President’s Day Challenge: 7 Standout 16 Open Liberos

Carley Piercefield

Drew Ellis March 3, 2022 @ 05:13 PM

<p>We close out our President’s Day Challenge coverage by looking at some of the in-state liberos that shined during the 16 Open.</p> <h5><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="110318" first="Carley" last="Piercefield"], FaR Out 16 Black</strong></h5> <p>Piercefield used her big-match history to be the steadiest defender of the tournament. There isn’t a lot of flash and flare needed with her, she’s just in the right position and shows great technique with all of her play. Piercfield isn’t lacking in confidence either, making her a real talented prospect.</p> <h5><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="184676" first="Ava" last="Ford"], FaR Out 16 Red</strong></h5> <p>Ford can play multiple positions, but she shined as a libero during this event. She had very steady and calm passes on serve receive and made good reads on opposing attacks. Ford consistently found herself in perfect position, as she anticipated the play very well.</p> <h5><strong>Olivia Kaji, Legends 16 Adidas</strong></h5> <p>Kaji was a very scrappy player that was easy to spot. She was motoring around the floor and getting to all of her spots. Though she was always on the move, she wasn’t frantic. She still was laser-focused and able to make key digs throughout each match.</p> <h5><strong>Emily Cryderman, AVBC 16 Elite</strong></h5> <p>Cryderman was able to make a big difference with her serving, along with her defensive play. She had some nice serving rallies to help her team contend against the top half of the tournament. As a libero, Cryderman had a lot of energy and good footwork.</p> <h5><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="192872" first="Jordan" last="Suhajda"], HPVBA 16-2</strong></h5> <p>Suhajda was an athletic player. Along with making strong plays as a defender, she displayed a pretty impressive attack from the back row. Her form in all aspects of the game was impressive, including a competitive serve.</p> <h5><strong>Lili Sipila, HPVBA 16-1</strong></h5> <p>HPVBA had some struggles during the tournament, but Sipila was an enthusiastic leader that kept her team going. She was very vocal and in command on the floor, while also making good plays in the back row for her squad.</p> <h5><strong>Hannah Robarge, AVBC 16 National Red</strong></h5> <p>Robarge was another effort player in the back row that stood out for her relentless pursuit of making plays. She had the athleticism and agility to make tough plays all weekend. She had to take on a lot of big attacks and never backed down.</p>