By Chris Fitzgerald
It’s about that time to run it back. TAV 18 Black Jason out of the Dallas area has been in the Triple Crown Elite title match before and they were ready to do it again.
Their opponent? The hometown team in KC Power 18-1. KC Power has already had a huge start to the 2026 season where they have double qualified for the 18 USAV Open Level Championships to be held in Reno come April. They were also undefeated on the weekend, going through a rugged power pool which generated momentum heading into bracket play.
TAV is accustomed to a target on their back, this is where they thrive, on the big court where lights shine brightest. A number of these athletes were on the 2025 Triple Crown 17s elite championship squad.
The trio of Kinsley Young, Kylie Kleckner, and Layla Austin got everything rolling. Austin, the Arizona commit scored early and often. Picking up points from the outside and back court. At 11-9, Young came up with the big stuff block to force a KC Power timeout. The hometown team would respond with a dose of kills from Colorado State commit Ella Stowell, she would have six alone in the first set. However, Austin and Kleckner would combine for 13 kills in set one and five TAV attackers would score. The balance was too much with TAV taking at one 25-18.
Set two was a little copy and paste from TAV. They would pour it on early and often. When KC Power seems to be generating momentum it was the physicality of middle, Young and the point scoring ability of Austin and Kleckner. TAV also slowed down Stowell, but Willow Weninger and Cameron Asher stepped up for KC Power for eight kills in set two alone. In the end, TAV was just too strong, completing the sweep 25-18, 25-19.
Layla Austin would be named MVP where in the championship match she tallied 13 kills (unofficially). Her electric swing and dynamic ability to score points really got her squad going. Kylie Kleckner had seven kills while TCU commit Kinsley Young was able to control the net with three solo blocks.
This is quite a feat for TAV who will be in the running for the overall club championship. They aren’t the only one collective hardware as their 17s team would go on to win the 17 Elite title just over an hour later.
