Lone Star Classic 18 Liberty&American: Texas Team Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wrapping up Lone Star Classic 18's divisions with Liberty and American. Liberty has 40 teams registered while American has 64. There is a lot of volleyball to be played this weekend to make it out of pool play still alive and into the running for gold. Below we will highlight a few teams and players from each division who should really make an impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Liberty</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Summit 18 National Blue is the number one overall seed this weekend in Liberty. They have a lot of talent with libero [player_tooltip player_id='153296' first='Hailey' last='Nixon'], who is uncommitted so far, but after watching some highlight films, she would be a great pick-up for any program. She is strong and quick laterally and does a good job of keeping the ball alive on tough plays. Nixon along with setter Tatum Bloom, make for a strong start to what could be a successful weekend for Summit 18 National.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One team that could give Summit a run for its money is Ignite 18 Blaze. With a star-studded roster, and a gritty, go-get-it type of play. Ignite could really do some damage this weekend. Outside hitter <strong>Kaitlin Whitlock </strong>is phenomenal all the way around and is a true offensive threat with a lot of range in her swing. The libero/DS combo of <strong>Caiden Lasala</strong> and <strong>Khyleen Price</strong> is damaging to opposing offenses, as they are hard to score on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>American</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While American is normally the largest and most difficult division to qualify in, lots of Texas teams are up for the challenge. Skyline BCS 18 Royal will start the tournament at the number 3 spot.<strong> Kendra Humphries</strong> is a player to watch her because of her length and heavy arm swing. She is versatile enough to play any position. Athletic middle blocker<strong> Lesley Munoz</strong> is a great addition to this team and is a wall at the net. She is explosive on the block and has a great press.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Valley Venom 181 Red will also be competing in the American division. I think they look good to finish well here because of their solid ball control and excellent outside <strong>Rylie Barnett</strong>. She's going to West Texas A&amp;M next year, which is a huge get for them. Riley is a very aggressive outside who snaps hard and swings fast. I also like <strong>Jenna Rios</strong>, the setter for her team. She has soft hands and can also double as a DS if needed. We can't forget about <strong>Elise Fourt</strong>, a strong outside hitter who is committed to UTRGV.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best liberos you'll see this weekend in the American division, <strong>Charlsie Atteberry</strong> will be playing for Katy United 18 Adidas. Her relentless defense is so fun to watch, and she is a spark on the court. Katy United 18 Adidas has a nice selection of offensive weapons, but lefty <strong>Kellen Dorotik </strong>splits playtime between the outside and right side and is able to show her offensive versatility there. Middle hitter <strong>Isabella Deuel</strong> adds in some kills off quick sets and looked pretty good on the slide as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->