KC Power (Heart of America) defeated TAV 18 Black (North Texas) in a thrilling 25-23, 22-25, 16-14 gold-medal match in front of a standing-room-only crowd. KC Power, 8-1 overall in the tournament, reached the title match by defeating A4 Volley 18-Purple (Southern California) in the quarterfinal round and Sky High-Adidas 18 Black (Great Lakes) in the semifinals. TAV, which lost its first and last matches of the tournament to finish 8-2, earned its berth into the finals by defeating Top Select 18 Elite Blake (Florida) 25-21, 25-21 in the quarterfinals and Tstreet 18-Troy (Southern California) 27-25, 25-23 in the semifinals.
“This is huge for us, especially because for the last three years we have lost in the quarterfinals so we haven’t got past fifth,” said KC Power setter Madison Lilley, who was named the most valuable player of the 18 Open Division. “This year we were really focused on getting past that match and everything just starting rolling from there. We think we are really deserving and working really hard for it.”
As with many of the players competing at the GJNC18 event, this tournament represents the final club event for Lilley and her KC Power teammates.
“This is it for us,” Lilley said. “We are all heading our separate ways to college. I am heading to Kentucky. Club career is officially over, which is sad.”
However, Lilley’s schedule remains packed with volleyball before she arrives in Lexington, Kentucky to begin her collegiate career. She will be immersed into USA Volleyball’s High Performance program and competing on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that will play in the Women’s U20 Pan American Cup this May in an effort to qualify Team USA for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s U20 World Championships.
“I will be heading to Costa Rica in May to play on the (Women’s Junior) National Team and compete for a bid to Worlds,” Lilley said. “Still a busy summer, the playing never ends. But it is what I love to do.”
In the 18 USA Division, AJV 18 Mizuno (Lone Star) swept AP 18 Asics (Lone Star) 25-17, 25-19 in the gold-medal match to win the title. AJV was 9-0 in the tournament and did not lose a single set – only one team reached 20 points in a single set and that was versus Ocala Power United 18 Rox (Florida) in a 25-23, 27-25 victory to conclude the first round. AJV booked its ticket to the finals by defeating SA Force 182 National (Lone Star) 25-17, 25-18 in the quarterfinals and SG Elite 18 Roshambo (Southern California) 25-19, 25-18 in the semifinals. AP 18 Asics, which went 7-2 overall, defeated Madfrog 18s N Blue (North Texas) 25-18, 25-18 in the quarterfinals and Ignite 18 Elite (Hoosier) 29-27, 23-25, 15-11 in the semifinals.
IPVA 18 Black (Iowa) defeated Asics Louisiana 18 (Bayou) 30-28, 25-22 in a battle of undefeated teams to win the 18 National Division title. IPVA, which ended the tournament with a 9-0 record, advanced to the gold-medal match by edging Absolute Black 18-1 (Northern California) 25-6, 22-25, 15-3 in a tale-of-different sets quarterfinal match and Texas Tornados (Lone Star) 25-17, 25-17 in the semifinals. Asics Louisiana, which ended the tournament with an 8-1 mark, topped Temecula Viper 18 Rafu (Southern California) 20-25, 25-14, 15-12 in the quarterfinals and 1st Alliance 18 Silver (Great Lakes) 25-23, 15-17 in the semifinal round.
In the 18 American Division, Arsenal 18 Gold (North Texas) captured the title with a 25-23, 25-22 victory over Xceleration Blue 18-1 (Northern California) in the gold-medal match. Arsenal went undefeated in 10 matches and reached the title match by holding off then-undefeated Goldenwest 18 Asics (Southern California) in the quarterfinals and defeating CVC 18 Black (Ohio Valley) 25-17, 25-21 in the semifinals. Xceleration, which was 8-2 overall, earned its ticket to the finals by defeating Legacy 18-North (Lakeshore) 25-15, 25-12 in the quarterfinals and Rage 18-Greg (Northern California) 25-27, 25-23, 15-5 in the semifinals.
LAVA West 18 Adidas (Southern California) won the 18 Patriot Division by topping Coast 18-2 (Southern California) 25-23, 25-20. LAVA, 8-1 in the tournament, reached the title match by easing past Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar T/C (Southern California) 25-16, 25-21 in the semifinals and Club One Arizona 18 Gold (Arizona) 25-18, 25-13 in the quarterfinals. Coast, 7-3 in the tournament, swept Motion Volleyball 18 BLU (Badger) 25-10, 25-14 in the quarterfinals and West 18 Elite (Southern California) 25-27, 25-21, 15-9 in the semifinals.
2017 USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championships All-Tournament Teams
18 Open: MVP – Madison Lilley (KC Power 18-1). All-Tournament – Madison Goings (TAV 18 Black); Kenzie Koeber (Tstreet 18 Troy); Mikayla Robinson (Sky High Adidas 18 Black); Rachel Ahrens (A4 Volley 18 Purple); Kylee McLaughlin (TAV 18 Black); Megan Cooney (KC Power 18-1); Lily Dyer (Tstreet 18 Troy); Timber Terrell (Sky High Adidas 18 Black); Devon Chang (A4 Volley 18 Purple); Gabrielle Blossom (Rockwood Thunder 18 Mizuno); Gabrielle Tschannen (MEVBA 18 Mizuno); Stephanie Sameday (Top Select 18 Elite Blake); Megan Kuper (KC Power 18-1); and Samantha Sanders (TAV 18 Black).
18 National – MVP – Alyssa Ballenger (IPVA 18 Black). All-Tournament – Avery Breaux (Asics Louisiana 18); Lauren Barnes (1st Alliance 18 Silver); Taylor Bannister (Texas Tornado’s 18 Mizuno); Jzanasia Sweet (Topeka Impact 18-1); Hannah Brister (Asics Louisiana 18); Emily Plock (IPVA 18 Black); Clare Delaplane (1st Alliance 18 Silver); Alyssa DeLoney (Texas Tornado’s 18 Mizuno); Faith Rottinghaus (Topeka Impack 18-1); McKenzie Cooke (Absolute Black 18-1); Joci Radtke (Rolling Thunder 18 Blue); Desiree Sukhov (Temecula Viper 18 Rafu); Hannah Becker (IPVA 18 Black); Naya Gros (Asics Louisiana 18).
18 USA – MVP – Elizabeth Crosley (AJV 18 Mizuno). All-Tournament – Andrea Janss (AP 18 Asics); Rachel Bontrager (Ignite 18 Elite); Kayla Lund (SG Elite 18 Roshambo); Bailey Waddington (Alamo 18 Premier); Avery Rhodes (AJV 18 Mizuno); Alana Geymer (AP 18 Asics); Morgan Chacon (Ignite 18 Elite); Claire Forrest (SG Elite 18 Roshambo); Jada Gardner (Alamo 18 Premier); Alexandra Douglas (Madfrong 18 Blue); Olympia Nagel-Caland (Sunshine 18 Westside); Kayla Thomas (SA Force 182 National); Kaliegh Skopal (AP 18 Asics); Kristina Fisher (AJV 18 Mizuno).
18 American: MVP – Abby Gargus (Arsenal 18 Gold). All-Tournament – Parker Jones (Xceleration Blue 18-1); Kassandra McGill (Rage 18 Greg); Erin Gardner (CVC 18 Black); Julia DiBona (Goldenwest 18 Asics); Mere Nagase (Xceleration Blue 18-1); Haley Killinger (Arsenal 18 Gold); Marlowe Embry (Rage 18 Greg); Hallie Schroeder (CVC 18 Black); Kaylie Milton (Goldenwest 18 Asics); Nadia Atton (Legacy 18 North); Kristi Gomez (Valley Venom 181 Red); Abigail Genders (TCAOH 18-1); Devyn Wheeler (Arsenal 18 Gold); Ashby Russell (Xceleration Blue 18-1).