Powerful Setters Who Can Also Hit Outside
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A setter’s primary responsibility is to feed the hitters, whether they be middle, outside or back row. A coach will tolerate an occasional dump. Some setters have the fortune to play front row and usually hit the right side. When…
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Continue ReadingA setter’s primary responsibility is to feed the hitters, whether they be middle, outside or back row. A coach will tolerate an occasional dump. Some setters have the fortune to play front row and usually hit the right side. When the high school season starts you begin to see a new face on some setters as they transform into hitters who carry an offensive load. Below are some of the setters who have shown they can put some sauce on the ball.
Greta Barvick (Vienna Elite 17/Chelsea) – As a class of 2024 she played up for Vienna Elite 17, setting a 5/1 offense. I remember watching her hit an overset and just bury it to the floor. That got me wondering what she was doing setting. The 5’10” setter for Vienna Elite 17 has transformed into a 5’10” hitter for Chelsea High School. As a Vienna Elite coach told me during the club season, as Greta goes, so goes the team. For Chelsea Academy, as Greta goes so goes the team, except at a different position. Greta accumulated 76 kills in three matches last week and yesterday against Virginia Academy she banged out 40 kills in a 4 set match. This girl is a beast on offense, resulting in her high school starting the season 6-0..
Chloe Hokenson Chloe Hokenson 6'1" | S Langley | 2024 State VA (Virginia Elite 16/Langley) – Langley has a pretty good group of hitters on their team. It is one of the reasons I ranked them number two in the Northern Virginia area to start the high school season. The hardest hitter of this group could be their 6’1″ setter. She has a very strong arm for the right side. She still sets, but the coach recognizes the offense she can give the team and runs a 6/2 with frosh Claire Mo as the other setter. Langley is another team that is undefeated thanks to the hitting and setting contributions from Chloe.
Erin Debiec Erin Debiec 6'1" | S Bishop O'Connell | 2024 State #92 Nation VA (Metro 16/Bishop O’Connell) – This 6’1″ setter was rotated out in the front row for Metro 16 last club season. When I watch her hit for O’Connell I scratch my head and wonder why. She also puts up a very strong block on the right side. There is still some inconsistency in her swing, but that is because she has been used primarily as a setter. Last year O’Connell used her in a 5/1. Earlier this week the junior was celebrated for achieving 1,000 assists. After the celebration was complete the match continued and she rifled a ball to the floor and began her celebration for a kill. O’Connell recognizes the offense she can bring to the team and has chosen to run a 6/2 this year with Erin hitting both left and right side. Don’t think she will have enough time in her high school career to achieve 1,000 kills but she is moving closer to that path.
Milan Rex Milan Rex 5'11" | S Alexandria City | 2023 State #147 Nation VA (Metro 17/Alexandria City) – I was impressed with her setting for Metro 17. They also kept her in the front row to hit. I did not get a chance to see her hit often since Metro always has such good left sides to feed. Because she is such a good setter I just assumed this was her role at Alexandria City. That is not the case. The 5’11” setter for Metro 17 is the primary left side hitter for Alexandria City. She just sprays the ball to all areas of the court, with good velocity on her hits. The Titans use her in the front row and the back row as the primary hitter on this team. When she goes to UC Santa Barbara next year she could be effective in both roles.
Shylah Swope Shylah Swope 5'10" | S Herndon | 2025 State VA (Virginia Elite/Herndon) – I will admit I have not seen her play yet. I won’t assume that she is a hitter for Herndon High School but I have seen video of her put some balls to the floor. The 5’9″ setter can hit the ball from the right side and the left side. Herndon lost Akasha Anderson and that was a big blow to their offense. It would not surprise me if they use Swope in the front row to replace some of that lost offense. She is listed as a setter/outside hitter.
MacKenzie Calhoun (Columbia Academy/River Hill) – You have to go all the way out to Maryland to watch her hit for her high school team. I was impressed with her when I saw her setting a 5/1 for Columbia Academy. Last year she led her high school to the Maryland 2A state championship as a hitter with 27 kills in the finals. It was hard to believe this was the same girl. To date, I have only seen her set, but in high school she has been accumulating a number of kills to show me she can also carry a big stick with that right arm.
Chesapeake Chirps : Colgan continues their impressive run to the 2022 high school season with a sweep over a talented Battlefield team that was 7-1 entering the match. Colgan is now 6-0 for the year and have yet to lose a set….Flint Hill had a big Independent School League (ISL) battle with Georgetown Day. Both teams came into the game undefeated. Flint Hill won in three, 25-20, 25-18 and 25-20….In the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Good Counsel got a solid win against Paul VI in a four game match…..Marshall also sent Oakton down to their first defeat with a 3-0 sweep 25-17, 25-23 and 25-18…. Frosh Morgan Reeves had 10 kills for St. Johns DC in their 3-0 sweep over St. Johns Catholic Prep in Maryland….Robinson beat Alexandria City in five to take control of the Patriot Division. They also won in five over Woodson the previous week…Congrats to Morgahn Fingall for winning the AVCA Division I college player of the week. Morgahn plays for Tennessee but spent her high school years playing for Metro and winning a state championship for Chantilly High School in 2018.