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Regional Day 4 Match Day
Update:
Predictions are below the schedule.
You guys are on your own today. I have training for my club refereeing duties. (Ha! Made you read “duties”.) Use the links! Go UMHB!
4:30 pm Central and I just looked at all of the results. On the plus side I passed my referee test.
Calvin Regional completed yesterday but I failed to mention the All-Tournament Team:
Brittany Robinson – Wisconsin-Whitewater Aubrey Cox – Wittenberg Karen Wildemann – Wittenberg Haley Horner – Wittenberg Grace Kellogg – Calvin Anna Kamp – Calvin Sarah DeVries – Most Outstanding Player – Calvin
Sort of interesting because it usually goes 3-2-1-1. DePauw didn’t get a selection. Great Lakes Calvin moves to the Elite 8.
Do you want to be the best team come Regionals or the hottest team during Regionals? Aurora (Midwest) is the latter and they will make their first appearance into the Elite 8. As a team they hit 0.222 and were led by Imani Freeman with 17 kills. Emily Lines had 48 assists with a team leading 21 digs.
Chicago Regional All-Tournament Team:
Most Outstanding Player – Emily Lines, Aurora Katie Vondra, Aurora Imani Freeman, Aurora ?
The Ithaca Regional was won by the host team, Ithaca (New York), who only lost one set through their three matches. Ithaca played three close sets with CMU and were led by Reagan Stone with 14 kills.
Ithaca Regional All-Tournament Team:
Katie Leftridge (Stevenson University) Katie Hobler (RIT) Maia So-Holloway (Carnegie Mellon) Sarah Jurgens (Carnegie Mellon) Caitlyn Floyd (Ithaca) Katie Evans (Ithaca) Most Outstanding Player – Reagan Stone (Ithaca)
Juniata (Mid-Atlantic) is the third host team (so far) to make the Elite 8. I really like Thomas More going into this and they had a great tournament. Juniata was led by Dejia Danhi who had 17.5 points on 10 kills with no errors.
Juniata Regional All-Tournament Team:
The Gustavus Adolphus Regional was the deepest regional and provided a number of surprises like the host school going out in the first round. UW-Eau Claire (Midwest) beat three really tough teams to take the regional and will be one of the favorites going forward. This is their program’s first time in the Elite 8.
Gust. Adolphus Regional All-Tournament Team:
Most Outstanding Player – Arianna Barrett (UW-Eau Claire) Madelyn Pashibin (UW-Eau Claire) Madison Surprise (UW-Eau Claire) Hunter Weiss (Saint Benedict) Madison Weiss (Saint Benedict) Phoebe Madsen (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) Mackenzie Harris (Pacific Lutheran) Rachel Mathias (UM-Morris)
Another strange selection with Harris being selected after a first round exit. Also an extra selection.
The JWU Regional was probably the one we all looked at as a slam dunk for the host school but it wasn’t to be. For those that don’t know, the JWU and Wesleyan coaches are married and I thought it was really strange when they didn’t play during the regular season this year. I think that’s a mistake JWU won’t repeat if it’s up to them. Wesleyan (New England) with one of the biggest shockers of the tournament and they make their first trip to the Elite 8.
JWU All-Tournament Team:
Nicole Hilton, Wesleyan MVP Kaira Muraoka-Roberts, Wesleyan Stasie Litinsky, Wesleyan Brylee Frank, Johnson & Wales Kate Walker, Johnson & Wales Jennifer Donnelly, Springfield Meredith Dignan, SUNY New Paltz
The Bowdoin/Babson/CMS Regional was annoying from the start but I may have a little bias here. Just a little. Babson (New England) was the fourth host team to move to the Elite 8 (only three #1 seeds advanced). They didn’t drop a set in the regional and will make their first appearance in the Elite 8.
All-Tournament Team:
Most Outstanding Player – Allie Puccio, Babson Abby Beecher, Babson Elizabeth Cameron, Babson ?
The Berry Regional saw Emory (South) roll to the Elite 8 without dropping a set along the way. UMHB was the only West Region team to make a Regional final but Emory was just too tough.
Berry Regional All-Tournament Team:
Most Outstanding Player – Mady Arles, Emory Sydney Leimbach, Emory Leah Saunder, Emory ?
For those keeping track at home, we have the following regions in the Elite 8 – Midwest (2), Great Lakes (1), New England (2), New York (1), Mid-Atlantic (1), South (1). No teams from the West and Central. There are four first-time teams in the Elite 8 this year.
Chicago Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. (All times Central) | |||
Ithaca Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. | |||
Juniata Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. | |||
Gust. Adolphus Regional | |||
2:00 p.m. | |||
Live Stats | |||
Johnson & Wales Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. | |||
Babson Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. | |||
Berry Regional | |||
1:00 p.m. | |||
Random Thoughts:
Counting Calvin yesterday, five #1 seeds made it to the final. There were also 5 hosts that made it to the final. That’s about normal just using my memory and hoping no one checks me on that. I think the Chicago loss as far as #1 seeds go was the most surprising to me. Berry had a really tough regional. I wasn’t a huge Gustavus Adolphus fan although their play towards the end of the season impressed me. Still surprising Morris got them.
IWU / Aurora and I’ve got IWU. I think they are one of the best teams in the nation right now. Aurora has taken down great teams already so no counting them out.
Ithaca / CMU and I’ve got Ithaca. CMU hasn’t had a smooth path so far and playing at home should push Ithaca over the top. They would be repeating in the Elite 8.
Juniata / Thomas More is a tough call but I’ll go Thomas More. Just two great teams so really either can win here.
UW-Eau Claire / Saint Ben and I’ve got Eau Claire. They look really tough right now and I think they pull it out.
JWU / Wesleyan is interesting because the coaches are married. Are they staying in the same room this trip? You have to think not tonight, right? If there is one person that knows the most about beating JWU it has to be husband. I think this is going to be really close but give me JWU.
Bowdoin / Babson and I’ll take Bowdoin. They’ve beaten almost everyone in the New England Region this year. This will be a tough match at Babson’s place.
Emory / UMHB and I think UMHB does this. I know I have to be a homer here but UMHB is just very efficient and they seem very focused. Emory has the experience so I think that could be the difference but overall I like UMHB here.
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