Club volleyball team finishes season during Memorial Day weekend tourney in Long Beach
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LONG BEACH >> The Never Say Die 15s club volleyball team won four of its seven matches, including a 3-0 Sunday, during its season-ending tournament this past weekend at the three-day-long West Coast Cup in Long Beach.
Tournament action opened Saturday as the NSD 15s won only one of their first three matches, but they turned in a 3-0 Sunday before dropping their only match Monday, a 25-5, 25-21 loss to BAVC.
“From where the girls started to where they finished, they improved leaps and bounds, not just as a team, but individually as well,” NSD 15s head coach Morgan Psalmonds said. “After every game someone was coming up to me and telling me that they are a good team, they just make little mistakes here and there. That’s when I let them know that we have four eighth-graders and the rest are freshmen. Their eyes would get all big and they would go Wow! That’s awesome!’ ”
Added Psalmonds, “I am beyond proud to coach this group of girls, and thankful to have the support of their families. They’re a great group of girls, and I can’t wait to see all of them play in the fall.”
NSD won its first match Saturday against PAC West 14 Mikayla 25-15, 25-12, but the 15s lost their next two, falling 25-11, 25-17 to FAV 15 Phoenix and 25-15, 25-20 to Point West 15-Kristine.
During Sunday’s three-match sweep for the 15s, NSD defeated Chaos Fury 25-19, 25-15, Thrive 15-Teal 25-17, 25-7, and Dynamites Lady Silver-15 25-11, 25-13.
Kaylee Davis led NSD with 25 kills, Paelynn Beall had 17, Nya Martinez 16 and Lilly Hamel 13. Hamel also had a team-best nine blocks.
Serve leaders were Beall with 18 and Davis, Kiera Mick and Amiyah John with eight apiece.
NSD finished the tournament with 174 digs, led by Gabby Keyes with 32, Beall with 24, John with 23, and Mick and Addison Schaefers with 22 each.
“This team’s volleyball IQ is above their age group, which is only going to help propel them into the world of volleyball,” Psalmonds said.
