Showdown on Capitol Hill
On Presidents Day Weekend, 15 Academy girls volleyball teams headed down to our nations capital to participate in the Capitol Hill Classic - one of the largest girls tournaments on the east coast.
The tournament had plenty of action, exciting finishes, and plenty of team spirit! Read on to catch up on all of this weekends' action.
12 Red
Academy Girls Stand Together - The girls of Academy surround the court as the Girls 12 Red competes in a match. The girls thrived in the support as Academy values were on in full display.
The Girls 12 Red team opened the tournament by going 1-2 on the first day, picking up a win over MOJO (25-11,21-25,15-8). On the second day the girls were undefeated as they picked up wins over Team VB Rags, Philly Storm, and Metro VBC.
With a 4-2 overall record after two days, the girls qualified for the Bronze playoff bracket where they picked up a first round victory over MOJO Elite in straight sets (25-18,25-22). That win catapulted the girls to the Bronze finals they faced Team VB Rags. In the finals, the girls picked up a Bronze win in three sets (24-26,25-18,15-11). A great tournament for the girls!
13 Red
The Girls 13 Red had a great first day as they jumped out to a 2-1 record, picking up wins over Virginnia Fusion and DUVBC. The second day brought about much of the same success as they also went 2-1, picking up wins over MVSAVBC and Infinity. For their outstanding play, the girls qualified for the Gold playoff bracket in the Open division where they fell to Metro VBC. Overall the girls finished in 5th place in the open division!
14s
The Girls 14 Red team had a great first day by going 2-1 in their opening round of pool play. They picked up wins over Core VA Platinum and Downstate Black. The girls were just getting started as they went undefeated during the second day of pool, racking up straight set wins over MSAVBC (25-22,25-22), Delaware Juniors (25-19,25-12), and 14 National (25-18,25-12).
The girls qualified for the Gold playoff bracket in the Open division, where they fell in the first round to ECJVC. Congratulations to the girls as they finished 5th overall out of 48 teams!
The Girls 14 White, competing in the Patriot division also had a great tournament. They started by going undefeated during their opening round of pool play, picking up wins over Stars, WLVBC, and Jammers in three sets (25-20,12-25,15-12).
They girls continued on the same way during the second day of pool play as they also went undefeated, picking up wins over Ocean, SOSVBC, and Paradigm Riot. Unsurprisingly, the girls qualified for the Gold playoff bracket.
In the first round of the Gold, the girls defeated LKN Elite in three sets (25-21,22-25,12-15), before falling to a different Academy team (from North Carolina). Congratulations also goes out to the Girls 14 White team as they finished in 3rd place out of 48 teams!
15s
Playing in the 15 Open division, the Girls 15 Red team opened the tournament by going 2-1 during the first day of pool play, picking up wins over Evo 15 BLK Smack and Tribe 15 Elite. On the second day, the girls also went 2-1 as they defeated the NYC Juniors (25-21,20-25,15-7) and the Vienna Elite Vibe (25-21,20-25,15-7), while dropping a match to the "other" Academy team (from North Carolina).
The girls play qualified them for the Gold playoff bracket where they defeated the Triangle 15 Blue in three sets (23-25,25-22,17-15) before falling to the VA Juniors (25-19,25-23). Congratulations to the Girls 15 Red team as they finished in 5th place overall out of 64 teams - awesome job!
The Girls 15 White North team competed in the Patriot division and had a rough first day as they dropped their matches during the opening round of pool play. They came back strong on the second day with a record of 1-2 as they picked up a big win over United in straight sets (25-14,25-15).
During the last day of the tournament, the girls found their stride as they won their playoff bracket by defeating the LKN15 Elite in the opening round (25-19,18-25,15-12). In the finals of their playoff bracket, the girls defeated DYNAM 15 in straight sets (25-12,25-14).
Also playing in the Patriot division was the Girls 15 White South. On the first day of the tournament, the girls went 2-1 picking up wins over Allegro and Keystone after dropping the first match to Jammers. The girls ran in to a tough pool during the second day of the tournament as they dropped all of their matches. However, the strong performance during the first day was enough to qualify them for the Bronze "A" playoff bracket, where they fell to the CJVA 15 white team.
16s
The Girls 16 Red competed in the Open division and had a great first day as they went undefeated during the opening round of pool play - besting Royal Legends, 16 ICE Elite, and RVC 16 National.
On the second day of the tournament the girls went 1-3, dropping matches to Scarborough Titans and the "other" Academy team (from North Carolina), while picking up a win over Coastal Hampton Roads in straight sets (25-18,25-7). The girls qualified for the Silver "B" playoff bracket where they fell to the VA Elite, finishing a respectable 21 out of 64 teams.
Playing in the Patriot division was the Girls 16 White North. The girls had a strong first day, going 2-1 in pool play. They picked up straight sets victories over Strive (25-15,25-18) and Evo Blk Smack (25-11,25-13). The girls had a rough second day of the tournament as they dropped all three of their matches.
However, their overall record was strong enough to qualify them for the Bronze "B" playoff bracket, there the fell in three sets to the Virginia Fusion.
Also playing in the Patriot division was the Girls 16 White South. The 16 White South went 1-2 during the opening round of pool play, picking up a straight set victory over the Philly Storm (25-20,25-18). On the second day of the tournament, the girls also went 1-2, picking up a win over CEVA Black (25-23,25-13).
In the girls playoff bracket during the last day of the tournament, they picked up a win over Strive (25-17,25-22) before falling to the CP-AC 16 Nationals.
17s
The Girls 17 Red competed in the Open division at a very competitive age group for this tournament. During the first day of pool play, they went 1-3 picking up a win over Phoenix Fury in three sets (25-21,23-25,15-5). During the second day of pool play, the girls had a very strong day as they went undefeated - picking up wins over Vienna Elite, VA Elite, and CMASS,
In their playoff bracket, the girls posted an opening-round victory over Triangle 17 White in three sets (18-25,25-23,17-15). In their bracket finals, the girls also defeated the Tribe 17 Elite in straight sets (25-17,25-21).
Competing in the Patriot division was the Girls 17 White, who had a fantastic start to their tournament as they went undefeated during the first day of pool play - picking up wins over Core VA, Royal Legends, and PPVC Black.
The second day was a bit tougher as they went 1-2, with a victory over XVA Purple in three sets (31-29,23-25,15-9). The girls qualified for the Silver "B" playoff bracket where they faced CORE NJ Platinum in the first round, picking up a three set victory (25-23,22-25,15-9).
That win propelled them to the finals where they defeated the XVA Purple in straight sets (25-18,25-22) to win the Silver "B" playoff bracket. The girls finished in 9th place overall - great job!
18s
Competing in the Club division was the Girls 18 White South team. The girls started out the tournament very strong by posting a 2-1 record as they picked up wins over NC Coastal (25-14,23-25,15-4) and Metro VBC 18 South (25-16,25-14).
The girls struggled during the second day of the tournament as they dropped all of their matches on the day. However, their strong play on the first day was enough to qualify them for the Bronze "B" playoff bracket, where they picked up a three set victory over Cut Shot VBC (25-19,16-25,17-15) before falling to MVA in the finals.
Playing in the Open division, the Girls 18 Red team got off to a hot start and never looked back. During the opening round of pool play the girls went undefeated as they picked up victories over Yorktowne, Valley Juniors, and CHVBC - all in straight sets.
Continuing the momentum on the second day, the girls also went undefeated as they picked up a win over Infinity Blue (25-11,25-27,15-9), followed by straight set victories over Sporting Albany Revolution and AVVC. With six straight victories, the girls qualified for the Gold playoff bracket. In the Gold, they faced Defensa in the opening round, where they won in straight sets (25-18,25-20).
In the second round, the girls defeated RVC 18 National in straight sets (25-23,25-16). From there the girls advanced to the semi-finals where they defeated the VA Juniors in three sets (25-13,23-25,15-13).
From there the girls advanced to the tournament finals where they faced perennial powerhouse Metro VBC and fell in two sets (20-25, 25-27). Overall, the Girls 18 Red finished 2nd out of 64 teams.
Also playing in the Open division is the Girls 18 White North team - who also had an amazing tournament. The Girls 18 White North team opened the tournament by going undefeated in pool play - picking up wins over CEVA, Evolution, and Infinity - all in straight sets.
The girls continued their winning ways on the second day of the tournament as they also went undefeated picking up two straight set victories over the Valley Juniors and DRVC, followed by a three set win over Dulles (25-16,7-25,15-12).
With six straight victories, the Girls 18 White North qualified for the Gold playoff bracket. In the Gold, the girls fell to the BVC Blackout in two very, very close (could've gone either way) sets (25-27,24-26). Overall, the girls finished in 9th place out of 64 teams.
Congratulations to both the Girls 18 Red and Girls 18 White North teams for their outstanding tournament performances. Special congratulations to Mackenzie Cole, who was selected as the best receiver in the tournament, and Mikyla Rodgers, who was recognized as the best blocker in the tournament.