Club Shoreline Volleyball Club

June 12 & 13, 2010: 16’s Regional Championships

Finish: 3rd

On the first day of the 16’s final tournament, Shoreline took control of every match, by serving tough and hitting consistently with minimal errors. In pool play Shoreline went up against Watsonville Crush Blue, Watsonville Starlings and Point Break. Shoreline beat Watsonville Crush Blue and Watsonville Starlings in two sets, and beat Point Break in three, coming out first in pool play at the end of the day and placing them in the gold bracket for Sunday’s Competition.

Shoreline came into the second day of the tournament mentally and physically prepared to face a long day of competition. Shoreline played five matches in all, of which four went to three sets. Shoreline went 3-2 for the day losing to Eclipse 16-1 in the semi final bracket play match, and losing, in a very hard fought battle, to Diamonds 15-1 earlier on in the day. Shoreline held their heads high, even after their challenging loses, for they played incredible throughout the entire day. In their final match Shoreline went up against Santa Cruz Crush to fight for third place in the regional tournament of 32 teams. Shoreline started off the match with high intensity and a real determination to finish the season with a victory. All the skills that the 16’s worked on throughout the season came together in the last match. They played for each other until the very end. It was the team’s chemistry combined with their hard work and love for the game, and each other, which brought them to be victorious in one of the most intense matches of the season. It was the perfect ending to an incredible season.

Congratulations Shoreline 16’s for finishing third in this tournament and accomplishing many of the goals you all had set for yourselves. Great work!

MVP of the tournament: Allison for her unstoppable defense and consistent serve receive passing. The team relied on her passing and digs, to get opportunities for our offense to make plays. Allison racked up 85 digs this tournament. Congratulations Libero! And to Annalise for her amazing ability to continuously better the ball and to get a consistent set to our hitters. Both days Annalise ran an aggressive and consistent 5-1 offense, never showing any signs of fatigue or frustration. Annalise demonstrated true leadership and perseverance this weekend. Incredible job, Annalise!

Game Ball goes to: Marley for her outstanding improvement throughout the season. Marley’s consistency and intensity during the duration of this tournament greatly contributed to the team’s victories. Marley earned 29 kills and 10 blocks throughout the tournament. What the stats don’t show were that many of these earned points were at critical moments, during tight matches, that helped create momentum on our side. Great job Marley!

June 5 & 6, 2010: 14’s Regional Championships

Finish: 3rd

The 14’s ended a dream season with a solid finish at Regionals. We came to the tournament with the 3rd seed in our Region and finished with the 3rd seed. Saturday, we played two matches in pool play and beat both Crush teams, Hollister and Watsonville, handedly. Against Hollister, Melissa played amazing; she passed stellar, hit aggressive and served tough. Claire also contributed strong serving to finish the match. We played one crossover match to hold our seed and beat Jump Start 25-12, 25-18. Kendra had some great serves during the match (something she’s been working on all season) and Miranda, nursing her ankle injury, came in off the bench to serve for us, proving she still dominates the serving line. Claire hit front row and had two beautiful kills to middle back. Holding our 3rd seed, we headed to Santa Cruz High for day two.

We had a slow start in the morning and lost to Monterey in 3 games. Inconsistent playing got the best of our team. In our second match, we pulled out a win against Synergy, again in 3 games. There was a three-way tie in our pool, but we luckily got first place (due to points) so we headed to the Championship bracket. Once again, we played Surf City, but unfortunately were not victorious and lost the match in 3 games. This loss sent us to play off for third place. It was one of our most exciting matches of the year and we took down a very talented Eclipse 14-2 team in 3 games. It was a perfect way to end a great season!

Throughout the weekend, Noelle proved time and time again that she is now playing with superb confidence and skill. Emily’s passing improved tremendously throughout season and she passed with focus and control both days. Maya’s vocal leadership, consistent passing and aggressive down balls were key to our wins. Ali’s beautiful setting hands and newly found aggressive swings were also a big contribution to our success, as was Bella’s focus on consistently strong serving and smart tipping. Alea, as always, played phenomenal and led the team with her amazing offense and bullet serving.

Kristen and I both want to thank our team and parents for a truly unforgettable season!!!

MVP of the tournament: Maya for her incredible focus and leadership all weekend long! Maya’s solid passing and phenomenal defense allowed our setters to run a dynamic offense, providing our hitters with many opportunities to swing. Congratulations Maya! And to Claire for her determination and confidence on the end line. Time and time again, Claire’s bullet topspin serves kept us in the close matches! Claire also played some front row and proved that she is an excellent hitter too! Congratulations Claire!

Game Ball goes to: Bella for serving consistently and aggressively, earning many aces both days! Bella has recently struggled with her serve, but not this weekend. Offensively, she also played smart, going for corners and tipping when needed. Congrats Bella!

June 5 & 6, 2010: 12’s Regional Championships

Finish: 14th

In their last tournament, each of the 12’s demonstrated how far they have come this season! Although the 12’s placed 14th (out of 27 teams), the improvements they made individually and as a team speak louder than their win-loss record. On the first day, the team finished second in their pool, easily defeating Aurora Aces and Tandem, yet falling in the third game to a talented Elite. Throughout the day, Kate and Lexi anchored the team with their calm and steady passing. Lexi executed 20 near-perfect serve-receive passes, while Kate’s tough angle hits earned her 15 kills! Amanda and Jen wowed us with their serving; not only were they consistent, they often rocked the other team with killer aces! (Jen even stepped in as a serving sub at 22-24 and served 4 tough serves under incredible pressure to win one of our games.) Alysha found her presence and was a force to be reckoned with both offensively and defensively; she made it look easy delivering several aces, kills, and great serve-receive passes! Emily had an amazing day, making huge strides in her assertiveness on the court. She passed numerous balls overhead, took swings, and even won a joust at the net!

On the second and final day, the 12’s ended up taking home 14th place. Although they hoped to place better, the team accomplished almost all of their individual goals and exceeded every team goal. Our phenomenal setters seized several opportunities to deliver amazing backsets to our offside hitters who were waiting and ready. Danielle once again proved her mettle as a reliable serve-receive passer, with 15 near perfect passes on serve-receive, as well as a consistent server: in fact, she only missed one serve the entire day! Daisy floored us with her dedication, upping the ante with her communication on the court and tenacity in taking swings! Daisy also stepped in on the right side as setter, when our setter was out, and successfully pushed several sets all the way to the outside hitter! Both Amber and Naomi stepped forward on the offensive, calling set after set and taking every opportunity to swing. As usual, Amber was a steady free-ball passer, and she even made a block! Naomi had her best serving tournament yet, and during one match she served 10 for 12 with four aces!

All in all, we are incredibly proud of the way the 12’s put fourth their best effort, playing some truly outstanding volleyball in their last tournament of the season! This is a special team and we will miss them greatly.

MVP of the tournament: Kate for her willingness and ability to skillfully play any position when needed. She showed consistency and strength in passing, defense, and serving and took many powerful swings to the deep angle, including several from the back row. Kate’s all-around game is a huge asset to the team! And to Lexi for her stellar serve-receive passing and fluid defense, which has cemented her as a backbone of the team, especially during this tournament. Lexi’s hustle and effort really stood out, not only as a setter, but as a defensive player as well. Lexi also made smart setting choices, and successfully backset a few balls! Congratulations Kate and Lexi!

Game Ball goes to: : Daisy for her outstanding growth on the court and consistent performance! She played every game with intention, clarity and commitment. We are especially proud of Daisy for staying connected and moving towards the ball, without hesitation. She showed great court awareness and her unwavering determination was contagious. Watching Daisy step in as setter from the right side and push the ball to the outside was a highlight of the tournament! Congratulations Daisy!

May 15 and 16, 2010: 16’s Great America Tournament

Finish: 18th place out of 40 teams

At the Great America Tournament, Shoreline 16’s had a challenging first day. It took Shoreline a while to find their rhythm on the court. In pool play, Shoreline lost the first two matches of the day in three sets against Sting Ray Blue and High Impact 16-1. Shoreline struggled defending against these scrappy teams and learned that they must always anticipate the ball during every play. Shoreline regained their focus in the last match beating Pure Volleyball in two sets, and finishing third in pool play for the day. During this match Shoreline had eleven aces and thirteen kills. They played consistently, but most importantly they started to play their game and not let their opponents dictate the intensity of play.

The second day Shoreline started off bracket play, going against SF Tremors. In that match, Shoreline had a solid 23 kills and five aces, which contributed to their victory. Shoreline played with intensity, and found ways to connect with each other on the court. The next match was against High Impact 16-2, where Shoreline again pulled off the win by playing great defense, getting huge serving runs, and hitting consistently. During that match, Shoreline accumulated 14 aces and 18 kills. In the last match of the day, Shoreline went up against Monsoon Floyd and lost in three sets. Shoreline had great moments in this match, but fell short in the last set when the other team started playing with more fire. During this time Shoreline’s mental strength and confidence declined, and serve receive broke down in the process. Shoreline finished 18th overall.

Throughout the tournament Shoreline had great moments (i.e. phenomenal blocking by Marley, amazing digs by Allison, and huge serving runs by Aimee, Maddie, and Jenna), but struggled to play consistent volleyball and adjust to the rhythm of the opposing teams. Our setters also improved tremendously over the weekend, working hard to better the ball and be leaders on the court. To end the season, Shoreline wants to work hard on: adjusting to the game of their opponents, the mental aspect of serve-receive, and eliminating unforced errors.

Nice Job Shoreline 16’s!

MVP of the tournament: Molly for consistently being the go to player on offense, hitting from both the front row and the back row consistently and aggressively. Molly earned the team 35 kills, 6 aces, and two blocks for the tournament!

Game Ball goes to: : Aimee for accomplishing her individual goal on Sunday of helping to maintain and control the momentum of the game with consistently tough serving. Aimee created multiple serving runs and earned 9 aces for the weekend!

May 14 and 15, 2010: 18’s Great America Tournament

Finish: 13th place out of 32 teams

The 18’s were very excited about the Great America Tournament. Both because they got to spend so much time together and because they were going to play teams they never played before. The first day was highlighted by Rose and Mikayla setting a new offense for the team, a 6-2. They both made great decisions and moved into the hitting role with style. Rose ended the day with the most kills. Emily’s serving game improved and Taylor’s passing was pure perfection. The team played consistently in the first two matches and earned two wins.

They entered the last match with confidence and high expectations. However, San Francisco Jrs. ran their middle and beat Shoreline in the end. It was a tight match and the opponent out served our team.

During the second day of the tournament, Shoreline was challenged by Delta. Nikki started the team off with her jump floater, which gave Delta lots of problems. Franny made great plays as our middle blocker and Hanna pulled out the slide with success.

Despite their efforts, the team played unconnected to the ball and lost in the 3rd game, 13-15.

In the last match, the goal was to always be ready and get involved. Alex served great and played tremendous defense! However, the demise of the team got the best of them… no connection to the ball and no one stepping up to finish the plays.

Losing the 3rd game gave the team clarity on their weaknesses and motivation to sharpen their focus for the last Area League tournament coming up.

Despite a bit of heartache, the tournament was an overall, with lots learned.

MVP of the tournament: Rose for her amazing efforts and performance. Rose set and played right side for the team while running a 6-2 offense and proved to be our “go to” hitter with kill after kill. She showed remarkable presence on the court and great leadership. Congratulations Rose!

Game Ball goes to: : Alex for her continued improvement towards being an all around player. She was given an opportunity to play back row and did not let her team down. Alex also served with incredible focus. Congratulations Alex! And to Franny for her break through in being a strong force at the net. She had 4 blocks in the final match that helped take the pressure off our defense. Congratulations Franny!

May 15 and 16, 2010: 14’s Great America Tournament

Finish: 3rd place out of 40 teams

The 14’s played fantastic ball this weekend, proving that they are not done improving their game and excelling as a team this season. In the first match on Saturday, we beat Monsoon 25-4, 25-16. Both Alli and Emily went on big serving runs, which lead our steady victory. We continued our winning streak against a more skilled team and beat Force 25-21, 25-18. Alli made smart setting choices. Emily worked on consistent swings from the front row and committed herself to the concept of “control over power”. Kendra showed how she can hit aggressively with topspin. Noelle played with more and more confidence and proved she can be effective offensively, defensively and on the serving line. Our toughest match of the day was against BSC in which we lost 25-10, 21-25, 12-15. Our inconsistencies got the best of us, and although we didn’t pull out the win, we took them to three games. This gave us the best record in our pool and put us in the Championship bracket on Sunday.

We definitely got our money’s worth on Sunday, with both matches going to three games. We played Palo Alto in the morning and played one of our most exciting (and stressful!) matches of the season. We lost to Palo Alto in the semis of League #4 and were stoked to have a rematch. In a tight battle, we lost the first game 21-25. In game two, we came from behind with a stellar serving run by Alea, which gave us a 25-20 win. Game three was neck and neck the whole way and we pulled out the win 15-13 behind Melissa’s amazing serving run. Melissa also played solid offensively throughout the entire match. Bella found the corners time and time again (something she really worked on in her one-on-one last week). In the semi-finals, we met Impact, a great team in which we were very evenly matched. Although we didn’t walk away with the win, the girls played tough and played with heart. After losing the first game, we fought back to win game 2. Game 3 was a true battle, but we ended up losing 13-15. Maya provided committed defense for us throughout the weekend, working hard on getting her feet there and reading the hitters. Claire continued making great strides in her setting, working hard on getting her hands on every ball. She had her best jump set of the season this weekend.

The last match proved the saying, “it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” The girls played great and they should be very proud of their play. Kristen and Jen are so very proud of their team and look forward to seeing what they can do at Regionals.

Miranda has a bad ankle sprain and was truly missed. We hope to get Miranda back for our Regionals in a few weeks. We missed you Miranda!

MVP of the tournament: Alea for being our offensive weapon and a serving cannon on the back line. In addition to her offensive weapons, she played some great back row, not only passing and digging solidly, but also hitting some fantastic pipes. Congratulation to Alea!!!

May 9, 2010: 14’s League Tournament #4

Finish: 3rd place

The 14’s team had an amazing tournament! We started off the day very solid, beating VC 25-5 in the first game of the match. Claire played some front row and she proved she has what it takes to be a great offensive player. VC woke up in game 2, but we still came out victorious with a 25-18 win. We then had to play Surf City (again!) and Shoreline played steady and consistent to take them in the third game 16-14. It was our most exciting match of the season and I know we gave the mothers (and dads!) a great Mother’s Day present. In addition to our pin winners below, Alea was a big contributor to our victory. She served the last three points of game three, starting her serving run when we were behind 13-14.

By winning our pool, we headed to the Championship bracket and played a very solid Palo Alto team in the semi-finals who simply outplayed us. But, we finished the day strong by beating the Newark Nets 25-19, 25-18, which earned us a well-deserved 3rd place finish. Bella served solidly for us in our final match and had some great offensive plays at the net. Emily had her best match of the day against the Nets and passed some perfect passes out of serve receive and on defense. Kendra had her best hit of the season by absolutely killing an overpass. Alli and Melissa were both steady all day long. Alli continued to improve on her setting skills and gets better and better every tournament. Melissa’s front row play gets more and more aggressive and she is becoming an offensive threat for us.

Congratulations to the 14’s team for another great tournament!

Co- MVP’s of the tournament: Maya for playing defense out of her mind against Surf City. She read the hitters, stayed low and hit consistent pipes from the back row. She has been working hard to be a fantastic libero and her hard work has paid off! And to Miranda for playing strong and consistently for us during the Surf City match, providing stellar passing from the back row and some amazing hits from the front row. Her aggressive serving was also a key component to our victory. Congratulations Miranda and Maya for a job well done!!!

Game Ball goes to: Noelle for her confidence, consistency and power! Ever since the beach tournament, Noelle has found all three. Her hard work and determination has made her into a great volleyball player. Her solid play was one of the key factors in our Surf City win, playing her best match of the season. Congratulations Noelle!

May 8, 2010: 16’s League Tournament #4

Finish: 9th place

This past weekend, Club Shoreline’s 16’s experienced their first last place finish in pool play. In previous tournaments the 16’s team dominated in pool play, awaiting the more competitive games in bracket play. This weekend the two other teams in pool play took Shoreline by surprise, coming out fired up and competitive from the start. Club Shoreline lost their first match to Diamond’s 16-1 in three, and shortly after lost to Peninsula Juniors in two sets. The first match was lost to Diamonds because Club Shoreline made more unforced errors than the opposing team. Shoreline missed ten serves in that game, and broke down mentally on serve receive. The match against Peninsula Jrs. was much better on Shoreline’s side, with Maddie helping the team with momentum, serving nine aces from twenty attempts and only making two errors. And although the team struggled on serve receive again, defense and hitting was much more consistent.

In bracket play Shoreline went up against two Endline teams, beating both of them in two sets. The girls played aggressively, with confidence and fire, and in turn they had a great time on the court. In these last two matches, Molly earned twelve kills, Maddie earned eleven kills and Allison made 24 defensive digs. Maddie also racked up another seven aces in the last two matches. Marley and Phoebe stepped it up in the front row blocking aggressively and firing up the team with their energy. The girls ran plays consistently and played with heart throughout the entire afternoon.

Way to come back Club Shoreline and play like you know how to play. Next time we will start off the day playing that way!

Good Job Club Shoreline 16’s!

MVP of the tournament: Maddie for playing consistent and aggressive volleyball throughout the entire day. The team relied on her to build momentum with her serving, and to continuously better the ball on off plays. Nice work Maddie!

Game Ball goes to: Marley for being an active member of the team at all moments. She played with intensity and never gave up on the ball, or on our team’s success. She played terrific!

April 17, 2010: 18’s League Tournament #3

Finish: 2nd place

The 18’s team finished well in this tournament, but encountered many struggles along the way. To begin with, the team had to pull together and find a way to compete successfully without support from teammates Hanna and Rose. Fortunately, the team won their first match with poise and confidence. However, in the second match they found it hard to focus on the team’s goal and identity. They screeched out the win, but no longer presented themselves as a physical threat on the court. They played with little vision and needed to re-group with a plan to connect.

In the first playoff match against Eclipse 18-1, the team indeed refocused and it showed immediately in their tough serving. Alex, Taylor, Nikki and Camille also came up with big swings. Mikayla played every minute of every match with full effort. She changed the momentum in this match and kept the team together. Both teams played hard and Shoreline won the match in 3! In the finals, Shoreline played tough against AlCis. Despite their best efforts, they simply couldn’t shut down outside hitter #11.

Congratulations 18’s for a respectable 2nd place finish!

MVP of the tournament: Alex for doing her job on the court! She came up with big blocks and swings. Alex also served tough, passed to target and played defense calmly and confidently.

Game Ball goes to: Emily for her continued improvement in passing and defense! Super job.

April 11, 2010: 16’s League Tournament #3

Finish: 5th place

In their third league tournament Club Shoreline 16’s did very well. In the first game of pool play, Shoreline handedly beat Buyaka in two games, playing aggressive, consistent volleyball. In the second match, Shoreline faced the Diamonds, who they had beaten three times before, and fell short this time losing in two games. In both sets, Shoreline started off slow, allowing the Diamonds to gain a huge lead. And although Shoreline fought back impressively, with clutch defensive saves by Allison (who racked up 16 digs that match) and a huge momentum building block from Phoebe, it wasn’t enough to win either set. This loss placed Shoreline into the second bracket of play-offs with a best possible finish of 5th.

Shoreline went up against Peninsula Jrs. in the first match of bracket play and won in three sets. The first set started off slow, but Shoreline came back and took the next two sets with ease. Serving aggressive in this match is what set Shoreline apart from the other team. Marley also had an impressive game, leading the team with three blocks at critical moments. The second and final match of bracket play was against Endline. Shoreline took both games, winning by ten points, playing as a team and earning a 5th place finish.

This is the first tournament Club Shoreline failed to get first in pool, which made it impossible to get top four in the tournament. Shoreline realized at the end of the day that they deserved to be competing in the top bracket, and saw the importance of starting off strong in pool play. Shoreline looks forward to playing in this division again and focusing on consistent, aggressive play from start to finish.

Great Job Shoreline!

MVP of the tournament: Molly, for playing aggressive and consistent volleyball throughout the day. She led the team with a phenomenal 22 kills and 11 aces. She also earned a respectable 12 digs.

Game Ball goes to: Alyssa for solidly contacting the ball when hitting. Alyssa clearly accomplished this goal hitting from both the right and left sides consistently and aggressively. Nice work!

March 28, 2010: 18’s League Tournament #2

Finish: 2nd place

The 18’s team’s success this tournament was a true team effort. The team stayed connected and had a blast. Without Hanna due to injury, Franny and Camille stepped it up and their combined efforts added many offensive kills. In pool play, the team executed well and the outcome was two big wins!

The first match in playoffs against Eclipse 18-1 was highly anticipated by the Shoreline team. They couldn’t wait to get on the court and prove to themselves how competitive they are. The 18’s played flawlessly and won with great serving, passing, setting and hitting. In the finals, Shoreline encountered a highly skilled team and didn’t back down! Even though the team was unable to pull off a win, they were victorious in accomplishing what they set out to do as a team. Congrats!

MVP of the tournament: Mikayla for her amazing serving. She had a 10 run serving streak that included 4 aces. Mikayla also played amazing defense and her sets were delivered perfectly to our offense.

Game Ball goes to: Camille for her aggressive swings and blocks. She showed so much improvement!

March 27, 2010: 14’s League Tournament #3

Finish: 5th place

The 14’s team trekked up to Hayward to play their 3rd league tournament. We started off the day beating Crush (Hollister) in our first match in pool play: 25-10, 25-11. Although we had a bit of a sluggish start, the girls got the job done. We then had to play our rivals Surf City in pool play and unfortunately didn’t pull out the win and lost in three games: 20-25, 25-23, 8-15. Tough serving by Surf City gave them the edge in game 3. Since we got 2nd in pool, the best we could finish was 5th, and the girls played well enough in playoffs to finish the day off solid and earn the 5th place finish.

It was the toughest league tournament we have played in, so the girls should be proud. Although we are still battling with making too many unforced errors, there were times on Saturday that the girls played some amazing volleyball. Both Claire and Bella got on big serving runs against the Newark Nets to help close out both of the games in our semi-final match: 25-17, 25-23. Claire finished the day with 10 aces and Bella racked up 15 aces. We finished playoffs by winning our bracket, beating Palo Alto 13-1’s: 25-15, 25-20.

Kendra has been working hard on getting more topspin on her hits and she finished the day with her season high of 4 kills. Noelle continues to improve her all-around game and had 2 great line hits against Surf City to help us win game 2. Melissa’s offense is getting stronger and stronger and she had the second highest number of kills for the day with 11. Alea, our powerhouse, continues to work on her consistency offensively and on the service line. As always, she was a big offensive threat and finished the day with 18 kills. Our libero Maya made some stellar plays in the back row, digging 19 balls for us. Miranda played very consistently, contributing solid serving, passing and hitting throughout the entire day.

Congratulations to the 14’s team for another great tournament!

MVP of the tournament: Alli for continuing to prove that she has all the skills to be a great volleyball player! On Saturday, she demonstrated that she could serve tough and consistently, set all 3 sets (4’s, 2’s and 5’s), dig balls and take some great swings at the net. Her steady and athletic plays helped lead the team. Congratulations Alli!

Game Ball goes to: : Emily for taking the skills she practiced in her one-on-one with Jen last Thursday and dramatically improving her play at the tournament. During her session, Emily worked on a better toss for her serve, a solid platform on her passing, big hands when setting and more controlled hitting. She demonstrated all these components on Saturday. Congratulations Emily!

March 27, 2010: 12’s League Tournament #3

Finish: 6th place

League Tournament #3 brought the Shoreline 12’s to San Francisco State University, where they faced an incredibly competitive collection of teams- the toughest group yet! Seeded 9th going into the tournament, the 12’s ended up taking 6th place, reflecting both the team’s growing talent and room for improvement. The 12’s struggled at first, made significant changes and played spectacularly well, and then lost some of that precious momentum in the last match of the day. Despite the 12’s inconsistent play, they continue to demonstrate their quickly growing knowledge of the game and their powerful technical skills, proving to be a force to be reckoned with against some of the most talented teams in the area!

In the first game of pool play, the 12’s were matched up with Eclipse once again. Although the 12’s came out strong at first, they struggled to find their center as a team and fell in two games. In the second pool play match, Shoreline emerged victorious over Burlingame Sports Center by playing as a cohesive team, staying aggressive, and gathering the momentum for an exciting third match!

Defeating Sunsports Thunder in the first match of bracket play, the 12’s truly demonstrated their full potential. Their growth as a team was evident in their commitment to their defensive positions, strong serves, consistent passing, and aggressive swings, not to mention their smart setting choices. The match exemplifies how far the 12’s have come in three short months together!

Unfortunately, the 12’s lost their “why” and didn’t show up in the final match of the day against Elite. This team has all of the tools to maintain the amazing play we saw in the third match, and now the 12’s will be working on how to play consistently well for an entire tournament.

MVP of the tournament: Jen, who again demonstrated focus and clarity in her choices, and brought power and intensity into her serves and hits! Jen never shied away from taking a full swing. Her consistency makes her a backbone of the team.

Game Ball goes to: Amber, for rocking the back row and owning her position! Her dedication and efforts in practice certainly came through, as she successfully passed and hit numerous times throughout the day!

March 21, 2010: 16’s League Tournament #2

Finish: 2nd place

The 16’s team played phenomenal in their second league tournament! Shoreline’s team goals for this season have been to strive for more aces than errors and more kills than errors. Shoreline accomplished this goal in all four matches of the day, playing consistent and fluid volleyball. The 16’s defense was also unstoppable allowing our setters and hitters to run plays and mix up our offense.

The 16’s took first in their pool beating Monsoon Kyle, and Diamonds 16-2, in two games each. Against Monsoon, Shoreline served 17 aces, and made only 6 serving errors. Shoreline also put the ball away 23 times, while only making 9 hitting errors. Shoreline therefore earned 40 out of 50 points, between the two games, making that match the highest earned point match thus far in the season. Allison, Reanna, Aimee, Annalise, Molly, Kellyn and Maddie all had incredible defensive moments demonstrating the team’s dedication to never let the ball drop. In the front row our middles, Jenna, Marley, and Phoebe, improved their timing on the block and helped the defense tremendously by putting the ball down at the net.

In bracket play Shoreline faced off against Diamonds 15-1 who they defeated in the semi finals of their very first tournament. In a competitive match, Shoreline took Diamonds in two and got ready to play Eclipse in the final. Shoreline also played Eclipse in the final of their first tournament, and lost in three. They hoped to reverse the outcome in this match. The first game was very close. However the game went to Eclipse due to a serve receive shutdown on Club Shoreline’s side. In the second game, Eclipse had Shoreline in a 7-0 lead. Club Shoreline did not give up however, and came back, tying the score at 9-9. The game remained close, but Shoreline fell short in the end and earned a much-deserved 2nd place finish!

Great Job Shoreline 16s!

MVP of the tournament: Jenna, for serving aggressively throughout the whole day, leading the team in blocks, and hitting aggressively into the corners of the court. In the first match alone Jenna served 9 aces!

Game Ball goes to: Maddie, for being consistently reliable on serve receive, defense, and in executing plays in the front row. Her goal for the tournament was to nail down an aggressive float serve and she did this with ease. To Phoebe for coming into the last two matches fired up and playing with an intensity and consistency we had not seen from her before. Her energy and passion helped her individual performance greatly and transferred to the other players on the court as well.

March 7, 2010: 12’s League Tournament #2

Finish: 5th place

This was a day of highs and lows for this talented 12’s team. On the bright side, the 12’s continued to improve their teamwork this tournament, completing many amazing pass/set/hits and making progress towards their team’s goal of passing well in serve receive! On the down side, the 12’s struggled to transition to their correct defensive formation, causing unnecessary confusion on the court. Fortunately, by the end of the tournament, the 12’s began to commit to their defensive spots, allowing them to play more cohesively and to successfully defend their side of the court!

In bracket play, the 12’s faced well-matched competitors City Beach. However, too many service and hitting errors led to a loss in two games. The 12’s then blasted through their second match against Palo Alto Elite, delivering unstoppable serves and kills, defeating Elite in 2 games. This match was dedicated to their teammate Emily who came to support them with a broken ankle.

Continuing into playoffs, the 12’s faced the talented Eclipse in the first round. After losing the first game, the 12’s came back to win the second, thanks to amazing passing from Naomi, Kate, and Jen and clutch serving by Alysha. Alysha sparkled as our go-to server, stepping in from the sidelines to serve 5 balls in a row at 21-24 in a thrilling comeback! Despite their efforts, the 12’s fell in the third game, but were proud to take a game from Eclipse. In the two final matches, the 12’s won easily with strong serving and consistent playing from everyone.

Once again, Shoreline’s serving skills stood out. Kate pounded out an amazing 21 aces in our 4th match alone and Jen added 24 for the whole day! Naomi brought some fantastic defense and serve-receive passing, with 22 successful serve-receive passes. Lexi made great setting choices and played some awesome defense as well. With only one full practice under her belt since her broken wrist healed, Amber debuted some solid passing and hitting skills at her first tournament!

Moving forward, the 12’s will continue to work on transitioning between serve-receive and defense, as well as reducing unforced errors. The 12’s are ready to prove that they can play focused, intense volleyball throughout an entire tournament!

MVP of the tournament: Jen, for her all-around outstanding play! Her focus and determination was evident in her 20 successful serve-receive passes, her commitment to playing in the correct defensive position and her aggressive deep angle swings. Jen’s hustle was inspiring and a perfect example of the attitude a great volleyball player has!

Game Ball goes to: Alysha, for coming in off the bench to successfully serve the final, game deciding points against Eclipse! Alysha proved that she can FOCUS under extreme pressure and get the job done!

March 2, 2010: 14’s League Tournament #2

Finish: 2nd place

Although the 14’s had the same finish as in League #1, League #2 was a much tougher tournament with more challenging teams in pool play and a very solid, fundamentally sound team in the finals. Focus has been what the girls have been working on in practice and the 14’s showed better focus this tournament.

The 14’s had a bit of a slow start in the morning, but easily got the win over Monsoon 25-11, 25-13. Their next team in pool was City Beach, who gave them a little more of a challenge. Fortunately, the 14’s came out victorious with a 25-17, 25-16 win, with some great defensive plays by Maya, including an amazing dig at right back with one arm. The 14’s worked on 1’s in practice this week and although they didn’t set any, Bella dove in ready a couple of times in pool play.

After winning our pool, the 14’s headed into the Championship Bracket beating their first opponent, Eclipse 14-2 in the semi-finals: 25-18, 25-17. But, in the finals, Eclipse 14-1 was victorious and beat us 13-25, 15-25 due to the 14’s team’s inconsistent playing. However, during the match, the girls played very well at times. Kendra’s right side offense remained more consistent and aggressive. Melissa’s focused serves continued to be a weapon for the team. Emily racked up some impressive digs in the finals. Noelle continued to improve her all around game and had some solid swings and great passes. Claire set with more confidence on the court, made smart set choices and served consistently. Alli, with her athleticism and control, proved she has what it takes to be a great setter.

Congratulations to the 14’s team for another great finish!

MVP of the tournament: Alea for a phenomenal day and ending the tournament with 20 aces and 9 kills. Her all around great play was key to our success on Sunday. She has been really working hard on serving more consistently. Not only was her serving more consistent, it was also more aggressive. Alea also had an amazing “pipe” kill from the back row. Congratulations Alea!

Game Ball goes to: Miranda for consistent and reliable passing, hitting and serving all day long! The team has been working on having more focus and less unforced errors in their matches so that other teams have to EARN their points. Miranda’s focus allowed her to perform well with very few unforced errors. Congratulations Miranda!

March 6, 2010: 18’s League Tournament #1

Finish: 3rd place

The 18’s team showed a lot of heart and character in their first league tournament. With a long break since the last tournament, it was clear that the team had been practicing hard, and their improvement was evident in their offense. Excelling through pool play with no losses, the girls entered play-offs with confidence and excitement.

Play-offs proved to be difficult on several levels. The team showed immense strength at the net, but passing was lacking focus. Offensively, Camille demonstrated amazing agility scoring points with a slide back one, and Nikki consistently and aggressively made all of her jump serves. Defensively, Taylor brought a collective calm to the back row and Emily successfully made essential adjustments and played well despite her wrist injury.

The first game of play-offs was an unfortunate loss. The committed defensive style of play by the Watsonville Starlings caught the team off guard and they struggled with serving. The team came together against their next opponent, Eclipse Gold, to win the match. Overall, the team went 1-1, earning a 3rd place title by the end of the day.

MVP of the tournament: Taylor, for her incredible ball control and game changing plays.

Game Ball goes to: Lindsay, for “making the change” in her passing and serving.

February 27, 2010: 16’s League Tournament #1

Finish: 3rd place

This weekend the 16’s team learned that no matter what kind of game is being played on the other side of the net, they can always improve their game. In pool play Shoreline competed against two teams that were clearly weaker in skill level. However, Shoreline continued to challenge themselves on their side of the net, working on incorporating crossing plays, in combination, on offense. This is something that the 16’s have been working hard on in practice so it was a treat to watch the team take what they have learned in practice and apply it to a real game.

The 16’s team also realized that serving is both a strength and weakness. The team racked up forty-seven aces by the end of the day, but lack of consistency hindered their ability to create runs in their favor. Overall, the team remained strong on defense and offense, but struggled at times on serve-receive, often breaking the momentum they worked hard to create.

Bracket play was a lot more competitive than pool play. All three matches went to three games. It took both physical and mental strength to succeed in this bracket. Playing six games to 25, in a row, greatly demonstrated the girls’ incredible endurance and fitness. The girls played hard without one complaint of being tired. This clearly reflects all of their continued hard work at both conditioning and at practice. The girls won the first match of bracket play, lost the second, and won the third, earning them a much-deserved 3rd place finish!

Congratulations Shoreline 16’s!

MVP of the tournament: Allison, for her unstoppable defense throughout the day. She has greatly improved on reading the hitter and staying disciplined on defense. The team relied on her consistent passing in order to make plays and succeed on offense. Liberos may often be overlooked but during this tournament Allison’s contribution was greatly apparent.

Game Ball goes to: Annalise, for speeding up her release to the net, beating the ball and getting stopped to set, and mixing up her offensive sets in order to allow more hitters the opportunity to get kills. Her improvement in all of these areas tremendously contributed to the success of the team. And Alyssa for keeping the ball in front of her while hitting and ensuring a strong contact with the ball at all times. She was consistent and reliable all day on both offense and defense. Nice work you two!

February 21, 2010: 12’s League Tournament #1

Finish: 2nd place

The 12’s team made incredible progress this tournament! They played as a cohesive, focused team and showed how much heart and determination they really have. By the end of day, the girls racked up an amazing 94 aces and proved, most importantly to themselves, that they are capable of competing against the top teams in this league.

In pool play, the 12’s won their first match handedly against Salinas Valley, with great serving from Alysha, Jen and Amanda. In the 2nd and final match of pool, the 12’s played City Beach, the team they lost to at the Qualifier’s in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, despite winning the 1st game and passing much better, the 12’s made several untimely service and hitting errors that ended up costing them the match in 3 games.

In play offs, the 12’s team seemed unstoppable! They won 3 straight matches, all in 2 games, and beat City Beach in the semi-finals, to earn themselves a place in the finals against Eclipse. Even though the 12’s lost the final match, it still felt like a victory because of how connected and focused they played. Eclipse is a fantastic team and our team hopes to play them again soon!

Amanda led the team with 33 aces alone. Kate was our team’s backbone. Jen did a fantastic job asserting herself more on the court, passing overhead, and mixing hits with tips. She racked up 20 kills and 15 aces! Lexi, one of our two setters, made excellent set choices. Danielle and Naomi kept our team offensive with their greatly improved passing and digging skills. Daisy served consistently and showed that she is a true team player.

For the next league tournament, the 12’s will continue to focus on passing in serve-receive, playing as defensively as the opposing team is offensive, and staying connected to the ball. Congratulations 12’s on a memorable tournament and a much deserved 2nd place! This was truly a team effort and it was a pleasure for all to watch you shine!

MVP of the tournament: Kate for dominating on the court offensively and defensively! Her stats say it all: 21 aces, 23 successful passes in serve-receive, and 39 kills. Kate plays with remarkable composure and intention for such a young player.

Game Ball goes to: Danielle for doing an outstanding job of passing and getting her platform around the ball, and for staying aggressive and focused at the net. Danielle contributed 22 successful passes in serve-receive and 7 kills. And to Naomi for controlled and calm defensive-ups and for staying connected to the ball at all times. Naomi added 20 successful passes in serve-receive and did a tremendous job staying low and digging both hard driven balls and tips. Both Danielle’s and Naomi’s passing were critical to our team’s success!

February 20, 2010: 14’s League Tournament #1

Finish: 2nd place

The 14’s team had another successful tournament. They started off the day very strong and handedly beat the two teams in their pool: Monterey Bay 13’s (25-8, 25-6) and Crush (25-12, 25-15). The 14’s didn’t have the nerves in the morning like they did in the Qualifier and they also drew on their experience from their strong play at the President’s Day Tournament.

Consistent, yet aggressive, serving was one of the team’s main goals for this tournament and the girls definitely met that goal. Kendra got some back row play, as they played with a 5-1 for part of the day, and proved that she can serve consistently, only missing one serve all day. Emily really got the hang of serving with an open hand from the start and ended the day with two aces. Noelle’s confidence continued to build in the back row with a total of three digs and two aces. Maya had the opportunity to serve in the morning because she played DS (defensive specialist), instead of her usual position of libero (a libero can’t serve in club) and rattled off four aces.

In playoffs, Shoreline 14’s beat Monterey 14-1 (25-7, 25-8). That match put them in the finals against their rivals, Surf City. Shoreline played excellent in the first game, serving Surf City off the court and winning 25-8. Unfortunately, the 14’s had a slow start in game two and Surf City barely beat them 22-25. Although they fought hard in the end, they couldn’t get out of the big hole they started in. They had another slow start in game 3 and lost 8-15.

The girls are learning from the loss and know they must stay focused and disciplined throughout an entire match, not just in the first game. The young setters continue to impress and both Ali and Claire set great the entire day. In support of the team’s goal of aggressive, yet consistent serving, both these girls demonstrated they possess serving talent in addition to setting talent, with Claire getting 17 aces for the day and Ali contributing seven aces. Both Miranda and Alea played solid and consistent all day long, with Miranda tallying three digs for the day and Alea tallying four digs.

MVP of the tournament: Bella for serving aggressively all day and dominating from the back line with a total of 13 aces. Bella also contributed 17 kills for the day, loves to block and has great presence and focus at the net, a crucial skill for a middle blocker. Congratulations Bella!

Game Ball goes to: Melissa for focusing on a consistent toss all day long, which greatly improved her serving accuracy. With 14 aces for the day, Melissa was an absolute cannon on the service line. She has tremendous focus and determination that has helped her improve both her serving and all around game by leaps and bounds. Congratulations Melissa!

February 13-15, 2010: 18’s President’s Day Tournament

Finish: 11th place out of 52 teams (starting seed 23rd)

The 18’s team had a successful tournament weekend. They proved they are a team with tremendous chemistry both on and off the court. When serving both tough and in, and adding their calm defense and smooth offense, they dominated. Overall, the team finished 6-3 for the weekend. On Saturday, the team played steady in the first two matches and lost the third match to a team who simply out served us. Ending with a disappointing loss, the team re-focused Sunday, determined to take responsibility for their jobs! The team executed their plan beautifully and won all their games, earning the right to play the #1 and #4 seeds of the tournament the next day.

On Monday, the team got to step up and play Main Beach, the #1 seed. Hanna had two major blocks that really set the tone for how important she is at the net and Taylor stayed aggressive swinging. The team learned a lot in the match, most importantly, how to make a team beat you instead of you losing the game. They lost in two but their battle continued into the next match against Endline, the #11 seed.

The 18’s team ended up victorious in 3 because of the girl’s determination to stay connected to the ball and to serve tough and in! Hanna, Nikki and Mikayla had critical serving runs that allowed the rest of the team to do their job; a big block by Camille, a dig by Franny, a line swing by Taylor. Taylor’s consistent defense in this match gave the setters, Rose and Mikayla, “butter” passes to run the offense and get the middles involved.

This tournament illuminated the team’s strengths and weaknesses and provided them with a clear picture of what to improve on. The team looks forward to their next practice where they will build on their offense and defense in preparation for the next tournament.

Congratulations 18’s on a great finish!

MVP of the tournament: Taylor for her calm yet explosive court presence. She knows how to better the ball, and how to establish the angle hit and then bang one down the line. And her passes are “butter”!

Game Ball goes to: Hanna for her 2 key blocks, her back row passing when we needed her to step it up and for her tough and in serving runs! And to Rose for her determination on running a smooth offense. She also proved she can pass and play defense without any hesitation!

February 13-15, 2010: 16’s President’s Day Tournament

Finish: 135th out of 172 teams (started as 134th seed)

The first day of the tournament for the 16’s was a rough day. They struggled to connect as a team as they let balls drop without a concerted effort to communicate. They lost all of their matches on Saturday, despite a sincere attempt to accomplish their goals. In the end, the team made too many errors, allowing their opponents to gain both momentum and confidence.

The 16’s started off playing the second day with hesitation and lost their first match. Before beginning the second match, the team was able to sort out their miscommunication on the court. With new beginnings, it seemed like a whole different team playing together as one. They came out strong and consistent, keeping the pressure on the other side of the net. With strong serving from Alyssa and Annalise, the 16’s compiled a big lead to win their first match of the tournament. For the rest of the day, the hitters were consistent and placed the ball in deep corners on off plays.

The last day was a testament to the 16’s fitness and ability to play “their game” for an entire day. The 16’s won every match on Monday! They controlled the outcome of each play by serving tough and deep, staying disciplined on defense and switching up their offense by mixing up the sets. With phenomenal serve receive from Allison, the offense lit up the court! Faith contributed 17 kills and 5 aces, as well as her energetic presence that helped keep the momentum building and Phoebe kept the pressure on with challenging deep serves and amazing defense.

MVP of the tournament: Molly for her outstanding hitting performance all 3 days, earning 17 kills and only making 2 hitting errors in the last two matches on Sunday, and contributing 14 kills and 8 aces on Monday. She stayed very disciplined on defense and never hesitated to hit the floor to pass the ball.

Game Ball goes to: Jenna for her growth as a middle in targeting corners and making a small switch in her approach in order to take a full swing. The last day, she contributed 2 aces, 7 kills and 2 blocks. Jenna showed tremendous growth during the tournament.

February 13-15, 2010: 14’s President’s Day Tournament

Finish: 43rd place out of 122 teams (started as 85th seed)

The 14’s team showed what they are made of this weekend: heart, determination, good ball control skills and the ability to not give up. The team pulled off a couple of close matches, as they went 6-2 for the weekend and finished 42 seeds higher than the seed they entered the tournament with.

The girls went undefeated the first day! They were seeded third in their pool and came out first. The girls served very aggressively and, although they are still working on consistency, the team had a total of 52 aces. Claire and Melissa racked up 9 aces each! Emily played the libero position for a match on Saturday and had some great back row attacks, getting 3 kills. With our setters getting more sets to our outside hitters, Miranda was able to get some great swings on the ball and finished day one with 7 kills. Kendra’s front row play continued to improve and with her getting more “5” sets, she was able to get 3 kills on Saturday.

Because the 14’s team did so well the first day, they were put in a pool of tougher teams on Sunday, but managed to go 2-1, losing only to Golden Bears, a solid team, in 3 games. Alea had a phenomenal day and racked up 21 kills.

On the final day, this gutsy team fought hard to win their bracket, but lost in 3 games in the semi-finals to a fundamentally sound team, SF Tigers. Melissa provided solid play all weekend with her aggressive serving and her consistent passing. Bella was a force at the net throughout the weekend, adding smart tips to her arsenal of weapons. During the first game on Monday, Noelle told Jen she wanted to get a kill and she got her wish: she ended the match with a great line hit.

This team just continues to get better. The team chemistry is a big reason why the 14’s are starting off their season with a bang!

MVP of the tournament: Maya for being an absolute defensive stud this weekend! She had some very impressive one-arm digs against some girls who could really hit the ball. Her ability to read the ball and react is a key component in being a great libero. Throughout the weekend, she racked up 40 digs! She played outside for us one game on Sat and showed that she has a great float serve that got her 5 aces in one game.

Game Ball goes to: Alli and Claire for an excellent job setting all weekend! They both worked hard and stayed focused as they learned their rotations, got their feet to the ball, became good vocal leaders on the court and set more 4’s and 5’s. Setters are the “quarterbacks” of a volleyball team and their position is difficult and demanding. Both Claire and Alli drastically improved their setting and leadership skills throughout our many matches this weekend.

February 7, 2010: 14’s League Qualifier Tournament

Finish: 2nd Place

The 14’s team had an impressive first tournament in which all girls contributed to the success of the day. We won our pool, beating both teams, Adrenaline and Extreme, in two games. It took the team a game or two to get the butterflies under control, but once they did, their skill level continued to increase throughout the day. By winning our pool, we earned a spot in the Championship bracket to compete against the other pool winners. We handedly beat VC Crush in two games in the semifinals, practically serving them off the court. We played Surf City in the final and, although we took them to three games, we lost 13-15 in the third game.

Our two setters, Alli and Claire, did a great job getting the rotation down and hustling on the court. Our middles, Alea and Bella, contributed some great offensive plays and gave it their all throughout the day (with only two middles, it makes for a long day!). Our outside hitters, Noelle, Melissa, Miranda and Emily (who also play back row for us) all provided aggressive serving and consistent passing. Kendra, our right side player, had a couple of good blocks at the net and once our setters get more comfortable setting a 5, she too, will get some more sets in the games. For the next tournament, our setters will continue to work on pushing out those four sets so that the outside hitters can take more swings on the ball.

Kristin and Jen were very proud of the way the girls played and saw much improvement throughout the day!

MVP of the tournament: Alea for her steady and aggressive play all day long. Alea contributed 15 kills, nine aces and four digs. Alea made great offensive plays in the front row and proved that she can get the job done in the back row. Her leadership as one of our captains helped the team play together in our first tournament of the year.

Game Ball goes to: Maya for her stellar passing and talking on the court. Maya contributed six digs. Communication was a main focus of this tournament and Maya’s vocal presence kept the team focused and working together.

February 6, 2010: 16’s League Qualifier Tournament

Finish: 2nd Place

For their first tournament, the 16’s team focused on maintaining high energy throughout the day, reducing unforced errors, and always “bettering the ball”. The team struggled at moments on serve receive. However, this did not stop them from being aggressive and continuing to work as a team. Each player remained positive toward one another and themselves, which positively influenced the girls’ confidence throughout the matches, and in turn, their performance.

The girls started the morning off on fire, winning both of their pool play matches in two games! The team served 14 service aces in the first match alone! In bracket play, the team’s energy was through the roof! After shaking off some pre-game nerves, the 16’s played their best match of the day, winning in two and earning a spot in the finals. In the end, the 16’s lost the third game of the finals 12 to 15 and finished 2nd place in their first tournament of the season!

Through out the day, our defense was consistently strong with both Allison and Annalise stepping up to play libero, while our offense continued to become more consistent and more aggressive. Our front row hitters, Faith, Molly, Maddy, Annalise, Alyssa, Marley, Phoebe, and Jenna, did an incredible job mixing up their hits and targeting deep corners. They also did a great job blocking, which is something we have not worked on much! Our setters Amy, Allison and Annalise did a great job running plays, releasing to the net and staying disciplined on defense.

Moving forward, we will continue to work on bettering the ball with each contact and being decisive in our decision-making.

Congratulations 16’s on an incredible start to the season!

MVP of the tournament: Faith for her outstanding play. Faith served seven aces and led the team with an amazing 22 kills. She had an incredible fire and energy both on and off the court, which was undeniably contagious.

Game Ball goes to: Molly for her determination to set and hit both line and angle in each game. Molly’s offensive strength greatly contributed to the team’s success. And to Allison for staying disciplined on defense at all times. Allison played both libero and setter and led our team with defensive digs contributing largely to the offensive success of our front row hitters.

January 31, 2010: 18’s League Qualifier Tournament

Finish: 3rd Place

The 18’s team dove into their first tournament with excitement and confidence. They were eager to engage both their unified defense and aggressive offense in their first showing of the season, and that was evident in their play. They went on to complete pool play undefeated, approaching play-offs with determination and humility.

It was neither the offense nor the defense alone that carried the team, but a cohesive balance of the two. Rose and Mikayla made the offense run smoothly, with brilliant set choices and outstanding hustle. Reinforced by consistent and reliable defense, from players such as Lindsay and Taylor, hitters like Franny and Camille could execute even the quickest middle sets. Alex demonstrated her versatility attacking the ball from almost every position on the court, and Hanna and Nikki were leaders in both the front row and the back row. Emily, still recovering from an injury, provided much appreciated moral support.

The girls struggled adapting to tough service calls, but had streaks of brilliance, including a double digit run by Mikayla, and showed an overall improvement in their accuracy. In play-offs, the team began with an unfortunate loss, but managed to re-focus, re-group, and pull together the last game for a win. Taylor skillfully turned the ball line and beat the block, Hanna had a phenomenal back row attack, and Franny muscled by the defense in several middle hits.

Congratulations 18’s on an impressive jump start to the season!

MVP of the tournament: Nikki, whose overall play never went below an 8, and whose consistency on the outside hits contributed immensely to the team’s success.

Game Ball goes to: Hanna, for her performance in the back row, reflective of her hard work at developing her all-around game and Alex, for her immense improvement in hitting, and her success in finally “hitting the ball with her whole hand!”

January 30, 2010: 12’s League Qualifier Tournament

Finish: 4th Place

The 12’s team proved to themselves at this tournament that they are a competitive team with incredible potential! They came into this tournament with one goal: to pass, set and hit as many times as possible. They truly want to be volleyball players and it showed. Several coaches even commented on their strength and skill.

In pool play, the 12’s team dominated and finished undefeated! Jen, Kate and Daisy literally served opposing teams off the court. Lexi, one of our two setters, set with composure and made critical defensive plays at the net. Danielle made several phenomenal passes and Naomi showed great defensive hustle in the back row.

Unfortunately, the 12’s fell quickly in the first play-off match against Sun Sports, an outstanding team. They struggled in serve receive and couldn’t find any momentum. It was a tough loss and one that proved hard to shake. In the final match of the day, they played Carmel Beach. Shoreline hung tough, but with their confidence a bit shaken, they continued to struggle in serve receive and to make their first serves.

In the end, the 12’s team earned a much deserved and respectable 4th place finish. They fought hard all day and played with a tremendous amount of heart. In preparation for the next tournament, the 12’s will diligently focus on siding-out in serve receive and how to gain momentum in a tough game.

Congratulations girls on an exciting tournament!

MVP of the tournament: Kate for her all-around awesome skills. She passed, served, hit and played defense with confidence, determination and focus. She is a true leader on and off the court.

Game Ball goes to: Amanda for her growth as a setter during the tournament and for her key serves during several of the matches.