Spike Sport Classic #11: The Top Performers
The Spike Sport Club in Missouri City hosted one of the final tournaments of the club season this past weekend, the Spike Sport Classic #11. Any tournament for the 15s provides a unique opportunity to watch players in the early…
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Continue ReadingThe Spike Sport Club in Missouri City hosted one of the final tournaments of the club season this past weekend, the Spike Sport Classic #11.
Any tournament for the 15s provides a unique opportunity to watch players in the early stages of their development and it’s always exciting to notice how much potential these young athletes have to develop in their careers.
PrepDig.com was there and took note of each of the 14 teams that competed in the tournament and now we’re taking the week to provide our reports and highlight the prospects that stood out.
We start with the top performers, the players that really caught our eye in the event.
Presley Steward – Outside Hitter – Texas Tornados 15 Black – HS: Cy Fair – 2024
Presley Steward’s game is impressively well-developed for someone of her age. The 5’9” outside hitter is very technical and does a great job in passing and digging. She’s also got a lot of power at the net and a superior ability to score in less-than-ideal sets, be it by tooling the block or finding empty spots on the court. She’s also extremely positive-minded and someone who’s always cheering her teammates up and pushing them forward.
Alyssa Gatlin – Setter/Outside Hitter – AVB 15 Royal – HS: Providence Classical – 2023
It’s hard to define Alyssa Gatlin’s best position on the court as she played setter and outside hitter and also blocked on the middle, all with high success. Her versatility is anchored by a great all-around game that allows her to perform all skills with ease. As a setter, she’s capable of turning bad passes in hittable balls and as a hitter she’s got a heavy arm and tremendous court vision. Her main skill as a player, however, might be her ability to improvise. Anytime she needed to act instinctively, Gatlin found a creative and efficient solution to win the point or at least create problems for her opponents.
Karaline Smitherman – Setter – Xcel Volleyball 159 – 2025
Karaline Smitherman is one of those players who are wise beyond their years. The setter showed great maturity in leading Xcel Volleyball 159’s offense and did a great job in setting her teammates up at the net. A left-handed, tall setter, she always commanded extra attention from opposing blockers due to her ability to dump on two. Smitherman showed great touch and excellent distribution, but her most valuable asset as a player might be her calm personality, which helps her make the right calls on the court.