GJNC Previews: TAV 17 Blue
The most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las…
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Continue ReadingThe most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 26-July 5.
As many as 728 teams are expected to compete in the 15 divisions for these three age groups and the state of Texas will, of course, be well-represented in the tournament with more than 50 teams expected to make the trip to Nevada.
During the next few weeks, we’ll use this space to present the Lone Star state representatives in the tournament, recapping their performances during the club season and highlighting some of their top prospects.
TAV 17 Blue
One of two teams of the Texas Advantage Volleyball Club from the Dallas area, TAV 17 Blue will compete in the 17 USA division in Las Vegas. Working under the leadership of head coach Whitney Sample, the team has gone deep in most of the tournaments it played, registering a very positive 48-13 win record in the club season so far. TAV 17 Blue has solid finishes during the entire season but their second place at the Adidas Lone Star Classic and their third-place at the Nike Mideast Qualifier are the ones that stand out the most.
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Players to Watch
Alea Lastinger – Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker – HS: Grapevine – 2022
A middle blocker turned into an outside hitter, Alea Lastinger adjusted just fine to her new position and became a key piece in TAV 17 Blue’s offensive system. The 5’10” prospect fools opponents with her slow approach but unleashes a lot of power when she makes contact with the ball. One interesting aspect of Lastinger’s game is her ability to always find breaches on opposing blocks, something that makes of her really effective in transition. She has put up some big numbers in high school volleyball too, having tallied 291 kills, 59 blocks and 107 digs in two seasons with Grapevine.
Zhengyi Rosie Du – Setter – HS: Flower Mound – 2022
A skilled and creative setter, Zhengyi Rosie Du runs the show on TAV 17 Blue’s offense. She joined the team from Skyline this season and quickly integrated into her new teammates, developing great chemistry with her hitters. Du has good size for the position at 5’8” and, most importantly, perfect technique and the right mindset. She’s very accurate on her sets and knows when to push the pace of the game or to play more conservatively. She also leads by example with her determination and hard work.
Alaina Armstrong – Outside Hitter – HS: Richardson – 2022
Alaina Armstrong brings just the exact combination of power and technique to TAV 17 Blue. The 5’9” outside hitter is extremely athletic, which translates into her game with tremendous leaping ability and the heaviest arm in the entire roster, which makes of her a threat from either the left or the right sides. But she’s also really skilled and has clearly spent a lot of time working on her passing game. Armstrong is a well-known face in high school volleyball too, having registered as many as 235 kills, 37 aces, 84 blocks, 267 digs and 373 passes over the last two years with Richardson.