17U Setters Ready To Take On Nationals After Gauntlet

These setters from the 17/18s division know how to run the show. They can connect the dots and thrive while making everyone around them look good, too. For some teams at the Prep Dig Gauntlet, this was their last chance to play before Nationals in either Vegas or Orlando. These setters were on fire and ready to make a big statement at their respective National Tournaments. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-144385" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/06/PDG-TopPerformer-EllieConnor-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="144661" first="Ellie" last="Connor"] – 2023 – Setter – RVA G17 Navy <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Connor brings some real athleticism to the setting position for RVA where she is quick-thinking, keeps blockers on their toes, and hustles all over the court. It also helps when you have a great connection with two physical middle blockers in [player_tooltip player_id="81312" first="Abby" last="Savatski"] and [player_tooltip player_id="144660" first="Morgan" last="Neitzel"]. Connor gives her hitters a ton of opportunities, moves the ball around really well, and executes well-timed dumps. She is a leader on her team and a complete gamechanger. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">[player_tooltip player_id="57252" first="Emma" last="Baierl"] – 2022 – 5'8 – Setter – Howards Grove – FC Elite 17 Navy – Committed To Truman <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">[player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] – 2022 – 5'10 – Setter – Luxemburg-Casco – FC Elite 17 Navy <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Same first name, different setters, FC Elite has a couple of Emma's running the show for their 17 Navy team. They have plenty of big attackers, and Baierl is an exceptional player who can get her hands on the ball anywhere on the court with her quick footwork. She gets the ball out of her hands quickly and with exceptional placement. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Johnson is super tenacious. She's got one eye on either side of the court in order to attack on the second contact or detect an opposing blocker cheating. Johnson can get her hand on the tight pass in order to find set up the ready attacker. She finds a way to get all of her attackers involved, making FC Elite dangerous with a lot of weapons! <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-144381" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/06/PDG-TopPerformer-JosieJohnson-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="81272" first="Josie" last="Johnson"] – 2022 – 5'6 – Setter – Waterford - Burlington United 17 Orange – Committed to UW-Milwaukee <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Johnson has developed into a six-rotation setter where she can run a powerful offense. She has established a strong connection with [player_tooltip player_id="144663" first="Katie" last="Heidenrich"] (Committed to VCU), an explosive outside who can score a lot of points. Johnson is a gritty defender, and her serving creates panic for opposing liberos. She is so good at getting the ball out to either pin that being out-of-system still leaves her plenty of options. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">[player_tooltip player_id="35805" first="Katie" last="Gund"] – 2022 – 5'11 – Setter – Pewaukee – Milwaukee Sting 17 White – Committed to Illinois Wesleyan <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Gund, the Pewaukee Class of 2022 setter, will head to Illinois Wesleyan after her senior year, but before that senior campaign begins, she will take her team to Vegas. She has great hands, a smooth release, can jump set just about anything, and she knows how to take command of the court. Gund is very smart with the setter dump placement and timing and does a nice job handling the tight pass with the ability to use the 1-handed set. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-144382" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/06/PDG-TopPerformer-MeganMargolis-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />Megan Margolis – 2022 – 5'10 – Setter – Lake Forest – [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] 17-1 NS (IL) <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Margolis is long, athletic, and can run a 5-1 for an extremely poised [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] offense which has a solid core of attackers. She gives her hitters a ton of opportunities to terminate, and she uses every inch of the net and the back court to run her offense. Margolis also keeps the opposing block honest with a smartly timed setter dump. <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">[player_tooltip player_id="122330" first="Andrea" last="Bortulin"] – 2022 – 5'6 – Setter – Luther Prep – Madison United 17 Red <p style="margin: 0in; background: white; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Bortulin is gaining a ton of experience and showing confidence while running a consistent offense. Madison has a number of talented attackers, but Bortulin can also take a pass 10 feet off the net, jump set, and dump it for the kill.