7 Elite Defenders

<p>  Much of our attention tends to go toward those in the front line attacking but these defenders are committed to defending the back court.  Here are 7 top defenders to keep tabs on this season.</p> <p><strong>Lauren Johnson</strong> - <em>Belle Plaine;</em>  Johnson is probably better known for dominating the basketball  court; she is one of the few in school history to have surpass 1,000 points.  Her skill translate perfectly to volleyball: hustle, speed, and technical skills.  In a recent match she had 35 digs in only three sets.  They use her as a primary passer in nearly every rotation and she is great in the middle back.</p> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11698648/Makena-Panitzke"><strong>MaKena Panizke</strong></a> - <em>Minnewaska Area; </em> Makena is having a great start to her senior year.  She creates long rallies with her solid defense.  Although her number of digs rarely outshines her contributions in the front, she is a well rounded player who seems to have a hand on every play.</p> <p><strong>Alexa Melcher</strong><em> - Elk River;</em> One of the younger athletes on our list but an essential part of the Elk River team is sophomore Alexa.  In the first three matches, she has already accumulated close to 60 digs.  Likewise, she is equally as important to their serve receive.  She takes over 1/3 of all serves for the team and rarely ever gets aced.  She is one to watch with her relaxed style and strong angles.</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="102887" first="Kylie" last="Smidt"]</b>- Stewartville;  The Tigers don’t always use a libero as the whole team seems to have above average passing technique, but it is smart to utilize Kylie more.  She creates plays instead of reacting to them.  Smidt can easily cover from sideline to sideline.  And could give a clinic on how to dive and sprawl with a purpose.  The Tigers like to use  her to generate momentum from the service line and to make heroic saves on defense.  Her athletic ability can’t be denied and they are better when she is on the court.</p> <p>Other favorite defenders on the rise:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Tianna Green</strong> -<em> Eastview; </em>Senior libero with 57 digs in 3 matches</li> <li><strong>Caily Schlosser</strong><em> - Ashby; </em>34 digs in West Central Area match</li> <li><strong>Ella Voegele</strong> - <em>Wayzata; </em>28 digs in win over St Michaels Albertville</li> </ul>