Legends Classic #3 – Defensive Specialists Who Got the Job Done
The club volleyball season resumed in the state of Texas this past weekend after a two-week break for the holidays and there were several tournaments going on simultaneously around the Lone Star State. Most of the top teams in the…
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Continue ReadingThe club volleyball season resumed in the state of Texas this past weekend after a two-week break for the holidays and there were several tournaments going on simultaneously around the Lone Star State.
Most of the top teams in the state headed to the traditional Countdown City Classic in San Antonio, but I went to the Legends Classic #3, which was hosted by the Open Court Sports Complex in Katy, on Saturday, instead.
The event was a 16s tournament attended by 20 teams from Houston and surrounding areas, which provided me with a great opportunity to take a look at some under-the-radar prospects from the region. I’ve been sharing my findings during the week, going over every position, and now we conclude our positional lists with the defensive specialists who made a big impact on their teams.
An extremely technical player, Gudino makes a tremendous impact on the backcourt with her HJV 16 Molten team. Her technical movements are great, she’s very smart with her movement and works hard to keep the ball off the floor. Her passing is excellent and it’s easy to see how Gudino’s presence makes all her teammates more confident on the court. She also gets to impact the game with her solid floater.
Highlights
Soleil Partida
Soleil Partida
Playing one age group up, Partida did an excellent job at Houston Skyline 16 Silver’s backcourt. Very dynamic, she did way more than slightly upgrading the team’s defensive system as she was a true difference-maker digging a lot of balls from the middle back position. Partida is very comfortable on the ball and moves really well on the back. She also displayed impressive solidness with her passing and, despite being one of the youngest players in her team, had the confidence and the initiative to step up for the first contact on free balls.
Julia Gilcrease
Julia Gilcrease
Gilcrease is a player that undoubtedly strengthens TX Hurricanes 16 CAT 5’s defensive system when she’s on the court. She’s very calm on the ball and is very focused on each of her actions, improving her accuracy and limiting her errors. A very reliable player, Gilcrease gives a much-needed level of stability to the team as she splits the court with the team’s libero for serve receive. She’s also a solid defender and came up with some clutch digs in a key moment of the match against Allegiance 16 Purple.
Andrea Johnson
Andrea Johnson
Johnson came in eventually when her Texas Outlaws 16 Black needed an upgrade on the backcourt and she delivered on each of those occasions. Her mobility on the backcourt is truly impressive and it makes of her a very efficient player when chasing tips or balls that deflected off the block. Johnson also significantly improved her team’s serve-receive system, covering a lot of ground and delivering precise passes to the team’s setter.