10 Gritty Athletes who Rocked the PD Resolution

The Prep Dig Resolution tournament was a weekend full of great volleyball and huge competition. It was awesome to see athletes from 15s through 18s competing under the same roof. Needless to say, I have notes galore on all the talent I witnessed over the course of the weekend. Gritty athletes are some of my favorites to find. They dig deep in the toughest moments and will do just about anything to keep the ball alive. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="164553" first="Cora" last="Riffle"] – Setter – [program_tooltip program_id='431537' first='Midwest' last='Penguins'] 18 Black – Committed to Carroll University</h3> Cora is a talented setter who is very well-rounded. But she adds incredible value to her team in her ability to read the court and lead by example. Cora seems to bring out the competitive edge in those around her and she is always looking to outsmart her opponents. She moves the ball around well and is aggressive at the net. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='178269' first='Paige' last='Boettcher'] – Outside Hitter – [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 15 White</h3> Paige was an impactful player for Sting in all six rotations. She has a massive vertical and a powerful arm swing. She was also dynamic and competitive from the service line. Paige regularly went on runs of three or more serves over the course of the weekend. She earned a lot of points for her team and was one of the leaders for this team when they won the 15 Open Championship. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='181751' first='Jessi' last='Riesterer'] – Outside Hitter – [program_tooltip program_id='431537' first='Midwest' last='Penguins'] 16 Black</h3> Jessi has a way of making things work. She has a great vertical and contact on the ball which helps her choose shots. She is very smart about hitting around the block and finding holes in her opponent's defense. Jessi has a good view of the court and is a very valuable pin to have on your team. <h3>Kinlee Grattan – Setter – Elite Alliance 16-1</h3> Kinlee caught my eye several times throughout the weekend. She has good hands and always seems to get a touch on the ball. She is a powerful setter who can push the ball pin to pin from wherever she is on the court. She also is very diligent about picking up balls on defense and covering her hitters. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='202195' first='Madelyn' last='Abel'] – Setter – Wisconsin Premier 15 Teal</h3> Madelyn has super quick hands and is very hard to read. She moves the ball around quickly and efficiently and is always giving her hitters the best possible opportunities to score points. Madelyn also has a lethal serve that puts teams out of system and helps earn her team points. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="122577" first="Briana" last="Binagi"] – Outside Hitter – [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 16 White</h3> Briana adds huge value to this dynamic team. She earns points in all six rotations and is engaged in every play. No matter where she is on the court, she is an option for her setters to use. Briana has great fundamentals and utilizes that to make tough shots look easy. She is valuable on defense and from the service line too. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='178254' first='Lily' last='Shields'] – Setter/Libero – [program_tooltip program_id='428662' first='Wisconsin' last='Ice'] 15 National</h3> Lily is an incredibly dynamic athlete who plays both setter and libero for [program_tooltip program_id='428662' first='Wisconsin' last='Ice']. She excels on defense and picks up some truly amazing balls across the court. Lily is scrappy and gritty and seems to get a touch on everything that comes over the net. As a setter she has good hands and is a fun athlete to watch. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="81308" first="Taylor" last="Larson"] – Libero – Wisconsin Premier 18 Teal – Committed to Viterbo</h3> Taylor has a clean platform and is scrappy in the back row. Nothing touches the ground without her making a move for it. She makes huge saves yet has great ball control on serve receive. Taylor reads opponents well and is a very impressive libero whose grit helps make momentum-changing plays on the court. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="122520" first="Claudia" last="Merizon"] – Right Side – Impact 17 National</h3> Claudia does a bit of everything for this team. She hits on the right side and plays right back defense opposite the setter. Everything she does though, she does it well. She picks up a lot on defense and has a swing that can power through blocks. Claudia also has a great serve that tends to keep her on the service line for several points in a row. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="122560" first="Andi" last="Spies"] – Setter – Capital 17 Adidas</h3> Andi is just an incredible athlete. She is a natural leader on the court and runs her offense efficiently and without hesitation. She makes smart choices, knows her hitters well, and is hard to read. Andi is always pushing for the next point. She also has a lethal swing and a lot of power as a right-side hitter.