TAV Wins 17U Open National Championship in Three-Set Thriller

Six North Texas clubs qualified for the most competitive bracket at USA Volleyball Junior Nationals — the 17U Open division — and Texas Advantage Volleyball, known to fans simply as TAV, entered as one of the favorites. They left as national champions.

Thursday's qualifying round put TAV against Drive Nation out of Lewisville in the Gold Championship bracket. Eaton High School's Lexi Martin, set up by Byron Nelson's Sophee Peterson, helped TAV handle the challenge, winning in two sets, 25-18 and 26-24. In the Pool Play Finals, TAV faced Mad Frog Volleyball Club out of Plano. Martin, who is committed to TCU and would go on to earn All-Tournament honors, delivered a sharp serve, while Peterson — ranked among the top five players in the country — shut down a kill attempt by San Diego State-bound Isabella Howard of John Paul II before setting up SMU commit Brynn Stephens of Walnut Grove. TAV swept Mad Frog, 25-12 and 25-16.

Friday brought single-elimination play. After dispatching the Orlando Tampa Volleyball Club, TAV squared off against Arizona Sky. Southlake's Vanessa Glenn controlled the serve receive and fed Peterson and Martin, who combined to put away Arizona Sky 25-16 and 25-22, punching TAV's ticket to the national championship match.

The finals presented TAV's stiffest test: SC Rockstars, featuring Kendall Omoruyi, the No. 1 ranked player in the country. SC Rockstars dominated the first set 25-14, with Keller High libero Ansley Shafer doing everything she could to keep TAV in it with a series of diving saves. TAV regrouped for the second set, and LSU-bound Nyla Livings of Prestonwood Christian Academy joined Peterson at the net to turn the tide, helping TAV take the second set 25-22 and force a deciding third.

In the third set, first to 15 wins the national title. Brynn Stephens received the serve and delivered a perfect pass to Peterson, who set Martin for a kill that SC Rockstars got a hand on — but couldn't control. TAV won the set 15-11 and claimed the 17U Open National Championship, coming from behind in the final match to do it.

The 17U squad's club season is now complete, but the program's run at nationals wasn't finished — TAV's 16U team also won their division's national title, capping a historic tournament for North Texas volleyball.