JV Gold Division All Tournament. Valdez players were Taken Unger and Evaa Tiura
Courtesy of VHS JV Volleyball Coach
September 6-7, 2024
Shoutouts:
All-tournament team:
Eeva Tiura
Laken Unger
Weekend Team Accomplishments:
Bucs’ Top Server: Eeva Tiura (60 serves), close second Parker King (57serves)
Bucs’ Top Attacker: Savannah Barton (29 attacks and 7 kills), close second E.Tiura (26 attacks and 8 kills) Bucs’ Top Blocker: Laken Unger
Bucs’ Top Passer: Laela Scott
Valdez High School and the Gilson Middle School opened their doors to host a total of 16 volleyball teams (including the Lady Buccaneers) for the annual Valdez Invite Volleyball Tournament. Making the journey to Valdez for the tournament were the Utqiaġvik Barrow Whalers, Lathrop Malemutes, Seward Seahawks, Redington Huskies, North Pole Patriots, Houston Hawks, and the Delta Huskies. The Junior Varsity teams took over the GMS gym while the Varsity teams competed in the high school. It was energizing having so many hometown and visiting fans fill the stands to support their teams for this tournament.
On Friday all teams played one set against each other to determine the gold and silver division and the pool play rotations for the following morning. The JV Buc’s first goal of the tournament was to earn a place in the Gold division with the top four ranking teams. On the Buccaneer starting lineup were Parker King (S), Eeva Tiura (DS, OH), Laken Under (MH, DS), River Smelcer (S, RSH), Savannah Barton (DS, OH), and Laela Scott (S). Coming off the bench were Whitney Major (MH), Savanah Pruitt (RSH), Jezelle Eskilida (OH), Cersei Strickland (MH), Olivia Marchant (MH), and Harper Ownbey (RSH).
The Bucs came out strong in their first set against the Barrow Whalers. Both teams played aggressively at the net. Unger threw down multiple attacks from the middle making the Whalers take a defensive stance. Also in this set Ownbey made her first front row attack of the season! The Bucs won in a close battle, 25-23. The next set against Lathrop was another close victory for the Buccaneer team (25-23), this time Unger, Tiura, Smelcer, Barton, and Eskilida were all putting up aggressive offensive attacks. The Buccaneers won handily against the Seward Seahawks (25-12), and Strickland was able to finish it off with three serves that finalized the victory. Barton and Tiura came alive in the Redington game with strong attacks from outside, while Unger delivered a tremendous serving streak keeping the team’s momentum in swing.
As we had anticipated, the North Pole Patriots gave our team a run for our money. The Bucs had faced the Patriots in their first tournament of the season at Monroe Catholic High School and had fallen short in each of three sets. In this game, the Patriots kept the Bucs on their heels and the Bucs suffered their first, and only, loss of the Friday pool play (18-25). However, the Bucs did not let the defeat keep them down. The very next set against the Houston Hawks was another nail-biter, but the Buc’s consistent serving and hussle plays after the ball earned them the win (25-22).
In the last set of the night against Delta, we changed up our rotation. We continued to have King and Smelcer setting from the back row controlling our offensive flow of the game, but we changed up our front row offensive players.We had Strickland and Marchant acting as middle hitters for the entire front row rotations, along with Eskilida and Ownbey playing outside and right side hitters.The Bucs defeated the Huskies, 25-13, making it
their sixth win out of seven sets and placing the team in the Gold division for the following day. The Bucs met their first goal of the tournament!
On Saturday the Lady Bucs set a new goal: to battle their way into the championship match. To make this goal come to fruition the Bucs had to face the three other Gold division teams in single sets to determine which teams would come head to head in the championship match. The first set of Saturday morning was against the Houston Hawks. Scott had two perfect passes that culminated into kills from Barton and Smelcer. The game came to a close with a 25-21 victory. The second set of the day was against the Patriots. The Patriots kept the pressure high, forcing the Bucs to return free ball after free ball and allowing the Patriots to set up more attacks. The Patriots came out on top, once again, this time 16-25. The last set of the morning against the Barrow Whalers would determine for the Bucs if they would make their goal to reach the championship game or not. The Whalers had already faced off against the Patriots earlier that morning and defeated the Patriots 25 – 21! The Bucs knew their work was cut out for them. The Bucs turned up the heat with multiple attacks from Tiura, Unger, Smelcer, and Barton, tremendous serving from Tiura and King, and two exciting blocks from Major and Marchant (their first of the weekend!). The Bucs won handily against the Whalers, 25-11, placing the girls in the championship game against the North Pole Patriots. As a coach, I wouldn’t have wanted to step onto the court of a championship game any other way: what a great opportunity to face our greatest competition of the tournament! We wanted the chance to fight for a victory against the best.
In the first set of the championship match against the North Pole Patriots, the Bucs couldn’t seem to find their stride. Our girls had consistent serves, which kept them in the game, but their serve receive and defensive passing kept our team racing all over the court unable to set up any real attacks of our own. We lost the first set 17-25. In the next set, Barton went on a serving tirade, dishing out bullet after bullet to the Patriots. King and Smelcer were also able to set our offensive players up at the net which culminated in kills from Unger, Barton and Major. The Bucs stole the second set in an exciting battle 25 – 21. The third and final set was a short game to 15 points. Tremendous highlights included a kill and block from Pruitt (the first of each in the season for her), and an incredible block and dig out of the net from Unger! The Patriots won overall 11-15, but the Bucs did not go down without a great fight.
Excellent work from the Junior Varsity Buccaneer Team this weekend! Congratulations on your 2nd place Victory!
