The Hot Shots 14 American volleyball team took top honors during a recent two-day “American Challenge” in Akron. The local team went into the tournament ranked ninth in The Ohio Valley Region (OVR) tournament and has now moved up to fourth in a field of 93 teams. Members of the squad are from left, front row, Sky North (Marysville), Grace Gorton (St. John’s), Mackenzie Lester (Fairbanks), Brielle Moorhouse (Benjamin Logan) and Katie Palmer (Marysville); back row, coach Allison Gorton, Lindsey Smith (Fairbanks), Sophie Little (Marysville), Alexa Kenney (Delaware), Natalie McNicholas (Marysville), and coach Melissa Faucher. The team’s pool play in the tourney included victories over Elite Sports Ohio Volleyball Company Premier, Buckeyefire Spitfire, NOVA Juniors Gold, the Cleveland Volleyball Company Red, Impact Sports Academy Black and NOVA Juniors Maroon. The spikers captured the gold semifinal match against Impact Sports Academy Camo 26-24, 25-20. For the gold title, Hot Shots defeated Elite Sports Ohio Volleyball Company-Elite with scores of 25-22, 25-22. It was the team’s third tournament title of the season.
(Photo submitted)