FAST Pre Nationals – 17s – The Liberos
The club volleyball season is quickly approaching its end, with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship (GJNC), the highlight of the year, set to happen from June 23-July 4 in Indiana. The FAST Pre Nationals tournament has established itself…
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Continue ReadingThe club volleyball season is quickly approaching its end, with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship (GJNC), the highlight of the year, set to happen from June 23-July 4 in Indiana.
The FAST Pre Nationals tournament has established itself as the final event in the Houston area ahead of the GJNC. This year, the tournament was held in three different venues on June 11-12 and offered a final opportunity for us to watch some of the best teams in the state before they had to Indiana to fight for the national title.
We were at the FAST Complex on Saturday afternoon watching the 16s and 17s Power Pools and this time are spending not one, but two weeks producing reports about the event. After looking at the 16s division last week, we’re diving into the 17s this week and now it’s time we point out some of the most dominant liberos.
Lauren McIntyre – Texas Tornados 17 Adidas – HS: Bridgeland – 2023
Also capable of playing a setter because of her excellent technique, Lauren McIntyre does a great job as the starting libero of her Texas Tornados 17 Adidas team. The 5’8” prospect is extremely consistent with her passing and uses her agility and reaction speed to get to difficult balls on defense. McIntyre also has tremendous ball control, keeping a lot of plays alive.
Alyssa Manitzas Alyssa Manitzas 5'2" | DS/L Cornerstone | 2023 State #85 Nation TX – Alamo 17 Premier – HS: Cornerstone Christian – 2023
Largely recognized as one of the best liberos in the state of Texas, Alyssa Manitzas Alyssa Manitzas 5'2" | DS/L Cornerstone | 2023 State #85 Nation TX was once again in top form during the FAST Pre Nationals. The 5’1” libero led her team’s backcourt with her usual efficiency and enthusiasm, probably the two features that best describe her game. Manitzas is extremely technical and rarely makes a mistake. She also does a great job of communicating with her teammates, be it to adjust their positioning or just push them forward. The libero is also a very good server.
Gabriella Espiricueta – Asics Willowbrook 17 Gold – HS: Cypress Creek – 2023
Another highly-respected libero at the state level, Gabriella ‘ Gabby Espiricueta Gabby Espiricueta 5'1" | DS/L Cy Creek | 2023 TX does a great job in keeping things together at the backcourt of her offense-heavy Asics Willowbrook 17 Gold team. The 5’1” Espiricueta is extremely quick, moving really well on the backcourt, and has excellent ball control. She’s great with her passing and defense and also works as a leader for her teammates with her constant communication.
Alyssa Koehl – Ignite VBC 17 Blaze – HS: Canyon – 2022
The most solid defensive player in her Ignite VBC 17 Blaze team, Alyssa Koehl did great in commanding the team’s backcourt. She plays with a lot of intensity and is involved with everything the team does on the court. Koehl is excellent when it comes to controlling hard-driven hits and is also a hard-working player, recovering a lot of balls on defense. She’s also pinpoint accurate with her passing.
Ava Martindale – TAV Houston 17 Adidas – HS: College Station – 2023
There were a lot of talented liberos in the tournament, but what set Ava Martindale apart was her attention to detail. The 5’5” defender seems to never lose focus and was very rarely caught by surprise by an unexpected play across the net. Martindale is extremely technically gifted and that paired with her mental strength made of her one of the top liberos in action. She does an excellent job in taking responsibility for the first contact and, whenever possible, would step in front of her hitters to pass or dig, allowing them to focus only on offense.