Red Rock Rave Qualifier – Texas Right Sides to Watch
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Qualifying for the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship continues to be the main goal for club volleyball teams from the entire country, who have been flying around the US to compete in qualifiers and hopefully secure their spot in…
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Continue ReadingQualifying for the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship continues to be the main goal for club volleyball teams from the entire country, who have been flying around the US to compete in qualifiers and hopefully secure their spot in the biggest event of the season.
This coming weekend, some of the top teams from Texas will make the trip West in order to take part in the traditional Red Rock Rave Qualifier in Las Vegas, which will be held from Saturday to Monday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
The event will serve as a qualifier for the Open, American, Liberty and USA divisions in the 16s, 17s and 18s age groups. As we get ready for it, let’s know some of the most talented players from the Lone Star State who will be in action in the Open divisions. Right side is the last position we’re going to explore this time and here are some of the names to have in mind when the action begins.
Originally a middle, Morris has been playing on the right this season with her new club team Drive Nation 16 Red and will appear in the 16 Open division. Her long frame certainly makes things easier for her on the right, but Morris has adjusted nicely to the new position, developing a strong offense and becoming one of the team’s go-to scoring options. Morris hits a really heavy ball and makes contact with it at a very high pointy, making it hard for blockers to stop her. She also maintains the same blocking efficiency of when she played in the middle and is a challenge for opposing pin hitters.
Barr can efficiently play at either pin, but has been more frequently used on the right by her Madfrog 16 N Green team that will compete in the 16 Open division. Her tremendous offensive power makes of her a great fit for the position as Barr can consistently swing with power and put the ball down. There’s a lot of technique and skills in her game too, as she wouldn’t be as effective as is she is if it wasn’t for her precision when siding out. Her ball control also allows her to play great defense and be a solid passer for her team.
Sims has made great strides with her game over the last couple of years and has become a key offensive player for her AVA TX 16 Adidas team that will also be in the 16 Open division. Her size and her physicality always made of her a player with undeniable potential and it seems the pieces have started to come together more recently for her. Sims is a strong offensive player, who’s very efficient when hitting out-of-system sets and has become more and consistent and intelligent with her shot selection. She’s also a very good blocker, who uses her length to alter shots from opposing hitters.
Highlights
Lanning is another big and athletic right-side hitter who became more of a threat once her game developed in the last year or so and that will be in full display when she gets on the court with Texas Tornados 17 Adidas in the 17 Open division. A lefty, she has great offensive range and has displayed excellent improvement both in terms of power and the placement of her shots. Her decision-making has also gotten better with time and that helped Lanning clean up some mistakes and score with smart plays. A big blocker, she also makes impact in the game with her presence at the net and can also play some defense.
Highlights
Titley is one of those players that will perform well in any position and that versatility has made of her an extremely valuable player for her Houston Skyline 18 Royal team that will compete in the 18 Open division. She has played at a very high level in the middle and as an outside hitter before but is now lining up on the right and having great success. Titley is a very aggressive offensive player, who uses her physical tools to score, but is also very intelligent and very consistent with her offensive play. She’s very complete too, being capable of playing big roles in passing and defense and of making an impact with her blocking.