California team tops for third-straight week; eight Top 25 teams entered in prestigious Nike Phoenix weekend event
Video: Kelsey Campeau's highlights vs. Redondo Union
Watch the junior libero in action in the Monarchs' five-set win.
Mater Dei, the No. 1 team, has a pair of challenging conference games before opening first-round play Thursday in the prestigious Nike Phoenix Invitational.
The Monarchs, 13-0, enter the 72-team tournament holding the No. 1 spot in this week's MaxPreps Xcellent Volleyball Rankings presented by the Army National guard. It's the third-straight week Mater Dei has been ranked No. 1.
Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas) is No. 2 with a 34-0 record, followed by No. 3 Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.) and Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.).
Rounding out the Top 5 is Blue Valley West (Stilwell, Kan.).
The biggest mover of the week was 25-0 Clovis (Calif.), jumping into the Top 25 at No. 12.
Also new to Top 25 this week are Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.) and unbeatens Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.) and DeWitt (Mich.).
The Nike Phoenix Tournament of Champions to be held Thursday through Saturday features many of the nation's top teams including top-ranked Mater Dei, along with Bishop Moore, Archbishop Mitty, Dorman, Sacred Heart, Walton, Xavier Prep and Corona Del Sol. All are ranked in this week's Top 25. Fourteen states will be represented in the 72-team tournament.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Volleyball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
Lewis-Palmer junior Nicole Buckley celebrates recently. The Rangers cracked the Xcellent 25 at No. 21.
Photo by Ray Chen
The Monarchs have a 32-6 set record in their 13 wins.
2. (2) - Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas), 34-0The War Eagles blitzed rival Conroe, 3-0, and edged 29-5 The Woodlands (Texas), 3-2.
3. (3) - Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.), 10The Hornets have won 27 sets while losing three. Their last four wins have been by 3-0 margins.
4. (4) - Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 13-1Mitty has won eight-straight since losing to No. 1 Mater Dei.
5. (6) - Blue Valley West (Stilwell, Kan.), 20-0.Blue Valley is 40-2 in set play and visits 20-5 Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.) on Tuesday.
6. (7) - Geneva (Geneva, Ill.), 14-0Geneva is averaging 13.6 kills per set.
7. (8) - Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), 17-0The Pumas visit No. 22 Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) on Tuesday.
8. (9) - Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio), 17-0The Cougars are led by libero
Taylor Sharrits' 4.5 digs per set.
9. (10) - Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 19-0The Crusaders ran their win streak to 88 in a row and have yet to lose a set this season while winning 46.
10. (12) - Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), 23-0The Cavaliers have not lost a set in their last 12 wins.
11. (11) - Eagan (Minn.), 12-0The Wildcats have lost just one set this season.
12. (NR) - Clovis (Calif.), 25-0The Cougars are led by senior hitter
Taylen Ballard (6.5 kills per set) and sophomore setter
Jasmine Heu (9.5 assists per set).
13. (13) - Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 21-3The Rockets play 17-1 Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.) on Thursday.
14. (14) - Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.), 20-3The Valkryries easily handled two of Indiana's best (Providence and Carmel) last week.
15. (15) - Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.), 13-2The Gators have won seven of their last eight and have lost only to Top 10 teams Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) and Arizona rival Perry.
16. (16) - Midway (Waco, Texas), 33-2The Panthers have lost just four sets in their 27-match win streak.
17. (17) - Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 17-1The Aztecs take a 15-match win streak into Tuesday's contest at Highland (Gilbert, Ariz.).
18. (19) - Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 28-3The Raiders open Nike Tournament action on Friday against 18-2 (East (Cheyenne, Wy.).
19. (21) - Yorktown (Ind.), 22-1 Since losing, the Tigers have won 12 straight, including four to win the Muncie Invitational.
20. (23) - Penfield (N.Y.), 20-0The Patriots have lost one set this season.
21. (NR) - Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.), 11-0Averaging 13.3 kills per set, the Rangers are 29-2 in sets, but haven't lost a set in last nine matches.
22. (22) - Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 17-1The Huskies face No. 7 and unbeaten Perry on Tuesday.
23. (NR) - DeWitt (Mich.), 15-0 The Panthers have three tournament titles this season – Alma, Central Portage and Mt. Morris.
24. (NR) - Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.), 17-1Mother has won nine in a row without losing a set since falling to previously-ranked St. Joseph's Academy (St. Louis, Mo.). Next up: Assumption (Louisville, Ken.). Mother hosts the Asics Classic this weekend.
25. (25) - Marian Central Catholic (Woodstock, Ill.), 19-1Since losing, the Hurricanes have routed three opponents.
Dropped Out This Week: Santa Margarita (Calif.), Lakeville South (Minn.), Baylor (Tenn.), St Joseph Academy (Mo.).
