Mizuno Cross Court Classic: The Out-of-Staters
There was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday. The tournament featured nearly 700 teams…
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Continue ReadingThere was a lot of volleyball in Houston this past weekend with the 2021 edition of the Mizuno Cross Court Classic taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from Saturday to Sunday.
The tournament featured nearly 700 teams and had divisions from the 11s to the 18s in an infrastructure that had volleyball going on in as many as 85 courts inside the building. We focused our coverage in the 15s, 16s and 17s Open division and will present the top performers during the week.
The tournament attracted teams from other states and among the three divisions we followed, there was a total of five clubs from Louisiana and Tennessee. We, from Texas, are of course great hosts, so here’s our list with the players from out-of-the-state who stood out in the event.
Alexis Pendleton – Right Sider – IVBA 16 Adidas (Tennessee) – HS: Houston – 2023
Alexis Pendleton doubled up as a setter and opposite for Tennessee’s IVBA 16 Adidas’ team and excelled in both roles. When tasked with setting, she ran a fast-paced offense and set her outside hitters up in great spots with quicks sets at the pin. When she was at the net, Pendleton was a scoring threat herself, using her six-foot frame and her heavy right arm to hit at a very high level of efficiency.
Anna ‘AC’ Froehlich – Outside Hitter – LVL 17 Adidas (Louisiana) – St. Thomas More – 2023
Anna Froehlich used her well-rounded game to lead Louisiana’s LVL 17 Adidas to a successful campaign in Houston with four wins and just one loss. The six-foot outside hitter was involved in virtually everything her team did, being an active member of the team’s serve-receiving and its main hitter at the net. Froehlich has great reach and a very diversified offense, making it very difficult to stop her at the net. She also scored a handful of points when hitting from the backcourt.
Sunni Sheppard – Libero – IVBA 16 Adidas (Tennessee) – HS: Brandon – 2023
Sunni Sheppard was another member of Tennessee’s IVBA 16 Adidas team that stand out for her game. She was one of the best liberos in the entire tournament with a very intense and efficient playing style. Sheppard is very quick and has a fantastic ability to read the game and anticipate her opponents’ moves, which results in a handful of easy digs every match. She also showed a great ability to handset from the backcourt.
Sarah Carnathan – Outside Hitter – IVBA 17 Adidas (Tennessee) – HS: Madison-Ridgeland Academy – 2022
Part of the 2020 AVCA Phenom Watchlist, Sarah Carnathan was one of the most powerful hitters of the division. The 6’1” outside hitter of Tennessee’s IVBA 17 Adidas had not only the size, but also the pure power to make a lot of damage at the net and she did so. Her approach is very strong and that makes her make contact with the ball at the highest possible point, substantially improving her chances of scoring in off-the-net sets. She also showed to be a very good blocker. Carnathan has already committed to play indoor and beach for Austin Peay.