We only made our flight back (separate from the girl's flight) because it was a few minutes delayed and the taxi driver drove like a mad-man! There was no way I was leaving the final match against the Tornados. Each time we meet, it is just a wonderful thing to watch. I love their players and parents both; truly a class outfit, and I think we have an inter-state rivalry started after playing them in Denver last year and twice this year. They beat us Sunday, and we took the rematch today to win the Silver group and 7th place overall. I think we have now been formally initiated into the Open division. It's a different world, isn't it? Our girls will be nursing their wounds and relishing their triumphs for some time.

Oh, and we will be at the SoCal qualifier.

Someone asked about Sunshine, and I did get the opportunity to watch them quite a bit, including their entire match against Austin Juniors this morning. They are something of an enigma. We had hung in there with them 'okay'. The matches weren't in doubt, but they weren't blowouts. They are the kind of team you think you should beat, and feel like you could beat, but in reality you aren't likely to actually do it. They are a very quiet group, not showing a huge amount of emotion; very even keeled and that is a reflection of their coach. As a result of that, they don't get as much respect right out of the gate. One of our parents mentioned on Sunday that, had we played as well as we were playing at that point the day before, we would have beaten Sunshine. My response was that, if we played as well, and they played the same, we would have beaten them, but that doesn't mean they would have played the same. I'm pretty sure that, had we played better, they would have raised their game a notch and achieved the same result. They are smooth, quiet killers

Now please don't take this comparison as saying we are at the same level, but they do remind me of our team, in that both groups of girls are quiet, both groups are athletic, we both run a 6-2, and both have several players that play "all the way around". You can tell they spend some time on the beach. They have a very high level of overall skill, their setters have wonderfully soft hands that can take the spin off anything, and by the way, there should be a law aganst setting quick #1's to your twin sister; the psychic thing makes it unfair ;-) I kept glancing over at the game where they opened up a 12-0 lead (I think it went that high). The wheels had definitely come off for Premier, but I can't tell you whether it was because Sunshine had ratcheted their game up that far, or if it was something else. I know Premier had some tremendous matches, and I wouldn't be counting on them getting that far behind again. They are good.

The one team of those that qualified I never really saw play was the Woodlands Stars, and they obviously dominated. The MAVs, as I had mentioned aren't quite as consistent... well, except of course when they played us. It's a good thing our girls had the night to recover from that one, and I am really glad they came back and played well today. The MAVs really took it to us... tell me again why they aren't off at the JVDA tournaments?

And hey... all these teams are great groups of wonderful athletes who can totally kick butt. Congratulations to everyone that played.

The comment on the JVDA was a joke... saying that they are a great team and it would be easier for everyone if they were off at the JVDA, but I winked because there is no way I would want that! I was not in any way trying to detract from the MAVs. The point I've made about the MAV's is that, watching their games, they ebb and flow a bit. Everyone does, but they are so dominating during their runs that it is more apparent. I fully expected the MAVs to win it all, because they can totally take you apart, which is certainly what they did to us. No jabs intended.

I should know better than to try and write a long post just after getting off the plane from a long weekend! "Me no dissa da MAVs!" In fact I bow in respect to the MAVs, and see how my post could have been misinterpreted.

And truth be told, my screen name goes back a long way to other boards, and is derived from "Tori Amos" (big fan).