Indianapolis, Ind. (June 28, 2016) – National champions in the 15s were determined today at the 2016 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championship at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.
All five divisions from Open, American, National, USA and Patriot were contested, starting with the 15 Open. Arizona Storm 15 Thunder (AZ) took the title over Coast 15-1 Luis (SC), 25-19, 25-22.
For Amber Stivrins, the division MVP from AZ Storm, the victory was sweet after a ninth-place finish last year.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “I feel like all of our hard work has paid off because we’re worked really hard. Hard work and we got some more players. We actually got five new players, so they really added to the team.
Winning the MVP award, “means everything. I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting it to go to my friend Kate because she’s a baller, but I’m overjoyed right now.”
Do you love volleyball? “With all my heart.” Why? “It’s a team sport, it’s all about family. Everybody works together to make an end goal.”
Favorite Junior National memory? “Right now.”
15 American
Mary Glover and her husband drove daughter Alex from Houston to Indianapolis for this tournament. 16 hours in the car with the precocious 14-year-old, who is already informally visiting colleges, one on the way here and one on the way home. It’s good to do some research.
Alexandria Glover is a high jumper, winning her district title in Texas. She also is a model.
And today she’s also a volleyball player, the 15 American MVP and a national champion.
The Woodlands’ Revolution 15-1 National (LS) won the 15 American Division over Five Starz 15-1 (NC), 25-11, 25-20.
Alex, how are you doing? “We just won first place,” she said.
Was it a surprise? “It wasn’t a surprise. We were expecting to go in … and we knew what we had to do and we shut them down. We knew we could pull it out. We went 11-0 all weekend. We dropped two sets. Sometimes we did have to change our game for other teams, but we always pulled it out. We always fought hard and worked together as a team.
Alex put the match away with the tournament winning kill.
“I really wanted to finish the game. I knew that they would come back, if we didn’t finish the game. I had to put it down. I had that mindset, so when I did put it down, it was finally worth it. It’s over.”
Winning the MVP award, “was really special. All the training, all the privates, all of the working with my setter. I have to thank my setter and my libero. It just wasn’t me; it was everyone on the team also that helped me get that award.”
15 National
Tstreet 15-Curtis (SC) defeated Crossfire M 15-1 (NO), 25-18, 25-22, to win the 15 National Division. Lauren Sinclair was the division’s MVP.
“Playing together as a team, working together, everyone’s so close and winning the gold, which was our goal,” she said. “We’ve grown so close together. We’re best friends outside of volleyball. We gave everything we had.”
Winning the MVP award, “it feels really good.”
And then Lauren set her setter, saying, “This is Amanda. She’s my best friend.”
Amanda Yap is the Tstreet setter and she was named to the all-tournament. She picked up where Lauren left off.
“We all worked as a team and we all contributed everything we had,” Amanda said. “We were so motivated to get the gold. It felt really good. I can’t imagine a better feeling.”
How about your MVP?
“She’s amazing. She is so adjustable, if I give, not a very good set, she will get it and she won’t complain about anything. She just gives 100 percent.”
15 USA
SA Magic 15 Elite (LS) won the 15 USA Division, 25-23, 25-13, over Mintonette Sports m.52.
Caroline Meuth has played volleyball for five years, but this was her first USAV Girls’ Junior Nationals. She made the best of it, winning her division’s MVP award.
“This is my first time here … I think this is a pretty good first one,” she said.
“People always have teams where they have one big player, but all of us are big players. All of us contribute to making this team great and that’s how a team wins … everyone being great.”
Winning the MVP award, “I’m just so proud of my team. I couldn’t have done this without them.”
And I want to thank my parents and everyone who has helped me get to where I am and even my coach from last year who trained me to be the best hitter that I could and my coach this year, who trained me to be the best hitter I could, and my assistant coach who helped me because I was injured yesterday with a hurt hip. Everyone’s just been helping me to get to where I am right now and I really thank them.”
On Sunday night the team went out for an Italian dinner.
“When we go out of state, we always have a fancy team dinner. We all get dressed up with our makeup and our hair done. I always love that because we always look so cute and it’s so fun, especially when we win.
15 Patriot
AZ EVJ 15N2 (AZ) won the 15 Patriot Division in a tough three-setter with Empowered 15 A1 Elite (HO), 27-25, 23-25, 15-7
15 Open
Gold: Arizona Storm 15 Thunder (AZ)
Silver: Coast 15-1 Luis (SC)
Bronze: Lonestar 15 EP (NT)
Bronze: Circle City 15 Purple (HO)
15 American
Gold: Revolution 15-1 National (LS)
Silver: Five Stars 15-1 (NC)
Bronze: OT 15 Tampa Asics Red (FL)
Bronze: Zenith 3rd Degree 15 Apex (OV)
15 National
Gold: Tstreet 15-Curtis (SC)
Silver: Crossfire MN 15-1 (NO)
Bronze: Premier Nebraska 15 Gold (GP)
Bronze: FC Elite 15 Navy (BG)
15 Patriot
Gold: AZ EVJ 15N2 (AZ)
Silver: Empowered 15 A1 Elite (HO)
Bronze: Team Piko Maka Lena 14-1 (AH)
Bronze: HJV 15 Premier (LS)
15 USA
Gold: SA Magic 15 Elite (LS)
Silver: Mintonette Sports – m.52 (OV)
Bronze: PVA 15 Elite (HA)
Bronze: Cape Coast 15 Elite (FL)