Champions Challenge Match 1 Preview: Big vs Little Marymount tries to end Harrisburg's National Win Streak

Champions Challenge Breakdown Match-up #1 

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#14 (5-0) Harrisburg Tigers (Harrisburg, SD) vs. #3 (16-1) Marymount Sailors (Los Angeles, CA)

On the line, the Marymount hot start to the season at 16-1, and their aim at a National Title, and for Harrisburg of South Dakota, their Nation’s longest WIN STREAK of 86 matches. We know, we know, “Who the heck is Harrisburg, SD?” Watch Thursday night on Bishop Gorman’s school streaming service, NFHS, unfortunately, and you can find out.

Also on display will be 10 future D1 commits facing off as a prequel to the Durango Classic.

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LET’S LOOK AT THE TIGERS:

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Setter: Josalyn Samuels 6’1” Sophomore 

*Started since she was an 8th grader *Top 1 or 2 setters in the nation in her class *Top Setter and one top 3-4 players at Durango this weekend *She has controlled this offense for three years now and has never lost a match *Will need to be aggressive and selfish with her sets vs. the top teams like Marymount *Her USA VB training will need to show out in this match.

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OH: Gabi Zachariasen 5’11 Senior (University of South Dakota commit)

2x Gatorade Player of the Year *one of only 3 in the nation *Starter since her Freshman year at OH *One of the strongest arms in state history *Wrapping up one of the most prolific statistical careers for any attacker in the state’s history. *She has a variety of shots and despite being undersized will go right at bigger blocks or around. *Gabi Z will take the big swings this weekend for the Tigers. 5.3 kills/set 504 hitting % 9 total blocks

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OH: Julia Masselink 6’2” Freshman 

You won’t hear about Masselink nearly as much as the top couple of OHs in the Class of ’29, but she has the talent. A very quiet star on the national scene she has been raising plenty of eyes in South Dakota and USA Volleyball circles *Masselink is long and can challenge the block of Marymount, but also has the skill to hit multiple shots around it *For a freshman she will be the most talented attacker in the match and she will need to be utilized often to take some pressure off of Zachariasen.

Early season stats for Julia 2.4 kills/set, 507 hitting %

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Middle: Bergen Stiff 6’0” Junior (Harvard commit)

She won’t match up physically with the trees from Marymount, but Bergen Stiff has been effective for the Tigers for three seasons now. Effective enough that D1 Harvard wanted her. She will battle and simply get little points and mistakes here and there all night vs. the much taller front line of Marymount; she always has

Stats: 2.8 Kills/Set, 387 hitting,% and 15 blocks

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Middle: Kya Keegan 6’4” Junior 

1.1 kill/set 286 hitting % Keegan will be asked to give a block vs. Marymount, and anything they get offensively will be a bonus. She can present that tall and long matchup to go against the Big 3 of the Sailors.

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OH/DS: Emma Masselink 5’11” Junior (Concordia, NE)

Again, one of the talented and do-it-all athletes for Harrisburg, Masselink, will be key in that back row all night. Her serve, receive, and passing are going to be crucial for the Tigers. Truly a key to the game if they hope

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Libero Lindsay Langner 5’7” Senior (Winthrop commit)

Langner has been in the lineup for quite a few years between DS and now at Libero, finally. She needs a great match for Harrisburg. First contact is truly the contact, and you will see the aggressive serving stats of Marymount. Who are they going to target? If it’s Langner, she will need to come up big and make them switch up their plan. She’s been waiting a couple of years for a chance like this, and now she will get the chance to show herself on a truly big stage.

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LET’S LOOK AT THE SAILORS:

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Setter: Olivia Penske Senior

*Knows how to distribute the ball to her many weapons *Has range and accuracy in OOS sets, putting itin  range for her tall targets *Chemistry with her experienced teammates

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OH: Sammy Destler: Senior

Setter in club so she has multiple skills and excellent footwork. *Destler can move and fill multiple spots for Marymount *In the lineup for her back row play 1.9 digs p/set and the serving sub with 40 aces on the season, but that other Setter for the 6-2 option.

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OH: Makenna Barnes: Junior

Barnes is one of the most highly evaluated PPV prospects still uncommitted in the Class of 2027 and another talent with six-rotation skill set *She has 34 aces on the season to go with her kills p/set *Makenna covers a lot of space in the back row and on her block and presents problems for the opposition anywhere on the court

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Middle: Elle Vandeweghe: 6’5” Senior (SMU commit)

Elle is a problem in the middle. Her block is lethal with 38 already on the year, but she also has 23 aces to go along with those. The SMU commit will take away so many windows for Harrisburg and could be an offensive option for Penske vs. a smaller lineup.

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Middle: Katelyn Oerlemans: Junior

Talk about a problem, Katelyn actually leads Marymount in the block category with 40 so they are obviously getting touches on many opponents balls and putting their offense in system a high % of the time. *Watch for Oerlemans to set up her offense for some great chances to be aggressive and attack on Thursday afternoon.

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Middle: Frankie Jones Senior

When your given this height, use it! Marymount uses three middle rotation often and Jones has 32 blocks herself on the young season. She can also move around on the offensive end when given opportunities.  

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DS/Libero: Karys Campos: Junior 

1.7 digs/set for the Sailors behind the big wall Campos does a great job in serve receive especially and will need to as that is a strength of the Tigers.

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Libero: Declan Eastman Senior

1.8 digs/set Eastman and Campos are a unit back their, but the Sr. takes a few more first-contact opportunities p/match. Putting her weapons in system will be a hug advantage to Marymount and very difficult obstacle for the smaller Tigers to overcome. Watch how she handles the service game and how often she is targeted on Thursday

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Match Keys:

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Nerves of Not: The Harrisburg athletes have played in 3 State Title matches and most have played in the Open Division of their club teams, but still this will be different. How long and how do they handle that will be key. Marymount probably thinks of the match as a scrimmage for Friday AM as they play in events like this all the time and may not have ever heard of Harrisburg so the advantage on nerves is with Marymount.

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Offensively: I’m giving this to Harrisburg. Now of course they have to pass well (EVERY TEAM does) but Masselink and Zachariasen can hang with any two OH’s in this tourney as a duo and competition wise Zachariasen lives for matchups like this vs. all of these athletes going to P4 schools “because they are taler”. They have to get production from the Right Side and enough from the Middles to keep teams honest, but this is a smart offensive team.

Marymount obviously has weapons, but I think they stuggle a bit more with serve/recieve thus keeping their weapons on the move more and slightly less effective.

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Defensively: Marymount #BlockCityUSA they should get hands on balls early and often and that will lead to momentum and and easier time for their back row. This is also why Harrisburg has to be aggressive and accurate.

Harrisburg will keep balls alive and extend rallies all night, but the block of Marymount has to give them the advantage on defense.

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Star Power: This has to go to Marymount as well. Several of the LA area’s top 26 and 27 club players and D1 prospects led by Vandeweghe, Barnes and Destler they are #4 nationally for a reason.

Harrisburg has more college bound athletes than they ever had and high level, but their star power is still young. Zachiarasen is on her way to Gatorade POY #3, but the Samuels will be a large name come Spring and Masselink a big name in a year.

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Prediction: The match is much closer than people would assume and I think there is a very real chance it goes five sets. It all comes down to the back-row play of Harrisburg. If they bring their A game and set up Samuels the Tigers Win. If they have some struggles and the Tigers are out of system much of the night or they give up more of the Aces Marymount has shown they can get, then the Sailors head to Friday with another big Win.

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Stay Tuned to social media to see what happens