Sloger, Ponnappan contribute to club volleyball national titles

Riverside Brookfield High School junior Asha Ponnappan still was processing what just happened, June 28, when she couldn’t believe what she just heard. While still celebrating an American Athletic Union Junior National Championships title in the Classic Division with her 1st Alliance Volleyball Club’s 16-year-old Ruby team, Ponnappan was announced among her team’s three individual All-Americans.

“Our setter got called up first. I was actually thinking in my head, ‘I wonder who was going to get it’ because I wasn’t expecting to get it,” Ponnappan said. “Then I heard my name and I was like, ‘What?’ At first, I was like, ‘Did I hear that right?’

“It felt like all of my work had actually gone into something. It was really meaningful we accomplished that because all of the team worked so hard. That I was recognized for my play, it didn’t feel real when I was called up.” 

RBHS junior Mackenzie Sloger also was a national champion at the USA Volleyball Junior Nationals with the 1st Alliance 16 Onyx team in the Liberty Division at the USA Volleyball nationals July 3.

“That feeling, where my teammates and I got the game-winning kill, just a really good feeling,” Sloger said. 

“All of the hard work my team and I put into the season led up to this moment that really showed up at the end. I’m just really happy for everyone on my team.” 

Numerous area girls players from multiple clubs participated at nationals among eight divisions at the AAU nationals in Orlando, Florida, and six at the USAV nationals in Dallas, Texas.

Ponnappan, a 5-foot-10 middle, played for the RBHS junior varsity last season and as a freshman received that team’s Best Offensive Player award. According to the AAU tournament website, Classic was the eighth-rated division. The 16 Ruby team not only won that division, but went 14-0 for the tournament and only lost one set.

In the final, 16 Ruby defeated Izzy LP 25-19, 25-20.

“My team was the lowest-ranked team in my club. We weren’t expected to do good [at nationals],” Ponnappan said. “As the tournament went on, we’re like, ‘Oh, we could actually win this,’ We were in the semifinals and we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re going to place’ and we were just happy to get a medal. Then all of a sudden we were in the championship match warming up and it felt real.” 

According to the USAV tournament site, Liberty is the fourth-highest division. The 1st Alliance 17 Silver team with Lyons Township High School senior Kate Heatherly competed in the second-highest National Division and finished 27th.

Sloger, a 5-11 outside hitter, is among several returning starters for the RBHS varsity. 

The 16 Onyx team rode quite a roller coaster at nationals, actually losing its first match and going 7-3 overall. 

But 16 Onyx won its final three matches, including an emotional 25-17, 25-23 championship victory over VVA Rita after previously losing 25-17, 25-18 in their pool match two days earlier. 

Sloger said her team made the most of a video session to improve significantly from that first meeting.

“In the championship match, I just looked at everyone and every single person I could tell just wanted it, wanted to win,” she said. “Everyone was focused and we could give it our all. Our energy was definitely a big factor into winning that. We cheered as loud as we could and just wanted to see each other succeed.” 

Among other AAU entries, the 1st Alliance 16 Red team with LTHS junior Colleen Chambers reached the semifinals of the Club Division, the fifth–highest division.

The 16 Red team won its first 12 matches before losing in the semifinals 25-15, 21-25, 15-11 to runner-up Erika.  

The 5-11 Chambers, another returning LTHS varsity starter, was one of the setters in a 6-2 offense. With the Lions, Chambers often ran a 6-2 last season with graduated Kate Badrov.

The 16 Red team previously won an early tournament in St. Louis in February. 

“Going into nationals, we thought we were going to do well but I don’t think we were expecting to do that well,” Chambers said. “I think all of my teammates played very well the whole weekend, some of our best volleyball we played all season so that definitely helped.” 

Also at AAUs, the Sports Performance 17 Red team with LTHS senior Anabelle Olson was fifth in the Club Division.

The 1st Alliance 17 Red team with RBHS seniors Lucy Boyle and Nola Mulcrone was ninth in the sixth-rated Aspire Division. 

The DuPage Elite 16 United team with LTHS junior Avery Tyrrell was ninth in the Club Division. 

The 1st Alliance 16 White team with St. Ignatius College Prep junior Lola Baker of Riverside was ninth in the Select Division, the fourth-rated division.

LTHS juniors Blake Spreyne and Brielle Simmons played with the Adversity 16 Purple Adidas team in the second-rated Premier Division, finishing 43rd.

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