Local Tournament Standouts at Drake University
PrepDig staff attended the 15/16s Drake University Tournament on March 2, 2018. Coming into a tough schedule, these teams played in a 7 team pool round robin to determine the champions. This tournament showcased some regional Iowa teams and some…
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Continue ReadingPrepDig staff attended the 15/16s Drake University Tournament on March 2, 2018. Coming into a tough schedule, these teams played in a 7 team pool round robin to determine the champions. This tournament showcased some regional Iowa teams and some younger teams looking for the extra challenge.
Six Pack 15’s took the gold home only losing one set to IPVA 15/16 combination team. They remained consistent and continued to press each team with their offense and ball control.
Here are a few athletes PrepDig saw as the most outstanding players during the day:
Morgan Brandt – Six Pack 15U – Setter – Class of 2021
Brandt exemplified what it means to be a setter. Setters are required to constantly be a steady leader on the team and continue to energize her teammates when things aren’t going as planned. Brandt did this and more. She made the other team’s defense work hard. Reversing flow looked easy to her and tempo was something that looked natural. Morgan comes from a long line of setters in the family. Older sister Kaylyn played at UMKC and Jenna is a Sophomore at Iowa State.
Avery Beckett – Six Pack 15U – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Beckett continues to add depth to the Six Pack roster. She is a speedy quick athlete who has an eye for the court offensively and defensively. This outside hitter is their most utilized hitter who pack a punch in her swing, putting the other teams out of system. Coach Holly added “my favorite thing about her is that she has the grit and work ethic of mature and older athletes.”
Emma Wagler – IPVA 16U – Middle Blocker – Class of 2021
If you talk to any coach on the IPVA staff you would hear this: “We tell our middles to be as loud as Emma”. Wagler was by far the most vocal middle in the gym. Emma is an aggressive physical player who can connect with almost any setter. In fact, Emma was taking some aggressive shots off of IPVA’s 15U setter in this tournament and you would have thought they had been training all season.
Alysen Dexter- Ohana 16 Regional – Outside Hitter – Class of 2021
Dexter was a fierce competitor even with a large block at hand. With a fearless mentality, she powered through and made the defense tremble at moments. Joe Ledesma commented saying “Dexter has had quite a season already”. Coach Hung used three adjectives to describe Dexter: Hard working, encouraging, and passionate. “She’s a true team player and has a bright future”. Positive look for Dexter and her career!
Ava Charlson- Iowa Heart – Libero – Class of 2021
Small but mighty this libero was someone every team avoided serving to. Quick as lightning, she could reach every ball within the court and still find a way to make it in-system. With her big defensive range, Charlson kept this team from having good ball control, to even better.
Effort Award:
The effort award is given to the person who gave the most effort and ask for nothing in return. This athlete decided the ball and her team’s needs were higher than her own needs. Hitting the floor with no hesitation.
Lexi Stephens -IPVA 16U- Class of 2022
Stephens managed to make passing off-balanced look easy. Any ball within her range she put all the energy she had to make the it her best. Stephens was constantly talking to her team and bringing energy to the court. Nothing cross court was going to hit the floor on her watch. She made a few incredible saves that kept IPVA in many difficult rallies.