It was the first tournament action of the volleyball season for a trio of Twin Valley League teams on Saturday as Hanover, Blue Valley and Linn all traveled to Miltonvale for the Southern Cloud Invitational and the Wildcats brought home some hardware winning the tournament. 

The action started off with pool play and in Pool A, Blue Valley and Linn were both in action. The Rams put together a strong performance in pool play and won their won by going 3-0. Blue Valley downed fellow TVL team in Linn in straight sets (25-22, 25-23), while needing three sets to beat both Southern Cloud (23-25, 25-7, 25-14) and Bennington (21-25, 25-16, 25-9). Linn went 1-2 in the pool play action falling to Blue Valley and Bennington (27-25, 22-25, 25-20), while picking up a three set win over Southern Cloud (25-10, 26-28, 25-16). 

In Pool B the Hanover Wildcats notched a 2-1 mark to finish second in the pool behind St. John's/Tipton who beat the Wildcats in three sets in pool play (25-22, 14-25, 25-11). Hanover picked up their two wins in pool play action by beating Rock Hills (25-22, 25-8) and Thunder Ridge (25-20, 25-21) each in straight sets. 

Moving into bracket play Blue Valley took down Rock Hills in straight sets (25-15, 25-6) to stay alive, while Hanover eliminated Linn with a straight set win (25-19, 25-23). That set up a Semifinal matchup of Hanover and Blue Valley and the Wildcats got the better of the Rams winning in straight sets (25-17, 25-20), moving into the Championship to face St. John's/Tipton who beat Thunder Ridge in the other Semifinal. 

Hanover who fell to St. John's/Tipton in pool play avenged that loss and won in straight sets (25-22, 25-19) to bring home the Southern Cloud Invitational title, finishing the day with a 5-1 record. Blue Valley finished the action going 4-1, while Linn was 1-3 at the tournament. 

2015 Southern Cloud Invitational Volleyball Tournament @ Miltonvale

Pool A
Blue Valley def. Bennington 21-25, 25-16, 25-9
Linn def. Southern Cloud 10-25, 28-26, 16-25
Blue Valley def. Linn 22-25, 23-25
Bennington def. Southern Cloud 18-25, 19-25
Bennington def. Linn 27-25, 22-25, 25-20
Blue Valley def. Southern Cloud 25-23, 7-25, 14-25 

Pool B
St. John’s/Tipton def. Hanover 22-25, 25-14, 11-25
Hanover def. Rock Hills 25-22, 25-8
Hanover def. Thunder Ridge 20-25, 21-25
St. John’s/Tipton def. Rock Hills 25-10, 25-14
Thunder Ridge def. Rock Hills 19-25, 9-25
St. John’s/Tipton def. Thunder Ridge 19-25, 20-25

Bracket Play
St. John’s/Tipton def. Southern Cloud 25-15, 25-19
Blue Valley def. Rock Hills 25-15, 25-6
Hanover def. Linn 25-19, 25-23
Thunder Ridge def. Bennington 17-25, 25-23, 26-24
Hanover def. Blue Valley 17-25, 20-25
St. John’s/Tipton def. Thunder Ridge 25-27, 25-19, 25-14

Championship Match
Hanover def. St. John’s/Tipton 25-22, 25-19