Metro 18T recently ended its historic season at the 2017 Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic near Chicago, finishing sixth in a challenging field of 18 teams. The squad put up a valiant effort and went 5-3 despite missing several players. The ending was bittersweet, as the girls also finished their club volleyball careers -- some having played together since 14s. Each player will move on to play Division 1 volleyball for college programs on both coasts and schools in between; and they are excited to take the next stage and beyond. This Metro 18T team will leave a legacy of success, including the first Metro team and CHRVA program to earn two competitive Open bids to USA Volleyball Junior National Championships. The girls finished the season 55-23, won three tournaments, and took silver at two major qualifiers. More importantly, they are better prepared for the next level, and forged lifelong friendships on and off the court.

Wearing their ‘future’ college jerseys, and getting ready for Girls Junior Nationals this week are, from left: Ryley Gill, Logan Manusky, Megan Wilson, Evelyn Gray, Nicole Alford, Claire Nagelhout, Erika Pritchard, Emily Ryan, Ayanna Swan, Kaiya Howard, Gabby Peitsch, Baleigh Jean-Philippe, Hailey Rubino, Zarah White, and Lexi Barker.

Metro 18T finished Mid-Atlantic Power League play by winning the final tournament in York, PA, March 25-26. The squad swept its competition, going 8-0 (16-1 in sets), and defeated EC Power-Royal in an entertaining, three-set championship (27-25, 31-33,15-10). Metro 18T is 49-14 on the year and now sets its sights on the Girls Junior National Championships (April 21-24 in Dallas), where it will compete in the 18 Open Division.

Metro 18T made club and regional history by earning a second Open Division bid, claiming Silver at the Music City Volleyball Championships in Nashville on March 17-19, 2017. The team had earlier earned a bid to USA Volleyball’s Girls Junior National Championships at the Beast of the Southeast tournament in Atlanta. In Nashville, Metro 18T went 8-1 over three days of pool play, ultimately giving way to OT 18 S Rox Red in a three-set final. In doing so, Metro 18T was the first club team from the CHRVA region to earn two Open bids in the same season. In addition, the team parlayed its outstanding and consistent play to 2-0 victories over NKYVC 18-1 Tsunami and Ocean Breeze 18 Quicksilver, teams it had lost to earlier in the season. To get to the final, Metro 18T also defeated Mizuno Long Beach 18-1, AVC/Mintonette A.81 Pass, and A5 Mizuno 18-2 John in straight sets. Metro 18T entered the Nashville tournament after being upset in the semifinal of Mid-Atlantic Power League play in Raleigh, but rebounded commendably in Tennessee to improve to 41-14 on the year.  

Metro 18T met one of its season goals and earned an Open Division bid to the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships by finishing runner-up at the Mizuno Beast of the Southeast National Qualifier Feb. 24-26 in Atlanta. For many of the girls, the prestigious Open bid was redemption and several years in the making, having defeated Open teams and coming close to qualifying in years past. In Atlanta, the squad put together consistent play on all areas of the court to stay in the top half of the bracket over three days of pool play. Metro 18T went 6-4, with three of the losses to eventual champion Rockwood Thunder 18 Mizuno. While Metro 18T took this top seed to three sets on opening day, Thunder proved its mettle in each meeting. To ensure a place in the Gold bracket on the final day, Metro 18T needed three sets to defeat Upward Stars 18 Corey and A5 Mizuno 18-2 John, then overcame A5 Mizuno 18-1 Bob in the semifinal to earn a spot in the championship against Rockwood. With its second-place finish, Metro 18T secured one of two Open bids, with the other trickling down to fourth-place finisher A-5 Mizuno 18-1 Bob (Rockwood and CIA 18 Black already had bids). Metro 18T is 27-12 on the season and won the Mizuno Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic the previous weekend. Aside from Mid-Atlantic Power League play, the team will compete in the Music City Qualifier in mid-March before heading to USA Volleyball GJNC April 21-23.

Metro 18T went undefeated to take Gold in the Open Division at the Mizuno Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic over the Presidents Day holiday weekend. The squad went 10-0 against a 64-team field in Washington, D.C., defeating Renaissance VBC 18-1 in the final and Academy 18 Red in the semifinals, both in three sets. The same core Metro group won 17s Open the previous year. For this year’s individual honors, libero Logan Manusky earned MVP, middle Emily Ryan garnered Best Attacker, and outside hitter Hailey Rubino received Best Server. Metro 18T will take its 21-8 record to the Mizuno Beast of the Southeast national qualifier in Atlanta (Feb. 24-26), having competed earlier in the Ohio Valley National Qualifier and the Northeast Volleyball Qualifier, where it finished seventh and fifth, respectively.

Metro 18T took gold in its first tournament of the season, beating six regional teams in the 18 Open Division of the Northern Virginia Power League on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017. Metro 18T defeated the Brandywine Bobcats and Virginia Top Team in the opening round at the Maryland Juniors Volleyball Center, before sweeping Virginia Elite in the semifinal and Maryland Juniors in the championship. Metro 18T will spend the next weeks preparing for the Northeast Qualifier, held Jan. 21-23 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.