (Southern California); Bronze - SCVC 16 Qs (Southern California)
17 Club: Gold - San Juan Volleyball Club 17 (Puerto Rico); SIlver - Vaqueros 17-1 (Puerto Rico); Bronze - High Line Volleyball Club 17Black (Southern California)
17 Open: Gold - Southern California Volleyball Club 17 Quiksilver (Southern California); Silver- Manhattan Beach Surf VBC 117s(Southern California); Bronze - Mountain View Volleyball CLub 17s Red (Northern California)
18 Club: Gold - Spectrum 18s (Southern California); Silver - APV 18-Errea (Arizona); Bronze -Borinquen Coqui (Puerto Rico) (Southern California)
18 Open: Gold - Balboa Bay 18 Quiksilver (Southern California); Silver - SMBC 18-Black (Southern California); Bronze - HLVBC 18-Black (Southern California)

Tags: 2011 Boys' Junior National Championships, USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships