SW Minnesota Challenge: Best of the Bros

"That team is great, but their libero isn’t very good" - said no one ever. Behind every great team is a libero that commands the backrow. Being a libero is so much more than being able to make the diving play. They must be the one the opposing team says, “Don’t serve at”, reading the other side of the court, knowing hitter tendencies, and also being able read the block to help their own teammates. The Southwest Minnesota Challenge was full of top notch defenders, college level where they were taking pace off hard driven swings, and their serve receive was on point. Here are a few liberos or “bros” to keep tabs on. Tatum Rubald - Wayzata - Senior Wayzata has an extremely athletic lineup with great size in the front row. Having solid hitters doesn’t always bode well if you don’t have a great first contact. Rubald is all over the place and keeps the Trojans in system, enough to run a high powered offense. One of the few Seniors on this team, Wayzata will be a dangerous threat as the season progresses. Kaitlyn Weimerskirch - Champlin Park - Senior Committed To Illinois State Weimerskirch is so quietly effective for Champlin Park. Incredibly smooth in the backrow with great footwork, reads incredibly well, and is always in the right spot. Champlin Park has the best setter in the state in Izzy Ashburn, but what makes her even better is she has passers like Weimerskirch and defensive specialist Megan Panser coming up big in the championship match against Lakeville North. Bailey Berg - Kasson-Mantorville - Senior The Komets are returning from a trip to state in 2017 and will have their eyes on the price once again this season. Peyton Seuss is a six rotation, do it all type of athlete who was on the Northern Lights USA Volleyball National Championship team, but there are more pieces to the puzzle than Seuss. Bailey Berg plays with such great composure at libero for the Komets in left back. A solid server as well, her experience is obvious, and she works so well with her other defenders in the back row. A definite college prospect to keep tabs on. Tatum Kooima - Sioux Falls Roosevelt - Junior Kooima and the Sioux Falls Roosevelt team had a tough opening round task in playing Champlin Park, but they are scrappy and competitive. Kooima holds down the backrow and has a solid platform where she is able to always keep a ball in play. Roosevelt has an athletic frontline and with Kooima in the back to keep the Rough Riders in system they always have a chance to score. Mia Schniable - Marshall - Junior Schniable may only be 5’3, but she is so gritty and scrappy. That can be said about the whole Marshall team, that’s their style. Nothing flashy, just get the job done whatever it takes. Schniable was taking pace off some hard swings Friday night and keeping her team in the winners bracket into Saturday morning. She is also the type that will dive into the bleachers to save a ball, nothing seems to phase her. Ellie Pesch - Minneota - Sophomore There are teams that are just fun and entertaining to watch warm up with flash, hard hits, can jump out of the gym, but when it comes right down to it what is their efficiency on the court? Minneota makes the game simple, and Sophomore libero Ellie Pesch makes defense look really simple. Always stopped on contact, always has her platform out, she gives her setter Morgan Kockelman a chance to make a play on the ball. There is no wasted movement here, she is able to play everything in great defensive position. The same can be said about the team as whole! Emma Torstenson - Northfield - Sophomore Watching Torstenson play I would have never guessed she was a Sophomore. Plays with great court savvy and keeps the offense in system which the Raiders have such a lethal attack from the middle. Not only does Torstenson have the skill, but she is just really athletic overall. With more reps and experience, she definitely has the tools to be a high college prospect. Halle Wolfe - Lakeville North - Junior At most of these tournaments fans sit on the baseline which I enjoy seeing how the ball moves on a serve, where the hitters contact point is and how the defense is set up. However, for the championship match I changed spots and was on the bleachers right behind the up official which gave me a whole new perspective. I could really hear the players communicate with each other and Halle Wolfe of Lakeville North, I could hear her doing what all liberos should do which was lots of pre-serve communication, calling out hitters, where the setter was, and even during the play telling her hitters where block was, what shots were open. Oh, and she’s just really good too, but her communication was on point! <h2>Other Notable Liberos</h2> Caylee Christian - Eastview Rachel Schiele - Jamestown (ND) McKenna Vacek - New Prague Claire Segner - Waconia Haley Hewitson - Benilde-St. Margaret