Molten Pre-Q 15 Open Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Molten Florida Pre-Qualifier at the Tampa Convention Center showcased great individual performances across the 15 Open division. The division was littered with talent including a few undervalued prospects that I'm excited to present. The finals featured Tampa North 15 Black and OTVA 15 T Liz, ending in a tight three-set match with Tampa North coming out on top. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the competition being very high in the open divisions of this tournament, here are the prospects that dominated the court this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='455032' first='Lara' last='Matta'] - 5'10" OH - Tampa North 15 Black - Class of 2025</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lara was a standout throughout the tournament as an all-around volleyball player and go-to hitter for her team. In the finals, she showed her versatility with her hitting range and quick arm swing carrying them to the win. Her ability to change the type of swing and angles was very apparent during each match I watched. Being an older player in the division her experience and calm demeanor elevates the team's play out on the court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Emily Reed - 5'7" OH - Ocala Power 14 Adidas - Class of 2027</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emily's athleticism and skill were very apparent from the moment I stepped onto her court. Her bounciness allows her to explode through her hitting approach, which she uses to be able to compete with bigger competition. Being the youngest team at the tournament, her ability to stay fluid through her movements on defense helped their team side-out. Her athleticism and skill on the court helped push her team to a 3rd place finish. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Allison Ham - 5'10" OH - Ocala Power 15 Adidas - Class of 2026</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watching the two OPU teams fight it out in pool play, Allison was able to display her heavy arm swing and high contact point. She is a very versatile hitter with the ability to both use her power and her IQ. Her ability to place the ball into seams and specific spots on the court helped her team compete against every team in the tournament. Being a six-rotation player she is able to not only show off her hitting skills but also her passing skills in serve receive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='529620' first='Elena' last='Dibbs-Frantz'] - 6'4" M - Tampa North 15 Black - Class of 2026</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Standing over the majority of her competition, she doesn't disappoint. Throughout the tournament, she was able to dominate the net both on offense and defense. Her size allows her to press high and far over the net, but what impressed me was her elite level of hand positioning on every block. On top of great hand positioning, she does a great job reading the setter and the hitter. Her offense mainly consists of roll shots and high flat swings for now, but her potential shows a lot of promise on that side of the ball as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Kahleah Lancaster - 5'8" M/OH - Ocala Power 15 Adidas - Class of 2026</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although not as big as Elena, Kahleah packs a punch with her quickness and athleticism. She uses her quick feet to her advantage by being a great blocker in the front row and defender in the back row. Her ability to adjust to her sets on offense and still be able to make smart decisions with the ball. She consistently did the small things that coaches love from their athletes from transitioning off the net to calling for her set. Overall great athlete with a lot of potential to grow, as well as the versatility to play different positions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Molten Pre-Q tournament was a great venue to showcase these athletes across the state of Florida. These 5 athletes stood out the most to me for their excellence in their craft and their versatility of skills. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->