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13 Thunder put together their most impressive performance of the young 2008 tournament season on February 22^nd at the Baden Classic U-13 tournament hosted by Northwest Juniors.   

Alex Staikos returned to the line-up on a mission, sharing the day’s captain duties with Lexie Bedell and Kelsey Skordal and leading the team with five kills on the day and showing off her developing prowess hitting from the outside.  Fellow outside hitter Carolyn Fordyce finished the day with four kills and led the team with a 90% serving percentage and a team high of 12 aces. 

Setter Annika Dybevik played the best match of her young career, serving 87% on the day and running the team’s offense to near perfection in the second game of the match against Lynwood Spike It.  Stephanie Kropp and Kelsey Skordal also served over 85% on the day while Leanne Scott, Jeily Brady, Madie Hupp and Mikayla Melton had their best serving performances of the season to date.  Brooke Flohr added five aces to stats, bringing her season total to 19. 

13 Thunder has just eight days to prepare for power league on March 2^nd and less than one month to get ready for the national qualifier tournament in Spokane Washington on March 23^rd and 24^th.  They’ll be working to continue transferring the hard work they put forth in practice into practice on game day. 

The girls of 13 Thunder played in their first tournament championship match of 2008 on March 2nd at Edmonds Community College.  They fell just short in a hard fought three game match against NW Jrs. 14 Blizzard, but went home all smiles after their complete team performance earned them promotion to the NAVY Bracket of the U14 Power League. 

Danielle Neimann led the squad with an astounding 100% serving percentage on 30 serves with 5 aces.  Carolyn Fordyce topped all hitters with 8 kills. 

“Every girl on the club came up big for their teammates at some point during the match,” said 13 Thunder Co-Head Coach Mati Bishop.  “I’m extremely proud of this group of girls and the hard work that they have put in over the course of the last month.”

In the last match of group play, 13 Thunder was ahead of their opponents 23-17 when the opposing coach called a time out to try and get the serve away from Outside Hitter Leanne Scott.

“Leanne had a great match from the serving line,” said Bishop.  With two points left in the game and her on the service line I challenged the team to give me a “thunder” (three hit sequence resulting in a kill) and I challenged Leanne to give me an ace.”

Scott’s first serve was returned and Stephanie Kropp, in her first game as a setter, provided middle blocker Mikayla Melton with an opportunity for the attack that she turned into a kill.  Scott returned to the service line, where she served 80% on the day a dramatic improvement from her previous personal best of 56%, and delivered an ace to finish out the match. 

“After qualifying for the championship bracket of a tournament for the first time this year in that fashion, the girls were brimming with confidence,” said Bishop. 

13 Thunder made quick work of the winner of group A, North Mason Nemesis in the semi-finals to book a match up against 14 Blizzard.   

Trailing one game to none and 23 to 21 in the second game setter Madie Hupp came to the service line. 

“Madie stepped to the line when we had our backs against the wall,” commented Bishop.  “We had fought back in the match, but Blizzard was in a good position to put us away.”

Hupp delivered two quick points and the 14 Blizzard coaching staff was forced into a time out. 

“At 23-23 we had regained the momentum and they tried to break our concentration with a time out,” recalls Bishop.  “Madie stepped back to the service line after the time out and delivered two perfect serves.  She came up cool as a cucumber.”

14 Blizzard’s offense misfired on the first serve and on the second they returned the ball that allowed Hupp to set Carolyn Fordyce for the kill that forced game three. 

“I can’t say enough about how proud I am of our entire team after this weekend,” Bishop reiterated.  “All of the hard work that the girls have put in practice over the course of the last month was on display.  It seemed as though there was nothing we weren’t capable of.”

Next up for 13 Thunder is the USAV National Championship Qualifier Tournament in Spokane Washington March 21-23.

Northwest Juniors VBC 13 Thunder squad is proud to announce that they have created a “Partnership of Aloha” with Jammers VBC 13 Black squad from Honolulu, HI.  The teams will have an opportunity to meet each other in person while they are both competing at the USAV Pacific National Qualifier Tournament in Spokane Washington March 21-23. 

“One of the greatest things about sport is that it gives us the opportunity to make friends that we may never have met otherwise and share common experiences,” said 13 Thunder Co-Head Coach Mati Bishop.  “I’m hoping the girls may have an opportunity to make a volleyball “pen-pal” that they can keep in touch with through their junior volleyball playing career and possibly beyond. “

The Jammers VBC claimed the U-12 USAV National Championship in 2007 and is looking for continued success as a U-13 program in 2008.   

“Hawaii has a great volleyball culture and Jammers VBC as well as this team have experienced a lot of success,” said Bishop.  “Still, they were so open to meeting us and spending some time getting to know our girls.  They are not only a great volleyball program, but also ambassadors of Hawaii and the Aloha Spirit.” 

The girls of 13 Thunder will be sending email  letters of introduction to their new sister team this week and will get to meet their new sister team on Friday March 21^st before the beginning of tournament play.