Live Eye: Among The Elite, Top OPP/MB Performers NLQ 16 Open
Heading into the weekend, there were nine teams who were qualified for 16 Open Nationals. This field was loaded with talent, plenty who will be on a short list of college coaches come June 15 to start the recruiting process. …
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Continue ReadingHeading into the weekend, there were nine teams who were qualified for 16 Open Nationals. This field was loaded with talent, plenty who will be on a short list of college coaches come June 15 to start the recruiting process. I’ve seen some of these athletes consistently produce since the beginning of the club season. Others, this was my first time seeing live and they definitely did not disappoint. Here is a breakdown of positions and who is rising as we head into the live period for Division 1 coaches to evaluate (finally) and June 15 when these Sophomores can “officially) start their recruiting process.
Right Sides.
Sydney Schnichels – Northern Lights 16-1
Schnichels looks like someone who could step into a Big Ten gym in the summer and say, “Set Me The Ball”, and she would find a way to succeed. Schnichels wants the ball in the big moment and she is a violent attacker with a fast arm swing. She connects extremely well with setter, Stella Swenson, where their quick tempo gave their opponents problems all weekend. At 6’4 and uber athletic, her physicality will draw plenty of high-level college coaches to her court. Beyond her physical abilities, she has all the on-court intangibles to go with as well.
Elizabeth Goodenow – MAVS KC 16-1
Goodenow was one of the most dynamic rightsides in the tournament. A six rotation rightside who flys high from the pin and the backrow. Her ability to score out of the backrow may have been the difference in a few of those tight sets for MAVS in a very successful weekend. A right side who can pass and attack with a strong left handed swing is someone to have high on the list.
Impressed with this pair from No Name today:
4 – Madeline Snider
7 – Ezryel Thompson pic.twitter.com/nVpHHqAHQY— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) May 15, 2021
Madeline Snider – No Name VBC 16-1
No Name was so close to breaking through to Gold Pool play on Sunday and survived a tough day one three team pool with TAV and PVA. A major reason behind their success was Madeline Snider on the right side. A booming, heavy left handed swing was tough to handle. At 6’3, Snider is able to powerthrough the split and score points while also being able to move around various spots along the front line to swing. She was an outlet when she was in left front out of serve receive where she could make solid contact.
Other Right Sides To Know:
Brooklyn Young – Dynasty 16 Black
Kyla Dunaway – Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold
Ava Testrake – KC Power 16-1
Jaidyn Garcia – A5 Gabe
Middle Hitters
Ava Harrington and Tendai Titley of @HoustonSkyline – chasing an Open bid today! pic.twitter.com/FVhDzd37jP
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 16, 2021
Ava Harrington – Houston Skyline 16 Royal
What a presence. Harrington may have been touching the highest out of a deep field of incredibly talented middles. She has a motor where she can work from pin to pin to block while also transitioning to attack. Her strength and athletic ability is what stands out where teams have to know where she is. The ceiling is incredibly high when she will be tough to stop in transition and a variety of tempos.
Calissa Minatee – Dynasty 16 Black
Minatee is like a wide receiver where she can leap out of nowhere and go get the ball whether its on a slide or getting to the pin to close a block. Her overall athleticism is scary good when she does some things along the net that just can’t be taught, she has an X-Factor to her game that not many others have with her ability to fix and also make plays when it’s needed the most.
Kensington TeKrony – Nebraska Elite 161 Top Gun
Super physical and really strong off one foot. Top Gun has qualified for the Open Division and just missed out on some close matches to break through to the gold pools on Sunday. TeKrony has move from pin to pin and is so effective on the slide.
Sawyer Thomsen – KC Power 16-1
You know the ball is going to her and she is still tough to stop. Thomsen has quite the range where she can score on a shoot or a slide where the defense has to know where she is at all times. She is extremely dynamic where she is a solid blend of skill and athleticism, being utilized in multiple ways for a high powered KC Power squad.
One of the most explosive athletes I’ve seen this weekend. Aubrey Duncan 2023 middle from MAVS 16-1. She is relentless. pic.twitter.com/Jv3SYNwtWJ
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 16, 2021
Aubrey Duncan – MAVS KC 16-1
So explosive. Duncan might be considered undersized in terms of a high level middle blocker, but her athleticism creates such a mismatch for her opponents. She has an extremely aggressive approach and can most likely touch a basketball rim when she comes around for a slide. Plus, her competitive edge adds a couple inches to her game where she is going to find a way to win her one on one matchup.
Zeta Washington – OT 16 J Will
There were tears of joy for OT after they completed play Sunday morning as they found out they had earned an Open bid. With this talented field which at the end of the weekend had 12 USAV Open Teams, earning one of those last Open bids was quite a feat. One of the key players on this team was Zeta Washington out of the middle where she was so solid and consistent. She plays under control, knows where to take the ball and use what the defense gives her.
Other Middles To Note:
Amelia Roth – Nebraska Elite 161 Top Gun
Autumn Flynn – FC Elite 16 Navy
Mia Berg – Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite
Catherine Burke – Adversity 16 Adidas
Tess McConnell – Rockwood Thunder 16 Navy
Amber Jarecki-Meyers – NC Academy 16 Academy
Kamryn Lee-Caraci – 1st Alliance 16 Silver
Kate Hansen – TAV 16 Black