Magnificent Middles Who Dominated the Top 250 Expo

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was quite the morning at the Courts in Beaverton on Sunday, November 20th. With over 70 athletes from across Oregon gathering to compete, it was a fast-paced and high-energy-filled gym. Here are the middle blockers that caught our eye at the Oregon Top 250 Expo. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/rachel-peterson-passing.jpg?1669096350"></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:gallery {"linkTarget":"_blank","linkTo":"media","sizeSlug":"medium","style":{"spacing":{"padding":{"top":"var:preset|spacing|40","right":"var:preset|spacing|40","bottom":"var:preset|spacing|40","left":"var:preset|spacing|40"}}}} --> <figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)"><!-- wp:image {"id":249315,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/hailey-heytvelt-hitting.jpg?1669145591" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/hailey-heytvelt-hitting-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-249315"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo: Jenn Bowers</em></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":249172,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Danica-Becerril3-scaled.jpg?1669145592" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Danica-Becerril3-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-249172"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo: Douglas Huegli</em></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption"><em>Pictured: (left to right) [player_tooltip player_id='126031' first='Hailey' last='Heytvelt'] hitting, [player_tooltip player_id='126166' first='Danica' last='Becerril'] hitting</em></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:gallery --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126166"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":249080,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637d24a93afb7"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having never seen Becerril compete in person, she was a fun athlete to watch on Sunday. She proved incredibly coachable, and definitely improved throughout the morning, taking feedback and applying it. I was most impressed with her slide attack, working with whatever set was given, she hit it with ferocity, and it tended to result in a kill.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126031"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":249084,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637d24a93b018"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heytvelt was, without a doubt, the best middle in the gym on Sunday. Explosive, quick, and athletic, she makes for a terminal middle blocker. She was taking plenty of big swings throughout the day, and did a good job communicating with setters to mix up what she was running. She is also an aggressive blocker that moves well laterally to the pins, and shut down plenty of attackers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["249298"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":249106,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637d24a93b063"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pernsteiner is a bouncy middle blocker with an impressive vertical jump and some serious hang time. On Sunday, she made an impact both offensively and defensively. With a fast approach and a quick arm, she proved lethal. Putting up a solid block, she can transition to the right side with ease, if need be.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":249074,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Audra Rose","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Paul","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Oregon Juniors Volleyball Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637d24a93b10c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rose is an incredibly physical middle-blocker. Playing on a 16-3 team last club season, her improvement over the last year has been significant. Watching her step on the court with confidence, she is truly a different player than she once was. On Sunday, Rose showed us that she can hang, and contribute, at the next level. With her stature, physicality, and athleticism, she has a ceiling of potential that is incredibly high.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126054"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":249092,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637d24a93b190"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams was right on Heytvelt's tail for the top middle blocker in the gym, which makes sense, considering they played opposite one another the past two club seasons. Having watched Williams since 8th grade, it has been fun to watch her grow into such a mature player. She is physical and athletic which makes for a well-rounded attacker. She has a powerful swing and was able to adjust to a variety of setters throughout the day with no problem.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->