Phenomenal Passers 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 passers that caught our eye at the Oregon Top 250 Expo.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:gallery {"linkTo":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped"><!-- wp:image {"id":249974,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/JKB1500-2.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/JKB1500-2-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-249974"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":249971,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Alondra-Paz-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Alondra-Paz-1-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-249971"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":249972,"sizeSlug":"medium","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Jeryn-Hildenbrand-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/11/Jeryn-Hildenbrand-1-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-249972"/></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption"><em>Photo: Jennifer Bowers (left), Douglas Huegli (middle &amp; right)<br>Pictured: (left to right)</em> <em>[player_tooltip player_id='162947' first='Zoe' last='Mish'] passing, [player_tooltip player_id='126025' first='Alondra' last='Paz'] passing, [player_tooltip player_id='161846' first='Jeryn' last='Hildenbrand'] attacking</em></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:gallery --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["161913"],"_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":249949,"_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":"Azavedo has the special talent of making passing and defense look effortless. On Sunday, every movement she made was smooth and simple, and she made it look easy to dig hard-driven balls and tips. Azavedo is also incredibly quick on her feet and her passes are usually very controlled, which makes her all the more challenging to score against because she can pick up nearly anything. She will be one to watch over the next couple of seasons.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["126201"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":249950,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Brent is not just a skilled athlete, but she is also an incredibly hard worker. At the Expo, she was hustling left and right to pick up balls and move through drills quickly. Even throughout her hard work and constant movement, Brent never wavered on staying communicative and vocal. She is a natural leader on the court; that leadership, combined with her ability to execute good passes, make Brent a talented player.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["161846"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":249951,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eSophomore Hildenbrand is a talented all-around athlete. Although she came to the Expo listed as a defensive specialist, Hildenbrand has a powerful and strong left-handed swing that was rare to see among Sunday's group of defensive players. She also has a tough serve that other athletes at the Expo found challenging to pick up, adding further to her repertoire of skills. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["161858"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":249952,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eHolder's hustle and hard work made her stand out in a large group of defensive specialists. Holder's passing was generally sound on Sunday and she put up many good passes with a solid platform. However, what really made Holder shine was her drive to get her hand on every ball that she could. Her passion for the sport really showed through her play at the Expo. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["162947"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":249953,"_player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Mish is a solid athlete. She brings a calming and positive presence to the court, and it's clear from her play that she is a very hard worker. Mish's passing was consistent and strong on Sunday. Her quickness helped her get to most balls and make effortless-looking plays. Mish's good attitude, combined with her athleticism, make her a talented defensive specialist overall.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["126035"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":249954,"_player_evaluations_5_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Murray-Ceriello is very strong defensively as a controlled passer who is super quick on her feet. Perhaps more importantly, however, is Murray-Ceriello's excellent communication. Throughout various drills on Sunday, Murray-Ceriello could be heard leading other athletes through drills by counting passes and staying vocal. Her defensive talent and her communication skills shone through at the Expo.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["126030"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":249955,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Nguyen stood out as a defensive specialist on Sunday despite playing as a setter for her high school team. Nguyen is a natural leader who maintains a positive attitude, always keeping a smile on her face. She is vocal and communicative, too. Defensively, Nguyen is quick on her feet and is excellent at putting up sets when the setter takes the first pass, showing off her multiple skillsets.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["161828"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":249956,"_player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eOceguera was hard to miss during the Expo. She is super quick on defense and puts up solid passes, even on balls that seem impossible to reach. What really made Oceguera stand out, though, was her excellent communication. She is talkative and loud, clearly enthusiastic about the sport, and she comes across as a solid teammate. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["126025"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_player_featured_image":249957,"_player_evaluations_8_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Paz, who normally hits from the outside but only passed on Sunday due to a shoulder injury, is a very dynamic athlete. Although she only played in the back row, Paz showed her all-around talent and high volleyball IQ. She made great plays on serve receive, rarely letting a serve sneak past her, and she read the opposite side's hitters well. Paz is also very good at setting the ball when the setter takes the first pass, a talent that is necessary for the defensive specialist position. Paz's defensive abilities will have a hugely positive impact on her success as an outside hitter once she is able to swing again.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["126231"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_player_featured_image":249958,"_player_evaluations_9_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Street is another defensive specialist who makes passing and making big plays look effortless. Even while she flies around the court and makes diving plays left and right, Street manages to put up nearly perfect passes with almost every dig. She is consistent, skilled, and quick - three attributes that any team would hope their defensive specialist has. Street is also a hard worker, and her even-keeled temperament brings a calm but passionate energy to the court.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":10,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637f021d3e8f7"} /-->