Mid-Season Report: ECC Leaders

<p>We are at the midpoint of the season as several conferences are set to begin the second round of playing each opponent. In the Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) it is Little Miami that is alone atop the standings after a huge five-set win earlier this week over Lebanon as both teams entered the contest with only one conference loss. There is a log jam for 2nd place as Lebanon, Kings, and Milford each have two losses. This league has shaped itself into one this season that anything can happen on any given night. Prospects among ECC statistical leaders are as follows:</p> <p><em>Attacking</em></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="114584" first="Elise" last="Marchal"]</strong> - 2024 | Kings<br /> Marchal is a frontrunner for ECC Player of the Year given her league-leading numbers offensively and defensively. She has a total of 157 kills with an average of 4.5 kills per set. She carries a big offensive load for the 2nd place Kings and continues to handle it well with a respectable .248 efficiency given the volume of her attack opportunities. Defensively, she is also atop the ECC in total blocks at 34. Just a sophomore, she in one of a few in the 2024 class for the Knights that are bringing big effort and keeping them in the hunt for a league title.</p> <p><strong>Hannah Graves</strong> - 2022 | West Clermont<br /> Graves maximizes her 5’7 frame well as a primary attacker and six-rotation athlete for the Wolves. Although winless on the season, Graves has shouldered the majority of the offense for West Clermont as she has seen more than double the attempt opportunities compared to any of her teammates. She gets off the floor well and can generate a lot of pace from both the front and back row. She is averaging 4.0 kills per set and has multiple matches in which she has terminated over 20 kills, including 24 in a tough five-set loss to league leading Little Miami.</p> <p><em>Defense</em></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137128" first="Olivia" last="Gentry"]</strong> - 2022 | Milford<br /> Gentry is among the league leaders in total blocks with 29. The senior middle has been a key factor for the Eagles and their competitiveness thus far. She can do some good things offensively as one half of a strong middle tandem that has good size and aggressive arm swing action. Her ability to get involved in the offense opens things up for their pin attackers while her presence defensively at the net can create fits for hitters and their ability to develop good rhythm.</span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="114469" first="Emily" last="Morgan"]</strong> - 2022 | Milford<br /> Morgan should be considered among the premier liberos in the greater Cincy area. She is dynamite. She is second overall in digs with 190 total with several of those involving great reaction that has robbed point scoring from some of the league’s heaviest arms. She has good patience and court read and understands well how to create range in every direction with ability to dig in system or scramble and keep the ball up in a playable zone for her team. </p> <p><em>Setting</em></p> <p><strong>Chloe Burton</strong> - 2022 | Little Miami<br /> Burton is third overall in total assists on the season as the Panthers are 10-1 overall. She is left handed and utilizes good mix of distribution and her own offense to force opponents to have to pay a lot of attention to her. Burton gets her hitters involved well from pin to pin as they are effective in their ability to score through a range of attack points and movement of the ball off their arms. She is a veteran leader that has this team rolling right now.</p>