The SBVC 15-Blue team earned a bronze medal in the 15U Premiere Division.
There was an extra accessory hanging from the necks of the girls on the 15-Blue team from the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club.
That bling was a bronze medal.
The 15-Blue posted an 11-1 record and finished third at the AAU Junior National Championships in Orlando Florida. Their lone loss came in the semifinals against Austin Performance of Texas.
The team rolled through the first day of competition, sweeping Ultimate Chicago 15-Gold (25-23, 25-14) and North Virginia 15s (25-14, 25-15) and defeating Elite 15N in three sets (15-25, 25-15, 15-10). Santa Barbara kept rolling through on days 2 and 3, beating Front Range 15-White, AVA of Texas 15-Attack, Derby City 15-Select, Texas Jrs 15-Elite, Absolute 15-Pink and Upward Stars 15-Brent, all in two sets.
All-Tournament selections Aubrey Knight, left, and Sammy Slater, right.
The results set the team up for a late-evening challenge match to get into the medal rounds, revisiting Derby City 15-Select. Derby City was looking for revenge, and after a nail-biting three-set match with leads see-sawing back and forth, SBVC 15-Blue was victorious. Day 4, one match away from the medaling, the team went on an offensive strike against Palm Beach Jrs 15-Elite and won 25-17, 25-20.
The SBVC 15-Blue’s stunning run was ultimately stopped in the semifinal match by Austin Performance, 25-19, 29-27.
The SBVC 15-Blue finished third out of 96 teams to stand on the podium and joyfully accept the bronze medals.
The team was coached by John Sener and Kat Niksto.
Said Sener: “They’ve lost a few heartbreakers in cross-over matches during our regular season, and to see them power through and triumph was a highlight for these girls. After seven months of playing together, these girls truly fought for each other and played in concert on the court. We had stand-out play at every position. Our setter Kennedy Klusendorf ran the offense all week, continually putting the ball in position for our hitters, Sammy Slater, Delaney Mayfield and Soleil Hallig, to get quality swings.
“Our middles, Aubrey Knight and Lauren Olrich, were dominant both offensively and defensively,” he added. “Megan Seabury, Cassidy Drury-Pullen and libero Liana Tacconelli made defensive play after play to keep us in sets and passed at a high level all tournament long, while Madison Nicolson and Audrey Baldwin came in and contributed crucial support at critical times.”
Sammy Slater and Aubrey Knight were selected to the “All-American Team” and awarded plaques.
“When a team advances this far in a national tournament it is really about 11 girls all playing as one cohesive unit,” Sener said.
TOP-20 FINISH FOR 16-BLUE
Finishing 19th overall in the 16U Open Division, the SBVC 16-Blue team kept itself in the hunt for a medal all the way to day three.
“Each day at the tournament someone different stepped up big and played awesome, ” remarked Coach Tina Brown.
The team finished third on day 1, keeping itself alive in the medal rounds The team lost to Northern Lights 16s (25-10, 25-16) and OEV 16-Roly (25-23, 23-25, 15-11) and beat Club V 16-Vic (25-23, 21-25, 15-11). On day 2, the team lost a barnburner to Top Select 16-Elite (25-20, 14-25, 16-14), but bounced back to beat Ku’ikahi 16-Wahine (25-21, 25-23) and EC Power 16-Midnight (25-19, 25-22).
On day 3, still in the hunt, Santa Barbara lost its first two matches to Nebraska Jrs 16s (25-21, 19-25, 15-12) and Viper 16-Elite 925-16, 25-21), and beat Uno 16-Elite (25-19, 19-25, 15-8). In day 4 playoffs, the team beat A5 Mizuno 16-Jackie (25-23, 20-25, 15-13) in the quarters but subsequently lost to SWI Crush 16-Black (25-18, 25-21) in the semifinal match of the Red bracket.
“It took a team effort to get in the top 20 and that’s what we had,” Brown said.”I’m proud to be a part of this team, which is was such an awesome group of young ladies.”
Members of the team are Danielle Abrams, Chloe Allen, Lucy Branch, Ally Hodosy, Olivia LeSage, Phoebe Madsen, Gabi Peoples, Emily Robertson, Peyton Shelburne, Lauren Suh, Lourda Weger, Kamille Williams and Coaches Tina Brown and Jane Hinkle
14-BLUE PLACE 27TH
The SBVC 14-Blue team, competing in the 14U Open Division, finished 27th overall.
The team opened up day 1 against a strong team from Puerto Rico, GVA 14s, losing 26-24, 25-18. The team then engaged in a battle against a strong team, Legacy 14s (who ultimately won the bronze medal, losing in three sets 20-25, 25-20, 15-10).
“The team really stepped up their overall level of play against this team, and when they realized they were right there and could hang with the big dogs, they continued amazing play and it was ‘game on’ for the rest of the week,” exclaimed coach K.C. Collins.
The 14-Blue then lost, again in three sets, to Dunes 14-Black (25-11, 19-25, 15-10). From then on, all matches daily went to three sets. Day 2, SBVC 14-Blue beat Kentucky’s K2-14Elite (22-25, 25-20, 15-10), Michigan Elite 14s (24-26, 25-14, 15-11) and lost to Front Range Colorado 14s (21-25, 28-26,15-11). Returning Day 3, in a smaller pool, the team had a rematch win against Michigan (25-14, 25-27, 25-11) and beat Alliance 14-Mizuno (25-18, 23-25, 27-25).
Looking to win the Blue Bracket, on Day 4, the team returned to again play Alliance and won (25-23, 24-26, 15-11) and then confidently beat Front Range (25-21, 25-21). The final was another 3-setter, falling to K2-14Elite (26-24, 22-25, 15-5).
Said Collins: “Every player excelled over the week. We were serving tough, playing great defensive, and playing clever offense against some big teams. We were playing tough competition and the team really stepped up to the occasion as a whole, never giving up, putting everything they had out on the floor, and made every opponent work hard against us, win or lose.”
Team Roster: Kelly Bickett, Adyson Colburn, Abby Corpuz, Josie Doughty, Julia Fay, Sophia Fay, Brynna Hodosy, Jenna MacFarlane, Izzy Mallet, Danica Minnich, Kendall White, Caylin Zimmerman and coaches K.C. Collins and Marlon Ruckle.
18-BLUE FINISH 20TH
The SBVC 18-Blue team dominated on its first day of competition in the 18U Premiere Division, beating Onitsuka 18s (17-25-, 25-19, 15-13), LAVA 18-Kyle (25-21, 23-25, 15-10) and UPPS 18-Dre (25-16, 15-25, 15-7). Day 2 took a turn, and the team lost to MVA 18-National and Air City Chicks 18-Pink, knocking itself out of medal-round competition. Day 3, the team came back fighting and took two-set wins over Juggernaut 18-Black, A5 Mizuno 18-Marc and Ventura County 18-Aaron.
Heading into playoffs of the White Bracket, the team grinded out two matches to three sets, beating Replay 18-Select (25-19, 22-25, 15-8) and Rolling Thunder 18-Blue (25-20, 23-25, 15-13). The team then met with defeat against Wisconsin Jrs 18s, losing the final match 22-25, 26-24, 15-11) and placed 20 (out of 42) in the Premiere Division.
“A highlight of the weekend was definitely beating the second overall seeded team whom went on to play in the finals,” commented Coach Jacky Yao. “We finished 8-3 playing very solid volleyball all week. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to coach these girls, especially the group of seniors who will no doubt go on to do great things in college, both as students and as athletes.”
Team Roster: Emily Allen, Mariah Bell (Sr.), McKenna Goss, Emma Harrah, Katie Kim (Sr.), Natalie Klapp, Clara Madsen (Sr.), Dane Miller, Bailey Roach (Sr.), Lexi Rottman, Allie Sundara, Carly Yarnell (Sr.) and coaches Jacky Yao, Keslie Brown and Kim Yao.
