Club Team Spotlight: Volleyball Alliance 18-1 Monica
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The Volleyball Alliance 18-1 Monica team is off to a fantastic start this club season. After this weekend’s 18U Power League, the team secured the #2 seed in the region (not including 18s teams playing in the Open tournament). Thus…
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Continue ReadingThe Volleyball Alliance 18-1 Monica team is off to a fantastic start this club season. After this weekend’s 18U Power League, the team secured the #2 seed in the region (not including 18s teams playing in the Open tournament). Thus far, the group has only lost three matches across three tournaments, an impressive feat. This group is a combination of returners from the Alliance teams of last season and some talented newbies. The head coach of this team is co-club director Monica Anderson who has been with the club since the beginning. She coached some of this group when Alliance was an independent, stand-alone team. Fast forward four years, and it has grown into a legit club program with eight teams covering each age division. Assisting Anderson is Tigard High School head coach Jesse Abell.
Anderson, the daughter of head coach Monica Anderson, has been an integral part of the Alliance team’s successes over the past few seasons. With a heavy arm and an explosive approach, she proves to be a definite offensive weapon for this team. She is a smart attacker and does a good job mixing up her placement. Typically not coming off the court, she is an asset across the back row as well. She showcases solid ball control on both serve receive and defense. Anderson is a complete six-rotation outside hitter that has not yet committed to a school. Whichever program acquires her is a lucky one!
Brecke is an intimidating presence on the court, standing at 6’2”. For Alliance, she is their primary middle blocker. She is utilized in transition consistently for the quick and does a good job hitting the deep corners. On the blocking front, she puts up a formidable wall that opponents struggle to work around. Oozing with potential, she has showcased a notable amount of improvement over the past year.
Chloe Calvert
Chloe Calvert
Calvert is a tiny but mighty defensive specialist. She is speedy, technical, and disciplined on defense. From the service line, she brings a tough standing float serve that garners lots of aces and disruptions. Calvert has juggled a couple of roles on this team, both as a defensive specialist playing backrow for an attacker and as the libero. She is a definite anchor across the backrow for this group given her stellar ball control.
McCarthy is an impressive six-rotation setter. For Alliance, the team has typically run a two-setter system with McCarthy and Lila Strupp. She showcases a ton of athleticism on the court and gets to nearly every ball. Given the impressive vertical jump on McCarthy, she typically stays in to attack across the front row. Only a sophomore, playing up with mostly seniors, she displays a lot of untapped potential and will definitely be a setter to keep your eyes on throughout the coming seasons.
Pickard was a major pick-up for this Alliance team, having previously played the bulk of her club career at Athena. She is coming off a fantastic high school season where her play on the right side was critical in helping Jesuit High School advance to the 6A State finals. For her final club season, she will transition to the outside primarily. She has a hammer of an arm and does an exceptional job mixing up her attacking locations. Pickard recently committed to play volleyball at the University of Texas, Dallas.
Lila Strupp
Lila Strupp
An Alliance returner, having played for this club since its beginnings, Strupp is proving to be an asset for her final club season. An athletic setter, she has a soft touch and a quick release, showcasing some natural talents. She displays solid decision-making and gives her attackers consistent sets to run a smooth offense. Running a 6-2 with Maggie McCarthy Maggie McCarthy 5’8″ | S Grant | 2025 State OR , she sets across the back row and is more than capable of swinging across the front row. She is a smart hitter, her sand experience has paid off mightily in this regard, and she racks up tons of kills because of this.