2024 Liberos: 5 to Watch
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Liberos make the magic happen on the back line of the defense. The great ones can take your breath away with a seemingly impossible save or pass perfectly in serve receive allowing their team to constantly attack with every offensive…
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Continue ReadingLiberos make the magic happen on the back line of the defense. The great ones can take your breath away with a seemingly impossible save or pass perfectly in serve receive allowing their team to constantly attack with every offensive option available. Most of all they provide the fire and enthusiasm for their teams, keeping the energy high and communication flowing. The 2024 class has many standouts, these are just a few expected to make a huge impact during the high school season in Washington.
Mireya Kawaguchi
Mireya Kawaguchi
Kawaguchi covered seemingly half the court for her NW Juniors team at times during serve receive. Very consistent, she was not phased by serves with pace, and was able to move her feet and take balls out of her zone when needed. Its obvious she is player who has spent time working on her own serve, she is accurate to all zones of the court, and the serve looks the same in her motion, allowing her to deceptively drop it into the front right or left, making the opposing front row players pass. Her Bellingham team will be relying on her consistent passing as they start play in the Northwest league.
Kelly played up on the WVBA 18 team as the starting libero this past club season, and you can see why as there is a maturity and sense of control to her game. She is unflappable in serve receive and passes with an economy of movement that lets her control the height and tempo of her delivery. She will be a major part of making sure her Lake Stevens hitters Isabella Christensen Isabella Christensen 6’1″ | OH Lake Stevens | 2023 State WA , Hayli Tri, and others stay in system as the Vikings make another run at the state tournament.
Alyss Kelly Alyss Kelly 5’5″ | DS/L Lake Stevens | 2024 State #159 Nation WA Recruiting Profile
Highlights
Annie Sjolander
Annie Sjolander
Sjolander excels in serve receive for her WVBA team and easily changes the level of her platform to deliver a good pass. That carries over on defense, she can handle attacks outside of her mid-line utilizing that fundamentally sound platform. She has a super positive attitude on the court, and you can see and hear the encouraging way she interacts with her teammates. Has a serve she delivers with pace, and can attack from the back row in a pinch.
Halle Reiter
Halle Reiter
Reiter plays at a high level for a Camas squad in high school, and an OJVA club team that competes in the Open Division regularly, and she has everything you want in a big time, college libero. She will back set to the pin, either using her hands or her platform and it’s accurate. Her Papermaker teammates Kendall Mairs and Alliyah Barnes Alliyah Barnes 6’2″ | MB Camas | 2023 State WA will benefit from that skillset when the team is out of system. She will stand in against the hardest line shots and dig the ball on target, she has the ability and training to set her feet at the last moment and make her move to the ball from a sound position. Her hustle sets her apart, she is quick and relentless covering balls and running down just about everything.
Lily McNannay
Lily McNannay
The 2nd team All-GSL 2A performer is back to anchor the Greyhounds defense. McNannay has a very solid platform in the passing game, cushions serve with pace keeping the pass off the net, and can mover her feet to pass deep serves on the money to her setter. Defensively she can stand up to a hard attack right at her, covers well and can make diving stabs with her right or left hand. Was at her best in big matches against league rival Shadle Park, keeping seemingly sure kills off the ground to save points for Pullman.