12 Gritty Athletes who Rocked the JVA World Challenge
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The JVA World Challenge had a plethora of athletes who played at a very high level. The athletes competing were clearly dedicated and competitive. There were some athletes who really stood out with their grittiness and resilience. It was awesome…
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Continue ReadingThe JVA World Challenge had a plethora of athletes who played at a very high level. The athletes competing were clearly dedicated and competitive. There were some athletes who really stood out with their grittiness and resilience. It was awesome to watch athletes excel in tight matches and perform for their team.
Here are some gritty athletes who impressed at the JVA World Challenge.
Emma Barton – Middle Blocker – One Wisconsin Point 17 Mizuno
Emma was a key player throughout the weekend for 1W. She was aggressive at the net and seemed to be able to make great swings on tough plays. She was smart and savvy and was engaged in every play. Emma has power on the ball and puts up a good block, getting a lot of touches that the defense can play off of.
Ally Eckel Ally Eckel 5'7" | DS/L Bradford | 2023 State WI – Outside Hitter – MVP 17 Blue – Committed to Middle Tennessee State
Ally was incredibly impressive at the JVA World Challenge, especially on defense. She never let anything touch the ground and led by example on the court. Her hustle earned this team a number of points. She was consistent and aggressive on serve receive as well and kept her team in system a lot.
Lydia Otto Lydia Otto 5'11" | OH Wauwatosa East | 2024 State WI – Right Side – MVP 16 Blue
Lydia came up with huge kills in some very key moments for Motion. She was smart and aggressive with her hits, exactly what you need in tight matches. Lydia was also impressive as a blocker, earning some big points and slowing down some very powerful swings from her opponents.
Sidney Geiss Sidney Geiss 5'5" | DS/L D.C. Everest | 2025 WI – Setter – Wisconsin Ice 16 National
One of my comments on Sidney in my notes was quite literally “SO GRITTY”. She impressed me on the court and her determination to better every ball. She was all over the place getting touches and putting up solid sets for her hitters. She was also impressive on defense.
Allyson Kakes – Outside Hitter – One Wisconsin Bay 17 Mizuno
Allyson is the definition of a six rotation outside. She is consistent, aggressive, and powerful. Allyson gets great touches off her block and excels in every aspect of the game. Her swings are smart, she has great court awareness, and she knows when to let it rip with her swings. She also provides great passes on serve receive and is scrappy and quick on defense.
Samantha Perlberg Samantha Perlberg 5'10" | OH Chippewa Falls | 2023 State WI – Outside Hitter – Wisconsin Ice 17 National
Samantha is an athlete that continues to excel at a high level. She is very talented on defense and has a high volleyball IQ. Samantha is an explosive athlete who has a high contact on the ball and is also very smart with her swings. She has a great serve that keeps her on the backline for multiple points in a row. Samantha has a huge amount of potential and only keeps impressing on the court.
Katlyn Tarkowski Katlyn Tarkowski 5'8" | OH Arrowhead | 2025 State WI – Outside Hitter – RVA 15 Navy
One area where Katlyn really impressed me was her ability to adjust on the court. Whether the ball was out of system, a perfect set, or a not-so-perfect set, Katlyn could consistently put a powerful swing in bounds. She adjusted her approach and swing very well and earned a lot of points as a result. She also ran some great tempo balls and has a lethal line shot.
Maddy Kreider – Setter – One Wisconsin Bay 16 Mizuno
Maddy is a natural leader on the court. She runs the offense well and always was communicating with her team. She is a consistent setter with clean form and a good release on the ball. Maddy also stood out because she doesn’t usually take the easy set and is hard to read. She mixed her sets up well and trusted all of her hitters to execute.
Kimberly Busateri – Libero – RVA G16 Navy
Kimberly was a breakout athlete at the JVA World Challenge. She was gritty, scrappy, and consistent, a balance that is incredibly hard to achieve. Kimberly was quick to react to balls and got great touches on nearly every ball that came over the net. She was also a huge asset on serve receive and from the service line.
Reagan McIntosh Reagan McIntosh 5'11" | S Verona Area | 2024 State WI – Setter- Capital 16 Adidas
Reagan is gritty in so many ways. She moves the ball around quickly and with enough tempo to outpace blockers. She picks up a ton of balls on defense out of the right back. Reagan also played right side for Capital and her court awareness and ability to execute earned her a good number of kills. She is an awesome all-around athlete who is gritty and competitive no matter where she is on the court.
Mattea Kiepert Mattea Kiepert 5'10" | OH Xavier | 2024 State WI – Middle Blocker – FC Elite 16 Navy
Mattea was another breakout athlete at the World Challenge. She was a huge presence at the net on both offense and defense. She puts up a huge block and presses over the net very well. Mattea made some great plays throughout the weekend and was a key player on this team.
Alivia Jeanquart Alivia Jeanquart 5'7" | S Notre Dame Academy | 2023 State WI – Setter – Impact 17 National
Alivia adds a lot of value as a setter. She can run in all six rotations, is very athletic, and has great form. Alivia has a quick touch on the ball and runs a fast offense. She controls the court well and is a leader on the court. Her decision-making skills were key at the JVA World Challenge.