Recap of Opening Day for 16s at AAU Nationals
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After all the excitement that was just delivered by the 15s and 17s in Orlando, there’s still plenty more drama that the 16s can deliver to finish out AAU Nationals. Many of the same Nebraska clubs we covered in the…
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Continue ReadingAfter all the excitement that was just delivered by the 15s and 17s in Orlando, there’s still plenty more drama that the 16s can deliver to finish out AAU Nationals.
Many of the same Nebraska clubs we covered in the other age groups are represented once again in the 16s field. This talented class kicked off the opening matches of pool play on Saturday, and it all leads up to bracket play to decide a champion on Tuesday.
Those opening matches are in the books now, and I’ve got some recaps from some of the teams representing the Cornhusker State.
Nebraska Juniors 16 Black
NE Jrs 16 Black was part of a barnburner of a group to kick off group competition in 16 Open. This Nebraska Juniors team posted a 2-1 record, second only to a talented Top Select squad that did not drop a set on Tuesday. Wins over Munciana Indy and VA Elite propelled 16 Black to the upper half of the four-team group.
16 Black has the talent to lift them to these solid finishes. Brinly Christensen Brinly Christensen 5'10" | OH Lincoln Southwest | 2023 State NE had plenty of good reps on the left pin Tuesday, and Adison Markowski Adison Markowski 5'7" | S Lincoln Pius X | 2023 State NE showed her ever-growing ability to put her hitters in positions to succeed.
Nebraska Juniors is on my radar now. Expect more positive results from this team.
VCNebraska 16 Elite
Fresh off the club’s championship in 15 Open, VCN brings another strong lineup to 16s.
The challenge for 16 Elite is that their Tuesday pool was strong, too. After dropping competitive matches against worthy opponents in FaR Out and Carolina Rogue, VCN rebounded with a two-set victory over a gritty EU 16 Black team.
VCN 16 Elite will continue to hit its stride with its strength along the net. Grace Baumert Grace Baumert 6'2" | OH Howells-Dodge | 2023 State NE is still a reliable option on the left, and Elecea Saathoff has provided a spark at opposite. Of course, the ball control will always be there, too. Adison Markowski Adison Markowski 5'7" | S Lincoln Pius X | 2023 State NE at setter and Faith Van Eck at libero are a productive combination.
Nebraska Juniors 16 Red
Just like their Nebraska Juniors counterparts in 16 Open, NE Jrs 16 Red found itself in quite a group to begin pool play in 16 Premier.
16 Red finished 2-1 on Tuesday along with two other teams in the group. After falling in their first match of the tournament against VA Juniors, Nebraska Juniors recovered with wins over NKJV and Bayside Vipers.
16 Red thrives off solid ball control. Maddie Guernsey and Chloe Baker are two players who help keep that machine running. Abby Lottman Abby Lottman 5'5" | S Lincoln North Star | 2024 State NE is always able to deliver hittable balls to big attackers like Lauren Scholz and Saniah Shannon.
This is a team that can make a run in 16 Premier, and they’ve already had the benefit of playing tough competition early on.