Club Team Spotlight: OJVA 18-1 Gold

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And the ever-dominant OJVA 15 Gold, 16 Gold, 17 Gold, and now 18 Gold team is back with its core group of athletes still returning. The only athlete not returning to the group is 2022 Morghn Monahan, currently playing for Hawaii Pacific University. However, they have a few additions to the team that make them all that more competitive this season. [player_tooltip player_id='91319' first='Olivia' last='Maulding'], [player_tooltip player_id='91307' first='Addie' last='Hoover'], and [player_tooltip player_id='91316' first='Isabel' last='Patterson'], who previously played at Athena, plus [player_tooltip player_id='91327' first='Kalista' last='Lukovich'], who previously played at Chaos, has joined the group for their final club season. Three of the four are already committed: Maulding to Notre Dame, Patterson to the University of Oregon, and Lukovich to Eastern Washington University. This team is not hurting for dynamic and dominant six-rotation pin hitters this season. Between [player_tooltip player_id='91328' first='Sofia' last='Cooper'], [player_tooltip player_id='201023' first='Lauren' last='Dreves'], [player_tooltip player_id='91306' first='Sophie' last='Gregoire-Salagean'], [player_tooltip player_id='91307' first='Addie' last='Hoover'], [player_tooltip player_id='91327' first='Kalista' last='Lukovich'], and [player_tooltip player_id='91316' first='Isabel' last='Patterson'], the team will be tough to stop offensively. The team will be led by veteran OJVA coach Kalani Efstathiou, who is coming off yet another 4A State championship with Valley Catholic. Assisting him will be Anna Dillard, the head coach at LaSalle for the past few seasons and the 2021 NWOC Coach of the Year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We will be highlighting some of the OJVA 18-1 Gold athletes to watch this season below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["201023"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Dreves is entering the club season after a fantastic last few months. She was critical in the Columbia River Rapids two-peat 2A State championship as a six-rotation outside hitter. Some impressive accolades to add to her already impressive resume at the completion of her junior season: 2A GSHL 1st Team All-League, 1st Team All-Region, 1st Team All-State, 2A GSHL Offensive MVP, and, to top it all off All-Region Player of the Year. Although she is the only 2024 talent on the 18 Gold squad, she has been playing with this group since she was in 5th grade on the 12 Gold team. Recently, Dreves committed to play at Auburn University. But first, she has her final two club seasons ahead of her, giving her plenty of time to prepare for her collegiate debut.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b4ff"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91306"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Gregoire-Salagean, a University of Oregon commit, has been an offensive and defensive backbone for this team since her 8th grade season. Holding the #1 rank for the class of 2023 since her freshman season, she has grown into an elite six-rotation outside hitter, capable of making an impact at a very high collegiate level. Wrapping up her club season a little early, Gregoire-Salagean is planning to be on campus in Eugene for the Ducks Spring season. Until then, she will surely be utilized for OJVA 18-1 as she has the past four club seasons.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b55e"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91327"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Lukovich has burst on to the scene over the past two years, showcasing major improvements to her game since her freshman season. Given the substantial improvement, she propelled herself to the top of the 2023 class, currently sitting at #7 in the State. Her play was critical in the Nelson Hawks third-place finish in the 6A State tournament. At the conclusion of her senior campaign, she was named co-Player of the Year for the Mt. Hood conference as well as 6A First Team All-State. Lukovich recently made it official and signed to play for Eastern Washington University.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b5b8"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91319"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"With Monahan graduating, the team needed a top middle blocker to take her spot. So, getting Notre Dame commit Maulding was a major pick up for the OJVA 18-1 team. It is safe to assume she will make an immediate impact for the team. A dynamic middle blocker, she is tall, athletic, and powerful. Maulding is the top middle blocker in her class from Oregon, and nationally sits at 90 overall. She is coming off a successful senior campaign with LaSalle, being named co-Player of the Year for the NW Oregon Conference, and a 5A First Team All-State selection.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b609"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91335"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"McDermott has been the anchor of the back row of this team since joining OJVA for 15s. She has shown a substantial amount of improvement over four seasons and has shot herself to the top of the 2023 class. In our rankings, she is the #1 defensive specialist and #12 recruit overall for the State of Oregon. According to our national rankings, she is the 19th ranked defensive specialist, sitting at 180 overall. She is steady, quick, and confident on serve receive and defense. McDermott has committed to play at the University of Pennsylvania.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b659"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91316"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Patterson is a highly touted addition to the team, having previously played at Athena. A University of Oregon commit, she will get an opportunity to play with soon-to-be college teammate [player_tooltip player_id='91306' first='Sophie' last='Gregoire-Salagean'] before both head to Eugene. A high-flying outside hitter with an insane vertical jump, she can hit with the best of them. However, her backrow play is elite, and may very well be utilized as a defensive specialist once at Oregon. She is coming off an impressive senior season with the Jesuit Crusaders, being named co-Player of the Year for the Metro League, as well as the 6A Player of the Year. She was also named to both the First Team All-League and the First Team All-State.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b6b0"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["91309"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Starr has been running the offense for this team since 12U and has not looked back. She has confidently ran a 5-1 throughout her seasons. But has also split setting duties with a few different setters over the years running a 6-2. Standing at 5'10” with a decent vertical jump, Starr can stay in to attack and block on the right side. She is the top 2023 setter for Oregon, sitting at #4 overall, and nationally is 176 overall. Following her senior campaign with Central Catholic, she was named co-Player of the Year for the Mt. Hood Conference, as well as 6A 2nd Team All-State. Starr has committed to play for the University of California, Davis.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63bc7b251b713"} /-->