High Schools with Explosive Left Side Attackers
In this article:
One of the more popular positions girls try out for is left side hitter. It is a position that captures the glory because those players finish the rallies with their hard driven spikes. A lot of girls may volunteer to…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the more popular positions girls try out for is left side hitter. It is a position that captures the glory because those players finish the rallies with their hard driven spikes. A lot of girls may volunteer to play the position but not every girl can become a successful left side hitter.
What do coaches look for in a left side? Explosiveness with the jump, where the last two steps are fast and hard to give the hitter a good vertical jump. An arm swing that travels quick through the ball to give your spike good velocity. Finally, the ability to pass and play a good defense so player can contribute to the offense by hitting in the back row.
Below are the high schools who appear to have the most explosive left side attackers.
Emerson Sellman Emerson Sellman 6'4" | OH Academy of Holy Cross | 2024 State #5 Nation VA (Holy Cross) – The now junior stands 6’4″ and can fly high over the net. Emerson is not only number 1 in our class of 2024, but she is number 42 nationally. What separates her from other tall left sides is her ability to pass and play incredible defense. She moves around the back row like a libero, getting her lengthy frame low to the floor. The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) voted her co-conference player of the year. The national team put her on the roster for the U19 National Training Team. She has a block jump of just over ten feet. Listing all her accomplishments are so great that it would take a whole article to name them all.
Hard to believe Lameen will only be a sophomore next year. At Paramount she dominated at the net playing at the 16 level. Her back row play could still use a bit more polishing but the shine will sparkle as she gains more experience. This past club season seems to have been her breakout year resulting in her being ranked number 2 for the class of 2025. Her older sister Mujay plays at George Mason University. The older sisters always lead the way to better their younger sisters.
The Connecticut commit is our number two rated player for the class of 2023. Last year for Bishop O’Connell she played right side and was one of the primary passers. For the 2022 season she will move to the left side and again be a constant in the passing rotation. She plays excellent defense which will allow her to play back row and be used to add some offense there. Her mother played basketball for the Huskies and brought a national championship to the household. Grace has chosen a different path and hopes to bring a volleyball championship to Connecticut.
Sydney Bryant Sydney Bryant 5'11" | OH Flint Hill | 2023 State #151 Nation VA (Flint Hill) – Flint Hill will be relying on Sydney to be their primary left side hitter this year after the departure of Caria Spears to Texas. The University of Maryland commit played for Metro 17 last year, winning the MVP award for the Open Division at the Capital Hill Classic. She has a fast arm swing with a vertical jump of over 10 feet. She has the quickness to play a good defense in the back row.
Alexis Ewing Alexis Ewing 6'3" | OH Bullis | 2025 State VA (Bullis) – The 6’1″ sophomore has a lot of potential. As a freshman she was voted to the Independent School League A Division All Met team. Bullis also won the regular season championship. Alexis also has inherited some good athletic genes with her dad (Patrick) playing professional basketball and her mother (Cheryl Weaver) being a volleyball Olympian. The U.S. national team also invited Alexis to their training center. Her game is still a bit raw and for Virginia Juniors she only played in three rotations for the games I watched, but there is tremendous potential. She could really blossom this high school season to become a force at the club level for the 2023 season.
Seliz Aktuglu Seliz Aktuglu 5'9" | OH Oakton | 2024 State VA (Oakton) – She is only 5’9 and is the player with perhaps the least amount of height on this list. For Saint James she had a powerful club season, putting balls away that some players who stand over 6 feet would love to replicate. She also plays a solid back row and provides enough vertical to be used in a back row attack. The junior should make Oakton a force in the Concorde district.
Lilah played right side for Metro 16 last year. For Stonebridge she will move to left side. She was voted MVP for the Potomac Division and 5A State player of the year, with her outside kills leading Stonebridge to the Class 5 State championship. She has a nice vertical jump, with her approach jump reaching 10 feet. For Metro she did not play back row as she was rotated out for the setter, but it would not surprise me that she could hold her own there.
Rylah Robinson Rylah Robinson 5'10" | OH J. W. Robinson | 2023 State VA (Robinson) – The Rider University commit was voted to the Junior National all tournament team in the 17 National Division. Paramount got themselves in the gold bracket and it was the clutch spikes of Rylah that got them there. She only played three rotations when I watched, but Paramount has some very good back row players.
Riley Buddie Riley Buddie 6'1" | OH Langley | 2024 State VA and Ana Toumazatos Ana Toumazatos 6'1" | OH Langley | 2025 State VA (Virginia Elite) – Most high schools would be happy to have one dominant left side. Having two is a coach’s dream. Riley is a junior and Ana is only a sophomore so there will be some peaks and valleys as they gain experience. Riley played at Virginia Elite 16 while Ana played with the 15s. Both stand over 6 feet and provide height to the outsides. Ana is our third ranked player in the class of 2025. There is gobs of potential talent in both their arms.
Highlights
Aubrey led the way with 11 kills to give Colgan their first State championship, after winning five straight Cardinal District volleyball titles. After the team had lost five seniors the previous year Aubrey stepped up her game to contribute to the championship run, showing that it would not be a rebuilding year. The now junior hopes to improve on her season after a successful club stint with Virginia Juniors. She appears to have the flexibility to hit both right and left side.