BACK ROW: Anna Rachel Kelly Coach Bob Madison Coach Debbie
Calvert Roberts Mann Leedom Petsos Leedom
FRONT ROW: (Hostess)Lauren Rachel Rebekah Gretchen Rebecca
Smith Kelley Gard Olson Leedom
The undefeated Lady Breakers (20-0) became the first Home School sports team
to be recognized by the Virginian-Pilot as an area top 10 ranked team in their
respective sport. The Beach Breakers were also the only non-public school
team recognized. This recognition came after the Breakers defeated both the
Metro and TCIS Championship teams during the regular season and won the EVAC
(Eastern Virginia Athletic Conference) regular season and conference tournament.
To culminate their season, the Breakers travelled to Omaha, NE to compete
in the 7th Annual Home School National Girls Volleyball Tournament. This year's
tournament had an all-time high 28 teams competing for the championship. The
girls went
3-3 in a preliminary round against a strong team from Kansas and 2 strong
teams from Texas. This round was designed to seed the teams for the next day's
play. The girls then played in a bracket to determine which teams advanced
to the Gold, Silver and Bronze Brackets. The top 8 teams advanced to the Gold
round, the next 12 teams advanced to the Silver Division and the last 8 teams
were placed in the Bronze Division. The Breakers played their best play, to
date, and advanced to the 8-team Gold Division by going 5-1 against teams
from Missouri, Nebraska and Indiana. The girls were then placed in a Quarter-final
match against a favored Kansas City team, who had defeated the Breakers in
the Preliminary round (and won the tournament 2 years ago and came in 2nd
last year). The Breakers played inspired volleyball, and perhaps the best
they played all year, and defeated Kansas City 25-16, 25-15, 25-20 to advance
to the Final Four. In the semi-finals the Breakers had to play the only undefeated
team, after 3 days of play, from Southwest Missouri, who had 2 players over
6' . The Breakers again played inspired volleyball and split the first 2 games
23-25 and 26-24, but lost the hard-fought contest by losing the final 2 games
25-20, 25-20.
Without a break and having to play 3 successive matches in a row, the exhausted
Breakers then lost to the home team from Omaha, NE for 3rd Place 25-14, 25-22.
The co-captains for the team were Juniors Rebecca Leedom and Kelly Mann. Rebecca
Leedom was selected to the National All-Tournament Team. The Beach Breakers
played some awesome volleyball during their 3 days in Omaha, NE and came away
with many fond memories, not to mention a 4th Place finish out of 28 teams.
They had an extremely successful season and most importantly glorified Jesus
Christ throughout the year with their hard work, tenacity, teamwork and demeanor.