2026 Week 7 - Tournament Recaps

President's Day Tournaments all over! From Wisconsin Dells, to IL and nearby. Let's see how our teams did? Rumor has it, we dominated in IL!

10 RED

The 10Red Team has been VERY busy lately – from winning tournaments to making Valentines and going to the Superbowl!  (Well, the IAm Superbowl against 11 Black….).  This past weekend we went to the President’s Day Tournament.  We had a tough schedule and played in the 11/12 division but we were definitely up for the challenge.  Day 1 we played two 12’s teams and were able to take a set from each.  Day 2 we started bright and early and played our third 12’s team.  We stuck with them but lost in 2 sets.  Finally, for our last match we played an 11’s team and we played awesome – taking them to 3 sets and winning in the end.  We rapped up our final game against another 11’s team but lost in 2 sets.  All in all, it was a challenge for this team.  I’d say the most amazing thing about the weekend was the number of coaches that approached me to compliment this team.  Words like, “amazing”, “talented”, “the real deal” and “legit” were all used to describe our team and I couldn’t have been more proud.   Shout out to Claire, Paisley, Addy, Violet, Isla, Emilia, Lily, Rose, McKenna and Hayven and their parents and family that came to support us.  Together we are the IAm 10 Red team. 

12 RED

This weekend I AM 12 Red battled it out in the 12 Premier/Club division at the Junior’s President’s Day Tournament.  Day one of the tournament started with a solid win against Wisconsin Elite 12 Elite (25-17, 25-13).  In the next match we decided to shake things up and give athletes different opportunities.  We secured another win against Milwaukee Juniors (25-14, 25-22) as a defensive specialist played right side and our middles played all around.  Next, we headed into the most challenging pool play match of the day.  Up against a tough Epic United 12 Elite team, the girls did a great job of playing solid defense and swinging hard.  Nonetheless, we came up a little short in the first set, dropping it 23-25.  The next set continued in the same competitive fashion, but in the end the difference was staying true to our game and maintaining an aggressive serving mindset.  Shout out to Lexi for serving tough to secure the 25-23 win.  Winning the third set of this match 15-7 was a key moment in our team journey as we could see confidence building in the athletes with each play.  

Day two brought some slow starts, but when it mattered we finished each game strong against both RVA 12 Navy and Wisconsin Juniors 12-1 to make it to the championship match.  This paired us against a tall and undefeated 1st Alliance 12-1 team.  Working through a deficit right off the bat in the first set, the team fought back to even things out late in the game before losing 20-25 and then 12-25.  Utilizing proper serve receive technique and improving out of system communication will be two focuses for the team coming out of this loss.  As a team, we want to celebrate our serving throughout the tournament.  I AM 12 red served over 90% and collected 61 aces.  All tournament honors went to Ashley and Ady.  Overall, we are so proud of each athlete for their effort and attitude all weekend and earning 2nd place against strong competition. 

13 RED

13 Red spent the weekend in Pleasant Prairie at the Wisconsin Juniors Presidents' Day Tournament.  Beginning in pool play on Saturday, we took the opportunity to look at a few adjustments in an effort to prepare for future needs.  We worked during the week on some different players working at middle blocker, gave another player a chance to do some setting, and focused on some precision in our first contacts to spread our offense out more evenly along the net.  It was great to attack these goals on day 1.  Even with these adjustments in-play, the girls were sharp.  They were able to attack the suggested zones in serving, our right sides became more aggressive, and our serve receive was more consistent.  We dominated our pool on day 1, with only one of our opponents getting to 14 points in any set.  However, we knew that on day 2, the challenge would be greater.  We have multi-sport athletes, and we have navigated that pretty well so far this year, and the girls have stepped up in those periodic absences; day 2 would be against tough competition, the girls would need to share the weight that needed to be carried.

In the semifinal (we earned a quarterfinal bye in the gold bracket) we played against a very spirited, and locked in, Attack 13-1's team from the Great Lakes region.  With the adjustments in the lineup, there were some nerves and lack of comfort that led to a slow start.  It was a good thing that those who were in their typical roles were able to hold steady as we figured it out.  Jaidyn Alexander (who was outstanding all weekend), and Kennedy Hiller were so steady and poised, and led the girls throughout the day.  Payton Hemsing's consistency in all 6 of her rotation spots were also key to keeping things moving in our direction.  Olivia Harry, who moved to the middle blocker role, began to shake off the nerves, and figured things out, too.  We won 2 tight sets, 25-20 and 25-19, to move into the championship match.  

We were set to play a very talented, and polished Lions Cityside 13-1 team from the Great Lakes region.  They had hitters who had plans when they attacked and could use the entire court, a couple of liberos who were the type of "ball hogs" that coaches want their liberos to be, and middles who were similar in height to ours.  Their serving was also aggressive and confident.  It quickly appeared to be one of the best 13s, or 14s teams, we had seen up to this point in the season.  After a successful weekend last week, the Badger Region Qualifier coming up in 2 weeks, and a missing key player for us, the coaches message to the girls was play hard, play connected, swing away, have fun, and we'll see what happens.  What happened was an absolute highlight!  The girls did exactly what we hoped they would do.  They played loose, got into a groove, located some areas to expose in their serve receive, and came up short in a very competitive set 18-25.  The team remained positive, they pumped each other up between sets, joked around a bit, and prepared for another battle.  We stormed out to a 10-6 lead in set 2.  Alliyah Cline became determined to just let it fly on her swings, and a couple of insane tips on good sets (her touch is incredible on these), Olivia Harry became even more attack-minded, Jaidyn continued to be aggressive, and our first contacts became cleaner.  Our serves were even more crisp and accurate, and we just put so much pressure on that.  The Lion fought back, but we were able to maintain the lead, and pulled out a very impressive set 2 win, 25-20.  In set 3, the girls played free, focused, and had a blast!  It was great to see them win long rallies, and overcome some tough calls.  This was done by staying connected, and each player carrying their weight, and continuing to compete.  We found ourselves down 9-11, but we didn't panic. We went on a mini-run, got it to 12-12, then the last few points were back and forth.  at 14-14, we got ourselves to match point with a well earned sideout, and we were able to get ourselves a serve with the match in the palm of our hand.  Jaidyn, who doesn't serve a lot, as she is working on a jump serve (which was effective at times on Saturday), went back there confidently, and relaxed, and gave it her best shot.  The pressure we put on them collectively was the final nail, they had a difficult time on their first contact, they scrambled to get to the 2nd, and the ball hit the floor!  

In a quiet gym, late on Sunday evening, our side erupted with a level of exuberance that filled the Rec Plex.  It was a tough, gritty, and inspiring victory!  As coaches, these are the types of outcomes that keep us coming back for more.  To see players just step up, leave it all out there, and do it together, is so special.  EVERY player on our team in that final match made a crucial play, this is not an exaggeration. These are the types of experiences that we can all draw upon when we face the inevitable challenges that are still to come for this group.  But, our confidence should be strong, and if the girls believe in themselves, as much as the coaches believe in them, then we have some significant goals at our fingertips.  Thanks again to all of the parents for the incredible support and trust.  It's awesome when they get to see their daughters succeed under pressure!  Building blocks for life.

14 BLACK

I AM Volleyball 14 Black put together a competitive and hard-fought weekend at the Juniors President’s Day Tournament, finishing 6th out of 16 teams with an overall 3–3 record.

Saturday Recap (2–1)

The team opened the tournament with a thrilling three-set victory over 608 Juniors 14-Select. After a back-and-forth battle, 14 Black stayed composed in the deciding set, using aggressive serving and confident swings to close out the win.

They carried that momentum into their second match, sweeping SWVBC G14 Blue 2–0. Strong serving runs and consistent passing allowed the offense to stay in rhythm and control both sets.

In their final match of the day, 14 Black faced a tough opponent in Epic United 14-Elite. Despite a strong effort and competitive rallies, they came up short to finish the day 2–1.

Sunday Recap (1–2)

Sunday began with a challenge match against Lions Cityside 14-1. I AM 14 Black battled but fell in straight sets (0–2), which dropped them into the Silver Bracket.

The team responded with resilience, earning a decisive 2–0 win over WI Juniors 14 Elite to advance to the Silver Championship.

In the Silver Championship, 14 Black faced Epic United 14-Elite in a rematch. The team showed growth from their earlier meeting and competed hard, but ultimately fell in the final match.

One of the biggest highlights of the weekend was the noticeable improvement from the hitters, who swung with more confidence and made smarter attacking decisions. The defense also stepped up in a big way—especially against some of the stronger offensive teams in the tournament. The back row fought for every ball, extended rallies, and made key plays that kept the team competitive in tough matches.

Finishing 6th in a 16-team field is a strong result and a testament to the hard work this group continues to put in. The growth shown throughout the weekend—particularly offensively and defensively—sets a great foundation as the season moves forward.

I AM Volleyball 14 Black continues to build momentum, confidence, and chemistry. The future is bright for this team!

15 RED

We are looking for our 1st championship this season and what better place to do it is IL! We headed down to Crystal Lake for a 2-day tournament where we were seeded #1 overall. We definitely lived up to the hype.

5 team pool to start us off and we played Madtown 15-2 Select. We were off to a rocky start but after two bold timeouts, Olivia Thompson led by example with big time kills to get the team back on track for a 25-21 victory. After that, no one scored in the 20's for the rest of the day.

Day two we knew it would get tougher. Bigger teams, bigger challenges. 1st Alliance beat our 15 Black team and we needed to avenge them! We had a tough battle in set one with a clutch 26-24 victory. Game two we took off and everything was clicking. In our championship match vs Madtown 15-1 Select and they probably wanted to avenge their other team too. But we got blocks early on which forced their hitters to do other shots and ended up making errors. Pair that with our top tier offense hitting .444, were able to drive home with some awesome t-shirts! Picking an MVP will be tough this week!

15 BLACK

IAM 15 black traveled to chicago land to play in Sky High Presidents Day tournament. A travel day allowed the team to have some team bonding time before game day. We went into the weekend knowing we were facing some high-caliber competition and would be challenged to meet all our tournament goals. 

On Saturday's first match we started strong, but ended up falling in 2 sets as Sky High 15 Red's aggressive serves caused a couple tough runs in each set. Shout out for the match Edie had team high 7 kills and an overpass kill. We regrouped immediately in match two and played very tough sets against Madtown 151 Select. Sophia led the offense with 7 kills and 0 attacking errors. Overpass kill for Eloise. Our final match of the day was a crossover match where our win earned a trip into the gold bracket on Sunday.  

On Sunday we lost a tough 2 set match vs 1st alliance. Zoe and Jovie defense combined for 50% of the teams digs tjis match. The team maintained toughness and earned a win (and the important right to go home vs work another game) in our second match of the day against Madtown 152. Back row highlighted again with Brianna, Jovie and Zoe combining for 21 digs. Overpass Kill pins to Eloise and Edie.

The team achieved several pre tournament goals by increasing our defensive positioning (high dig count), maintaining aggressive serving and reducing the number of hitting errors. Overall a lot of good volleyball, some fun with the team and a sunny ride home. We are looking forward to a break between tournaments and the opportunities to apply some of the learnings uncovered this weekend.  

15 GOLD

Day 1 was all about chemistry.

The girls worked together for every single point. They fought hard in three matches and earned three straight two-set wins. The trust was there. The communication was there. The respect for one another was flowing. It was team volleyball at its best.

Day 2 started with reffing duties, and when we finally stepped onto the court, we looked a little fatigued — but still competitive. We pulled off a strong first-set win before battling Crossfire 15 Blaze in a tight three-set match. We won, we lost and we lost by 2! It was a tough loss in the end. The kind that sticks with you for a bit.

But you can't keep a good team down. =)

After a match to reset, reflect and ref again, we came back and finished the tournament with a three-set win over Elite Alliance 15-1. Even in that victory, we saw areas for growth — and that’s a good thing. We also saw scrappy defense, competitive fire, and the ability to adjust under pressure.

Along with our strong serving game, this weekend especially highlighted our setters’ athleticism and leadership on the court!  When we’re aggressive from the service line and running our offense in rhythm, we’re a force! 

• Ace pin: Ireland Galvin and Abbey Dobson

• Overpass kill: Ireland

• MVP: Abbey Dobson and Brooklyn Weber

16 BLACK

Over Valentine’s Day weekend at the Sky High President’s Day Weekend Tournament, us coaches brought lots of sugar to help motivate the team and keep the energy high throughout the competition.

Day 1 was a very strong start for the team, winning two out of three games. The defense was outstanding, especially against some very hard hits. The team played exceptionally well at the net, particularly with coverage, and showed great hustle throughout every game. Gianna made some incredible saves that kept rallies alive, Abby was a powerful and effective pin hitter, and Leah helped turn the momentum in our favor with two impressive serving streaks—one of seven points and another of five.

On Day 2, the team still played well overall, but several missed serves put us at an early disadvantage. Our serve receive also struggled at times, which made it harder to stay in rhythm. Despite the challenges, Aubryn stood out as a very supportive teammate, encouraging everyone and staying positive even when things didn’t go as planned.

Overall, the team showed strong effort, resilience, and great teamwork throughout the tournament.

17 BLACK

17 Black Finishes 3rd at Sky High President’s Day Classic (17 Division)

This past weekend, 17 Black competed at the Sky High President’s Day Classic in the 17s division.  17 Black came into the tournament seeded 15 out of 40 teams.  Following a stellar performance in their previous tournament, the girls were looking to continue their high level of play against competition outside of Badger Region.

Day 1

17 Black opened the day against Sky High 17 Crawford.  After having control of the first set (25-13), the girls faced a stiff challenge from Sky High.  The match went to 3 sets, with 17 Black prevailing 15-13 in set 3.

In their next two matches, the girls had command and control from the opening serve.  In match two 17 Black faced Club 1 17 Blue, winning in straight sets 25-12, 25-7.  In their third and final pool play match, 17 Black faced the number 6 overall seed Drive 17-1 Blue.  Again, as in match 2 the girls controlled the match winning in straight sets 25-15, 25-13.

By finishing pool play 3-0 and 1st in their pool, 17 black was slated for a challenge match with an opportunity to advance to the gold bracket.

Day 2

Day 2 challenge match paired 17 Black against 248 Elite - Blue.  The girls started out slow dropping the opening set 23-25.  However, the girls stepped up and gained control of the next two sets (25-11, 15-6) to win the challenge match, advancing to the gold bracket.

In the opening match of gold bracket 17 Black faced a stout opponent in Sky High Adidas 17 Onyx.  After falling in the opening set 19-25, the second set was a come from behind win 25-23.  The girls continued to push in the third set with strong serving and defense, prevailing 15-9 to advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals 17 Black, for the fourth time this club season, faced off against IAM 17 Red.  This match was a true battle from the first serve.  17 Black held leads in both sets, but 17 Red flexed and prevailed in straight sets, 21-25, 21-25.  Tremendous all around play in this match, from serving to defense allowed the girls to compete competitively with 17 Red.

In the 3rd place match, 17 Black faced off against VC United 17-1 Premier.  This was the fourth match the girls played on day 2 and the seventh match overall in the tournament.  The girls pushed through exhaustion prevailing in a back and forth 1st set, 26-24.  In set 2 17 Black flexed their muscle winning 25-7.  In set 2 with the score 9-7, Summer Wille served out the match on a 16 point run, including 4 serve aces in set 2.

Team Highlights

In the matches against Sky High Adidas 17 Onyx and 248 Elite Blue, Leilah Prichard (12 kills, 10 digs; 18 kills, 14 digs) and Amary Dione (16 Assists, 12 digs; 17 Assists, 12 digs) tallied double doubles.  Leilah Prichard led the team offensively throughout the tournament with 64 kills and a 3.765 k/s.

Defensively, 17 Black once again proved to be difficult for their opponents.  Summer Wille (60 digs) and Leilah Prichard (57 digs) led the team while Abby Barthelemy led the team with a 1.75 serve-receive rating.  Overall, as a team, the girls showed up with a solid serve reception of 1.75, allowing the setters to run a highly efficient offense. The team delivered another strong serving performance, led by Maliyah Tuszkiewicz with 17 aces in the tournament

This tournament challenged the girls in ways not yet faced this season.  On several occasions the girls fought through adversity showing tremendous grit, resolve and resilience.  This tournament marks back to back tournaments where 17 Black has had a top 3 finish.  17 Black is jelling at a critical moment in the season and I am incredibly proud of this team.

Next up:Badger Region Qualifier

18 RED

I AM VBC 18 Red had a fun two-day tournament on Valentine’s Day weekend, finishing as Gold bracket runner-up.

Day one started with statement wins over Precision 18 White (25–7, 25–9) and Lakes Jr’s 18-Select (25–6, 25–19). Our first true test came against Sky High Adidas 17 Red, and we answered it with calm under pressure - staying disciplined in the third set and closing strong (25–11, 15–25, 15–11).

On day two in Gold bracket, we kept our composure and executed when it mattered most, defeating Belusa 18 Cyclones (25–21, 25–16) and then battling with our hearts against a tall, skilled 1st Alliance 18 Red squad in another three-set fight to reach the final (25–22, 19–25, 15–11). We wrapped the weekend with a championship match versus Sky High Adidas 18 Black (25–20, 15–25, 15–7) - a fun match, a tough loss, and a pretty clear idea of what we need to keep improving.

The weekend was also a big step forward with our new systems. We saw concepts we’ve been working on show up in live points, and we even rotated roles at times to grow our versatility and court IQ while staying competitive. Super proud of this awesome group willing to try new things! 

Top performers delivered in every phase. Laila led with 40 kills (3.0 per set) and Alayna added 32 (2.5 per set). Morgan ran the offense with 50 assists, hit .261, and set the tone from the service line with 16 aces while serving 98%. Lily and Grace delivered 9 aces each. Taylor had the most blocks. In serve receive, Emy, Morgan, and Reese produced their best passing of the season. Morgan and Emy both had 49 digs. Positive-point leaders were Grace (22), Morgan (19), and Lily (16).

Morgan earned MVP of the weekend for her total impact - setting, serving, defense, and smart attacking in key moments. Emy earned our Game Changer award for being the defender who refuses to let balls drop. She will pass and dig everything, and last weekend reminded us just how much her presence changes the level of every rally.

Off the court, we built the kind of chemistry that wins close sets - sharing breakfasts, doing Valentine’s  themed activities, playing lightning basketball between matches, and squeezing in ice cream runs and mall shopping that brought us even closer.

Thank you again to all of our parents for the support, and a special thank-you to our team mom, Mrs. Tilley, for booking hotels close to the facility so we could stay together, simplify logistics, and bond as one unit. The BR Qualifier is in two weeks, and we’re looking forward to competing hard and smart.