U16 team grabs tournament title, other NIVBC squads shine
The North Idaho Volleyball Club, which consists of players from Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, Priest River and Noxon, had a very successful weekend on the court.
The NIVBC U16 red team took home the championship at the Tiger Attack Tournament on Sunday in Spokane. The U16s rolled through pool play, securing wins over Grangeville, Omak and River City. In the gold bracket, the team defeated Spokane Sky 25-19, 25-18, and then River City 27-25, 18-25, 15-11 to win the championship.
U16 coaches Michelle Adams and John Reopelle saw tremendous improvement from their squad and expect to see even more from their team in the coming weeks as they get to know each other better. The team is made up of players from four different high schools.
"The girls are incredibly hard working athletes, and are learning to make the right adjustments in order to play more strategically," Adams said. "Each player is showing a willingness to fill their role on the team in big ways in order to work towards success."
The U14 red team secured second at the SpikeStorm Tournament held at the HUB Sports Center in Liberty Lake. The U14s went 3-0 in pool play to advance to the gold bracket. They won their first two matches to earn a spot in the final, where they lost a tightly-contested battle with ShockWave of Spokane, 18-28, 25-19, 16-14.
Coach Piper Wahlin was pleased with her team's serving and passing throughout the tournament. Rylann Lewis led the team with 34 assists and 23 aces, and libero Gretta Beck tallied 19 aces. The U14s next tournament is Sunday, Feb. 6 when NIVBC hosts the North Idaho Warm-Up at Sandpoint High.
The U12 red team captured the consolation championship at the Spokane VolleyZoo Tournament. The U12s were dealt a difficult draw in pool play. They faced Spokane Riptide, the tournament runner-ups, and Spokane Ignite, the champions. They lost both matches, but beat Spokane Sky in three sets to move to the consolation bracket.
The U12s earned victories over Club South and Spokane Sky to grab the consolation title. Coaches Savanna Scott and Katey Crossingham were happy with their team's performance in their first tournament of the season. The U12s were on-point from the service line and with their passing, and Darby Rust led the way.
The U18 red team opened its season at the Block Party Tournament in Chattaroy. NIVBC took down O Town in three sets, but then lost its next two matches.
Coaches Taylor Martin and Hailey Dunn are working hard to establish chemistry on the team and define the roles for each player, but they believe this group has tremendous potential. With outstanding play from setters Riley Richter (Noxon) and Emma Lucas (Bonners Ferry), and solid attackers, the U18s will be a team to be reckoned with sooner rather than later.
The NIVBC U14 and U16 red teams kicked off their 2022 seasons on Sunday, Jan. 16, at the Evergreen Region's Winter Warm-Up Tournament in Liberty Lake. Both squads turned in strong performances and advanced to the gold bracket.
