Tournament Recaps - Week 12

Last weekend of Badger Region Championships, Round two for MEQ and our Boys finish up their season!

12-1 BOYS

The season came to an end this past weekend for our Boys 12-1 team - and what a way to end!  Badger Region Champions!  This season the Boys 12-1 team excelled across the board.

• Season record of 36-4 - a 90% win percentage

• Second place finish in 2 14's tournaments (2 of our 4 losses came from boys two years older, much taller and as some of our boys stated - "they had mustaches" - lol) 

• Winner of Boy's SpikeFest - a 13's tournament held at Milwaukee Sting

• Won 4 of our 8 tournaments; placing 3rd or higher in the other 4 

• 30% Ace Rate - Serving 615 Aces as a team on the season

• 11% Service Error Rate - Only missing 219 serves all season

• Cole VandenBerg led the team with 177 Aces; followed by AJ Kranich at 100 Aces

• Improved in all areas of our game; increasing the difficulty of our sets - adding quick sets and even a 3 ball for our outsides, challenging boys to work on new serves and as always focusing on controlling the ball - especially first contact passing

This past weekend we ended our season with a huge win at Badger Region Championships.  Soaring through pool play and crossover on Saturday, we went into bracket play as the #1 seed.  Semi-final game against Sting 12-2 was a breeze - winning the second set 25-2 led by strong serving runs from Cole VandenBerg and Milo Stemper.  

Championship match against Sting 12-1 was our toughest competition of the tournament.  We came out strong in the first set behind - what else but a strong service run.  We cruised to win the first set 25-15.  Going into the 2nd set we let our guard down a bit and started to play with a little too much confidence.  Sting 12-1 came out strong - with great serving and a fantastic middle attack.  We found ourselves down in the set 19-16 and worked hard to earn a sideout.  Milo Stemper went back to the service line where he rattled off 3 straight points.  After trading the next few sideouts - we found ourselves up 23-22.  With a kill from Beckett Gould and a consistent, last two serves from AJ Kranich we rallied ourselves to a 25-22 win.  The boys never gave up the fight, never doubted their ability and never lost faith in each other. 

What a way to end the season - 12 Boys Badger Region Champions! 

13 RED

A beautiful weekend in St. Louis that allowed for long walks to restaurants, enjoying the sun outside of Busch stadium, and the team just hanging out, was coupled with a high level of volleyball being played, too.

We began Friday morning as the 4th seed overall, and we played like it on day one after we shook off some lethargic AM affect.  We cruised through our pool without dropping a set and outscoring our opponents by an almost 2-1 rate.  On day 2, we faced 2 teams from the St. Louis area, and 1 from our very own Badger Region in Eclipse.  Once again, we started off a little bit slow, but managed to clean it up enough to not really be too worried about the ultimate outcome in the first match.  As we progressed through the day 2 pool, the girls became quite sharp.  Our setters, Jaidyn and Kennedy, were very consistent, Alliyah and Hanlee, our middles, were simply unstoppable. When those 2 get rolling, it opens everything up for our pins, who found themselves in a lot of one-on-one situations, where they took advantage.  Overall, a very good day!  On day 3, we began the Gold Bracket with a real shot at winning the event.  While we know we had to play some strong volleyball, we were ready for the challenge.  We faced Chicago Elite, a bigger team that we typically face.  The early parts of both sets were back and forth, but our 2nd time around of servers went on extended runs, and we were able to pull away to convincing wins.  Alliyah Cline was masterful in her use of the entire court on offense. 

She would take her quick sets and calmly swing to 1, then 6, and follow that up with a couple of the "butteriest" tips to 4. 

It was as if she was an adult just toying with little kids.  Then Hanlee would unload with full force when her turn came.  But, as volleyball goes, none of this can be done without great first and second contacts. A special shout out to Payton Hemsing for some very nice runs in serve receive!

Entering the quarterfinals, we went up against a very talented team from Houston (the name escapes me due to a seemingly random acronym, so it's forgotten).  They were taller than most teams we face, knew how to block, and played extremely hard.  We fell behind early and had to claw back to even in the early 20's, but a couple of unforced errors on our part proved to be the ultimate difference.  Against good teams, this will be too much to overcome.  It was more of the same in the 2nd set; we just couldn't seem to go on one of those mini runs of 3-4 points, while they could.  

Overall, we had a very nice weekend, finished 5th in the American division, and spent some quality time together.  As we head into a much needed lighter 2 weeks, with many heading out on vacation, it's a perfect time to recharge our batteries, and get ready for Louisville in a couple of weeks.

14 RED

14 Red journeyed to St. Louis, where they were welcomed by beautiful weather and the overall #1 seed in the American division. With hopes of earning a bid to Nationals, the girls arrived eager and excited.

They cruised through Day 1, highlighted by a matchup with Team Alan. Between the coach’s electric personality and the team’s unconventional style of play, they kept us on our toes—and for the first time ever, off the net and not blocking to protect our ankles! IYKYK.

Saturday morning started a bit slow, as we found ourselves down 12–13 in the opening game. That quickly changed when Haylee stepped back to serve and went on an incredible 13-point run to close it out. From there, the team continued to outpace their opponents throughout the day. Haylee and Olive led the charge with a combined 23 aces, while Aubrey, Eden M, and Londyn anchored a dialed-in serve receive, each passing above a 2.0.

Sunday brought a higher level of competition—but an even higher level of play. Strong serving, smart hitting, and controlled serve receive helped secure wins over United and Miami Hype, advancing us to the semifinals.

There, we faced a very strong defensive team in 417 MoJrs. Game 1 caught us on our heels, as we weren’t quite ready for that level of defense. But Game 2 told a different story. The girls made key adjustments, refused to back down, and left everything on the court—earning a hard-fought 31–29 win. Game 3 was some of the best volleyball we’ve seen all season. The girls battled point for point but came up just short, 13–15.

While it’s tough to leave without a bid, finishing 3rd at MEQ is an incredible accomplishment. We couldn’t be more proud of this team and the competitors they are. When you play hard and leave everything on the court, you tip your hat in respect to your opponent.

It was a great weekend of volleyball—and even more importantly, a weekend filled with memories, laughter, and team bonding. We’re excited to get back in the gym, fine-tune a few things, and prepare for JVA in April.

15 RED

Let's work backwards this week.... 2nd place at the Badger Championships in the Open Division! This was one of most solid weekends of play all season! We played with smiles, offense was on full display thanks to our setters putting extra work the past two weeks. Serve receive was steady and we had extra pins to hand out!

Day one pool play showcased our 1 seed status as we swept each team in 2. JAG, WI-Elite, WI Juniors.

#Shoutout to Brooke Vanden Berg for getting a Top Server Pin and Pancake Pin!

We also handed out a game changer pin for coming in at the end of set one vs 414 to serve our way to point 24!

On to the finals vs Milwaukee Juniors and we were hyped for that match. We had a great jump with an abundance of confidence but unlucky for us, we gave too many free points with missed serves that allowed a talented team to stay in it and steal that set. Game two we played well but our swings didn't hit and not many free points from the Juniors to get us 2nd chances.

15 GOLD

I AM 15 Gold took on the Badger Region Championships this weekend ❤️

The record may say 1–4, but the story is a lot tougher than that! 15 Gold not only competed in the second-highest tier of competition, they took 4 out of 5 matches to 3 sets each.

We kept everyone on their toes all weekend, proving we can compete with anyone—taking sets off multiple teams and battling point-for-point. The challenge right now is closing it out. We’d grab a set, then a few unforced errors would allow teams to pull ahead by 4-7 points, which is tough to recover from at this level.

That said—this group NEVER quit. Third sets were battles, and even in losses, it often came down to just a couple points. Effort and heart are absolutely there! 

Shoutout to our pin achievement winners:🔥 Ace pin: Ireland Galvin 💥 Overpass Kill pin: Eve Wille & Dani Williquette

Proud of this team and the fight they showed all weekend!

17 BLACK

17 Black attended a one-day volleyball tournament at FC Elite in Menasha. During pool play, the team faced Spiketown Sheboygan 17/18 and FC Elite 17 Adidas.

Pool Play:

In their opening match, 17 Black faced challenges staying focused but ultimately secured a straight-set victory against Spiketown Sheboygan 17/18 with scores of 25-10 and 25-14. In their second pool match, they competed against FC Elite 17 Adidas and again dominated in straight sets, winning 25-10 and 25-14. The team finished first in their pool and advanced to the Gold Pool.

In the Gold Pool, 17 Black played against FC Elite 17 Blue and Spiketown USA 17/18. These matches were more competitive than the previous ones. Against FC Elite 17 Blue, the team displayed strong offensive and defensive efforts, winning the first set 25-22 and controlling the second set 25-16. Notably, Stella Fernald demonstrated excellent hustle by chasing down a ball headed toward the adjacent court, eventually playing it back and maintaining the rally, which led to a point for 17 Black. 

In the final Gold Pool match, 17 Black faced Spiketown USA 17/18, with the tournament championship on the line. The team maintained control throughout from the opening serve and won in straight sets with scores of 25-13 and 25-19.

Overall, 17 Black finished the tournament with a 4-0 record, remaining undefeated and not dropping a set.

Team Highlights:

Offensively, several players delivered exceptional performances. Ruby Fernald led with 24 kills and a .676 attack percentage. Leilah Prichard contributed 22 kills with a .400 attack percentage, while Stella Fernald added 18 kills with a .467 attack percentage. Evelyn Stoflet showed significant improvement in offensive play, adding 6 kills on 16 attempts.

The team also demonstrated strong serving, with an 87% success rate and a total of 49 aces. Maliyah Tuszkiewicz and Summer Wille led the team with 14 and 13 aces, respectively, while consistently limiting opponents' serve reception to an average of 1.28.  Summer Wille (1.93 serve reception, 29 digs) and Abby Barthelemy (34 digs) paced 17 Black defensively.

The players performed admirably, bringing home their first championship of the season.

Next up: JVA World Challenge

17 RED

I AM 17 Red delivered an impressive performance at Nike MEQ in the Liberty Division, putting together a strong and memorable weekend both on and off the court.

Day one set the tone, as the team went 3-0 in dominant fashion. Everything clicked early—clean passes, aggressive serving, and consistent offense allowed the girls to control each match with confidence. The level of play was sharp and disciplined, showing their ability to execute without giving opponents many opportunities.

Day two brought a bit more adversity, but the team continued to prove their resilience by going another 3-0. The first match pushed them to three sets, largely due to unforced errors on our side. However, the team responded exactly how great teams do—by making adjustments. They cleaned up their play, reduced mistakes, and went on to win the next two matches in straight sets with composure and control.

Off the court, the team chemistry continued to grow. That evening was filled with fun and bonding, including a team potluck, competitive games of cornhole, and a trip to create customized sodas. There was plenty of laughter and energy, reflecting a group that genuinely enjoys playing and being together.

Day three placed IAM 17 Red in the Gold Bracket, where the level of competition elevated. The team came out strong in their first match, taking control early and maintaining momentum throughout. The second match required more grit, but the girls stayed focused and battled through to secure the win, earning their spot in the semifinals—and with it, a well-deserved bid to Nationals.

In the semifinals, IAM 17 Red faced the eventual tournament champions. The first set proved challenging, as the opponent’s powerful hitters tested our block. In the second set, the team responded with determination and adjustments—our right sides stepped up in a big way, contributing both offensively and defensively to secure the win. The third set was a tough battle, with continued difficulty slowing down their attack, but the effort never wavered. Every player fought hard until the final point.

Overall, it was an outstanding weekend for IAM 17 Red. From dominant wins to hard-fought battles, the team showed growth, resilience, and strong unity. Earning a bid to Nationals is a huge accomplishment, and this group has a lot to be proud of.

18 RED

18 Red delivered an outstanding performance at MEQ, going 7–2 across nine matches, finishing 17th out of 96 teams, and winning the Silver Bracket. After falling just short in a crossover match for the Gold Bracket in a close third set, the girls regrouped and responded with two dominant wins on the final day to finish the weekend on a high note.

The result was built on balanced production across the lineup. Laila and Alayna each recorded over 50 kills during the tournament, while Anya posted the team’s highest hitting percentage .360 and also contributed efficiently as a setter. Morgan led 18 Red with more than 80 assists, helping keep the offense in rhythm throughout the weekend.

18 Red also stood out with strong pressure from the service line - Emy and Grace both finished with double-digit aces, and the team served 91% overall. Lilly stood out on Day 3 with the team’s highest serving efficiency 0.400 and delivered multiple strong serving runs in key moments.

In serve receive, Emy was exceptional, passing above a 2.3 rating on more than 100 passes while also adding double-digit out-of-system assists and over 80 digs, the most on the team. She earned tournament MVP honors for her outstanding all-around performance and for consistently keeping the team in system. Taylor and Reese also made multiple scrappy saves throughout the weekend and showed great fight refusing to let anything drop easily. At the net, Grace finished with double-digit blocks, the most on 18 Red, giving the team another major defensive presence.

Overall, it was a complete team effort and a weekend the girls should be proud of. Ladies competed at a high level, bounced back well after the narrow miss of Gold and left Indy with momentum as now the team turns its focus to Prep Dig Madness

@ Miltown in preparation for Nationals at Reno.