Spike Sport #6: The Hard-Working Liberos
Last weekend ranked high up there among the busiest in the current club season with a handful of hugely important tournaments going on around the country, including National Qualifiers in Indiana and Washington. These events drew several top teams from…
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Continue ReadingLast weekend ranked high up there among the busiest in the current club season with a handful of hugely important tournaments going on around the country, including National Qualifiers in Indiana and Washington.
These events drew several top teams from Texas away from the Lone Star State for the weekend, which gave us to watch some teams that normally fly under-the-radar in action in the tournaments that were going on in the Houston area.
Our choice was the Spike Sport #6, which reunited 11 teams from the 17s age group for a single day of competition in Missouri City. We’re highlighting the players that stood out over the course of the week and this piece will present some of the most efficient liberos of the event.
Emma Wheatfall – H Skyline 17 White – HS: Duchenese Academy of the Sacred Heart – 2023
An outside hitter on her high school team, Emma Wheatfall has proven her value as Skyline 17 White’s libero in the tournament. The defender has excellent ball control and delivers pinpoint passes and free balls to her setter. Wheatfall also has an excellent reading of the game, which allows her to anticipate plays and always be in the right spot.
Devanie Armstrong – TX Vision 17 – HS: Victoria East – 2022
Devanie Armstrong’s play on the backcourt was one of the strengths of her TX Vision 17 team in the tournament. The 5’2” libero was extremely reliable every time she was on the ball and thrived for her combination of good positioning, great reaction speed and superior ball control. Armstrong also brought some value to her team from the service line with her consistently dangerous serves.
Isabella Provada – Houston Force 17-1 – HS: Jordan – 2023
Isabella Provada added some defensive stability to a Houston Force 17-1 team that stood out for its offensive proficiency. The 5’3” libero showed excellent ball control and made some impressive digs during the day. She’s also a very good passer and her consistency and very few mistakes were of great value to her team. Provada registered 289 passes, 161 digs and 24 aces in the last high school season with Jordan.
Eliza Cosme – A1 Elite 17 Royal – 2024
Eliza Cosme was one of the nicest surprises of the event with her ability to lead A1 Elite 17 Royal’s backcourt. She did a great job in being consistent and basically mistake-free with her passing and also dug a lot of balls, providing her team with extra opportunities to score. Cosme also displayed excellent positioning on the court and that has put her in a position to recover balls.
Kelsi McDonald – Texas Twisters 17 Royal – 2024
Kelsi McDonald was very comfortable leading Texas Twisters 17 Royal’s backcourt. The 5’4” defender was a force for her team of defense with her ability to read play and quickness to react to them. McDonald also stands out for excellent ball control and her ability to make one-handed digs. She was also very consistent with her passing and created problems to her opponents with her serves.
Lyndsi Smajstrla – AVA TX 17 Power – HS: Pearland Jr. High East – 2024
Lyndsi Smajstrla was one of the pieces that took AVA TX 17 Power to finish first in the tournament. The 5’3” libero showed an excellent ability to react to plays and to go for the ball and made a lot of hustle digs during matches. She was impressed with her tremendous fighting spirit as Smajstrla recovered a lot of balls not many others would because she wouldn’t give up on plays.