Five Players Standing Out for a Match during Week 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are five athletes that had noticeable performances from a recent Southern Section match:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='706379' first='Natalie' last='Ojeisekhoba']</strong> | 6'1" | 2025 | MB | La Mirada High School<br>As a junior, this returning varsity player, [player_tooltip player_id='706379' first='Natalie' last='Ojeisekhoba'], is sure to continue as a regular offensive and defensive producer. She is already matching her output from last season on the offensive side. Additionally, her defense has upgraded as she is already blocking 50% more attacks than last season. Tuesday night was a standout hitting night for Ojeisekhoba as generated 20% of the teams kills. She will continue to use her height to patrol the net and assert herself into matches. Look for her hitting connection to improve and for her to jump off the stat sheet a few times this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kiersten Mahan</strong> | 5'9" | 2025 | S/OPP | La Mirada High School <br>Kiersten Mahah does a few things well, one of those is setting. She currently leads the team in this area and is heavily relied on to set up the offense. Technically, she sets the ball about halfway between her forehead and full extension of her arms. This middle ground area can provide her an ability to be deceptive to blockers. Specifically, the use of her wrists is minimal movement when setting both forward and backward. This makes the middle take an extra second to read where to block. When she passes, her platform is near parallel to the floor and therefore she uses her legs a lot. Additionally, she contacts the ball with a large distance away from her body to create mobility for added use of her arms. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maleah Diaz</strong> | 5'8" | 2025 | MB/OPP | La Mirada High School<br>Utilizing a low contact point, Maleah Diaz is an efficient hitter. Specifically, on Tuesday Night, she led the Matadors by scoring a point two out of every three attempts. That is amazing. Even better, the times she does not score a point she is keeping the ball in play. Additionally, she tallied her first blocks of the season. With her net play so close to the net vertically she is involved in the majority of plays in the game. When playing at that height, she must be skilled with her arm and wrist. She certainly is. If her production is similar to Tuesday, Diaz will take off in terms of leadership on this Matador squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Abbigail Tago </strong>| 5"9" | 2024 | OH | Oxford Academy<br>This returning varsity player, Abbigail Tago, will undoubtedly play a big role for Oxford this season. Last season, she was a solid, consistent performer. This season, look for her to stand out. She does great work getting outside enough to give herself plenty of options of where to hit. Even during a minor slump, her versatility of playing multiple positions will keep her on the court. With an armswing that will attack the block for points, patience before starting her approach will be important. Tago should always be an option for the offense regardless if she is front row or backrow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Charlotte Emmerling-Fink </strong>| 5'2" | 2024 | L | Oxford Academy <br>A longtime member of Oxford Academy volleyball, Charlotte Emmerling-Fink, is making the most of the beginning of her senior season. Although the Patriots were on the wrong side of a 0-3 match, Emmerling-Fink kept consistent. She came into the match leading the team in digs. She continued that leadership with great effort. With her head down, she watches the ball into her platform. This attention to detail is sure to pay dividends as the season continues. As her passing and defense continue consistency, the offense will likely become increasingly productive. Look for this team leader to continue her reign in the statistical digs category.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->