Photo courtesy of Sean Whiteley
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Four Palisades players helped their Actyve 17 Black club team capture the 17 USA Division gold medal at the 2023 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship Tournament July 14 to 17 in Chicago.
All four girls are entering their senior year of high school. They are Marquez resident Kate Whiteley, a setter at Marymount; Bluffs resident Gemma Larbalestier, a defensive specialist and libero at Archer School for Girls; Alphabet Streets resident Carly Bloom, an outside and opposite hitter at Palisades; and fellow Dolphins hitter Ava Pearce.
While Larbalestier, Bloom and Pearce have been on Actyve for years, Whiteley joined the team this year and played a key role in the 17 Black squad’s march to the title.
Coached by Danny Woodley, 17 Black finished 11-0 in its 36-team bracket, taking 11 of 28 sets played. In pool play, the team went 5-0 to finish in first place while winning 10 of 13 sets.
In the second round robin stage July 5, which determine playoff seeding, Actyve beat the Iowa Rockets and Epic 17 Elite of Arizona, then swept its challenge round match versus Arete 17 Navy Telos, 25-21, 25-19.
Placed in the Gold Bracket, Actyve swept Mintonette Sports of Columbus, Ohio 25-17, 25-15 in the quarterfinals and Revolution Volleyball Academy 17 Premier of Phoenix, Arizona in the semifinals.
In the championship match July 6 at McCormick Place Convention Center, 17 Black rallied to beat Skyline 17 Black of North Texas, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9.
Now in its 10th year, Actyve Volleyball Club is based in Santa Monica.
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