Wave volleyball team brings home silver

A group of mostly high school seniors made the trip to Florida’s “Magic City” representing the Encinitas Wave Volleyball Club, known commonly as the “Wave,” for the 18-year-old age group at the Open Division of the Junior Olympics. The best 28 club teams in the nation had to compete with thousands of clubs vying for the chance to make it to Miami.

Ranked 10th overall going into the four days of grueling competition that make up the Junior Olympic schedule, the Wave’s 18-1 team displayed their talent in playing into a semi-final match-up on the final day of competition against a Southern Californian rival, Laguna Beach, ranked third overall. Wave upset their rivals before suffering a heart-breaking loss in the final against the Nebraska Juniors Volleyball club.

On a positive note, the team returned home with a Silver medal. Three players on the team were named All-Americans at the tournament, including Lexi Williamson, Taylor Johnson and Carolyn Hillgren.

As a club, Wave Volleyball contributed nine All-Americans at all age levels and took home five medals. It is the second year in a row that Wave has led the nation in most medals received at the Junior Olympics.