Lone Star Regional Championship: The Liberos Who Stole the Show
Some of the top Texas club players in the 18’s division competed in Houston this past weekend with FAST Complex and the Houston Skyline facilities hosting the Lone Star Regional Championship for the age-group. Several players impressed among the 55…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSome of the top Texas club players in the 18’s division competed in Houston this past weekend with FAST Complex and the Houston Skyline facilities hosting the Lone Star Regional Championship for the age-group.
Several players impressed among the 55 teams that appeared in the tournament and during this week we’ll take some time to highlight some of them. Liberos are often overlooked due to their limited offensive contribution, but these ones couldn’t escape our eyes.
Kenedi Miller – AVA 18 TX Attack – HS: Clear Brook – 2021
Kenedi Miller played well as an outside hitter for Clear Brook during the high school season but she’s at her best when deployed as a libero. That was the case during the weekend and she was one of the best players for the AVA 18 TX Attack team. Also a talented beach volleyball player, the 5’6” Miller has a great deal of confidence about her game that suits well a libero’s mindset and it reflects on her game and how she approaches every play. She’s very technical and fast on the backcourt and can set and serve well when she needs to. She will continue going great things at the collegiate level after committing to the Sam Houston State University.
Amalee Frey – GCVA 181 Coast – HS: Brazoswood – 2022
Amalee Frey’s game stood out in a GCVA 181 Coast team that won only one of their five matches in the event. The 5’2” libero was very solid all weekend and did a great job on defense, hustling to keep the ball alive for as long as she could. She wasn’t the target of opposing serves very often, which speaks volumes about her passing ability, but when one went her way, she’d deliver it perfectly. Frey also seemed to have a positive influence on her teammates with her positive demeanor and encouraging smile and she also proved to be a dangerous server with a skilled left hand.
Egadi Santos – Austin Skyline 18 Black – HS: Vandergrift – 2021
Egadi Santos has the perfect mindset to become an elite libero. The Austin Skyline prospect is very talkative and takes responsibility for organizing her team’s backcourt efforts. She’s also very confident and tends to respond well to mistakes, something really important for someone who will be passing and digging all night. She leaves nothing to be desired on the technical side of the game either, displaying great ball control and impressive quickness when moving on the court.
<
Janisha Vallejo-Gloude – TCS 18 Black – HS: Pflugerville Connally – 2021
Janisha Vallejo-Gloude is another case of a prospect that plays outside hitter for her high school but is used as a libero when club season starts. The 5’5” Vallejo-Gloude seems to have adjusted really well to the role as she did a great job with TCS 18 Black this past weekend. She’s not only a very skilled defender and passer but also seems to play well under pressure in the most important moments of each match. Vallejo-Gloude is also very vocal and her constant energy input seemed to infect the entire team during the tournament.