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Open Wins for 16s & 18s at Winterfest 2

By SMASH, 01/18/17, 9:00PM EST

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Top New England Team in 16, 17, 18 Open!

 

SMASH 16s and SMASH 18s each went undefeated in securing Open wins at Winterfest 2 in Hartford, CT over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. 

SMASH was the top New England team in all three age groups (16, 17, 18). 

SMASH accounted for 3 of the top 14 New England teams in 16 Open, 3 of the top 19 New England teams in 18 Open, and won Bronze in 16 USA.  SMASH 17s finished 3rd in 17 Open.

SMASH 16s romped through 16 Open without dropping a set and finished with a dominant 1.99 point ratio.

SMASH 18s did not lose a set until the first set of the Open Gold final.

"All weekend we talked about treating each match like it was the championship. That way we would not have to try to elevate our game under pressure," said Assistant Coach Eric Neely. "We could just be ourselves and trust in each other."

The 18s bounced back from a 19-25 first set with a convincing 25-16 second set before taking home the gold with a 15-10 victory in the deciding third set.

"I'm proud of how well the team did supporting one another in our toughest moments. We did not let one error become three errors. Instead we treated each rally as its own opportunity to get better," Neely said. "I am so proud of each of them as individuals and as a unit." 

The next stop for 11 of the SMASH travel teams is the NERVA Open Qualifier in Springfield, MA on February 3-5.