LSRC 18s – Houston Area Previews – Katy United 18 Adidas

<p>Most of the top 18s club volleyball teams in the state of Texas will head to the Austin area this weekend to compete in the 2022 Lone Star Regionals 18s Championship, which will be hosted by the Round Rock Sports Center.</p> <p>The two-day tournament will reunite more than 100 teams across its two divisions and will display some of the top talent available in the Lone Star State.</p> <p>I’ve been fortunate to watch some of these teams in-person while covering tournaments during the club season in the Houston area and will highlight some of the ones that will compete in the 18 Bid division in the days leading up to the LSRC.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Katy United 18 Adidas</strong></p> <p>The top 18s team of the club located in the Katy area had top ten finishes in three of the seven tournaments it competed at this season, ranking fourth at the Nets Over Texas #1, seventh at the Tour of Texas Qualifier and eight at the Tour of Texas #3. They have won 17 and lost 25 matches up to this point of the season.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYz8knTL-YK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYz8knTL-YK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Katy United (@katyunitedvolleyball)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="99527" first="Izzy" last="Denton"] – Libero – HS: Katy – 2022</strong></p> <p>Vastly recognized as one of the best liberos in the entire state, [player_tooltip player_id="99527" first="Izzy" last="Denton"] has a very strong mentality on the court. She’s the kind of player that always wants to do more for their teams, although her role with 18 Adidas is already pretty complete. The 5’3” Denton covers a lot of ground on serve receiving and gives the team several extra opportunities to score with her outstanding defense. She also plays an important role for the team from a mental standpoint, often encouraging and praising her teammates. A Stephen F. Austin commit, she ended her high school career with Katy with 1,151 digs, 1,239 passes and 80 aces.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12993632/62362af2664b7f047883a7e7" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Lexington Higgins – Outside Hitter – HS: Belville – 2022</strong></p> <p>A long and powerful outside hitter, Lexington ‘Lexi’ Higgins is often 18 Adidas’ go-to scoring option. She has tremendous length at 6’1” and does an excellent job in making contact with the ball at a very high point, further opening up offensive possibilities for her. Higgins is really explosive and nearly unstoppable when hitting sharp angle, but her offensive game is by no means limited to power as she also gets to score using finesse with her tips. Also a very good server, she has committed to Blinn College after making it to the State Tournament Team with Belville.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17042991/62281a857bdda312181f3562" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Taylor Glendening – Middle Blocker – HS: Fort Bend Travis – 2022</strong></p> <p>Taylor Glendening has an excellent presence at the net with her 6’2” frame and long arms. Despite her size, she’s also very mobile and that helps her on both sides of the ball. Glendening is very prolific offensively because of her ability to hit a very quick set in the middle in any direction. When it comes to blocking, her excellent timing makes of her a very efficient player at the net. Glendening is also headed to Blinn College after she ended her high school career with Fort Bend Travis with 393 kills, 145 blocks and 77 aces.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11403271/62365037a018ca084493d6e3" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Gracie Gibbens – Setter – HS: Katy Taylor – 2022</strong></p> <p>A very skilled and intelligent setter, Gracie Gibbens runs 18 Adidas’ offensive system. The 5’8” playmaker likes to play fast and use her middles when in system but she also does a very good job in working off the net and putting her pin hitters in position to score. Gibbens also moves really well on defense and gets to touch on a lot of balls. She ended her high school career with Taylor with 1,063 assists, 438 digs, 195 kills and 83 aces and is now headed to the University of Wisconsin Platteville.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13156278/6236503a4bb2dc0b348d4b2c" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Courtney Manz – Outside Hitter – HS: FBCHA – 2022</strong></p> <p>Courtney Manz’s all-around game is of great value to 18 Adidas as she is able to help the team on both sides of the ball. The 5’10” outside hitter is extremely explosive at the net and a viable scoring option, especially in key moments of matches. Her backcourt skills are also well-polished as Manz is a very solid passer and defender. An HSU commit, she was one of the captains of her FBCHA high school team last season, when she produced 174 kills, 181 digs, 287 passes and 26 aces.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17042990/62365037066c030b7450eeba" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Eliana Zepeda – Defensive Specialist – HS: Foster - 2022 </strong></p> <p>Eliana Zepeda typically enters matches when 18 Adidas needs more stability on the backcourt. The 5’3” defensive specialist forms a solid duo with Denton as she’s extremely capable when it comes to passing and is also a very good defender. Zepeda tallied 424 digs and 42 aces in the last high school season with Foster and will play for East Texas Baptist at the collegiate level.</p> <p><iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15175196/62281a3fd468aa14141d9205" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>