Houston Force #3 – 17s – The Liberos
As it happens every weekend, there were club volleyball tournaments going on all over the great state of Texas this past weekend. With a pair of huge tournaments coming up next week in the Lone Star Classic and the ATX…
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Continue ReadingAs it happens every weekend, there were club volleyball tournaments going on all over the great state of Texas this past weekend.
With a pair of huge tournaments coming up next week in the Lone Star Classic and the ATX Showcase, we decided to take a different route this time and focus on an event that didn’t reunite any of the major clubs of the Houston area in order to spot some potential under-the-radar prospects in smaller club teams.
The Houston Force #3 was played in two locations – the Faith West Academy and the Skyline Academy – in the Katy area and featured two divisions – 17s and 18s. We got to watch each of the 16 teams of the 17s Division on the court on Saturday and found some interesting prospects to highlight.
We’ll do it over the course of the week, starting with the most interesting liberos today.
Houston Force #3 Standouts
Bailey Newman – FR Premier Jrs 17 Gold – HS: Clear Brook – 2023
Friendswood Premier Jrs 17 Gold was arguably the best team in the division on Saturday and having a rock in the backcourt in Bailey Newman certainly helped that. The 5’4” prospect has excellent technique, which allows her to also be used as a setter, and is extremely reliable on serve-receiving. She works very hard on defense and often manages to keep the ball in play when not many others would. Newman also has a high volleyball IQ and seems to be very interested in learning more about the game every day.
Olivia Brain – KW Revolution 17 Elite – HS: Kingwood Park – 2023
Very active on the backcourt, Olivia Brain is one of those defenders who test their opponents’ patience as she touches on a lot of balls before conceding a point. Brain is really cool-minded on the court and that seems to help her make smart decisions in difficult situations. She’s also extremely solid on passing, massively contributing to her team’s offense. Another thing that stands out in her game is her attention to detail as she seems to be always looking for different ways to contribute, be it with a good serve or an inch-perfect set when needed.
Kelsi McDonald – Texas Twisters 17 Royal
A solid player in a very solid Texas Twisters 17 Royal team, Kelsi McDonald took great care of her backcourt duties with the team this past weekend. The defender is very fast on her movement and can get to balls not many would – and she loves to go for single-handed digs. Her passing game is also very good and McDonald has the ability to create problems for opponents as well with a dangerous serve.
Nicole Kramer-Arzola – FR Challenge Elite 17-Roy – HS: Clear Lake
Nicole Kramer-Arzola’s role with FR Challenge Elite 17-Roy vastly extrapolated her duties as the team’s libero. She did a fantastic job in the backcourt, using her excellent positioning and outstanding ball control to up balls all day, but was also among the most used hitters in the team – yes, while playing as a libero. Kramer-Arzola is a very intelligent player and used some smart plays to get the team out of tough moments. She’s also a good leaper and a very good server.