Houston Force End of Year Classic – Middles
There are all sorts of volleyball tournaments in the state of Texas during the club season and on Saturday Prep Dig was at the Houston Force End of Year Classic. The event was held at the Faith West Academy, in…
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Continue ReadingThere are all sorts of volleyball tournaments in the state of Texas during the club season and on Saturday Prep Dig was at the Houston Force End of Year Classic.
The event was held at the Faith West Academy, in Katy, and reunited 15 teams from the Houston and San Antonio areas in the 15s age group. It was an amazing opportunity to see new faces as most of the teams entered don’t typically compete in the major events and there were plenty of intriguing names in action during the day.
We’re presenting the most exciting prospects that were in action over the week and as we continue to go over every position, let’s now show some love for the middles who thrived at the net:
Kate Phillips
Kate Phillips
Phillips had a strong presence at the new with her H Skyline 15 Silver team that won the tournament. Her long arms and her good mobility at the net made her blocking very impactful as the middle was quick to go from pin to pin and could also put on a big block to stop opponents. Her offensive game was very solid too as Phillips made contact with the ball at a high point and often hit the ball straight down, out of reach for opposing defenders. She also hit from the right on one rotation and scored at a very good rate from there.
Trenidee Hines
Trenidee Hines
The high-energy Hines played with a lot of intensity at the net for TX Legacy 15 Adidas and was one of the key players for the team that took second place in the event. A very physical middle, she jumps really well and swings hard, being one of the team’s main offensive options when in system. Hines’ athleticism also helped her when blocking as her hangtime was a big advantage when she was battling on 50-50 balls or jousts. The middle also showed reading of the game and made some very good decisions when trying to stop opponents at the net.
Gracie Noack
Gracie Noack
Noack was one of the best offensive middles in the tournament playing for NHouston Elite 15 Elite and helped the team finish fifth in the tournament. She scored at a very high rate, using her high contact point and her ability to swing hard for every direction to beat opposing blockers and defenders. Noack’s impressive mobility and long arms also made of her a productive player when blocking. The middle had some good serving runs during the day too and made a handful of big plays on defense.
Anna Scott Turn
Anna Scott Turn
Possibly the tallest player in the event, Torn was very solid in the middle for her H Skyline 15 Gray team that ended in sixth place. Her offense is still a little bit inconsistent, but when she was able to find a good connection with her setter, no one could stop Torn as she made contact with the ball at a very high point and hit it with tremendous power. She seems to be further ahead with her blocking, moving well at the net and timing her jumps and using her arms well to disrupt opponents. Torn also had some good serving runs, getting a few aces along the way.
Kiana Cunningham
Kiana Cunningham
Few middles in the tournament were as impactful for her teams as Cunningham was with SA Empire 15 Select – the team was 11th in the event. Very long and active at the net, she used her physical tools to dominate on both sides of the ball. Cunningham did a great job with her blocking, moving well at the net and placing her long arms well into the opposing court to stop shots. While still developing, her offense is also in good shape as Cunningham can hit from every position and makes contact with the ball at a very high point. She had some good serving runs and displayed good effort to play defense. Another thing that impressed in her game was the fact that seemed to always be able to keep the ball in front of her body, which is something quite difficult to do as a middle.