Marymount (Los Angeles) took six straight matches without losing a set over the weekend to win the Durango Fall Classic in Nevada, grabbing the title with a 2-0 win over Southern California rival Mater Dei (Santa Ana). The Sailors moved to 15-0 on the season and jumped to the top of the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings.
Marymount, which has dropped three sets all season, went 2-0 in pool play, then beat Mercy 2-0 in the qualifying round. The Sailors then dispatched 16-5 Village Christian (Sun Valley, Calif.), No. 20 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) and No. 3 Mater Dei for the title.
Elia Rubin was the tournament's MVP while fellow Sailors Kerry Keefe, Kelly Belardi and Torrey Stafford were all-tournament selections. For Rubin, a three-time MaxPreps All-American, it was the second time she's grabbed a national tournament MVP after winning the Nike TOC Phoenix honor in 2019.
Assumption, last week's No. 1, fell to No. 4 after a trio of losses in bracket play. The Rockets were playing in their second tournament with national powers in as many weeks.
Durango participants Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.) and Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) enter the rankings this week while Georgia's Blessed Trinity (Roswell) and Indiana's Penn (Mishawaka) also jump into the MaxPreps Top 25.
Elia Rubin of Marymount was the MVP of the Durango Fall Classic as the No. 1 Sailors improved to 15-0 with the title.
Photo by Jann Hendry
Highlights: The Sailors remained perfect, slicing through a loaded Durango Fall Classic field for the championship as
Elia Rubin was named MVP and teammates
Torrey Stafford,
Kelly Belardi and
Kerry Keefe joined her on the all-tournament team.
Next: Sept. 23 Harvard-Westlake
2. (2) Flower Mound (Texas), 27-3Highlights: The Jags went 2-0 last week as the hitting quartet of
Catherine Young,
Maddie Cox,
Bella Ortiz and
Gabby Walker continue to shine.
Next: Sept. 21 at Plano East, Sept. 24 vs. Marcus
3. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 21-2Highlights: Malyssa Cawa,
Liv Hertzog and
Isabel Clark were named all-tournament at Durango as the Monarchs took third in a loaded field. The losses are to Marymount and Flower Mound.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Santa Margarita, Sept. 23 vs. Rosary Academy
4. (1) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 18-3Highlights: The Rockets dropped their final three matches at Durango, falling to Timpview (Provo, Utah), Skyview (Nampa, Idaho) and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). It was Assumption's second straight weekend competing at a tournament with top-tier talent.
Next: Sept. 26 vs. Sacred Heart, Sept. 30 vs. Mother McAuley
5. (4) St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), 29-1Highlights: The Golden Lions went 6-0 last week. Four hitters (
Lura Underwood,
Kate Larocco,
Nina Shaw and
Annemarie Rakoski) have more than 100 kills while
Avery Brown sets the tone with 472 assists.
Next: Sept. 23 vs. Roswell
6. (5) Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas), 24-5Highlights: The Leopards are riding a seven-match win streak.
Grace Milliken had 14 kills in the win over Wylie East. Two of the five losses are to Flower Mound and Mater Dei.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Sherman, Sept. 24 vs. McKinney North
7. (6) Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 17-0Highlights: Sophomore
Lauren Medeck is leading the Titans with 163 kills while
Ava Legrand is dishing up nearly 11 assists per set. The Titans went 9-0 last week with a title at the LPS Classic.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Benson, Sept. 23 vs. Marian
8. (9) Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 13-2Highlights: Emily Weber dished up 26 assists and
Macy Hinshaw added 23 in the Royals' four-set win over Westfield.
Avery Hobson had 13 kills,
Lauren Harden added 12 and
Lovie Wallace chipped in 11.
Next: Sept. 27 vs. Wapahani
9. (10) Hudsonville (Mich.), 24-1-1Highlights: Senior
Eva Joldersma leads a four-pronged hitting attack for the Eagles with 181 kills on the year. Sophomore
Megan Beemer has 276 assists, while junior
Lauren Wiles has added 114.
Next: Sept. 23 vs. West Ottawa
10. (13) Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac, Mich.), 33-0Highlights: The Fighting Irish have dropped one set all season.
Alyssa Borellis leads the team with 196 kills and 324 assists while
Sophia Sudzina has 178 kills and 298 assists and
Bianca Giglio has 163 kills.
Next: Sept. 23 vs. Utica
11. (15) Fayetteville (Ark.), 17-1Highlights: After a five-set loss to Nixa, the Bulldogs have reeled off 15 straight wins, including four at the Camdenton Volleyfest.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Rogers Heritage
12. (22) Sequoyah (Canton, Ga.), 33-1Highlights: Juniors
Rosa Fisher (329) and
Sara Siefert (297) have led the Chiefs to 22 straight wins following their lone loss to Pope on Aug. 24.
Taylor Pecht has 792 assists, an 11.2 per set average.
Next: Sept. 28 vs. Chattahoochee
13. (16) Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 22-1Highlights: Ava Brizard had 15 kills and
Ava Sarafa added 26 assists for the Mustangs, whose only loss is to Notre Dame Prep.
Next: Sept. 23 vs. St. Catherine's
14. (17) Brandeis (San Antonio), 30-2Highlights: Emma Halstead had 21 kills in two victories and
Carlee Pharris added 52 assists.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. MacArthur, Sept. 24 vs. Madison
15. (14) Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 13-3Highlights: The Sea Hawks downed Long Beach Poly in straight sets Monday. All three losses are to teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 — Cathedral Catholic, Mater Dei and Marymount.
Next: Sept. 22 vs. Culver City, Sept. 24 vs. Palos Verdes
16. (11) North Raleigh Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), 15-2Highlights: The Knights downed Durham Academy in straight sets. Senior
Riley Buckley is the catalyst with 338 assists, 113 digs and 103 kills.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Wake Christian Academy
17. (12) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 10-1Highlights: Sophomores
Leilia Toailoa and
Ashley Duckworth combined for 27 kills while senior
Sophia Ewalefo added 13 in the win over Pleasant Grove.
Caroline Edgeworth had 51 assists to raise her season tally to 362.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Pleasant Grove, Sept. 23 vs. Coronado
18. (19) Yorktown (Ind.), 15-3Highlights: The Tigers swept New Castle, Muncie Burris and Shelbyville as freshman
Charlotte Vinson leads a quartet of hitters with 181 kills. Senior
Emilee Hill has dished up 454 assists.
Next: Sept. 22 vs. Greenfield, Sept. 23 vs. Cathedral
19. (NR) Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.), 15-2Highlights: Leah Wilton-LaBoy earned all-tournament honors at Durango as the Wildcats took fifth in the championship bracket. They beat Skyview 2-1, Torrey Pines 2-0 and Mira Costa 2-0 while falling to Timpview 2-0.
Next: Sept. 22 vs. Redwood, Sept. 24 vs. Tamalpais
20. (NR) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 14-3Highlights: The Dons had
Noemie Glover and
Kapiolani Coleman earn Durango all-tourney honors as their lone loss in Nevada was to eventual champion Marymount.
Next: Sept. 22 vs. Point Loma, Sept. 23 vs. Santa Fe Christian, Sept. 24 vs. Patrick Henry
21. (20) V.R. Eaton (Fort Worth, Texas), 23-2Highlights: The Eagles lost for the second time this season – 3-0 to Keller – but have an Oct. 8 rematch at home this time.
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Keller Central
22. (23) Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 14-7Highlights: The Jaguars haven't shied away from a daunting schedule. Losses include Archbishop Mitty, Marymount, Assumption and Sacred Heart – all MaxPreps Top 25 teams at some point in the year.
Next: Sept. 21 Bullitt East, Sept. 22 vs. Elizabethtown, Sept. 23 vs. Male
23. (NR) Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 22-2Highlights: One of the Titans' losses is to No. 12 Sequoyah. Senior
Cate Wright has 185 kills, sophomore
Mia Hood has 147 kills and
Ashlynn Barnes leads the squad with 525 assists.
Next: Sept. 21 Kennesaw Mountain, Sept. 23 vs. Woodland
24. (NR) Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.), 22-0Highlights: The Kingsmen are paced by senior
Emma Hickey (207 kills, 173 digs),
Janet Moala (154 kills) and
Macy Hatkevich (487 assists, 132 digs).
Next: Sept. 21 vs. Mishawaka Marian, Sept. 23 vs. Bremen
25. (25) Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 11-0Highlights: The Sharks remained perfect as
Zeta Washington pounded 16 kills and
Rachel Johnson added 11 in a straight-sets win over Ridgeview. Junior
Jessica Shattles dished up 35 assists.
Next: Sept. 25 vs. Santa Fe, Sept. 25 vs. Merritt Island
On the bubble: Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 18-6;
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 13-3;
Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), 20-4;
St. Ursula Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio), 13-2;
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.), 7-5;
Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 27-0;
Martin (Arlington, Texas), 24-2;
Green Hope (Cary, N.C.) 11-0;
Brentwood (Tenn.) 25-4;
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) 18-2.
