Recap and Standouts from Triple Crown 18s Championship
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It felt like these two teams were meant to be here. Two squads with vast championship experience and a wealth of talent faced off in Kansas City for the Triple Crown NIT 18U title. Aside from one slip-up in pool…
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Continue ReadingIt felt like these two teams were meant to be here. Two squads with vast championship experience and a wealth of talent faced off in Kansas City for the Triple Crown NIT 18U title.
Aside from one slip-up in pool play to Houston Skyline, it was a dominant weekend for Munciana 18 Samurai. Their run through the Elite bracket was punctuated with emphatic wins over AZ EVJ, OT 18 O Felix, Club V, and PVA.
@MuncianaVB 18 Samurai is looking absolutely dominant right now. They’re moving on to the Elite semifinals! #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/KB9lv9XElP
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 21, 2022
Sunshine 18 LA forged a similar path with one three-set loss in pool play to A5. Wins over Academy, Rockwood Thunder, Houston Skyline, and Tri-State put this high-flying group into the finals.
For the Crown
The first set of this championship match delivered all the hard-hitting action we were expecting. For Sunshine, the pin-hitting duo of Elia Rubin Elia Rubin 6'0" | OH Marymount | 2022 #8 Nation CA and Kerry Keefe Kerry Keefe 6'2" | RS Marymount | 2022 #15 Nation CA continued their dominance that began from the moment Triple Crown started. The other side of the net featured two elite left sides in Eva Hudson Eva Hudson 6'1" | OH Bishop Dwenger | 2022 State #110 Nation IN and Avery Ross Avery Ross 5'10" | OH Pendleton Heights | 2022 State IN . Their ability to get on top of the ball quickly is at the core of Munciana’s success.
Elia Rubin Elia Rubin 6'0" | OH Marymount | 2022 #8 Nation CA . Still bringing it for @SunshineVball. #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/OEINtigtnC
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 21, 2022
Avery Ross Avery Ross 5'10" | OH Pendleton Heights | 2022 State IN elevates so effortlessly for @MuncianaVB 18 Samurai. A perfect fit for this fast offense. #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/jXrflbdcUg
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 21, 2022
18 Samurai claimed an early lead. Setter Ella Bostic Ella Bostic 6'0" | S Carmel | 2022 State #45 Nation IN had a great showing as she frequently gave her hitters split-block opportunities. Sunshine battled back, though, as Rubin demonstrated that she can terminate in any rotation. Middle blocker Lucia Scalamandre Lucia Scalamandre 6'1" | MB Oaks Christian | 2022 #152 Nation CA got involved at the net, too.
Munciana built on their lead with Ross taking more assertive swings at the net. Soon, though, the comeback was on for the team from California. Scalamandre reached her serving rotation and proved that middle blockers can hold their own behind the line. Sunshine earned a 25-23 victory in the first.
From there, Munciana clawed back into the match with Hudson remaining the star of the show. Ramsey Gary Ramsey Gary 5'5" | DS/L Pendleton Heights | 2023 State #165 Nation IN also made some impressive defensive plays at the libero position and did not look out of place as a 2023 in an 18s match. She formed a great duo with LonDynn Betts LonDynn Betts 5'4" | DS/L Fort Wayne Concordia | 2022 State IN , another defensive specialist with a vital role on this team. 18 Samurai forced a deciding third set with a 25-22 triumph in the second.
The tiebreaker would carry on the same trends we saw in the first two sets. Back-and-forth action persisted. Danielle Thomas-Nathan Danielle Thomas-Nathan 6'0" | OH La Salle | 2022 #72 Nation CA put down some big swings on the left side for Sunshine, and setter Kelly Belardi Kelly Belardi 5'9" | S Marymount | 2022 #101 Nation CA did an excellent job at running a fast tempo to the pins.
Once again, Munciana was faced with a late deficit that needed to be overcome. That’s when you lean on Hudson. This ultra-physical outside hitter was clutch throughout the match, and she was the focal point of everything that 18 Samurai did.
Eventually, the two teams found themselves in a 14-14 tie in the winner-take-all set. After trading blows, Bostic and middle blocker Lovie Wallace Lovie Wallace 6'0" | MB Hamilton Southeastern | 2022 State IN stood tall at the net and secured a 17-15 win and a championship weekend for Munciana.
@MuncianaVB 18 Samurai pulls it off in extra points!
A 17-15 victory in the third set puts Munciana above the rest in 18s. #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/6A0wigmFSJ
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 21, 2022