These Athletes Were On Fire At The Big City Luau!
There isn’t really a metric, it’s an eye test, a feel where certain athletes just bring the energy and spark that a team may depend on. Being involved in athletics my whole life as an athlete and coach and now…
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Continue ReadingThere isn’t really a metric, it’s an eye test, a feel where certain athletes just bring the energy and spark that a team may depend on. Being involved in athletics my whole life as an athlete and coach and now from a writing perspective some players just have “It”, others don’t, and that’s totally fine. However, every team just needs that spark plug with their play or with their emotion that is going to be contagious. Here are a few players who just stood out over the weekend who just gave that extra edge for their team.
Amber Bischel – Wisconsin Juniors 17-1 – Libero – Class of 2020
Bischel just gives Juniors that edge, a really gritty team that will just find a way to score points. This group has been together a few years and has had plenty of success. As a libero, Bischel is constantly talking in pre serve communication, calling out shots for her hitters, and just one that plays with a smile and some swagger for her team. As far as her game goes, she is solid in serve receive and is always there for coverage of her hitters. Bischel is uncommitted as of now, but would be a one to bring the energy up in the gym at the next level.
Elizabeth Dille – Kandi Elite 17-1 – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Dille may not be the most outspoken or the type that would scream into a huddle, but she does give a mean fist pump after a massive kill. Dille is a long, prototypical outside hitter who is definitely high on the radar and I believe, a Division 1 prospect on the pin. She is scoring points down the line, cross court, and can play six rotations as a true 16 year old playing in the 17s division. She also comes up big in crucial situations. Kandi Elite kept going to her during key moments against Vital on Sunday and she continually found ways to score points.
Class of 2021 rising prospect Elizabeth Dille finishes it off for @kandielite pic.twitter.com/u1cZ3f4Rdz
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) January 27, 2019
Presley Fink – Vital 17-1 – Outside Hitter – Class of 2020
Fink is a high flying outside hitter who can just explode down the line. The Northfield prep just has an exciting style where she may not be the tallest or most physical player on the court, but she sure does pack a punch with her swing. Saturday and Sunday there were crucial points against Summit and Kandi Elite where she came up big where she had kills with authority. Northfield will be extremely strong on the pin for Fink’s Senior season.
Presley Fink of @VitalVolleyball continues to have a great tournament. Lethal line shot. pic.twitter.com/CpjYtfbBpu
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) January 27, 2019
Lizzie Rosen – Club Red 16-R – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Club Red is out of Northwest Wisconsin and made some waves throughout the weekend. Rosen is a six rotation outside that can do a little bit of everything and was a major go to in the front and backrow. Club Red gave highly seeded Kokoro 15-1 quite a run on Sunday going deep into a three set match. Rosen was given a majority of the swings and was aggressive, no fear. Always nice to see players just go for it, especially early in the season. She plays for Clear Lake High School (WI).
Sophia Melde – Madison Elite 15 Teal – Libero – Class of 2020
Madison Elite went 5-3 over the weekend in the 15 Gold bracket and a big spark behind this team was Melde. A solid libero who like most great liberos is all over the court and just plays with a spark and a smile. A fire and enthusiasm that is very contagious for her teammates to feed off of.
Wisconsin Juniors 16-1
As a team they were just exciting to watch. Not very often do you find a team at the 16s level running as fast a tempo offense at WI Jrs. The set to the pin was almost a shoot set where the outside hitter always had an open swing. Were there errors? Sure, but when executed it has the defense scrambling. The building blocks to a really tough team to defend later in the season when they have more time to continue connecting on the up tempo style.
MN Select 15-3
MN Select 15-3 wasn’t even supposed to make it out of their pool on Saturday, and they end up finishing second. One of the big point scorers for them was Jordan Kirpach of Champlin Park who may only be 5’6, but she takes a big swing and was finding open spots all over the court. She was huge for this squad on Saturday. Another spark for this team was their setters, Hally Holker and Kaitlyn Kotek. They complement each other so well and connect well with all of their hitters extremely well. They will definitely be a team that sneaks up on people this upcoming weekend at the JVA Jamboree in Milwaukee.
Taylor Mollet – MN Premier 16-1 – Right Side – Class of 2021
Mollet is a lefty who can be crafty or powerful for a really strong MN Premier team. She has the ability to hit shots or bring a heavy swing to net. She also has a dirty serve that dances its way over the net. She just finds a way to score points from a variety of ways.
Jadyn Garrison – Kokoro 16-1 – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Garrison is coming off AAU All American honors in 2018 and is picking up where she left off. Garrison is an outside hitter who plays with a ton of intensity and is such a spark for her team with aggressive swings and celebrating with everyone after a point. Kokoro 16-1 finished the weekend on top of the 16 Gold division.
Carli Vargason – Kandi Elite 16-1 – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Vargason is firey six rotation outside for Kandi Elite who just plays hard every play. I first saw Vargason at the AVCA Phenom Showcase and she was easy to pick out of the mass of players with her effort and energy. I saw the same thing this past weekend at the Luau. If she doesn’t go the outside hitter route for college she would be a great addition as a really athletic libero.
Jackie Yang – Minnesota Volleyball Academy 16-Elite – Libero – Class of 2022
Yang is playing up on the 16 Elite team for MVA. This team is strong, athletic, and well balanced at all positions, but without a solid first contact thats tough to use all those offensive weapons. Yang is all over the court, but yet under control. She does an amazing job of picking up tips, serve receiving, and taking pace off the ball, a major part in the final four finish for MVA.
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???? https://t.co/5HsmtBvAN6 pic.twitter.com/ekp6wSfOTt— Prep Dig Events (@PrepDigEvents) January 28, 2019