HCIAL: Top Middle Blockers Returning
The HCIAL may be deemed one of the smaller conferences in New Jersey but that does not mean there is a lack of talent. I’m going to go through the top players returning in the HCIAL. Let’s take a look…
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Continue ReadingThe HCIAL may be deemed one of the smaller conferences in New Jersey but that does not mean there is a lack of talent. I’m going to go through the top players returning in the HCIAL. Let’s take a look at the top middle blockers returning.
Seniors
Cristal Rubel (Hudson Catholic)
Rubel was one kind of in the shadows behind two seniors in Makila Billingsley and Esther Dogme. She was the third option that still got her all-division honors but now it’s her time to shine. She will be looked upon as the number one option to maintain Hudson Catholic’s dominance. As a junior, she finished with 175 kills, 7 blocks and 113 digs. She’s also a capable outside hitter too so watch for her versatility to be on full-display and have a monster year.
Alejandra Bartutis (North Bergen)
Bartutis was the focal point of the North Bergen squad. She led the team in 113 kills and 41 blocks. Her length and athleticism is what makes her a solid middle. She’s able to impact the match offensively and defensively which leads for her to always have an impact. She has all-division accolades from last season as well.
Julie Fernandez (Kearny)
Fernandez led the team with 93 kills and 33 blocks. Her contribution comes from her ability to hit on angles in the middle. Just being able to manipulate and deceive the opponents along with her hitting accuracy is what makes her lethal in the middle. Look for her to build off of her junior season in a big way.
Tiffany Wilen (Mcnair)
Wilen is part of a solid one-two combination on Mcnair. She is one I thought was snubbed of being an honorable mention in conference. As a senior, she will be one to be looking at for all-division honors. Last year, she had 75 kills where I think she could easily double that number.
Kyard Syed (Memorial)
Syed is one who has been sitting behind Ashley Jimenez. With Jimenez gone, it is now her turn to step up to beat the force in the middle for Memorial. Even with limited playing time, she recorded 28 kills and 30 blocks. She is one to have a drastic jump in her statistics.
These ladies are great in the middle and make an impact offensively and defensively. Their ability to play both allows them to not drop their heads because even if their offensive game is struggling, their defense could be thriving. Watch for these ladies to be battling it out for first team honors.