USAV Junior Nationals: 14 Open Standouts
The 14 Open of the USAV Junior Nationals concluded on Thursday at Cobo Center in Detroit and we got a glimpse at the top incoming freshman around the country for the 2018 prep season. Here’s a look at those that…
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Continue ReadingThe 14 Open of the USAV Junior Nationals concluded on Thursday at Cobo Center in Detroit and we got a glimpse at the top incoming freshman around the country for the 2018 prep season. Here’s a look at those that stood out above the rest among the semifinalists.
Brianna Anderson
OT 14 S. Felix V: The 14 Open champions went a perfect 11-0 throughout the tournament while posting a 22-4 set record. Captain Brianna Anderson led the charge for OT in championship run. She played well above the net, but all had the all-around skill to standout above the rest. Anderson is sure to be a name to watch in the future of USA volleyball. Anna Herrington and Valeria Rosado were also two dynamic hitters for OT. Amaya Thomas patrolled the middle with her incredible length and gave OT endless options at the net. Laura Caro was the setter feeding all the different options. Her passing was on point throughout the tournament and her serving also kept OT on the attack.
Kirsten Barrett and Kathryn Randorf
AVC Cleveland Rox 14 National: Also a strong crew of hitters, AVC Cleveland was led by outsides Carolina Jurevicius, Kathryn Randorf and Mya Sopata. The trio were a handful for opposing teams to deal with. Setting them up was Kirsten Barrett, who was able to find balance among the hitters and also contribute at the net. AVC also was strong with its defense and passing. Libero Abigail Havrilla was crucial during the week. She faced some extremely challenging hitters, but was able to get to a lot of balls and feed the ball to Barrett consistently.
Bianca May
Lions 14-1: More than any other team, the Lions relied on players to win multiple hats. The Lions had three capable setters on the court at any time in Katie Hurta, Paige Pickering and Bianca May. While May was primarily a setter, Hurta and Pickering also were contributing on the outside. The Lions were able to have consistent attacking through the three’s setting ability. Gillian Grimes, the DS, was also important. She was able to pass effectively with less pressure to be precise. When it came to the middle, Lindsay Oldendorf was tough to stop. Her length complimented Hurta and Pickering well at the net.
Micah Gryniewicz
Arizona Storm 14 Thunder: While the Storm didn’t end their successful week like they wanted, a 9-1 record at USAV was a big accomplishment considering some of the challenges the team had. Micah Gryniewicz was just returning from an injury that required surgery and wasn’t sure what her capability would be. You wouldn’t have known it based on her play, as the outside hitter was still impactful at the net. Her play provided a boost for the rest of the team and took some pressure off Jordan Middleton, who has been the team’s go-to hitter with Gryniewicz dealing with her injury. Middleton looked even strong this week in the middle and the outside. McKenna Douglas, the libero, was also a big part of the semifinal run. With the Storm not having quite the same hitting as the other top teams, their defensive play and passing were vital. Douglas was up to the challenge.
Leah LaFontaine
**BONUS**
TeamD 14-Red: While TeamD didn’t compete in the Open Division, they did play 15 matches during the week and won the Patriot Division. Team D was led by Juliana Imbuzeiro, who was consistently putting balls down during their run to the Patriot title. Rachel Karr was also strong at the net, joining Imbuzerio as a great blocking tandem while also finding her stride in the attack. Leah LaFontaine also contributed at the net and on the outside, but provided a big boost in the back row as well.