MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (May 1, 2016) – Minnesota Select 18-1 took home the top prize at the inaugural USA Volleyball Girls’ 18s Junior National Championships taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Minnesota Select (North Country Region) blanked Laguna Beach MS 18-1 (Southern California Region) 25-12, 25-20 on Sunday afternoon to win the 18 Open Division. Minnesota Select reached the gold-medal match by stopping Arizona Storm 18 Thunder (Arizona Region) 25-21, 25-27, 15-13 in the semifinals after edging TAV 18 Black (North Texas Region) 25-21, 20-25, 15-13 in the quarterfinals. Minnesota Select went 9-1 in the tournament with its only loss being to Red Rock 18-1 (Northern California Region) in three sets – one five full set matches the gold medalist played in during the three-day tournament.
Laguna Beach, which lost two of its first three matches of the tournament on the opening day, rallied in the tournament and reached the title match by defeating KC Power 18-1 (Heart of America Region) 25-23, 21-25, 15-11 in the quarterfinals and local favorites Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold (Badger Region) 25-23, 23-25, 16-14 in the semifinals. Laguna Beach finished the tournament with a 7-3 record.
Houston Junior Volleyball Elite (Lone Star Region) earned the 18 USA Division crown following its 25-14, 25-15 victory over Colorado Juniors/Kaepa 18 Tara (Rocky Mountain Region) in the gold-medal match. Houston Juniors lost its first match of the tournament to state rival San Antonio Lighting 181 National in three sets before stringing eight straight victories for the title. Houston Juniors defeated TAV 18 Blue (North Texas Region) 25-21, 25-15 in the quarterfinals and OT 18 Asics Red (Florida Region) in the semifinals. Colorado Juniors earned its ticket to the title match by sweeping 1st Alliance 17/18 Red (Great Lakes Region) 26-24, 25-23 in the quarterfinals and Johnston 18 National (Iowa Region) 12-25, 25-22, 15-12 in the semifinals. Colorado Juniors finished the tournament with a 7-2 record.
Mavericks 900 18 Black (Southern California Region) won the 18 National Division gold medal by defeating 951 Elite 18-1 Wild Pepper (Southern California Region) 34-32, 25-13 in the title match. Mavericks and 951 Elite both entered the 18 National Division title match undefeated in its first eight matches. Mavericks, who did not lose a single set in the tournament, took down Austin Juniors 18 Mizuno (Lone Star Region) 25-7, 26-24 in the quarterfinals and Club One AZ 18 Platinum (Arizona Region) 25-16, 25-19 in the semifinals. 951 Elite blanked Coastal 18 Blue (Old Dominion Region) 25-16, 25-15 in the quarterfinals and CIA 18 Black (Iowa) 25-15, 26-24 in the semifinals.
MichioChicago 18 National (Great Lakes Region) claimed the 18 Patriot Division title after downing 1st Alliance 18 Silver (Great Lakes Region) 25-19, 25-18 in an all-Great Lakes Region title match of undefeated teams in the tournament. MichioChicago, which lost just one set in nine matches, rallied to defeat WVA 18-Black (Badger Region) 20-25, 29-27, 15-8 in the quarterfinals before sweeping CVC 18 Black (Ohio Valley Region) 25-15, 25-15 in the semifinals. 1st Alliance, which had not lost a single set in the tournament until meeting MichioChicago in the finals, earned its ticket to the gold-medal match by defeating LAVA South 18 Adidas (Southern California Region) 25-21, 25-20 in the quarterfinals and WVA 18-Red (Badger Region) 25-11, 25-15 in the semifinals.