The NVA is proud to announce more exciting news regarding the 2022 season, including a new league structure with divisions and an all-star match! The National and American Conferences have been split into four divisions with three teams each, totaling twelve teams. The regular-season matches will feature interdivisional, interconference, and cross-conference play spreading across five-season events (two more than the year before). The new layout opens the door for a more competitive rankings system that utilizes your overall record and accumulated ‘NVA Points’ to determine qualification and seeding for the playoffs.

The four divisions are set as follows:

During the regular season, each team will play:

–       Two teams in their division twice

–       Three matches against the opposing division in their conference, and then

–       Three more matches against one of the divisions from the opposite conference

Altogether, each team will play ten matches, competing for the best overall record of their divisions. The team with the top record in their respective division will automatically qualify for the playoffs. The following two teams within that conference with the best overall record will also qualify for the playoffs regardless of division. Four teams from each conference will be represented in the playoffs, similar to 2021.

On top of the extended regular season, the NVA is also planning its first-ever All-Star Game! During Event 5, the NVA will bring together the top performers of the regular season to compete for an exhibition featuring some of the top talents in the world in one match!

Make sure to get all the NVA’s scheduled events down in your calendars so you don’t miss any action this season! With new team rivalries established from last year’s competition, fans can expect big show-outs for match-ups such as Freedom vs. Stingers, Stunners vs. Tyrants, Blaze vs. Matadors, Sasquatch vs. Kraken, and Untouchables vs. Exposure. Come back to the news page and follow the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to find more info on the teams this coming season in the following weeks. Fans

should also check out the next two episodes of the Quest for the Cup series and get a first look at our two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch.

–       NVA Staff Writer

The National Volleyball Association is now bigger than ever before, moving into the upcoming 2022 season, bringing you: more games, larger events, new teams, a new league structure, and even greater volleyball action! The American and National Conferences have each split into two divisions during the off-season. You will now see a Coastal and Central division within each conference. In addition, each conference has inducted a new franchise, bringing the league to a total of 12 teams, which has opened the door to a full regular-season schedule. From April to July, fans will be able to watch 60 matches with teams grinding their way through the rankings to solidify a spot in the 2022 NVA Championships! Here is the release for this year’s NVA Regular Season Event Schedule without further ado.

2022 NVA Regular Season Schedule

Event 1: April 8th – 10th

Event 2: May 6th – 8th

Event 3: May 28th – 30th

Event 4: June 17th – 19th

Event 5: July 8th – 10th

NVA Championship: August 5th-7th

Each event will feature twelve matches over three days with four games a day. Each team competes in two matches per event weekend, totaling ten matches throughout the season. The teams will be fighting each game to bolster their overall record and rack up NVA Points to win their respective division. Winning your division will automatically advance you to the playoffs.

Some of the highlight matches include…

– Saturday 04/09 @ 12:00 PM PST: Dallas Tornadoes vs. Colorado Kraken, the Tornadoes grudge match against their previous head coach and his new team, the Colorado Kraken.

– Friday 05/06 @ 9:00 AM PST: Las Vegas Ramblers vs. Utah Stingers, both of last year’s top regular-season teams who have both made the final podium two years running, will face off in this newly-formed rivalry.

– Friday 05/06 @ 12:00 PM PST: OC Stunners vs. Texas Tyrants, a rematch of their five-set, quarterfinals thriller, which is regarded as the best match of the 2021 playoffs.

– Sunday 05/30 @ 9 AM PST: Chicago Untouchables vs. Southern Exposure, a rematch of a highly gritty quarterfinal matchup from last season that ended in a five-set Exposure win.

– Sunday 06/19 @ 6 PM PST: LA Blaze vs. Inland Empire Matadors, as they battle for dominance in this cross-town rivalry.

– Sunday 06/30 @ 9 AM PST: New Jersey Freedom vs. Seattle Sasquatch, the first matchup between the Northwest and Northeast Coast teams.

Next week, be sure to check back in to delve into the ranking system that includes divisional and cross-conference play. Also, stay tuned for more information on the league’s two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch! Follow the NVA on Instagram and Facebook to get weekly media updates on league developments and player stories if you haven’t already. Fans can also jump back in and watch all of last year’s matches on YouTube and get a taste of what is to come!

Follow the link below to get a breakdown of the 2022 season and conference divisions!

https://www.nvausa.com/news/detail?id=158

-NVA Staff Writer

The NVA finished off 2021 with a bang by bringing their all-stars to the AVCA’s 40^thAnniversary Convention in Columbus, Ohio! For three days, the league’s players and coaches hit the courts with some of the world’s greatest volleyball minds to help advance the sport of volleyball, educating the next generation of American coaches. The NVA had the privilege to work alongside inspirational icons such as Karch Kiraly and John Speraw as well as hosting the All-American Banquet recognizing elite players from Women’s Collegiate Volleyball.

Those who attended the All-American Banquet and the coinciding NCAA Div. 1 championship match between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers witnessed some of the most extraordinary players in the history of NCAA. The game had historical precedence, with one player becoming the first-ever five-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Of course, it would be none other than the Division 1 player of the year, Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke!

The NVA had the privilege of handing out the awards to the AVCA Players of the Year, and we are excited to share their names with you again! Readers can find the complete list of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team selections from each division on the AVCA website. https://www.avca.org/awards/

AVCA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

NAIA AVCA Player of the Year– Nada Meawad, Park (Missouri)

Two-Year College AVCA Player of the Year– Marian Ovalle, New Mexico Military Institute

NCCAA AVCA Player of the Year– Sydney Schwitters, University of Northwestern-St. Paul

NCAA Division III AVCA Player of the Year– Heidi Westra, Calvin University

NCAA Division II AVCA Player of the Year– Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino

NCAA Division I AVCA Player of the Year– Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin – Madison

For many of the NVA players present for the convention, the best moment of the event came from the Athletes Unlimited Draft, which has invited nine graduating collegiate stars to join their league. Athletes Unlimited is the only pro indoor women’s volleyball league in the U.S., which premiered last year on the CBS Sports Network! Two of the draftees, Div. 1 Player of the Year, Dana Rettke, and Nebraska’s Laura Stivrins, went head-to-head, middle on middle, in the 5-Set NCAA Championship thriller. This historic draft is the first of its kind in the U.S. to provide an immediate pipeline for the nation’s most valuable volleyball players to go straight from university to the major leagues!

https://auprosports.com/read/meet-the-9-draftees-from-the-inaugural-athletes-unlimited-volleyball-draft/

Inspired by AU Sports, the NVA is preparing to eventually establish their draft, looking to bring graduating student-athletes into the fold after the NCAA Men’s Final. With another successful year at the AVCA, the NVA has done well to show attending coaches just how disciplined, determined, and hungry our athletes are. We hope that the word will continue to spread from coaches to the next generation of college players that the dream of becoming a professional volleyball athlete is just on the other side of graduation! With this much talent already on display on the women’s side, the NVA and their teams are eager to see what homegrown products come from NCAA Men’s Volleyball this summer!

-NVA Staff Writer

In just under a week, the National Volleyball Association will be partnering once again with the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio! Now, celebrating its 40th anniversary, the AVCA was formed back in 1981 by Terry Liskevych and Andy Banachowski as an advocacy group for coaches. Since their conception, the AVCA has significantly expanded, adding tons of new services and clinics, all with the same core dedication to serving volleyball coaches and the volleyball community.

From December 15th-18th, the convention halls will be jam-packed with seminars regarding coaching skills, skill development, career advancement, club management, and even sports psychology. Each educational session will be led by the country’s top NCAA Div 1, Olympic, and Club coaches, including some of the current greats with; Karch Kiraly (USA Women’s National Team), John Speraw (USA Men’s National Team), and Alan Knipe (Long Beach State), all leading their own sessions. On top of that, the event offers break-out sessions for coaches to network and reconnect with other coaches from around the nation.

The NVA is sending 16 athletes and coaches from around the league to take part in ten educational seminars as part of the on-court practice demonstrations. Utah Stingers Owner & NVA VP Russell Holmes will also present awards to the top NCAA athletes at this year’s All-American/Players of the Year Banquet. Team Freedom will also be sending a solid group to take part in the action including Owner Justin Beaumont as well as players Ryan Alu (L), Ian Capp (OH), Thomas Burrell (MB), Matt Buffum (MB), Jake Milnazik (OH), and Ron O’Driscoll (S). This will be the second year that the league has participated in this phenomenal event and has eagerly awaited its return since the last AVCA convention back in 2018.

There’s still time if you haven’t yet registered for the convention. You can also purchase passes on-site starting at 4 pm on Tuesday the 14th at 4 pm. However, if you cannot make it in person, you can still watch every seminar online with their Virtual Convention, including live Learning Labs created exclusively for virtual attendees, a virtual exhibit show, and Career Center. Below you’ll find links to find out more information about registering, as well as our seminar schedule for the week. If you see us there, give us a shout, we would love to talk and learn together as we all push to help foster the next generation of volleyball in the USA and grow the game!

Schedule and AVCA Links:

Thursday 12/16

–       11am – 12pm: Technical and Tactical Components that Lead to a Better Transition Game. (Dave Preston)

–       3pm – 4pm: Rethinking Feedback in a Practice Setting. (John Speraw)

–       4:15pm – 5:15pm: Controlled Variations of Live Play: How to Challenge your Starting Side to Prepare for Game Day. (Wright State Staff)

Friday 12/17

–       1:15pm – 2:15pm: Planning and Facilitating a Week of Practice Drills. (James Madison Staff)

–       2:30pm – 3:30pm: Bolstering your Attackers’ Toolkit. (Karch Kiraly)

–       3:45pm – 4:45pm: Training your Team to be Efficient Out of System. (Shannon Winzer)

Saturday 12/18

–       9am – 10am: Serve Receive with USAV Women’s National Team. (Tama Miyashiro)

–       9am – 10am: Adaptive Creativity – The importance of customizing drills to enhance & excite your players. (Eric Snyder)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Coaching Using Story Telling – External Feedback in Action. (Jamie Morrison)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Practice Pyramids: Growth Through the Climb. (Chad Willis)

https://avcaconvention.org/

https://avcaconvention.org/virtual-convention/

-NVA Staff Writer

As promised, Team Freedom’s management has put in the work this offseason to recruit additional high-level prospects in the hopes of bolstering their lineup for the new season. This last month GM has secured the transfer of five players who were part of the Chicago Untouchables this last season in the NVA. Owner Justin Beaumont is confident that their addition will surely help improve the team’s makeup to make a better push towards the championship.

OH, Jake Milnazik (@jakemilnazik) – Kean University 21′

OH, Ian Capp (@iancapp20) – Kean University 21′

MB, Thomas Burrel (@tburrell343) – Stevens Institute of Technology 18′

MB, Matt Buffum (@mattbuffumvb) – Elmira University 18’

L, Ryan Alu (@ryan.alu) – Saint Francis University 21′

With these new additions for the 2022 season, Freedom’s bench will likely be one of the heaviest arsenals the league has seen thus far. These guys were key players for the Untouchables in their premier season. They helped the untouchables make their first appearance in the post-season, even with some statistically leading the league last season. Ian Capp finished the season as the second-best server with 15 aces averaging 0.6 a set, and Ryan Alu finished 5th overall on positive passing efficiency at 92% (59/64).

All of these guys have gone to school in and around New Jersey and will now be with a team closer to home, allowing them to train more with their entire squad. Many of them got noticed by other teams in the NVA while training in the Team Freedom gym, so it is fantastic to see them back in the fold.

The team is still looking to add some new additions next year with some potential college prospects and the upcoming tryout at the end of this year. Make sure to follow Team Freedom (@teamfreedomvbc) on Instagram to be one of the first to know about the upcoming tryouts and any future additions and updates on the team this season.

“Let Freedom Ring!”

-NVA Staff Writer

Making it to their second playoff appearance since joining the NVA, Team Freedom fell short of their 2021 aspirations losing in the quarter-finals to the Utah Stingers in a 0-3 sweep. Where Freedom had previously beat the Stingers 3-2 during the regular season, the New Jersey team seemed to have all the odds against them as the match played out.

Team Freedom was neck and neck to start the match, having a match point at 24-22 in the first set before the Stingers came back to win 28-26. While Josue Castillo and Christopher Vaughan did their best to win the set, the pair just couldn’t beat Utah’s block and defense. The team’s other star outside Christopher Nugent was set to start for the finals event but had his flight canceled at the airport due to strikes by workers at American Airlines. Who knows what different outcomes would have transpired if the veteran with international playing experience led the charge.

“A lot of questions had to be asked as the coaching staff going into that Friday. We had a lot of our squad unable to make it and other players not being at 100% like Chris Vaughn after his injury. It was a domino effect of worsening circumstances. However, we still needed to show up and play volleyball.” – Justin Beaumont, Owner.

Coach Carlo Edra and Beaumont used their team’s depth to put forward mixed lineups throughout the season, which kept every team they faced on their toes. After getting off to a poor start in the second set, Carlo placed in setter Ryan Kenny, outside Besmir Arslani, and then middle Douglas Dzema in for Opposite Joe Norman. The substitutions have previously been solid starters for the team, especially during the Atlantic City event. However, the change of guard did not bring about the relief they were hoping for, as they could not stop Stinger’s non-stop momentum before they finished the set 25-13.

As Freedom finally gained a solid 6-3 lead in the third set, setter Matt Elias went down hard after a beautiful set to the opposite. The fall caused a severe cramp in Elias’s calf, which required him to be subbed out of the match to be evaluated by the medical staff. The loss of Elias prevented Freedom from capitalizing on their early lead, allowing the Stingers to get back in the game once again and later take the set 25-22.

“The Utah Stingers did well to make us play to their level. We are a high-energy team that loves to feed off other teams talking smack to us. The Stingers, however, stayed calm and level-headed, which did well to put out our fire.” – Justin Beaumont, Owner.

Despite the loss, Team Freedom stayed in character with fantastic team comradery through the ups and downs, as well as a strong performance from their middle blockers. Matthew Seifert led the entire team in points with six kills (60%), three blocks, and one ace. It is always amazing to see middles do so well. Still, due to middles’ limited time on the court, it is nearly impossible for them to win the game all by themselves.

“Getting back home, we’ve had individual meetings with all the players to see what everyone’s commitments are for next season. As a squad, we’re going to look very different next season as we look to pick up some of Chicago’s players such as Ian Capp and Thomas Burrell!” – Beaumont.

Make sure to go and watch Team Freedom’s final match of the 2021 season by going onto the NVA USA page of Youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdB30nvjjhg 

Be sure to follow the Team Freedom (@teamfreedomvbc) and the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to get updates on your favorite team as they get ready to come back again next year 2022 season. It’s sure to be the best one yet!

• NVA Staff Writer

Match Statistics: 

#9 Christopher Vaughn – 9 Points (8 Kills, 1 Ace)

#11 Mikheil Hoyte – 8 Points (7 Kills, 1 Block)

#3 Josue Castillo – 6 Points (6 Attacks)

#12 Matt Seifert – 10 Points (6 Kills, 3 Blocks, 1 Ace)

#20 Joe Norman – 6 Points (5 Kills, 1 Block)

Team Freedom had high expectations for the 2021 season as the tight-knit group of players has been together for some time. They started the season 5-0. But after their win over last year’s NVA Champions, the Stingers, Team Freedom has been missing key players Christopher Nugent, Christopher Vaughn, and Josue Castillo.

Coach Justin Beaumont had no choice but to turn to his deep bench of players with very little playing since being brought on to the team. However, still fighting with veterans like Matt Seifert, Joe Norman, and Jonathon Lutz to rely on, Team Freedom lost their last four matches. 

Of the four losses, however, the last three were hard-fought, each going to five sets. The extended matches gave Team Freedoms’ less played outside hitters like Besmir Arslani, Jefferey Nelson, and Jake Rosener more time to build chemistry with the rest of the starting lineup. 

The Stingers, by far, are the most talented and experienced NVA team coming off with a strong start at the start of the season, going 3-0. Leo Durkin and Hamilton Day have shared their setting duties running an efficient offense. So far, the apparent offensive starters for the team will be Jake Langlois, Jorge Mencia, Inovel Romero, Rusty Lavaja, and Alex Shmelev. But the team still has some solid supporting cast members with libero Kai Dugquem, Carson Henninger, Cory Metcalf, Paul Clark, and Storm Tufuga-Fa’gata. But other groups like the Ramblers, Team Freedom and Southern Exposure have been prepared for what the Utah Squad had to offer. 

The Stingers suffered back-to-back losses to the Ramblers and Team Freedom, with the matches going to five sets. Looking like they could bounce back in their season, beating the Stunners and Blaze; Southern Exposure took another blow to the Stingers’ record in a 5 set marathon match. The Stingers ended their season with a win against the Untouchables and a 6-3 record. However, that winning record was only good enough for a third-place finish in the American Conference behind the Ramblers and Tyrants, each with a record of 7-2.

Prediction: While Team Freedom is happy to be in the playoffs, there are some big questions that they’ll need to answer come game time. Will Nugent, Vaughn, and Castillo be well enough to play? If they do, how long will it take for them and their teammates to find the winning rhythm they had earlier in the year? Another is if Nugent, Vaughn, or Castillo don’t perform well, will Coach Beaumont pull the trigger and turn to his bench to replace them during the match? Either way beating the Stingers will not be an easy task. 

One advantage Team Freedom may have is that the Stingers tend to start slow. That could give Team Freedom the time they’ll need to recapture the winning chemistry and confidence they had earlier in the year.  

Team Freedom’s best chance of winning is with a healthy Nugent and Vaughan. Hopefully, that will be the case because it will be a better playoff match with both teams at full strength.

Although the Stingers finished in 3rd place, they received a good seed that placed them against the imbalanced Team Freedom, ending the season with a four-game losing streak. The Stingers have two more substantial incentives to defeat Team Freedom. One is payback for an earlier loss this season and a chance to repeat as NVA Champions. Therefore, it’s hard to bet against the Stingers.

The unanswered questions about Team Freedom’s lineup have given the Stingers the edge. Stingers 3, Team Freedom 0. 

Next up is the last playoff match between the Ramblers #1 Seed in American Conference versus the Matadors #4 Seed in National Conference at 7:00 pm. To find more articles about Team Freedom’s and the Utah Stinger’s regular season, check out their news section at the bottom of their team websites. 

https://teamfreedom.nvausa.com/

https://stingers.nvausa.com 

“Volley On With the NVA!”

• By NVA Staff Writer

Every athlete has that story of how one coach or one friend really helped push them to achieve their dreams and do what they didn’t think was possible. The beautiful thing about sports is that it can be used as a vessel to inspire those around you, whether you’re a teammate, coach, or just a spectator, there’s always something about sports that helps you find inspiration and drive. One person in the NVA that is pushing to inspire the youth around him is Team Freedom’s founder and owner, Justin Beaumont. Justin is the owner of Sideout Sports, a volleyball club based out of New Jersey that has both girls and boys youth teams. To be the exceptional athlete that most kids inspire to be, it takes a man who understands that direction and understands the process of getting better to succeed at the next level. Justin said “My goal is to really push these kids past their limits and help them realize the potential that each one of them have.”

Although spectators of sports are only able to see what goes on during the game, they don’t get the chance to experience the beauty of what happens off of the court when it comes to lessons learned from playing sports. “One thing I love about being involved in youth sports is watching these kids use the lessons they learn off the court, off of the court.” It is clear to most people that for Justin Beaumont, youth sports isn’t really about the sport at all, but finding ways to use sports to teach life lessons that these kids can carry on for the rest of their lives. “You can learn so much from playing a sport, such as how to deal with adversity, how to work with a team, and ultimately how to lead and inspire others. If I can just influence one kid to be the best they can be, that becomes contagious and it pushes other kids. I love seeing these kids grow.” 

Southern Exposure’s Defense Big Factor in Victory Over Team Freedom

Southern Exposure’s 39 attack points enough to overcome Team Freedom’s 53 attack points thanks to good defensive. 

Middle blocker #12 Matt Seifert delivered a monster kill that led to a Team Freedom mini run to take an early lead. Team Freedom’s middle blocker #6 Doug Dzema scored three consecutive points on a kill off the block and two blocks in a row for a 6-2 lead. Southern Exposure started slow and committed three service errors and one hitting error that helped Southern Exposure increase their lead to eight points 16-8 at the media timeout. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by Seifert, #4 Matt Elias, #18 Jonathon Lutz and #8 Besmir Arsiani. Southern Exposure scored points from 6 of their 8 points from Team Freedom’s service and hitting errors and two kills from #2 Eddie Moushikhian and #11 Kevin Rocklein. Southern Exposure rallied back with three mini runs to cut the deficit to two at 22-20. Their points came from kills by Moushikhian, #13 Chad Mercado, middle blocker #12 Uchenna Ofoha and blocks by #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and #15 setter Derrick Sullivan. Southern Exposure eventually tied the set at 23-23. After a Team Freedom timeout, Southern Exposure scored the last two points from back-to-back service aces by Mercado. 

Both teams sided out well for most of set number two. Team Freedom took an early 2-point lead at 8-6. But Southern Exposure rallied back and took a 3-point lead at 11-8. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by #19 Jeffery Nelson, Lutz and Arsiani and Southern Exposure from kills by Rocklein and Moushikhian. Team Freedom rallied back at to tie the set at 16-16 on service ace by Dzema, kill by Nelson and kill and block by Seifert. After a media timeout a kill by Moushikhian gave Team Freedom a 1-point lead to 17-16 which they never relinquished. Team Freedom increased their lead and closed out the set with kills by Moushikhian, Lutz and Nelson. Seifert score the last point on a block for a 25-18 win. 

Southern Exposure dominated set number three that started with a 5-0 run from two Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Mercado and #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and block by Lourich. At 9-4 Southern Exposure increased their lead to 7 points at the media timeout with a combination of Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Seifert, Dzema, Arsiani and Mercado for a 16-9 lead. The only offense Teams Freedom mustered was from Lutz who had 5 consecutive kills. For the rest of the set the only other scores for Team Freedom came on kills by #2 Jake Rosner, Dzema and Nelson. Southern Exposure closed out the set with two consecutive service aces by Rocklein, one kill and one service ace by Ofoha. The set ended on a service error by Team Freedom at 25-15. 

Southern Exposure continued their scoring run in set number four with a 4-0 run on a line kill by Moushikhian back-to-back blocks by Lourich and kill by Lourich. But Team Freedom turned quickly rebounded and tied the score at 4-4 on two Southern Exposure hitting errors and Seifert kill and block. Southern Exposure countered back and took a one point lead until Team Freedom tied the set at 10-10. Team Freedom took the lead thanks to two consecutive Southern Exposure hitting errors, Lutz block, Nelson deep angle kill and kill off the block for a 16-12 score at the media timeout. Team Freedom increased their lead to 6 points at 23-17 and won the set on a Seifert kill 25-19. 

Team Freedom captured the early lead in set number five 3-1 from a Southern Exposure hitting error and Seifert block. Team Freedom kept their lead on kills by Dzema and Rosner until 9-9. A Team Freedom hitting error during transition gave Southern the lead at 10-9. A lead they never relinquished. After Team Freedom called a timeout at 11-9, Southern Exposure scored two consecutive points and took a 13-10 lead on a kill by #1 Tyler-Neil Hubbard and block by Lourich. Southern Exposure won the set and match on a Team Freedom hitting error 15-12. 

Team Freedom’s Jonathon Lutz led all players with 20 kills and his teammates Joe Norman 9 kills and Doug Dzema 7 kills. Southern Exposure’s Uchenna Ofoha led his team with 10 kills followed by Kevin Rocklin with 8 kills and Eddie Moushikhian and Chad Mercado with 6 kills. 

Ramblers Out Shoot Team Freedom in 5 Sets

Both teams started off sluggish and struggled to find a rhythm in their offense. Eight of the early points were scored on hitting and service errors. Team Freedom took the early lead on kills by #12 Matt Seifert, #20 Joe Norman, and double block by #11 MB Mikheil Hoyte and Norman. Ramblers scored points on kills by #14 Ryan Mather, #15 Kevin Lopez, #24 MB Mark Lane and #20 Brandon Rattray. At 19-17 two Ramblers’ service errors and one hitting error increased Team Freedom’s lead to 4 points at 22-18. Ramblers cut the lead back to 2 points on kills by #2 MB Sean Dennis and Lopez to 22-20. At 24-21 Mather scored on a service ace to 24-22. After Team Freedom called a timeout, Norman scored on a line kill for a 25-22 Team Freedom win. 

In set number two Ramblers quickly found their stride and took a 6-1 lead that started with a double block by Rattray and Lane. Followed with kills by Rattray, Lane and Mather. After Team Freedom called a timeout, Ramblers added to their lead from a Rattray bic and service ace to 9-1. Team Freedom finally scored their first clean point at 11-3 after a Norman cross court kill. For the rest of the match Team Freedom only scored 5 clean points on kills by #8 Besmir Arslani, #2 Jake Rosner, Seifert and Hoyte. Their other points came from Ramblers  hitting and service errors. Ramblers cruised the rest of the set and scored on kills by Mather, Dennis, #8 Setter Michael Keegan dump, Rattray and Lopez. The set ended on a service error by Team Freedom that gave the Ramblers a 25-17 win. 

Ramblers started off strong in set number three and took an early 2-0 lead on two consecutive kills by Mather. One cross court and the other a swipe off the block. Ramblers kept their two point lead until Team Freedom tied the score at 8-8 on kills from Norman, Seifert and Rosner. As the teams exchanged points, Ramblers held on to a 1-point lead until Team Freedom took the lead at 14-13 on a Norman swipe kill off the block. Team Freedom increased their lead before the media timeout on a Rosner block to 16-13. Ramblers attempted a rally on kills by Dennis, Rattray, and Lopez but never caught up withTeam Freedom. Team Freedom finished the set with 4 kills by Norman and a block by Seifert. The set ended on a Ramblers hitting error for a 25-19 Team Freedom win. 

The Ramblers and Team Freedom’s hitters struggled to find the court in the beginning of set number four. Each time committed four hitting and service errors. Team Freedoms other points came on kills by Seifert, Hoyte, Arslani and block by Seifert. Ramblers scored on kills by Rattray, Lopez and Mather service ace. After an 8-8 tie consecutive scores by Mather and Rattray and then Lane and Lopez gave the Ramblers a 4-point lead at 14-10. After the media timeout at 16-12 the only Team Freedom players who scored points were Rosner and Hoyte. The rest of Team Freedom’s points were scored from Ramblers’ service and hitting errors. Throughout the set Rattray was the go-to-guy for the Ramblers. Before the media timeout he had 5 kills. After the media timeout he collected 5 more kills. The other points for the Ramblers came from Mather and Dennis, who had the final kill to end the set at 25-21. 

A Ramblers’ service error gave Team Freedom the 1-0 lead. After a kill by Ramblers MB Dennis the teams exchanged points to a 4-4 tie. A Rattray kill, service ace and Team Freedom hitting error gave the Ramblers a 3-point lead. Team Freedom finally sided out on a Norman kill to 7-5. At 9-7 Ramblers scored three straight points from two Rattray kills and double block by Rattray and Dennis to increase the lead to 12-7. Team Freedom fought back and scored three straight points from Hoyte and back-to-back service aces by Norman to cut the lead to 12-10. But Norman hit his next serve out and then a Team Freedom hitting error gave the Ramblers set and match point at 14-10. Ramblers won the match on a Dennis service ace 15-10. 

For the Ramblers Brandon Rattray led all players with 24 kills, followed by Ryan Mather with 15 kills and Kevin Lopez with 14 kills. Joe Norman had 21 kills for Team Freedom. Followed by Besmir Arslani with 7 kills, Miheil Hoyte with 5 kills and Matt Seifert with 4 kills. Ramblers had 6 service aces and 8 blocks. And Team Freedom 3 service aces and 6 blocks. Ramblers scored a total of 67 points to Team Freedom’s 42 points. 

Tyrants Tenacious Play Conquers Team Freedom in 5 Sets

Tyrants’ #9 Gianluca Grasso scored the first clean point of  the match on a tool. Both teams came out swinging and only committed three hitting errors and two service errors in the beginning of the set. Tyrants scored points on kills by #17 Tim Johnson, #15 Ryan Maune and Grasso. Team Freedom scored on kills by #11 Mikheil Hoyte, #18 Jonathon Lutz, #17 Keith Kegerreis and a double block by  Hoyte and #4 setter Matt Elias. After a Team Freedom hitting error at 8-8, Tyrants increased their lead by 3 points on a Grasso kill, another Team Freedom hitting error and kill by #15 Ryan Maune at 14-11. Team Freedom made an effort to rally back with kills from a dump by setter Elias, kill by #2 Jake Rosner, Elias service ace, Hoyte kill and #19 Jeffrey Nelson. Tyrants scored on points by Maune, Grasso, 3 consecutive kills by #22 MB Austen Lovett and closed out the set on kills by #1 Anthony Robinson and #16 Daniel Jacobs 25-20. 

In set number two turned Team Freedom’s #20 Joe Norman and MB Hoyte scored for most of their points. It started with a Hoyte block that gave Team Freedom a 3-1 lead. Norman scored a kill to 4-2. At 5-3 Maune scored the next two Tyrants’ points. But a Rosner kill and block by setter Elias increased Team Freedom’s lead to 9-5. After Grasso scored on a line kill at 12-8, Team Freedom increased their lead on three consecutive kills. The first by Hoyte, Nelson and Hoyte again to 15-8. After the media timeout Norman scored on back-to-back kiss for an 18-10 lead. Team Freedom kept this lead until Tyrants scored a mini run from a Team Freedom hitting error and block and kill by Lovett to 18-15. However, Team Freedom was able to establish the middle again on consecutive kills by Hoyte to keep a 4-point lead 21-17. At 21-18 Norman scored back-to-back kills and Hoyte followed with a service ace to increase their lead to 24-18. Tyrants scored on two consecutive kills by Robinson and then Team Freedom won the set on a kill by #17 Keith Kegerries 25-20. 

Isaiah Acfalle #11 replaced #10 Gabriel Quinones at setter in set number three. Team Freedom scored the first point on a Hoyte block. Tyrants scored the next 3 points on kills by Grasso, Robinson and Jacobs to 3-0. Team Freedom struggled to find the court that gave the Tyrants free points. After a Team Freedom hitting error, the Tyrants scored 4 consecutive points on two kills by Jacobs and Robinson, a block by Maune and service ace by Jacobs to 11-4. Team Freedom hit a dry spell and only scored points on Tyrants’ hitting errors. But at 15-8 Team Freedom scored a clean point on a block by Hoyte to 15-9. Two possessions late Grasso scored back-to-back points on a kill and service ace to 18-10. After a net by the Tyrants, Team Freedom scored two consecutive points by Hoyte from a kill and block. At 21-15 Tyrants increased their lead to 24-15 on Grasso kill and back-to-back blocks by Lovett. Rosner scored the last clean point for Team Freedom and then Tyrants won the set on a Grasso kill 25-20. 

In set number four Joe Norman scored Team Freedom’s first four clean points that helped his team take a 2 point lead at 5-3. Tyrants countered with kills by Grasso, Robinson and Jacobs to a 6-6 tie. On the next possession Tyrants took the lead on a Maune kill. A Grasso kill and kill by Acfalle after a Team Freedom overpass gave Tyrants a 10-6 lead. At 11-8 Grasso and Lovett scored back-to-back kills for a 13-8 lead. Team Freedom tied the score after consecutive scores by setters Elias from a dump and service ace, two consecutive Tyrants hitting errors and Seifert block. A Rosner kill after a Tyrants’ overpass gave Team Freedom the lead 14-13. Seifert followed up with kill to 15-13. Tyrants rallied back to tie the score again on a kill and service ace by Grasso and block by Robinson to 16-16. Team Freedom kept their lead from a Norman kill to 17-16. But Tyrants retook the lead at 20-19 after a Jacobs kill and service ace. At 22-22 Team Freedom took the lead back on a Elias block 23-22. After Grasso scored on a kill to 24-23, Team Freedom won the match on a block by Rosner 25-23. 

Team Freedom took the early lead in set number five on a kill by Rosner, Tyrants’ hitting error and two kills by Norman to 4-3, while Tyrants scored on a kill by Jacobs and two kills by Robinson. After Maune scored skill that tied the score 4-4, Tyrants started a mini run with another Maune kill, Robinson kill, service ace by Jacobs, double block by Robinson and Maune and Robinson kill for a 9-4 lead. While the Tyrants sided-out, Team Freedom committed hitting errors that kept them from launching a rally. At 13-9 Tyrants scored on a kill by Jacobs to 14-9. Teams Freedom sided-out on a Norman kill and then Jacobs scored set and match point on a line kill off the block 15-10. 

Gianluca Grasso led all players with 24 kills. His teammates Anthony Robinson and Daniel Jacobs scored 14 and 13 kills. Joe Norman led Team Freedom with 16 kills, followed by Mikheil Hoyte 10 kills and Jefferey Nelson 9 kills. Tyrants also score on 6 aces and 9 blocks. And Team Freedom on 4 aces and 9 blocks.  

L.A Blaze V.S New Jersey Team Freedom

Set 1

The match started off with both teams going pound for pound with heavy swings from Travis O’Gorman and Matt Seifert and craftier tips from Pedro Nieves. LA Blaze managed to get some early separation with consecutive blocks from Edison Zhou and Pablo Guzman, digs from Ricardo Massanet, and a fast back-row attack from O’Gorman. After a controversial double wasn’t called on LA Blaze, the team went on a seven-point service run giving Blaze a 20-12 lead. Team freedom still managed to fight hard with long rallies and impressive saves from Jordan Robinson. Steven Morales put in the final daggers of the set with a kill and service ace to end the set 25-16.

Set 2

Set had a similar start with both teams going kill for kill, with Morales leading the charge with three early kills for LA Blaze. Where one team excelled, the other responded with Keith Kegerreis scoring a colossal ace to only have Guzman returning with a massive cross-court shot. However, after tying at 8-8, LA Blaze seemed to break down after a momentum-changing overpass kill by Arslan Besmir. Team Freedom pushed hard on a five-point service run, allowing them to gain a seven-point lead at 18-11. Blaze made a heroic effort to return from their deficit by making it to 25-19.

Set 3

Travis O’gorman continued to be the kill leader for LA Blaze, scoring three of four Blaze’s first points. At the same time, Christopher Nugent and Besmir gained the first points of set three for Team Freedom. As the set developed, neither team could solidify a lead with errors at every other point, including nets and foot-faults on top of numerous hitting and service errors. Guzman helped to break away with a massive block at 16-16 and collect 4 digs in the set to help give LA Blaze more opportunities to score in the late game. Three service errors by Besmir, Kegerreis, and Seifert put Team Freedom in the grave as LA Blaze took the set 25-22.

Set 4

Early on, Blaze took a 6-1 lead with kills from O’Gorman and a block and kill from Greg Faulkner while Team Freedom continued to make errors. LA Blaze held onto their five-point lead until O’Gorman made a string of three errors which allowed Team Freedom to get up to two points behind at 16-14 and force Blaze to take a timeout. From the timeout, Team Freedom’s Kegerreis and Seifert both put up blocks which finally tied the set at 18-18. Team Freedom then held a slight lead until Christopher Vaughan tragically sprained his ankle during a block and is subbed from the game. Rallying together for their fallen comrade, Team Freedom fought neck and neck with LA Blaze until a hitting error by Morales gave Freedom the winning point at 26-24.

Set 5

 The fifth set was an exhilarating deathmatch as both teams, now 2-2, desperately fought to get the upper hand on the other. No team could take the lead until after two blocks by Matt Seifert put Team Freedom at 11-9. Joe Norman came in clutch at the end to get two kills at 13-11 and 14-12 and the final point taken by Besmir to end the match 15-13.

Game 5: Utah Stingers v.s Team Freedom

Set 1

To start the match, the Utah Stingers came out to a decisive lead of 7-0, with kills from Jorge Mencia, Cory Metcalf, and Storm Fa’agata-Tufuga. A kill from Christopher Nugent finally stopped the bleeding. Still, the damage was already deep enough that it seemed impossible for Team Freedom to make it back in the set. A late string of points was started with a block and ace by Joe Norman and intense defensive pressure at the net, bringing Team Freedom from being down 17-10 to 18-15. However, the Stingers came back harder with an ace from Alex Shmelev and a block by Fa’agata-Tufuga, which helped to end the set 25-18.

Set 2

Team Freedom came back strong with setter Matt Elias taking the reigns with a deep tip to the corner and a block on Fa’agata-Tufuga, gaining a lead of 8-4 at the technical timeout. Unfazed by being blocked, Fa’agata-Tufuga returned the favor by gaining four kills and two aces to bring the Stingers within one at 12-11. Team Freedom desperately tried to stay in the lead as the Stingers trailed by one until 19-18. With a kill by Nugent, an ace from Elias, and a kill by Matthew Seifert, Team Freedom finally pulled away to 22-18. The team effort allowed Freedom to coast to the end and win the set 25-22.

Set 3

Team Freedom got an early lead of 7-3 with a pair of blocks from middle blockers Seifert and Mikheil Hoyte. After a few Team Freedom hitting and serving errors and two consecutive kills by Mencia, the Stingers got back in the game at 10-10. The two teams were only two points apart for the rest of the set as Team Freedom’s errors continued to allow the Stingers in the game. The Stingers eventually pulled away as Fa’agata-Tufuga, Mencia, and Shmelev dominated at the net. At the same time, libero Chandler Baugh’s five digs secured the backcourt. Stingers take the set with a strong lead of 25-20.

Set 4

Team Freedom brought out the block party with two from Elias and one from Seifert, which squashed any Stingers’ energy from their last set win. A strong float from Seifert gave Josue Castillo a perfect overpass to kill the ball and put Team Freedom up 8-3 into the technical timeout. Freedom continued to go on a field day without any resistance from the Stinger’s side. Winning the set 25-15, Team Freedom developed the most significant point differentials of the entire weekend event against the top two teams of the American conference.

Set 5

Team Freedom continued to carry the energy of their last set with a kill from Nugent and another block from the big man Seifert. Stinger’s points came from Team Freedom errors as the Utah team struggled to stay together as a cohesive unit, not scoring a point of their own until they were already down seven points as Freedom led 12-5. The late kills by Mencia and Paul Clark weren’t enough to bring the team from the grave as Castillo and Norman’s kills put the nail in the coffin to give Team Freedom the set at 15-6 and the match at 3-2.

Game 4: New Jersey Team Freedom V.S Ontario Matadors

Set 1

Set one begins with consistent sideouts from both teams, with Joe Norman producing three kills for Team Freedom and Jacob Vander Beek putting in most of the work for Ontario, unfortunately the Matadors have been consistently missing serves but a net from Mikhel Hoyte give the Matadors the lead going into the technical timeout, score 6-8. The Matadors were able to maintain a three point lead through most of the middle of the match, but two kills from Mikhel Hoyte and an ace from Ronald Dunn tied the game up at 16-16. Both teams continued to sideout at a high rate, taking the game into extra points until a kill from Martin Petris, an ace from Jesus Serrano and a block from Diego Bustas gave the Matadors the win. Final score 27-25.

Set 2

Set two begins with Team Freedom missing multiple serves, while kills and an ace from Jesus Serrano were able to help give the Matadors a demanding lead going into the Technical timeout, score is 8-3. The Matadors were able to hold a lead as high as 12-7, but Team Freedom started to respond with multiple kills from Joe Norman and Chris Nugent, which complimented the hitting errors performed by the Matadors, score is 16-15 Matadors in the lead. Two blocks from O18 then allowed the Matadors some separation, but relentless sideouts and kills from Mikhel Hoyte and Joe Norman were able to bring it back for Team Freedom as they tied it up at 20-20. The Matadors then had enough with kills from Jesus Serrano and Matt Siefert, and two blocks from O18 ended the game, 20-25 Matadors win.

Set 3

Set three started off a little more even keel, and forced Team Freedom to put in their starts with Matt Seifert coming back in the middle and Matt Elias coming in to set. Although Team Freedom made these changes the Matadors were able to keep the point spread close as they went up one point into the technical timeout, 8-7. A block from Gilberto Sanchez starts the run for the Matadors, as Team Freedom can’t seem to get out of their own way, making numerous hitting and service errors, the Matadors go up 18-13. The three blocks from Gabriel Cruz and two aces from Jesus Serrano drove the momentum home as the Matadors beat Team Freedom 25-15.