Big-Time Plays from AAU Nationals Day 1: 15 Open Division

The first day of AAU Nationals set the tone for what’s to come with hard-fought battles between some of the country’s best 15 Open teams. Here are three matches and the players that stood out from Day 1.

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Tri-State Elite vs. 3DGE (2-0)

Tri-State Elite ended their three-match day undefeated and didn’t drop a set. Despite it being their third match of the day, they looked like a well-oiled machine against 3DGE. Setter Clare Holtzapfel did a nice job distributing the ball and made some impressive long-string sets across the net, both to the left and right pins. She also demonstrated some nice intangibles, such as repeating sets to hitters after they hit out in order to keep them confident and engaged. Outside hitter Aubrey Templin and middle blocker Jean DeBow both were unstoppable for the Ohio team. DeBow, in particular, did a great job finding the edges of the court with her swings, and she also made good use of the blockers’ high hands when available. For 3DGE’s part, outside hitter Aven Brantley is clearly the team’s powerhouse, and didn’t seem to be shaken by the fact that her team was down in sets, as she continued to reliably score up until the final whistle.

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Legacy vs Sports Performance (2-0)

Legacy’s 15-1 team ended the day 2-0 overall and 4-0 in sets, beating Luna 15U handily before going onto play what was a much more competitive match against Sports Performance 15 Elite than a 2-0 win would suggest. Most impressive for SPVB was libero Rachel Weathers, who consistently passed extremely well and made some phenomenal digs on hard-driven swings. On the left, outside hitter Dina DiSanto was the team’s go-to scorer and took some great swings both from the front and back rows. Leading Legacy was, of course, Diamond-level outside hitter Lexi Coleman, who was last year’s MVP in the 14 Open division and recently spent time touring camps from some of the most competitive NCAA programs in the country including Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Texas. Alongside Coleman, Silver-level middle blocker Saniya Tucker was also impressive in front of her setter and on the slide.

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FaR Out vs. NC Academy (2-1)

A three-set battle between FaR Out and NC Academy was one of the most fun matches of the day, with each set featuring countless rallies fueled by scrappy defensive plays. After dropping the first set, FaR Out came alive in the second with stronger serving and more precise attacking. Playing as opposite, Piper Vugteveen led the team on several impressive service runs and had some nice swings on the right as well. On the left, Brynn Johnson was also critical, taking big rips with a fast arm. The Michigan squad’s libero, Isabelle Brown, was also a highlight, contributing not just with digging and passing but as a scorer, as she picked up aces and even got herself a kill with a tricky over-on-one ball. NC Academy, despite the loss, played well, especially outside hitter Dani Solomon. She did a great job getting on top of balls and slamming them down for a kill. Middle blocker Nenye Akwitti also was a big-time scorer for the squad, primarily on attack, but she did a nice job getting her hands in front of the other team’s attackers.