MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (June 29, 2017) – TAV 15 Black captured the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships 15 Open Division as the five 15-and-Under age groups concluded Thursday at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The GJNC continues through July 4.
Along with TAV 15 Black, other winners included Kokoro Volleyball 15-1 in the 15 National Division, LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas in the 15 USA Division, A4 Volley 15-Purple in the 15 American Division and Momentum 15 Elsa (Rocky Mountain) in the 15 Patriot Division.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships.
15 Open
TAV 15 Black (North Texas), which lost its first match of the tournament, ended the 15 Open Division with a 10-match win streak following a 25-19, 25-13 victory over ASICS MAVS 15-1 (Heart of America) in the gold-medal match. After its opening match loss to Laguna Beach 15MS (Southern California) in pool play, TAV 15 Black only lost one set the rest of the way. The winners reached the title match by defeating AVC Cleveland Rox 15N Harvey (Ohio Valley) 25-16, 25-22 in the semifinals after sweeping Skyline 15 Royal (North Texas) 25-22, 25-21 in the quarterfinal round.
TAV’s Annabelle Smith (Southlake, Texas) and many of her teammates are now repeat champions at the USAV Girls’ Junior Nationals having won 13 Open a couple years ago, but she placed emphasis on how special this championship was for her team.
“All our hard work finally paid off, and I think it was a really big deal because it was our coach’s first national championship title,” Smith said of TAV 15 Black Head Coach Louis Sariego. “We won two years ago in 13 Open. I think this year was a little harder because it was a deep field and there are a lot of good teams. We definitely had to work for every point.”
TAV 15 Black’s Paige Flickinger was named the 15 Open Division most valuable player. Teammates Katherine Lang and Madison Williams were also named to the all-tournament.
ASICS MAVS, which ended the tournament with a 9-2 record, reached the gold-medal match by edging OT 15 S. Rox Red 26-24, 25-14 in the quarterfinals and Mintonette Sports – m.51 (Ohio Valley) 26-24, 25-15 in the semifinals. AVC Cleveland Rox 15N Harvey and Mintonette Sports – m.51 earned bronze medals by reaching the semifinals.
15 National
Kokoro Volleyball 15-1 (North Country) won the 15 National Division championship after sweeping HPSTL 15 Royal (Gateway) 25-17, 25-15 in the title match. Kokoro Volleyball 15-1 went undefeated in 11 matches and was stretched to three sets just twice, including a semifinal win over Ka Ulukoa Black 15-1 (Aloha) 25-18, 17-25, 15-8. Kokora Volleyball 15-1 topped Six Pack 15 (Iowa) 25-12, 25-18 in the quarterfinals to start championship day. Madeline Whittington of Kokora Volleyball 15-1 was named the 15 National Division most valuable player. HPSTL 15 Royal advanced to the championship match by sweeping AVC Cleveland Rox 15 N Sonja (Ohio Valley) 25-20, 25-12 in the quarterfinals and CC Force 151 Crossfire (Lone Star) 25-20, 31-29 in the semifinals. As semifinalists, Ka Ulukoa Black 15-1 and CC Force 151 Crossfire earned bronze medals.
15 USA
LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas (Arizona) captured the 15 USA Division by defeating OP2 15-1 EP (Oklahoma) 25-13, 26-24 in the championship match. LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas, which finished the tournament with a 10-1 record, advanced to the title match by defeating San Clemente 15-1 Riley (Southern California) 25-21, 25-12 in the quarterfinals and SA Magic 15 Elite (Lone Star) 27-25, 25-22 in the semifinals. Jessica Terlizzi of LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas was named the 15 USA Division most valuable player. OP2 15-1 EP pushed into the finals by defeating Mintonette Sports – m.52 (Ohio Valley) 25-3, 25-16 in the quarterfinals and Rockwood Thunder 15 Navy (Gateway) 25-14, 23-25, 15-8 in the semifinals. Rockwood Thunder 15 Navy and SA Magic 15 Elite earned bronze medals by reaching the semifinals.
15 American
A4 Volley 15-Purple (Southern California) claimed the 15 American Division title with a 25-17, 25-21 sweep of OT 15 T.Rox Red (Florida) in a battle of opposite coastal teams. A4 Volley 15-Purple, which finished the tournament with a 10-1 record, reached the title match by stopping AP 15 Asics (Lone Star) 25-15, 25-13 in the quarterfinals and Tstreet 15-Curtis (Southern California) in the semifinals. A4 Volley 15-Purple’s Cassandra Newman was named the 15 American Division most valuable player. OT 15 T.Rox Red (Florida) defeated Attack 15 Black (North Texas) 25-9, 25-18 in the quarterfinals and A2 15 Green (Ohio Valley) 13-25, 27-25, 15-8 in the semifinals. Tstreet 15-Curtis and A2 15 Green earned the bronze medals as semifinalists.
15 Patriot
Momentum 15 Elsa (Rocky Mountain) edged Forza1 15 UA (Southern California in the 15 Patriot Division championship match. Momentum 15 Elsa, which went undefeated in 11 tournament matches, gained a spot in the gold-medal match by defeating Rancho Valley 15 Premier (Southern California) 25-20, 25-15 in the quarterfinals and Forza1 North 15 UA (Southern California) in the semifinals. Forza1 15 UA gained a ticket to the finals after defeating Vision 15 Blue (Northern California) 25-13, 25-12 in the quarterfinals and Wave 15 Dave (Southern California) 23-25, 25-13, 15-10 in the semifinals. Forza1 North 15 UA and Wave 15 Dave were awarded bronze medals as the semifinalists.
USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships Results
11 Patriot: Championship on July 1
12 National: Championship on June 30
12 American: Championship on June 30
13 Open: Championship on July 1
13 National: Championship on July 1
13 American: Championship on July 1
14 Open: Gold – Tstreet 14-Carson (Southern California); Silver – TAV 14 Black (North Texas); Bronze – Rockwood Thunder 14 Mizuno (Gateway) and OT 14 S. Rox Red (Florida)
14 National: Gold – A5 Mizuno 14-2 Karen (Southern); Silver – A5 South 14-1 Trina (Silver); Bronze – Wildfire 14 Nike Albert (Florida) and AZ Sky 14 Gold Allegiance (Arizona)
14 USA: Gold – Mizuno Long Beach Rockstar M (Southern California); Silver – PVA 14 Elite (Heart of America); Bronze – Instinct 14 Leopards Wild GP (North Texas) and Mintonette Sports – m.42O (Ohio Valley
14 American: Gold – Tampa Elite U14 Columbia (Florida); Silver – Forza1 North 14 UA (Southern California); Bronze – HJV 14 Elite (Lone Stat) and Texas Pistols 14 Black (North Texas)
14 Patriot: Gold – Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club 14 Lisa (Southern California); Silver – Rancho Valley 14 Premier (Southern California); Bronze – Forza1 14 UA (Southern California) and Sunshine 14 Elite (Southern California)
15 Open: Gold – TAV 14 Black (North Texas); Silver – ASICS MAVS 15-1 (Heart of America); Bronze – Mintonette Sports – m.51 (Ohio Valley) and AVC Cleveland Rox 15N Harvey (Ohio Valley)
15 National: Gold – Kokoro Volleyball 15-1 (North Country); Silver – HPSTL 15 Royal (Gateway); Bronze – CC Force 151 Crossfire and Ka Ulukoa Black 15-1 (Aloha)
15 USA: Gold – LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas (Arizona); Silver – OP2 15-1 EP (Oklahoma); Bronze – SA Magic 15 Elite (Lone Star) and Rockwood Thunder 15 Navy (Gateway)
15 American: Gold – A4 Volley 15-Purple (Southern California); Silver – OT 15 T. Rox Red (Florida); Bronze – Tstreet 15-Curtis (Southern California) and A2 15 Green (Ohio Valley)
15 Patriot: Gold – Momentum 15 Elsa (Rocky Mountain); Silver – Forza1 15 UA (Southern California); Bronze – Forza1 North 15 UA (Southern California) and Wave 15 Dave (Southern California)
16 Open: Championship on July 4
16 National: Championship on July 4
16 USA: Championship on July 4
16 American: Championship on July 4
16 Patriot: Championship on July 4
17 Open: Championship on July 3
17 National: Championship on July 3
17 USA: Championship on July 3
17 American: Championship on July 3
17 Patriot: Championship on July 3