Three geographical rivalry games could reshape rankings early in season.
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There was little change at the top of this week's MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 National High School Volleyball Rankings sponsored by the Army National Guard, but the Top 10 has three new teams and the Top 25 saw five teams vanish.
With big tournaments on the horizon next week, call this week "rivals week" as at least six teams in the Top 25 will go head to head. The key matchups include:
• A Louisville showdown between unbeaten No. 2 Assumption and once beaten No. 21 Mercy. Mercy did not win a set in three matches against Assumption a year ago. The last time the two teams met was in the state championship game. The two schools are 4.5 miles apart.
• Southern California eyes will focus on Tuesday's match where No. 4 Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) faces No. 3 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). The two unbeaten schools are 34 miles apart. Mater Dei won the lone match a year ago.
• And in Hawaii, unbeatens 'Iolani and Kamehameha meet Saturday. The two Honolulu rivals are just 6.5 miles apart. A year ago, 'Iolani (No. 10) won the first two meetings between the two schools, but Kamehameha (No. 9) won the final three, including the state-title match.
The geographical rivals likely will give next week's Top 25 a very different look than this week.
By comparison, the week for No. 1 Walton (Marietta, Ga.) looks much less imposing with matches Tuesday against 13-10 Etowah (Woodstock) and Woodstock, losers of four in a row. Walton has won 19 straight.
New to the Top 25 this week are Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), Blue Valley North (Overland Park, Kan,), Mount Notre Dame (Ohio), Millard North (Omaha, Ne.) and Leon (Tallahassee, Fla.).
Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette, La.), ranked No. 23, extended its three-year wins streak to 60. And Marist (Chicago) has won 40 matches in a row dating back to last year.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National High School Volleyball Rankings sponsored by the Army National Guard
McKenna Scianna, Lewis-Palmer
File photo by Matt Daniels
After a dozen wins, the Raiders have a kill percentage of 56.2 and average 14.8 kills per set. Senior All-American
Gabby Gonzales (Ohio State commit) is averaging 5.1 kills per set. The Raiders last lost to an in-state team in 2014.
2. (2) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 12-0Led by 22 aces from senior
Karly Basham, the Rockets are off to a 12-0 start and extended their winning streak to 27 by winning four games and the championship gold at the Avon (IN) Tournament.
3. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 12-0The Monarchs won the Dave Mohs tournament.
4. (5) Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 8-0The Seahawks blanked previous No. 4 Marymount 3-0.
5. (9) Yorktown (Ind.), 12-0The Tigers, averaging 13.8 kills and 18.1 digs per set, have yet to lose a set this season and the most points scored against in any one set has been 20.
6. (15) Lake Orion (Mich.), 21-0Seniors
Wren Macaulay (New Hampshire commit),
Ciara Livingway,
Lauren Bell (Northwood commit) and
Paige Briggs (Western Kentucky commit) have led the Dragons to three tournament titles this season. In 44 sets, they have lost twice. A Tuesday rematch with 5-1 Mercy (Farmington, Mich.) should prove interesting. Mercy is one of the two teams to win a single set from the Dragons this season.
7. (7) Mt. Carmel (New Orleans), 2-0The Cubs ran their win streak to 11 behind All-American
Ellie Holzman and
Emily Meyer combined 33 kills in three-set win over Metairie Park Country Day (Metairie).
8. (8) Venice (Fla.), 4-0The Indians beat Lincoln (Tallahassee), 25-13, 25-16 and 25-16.
9. (13) Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu), 17-0The defending state champion Warriors won their second tournament of the season to run their two-year win streak to 23.
10. (11) 'Iolani (Honolulu), 11-0The Raiders are averaging 12.8 kills and 16.3 digs per set.
11. (10) Xavier College Prep (Phoenix), 1-0The Gators opened their season by running their win streak to 11 with a 3-0 win over Mountain View (Mesa).
12. (17) Marist (Chicago), 8-0Opening with eight straight wins, the Redhawks have run their two-year win streak to 40.
13. (12) Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.), 1-0Senior
McKenna Sciacca had 27 assists, 12 digs and six aces as the Rangers ran their three-year win streak to 59 with a season-opening sweep over Coronado (Colorado Springs).
14. (14) North Branch (Mich.), 16-0Aly Severance leads the way with team highs in kills (5.7 per set), and blocks and the Broncos haven't lost a set in 32.
15. (6) Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 26-1The Bobcats rebounded from its lone loss of the season (3-0 to 24-8 Southlake-Carroll) to drub Ryan (Denton), 3-0, and limiting Ryan to only 22 kills in three sets.
16. (16) Torrey Pines (San Diego), 6-1 Led by Penn State-pledge
Macall Peed, the Falcons have won five straight since losing to No. 3 Mater Dei (Santa Ana).
17. (18) Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati), 4-0The Lions have won 15 in a row. Senior
Maggie Huber (Ball State pledge) is averaging 4.5 digs per set.
18. (19) Helias (Jefferson City, Mo.), 9-0Senior
Ellie Rockers (Columbia College commit) is averaging 5.2 kills and 4.7 digs per set.
19. (NR) Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 14-0Behind the play of senior setter
Maddie Boylston (Virginia pledge), the Warriors won their second tournament of the season and knocked off previously ranked Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw, N.C.).
20. (NR) Blue Valley North (Overland Park, Kan.), 3-0With four future college players on the court, Blue Valley has opened 3-0.
Kayley Cassaday (Tulsa commit),
Kennedy Feuerborn (Baylor commit),
Londyn Gartner (NW Missouri State University commit) and
Kersti Nix (University of Central Missouri commit) create havoc for opponents just as they did against previously ranked Olathe Northwest in a 3-0 sweep last week. Feuerborn is a 6-3 setter who does it all.
21. (23) Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 9-1Since losing, the Jaguars have won six straight. Sophomore
Eleanor Beavin has 24 aces and is averaging five digs per set. Up next: Louisville rival and No. 2-ranked Assumption.
22. (NR) Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio), 8-0Mount Notre Dame won the Best of Ohio tournament. Senior
Samantha Wolf is averaging 5.6 kills per set.
23. (25) Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette, La.), 3-0Running their thee-year win streak to 60, the Rebels opened the season with 2-0 wins over Bourgeois (Gray), St. Amant and Assumption (Napoleonville).
24. (NR) Millard North (Omaha, Neb.), 8-0With junior setter
Izzy Lukens (Arkansas State commit) directing six hitters averaging over one kill per set, the Mustangs have won 14 of their last 15 dating back to 2017.
25. (NR) Leon (Tallahassee, Fla.), 5-0Behind the play of senior middle blocker
Makayla Washington (South Florida commit), the Lions knocked off previously ranked Oviedo 3-1.
Dropped out: Plano West (Plano, Texas), Northwest (Olathe, Kan.), Marymount (Los Angeles), Oviedo (Fla.), and Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw, N.C.).
