Legacy 18-Elite wins Music City Qualifier, earns spot at Junior Nationals
It didn’t take Legacy 18-Elite long to qualify for the Junior National Championships in April, as the impressive squad went 10-0 at the Music City Qualifier, winning the 18 Open championship this past weekend in Nashville, Tenn. Legacy dropped just…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt didn’t take Legacy 18-Elite long to qualify for the Junior National Championships in April, as the impressive squad went 10-0 at the Music City Qualifier, winning the 18 Open championship this past weekend in Nashville, Tenn.
Legacy dropped just a few sets along the way in the highly-competitive field.
It started off in Pool 3 for Round 1, earning a 25-11, 25-8 win over Tribe 18 Elite Gian. That was followed up with a 25-15, 25-22 win over NPJ 18-1 Forefront. Pool play closed out with a three-set battle with Alliance 18 1, but Legacy got the 22-25, 25-13, 15-8 victory.
In Pool 3 for Round 2, Legacy continued its winning ways. It didn’t drop a set as it earned a 25-16, 25-17 win over Top Select 18 Elite Marcela to start things off. It then defeated Absolute Black 18-1 25-13, 25-17 before rolling past Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite by scores of 25-6, 25-12.
That placed Legacy in Gold Pool 2, where it went 3-0 as well. 18-Elite started with a 25-10, 25-16 win over Elevation 18 Schaad before going three sets with Woodlands Revolution 18 Premier, but still grabbing a 20-25, 25-19, 15-10 victory. They finished things off with a 25-14, 25-19 win over H Skyline 18 Royal.
The 9-0 record put Legacy 18-Elite into the Gold Championship match against TK Volleyball 18 Legends. This match was a classic, with each set being decided by two points. TK took the opener 25-23 before Legacy rallied back to win the final two sets, 27-25, 16-14.
Jess MruzikJess Mruzik (Michigan – 2020) posted 16 kills in the championship while hitting .400 as a six-rotation player for Legacy. Mruzik continues to have a banner 12 months of action as she is proving to be one of the top players in the country.
Jessica Robinson (Michigan) led Legacy 18-Elite in kills and blocks throughout the weekend and finished the entire event with a .657 hitting percentage. Robinson has shown her athleticism at the net is hard for anyone to match up with.
Celia Cullen (Michigan State – 2020) shined at setter. The 6-1 setter from Brighton played up with the 18-Elite squad last season and that experience is proving to pay off. She spread the ball very well throughout the weekend to the numerous hitters Legacy had. Her powerful serve also was a key, as she led Legacy in aces.
Coached by Ricky and Jennifer Cottrill, Legacy 18-Elite is garnering a top-10 ranking nationally by some publications. This weekend’s performance will certainly help that. They now qualify for the Junior National Championships in Dallas, Tx. on April 26-28.