MESA, Ariz. – It might not have been the title Marymount had in mind when it took the court at the start of Saturday’s schedule at the Nike Tournament of Champions.
But when two of the state’s longest girls volleyball winning streaks were halted less than 10 minutes apart at the Arizona Athletic Grounds at Legacy Sports Complex – including top-ranked Mater Dei being upset by eventual champion Scottsdale Horizon of Arizona in the Platinum Bracket semifinals – the Sailors demonstrated once again why they are not only the most decorated program in event history, but also the most reliable.
Marymount captured back-to-back National Division Gold Bracket championships with a 25-20, 25-19 victory against Omaha Westside of Nebraska.
The Sailors (28-5) had aspirations to add to their Nike Tournament of Champions legacy with a record fourth National Division Platinum Bracket title, but Marymount suffered a 16-25, 25-19, 15-13 loss in its opening match Saturday against Hamilton High from Arizona, resulting in placement in the Gold Bracket instead.
Led by Georgetown-bound setter Olivia Penske, the Sailors regrouped and outlasted Sunnyslope of Arizona 21-25, 25-19, 15-10, before producing a 25-19, 25-23 semifinal victory against Cornerstone Christian from Texas in the third meeting between the nationally ranked programs this season.
Cornerstone Christian (34-4) swept the Sailors 25-12, 25-20 on Aug. 31 in the semifinals of the Kamehameha Schools Labor Day Classic in Hawaii, before Marymount rebounded Sept. 14 to win 20-25, 25-19, 25-23 in the semifinals of the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas.
Sammy Destler, Elle Vandeweghe and Makenna Barnes also helped the Sailors extend one of the most impressive streaks in event history with their sweep of Omaha Westside, which defeated DuPont Manual from Kentucky and Liberty High of Arizona to reach the Gold Bracket final.
Marymount won its last match at Nike Tournament of Champions for the seventh straight season, a run which began in 2017 with a National Division Platinum Bracket fifth-place finish by defeating Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas.
The Sailors followed with Platinum Bracket championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021, in addition to taking third place in the National Division in 2022, before securing consecutive Gold Bracket crowns.
Mater Dei (29-4) was looking to join Marymount’s achievement in 2021 and become only the second school to win both the Durango Fall Classic and Nike Tournament of Champions in the same year.
Scottsdale Horizon relied on Nebraska-bound outside hitter Teraya Sigler to rally for a 21-25, 25-16, 15-13 victory against the Monarchs in the Platinum Bracket semifinals, snapping Mater Dei’s 17-match winning streak.
Sigler helped the Huskies (16-3) sweep Casteel 25-15, 25-21 in the final to become the first Platinum Bracket champion from Arizona since Xavier College Prep won back-to-back titles in 2013-14.
The showdown involving Scottsdale Horizon – which lost to Marymount in the Platinum Bracket championship in 2021 – and Casteel was the first all-Arizona final at Nike Tournament of Champions since Xavier College Prep defeated Desert Vista in 2014.
Mater Dei needed significant contributions from junior Layli Ostovar and sophomore Westley Matavao in its opening match Saturday to avoid the upset bid of DuPont Manual, rallying from a four-point deficit in the deciding set to prevail 22-25, 25-22, 15-10.
The Monarchs swept Queen Creek of Arizona 25-14, 25-22 to reach the semifinals, but were denied the pursuit of their first Platinum Bracket championship since 2017 by Scottsdale Horizon, which overcame a 10-8 deficit in the deciding set to prevent Mater Dei from reaching a third consecutive tournament final this season.
Preslie Saunders and Kayla Ostovar, both seniors, helped the Monarchs regroup to secure a 25-16 triumph against Hamilton in the Platinum Bracket third-place contest that was overshadowed by Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell receiving a red card.
Preslie Saunders helped Mater Dei finish third in the National Division Premier Bracket | Natalie Miller photo
Mater Dei is scheduled to next face Santa Margarita (19-9) in a Trinity League showdown Tuesday.
The Eagles captured the National Division Bronze Bracket title Saturday, rebounding from a 25-20, 16-25, 15-10 loss in their opening contest to Portland Jesuit from Oregon to win three straight matches behind the contributions of Ireland Real, Brooklyn Drumwright, Kaliya Ndiaye and Memphis Burnett, capped by a 25-27, 25-22, 15-5 victory against Perry High from Arizona in the final.
Santa Margarita won its final three matches to capture the National Division Bronze Bracket title | Natalie Miller photo
After winning a pair of three-set contests Friday to secure a spot in the top 16, Chula Vista Eastlake lost Saturday to DuPont Manual and Arizona programs Scottsdale Horizon, Liberty and Pinnacle, with Stanford commit Ivanna Rivera Vargas not competing in multiple matches for the Titans (13-9).
The Bishop’s School from La Jolla (19-8) split its four matches Saturday, concluding the tournament with a 25-19, 25-21 victory against Valley Christian from Arizona in the National Division Silver Bracket seventh-place showdown.
Vista Murrieta (8-15) and Sacred Heart Prep (14-11) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the National Division Bronze Bracket. The Broncos prevailed 25-22, 25-15 against Sacred Heart Prep.
James Logan (26-2) had its 22-match winning streak snapped in a 28-26, 22-25, 15-8 loss to Flagstaff High of Arizona in the Premier Division Platinum Bracket semifinals, but the Colts showcased their resilience by responding with a 25-27, 25-23, 15-12 victory in the third-place match against Westminster Academy from Florida.
James Logan rebounded from having its 22-match winning streak snapped to take third in the Premier Division Platinum Bracket | Erik Boal photo
McKenzie Anderson delivered back-to-back kills to break a 12-12 tie in the deciding set for James Logan, which responded well following its first loss since Aug. 24 against Huntington Beach Marina.
Anderson finished the tournament with 96 kills, 81 digs and five aces.
The Colts, who also received timely contributions from juniors Leann Jung and Emma Tran as well as freshman Chelsea Branley, swept Arizona programs Basha and Gilbert to reach the Premier Division Platinum Bracket semifinals.
Jung contributed 205 assists, 29 kills, 28 digs and five aces for James Logan, which also received 68 digs and six aces from Tran, 45 kills from Branley, in addition to 26 kills and six aces from junior Azaria Nelson.
Ontario Christian (27-7) had its run of 11 consecutive victories halted by Flagstaff in a 22-25, 28-26, 15-9 setback in the Platinum Bracket quarterfinals.
The Knights swept Gilbert, before falling 25-22, 25-17 to Village of Colorado in the Platinum Bracket fifth-place contest.
Flagstaff (21-1) won the Premier Division Platinum Bracket championship with a 25-16, 25-17 triumph against Riverside of British Columbia, Canada, the only sweep Saturday for the Eagles, who needed three sets to outlast their other three opponents.
Campbell Hall (14-13) finished fifth in the Premier Division Silver Bracket, capped by a 25-23, 25-23 win against White River from Washington.
Norco defeated Chico 25-22, 19-25, 15-9 in the Premier Division Bronze Bracket third-place match, with San Diego Section programs Brawley Union securing sixth and Mission Hills earning eighth in the bracket.