The four divisions are set as follows:

During the regular season, each team will play:

–       Two teams in their division twice

–       Three matches against the opposing division in their conference, and then

–       Three more matches against one of the divisions from the opposite conference

Altogether, each team will play ten matches, competing for the best overall record of their divisions. The team with the top record in their respective division will automatically qualify for the playoffs. The following two teams within that conference with the best overall record will also qualify for the playoffs regardless of division. Four teams from each conference will be represented in the playoffs, similar to 2021.

On top of the extended regular season, the NVA is also planning its first-ever All-Star Game! During Event 5, the NVA will bring together the top performers of the regular season to compete for an exhibition featuring some of the top talents in the world in one match!

Make sure to get all the NVA’s scheduled events down in your calendars so you don’t miss any action this season! With new team rivalries established from last year’s competition, fans can expect big show-outs for match-ups such as Freedom vs. Stingers, Stunners vs. Tyrants, Blaze vs. Matadors, Sasquatch vs. Kraken, and Untouchables vs. Exposure. Come back to the news page and follow the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to find more info on the teams this coming season in the following weeks. Fans

should also check out the next two episodes of the Quest for the Cup series and get a first look at our two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch.

–       NVA Staff Writer

2022 NVA Regular Season Schedule

Event 1: April 8th – 10th

Event 2: May 6th – 8th

Event 3: May 28th – 30th

Event 4: June 17th – 19th

Event 5: July 8th – 10th

NVA Championship: August 5th-7th

Each event will feature twelve matches over three days with four games a day. Each team competes in two matches per event weekend, totaling ten matches throughout the season. The teams will be fighting each game to bolster their overall record and rack up NVA Points to win their respective division. Winning your division will automatically advance you to the playoffs.

Some of the highlight matches include…

– Saturday 04/09 @ 12:00 PM PST: Dallas Tornadoes vs. Colorado Kraken, the Tornadoes grudge match against their previous head coach and his new team, the Colorado Kraken.

– Friday 05/06 @ 9:00 AM PST: Las Vegas Ramblers vs. Utah Stingers, both of last year’s top regular-season teams who have both made the final podium two years running, will face off in this newly-formed rivalry.

– Friday 05/06 @ 12:00 PM PST: OC Stunners vs. Texas Tyrants, a rematch of their five-set quarterfinals thriller, which is regarded as the best match of the 2021 playoffs.

– Sunday 05/30 @ 9 AM PST: Chicago Untouchables vs. Southern Exposure, a rematch of a highly gritty quarterfinal matchup from last season that ended in a five-set Exposure win.

– Sunday 06/19 @ 6 PM PST: LA Blaze vs. Inland Empire Matadors, as they battle for dominance in this cross-town rivalry.

– Sunday 06/30 @ 9 AM PST: New Jersey Freedom vs. Seattle Sasquatch, the first matchup between the Northwest and Northeast Coast teams.

Next week, be sure to check back in to delve into the ranking system that includes divisional and cross-conference play. Also, stay tuned for more information on the league’s two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch! Follow the NVA on Instagram and Facebook to get weekly media updates on league developments and player stories if you haven’t already. Fans can also jump back in and watch all of last year’s matches on YouTube and get a taste of what is to come!

Follow the link below to get a breakdown of the 2022 season and conference divisions!

https://www.nvausa.com/news/detail?id=158

-NVA Staff Writer

Those who attended the All-American Banquet and the coinciding NCAA Div. 1 championship match between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers witnessed some of the most extraordinary players in the history of NCAA. The game had historical precedence, with one player becoming the first-ever five-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Of course, it would be none other than the Division 1 player of the year, Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke!

The NVA had the privilege of handing out the awards to the AVCA Players of the Year, and we are excited to share their names with you again! Readers can find the complete list of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team selections from each division on the AVCA website. https://www.avca.org/awards/

AVCA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

NAIA AVCA Player of the Year– Nada Meawad, Park (Missouri)

Two-Year College AVCA Player of the Year– Marian Ovalle, New Mexico Military Institute

NCCAA AVCA Player of the Year– Sydney Schwitters, University of Northwestern-St. Paul

NCAA Division III AVCA Player of the Year– Heidi Westra, Calvin University

NCAA Division II AVCA Player of the Year– Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino

NCAA Division I AVCA Player of the Year– Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin – Madison

For many of the NVA players present for the convention, the best moment of the event came from the Athletes Unlimited Draft, which has invited nine graduating collegiate stars to join their league. Athletes Unlimited is the only pro indoor women’s volleyball league in the U.S., which premiered last year on the CBS Sports Network! Two of the draftees, Div. 1 Player of the Year, Dana Rettke, and Nebraska’s Laura Stivrins, went head-to-head, middle on middle, in the 5-Set NCAA Championship thriller. This historic draft is the first of its kind in the U.S. to provide an immediate pipeline for the nation’s most valuable volleyball players to go straight from university to the major leagues!

https://auprosports.com/read/meet-the-9-draftees-from-the-inaugural-athletes-unlimited-volleyball-draft/

Inspired by AU Sports, the NVA is preparing to eventually establish their draft, looking to bring graduating student-athletes into the fold after the NCAA Men’s Final. With another successful year at the AVCA, the NVA has done well to show attending coaches just how disciplined, determined, and hungry our athletes are. We hope that the word will continue to spread from coaches to the next generation of college players that the dream of becoming a professional volleyball athlete is just on the other side of graduation! With this much talent already on display on the women’s side, the NVA and their teams are eager to see what homegrown products come from NCAA Men’s Volleyball this summer!

-NVA Staff Writer

From December 15th-18th, the convention halls will be jam-packed with seminars regarding coaching skills, skill development, career advancement, club management, and even sports psychology. Each educational session will be led by the country’s top NCAA Div 1, Olympic, and Club coaches, including some of the current greats with; Karch Kiraly (USA Women’s National Team), John Speraw (USA Men’s National Team), and Alan Knipe (Long Beach State), all leading their own sessions. On top of that, the event offers break-out sessions for coaches to network and reconnect with other coaches from around the nation.

The NVA is sending 16 athletes and coaches from around the league to take part in ten educational seminars as part of the on-court practice demonstrations. Utah Stingers Owner & NVA VP Russell Holmes will also present awards to the top NCAA athletes at this year’s All-American/Players of the Year Banquet. Southern Exposure will also be sending Co-Owners OJ Catalan and Tony Glessner, as well as Setter Derek Sullivan, to help out with making this the best event yet! This will be the second year that the league has participated in this phenomenal event and has eagerly awaited its return since the last AVCA convention back in 2018.

There’s still time if you haven’t yet registered for the convention. You can also purchase passes on-site starting at 4 pm on Tuesday the 14th at 4 pm. However, if you cannot make it in person, you can still watch every seminar online with their Virtual Convention, including live Learning Labs created exclusively for virtual attendees, a virtual exhibit show, and Career Center. Below you’ll find links to find out more information about registering, as well as our seminar schedule for the week. If you see us there, give us a shout, we would love to talk and learn together as we all push to help foster the next generation of volleyball in the USA and grow the game!

Schedule and AVCA Links:

Thursday 12/16

–       11am – 12pm: Technical and Tactical Components that Lead to a Better Transition Game. (Dave Preston)

–       3pm – 4pm: Rethinking Feedback in a Practice Setting. (John Speraw)

–       4:15pm – 5:15pm: Controlled Variations of Live Play: How to Challenge your Starting Side to Prepare for Game Day. (Wright State Staff)

Friday 12/17

–       1:15pm – 2:15pm: Planning and Facilitating a Week of Practice Drills. (James Madison Staff)

–       2:30pm – 3:30pm: Bolstering your Attackers’ Toolkit. (Karch Kiraly)

–       3:45pm – 4:45pm: Training your Team to be Efficient Out of System. (Shannon Winzer)

Saturday 12/18

–       9am – 10am: Serve Receive with USAV Women’s National Team. (Tama Miyashiro)

–       9am – 10am: Adaptive Creativity – The importance of customizing drills to enhance & excite your players. (Eric Snyder)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Coaching Using Story Telling – External Feedback in Action. (Jamie Morrison)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Practice Pyramids: Growth Through the Climb. (Chad Willis)

https://avcaconvention.org/

https://avcaconvention.org/virtual-convention/

-NVA Staff Writer

Set #2 was a mirror image of set #1. At 5-4, SE Coach Tony Glessner substituted #13, Chad Mercado, with #14 Jakob Ciesla. However, despite the substitution, Southern Exposure continued to struggle on offense. Like the first set, the Untouchables defense, primarily covering balls off the block touch, demoralized Southern Exposure’s hitters. The Untouchables took advantage of the transition opportunities that led to a 25-23 win for the set. 

In set #3, Coach Glessner started Mercado at Opposite again. Getting focused once again, Southern Exposure cleaned up their play and took an early 7-4 lead. Mercado also finally caught fire, helping Southern Exposure keep their lead until Untouchables fought back to tie at the media timeout 16-16. Excelling at their side-out game, Southern Exposure managed to keep their 1-point lead and closed out the set, 25-23, with a crafty roll shot over the block by Mercado. 

In set #4, Mercado again stepped up to the plate, helping Southern Exposure rally and win the set 25-18. But it wasn’t his hitting that saved the day. Mercado’s two digs, one off his foot and the other off his chest, right before the media timeout led to points for Southern Exposure that gave them a 16-12. With added offensive pressure from Tyler Hubbard-Neil and sharp angles from Tim Lourich, SE kept the Untouchables grounded and won the set 25-18. 

Set #5 was a nip and tuck battle that went into extra points. Both teams started well, with Southern Exposure taking the early lead 8-6 at the switch. The Untouchables breakaway at 13-13 after Milnaziak took a swing off the block for the kill. Despite their effort, Southern Exposure closed out the set after 16-16 with an Untouchables hitting error and a final dagger roll shot by Hubbard-Neil to finish 18-16. 

Head on over to YouTube on the NVA USA page to watch the full replay of the match!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRzsIiPPURQ 

Match Statistics

Southern Exposure:

#1 Tyler Neil-Hubbard – 17 Points (16 Kills, 1 Ace)

#13 Chad Mercado – 15 Points (14 Kills, 1 Block)

#12 Uchenna Ofoha – 12 Points (12 Kills)

#8 Tim Lourich – 14 Points (9 Kills, 4 Blocks, 1 Ace)

#2 Eddie Moushikihian – 10 Points (8 Kills, 1 Block, 1 Ace)

Chicago Untouchables:

#9 Jake Milnaziak – 17 points (16 kills, 1 Block)

#11 Kyle Schwede – 15 points (14 kills, 1 Block)

#16 Paul Bilanzic – 10 Points (7 Kills, 3 Blocks)

#18 Thomas Burrell – 10 Points (7 Kills, 3 Blocks)

#13 Will Ragland – 9 Points (7 Kills, 2 Blocks)

• NVA Staff Writer

First up for the quarterfinals is Southern Exposure VS the Chicago Untouchables.

Southern Exposure’s journey this year is a Cinderella story. A winless team that finished last in the 2020 season has now closed the regular season in first place in the National Conference and gained a #1 seed in the playoffs. A big part of the credit goes to Coach OJ Catalan and Tony Glessner, who deserve to be candidates for 2021 Coach of the Year. 

In their first match of the season, Southern Exposure surprised everyone when they defeated the Stunners 3-0 and pushed off with a 2-1 record. Southern Exposure also showed significant improvement throughout the year and played in some very tough and close matches. Of their nine games, five of them went the distance to five sets. Two of the teams they defeated were Team Freedom, who finished third place last season, and the Stingers, the previous year’s NVA Champions. 

Southern Exposure doesn’t have a single dominating player like some of the other NVA teams. Still, they have a well-balanced offense that led gotten them to a 6-3 record. Southern Exposure has also shown that they’re capable of scoring a lot of points. In their 5 set marathon match against the Stingers, Southern Exposure scored 69 points. And with a 5-0 record for their games that ended in 5 sets, they’ve demonstrated that they can perform well under pressure. 

Led by Setter Derrick Sullivan, Southern Exposures offense has relied on Tyler Hubbard-Neil, Eddie Moushikhian, Kevin Rockland, Chad Mercado, Tim Lourich, Langston Payne, Uchenna Ofoha, and Evan McDonough. All these players have made considerable contributions to this year’s success, and it’s a guessing game on who Coach Catalan and Glessner will start. But whoever he places in the starting lineup, the key players for Southern Exposure to win will be veteran Chad Mercado and National Team libero Kyle Dagostino.

The Chicago Untouchables are one of two new teams that have joined the league for the 2021 season, starting off with a shaking 0-3 record but still strong enough to make the playoffs. After their 0-3 start, the Untouchables rallied back to win three matches in a row at the Atlantic City, New Jersey event. While one of the wins was a triumphant success over Southern Exposure, the other two wins were in their favor against the Matadors and Tornadoes, both of whom ended the season with 2-7 records. Despite the mid-season comeback, the Untouchables ended the season 0-3. It’s fair to say that the Untouchables have had an up and down season and haven’t found a starting lineup that can play cohesively as a team. But the team is filled with impressive midwest volleyball talent that can indeed be a problematic team for everyone else if harnessed correctly by coach Mitch Wiskerchin. Nevertheless, the Untouchables feel lucky to be in the playoffs. 

Like Southern Exposure, the Untouchables don’t have a single ace player to rely on to score points. Led by setter Ian Capp much of their scoring has come from various outside hitters like Eddie Keesecker, Kyle Schwede, Will Ragland, Dan Nugent, and Jake Milnaziak. But the key for the Untouchables to win will be more activity from their middle blockers Paul Bilanzic, Thomas Burrell, and Matt Buffum. That can only happen if the team can improve upon their reception to keep their offense in system and hard service pressure to give their blockers the upper hand.

Prediction: Southern Exposure has more incentives to win than the Untouchables. One reason is for the Florida team to prove this year’s Cinderella season wasn’t a fluke and record their first NVA playoff win. The other is revenge for the Untouchables win early in the season. It’s always best to pick the previous loser to win the next match. Southern Exposure also has a more balanced offensive attack. 

For the Untouchables to defeat Southern Exposure, they will need to ramp up their defense, activate their middle blockers early, and extend rallies, scoring points in transition. This match may end in five sets as the Untouchables have shown some grit this season, even in their losses. If the teams go to a fifth set, the advantage goes to Southern Exposure. Nevertheless, the odds are that Southern Exposure will win. Score Prediction: Southern Exposure 3, Untouchables 1.

Stay tuned and visit the NVA website for the following prediction on the second playoff matchup between the Tyrants #2 American Conference Seed and Stunners #3 Seed in the National Conference. To find more articles about the Chicago Untouchables’ and Southern Exposure’s regular season, check out their news section at the bottom of their team websites.

https://untouchables.nvausa.com/ 

https://southernexposure.nvausa.com/ 

“Volley On With the NVA!”

• NVA Staff Writer

In his professional career thus far, Kyle has a proven track record being named the best libero in both the 2019/20 Slovenian Cup and 2020/21 Middle European Cup (MEVZA) after winning both with his team, ACH Volley Ljubljana (Kyle Dagostino » clubs :: Volleybox). However, now with the more familiar coaching staff in his home state, Kyle has been let off the chain to show just how versatile he really can be.

During Event 3, OJ Catalan and Tony Glessner put forward some experimental lineups against the Utah Stingers and LA Blaze. On top of having middle Tim Lourich play on the opposite, Kyle started as both the team’s setter and outside hitter. As a 5’9″ outside hitter, Kyle scored 10 points (eight kills and two aces) swinging against the Stinger’s blocking giants Jake Langlois and Jorge Mencia. Then playing as a setter against LA Blaze, Kyle put up _ ____ assists, leading to the team’s substantial 58% side-out percentage. Thanks to Kyle’s brilliant playmaking, Southern exposure won every match during the weekend, securing their spot in the final 8, taking first in National Conference for the regular season. 

“To have Johnny Gomez and Kyle Dagostino passing in all six rotations against the Stingers’ heavy serves and swing gave us a lot of ball control and defense. Kyle has also had a lot of experience setting, and I think he is one of the best out-of-system setters in the league with a super impressive IQ. He knows how to win, and it’s fantastic to hear how he can communicate with our staff and the team. OJ and I knew we had options with some of our players in different positions to play. However, our team has endless possibilities with Kyle in the mix.” – Tony Glessner, Owner/Manager.

To check out the two thrilling five-setter matches where Kyle his libero jersey at home, follow the two links below to find the match replays on Youtube. There, fans can also watch Southern Exposure play in the quarter-finals during the first day of the championship weekend on July 9th at 10:00 am PST. Make sure also to follow Kyle (@dagoskyl), Southern Exposure (@southernexposurenva), and the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to stay connected with the team and catch highlight clips from Event 3.    

• By NVA Staff Writer

Tyler indeed came into his own, even outperforming US National team player, Jake Langlois, showing just how far Tyler has come as a player. Growing up in Battle Creek, Michigan, where the wasn’t a boys volleyball team, Tyler learned how to play volleyball by practicing with his sisters. After having had a successful career in the NAIA while attending Sienna Heights University, the Hubbard-Neil family is continuing their volleyball legacy in the NVA. 

“As the baby of the family, I was always going to follow the suit of my older sisters. I love being part of a team sport, and that’s been my motivation to keep improving my game to keep competing on organized teams. Now I see the chance of playing professionally overseas as a real possibility! The more chances I get to play against such high caliber individuals in the NVA, the more that will become a possibility.”  

Tyler is currently one of many who have shown just how dominant the LGTBQ+ players of the NVA are. When it comes to his ability to excel on the court, Tyler had this to say to help other younger players on how they can better connect with their teammates. 

“When you’re a player on the court, you need to be comfortable in your skin first before everyone else can treat you with the same comfortability. I always push myself to be a better individual who can provide the team with anything they need.”

Make sure to catch Tyler Hubbard-Neil in action as Southern Exposure makes their push into the playoffs! They will take on the Chicago Untouchables for the first elimination match of the NVA Championship come July 9th. Go ahead and give Tyler (@ty_hubbardneil), Southern Exposure (@southernexposurenva), and the NVA (@nvausa) a follow on Instagram to stay up with the team and catch highlight clips from Event 3.  

Happy PRIDE Month, Everyone!

Southern Exposure’s 39 attack points enough to overcome Team Freedom’s 53 attack points thanks to good defensive. 

Middle blocker #12 Matt Seifert delivered a monster kill that led to a Team Freedom mini run to take an early lead. Team Freedom’s middle blocker #6 Doug Dzema scored three consecutive points on a kill off the block and two blocks in a row for a 6-2 lead. Southern Exposure started slow and committed three service errors and one hitting error that helped Southern Exposure increase their lead to eight points 16-8 at the media timeout. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by Seifert, #4 Matt Elias, #18 Jonathon Lutz and #8 Besmir Arsiani. Southern Exposure scored points from 6 of their 8 points from Team Freedom’s service and hitting errors and two kills from #2 Eddie Moushikhian and #11 Kevin Rocklein. Southern Exposure rallied back with three mini runs to cut the deficit to two at 22-20. Their points came from kills by Moushikhian, #13 Chad Mercado, middle blocker #12 Uchenna Ofoha and blocks by #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and #15 setter Derrick Sullivan. Southern Exposure eventually tied the set at 23-23. After a Team Freedom timeout, Southern Exposure scored the last two points from back-to-back service aces by Mercado. 

Both teams sided out well for most of set number two. Team Freedom took an early 2-point lead at 8-6. But Southern Exposure rallied back and took a 3-point lead at 11-8. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by #19 Jeffery Nelson, Lutz and Arsiani and Southern Exposure from kills by Rocklein and Moushikhian. Team Freedom rallied back at to tie the set at 16-16 on service ace by Dzema, kill by Nelson and kill and block by Seifert. After a media timeout a kill by Moushikhian gave Team Freedom a 1-point lead to 17-16 which they never relinquished. Team Freedom increased their lead and closed out the set with kills by Moushikhian, Lutz and Nelson. Seifert score the last point on a block for a 25-18 win. 

Southern Exposure dominated set number three that started with a 5-0 run from two Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Mercado and #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and block by Lourich. At 9-4 Southern Exposure increased their lead to 7 points at the media timeout with a combination of Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Seifert, Dzema, Arsiani and Mercado for a 16-9 lead. The only offense Teams Freedom mustered was from Lutz who had 5 consecutive kills. For the rest of the set the only other scores for Team Freedom came on kills by #2 Jake Rosner, Dzema and Nelson. Southern Exposure closed out the set with two consecutive service aces by Rocklein, one kill and one service ace by Ofoha. The set ended on a service error by Team Freedom at 25-15. 

Southern Exposure continued their scoring run in set number four with a 4-0 run on a line kill by Moushikhian back-to-back blocks by Lourich and kill by Lourich. But Team Freedom turned quickly rebounded and tied the score at 4-4 on two Southern Exposure hitting errors and Seifert kill and block. Southern Exposure countered back and took a one point lead until Team Freedom tied the set at 10-10. Team Freedom took the lead thanks to two consecutive Southern Exposure hitting errors, Lutz block, Nelson deep angle kill and kill off the block for a 16-12 score at the media timeout. Team Freedom increased their lead to 6 points at 23-17 and won the set on a Seifert kill 25-19. 

Team Freedom captured the early lead in set number five 3-1 from a Southern Exposure hitting error and Seifert block. Team Freedom kept their lead on kills by Dzema and Rosner until 9-9. A Team Freedom hitting error during transition gave Southern the lead at 10-9. A lead they never relinquished. After Team Freedom called a timeout at 11-9, Southern Exposure scored two consecutive points and took a 13-10 lead on a kill by #1 Tyler-Neil Hubbard and block by Lourich. Southern Exposure won the set and match on a Team Freedom hitting error 15-12. 

Team Freedom’s Jonathon Lutz led all players with 20 kills and his teammates Joe Norman 9 kills and Doug Dzema 7 kills. Southern Exposure’s Uchenna Ofoha led his team with 10 kills followed by Kevin Rocklin with 8 kills and Eddie Moushikhian and Chad Mercado with 6 kills. 

Southern Exposure Defeat the Stingers in a 5 Set Marathon 

Without a doubt this match between the Stingers was the most competitive and longest of the 2021 NVA season. It also established two NVA records that may took a long time to break or never surpass. The match unofficially lasted 2 hours, 54 minutes and 47 seconds and all five sets went into overtime. 

Another interesting aspect of this marathon battle was that it matched up last year’s NVA Champions the Stingers against Southern Exposure, a team who did not win one match last year. 

Stingers and Southern Exposure entertained the volleyball fans with some spectacular and crazy plays and rallies; a line-up rarely seen in volleyball when the Stingers played set number four with Jake Langlois in the middle blocker position and stayed on the back row in the fourth set; and a very rare ineligible substitution that resulted in a red card penalty for a delay of game at a crucial point with the score tied 27-27, which also occurred in the fourth set.

Stingers’ Jake Langlois #10 scored the first point on a kill to start the match, and Southern Exposure’s Tyler Neil-Hubbard countered with a kill to tie the set. For the first half of the set both teams sided-out well and exchanged one and two point leads. Stingers scored on kills by #9 Jorge Mencia, #15 Novel Romero and Langlois. Southern Exposure scored their points on a block by #16 MB Langston Payne, a service ace by #10 Kyle Dagostino and kills by Payne, Dagostino, #19 MB Evan McDonough. At 14-12 Southern Exposure scored three points in a row on one kill by #6 Tim Lourich a Hubbard kill after an overpass and a service ace by Dagostino for a 17-12 lead. Southern Exposure increased their lead to 7 points after a Stingers’ hitting error and kill by Hubbard to 20-13. Stingers scored the next three points to cut the lead to 20-16 on a block by #14 MB Lazaro Fernandez, Romero service ace and Langlois kill after a Southern Exposure overpass. While Southern Exposure hitters struggled to find the court, Langlois’ three kills tied the set at 24-24. Southern Exposure regained the lead at 25-24 and kept the 1-point lead until 28-28. After a Stunner’s serve Southern Exposures’ overpass led to a Metcalf kill on one. Stingers won the set on a block by Metcalf 30-28.

Southern Exposure committed early hitting errors that gave the Stingers an early lead. The Stingers scored on kills from #11 setter Hamilton Day’s dump, Metcalf, Mencia and Langlois; and double block by Metcalf and Mencia for a 7-2 lead. At 8-3 Stingers donated two points to Southern Exposure on a service error and hitting error. After a Dagostino kill Southern Exposure cut the lead to 8-6. Stingers kept a two and three point lead on kills by Romero, Langlois and Fernandez. At 14-12 two Stingers’ hitting errors and kill by Hubbard tied the score 15-15. Both teams exchanged one point leads throughout the rest of the set. Southern Exposure scored on a block by McDonough, Payne service ace and kill and kills by Dagostino and #8 Storm Tufuga Fa’gata. Stingers scored on kills by # 2 Carson Henninger, Langlois, Fernandez and Romero. At 25-25 Stingers won the set from a service ace by Dagostino and McDonough kill after a Southern Exposure overpass 27-25. 

Set number three was the most competitive of the match, in which neither led by more than 2 points. Stingers took the first lead on one of the few Southern Exposure errors 1-0. While the Stingers scored points on kills by Langlois, Metcalf, Mencia and Romero, Southern Exposure scored on points from kills by Dagostino, Hubbard, McDonough and Payne and a block by McDonough and Lourich. At 12-12 Southern Exposure took the lead on a kill by McDonough to 13-12. Both teams continued to  exchange leads, in which the Stingers scored on kills by Mencia, Langlois and Fernandez. Southern Exposure scored on a McDonough service ace, kills by Lourich and Hubbard. After Southern Exposure took a 22-22 lead on a Hubbard block, Stingers scored two consecutive points on a Fernandez block and Langlois kill and retook the lead 23-22. At 24-24 Southern Exposure retook the lead after a Hubbard kill to 25-24. Both teams exchanged points to a 28-28 tie. After a Stingers’ hitting error broke the tie to 29-28, Southern Exposure won the set on a Hubbard kill after a Stingers’ overpass 30-28.

Set number four turned into another long drawn out battle. Southern Exposure scored the first point from #15 setter Derrick Sullivan on a dump. But after Langlois tied the set at 2-2 the Stingers scored three straight points two kills by Storm and one by Mencia to 5-2. Stingers kept that lead until Southern Exposure four points in a row from two kills by Lourich, one kill by Dagostino and block by McDonough to 8-6. Southern Exposure increased their lead to 18-13 on a block by Payne and kills by Hubbard, Lourich and McDonough. Stingers scored on kills by Storm, Romero, Langlois and Mencia. 

At 21-17 the Stingers fought back to tie and take the lead and scored 5 consecutive points on 2 kills by Langlois, one kill and block by Menica and one kill by Storm to 22-21. While both teams battled into overtime, Stingers kept their 1-point lead until 27-27, when the chair umpire penalized Southern Exposure for a delay of game caused by an ineligible substitution. Because Southern Exposure received a yellow card earlier in the match, this delay of game penalty was a second infraction, which resulted in a red card and change of ball ownership that gave the Stingers’ a point to 28-27. On the next point the Stingers won the set on a Southern Exposure error 30-28. 

In set number five Southern Exposure took the early lead 2-0 on Lourich and Payne kills. A Southern Exposure service error gave Stingers their first point. A service ace by the Stingers’ Romero tied the score 2-2. Southern Exposure increased their lead by 2 points after a Hubbard kill and service ace to 4-2. After a Fernandez block tied the score at 4-4 a Mencia kill gave the Stingers’ their first lead of the set. Southern Exposure retook the lead after back-to-back points on a Payne service ace and McDonough block to 7-5. At 9-7 a Lourich service ace increased the Southern Exposure lead to 10-7. But the Stingers retook the lead after 3 hitting errors and 2 Romero kills to 14-13. Southern Exposure tied the score on a Hubbard kill to 14-14. Stingers countered with a Romero kill to 15-14. Then two kills by Hubbard, one on a “bic” gave Southern Exposure a 16-15 lead. On the next point Southern Exposure committed a service error and tied the score at 16-16. Southern Exposure won the set and match on consecutive kills by Lourich and the last by McDonough 18-16. 

Southern Exposures’ Tyler Hubbard-Neil led all players with 21 kills. His teammates Evan McDonough had 13 kills and Lourich and Payne each had 12 kills. 

Stingers were led by Langlois with 20 kills, followed by Mencia 18 kills and Romero 15 kills. Southern Exposure also scored on 9 service aces and 13 blocks. And Stingers on 1 service ace and 10 blocks. Southern Exposure scored 69 points and Stingers 68 points for a total of 137 points.

Southern Exposure Defeats Blaze in the Eighth 5 Set Match of the NVA’s Third Event

Blaze took an early 7-0 lead on kill and service ace by #8 Pablo Guzman, three kills in a row by #12 Travis O’Gorman, Southern Exposure hitting error and kill by #1 Steven Morales. Southern Exposure finally scored on a kill by #12 MB Uchenna Ofoha to 7-1. Blaze increased their lead to 11-3 after they scored three consecutive points on a kill by #3 Greg Faulkner, ace by Morales and kill by Guzman. Both teams sided-out well but also surrendered points to each other from service and hitting errors. The biggest Blaze lead was 9 points after Guzman scored on a joust to 15-6. While Southern Exposure scored clean points on kills by Ofoha, #13 Chad Mercado and #8 Tim Lourich, the Blaze scored on kills by O’Gorman, Guzman and Morales to 24-13. Southern Exposure scored the next point on a Blaze service error. And the Blaze won set point on a Southern Exposure service error 25-14. 

Southern Exposure had a better start in the second set and scored the first four points from an Ofoha kill, Blaze hitting error and kills by #1 Tyler Neil-Hubbard and #10 Kyle Dagostino. Blaze score the next five points from a Southern Exposure hitting error, Guzman service ace, kill by O’Gorman, block by #5 Pedro Nieves and another Southern Exposure hitting error for a 5-4 lead. After Mercado tied the score at 7-7, Blaze  relinquished their lead to Southern Exposure on hitting error to 8-7. Both teams sided-out well to keep the score close. Southern Exposure on kills by #2 Eddie Moushikhian and Hubbard and Ofoha and block by Ofoha. Blaze score on kills by O’Gorman and #10 Rafael Cruz. Southern Exposure increased their lead at 15-14 after a Mercado block and Moushikhian kill to 17-14. Two Blaze hitting errors increased the lead to 19-15. Blaze rallied back on kills by Morales and Faulkner and cut the lead to 22-21. After Hubbard and Mercado kills gave Southern Exposure at 2-point lead at 24-22, O’Gorman scored back-to-back kills and tied the score 24-24. Southern Exposure scored the next point from a kill by #19 MB Evan McDonough and then won the set from a Blaze hitting error 26-24. 

In set number three Southern Exposure scored the first point on a kill by Mercado. Blaze tied the score at 2-2 on a Nieves kill and took the lead on an O’Gorman kill to 3-2. After Southern Exposure scored on a Blaze hitting error, the Blaze scored the next four points kills by #27 Charles Belvin, O’Gorman and Faulkner for a 7-3. Southern Exposure rallied to cut the lead to 12-10 after kills by Hubbard and Mercado and a block by Mercado. But Blaze never relinquished the lead. The last clean point the Blaze scored was on a kill by Nieves at 21-18. Blaze scored the next three points on a kill by Belvin, Southern Exposure hitting error and O’Gorman kill to 24-18. Southern Exposure scored the next point on a Blaze hitting error. Then the Blaze won the set on a Southern Exposure hitting error 25-19. 

Southern Exposure scored the first point again and took the early lead in the fourth set on a Hubbard kill and Mercado block to 2-0. Blaze rallied back to tie the score after a Southern Exposure hitting error and a Faulkner block. Blaze scored the next two points from another Faulkner block and a Belvin service ace to 5-3. Southern Exposure tied and took the lead after kills by Lourich, Mercado and Moushikhian to 7-6. Blaze retook the lead to 11-8 after two Southern Exposure hitting errors and a Guzman kill. Southern Exposure cut the lead to one point after kills by Moushikhian and Mercado to 12-11. Both teams exchanged leads until Southern Exposure took a lead they never relinquished for the rest of the set after a Hubbard kill and Dagostino ace at 21-19. But the Blaze fought back and tied the set at 23-23 after a Southern Exposure hitting error and O’Gorman kill. A Blaze hitting error gave Southern Exposure a 24-23 lead. Belvin followed up with a kill to 24-24. Then Southern Exposure won the set on two consecutive kills, one by Mercado and the last by Dagostino after a Southern Exposure overpass 26-24. 

In set number five Southern Exposure scored the first point on a Hubbard kill and Blaze on a kill by #14 Jonathan Rodriguez. Southern Exposure scored back-to-back kills from Ofoha for a 5-3 lead. After a service error Southern Exposure scored the next three points from a Moushikhian kill and back-to-back service aces to 8-4. Blaze rallied back to cut the lead to 11-9 after a block by Rodriguez. Mercado scored the next Southern Exposure point to 12-9. Blaze scored from Southern Exposure’s service error to 12-10. Hubbard scored to make 13-10. After Belvin scored a kill to 13-11, Southern Exposure won the set and match on a Moushikhian kill followed by a Blaze hitting error 15-11. 

Chad Mercado led all players with 17 kills. His teammates Eddie Moushikhian added 11 kills, Tyler Neil-Hubbard 10 kills and Uchenna Ofoha 9 kills. Travis O’Gorman led the Blaze with 15 kills followed by Pablo Guzman 8 kills and Greg Faulkner and Charles Belvin 7 kills each. Southern Exposure also scored on 7 service aces and 7 blocks. And Blaze on 6 service aces and 5 blocks. 

Set 1

After the first three points for both teams, the Texas Tyrants made an early pull away with a pair of kills from Anthony Robinson and Gianluca Grasso. At the same time, Southern Exposure’s Chad Mercado continued to create a series of hitting and serving errors. The gap was solidified at 13-7 after Austen Lovett had back-to-back blocks. Southern Exposure couldn’t seem to find a way to get the ball to hit the floor, with Julian Rivera putting up six digs until it was too late to catch back up 19-12. Still, Southern Exposure made a trying effort scoring on a pair of three straight Tyrants errors while being down 17-22, with the set ending at 25-22 for the Tyrants.

Set 2

The roles reversed quickly as Derek Sullivan gave two early blocks and Mercado with a kill and ace. At the same time, the Tyrants made a string of errors giving Southern Exposure a 10-5 lead. However, rallying behind a stuff block by Ryan Maune, Grasso, and Gabriel Quinones began scoring again to bring the Tyrants back to 10-10 and force Southern Exposure to take a time out. Three straight kills from Lovett and Robinson gave the Tyrants their first solid lead of the match at 15-13. Again, a string of errors from Mercado pushed the Tyrants lead to 22-17. The Tyrants finished set 2 with authority with a service ace from Maune to put the score at 25-19.

Set 3

To begin the third set, Gianluca obliterated a ball down the line, showing Southern Exposure no concern for their safety. Both teams went to battle, each presenting their arsenal with a flurry of kills, tip, blocks, and aces, bringing the match to 9-9. Both sides had a series of five service errors that showed the low point of what men’s volleyball can be. Two massive blocks from Maune late in the match gave the Tyrants a debilitating lead at 23-21. After a time out, Southern Exposure was able to tie the game at 23-23 with a kill from Tyler Hubbard-Neil. But that was short-lived as the Tyrants cleaned up with a tip kill from Grasso and a stuff block from Lovett to end the game 25-23.

Game 1 Dallas Tornadoes V.S Southern Exposure

Set 1

To begin the first match of Day 2 in Atlantic City, the Dallas Tornadoes and Southern Exposure were shaky with service errors and attacking errors. Tied at 2-2, the two teams traded a string of kills and blocks with a battle between Felix Chapman and Tim Lourich. Southern Exposure gained the lead into the technical timeout. Taking advantage of the Tornadoe’s errors, Southern Exposure Increased their service pressure with aces from Chad Mercado and Tim Lourich, increasing their lead to 11-16. Tornadoes attempted to return from their deficit with kills from Chapman and Rivera. Still, Southern Exposure stayed strong at the net with blocks from Lourich and Kevin Rocklein. Southern Exposure won set one at 25-18 

Set 2

Coming back in Set 2 ready to play, the Dallas Tornadoes gained an early lead at 5-2 with an ace by Roschitz and kills from Chapman and Colon. The game’s flow began to shift with a massive block from Derek Sullivan as Southern Exposure hoped to tie at the technical timeout before Chapman earned a kill at 8-6. Climbing back of the technical timeout, Lourich finally tied the score with an ace at 17-17, which again was met with a massive kill by Chapman and an ace by Rivera. Tornadoes gave Southern Exposure a sliver of hope with two errors at 23-23 but pushed through with two kills from Jessie Colon and Chapman to win the set 25-23. 

Set 3

Rivera started Set 3 with a statement scoring an ace, while Exposure matched the energy with a big triple block. The two teams continued to trade in errors, with Exposure even being called out of rotation. An ace from Chapman put the game back on track as the tornadoes went on to take the lead at 8-6 at the technical timeout. Out of the break, Mercado led the offensive charge with two kills and tied the game at 10-10. Tornadoes gained control back with two kills from Roschitz and blocks from Chapman and Colon, gaining a sizeable lead of 16-12. The Tornadoes stayed on top as Chapman proved to be an unstoppable force adding three kills and finishing the set with an ace at 25-20. 

Set 4

Southern Exposure started the set with early success with a kill and block from Uchenna Ofoha. Tied at 8-8 the momentum quickly changed in favor of Southern Exposure with impeccable defense from Kyle Dagostino. Southern Exposure rode the excitement and pushed the lead to 16-12 with kills from Rocklein and Lourich. The Tornadoes were able to trail behind Southern Exposure with a trying effort by Chapman. Still, in the end, they were unable to gather enough points themselves as Southern Exposure took the set at 25-22. 

Set 5

The final set saw some fantastic offensive distribution from both sides as Dereck Sullivan and Ivan Andujar used all of their weapons to their disposal. The Tornadoes trailed behind Southern Exposure by one point until 9-8, where a kill by Rocklein and block by Mercado got the team to game point at 14-9. Two kills from Chapman and three Southern Exposure hitting errors put the score to 14-14. Just as the Tornadoes saw a chance to take the match, Lourich regained control with a kill, and Mercado shot for the stars with an ace to win the game 16-14.

Game 2: Chicago Untouchables V.S Southern Exposure

Set 1

Heading into the event’s last day, the Untouchables were looking to start this one off strong to complete the weekend sweep. Unfortunately, Southern Exposure’s Uchenna Ofoha had other plans as he started off the set with two massive blocks and a kill to give his team an 8-7 lead. Later on, Kyle Dagostino came to life as he kept Exposure in-system with solid reception, great defensive plays, and incredible sets in transition. The Florida team ended up taking the first set 25-20 after an Untouchables service error.

Set 2

The Untouchables reverted to their regular lineup with setter Ian Capp looking to tie things up in the second set. However, a load of unforced errors was the story early as both teams struggled to captivate a big lead. Just as Southern Exposure was pulling away with some big blocks by Langston Payne, the Untouchable’s Kyle Shwede answered back with a big kill and an even bigger block to tie the game up at 21-21. Then at 22-23, Ian Capp and Thomas Burrell teamed up for arguably the play of the match when Capp bump set his middle from the floor and then fake swings to set Burrell for the super spike and the kill. The rest of the set was extremely close as both teams traded blows pushing it to extra points. Finally, Capp forced an overpass with his monster serve to win his team the set 29-27.

Set 3

The Untouchables were looking to carry over the momentum from their tight set win. However, opposite Chad Mercado would not allow that as he picked up back-to-back aces and an overpass to win his team three straight points early. Unfortunately for Southern Exposure, too many missed serves helped the Chicago team stay close in the set, and the teams went back and forth as they had been all match. At 21-21, 7-foot middle Paul Bilanzic put away a colossal kill followed by a big block on Ofoha to give the Untouchables a big enough lead to go up 2-1 in sets.

Set 4

Southern Exposure started the fourth set by capitalizing on their opponents’ mistakes and showing their significant blocking presence once again. They looked determined to force a fifth; however, the Untouchables’ never-die attitude and positive energy looked like it was frustrating the other team. A couple big digs by Schwede and transition kills by Ragland brought them to a 19-16 lead. But just when it looked like Southern Exposure was going to make a run of their own, the Untouchables’ defense and blocking was too big of a force. An ace from Milnazic was the cherry on top as they took the set 25-20 and the match 3 sets to 1. Will Ragland was the player of the game with 17 points.