SPVB Elite teams, Fusion 17 Red rule Mizuno Showcase

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Sports Performance’s 15s, 16s and 18s Elite teams won their respective divisions at the Mizuno Showcase at the Wisconsin Dells last weekend.

It was a good weekend for the locals at the 2018 Mizuno Showcase in the Wisconsin Dells.

Sports Performance’s Elite teams went a combined 26-1 to win the 15s, 16s and 18s divisions, while Club Fusion 17 Red out of Batavia barely broke a sweat in winning the 17s.

The only loss suffered by Sports Performance’s Elite teams was a 25-20, 18-25, 17-15 setback by SPVB 16 Elite at the hands of Fusion 16 Red. But SPVB 16 Elite won its next five matches in straight sets, including a 25-18, 25-23 win over MN Select 16-1 (Maple Grove, Minnesota) in the title match.

“(Fusion 16 Red) was a really tight match,” SPVB 16 Elite coach Erik Vogt said. “We battled back and forth. There was a lot of high level play. All the power pools were very high intensity volleyball.”

SPVB 18 Elite defeated Fusion 18 Black twice – the first time in three sets – and SPVB 18 Kahl in three sets before winning its last five matches in straight sets without surrendering more than 19 points in any game.

“(Plainfield Central’s 6-foot-5) Taylor Landfair and (Lincoln-Way East’s 6-2) Hannah Lesiak had one of their best offensive days I’ve seen,” Vogt said.

SPVB 15 Elite dropped two sets all weekend – to Fusion 15 Red and SPVB 15 C-Fed.

Meanwhile, in the 17s division, Fusion 17 Red was extended to three sets only twice – once by Illini Elite 17 Cardinal in the semifinals – and defeated Vita 17-1 Gold out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 25-21, 25-7 in the championship match.

“There were really good crowds and it was a lot of fun to be in that environment,” Vogt said. “It was a great opportunity for the girls to get that feel of how it will be like when they go to Florida and play in the AAUs. It was a great volleyball environment.”

Here are this week’s rankings:

(Week 8 ranking in parenthesis)

18s

1. SPVB 18 Elite (1)
Note: After winning the Mizuno Showcase in the Wisconsin Dells last weekend, SPVB 18 Elite is preparing for a possible showdown with top-seeded Munciana 18 Samurai in the Bluegrass tournament this weekend in Louisville. SPVB 18 Elite headlines Power Pool 2 with Circle City 18 Purple, A5 Mizuno 18-1 Bob out of Georgia and Tri-State Elite 18 Blue out of Cincinnati.
Next: 2018 Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament March 10-11 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

2. Uno Girls 18 Elite (2)
Next: Great Lakes Power League 18 Super Open division vs. Michio Chicago 18 National on Court 1 at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center. 

3. Michio Chicago 18 National (3)
Next: 2018 Great Lakes Region Bid Qualifier (17s-18s) March 11 at the Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake.

4. Illini Elite 18 Cardinal (4)
Note: Illini Elite 18 Cardinal went 4-3 at the Mizuno Showcase in the Dells over the weekend, losing its last three matches to SPVB 18 Elite (25-14, 25-12), Fusion 18 Black (16-25, 25-13, 15-11) and MN Select (Bloomington, Minnesota) 18-1 25-21, 25-18, the latter a team it beat earlier in the tournament 25-19, 15-25, 15-11. Illini Elite will find itself in Power Pool A with top-seeded Munciana 18 Samurai this weekend at the Bluegrass tournament.   
Next: 2018 Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament March 10-11 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

5. (tie) Sky High Adidas 18 Black (5)
Next: 2018 Great Lakes Region Bid Qualifier (17s-18s) March 11 at the Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake.

5. (tie) IL STLHP (Illinois St. Louis High Performance) 18 Elite (5)
Next: GW Bid Event in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 10-11.

5. (tie) Fusion 18 Black (NR)
Note: A pedestrian 5-7 in Power League play, Fusion 18 Black flashed some brilliance last weekend at the Mizuno Showcase in the Dells by going 5-4, beating SPVB 18 Kahl twice – the second time in straight sets 25-22, 25-21 – and Illini Elite 18 Cardinal 16-25, 25-13, 15-11. Two of Fusion 18 Black’s two losses were at the hands of SPVB 18 Elite. Fusion 18 Black will see SPVB 18 Elite and Illini Elite 18 Cardinal again in Gold Pool A when Power League resumes.
Next: Great Lakes Power League 18 Super Open division vs. FC Elite 17 Navy on Court 2 at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 17.

Dropped out: SPVB 18 Kahl (5).


Other teams to watch: 1st Alliance 18 Silver, ESVBC (Eastside) Ninjas 18U, Ultimate G18 Gold, VC United 181 Elite, Club 1 18 Red, Fusion 18 Red, SPVB 18 Navy, Chicago Elite 18 Elite, Adversity G18 Purple,  SPVB 18 Blue, Rolling Thunder 18 Blue.

17s


1. Fusion 17 Red (1)
Note: Another near-dominant performance by the girls out of Batavia. Fusion 17 Red won the 17s division at the Mizuno Showcase in the Wisconsin Dells last weekend, dropping just two sets along the way and crushing Vita 17-1 Gold 25-21, 25-7 in the title match after getting past Illini Elite 17 Cardinal 25-10, 19-25, 15-8 in the semifinals.   
Next: Great Lakes Power League 18 Super Open division vs. 1st Alliance 16 Silver on Court 4 at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 17.

2. Illini Elite 17 Cardinal (2)
Note: Illini Elite 17 Cardinal went 5-3 to finish fourth at the Mizuno Showcase event in the Wisconsin Dells, but two of those losses (25-18, 25-22 and 25-10, 19-25, 15-8) were at the hands of eventual champion Fusion 17 Red.   
Next: 2018 Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament March 10-11 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

3. Michio Chicago 17 National (3)
Next: Great Lakes Region Bid Qualifier (17s-18s) March 11 at the Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake.

4. Uno Girls 17 Elite (4)
Next: 2018 Great Lakes Region Bid Qualifier (17s-18s) March 11 at the Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake.

5. IL STLHP (Illinois St. Louis High Performance) 17 Elite (5)
Next: USAV 17s Crossroads Qualifier March 16-18 in Denver, Colorado. 

Other teams to watch: Sky High Adidas 17 Black, 1st Alliance 17 Black, 1st Alliance 17 Silver, Illini Elite 17 Black, Rolling Thunder 17 Blue, Ascend 17 Purple, Northside Out Chicago 17U, 1st Alliance 17 White, Celtic Force 17 Green, Chicago Elite 17 Black.

16s

1. 1st Alliance 16 Silver (1)
Next: Great Lakes Power League 18 Super Open division vs. Fusion 17 Red on Court 4 at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center. 

2. SPVB 16 Elite (2)
Note: SPVB 16 Elite welcomed back 6-1 outside hitter Gabriella Croll from Waubonsie Valley last weekend during the second day of the Mizuno Showcase at the Wisconsin Dells. Croll had missed the entire season prior to Sunday due to injury. Her return should give SPVB 16 Elite another powerful weapon at the pin. “It was great to see her get back into the swing of things,” SPVB 16 Elite coach Erik Vogt said.
Next: 2018 Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament March 10-11 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

3. Michio Chicago 16 National (3)
Next: Mideas
t Qualifier March 23-25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

4. Sky High Adidas 16 Black (4)
Next: Great Lakes Power League 18 Super Open division vs. Sky High Adidas 18 Black on Court 3 at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center. 

5. (tie) SPVB 16 C-Fed (5)
Note: SPVB 16 C-Fed went 6-3 to finish fourth at last weekend’s Mizuno Showcase at the Wisconsin Dells. SPVB 16 C-Fed lost twice to MN Select 16-1 (25-16, 25-19 and 25-19, 25-16, the second time in the Gold semifinals) and to eventual champion SPVB 16 Elite. New WAVE 16 Tsunami extended C-Fed 25-21, 16-25, 17-15 in both teams’ Gold bracket quarterfinal.
Next: JVA World Challenge April 6-8 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

5. (tie) lllini Elite 16 Cardinal (5)
Note:  Another typical up-and-down weekend for the girls from Bloomington. After dropping its first three matches, Illini Elite 16 Cardinal won four in a row before losing in the Gold semifinals to eventual runner-up MN Select 16-1 19-25, 25-11, 23-21, a team it had lost to earlier in the tournament 25-23, 23-25, 15-10. Illini Elite 16 Cardinal went 4-4 to finish eighth.
Next: JVA World Challenge April 6-8 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

Other teams to watch: Fusion 16 Red, Cyclones 16 Black Adidas, Uno Girls 16 Elite, 1st Alliance 16 Black, 1st Alliance 16 Red, SPVB 16 Red, Club 1 16 Red, New WAVE 16 Tsunami, Rolling Thunder 16 Blue, IPV (Illinois Performance Volleyball) 16HP, D1 Elite G16 Black.

15s


1. Lions 15-1 (1)
Next: Mideast Qualifier March 23-25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

2. SPVB 15 Elite (2)
Note: The Mizuno Showcase champions were extended to three sets only twice last weekend at the Wisconsin Dells, once by SPVB 15 C-Fed 19-25, 25-15, 15-10 in the second round of pool play. SPVB 15 Elite headlines Power Pool 2, which also features Milwaukee Sting 15 Gold, Circle City 15 Purple and Mintonette Sports m 52, at this weekend’s Bluegrass tournament. CVC (Cleveland Volleyball Company) 15 Black is the top overall seed.   
Next: 2018 Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament March 10-11 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

3. SPVB 15 C-Fed (3)
Note: SPVB 15 C-Fed went 6-3 and finished fourth at last weekend’s Mizuno Showcase at the Wisconsin Dells, beating Fusion 15 Red 25-23, 23-25, 15-4 in the second round of pool play but losing twice to SPVB 15 Elite including a 19-25, 25-15, 15-10 setback in the second round of pool play.  
Next: JVA World Challenge April 6-8 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

4. Sky High Adidas 15 Black (4)
Next: 18 Nike Mideast Qualifier March 23-25 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

5. Fusion 15 Red (5)
Note: Fusion 15 Red went 4-4 to finish sixth at last weekend’s Mizuno Showcase in the Wisconsin Dells, losing to SPVB 15 Elite 22-25, 25-21,15-11 in its opener and Mizuno M1 151 25-21, 25-16 in its Gold bracket opener, the latter a team it had beaten earlier in the tournament 25-21, 25-23. Fusion 15 Red also beat Milwaukee Sting 15 Black and 15 White.
Next: Great Lakes Power League 16 Super Open division vs. FC Elite 16 Navy on Sunday, April 15, at 8:00 a.m. on Court 5 at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center. 

Other teams to watch: Wildcat Jrs. 15 Black, Lions 15 Red, Michio Chicago 15 National, Uno Girls 15 Elite, Ultimate G15 Gold, Pipeline 15 Nike, Illini Elite 15 Black, Chicago Elite 15 Elite, Lions Woodridge 15-1, ESVBC Cougars 15U.

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