Silver Medal for Synergy 12 Lehigh
Posted by tpope in Lehigh Valley, Result, Tournament on January 24, 2012
12 Lehigh Takes Silver at CAVA
Congratulations to Synergy Volleyball’s youngest players who recently battled to win a silver medal in their second tournament of the year.
The 12 Lehigh team competed among 9 teams at the CAVA New Year Revolution 12s Tournament. After a slow start, the team rallied with a strong finish, winning a tie-breaker to make it to the playoffs. Following a three-set win in the semi-finals, the team fought hard in the finals, taking the silver against a solid team from Delaware’s Brandywine BAM.
The performance follows the team’s strong finish in the MLK Kickoff Classic in Lancaster, Pa., where the girls took on the challenge of playing up in the 13s division, besting several older teams and finishing in the semi-finals of the silver bracket.
“They may be young, but they play with a lot of heart,” said Coach Donna Roman. “They work hard at practice and games, and focus on improving their skills. I feel this team is going to continue to grow and develop as volleyball players and as a team. They are achievers, and this is only the beginning.”
Synergy Dominates MLK Tournament
Posted by tpope in King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley, Result, Tournament on January 18, 2012
14 Orange wins Gold.
Synergy Volleyball dominated the 2012 MLK Kickoff Classic, nearly sweeping the Open division and winning gold medals in the 14s, 15s, 16s and 17s age groups. In all, a total of 16 Synergy teams from King of Prussia and Lehigh Valley all posted standout performances, often facing their fiercest competition from another Synergy team.
In the 14 Open division, 14 Orange was undefeated going into the gold medal round, where they faced tough competition in a semi-final match against 14 Lehigh. Orange prevailed and went on to win Synergy’s first gold medal of the day in a 3-game final against a feisty defensive team from Pittsburgh 3 Rivers. Meanwhile, 14 Lehigh earned a strong 3rd place overall finish out of 20 teams. 13 Orange took on the challenge of playing up a division and held their own against some of the tournament’s top teams including their 14 Orange teammates in second-round play. The 13s moved on to the silver bracket where they made it to the semifinals, placing 9th overall. A young 14 Navy team played with heart each match and closed out the tournament in the quarter-finals of the Bronze division. 12 Lehigh also played up in the 13s division, making it all the way to the semi-finals of the silver bracket.
A team effort takes 15 Orange to gold.
IT WAS ALL GOLD for three Synergy 15s teams that battled their way into the Gold bracket, with 15 Orange placing 1st, 15 Lehigh taking 3rd and 15 Navy advancing to 5th out of a total of 32 teams. All the teams faced their toughest competition from each other. “We showed that all three teams can beat anyone if we play our best,’’ said 15 Orange coach Pat Rucker.
In the second round, Orange squeaked out a win against Navy in a match that included a 29 to 27 nail biter. In the semi-finals, a tenacious Lehigh team took Orange to three sets in a exciting match worthy of the finals.
“Navy and Lehigh played great defense, served tough and hit efficiently,’’ said Coach Rucker. “I was most impressed by the hitting of Lauren Mueller on the outside for 15 Navy and the setting and net play by Lehigh setter Emmy Geis. She was awesome and the best player for her size in the tournament.”
16 Orange celebrates MLK gold.
THERE WAS MORE GOLD in Lancaster for the 16 Orange which took the top prize in 16 Open, with a hard-fought, three-set win against P3R. “It was a good team effort,” said Coach George Trabosh. “The girls showed their mettle as they fought back from a deficit.”
Coach Trabosh noted that one of the toughest teams Orange faced in the tournament was in the second round against our own 16 Navy team, which battled in several close matches and finished in the quarterfinals of the silver bracket.
17 Orange on their way to gold.
THE WINNING continued with 17 Orange taking the gold medal in 17 Open, while 17 Lehigh also advanced to the gold bracket, where it lost a 27-25 heart-breaker to DE United in the quarter finals. A talented 17 Navy team advanced to the semi-finals of the Bronze bracket.
Finally, in the 18 Open, 18 Orange took 2nd place overall in the Gold bracket. It was a thrilling, all-Synergy final in the 18 Open Silver division, where 18 Lehigh and 18 Navy fought a close 3-set match, with LHV taking the win.
Congratulations to all the Synergy teams for their outstanding performances at the MLK. The bar has been set for another great year of Synergy Volleyball!
Synergy Player Services
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley on December 11, 2011
Becoming a member of the Synergy family entitles you to some great benefits.
Player profiles – This is a quick way to get your info out to collegiate coaches. You can easily print them for tournaments and mailings or keep the digital version ready to email and post to the schools you are interested in. Check out a sample player profile.
Skill Videos – Has an interested coach asked you for a tape? Have you sent any of your top 10 school choices an intro video? This can be one of the most time consuming and confusing things to produce during the recruiting process… but it doesn’t have to be. See how we can help!
Speed, Agility and Strength Training – Starting in January, ALL Synergy players will be required to participate in pre-practice speed and agility training training provided by Aspiring Champions. It’s included in your tuition, so be sure to take full advantage of the resource.
2012 Season Practices Have Begun
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Uncategorized on November 26, 2011
Tryouts are over, teams are set and preparations have begun towards a successful 2012 campaign. Rosters and Schedules will be online soon.
Rich Johnson: Pennsylvania Sports Hall Of Fame Inductee
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Award, King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley on September 29, 2011
Congratulations to our fearless leader, Rich Johnson! Yesterday evening, Rich was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Montgomery County Chapter. Rich joined 11 other dedicated and accomplished coaches and athletes — including legendary boxer Joe Frazier — in the induction ceremonies held yesterday in King of Prussia. Rich was honored for his history-making run coaching volleyball. Over the last 10 years, his teams have combined for a total of 5 PIAA state titles, 2 USAV Open Junior National Championship Silver Medals, 10 – Top 40 High School National Rankings and dozens of appearances in USAV Junior National Tournaments. Along the way, he has coached 15+ AAU and USAV All Americans and helped scores of young athletes to achieve their collegiate volleyball dreams.
Visit the Montgomery County Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame website over the next several days for more details. In the meantime, check out 2 very interesting articles about Rich and Synergy 18 Orange’s Rebecca Bates.
One More Open Gym Before Tryouts!
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Events, King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley, Open Gym on September 20, 2011
Thank you all for making yesterday’s Open Gym at Aspiring Champions a huge success! The talent level was high and competition strong leading to tons of fun — just the way we ALL like it! If you missed out, it’s not too late to get in on the fun. Get tuned up before the first tryouts of the season at our next King of Prussia Open Gym on October 23rd. Sign up now, if you haven’t already!
2011 Junior National Classic Highlights
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Events, King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley, Result, Tournament on July 12, 2011
This article was amended 7/13/2011 due to an accidental omission of content. My sincerest apologies to those affected. – Synergy Webmaster
The 12 Orange, coming off an amazing season, were put to the test immediately in Atlanta — their pool included the two teams that would eventually battle in the finals. Despite the tough draw, the girls held their own, especially against Borinquen Coqui of Puerto Rico, who won the national championship. The Synergy family is especially proud of their great effort and a terrific season.
The 14 Orange set the bar high while competing in the 14 American Division a week earlier. Dominant and confident play characterized their first several days of competition, toppling the 4th seed in 2 sets. Things looked promising until drawing the top seed in a challenge match late in day 3. Still, their previous strong play earned them a seat in the Silver quarter finals where they fell just short of a semi-final appearance in a 3 set nail-biter.
The 16 Orange fought through lots of adversity this season with the unexpected departure of 2 assistant coaches and several untimely injuries. But, in the 16 National Division, the 16 Orange epitomized everything Synergy. After several days of 3 set battles, the feisty team lost in the semi-final round of the Bronze bracket. Finishing 19th overall, the team caught the attention of several coaches – some drawing comparisons reminiscent of a younger version of the 18 Orange. The 16 Lehigh also finished in the top half of the 16 American Division. Like their national division counterparts, they fought hard in true Synergy fashion in the 3rd day play — nearly upsetting Gold and Silver quarter-finalist teams.
The 17 Orange battled injury and position changes throughout the season, but showed positive growth by taking home the top spot in Flight 1 in the 17 American Division. The final push was a good experience for the young squad, with several players earning quiet accolades from opposing club and college coaches. Everyone was proud of their end of season effort and learned how to finish when it counted.
Last but certainly not least, the 18 Orange finished what is arguably the most successful season ever for any team on the eastern seaboard! In any case, it’s definitely the most successful team in Synergy history. In addition to a long list of individual accolades, the team upset regional favorites for titles at the MLK and MAPL tournaments and captured 2 Open Qualifier titles at Big South and NEQ (undefeated in matches and sets respectively). Their achievement was nationally recognized when they secured a #1 ranking on PrepVolleyball.com and the #1 spot overall in the 18 Open National Junior Classic. Falling only 4 points shy of their season-long goal, the 18 Orange made their friends, coaches, parents and all of Pennsylvania proud by bringing home the National Junior Classic Silver Medal as well as 3 All-Tournament Team Awards.
This seasons experiences left many proud parents, coaches and players with an overall good feeling, yet extremely hungry and excited for all the possibilities next year. It’s been a week now since the final day of the 2011 campaign — that’s plenty of rest! If you didn’t end up where you want to be, your training for the next opportunity STARTS NOW!
18 Orange Ranked #1 in the Nation!
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Award, King of Prussia, Result on May 5, 2011
PrepVolleyball.com released its rankings yesterday with the 18 Orange in the top spot. The 18 Orange stands first after jumping 20 spots (compared to March) followed closely by Munciana out of Indiana, California’s Sports Shack, Dallas Premier and Mizuno Long Beach. The PrepVolleyball article highlighted the team’s winning history, work ethic, attitude and court leadership from Shelbey Manthorpe and Rebecca Bates as crucial to their success.
As honored as the 18 Orange are, the job is not done. They remain focused and are working hard to secure their legacy and a National Championship. The 18s knew they would have a bullseye on their back after winning Big South and NEQ so they are well into the final phase of their preparation. Check out the PrepVolleyball article to see the competition they will likely face. Game On.
18 Orange: Open Champions at Northeast Qualifier!
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Award, Events, King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley, Result, Tournament on April 19, 2011
They’re at it again. The 18 Orange continued their winning ways by taking the top spot at the Northeast Qualifier last weekend in Baltimore, MD. This win was very special to the 18′s because they considered this tournament to be part of their home turf. They proved it by dispatching every team in 2 sets — leaving them with a perfect record on the championship podium. Quick adjustments and contributions from the entire team helped the 18 Orange capture an unprecedented 2nd Open Qualifier Championship this season.
Other Synergy teams also did well this weekend. The 13 Orange finished 5th out of 45 teams in the sole 13′s division. In the 17 National Division, the 17 Navy and 17 Lehigh both finished in the top 10 after some great gold bracket performances.
In total, 6 Synergy teams will be making appearances at the 2011 Junior National Championships in Atlanta. Congratulations!
5 More Teams National Bound!
Posted by Synergy Webmaster in Award, Events, King of Prussia, Lehigh Valley, Result, Tournament on April 13, 2011
Last weekend in Downingtown, 5 more Synergy teams claimed regional bids to the 2011 Junior National Championships! The 12 Orange were the first to secure the National Bid by taking gold on Saturday. Not to be outdone by the little ones, the 14 Orange rallied late to secure an American Bid. The 16 Orange made a statement by dominating pool play and punctuating it with a bitter-sweet victory over our own 16 Lehigh in the final. The 16 Orange finished the day with a perfect record and grabbed the National Bid, while the 16 Lehigh were rewarded with an American Bid for their outstanding play. The 17 Orange rounded out the championship-bound field by also securing an American Bid after a tough championship loss.
These teams will join the 18 Orange, who captured an Open Bid 2 weeks ago, at the 2011 Junior National Championship (JNC) to be held in Atlanta over the last 2 weeks of June and beginning of July. For more information about the 2011 JNC visit their website at http://usavolleyball.org/juniors/indoor.
Memories
